Bob Parsons flunked high school, joined the marines to fight in Vietnam, studied as an accountant, taught himself to program computer software and then made a few billion dollars.
He founded GoDaddy.com which has over 70 percent worldwide market share for domain names and website-building software.
He also owns the largest Harley Davidson dealership in the world which has its own cinema and wedding chapel. He set up a foundation which has given over $127m to charity.
The 10-handicapper spent $350,000 on golf equipment before deciding to make his own.
Bob Parsons is not your average golf company owner. He’s not your average man. There is nothing average about him, his life or the golf clubs that he now makes.
He is the founder and owner of PXG (Parsons Xtreme Golf) – the super premium brand which kits out tour players such as Billy Horschel, Lydia Ko, Charl Schwartzel and Zach Johnson. They call themselves the PXG Troops. Fitting for a brand owned by a former marine.
The number stampings on the clubs seem to be military-inspired as well.
But how on earth did he get to where he is now? We met him during a media day at The Wisley him to find out. Strap yourselves in…
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Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. The area I grew up in was settled in by the cockney English so many of us have a very distinctive accent.
I’m sure we’ve changed it quite a bit since the cockneys settled there but anywhere we speak in the United States people say ‘you sound a little English’.
I grew up poor as a church rat. My mum and dad were blue collar workers, they were gamblers too. I can tell you they had no money because that’s how the game of chance works. But nevertheless I learned a lot from them. I learned fractions from when my mother showed me how to read the racing form.
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