The Parker Byrd with ECU Alum and LIV Golf Tour Member Harold Varner III
[Music] Hey, [Music] hey, [Music] hey. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] All [Applause] [Music] right. What’s up, everybody? Welcome back to the Parker Bird Show here in the Legless Lounge. Today we have an absolute incredible guest, someone who represents North Carolina everywhere he goes. He is a former ECU pirate, a world-class golfer, and one of the most genuine downto- earthth guys in all of sports. A man who has a massive impact both on and off the course. You’ve seen him on the PGA Tour, the Live Tour, in the Jordan brand, and in the community. But today we’re going even deeper than that. Harold Varnner III is on the show today. Harold, thanks for being on, my man. Man, that was uh quite the introduction. Thanks for having me. Yes, sir. Uh let’s let’s uh take it back to the beginning, man. Uh what originally brought you to ECU? And was there a moment during your recruiting where you’re like, man, ECU is home. This is where I want to be? Uh, I wasn’t really good at golf like where I could pick and shoot like that at and we weren’t very good. So, it was more like I just wanted a place to play. Um, the main reason was Preston McFall, my coach. He was, uh, he was pretty stern, but he, you know, he always had my back and, you know, we we’re still friends today. He spoke at my wedding. Um, so just super fortunate to have someone like that in my life that early besides my parents. Yeah. Yeah. Um, and then obviously, you know, getting here and learning the pirate community, it’s special. It’s uh they rally behind you no matter what sport you play. Um, what did, you know, being a pirate mean to you and what does it mean to you uh today? I I think I didn’t know what it meant to me in uh when I was in school because, you know, I met great people, but you just never know how they’re they’re going to impact you after you get out of school. Um, I would say I’d say I’ just going back now, like say you go back to a game, which I’ve seen you at games, is just seeing people. It’s a a connection, a bond that uh I was just super fortunate to be a part of that, you know, taught me a lot. Uh, I think some of it wasn’t on purpose, but they just loved me, which is the main thing, you know, like when you’re loved, you know, pretty all the time. So, I just I was really lucky there. So, it means means the world. I I think it was an integral part of my life so that I could grow up. I could fail. I could uh what’s the word? Do everything you need to do without getting in trouble, but knowing like, hey, this ain’t it. So, I was very lucky. Right. Right. For sure. No, I wasn’t lucky. I was blessed. That’s right. I love it. I love it. What is uh one of your favorite memories about ECU? Uh you know, whenever you think about first football game Oh gosh. I I got I got a lot of memories, but my first one that comes to my mind is the football game. There’s two football games when we played NC State when Russell Wilson was playing. We won in triple overtime. That’s awesome. Uh and then the next one was the first football game at home. We played West Virginia as a student I went to. We played West Virginia and we beat them. They’re like eighth in the country. It was crazy. Like I didn’t know people were that crazy about football. So crack, you know, like now I’m crazy about football. So, it’s it’s funny seeing it and right, you know, it’s just um I mean I I guess I’ll touch on it right now. It’s just so nice to so nice to sit here and everyone’s like they’re so mad at we’re seven and four. I’m like, yeah, hey guys, stop. Like, we haven’t won seven games in a long time. Like, enjoy the good. So, it’s right I’m just so all about it. I love I love what we’re doing. and I love being a part of it. So, yeah, that was my first experience with that football game and now I know why people get up for it. It keeps keeps it’s that that whole region runs through that football team. So, it’s it’s interesting. It’s something that I look forward to and I want to always be a part of till I leave this earth. Yeah. Yeah. I agree, man. It’s it’s been a great year. I I really do believe, you know, just having a chance at the college football playoffs was really cool. I mean, come on. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, you play the sport. Just have a chance. Yeah, correct. It was awesome. I mean, I know it was a low percentage there for a little bit, but man, it felt special the two weeks that we were were in it, but they I mean, Kaiten and what they’re doing over there, it’s pretty cool. But if you go could go back and talk. Correct. Say it louder for the people in the back. I know, right? I know. I know. People take it for granted. You know, we’re such a winning program just overall and when you win only seven games, people are freaking out. So, that’s a good point. They’re losing their mind. If you could go back and talk to college Herald, what would you say to him? And what advice would you say? I think I would actually do more what I thought. Like, hey, I really believe myself. Like, don’t you know, when doubt came, I would like be very stern and be like, come on. Like I’d be I’d be arrogant and I would try my best not to put it off where you weren’t likable, I guess, because I like being liked. Everyone does, right? That’s what I would do. I would stay strong on like what I really believe in. Like I think you got to be you got to have some swagger. You got to have some some things that aren’t are really not liked when you’re in college. like people don’t like the the people that are, you know, they’re good, they’re cocky, they’re everything you don’t really want to be around, but you need those people to win games and to do good things in sports. So, I I I would I would stick stand firm to that, honestly. Yeah. Yeah, that’s real. Um, and you grew up in Gastonia, I believe, is that correct? Yeah. Don’t get it on you. I love it actually. Yeah, I love it. How did uh golf enter your world uh from pretty early on, man? Pretty cool. This uh there’s a golf course, a mini course used to be called Gastra Municipal. It’s called Kataba Creek now. But used to you used um from June 1st till September 1st is a 100 bucks to play golf, which is crazy. Monday through Friday, any kid under the age of 18, I mean, I spent a 100 bucks on way worse things. So, it was really cool. I had a place to play. I didn’t really have to ask. My parents dropped me off and I always had a place to play. So, I kind of I got really really lucky in the aspect like there’s no way you can run a course off a 100 bucks. Yeah. Like, you know, like like I don’t care how many kids are out there, you know, it costs 100 bucks to play Brook Valley now, but if you can play it, that’s a trick. Um, so I I uh yeah, I just I had a place to play and it was five minutes from the house. That’s awesome. So yeah, like what else do you want? Yeah, that was really really cool. That’s how I got started. My dad got me into it. So I got I was hooked. I was hooked for sure. Yeah. Yeah, that’s cool. Were there really some early mentors? I know you just talked about your dad, but you know, some early mentors or role models that really shaped your love for the game. Oh yeah. There’s two one two that like that just changed they changed my life but obviously one had me so it’s a little different. My dad so that doesn’t really count. Uh yeah my dad uh man he got me into golf. He I mean I still love golf. He still loved it. My dad and a guy named Bruce Sutter who taught me how to play golf basically. I didn’t have my first lesson till I was 16. Okay. I was working at the local country club and you know just those guys just really loved on me. They still do. They’re old now but that you know it is what it is. But uh my my coach my college coach would be one but I still talk to him. He’s a mentor but he’s like a older brother I would say because I can really like talk to him about like what’s going on in my life. I guess I could do the same with my dad but it’s way more important to have someone you can really relate to. Be like this is what’s going on right now. Like and my dad, these older gentlemen don’t have any tolerance. They have like zero tolerance for like any of this. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So it’s sometimes be tough. Yeah. Correct. Yeah. Exactly. Um so I’d say Bruce Sut and my dad for sure. Cool, man. Uh when did you kind of realize like, hey, I can go pro with this? You know, I’m at that level where I believe I can take this to the next level. I’d say my junior year I started winning tournaments. I got into the USAM, you know, just things were happening where you like once again this is where I just started getting more cocky, more arrogant where I thought I really believed in myself. Like you can believe in yourself and when the things aren’t happening, it’s hard to really believe in yourself, but like I was winning. So like I believed even more, you know, it’s just like fill it up, you know, about sports. Yeah. So I uh my junior year I started winning tournaments, you know, was ranked really high and do all the cool stuff they think’s important in life. So those things started happening and it was it just you’d be dumb not to try because it’s different in in golf. I can sign up and go play. Like if I believe I can do it, you know, I can go do it, right? No if and buts about it. Yeah. Yeah. That’s cool. What was your, you know, welcome to professional sports moment, whether that be, you know, in the positive or the negative aspect of it? Well, I would say driving around driving around chasing many tours in a car with no AC. And then later that year, uh, my car wouldn’t take a left and I’m going to first stage of Q school. So, I went to going to first stage of Q school. I went to ECU for a weekend before a football game and then I drove back and then when I woke up the next morning I couldn’t take a left so I drove my mom’s car or like the first day I went it worked fine and then on the way back it like messed up so I was like what in the heck? Um yeah it was crazy. So like so like you got to figure it out. Like I don’t care what you’re going through like you got to figure it out. Like it’s it’s not like oh we’ll get the van I’ll come pick you up. Take you to point A to point B. All you got to do is play. No. No, like you guys figure this out. That’s funny. Like what’s your mom doing? Can you use her car? Can you pick her up? You got to take her to school. Yeah, that’s awesome. I’m picking up a pound cake, so I don’t really know what’s going on right here, bud. So, uh, just you got cash. Sorry. Oh, just go in there and tell them my name. It’s like 40 bucks for this pound cake. Something like Thanksgiving’s right around the corner. Let’s go. Oh, no kidding. Yeah, this is it right here. This is like one of my favorite holidays, so I’m pretty pumped about it. Oh, sweet. Um, thank you. Um, Thanksgiving is one of your favorite holidays. I’m a Christmas baby. Yeah, I I I like Christmas, too, man. But I wish you didn’t have to do the gifts. Yeah, but I love Christmas. I agree. Um, you’ll when you have kids, you’ll you’ll I didn’t really love it when I didn’t have kids, but once I had kids, it was like, man, love being Santa Claus. Yeah. Let let’s dive into that actually. Yeah. Tell us a little bit about your kids and um what that means to you. Uh it’s awesome. It means a lot. I mean, I didn’t do much. I just was practicing and I had a kid. Uh then I had two. So, uh Liam’s four, Gray is one. They went to the first ECU game. Who did we play? Oh, we played Charlotte. Wasn’t even a game. That’s so nice to say because it hadn’t been a theme. Um, so went to the went to the ECU Charlotte game and that was so cool just to have them around. They’re crazy though. They’re nuts. They have no clue what’s going on. So, uh, yeah, it’s it’s just a blessing, man. They’re just they’re crazy. They’re fun. I always tell people it’s just the coolest thing in the freaking world. And I just I I just hope everyone has that experience that I’ve had. Hopefully, they’re healthy. You know, that’s the main thing. So, it’s just been a blessing for sure to have two awesome kids. I think Amanda wants another one. So, it’s pretty crazy in the in the world right now. That’s right. Have you got Have you got him on a golf tour yet? Have you? No. No, they swing them. Yeah, Liam, he loves hitting golf ball on. He’s crazy, man. He loves doing whatever he can hurt himself. If he can hurt himself, he’s he’s signing up for it. That’s awesome. What uh what sports did you play growing up? Uh obviously golf is your thing, but was it just golf or was it more I played basketball, man. And then when you’re 5 foot six, I was like four and nine in high school, bro. Like like what sport can you play at that size? Nothing. Yeah. Nothing. Like you might as well just like not play sports, right? I don’t you know like that guys you should play if you’re that short. You never know. You might hit a gross spur, but I didn’t. So uh yeah, I just didn’t have many options like and I loved I love golf so it was like it’s whatever. like, you know, no, basketball’s on and then I just wasn’t very good at it. So, when you’re not good at it, it doesn’t make it really fun. Yeah, that’s true. You know what I mean? You know how it is. You get stuck on something, you’re like, “All right, cool.” Like, I’m good at it. People like when you’re good at it. You like being a cool kid. Yeah. You know, it’s hard being cool though, playing golf. That’s the only problem. Well, what what’s one thing that most people don’t see like about the grind of being a professional golfer? the ones that say it’s a grind aren’t very good and the ones that think it’s their they love doing it, they end up making it. Like if you’re always worried about the grind, like there’s stuff you don’t like. Like you got to do the things you don’t like so you can do the things you want to do. So it’s just like it’s not a grind, it’s it’s not optional. Yeah, that’s good. What has your uh kind of your mindset been like the change from, you know, rookie Harold to HV3 now? What has been that shift in mindset? I think I’m crazier than I ever have been in my entire life. I think I’m very adamant about what I believe in. Uh yeah, I think I’m I don’t have any I just I cherish my time a lot. Like I just like I don’t All right, cool. This is what I need to know. Yes, no. Make the next decision. Make sure you’re not him hauling around wondering what’s going on this and that. Like no, I don’t like chitchat and I can talk to anyone. I could probably talk to a wall, but I really love like just getting done what I need to do. Mhm. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 100%. You know, so many people look at you as that role model, that person that they want to be when they grow up. How do you handle that um as a in a professional setting, but also just as a human being? I think you try to have as much grace as possible because no one’s perfect. Even though you’re a role model, you need to be uh you need to be you because if you’re comfortable in your skin, you can affect the most lives. If you’re like trying to be something, I think it’s hard. I don’t know how to I think it’s hard. It’s easy to get caught up in it with social media being liked. You just try to be yourself best you can. Ask the questions when no one else will. Tell people what bothers you when you don’t want to tell them. And no matter how it makes them feel, you know, you tell them like I I want the same thing though. These things I’m saying, I want those in return. Right. That straight talks. Yeah. Yeah. But that’s like I’ve been very fortunate that those three people I’m talking about, that’s the only way they’ve ever talked to me. So, it’s kind of it’s just always standard, you know, like Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, let’s let’s talk about you moving to the Live Tour. Uh what were some of the the biggest like factors in making that decision? Oh, number one, amount of money. Like I told everyone that like I I play golf to make money and it was a great opportunity to do that. Uh yeah, like I play golf to like take care of my family and if you can do that without and work less. I don’t really know. Like it’s not like I’m not good at golf anymore. I still love it, you know? It’s it’s just frowned upon because it wasn’t within the PJ tour how they went about it. I think some guys came out and said some things like growing the game. Like the only thing that you’re doing is growing your wallet. If you really want to grow the game, you just got to do what you like. You would have been growing the game regardless. Like money makes you do more of whatever your heart says your heart desires, right? Well, I mean it’s just change, you know, and people hate change. Even though that that could be that bad, you know, it’s just it’s something one that got me though is how Yeah, correct. The one that got me though is when people were talking about change and it didn’t affect them. Like what what did it do to you? Like I I didn’t I never really understood that part like but it’s not my job to understand. I think you when I first went I was sitting there like, “Oh, how did it affect this person? How it affect that person?” Instead of being like, “How’s it affect the person that’s making the decision? Me, like, what do I need to do?” Yeah. Yeah. How do you how do you kind of handle all that um the opinions, the criticism, and all the noise out there? Because, you know, social media Oh, it bothers the heck out of me. Like, I really like, man, it pisses me off honestly. Yeah. You don’t know. So, but you know what I do? I say that out loud and I just forget about it. like they’re gonna say it anyway. You know what I mean? Like you can’t, you know, I like being like I was saying earlier, like I like being liked, but I love being right and I’m right because of someone else, not because of me. So like that’s how you can do it like because you know Jesus like he like is he’s whole like I don’t you know you find your fulfillment in things and what people think you never like you’re never going to fulfill it. Like you’re that’s like a inevitable thing where you’re just you can’t fill that jar empty cup. Yeah, you’re just feeling correct. So, you know, that’s what we were talking about earlier. You know, just you got to have grace in the aspect like they don’t what they don’t know is not your problem, but what you can do is be gracious and not be like mad about it. Yeah. Yeah. That’s powerful, dude. That’s easy to do, you know, like you can easily do that. Yeah. 100%. Um, you’re one of the rare athletes that has signed with the Jordan brand. I mean, that is one of the coolest things to me. How did that partnership, you know, kind of come about? Uh, there’s a guy named Fred Whitfield who used to run um the Bobcats and now the uh Hornets. Uh he um he like is obviously really closer to MJ. I knew him and he just talked to MJ about it. This is probably 120 or how old I was, man. would have been 25 26 and they were like he’s like hey the boss is going to call you and I was like oh all right cool and then like whatever he says goes so yeah it’s been a great thing man I’m super super like great dude like played some golf with him you know obviously he’s greatest basketball player but he’s been really good he’s been in my corner especially you know I always talk about everyone’s like talks about the shoes the clothes and all that stuff but the biggest thing is like when I had big decisions things in my life I could call him and be like hey uh what do you think this or that? And I just always thought that was u thought that was a very uh you know I don’t know how it is with everybody but I think if you have the time to pick up the phone and be like give your 20 second advice it’s so powerful than just saying like hey talk to this guy or talk to that guy. Yeah. Yeah. So I really I really enjoyed that. That’s true. That’s awesome. You know you’re you’re known for being one of the nicest guys on tour. Where does that come from, man? I mean, know I know that I reached out to you after my accident and I mean, you reached back out, dude, like it was nothing. I mean, like I was, you know, somebody and I thought that was really cool. But how does that come? Where’s that come from? Is it your parents? Is it where you grew up? Yeah. I mean, people have done it to me. That’s the biggest thing. Mhm. You know, like like your accent like nothing’s happened to me like that, but like so I don’t like the biggest thing I ever learned is like in life something that’s sticks with me. When my sister when my brother lost when my wife lost her brother, you always go, “Well, I understand. I understand.” You always try to understand so you can help. Sometimes it’s better not to understand and be like, “Hey, man. I’m thinking about you. Like nothing I can do for you. I don’t really I don’t I ain’t got nothing for you, but man, I love you. don’t know what’s going on, but whatever you’re going through, I’m there. Yeah. And that’s like stop trying to understand what they’re going through, what they’re thinking, and be more like concerned about like, man, I don’t I ain’t got nothing for you. You’re not like once again, you’re not the person. You’re not the guy. Yeah. But you have a you have an obligation uh to just serve other people. So that kind of I’d say that would be my dad’s like even more like my dad doesn’t have anything and he like he gives everything. I mean he would give everything in his house but he hoard it too at the same time. I don’t know how you do that but and he would give everything. You can live with him whenever. Like I know I mean my mom’s got to be like what in the hell but yeah man I would say my dad for sure. It saves an example of like but I think he did it because that’s what he wanted to do. Like now I’m old enough I can see like what he was doing. He’s just like that’s the right thing to do. 100%. Yep. That’s that’s cool. Guys, I want to take a quick second and thank one of today’s sponsors, Children Health Services. They understand the importance of your child’s well-being from the day they were born in the hospital. All the providers over there provide topnotch care. They have a new location on 10th Street. So, make sure you guys go and check that out. It’s really purple and looks pretty cool. And they have their old location on Arlington Boulevard. Hey, guys. I want to take another second and thank another sponsor of the show, Shimmer Boutique. Shimmer has some cool pirate radio camo sweatshirts in the store available today and on their brand new website, Shimmerbboutiqueonline.com. Their inperson stores are in Winterville, Greenville, Jacksonville, and they have that brand new website at shimmer boutiqueonline.com. They have some very, very cool uh clothes there, brands there like Yeti, Pimp Shrimp, Local Boy, and those cool brand new Pirate Radio sweatshirts. So, make sure you guys go and get those. Thank you guys. And back to the show. How do you stay grounded um in your faith with you know all this success, money, and fame that is right in front of you? For me, I would think uh I don’t I think you you hit something. Everyone says, you know, like, oh, if you you’re going to stay there. No, no, no. You never stay there. You’re just you’re going through life on this flow. And I think my my life it’s been like you hit something, something happens, and you have to address it. And that’s sort of where for me I mean some people are good at it like obviously your pastor and people that mentor me and they’re really good at it but no I’m not I mean I guess I’m I’m getting there. I’m chasing that. I want that. I wanted because that’s like that’s how you really serve people your time and like you know when golf’s all said and done. You just want to sit down. You want to have lunch or dinner or whatever with that person. So I uh man great question. I don’t I I if I did, I would Jesus. But hey, I mean, we’re we’re all working to be that way, man. It’s it’s a ongoing thing. And that’s that’s the cool thing about, you know, being a Christian is uh we’re chasing something that we’ll never be like. And ultimately, the only way we’re that way is when we get to heaven and we, you know, finish that that line and we’ll fully understand it then. But as you know, humans here on this earth, we will never fully understand. We’ll never fully be that person. And even whenever, you know, you see that person that you think has it all together, they really don’t, man. We We’re all broken. We’re all correct. Run your race. Amen. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, say it louder, boss. Don’t lose that. Only only person we should idolize is the one above. You know, we have great mentors in life, great humans in our life, but you know, there’s only one that did it all right. And there’s only one that, you know, lived the perfect life. So that’s what I always, you know, tell people is stop id idolizing and putting earthly things as your god. You know, put put the uh the main man first. But Rick, yes sir, that’s awesome. Well, let’s see here. Uh you’ve done a lot of things with your foundation and the community and projects. What is giving back such a major priority to you and why is that? Uh what why is a oh once again it’s serving other people and it’s what um it is what I you know what I know best like like it’s people done it for me like I wouldn’t be here without anyone else right 100%. You know, if if golf ended today, what would you want your legacy to be? Oh, shoot. If golf ended today, if golf ended today, I would want I would want to know that I would want you to know I was a Christian. Like, I believe that, you know, it’s not about me, right? That’s that’s awesome. like yeah that’s I don’t think I mean I wish if you asked me what I wish would have happened in school I wish I’d have been this adamant about this like you know like you just you count you know you can’t count your days you got to like you got to live now. Yeah. Yeah. That’s fair dude. All right. I like to end things on some rapid fire questions. Uh and they’re short. Turn it up. Let’s do it. Uh your favorite dining spot in Greenville, North Carolina. Oh my gosh. M Cabana is not there anymore, is it? Uh yeah, it is actually. Oh, M Cabana or Sub Dogs? Sub Dogs is where I end up going, but Me Cabana was fire. Sub dogs used to be a dump though, man. Y’all don’t understand. That’s what I’ve heard. That’s what I’ve heard. I haven’t really Oh, it used to be a dump. Yeah, absolutely over there. Yeah, that’s awesome. All right. Your f your favorite golf course ever? Diamond Creek. Okay. Or Pine Valley. One or two. Oh, that’s a tough one. Yeah. Let’s go. Your dream forome on the course. Oh, that’s terrible. Skip that one. Like there’s no dream like like no. Like All right. Awesome. Biggest pet peeve on the golf course? Taking forever. taking forever. Awesome. Well, yeah. Come on. Hit your shot by Let’s go. I love it. Well, Harold, I appreciate you coming on, man. You’re truly inspiration to me, but so many others. Uh, keep putting God in your life and keep doing great things, man. Hey, man. I love walking with you, brother. Let me know if I can help. Always, man. Love you, brother. Guys, that was Harold Varnner III. What a great human. What a great mentor. What a great inspiration to all of us. Thank you guys for tuning in to the Barker Bird Show here in the Legless Lounge. Hope you have a blessed day, blessed week. I’ll be praying over you guys and see you on the show next time. God bless. [Music] Yeah, I feel [Music] [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Music] Hey,
