The same determined focus that made Robin Cook Dezarn a two-time All-American at Auburn University, now illustrates how she is turning around Marcus Pointe Golf Club. This Santa Rosa County native, who calls Pace, Florida home, is set to be as successful in the golf business as she was as a player and coach. Possessing a calculating ability, she dissects the intricacies of managing a golf course just as she did taming it as a competitor. She is also a strong proponent of introducing the game to youth, as well as getting them more involved in the game.
Some would say she has golf running in her veins. Robin was raised on Tanglewood and Stonebrook Golf Courses by her mother and father, Hiram and Bonnie. As soon as she could hold a club, she was on the course. Since dad was a high school coach at Milton and Pace High Schools and a general partner with Stonebrook Village, LLD, it’s not surprising Robin naturally gravitated and excelled on the golf course. At Pace High School, Robin competed on the men’s team because there wasn’t a women’s team. This didn’t hold her back; She was a two-time FHSAA Individual Champion. Her prep success led to a full scholarship offer from Auburn University where she would be under the tutelage of one of her future mentors, head coach Kim Evans.
Robin states it was Coach Evans who helped develop her mentally. She had received physical coaching on her swing and other aspects of her game, but Kim helped bring out the mental toughness which was needed to be consistently competitive. That is one of the biggest differences between a good golfer and a great one. A consistent golfer will not throw away a good round on one bad stroke.
As a student-athlete at Auburn University, Robin states it was then that she started thinking about leadership and the possibilities of coaching. This was influenced by one of the highlights of her career, as she represented Team USA in match play versus Japan. She finished her collegiate career in the spring of 1999. After a brief stint in Atlanta, she returned to Stonebrook Golf Club as the assistant golf pro. Home was calling, and she knew deep inside the gypsy life of the pro circuit wasn’t for her. Ironically, it was also at Stonebrook she would meet her future husband, Mike Dezarn, during a round of golf.
Robin’s next adventure was starting the women’s golf program at the University of West Florida in 2002. She laughs as she reflects back on the behind-the-scene efforts and all the players that were involved in creating the now nationally ranked program. The next few years brought the birth of the Dezarn’s daughter Natalie, and a move into athletic administration allowed her to balance family life and continue her passion for athletics. January 2015 brought another big decision, leaving the University of West Florida for the opportunity to resurrect Marcus Pointe Golf Club. She feels she is more than prepared to tee up.
On a personal note, Robin is an avid runner and a Disneyworld addict. Between work, and her daughter Natalie’s dance schedule, she and Mike still squeeze in rounds of golf. She is excited about the challenge of turning Marcus Pointe Golf Club around and proving not only to others, but also to herself, that what she has learned from the game also works in the business world. Robin aims to be a positive role model to young women, including Natalie by being an example to her that any woman can be a successful athlete, mother, wife, and business woman without having to compromise.
