How a Charlotte professional golfer has paid it forward to help young athletes live dreams

Some may know Harold Varner III from his lucrative partnership with Jordan brand or through his golf achievements in North Carolina.

These days, the Charlotte resident and LIV tour pro helps the next generation of athletes who were once like him.

Since 2021, Varner has been supporting youth athletes with the HV3 Foundation. The foundation, named after Varner, provides youths affordable access to golf and mentorship, according to the HV3 Foundation website.

Varner, 33, started the foundation because of his love of golf and helping others.

“No matter what you do in life, no matter how successful your parents are, you need some help,” he told The Charlotte Observer.

Providing access to dreams

These days, youth sports, especially golf, have a high price point for training and competition, which can limit access for athletes who have the skills but lack resources.

Varner is no stranger to the limits that cost can put on athletes.

While his friends were getting one-on-one teaching at the Gaston Country Club, Varner did not have the funds to pay for his own private instruction despite working there as a cart boy.

He did, however, have an infectious attitude, recalled his swing instructor, Bruce Sudderth and longtime PGA Champions Tour tournament director, said in a 2016 interview about first meeting Varner.

The young Varner asked Sudderth to help him get better. Sudderth agreed to give Varner lessons and was so impressed with his commitment that the two have been close ever since.

The work with Sudderth paid off, as Varner earned a golf scholarship at Eastern Carolina University in Greenville. There, Varner had a decorated career as a collegiate golfer, including winning the 2011 North Carolina Amateur Championship and North Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship.

‘You just need someone in your life’

The HV3 Foundation offers grants of up to $3,000 to youth athletes who need help covering their sports costs.

But it’s not just young golfers who benefit.

The organization sponsored a volleyball team in Asheboro, and three players earned scholarships to cover the costs associated with competition.

The organization currently assists 12 HV3 Foundation athletes across the country who receive financial support in volleyball, gymnastics, golf, and baseball.

The HV3 Foundation also goes beyond athletics and offers mentorship to its participants.

Business leaders from across North Carolina are chosen to be paired with youths to share their experiences and build a bond.

“At some point, you just need someone in your life that’s not your parent that loves you or teaches you one of the two,” Varner said. “Move in silence, keep working, keep doing my job, just show through adversity good things can happen.”

Last December, Varner faced personal adversity when he was arrested after being found under the influence while driving in south Charlotte. Arrest records from the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office show he was booked on a driving while impaired complaint.

According to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, it is illegal to drive while “noticeably impaired or with an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher.” Varner’s blood alcohol content was tested at the scene and revealed a concentration of 0.16, twice the legal limit, WSOC reported. He was later released from custody after posting $500 bond, jail records show.

A spokesperson for the HV3 Foundation declined to comment on the arrest.

HV3 Foundation wants everyone to belong

The program also develops athletes by sponsoring and hosting tournaments and other enrichment opportunities that offer competition and exposure.

The HV3 Foundation also sponsors collegiate golf tournaments such as the CIAA golf tournament, which hosts historically Black colleges and universities, including Johnson C. Smith University.

Jordan Draper, a former JCSU golfer and current First Tee Coach, spoke about the significance of inclusive programs like Varner’s.

“Programs let [disadvantaged youth] know that this game belongs to them as well,” he said.