Getting an invitation to attend the media experience at Parsons Xtreme Golf was like getting access to the North Pole. Elusive and mysterious, I was beckoned to spend the weekend 30-minutes north of Phoenix at Scottsdale National Golf Club, which served as my home away from home for a few days in December.
Once you arrive at the sprawling compound made up of multiple clubhouses, golf courses and guest villas, you lose nearly all connection with the outside world. There is zero cell phone service and Wi-Fi is the only portal available, unless of course you still use a landline. Being unplugged only contributes to the feeling you’ve arrived somewhere special, off the grid, which allows you to become completely immersed in the luxurious world of PXG - for one weekend at least.
If visiting Scottsdale National were like getting to go inside Santa’s workshop, then no trip would be complete without meeting Santa himself. Dr. Bob Parsons, the billionaire founder of PXG, GoDaddy and about a dozen other companies, was a fixture in the weekend’s activities. He dined nightly with his guests, which included players sponsored by Parsons on both the LPGA and PGA Tours, known as PXG Troops. Retired athletes and actors, all friends of Parsons, also turned out for the weekend. And then there was us - the humble members of the media.
For me, it was an opportunity to spend time with players on the LPGA Tour who are sponsored by PXG. In fact, Parsons has more women in his stable of troops than men. Lydia Ko, Christina Kim, Ryann O’Toole, Katherine Kirk, Gerina Piller, Anna Nordqvist and Austin Ernst were all on hand for at least part of the weekend. It was an opportunity to not only catch up with them, but also learn about the new equipment PXG created for 2019. That was the reason we all were there.
Just as Santa churns out a hot, new toy each holiday season, PXG regularly looks to entice golfers with new and improved versions of their equipment. For 2019, must-haves from PXG are their Gen 2 woods, hybrids and drivers. I enjoyed a first-hand experience of getting custom fitted for these new clubs. I hit various versions with different shafts and weight distributions that were tweaked by my fitter, Blake Smith, until we found the ideal set up for my game. It was the same experience anyone would receive who wants to buy clubs from PXG. Which brings me to the entire reason for the weekend.
PXG doesn’t sell their clubs in local retailers. You can’t drive to your local pro-shop and pick up a set. They don’t participate in the yearly PGA Merchandise Show that includes nearly every other club manufacturer on the planet.
PXG is custom. And so is the experience. How can any golfer begin to grasp the uniqueness of PXG without getting the full, custom experience? That’s why we were all summoned to Santa’s workshop, to get a peak at the magic that is PXG.
After being fitted for a custom Gen 2 driver, fairway wood and hybrid, it was time to put them into play. The next morning I arrived on the range to find my equipment ready and waiting. They went inside my bag along with a rented set from PXG and I teed it up in the pro-am at Scottsdale National. For a few holes each, PGA President Suzy Whaley, 2018 PGA Tour rookie Wyndham Clark and the LPGA’s Lydia Ko played with our group. I was paired with a golf writer from Scotland and a former member of the Denver Broncos.
Since I currently spend more time covering the game than actually playing it, my expectations were little to zero when I embarked on the round – especially given I was playing with clubs I’d never once played a round with. I made two birdies. It was an experience I won’t soon forget. Looks like PXG accomplished their goal.
Just as PXG spares no expense when it comes to manufacturing, they put thought and detail into each and every element of the media experience. I had to get to know PXG to really understand that their clubs aren’t just about the unique materials they use or the high prices they charge. It’s about the one of a kind experience that you aren’t going to find with any other club maker.
As every young child dreams of getting to see how the best toys are made in Santa’s workshop, every golfer should aspire to spending a weekend at Scottsdale National. You’ll not only get a glimpse of the magic, but you just might meet Santa himself.
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