Good Good Golf Executives Resign Following Outcry Over Controversial Driver Advertisement

The top leadership at golf media platform Good Good Golf have departed the company following severe backlash over an advertisement that depicted a man shoving a woman to the ground and telling her not to touch the club.

Good Good parted ways with CEO Matt Kendrick and President Joe Flannery, as announced by Good Good’s head of finance and operations Alex Puchala on Wednesday. The commercial, released online last month before being removed, showed a male golfer pushing a female player to the ground when she reached for his new driver. The video triggered calls to boycott products from Callaway, which had co-branded the advertisement.

Callaway issued an apology, and Chief Executive Chip Brewer stated on Tuesday that the company had launched an investigation into how the advertisement, produced by golf media firm Good Good Golf, had been approved. "Last week Good Good Golf and Callaway posted a video to promote a co-branded driver," Brewer said. "The content was inappropriate and does not reflect our values. To be clear: We are unequivocally against discrimination, domestic violence or threatening behaviour of any kind... I assure you we will learn from this and do better."

Nahid Giga, a board member and investor in Good Good, was appointed as the interim CEO, while Vice President of Brand and Marketing Jeffrey Lefkovits was fired earlier in the week. Good Good launched as a YouTube channel in 2020 and has grown into one of the largest content creators in the sport, featuring eight men and four women competing in golf and various challenges, alongside made-for-TV shows, apparel, and other merchandise.

The company previously stated that the controversial video was intended to parody the horror movie Obsession. However, the criticism was immediate and relentless. Although the video was deleted the same day it was posted on August 20, it continued to circulate on social media, and apologies from Good Good and Callaway had little effect.

"We were disappointed with what we saw," PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said regarding the response to Good Good. "The PGA Tour believes in golf’s ability to bring people together and create a welcoming environment for all."

Following the incident, Good Good pulled its title sponsorship of a new PGA Tour event scheduled in Austin, Texas, later this year, though the tour confirmed the tournament will still proceed. Callaway ended its relationship with Good Good, and retailers including Golf Galaxy and its parent company, Dick’s Sporting Goods, removed the company’s merchandise from their shelves. Additionally, the Golf Channel cancelled a new season of its Big Break reality series, which was set to partner with Good Good.

Garrett Clark, a Good Good founder and the individual who shoves the woman in the video, posted an eight-minute video calling the commercial "the worst ad known to man" and "not what we stand for."