By Kaylor Jones / Photos by Claudia Johnstone
Entrepreneur and philanthropist Renee Parsons is no stranger to hard work.
“Growing up, a strong work ethic was very much instilled in my sisters and me,” Parsons says. “At 13, I started working in my family’s restaurant in my small hometown in Michigan, riding my bike to work during the summer. I really loved working.”
She decided to study hospitality at Central Michigan University, and during that time, her family ventured into the hotel business. It was working part time at the front desk that solidified Parsons’ passion for the industry. Eventually, she moved to Chicago, where she worked in the hotel industry for over 10 years, specializing in sales and marketing.
“I loved that it was always fast paced, always something different. I really enjoyed the sales process, nurturing relationships with my clients, negotiating and closing on contracts. The people that are attracted to hospitality are pretty social, outgoing and service-oriented, which I was from a young age.”
A Golfer’s Paradise
Flash forward to 2013, and Parsons – who now calls Scottsdale home along with her husband, entrepreneur Bob Parsons – was able to put her many years of hospitality experience to use when the couple acquired The Golf Club Scottsdale, which they renamed Scottsdale National Golf Club. They embarked on a full-scale renovation with one goal in mind – to create the kind of club they would want to be members of.
For Parsons, this goes beyond all-star service and luxurious amenities, like spas and gourmet restaurants, though the club has these in spades.
“We were passionate about having the club wide open, so we didn’t have to have tee times, and we were exclusive enough that it would never be crowded. We wanted it to be relaxing.”
One thing that sets it apart from other private clubs is the lack of rules. At the Parsons’ club, it starts and ends with the golden rule – “No member shall impinge upon another member’s enjoyment of the club.” It comes down to common sense and mutual respect between fellow golfers, rather than arbitrary codes of conduct.
“You can wear your hat in the clubhouse if you wish,” Parsons says. “We don’t have a cell phone ban. You can play music on the course. In many clubs still, there is a rule about how long a woman’s skirt should be. We don’t have any such rule.”
One of Parsons’ personal missions was to create a club that was welcoming to both men and women, which she set out to accomplish by bringing women onto the leadership team in a predominantly male industry and curating a welcoming culture for all players. Golf is the great equalizer, she says, and that fact should be apparent on and off the course.
“Because of the handicapping system, anyone can play with anyone. I can play golf with my husband, and with my parents, who are in their 80s now and still playing. It’s really the only sport where you can do that – I can’t play LeBron James in basketball, but we could go out and play golf together.”
New Threads
Since falling in love with golf over 15 years ago, Parsons has also made a splash in the golf apparel world as the president and executive creative director of PXG Apparel (www.pxg.com).
A lifelong fashion lover, Parsons saw the need for stylish, flattering golf apparel, and after debuting the brand to great success in 2018, it was clear that customers agreed. With a variety of new seasonal and capsule collections released each year – including the sophisticated, retro-inspired Spring/Summer ’24 collection – Parsons is always looking for ways to prioritize versatility and performance while updating the classics.
“The beauty of PXG is that I can wear it on and off the course and feel equally comfortable,” she says. “I wear our joggers and dresses on the course, while running around doing errands, playing pickleball or tennis, even to the office. It was important to me to have things I’d want to wear everywhere because they’re so flattering and chic.”
Highlights of this journey have included wearing clothes of her own design on the course and receiving compliments from friends and strangers alike, in addition to helping Parsons Xtreme Golf expand across the country. There are now 24 PXG stores in the U.S., with the most recent opening in Orange County, California. While all PXG stores feature a putting green, high-tech fitting bays and a PXG Apparel showroom; the largest location is in Scottsdale, home of PXG’s five building campus headquarters.
Compassion in Action
Just as Parsons’ family instilled in her a love for hospitality, they also provided a model for giving back.
“I was blessed growing up to see philanthropy at work from my parents, both active in the community and in different charitable organizations in my small hometown.”
In 2013, she and Bob signed the Giving Pledge, a public promise to give away at least half of their net worth. Over a decade later, they’re still going strong. The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation gives away an average of $1 million every 14 days to its nonprofit partners, all of whom are making big waves in causes that have special meaning to the Parsons.
“We really want to reach economically disadvantaged and underserved populations, those in marginalized communities, and causes that often are overlooked. By virtue of being overlooked, they’re typically underfunded by mainstream philanthropy or not eligible for government grants.”
Rather than spread their donations thin across a variety of charitable organizations, the Parsons pride the foundation on making targeted impacts on specific nonprofits, each one carefully vetted to ensure funds will directly benefit the people served.
This spring, the foundation was honored by its largest partner, Semper Fi & America’s Fund, for donating over $100 million in support of critically wounded, ill and injured veterans from all branches of the military. Parsons – who is also a member of Women Moving Millions, a philanthropic community dedicated to large-scale investment in women and girls – is also passionate about issues surrounding women, children, education, and LGBTQ rights.
Nonprofits close to her heart include one-n-ten, which supports LGBTQ youth who face discrimination and homelessness; Girl Scouts Arizona Cactus-Pine, with a recent grant expanding outdoor programming and providing increased access to low-income families; and Boys & Girls Club of the Valley, which is working to improve the mental wellbeing of school-aged children, something that’s become especially essential since the pandemic.
“In the last several years, we’ve focused a lot on mental health,” Parsons says. “These organizations are doing great work to mitigate that and provide the support these kids need.”
If there’s one thing Parsons has learned over the years, it’s that following your instincts is crucial on the path to success, but it’s not always easy.
“Women and girls are taught to be nice, polite and all of those things, and sometimes, that confidence isn’t necessarily there. But you’ve got to have the confidence to trust your gut, to believe in yourself. You have a right to be here just as much as anyone else.”