Ep. 60 Cary Cozby / Southern Hills

The scene is Las Vegas, Nevada. A young assistant professional from Oklahoma is heading back to his hotel room around 9 PM when most other golf professionals are just heading out to the town. The assistant pro suddenly crosses paths with a head professional from the most prestigious clubs in Oklahoma and makes an impression. He didn't realize it in the moment, but his career path has just changed forever. In a matter of seconds, he had just displayed the character and integrity which would prepare him to eventually succeed the head professional he had just, that pro was Dave Bryan the head pro at Southern Hills. Our guest on this episode of The Inward Nine is the 2016 PGA of America Golf Professional of the Year, the current Director of Golf at SHCC and a friend to so many of us, he is Cary Cozby.

Ahead in this episode:

Cary will unpack the legacy of his father Jerry, the 1985 PGA of America Golf Professional of the Year. More than his outstanding father, Cary will talk on the impact of his mother and the qualities he feels they possessed as a team which prepared him for his own success.

Never before on this podcast have we discussed the grieving process. If we all live long enough, it is inevitable we will have to support our own parents through a loss, while grieving our own. Cary shares his perspective and what he calls a gift in the midst of one of the saddest times any of us will ever experience.

One would assume that receiving the offer to be the golf professional at Southern Hills is a slam dunk, no brainer, but that wasn't the case for Cary and his family, who had planted deep roots in another midwestern city. Cary shares with us the phone call which gave him all the perspective he needed to make his eventual decision.

Luck. Timing. Words we talk about often here. Cary shares a story about being back in Las Vegas later in his life. This time, he and his son are stranded while trying to make it to Los Angeles for Game 1 of the 2017 World Series. What happens next is the result of how sports can bond together perfect strangers, creating a lifetime memory for one young Dodger fan.

If you aren't familiar with the Golden Rule, Cary will remind us of its importance and why he makes intentional time and effort for others who are trying to find their way.

We talk quite often on this podcast about the cliché – you are always interviewing. Cary's moment with the pro from Southern Hills in Las Vegas proves this to be true, but Cary adds another element to this mindset, and its one every great leader needs to possess.

Of the many things Tiger did great, Cary hones in something most might overlook with it comes to one of the greatest players of all time, and it is what keeps Cary motivated still today.

To connect with Chandler:

Email: podcast@archive22.com

Instagram @theinwardninepodcast

Music Credits:

Opening: 'Moonlight Graham' from the Field of Dreams Soundtrack

Reading: 'If' by Rudyard Kipling

Opening: 'Caution' by the Killers

Interlude: 'Old Friends' by Ben Rector

Closing: 'Almost Home by Ben Rector