Richard Parente, co-founder of Hickory Stick and the first president of Callaway Golf, passed away January 1, 2025 at the age of 85.
Rich was born in San Jose, California, to an immigrant father. Growing up, he bonded with his dad over their shared love of golf. Although he was skilled at golf, he never saw it as a career. After high school, he joined his father working at the Altadena Cannery, a job he disliked. Dreaming of a different life, he considered moving to Alaska to mine for gold.
One day, while working at the cannery, a coworker known as “Wino George,” a caddy during the summer who had never spoken to him before, turned to Rich and asked, “You play golf, right?” Rich replied replied, “Yes.” George responded, “Get your best pair of slacks—I got you a job interview for an assistant pro position at Sharon Heights.” Shocked but intrigued, Rich went to the interview the next day and got the job.
For the next 10 years, Rich worked as an assistant golf pro, running the pro shop and, on Mondays, driving club members to play at Pebble Beach, Cypress, and Spyglass. In 1970, Ken Venturi recommended him for a head pro position at Whitewater Country Club in Palm Springs. After flying down for the interview, he returned with exciting family news, the young Parente family was moving.
Little did he know that Whitewater CC was run by the Chicago “unions”, and Rich soon found himself as the golf pro to this element of society. As Rich told it, the unions were attempting to seem more respectful in the 1970s, and country club memberships were their gateway to middle-class respectability. However, some members were less than polished, and Rich often had to teach them not to drive golf carts into sand traps or greens.
Although he enjoyed being a golf pro, his true passion was design. He left the club and, with the help of two friends, started Hickory Stick Golf, a small company in Temecula, California, that created hickory shafts reinforced with steel cores for added strength. One day, Ely Callaway cold-called the company, and Rich answered. Ely had just sold his winery and was looking to invest in a golf club company. Hickory Stick soon became Callaway Hickory Stick and eventually Callaway Golf.
As the first president of Callaway Golf, Rich was instrumental in creating the first production-milled putters and the iconic S2H2 designs.
After leaving Callaway, Rich continued to innovate in golf design, working with Founders Golf and Gary Adams and later founding Goldwin Golf. At Goldwin, he pioneered the first milled driver heads and developed AVDP, a lightweight grip-and-shaft system designed for faster swinging irons and drivers.
Rich’s lifelong passion was putter design. In his later years, he returned to his roots, designing putters for Sacks Parente. With fewer budget constraints, he experimented with large amounts of tungsten, creating high-MOI putters that showcased both his technical expertise and artistic vision. Rich has over 30 golf patents.
Rich lived a big, full life and raised two boys who became men. All who knew him will continue to honor his legacy by living with passion and maintaining his irreverent sense of humor.
