Writer Lara Piu
Photography Bryan Black

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n a golf retail world filled with mega chains owned by who knows whom, Hornacek’s Golf is a breath of fresh air.

Located in the Pinnacle at Scottsdale Mall, Hornacek’s Golf is privately owned by John Hornacek, who has lived and worked in the area for more than 25 years. After graduating college, John relocated to North Scottsdale when his brother Jeff came to play for the Phoenix Suns in 1996.

“Jeff was traded for Charles Barkley when I was here on vacation from Chicago and just stayed out here,” John explained.

That’s when John, a former baseball player at Illinois State University, saw the community’s need for a high-quality golf store.

“At that time you had to drive nearly 30 minutes to find a golf shop,” John recalls. “We wanted to provide the community with a store that had everything in their backyard.”

Since then, Hornacek’s Golf has been equipping golfers in the area with anything and everything needed to play. The 9,500-square-foot shop carries 35 brands of golf clubs for beginners, clothing, shoes and accessories. Customers can test clubs out on the store’s putting green or in one of its two hitting bays. And when equipment needs a little TLC, Hornacek’s Golf is there to repair it.

“Our selection and prices go head-to-head with any mega golf store, hands down,” John adds.

On most days, John, alongside his two loyal bulldogs, Norman and Matilda, is hands-on in the store. He greets customers, gives advice and helps them find what they need. Many of his customers have been coming to the store since the beginning, and he and his staff know many of them by name.

Hornacek’s Golf is also currently the only store in the Valley to carry the complete line of Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG)’s very popular, top-shelf line of golf clubs, clothing and accessories launched by Bob Parsons, the billionaire behind Go Daddy.

“This is the first golf brand that really has lived up to the hype,” John suggests. “It out-performs everybody and everything. It’s the best product I’ve seen in 22 years.”

A set of PXG clubs sell for an average of $3,500, and according to John, they are worth every penny.

“The technology performs better than any other product,” he explains. “The ads are literally the truth.”

“But isn’t the golf world saturated with high-end golf clubs?” you may ask.

“It’s the difference between a Mercedes or a Bentley,” John answers. “You can even feel the difference in the quality of PXG’s shirts. You may be spending $200 for a shirt, but you are actually also getting that quality, rather than simply paying for the hype of a brand.”

Parsons established PXG to create the “best-performing golf equipment on the planet, without regard to cost.” The company already boasts 120 global patents on its proprietary designs and innovations.

Earlier this year, the brand added a line of 0311X driving irons to its list of high-end and high-performance golf clubs. Available in five lofts ranging from 15 to 24 degrees, the low-spin driving irons are designed to deliver more ball flight and perform optimally under various weather conditions. A wide sole design and minimal offset give the irons low-sitting center of gravity positions closer to the shaft axis. The result, according to Forbes magazine is “a less dynamic loft at impact, keeping the ball low, sending it far and giving the club what PXG founder Bob Parsons says is its ‘buttery smooth’ feel.”

The new 0311X driving irons are sold for $350 for the chrome finish, and $450 for the Xtreme Dark version. The company also recently released 100% milled wedges, and a line of drivers, fairway woods and hybrids known for low spin rates and high launch angles.

“Nobody makes golf clubs the way we do, period,” PXG founder and CEO Bob Parsons says.

The entire PXG line can be found at Hornacek’s Golf, open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Hornacek’s Golf

23587 N. Scottsdale Rd.

Scottsdale

480-502-0555

hornaceksgolf.com