Good Good Golf is facing the wrath of the golf industry after it posted a controversial ad that depicted one of its co-founders shoving a female golfer to the ground.
The commercial, which promoted Good Good Golf and Callaway Golf’s Quantum Driver collaboration and has since been taken down, sparked outrage online, with viewers saying it appeared to promote domestic violence and violence against women.
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp condemned the commercial Tuesday, calling it “concerning” and “clearly not aligned with PGA Tour values.”
The commercial showed golfer Alexis Miestowski trying to grab a driver out of a golf bag, only to be shoved to the ground by Good Good Golf co-founder Garrett Clark. After having pushed her, he stands over her and warns: “Do not touch my new driver.”
Good Good Golf said in a statement Saturday that the ad “ultimately depicted actions that are not aligned with our values as a brand.”
“We have since taken that content down, and sincerely apologize,” it said.
The public, however, wasn’t pacified by the apology. Neither were some sponsors.
An X user responded to Good Good Golf’s statement, “Why would a company take the time to shoot, produce, and then put out a video on all their social channels that isn’t aligned with their values as a brand?”
Good Good Golf started out as a YouTube channel and grew into an independent media and apparel company. The premiere Tuesday night of its Golf Channel reality show, “Big Break X Good Good,” was postponed because one of the sponsors wanted to drop out following the ad fallout.
PGA Tour leadership didn’t buy the apology statement, either.
Rolapp told reporters Tuesday that Good Good Golf’s initial response was “disappointing” and “a bit defensive and late.”
“But I think the responses are getting better. I think we’ve seen some things this morning; we had some conversations with them,” Rolapp continued. “But no, we were disappointed with what we saw.”
He said the PGA Tour will continue to “monitor” and work with Good Good Golf. It comes at a critical time as Good Good Golf is the title sponsor of a new PGA Tour event in Austin, Texas, this fall.
On Wednesday, Clark posted an 8-minute video in which he admitted the ad was “in poor taste.” He said the hate the ad received was “very justified” and appeared to cast blame to the company’s marketing department.
“The way that this ad was received is not how Good Good is, and it’s not what we stand for,” he said. “I do sincerely apologize for playing the role that I did in that ad, and I want you guys to know that I in no way, shape, or form support DV abuse or anything of the sort.”
He said the Good Good marketing team had pitched the ad as a spinoff of this year’s horror film “Obsession” and Clark’s character would be “obsessed” with the driver.
Clark noted Miestowski has received an onslaught of online hate following the ad, which he called “completely unacceptable.”
“If you guys have any hatred or comments that you’re wanting to send our way, put it towards Good Good, put it towards me personally,” he said.
Clark acknowledged the backlash has raised plenty of “very very valid points” and spurred “important conversations,” especially regarding gender in the sport, which has been predominantly male. He stressed Good Good has been dedicated to “including women in all of our content and pushing our women’s side of the game in hopes to grow the game of golf.”
“Hopefully, you guys can forgive Good Good as well as myself for being a part of it. And hopefully we can move on and grow the women’s side of golf because that is one of our huge, huge goals,” he concluded his video.
Callaway Golf CEO Chip Brewer also apologized for the ad Saturday, saying, “While the video was produced by Good Good, it was approved by Callaway prior to voting.”
“That approval should never have happened. Mistakes were made, and we are taking the matter very seriously,” he continued.
Brewer apologized for the video, saying, “To be clear: we are unequivocally against discrimination, domestic violence, or threatening behavior of any kind.” He said the company is also conducting internal and external investigations and has changed its approval processes to ensure “this will never happen again.”
While Good Good Golf and Callaway are mired in the controversy, another brand is turning it into its marketing punch line.
Parsons Xtreme Golf shared an ad Tuesday showing various women golfing, with the caption: “Our drivers play nice with everyone. #SheGolfs.”
