Fallout from controversial golf ad deepens as Good Good loses deals with Callaway and PGA Tour

By Kyle Feldscher, CNN

Atlanta (CNN) — The fallout from a controversial advertisement is deepening for golf media company Good Good after losing two key partnerships in a matter of hours on Thursday.

The advertisement posted last week showed Garrett Clark, one of the co-founders of Good Good, shoulder-checking Alexis Miestowski to the ground as she went to touch his co-branded Good Good x Callaway driver. The advertisement quickly drew immense backlash and was pulled down, with Callaway and Good Good both facing intense questions over how an ad showing a violent act against a woman would be approved and posted.

First, golf equipment maker Callaway announced it was severing ties with Good Good after a video promoting a co-branded driver included one of Good Good’s co-founders pushing over a female member of their team.

Later on Thursday, Good Good announced it was stepping away from its partnership with the PGA Tour to be the named title sponsor of a tournament in November, an event that had been heralded as the coming together of golf’s old guard and new influencers.

It all makes for a stunning turnaround for a brand once seen as one of the leading lights of golf’s new social media age. The loss of partnerships with two of the sport’s leading names represents a massive setback in Good Good’s growth, a possible threat to the company’s future and a potential turning point for the growing ecosystem of internet golf that featured a break from the sport’s traditional background.

The break with Callaway was the first sign that Good Good’s attempts at quelling the crisis were not going well after Clark’s statement on social media Wednesday night. The golf maker, which had been working with Good Good on a co-branded driver and reposted the video, announced the split in a statement on social media.

“Over the last several days, we have listened and reflected deeply on the hurt and disappointment caused by the video we reposted,” Callaway said in a post on X announcing the decision. “We heard from individuals who shared personal experiences related to violence against women, and their stories were powerful reminders that this issue touches the lives of far too many people.

“Unequivocally, violence against women is unacceptable and should never be trivialized, normalized, or used as entertainment.”

In its statement, Callaway noted that its processes failed, with the company’s CEO earlier admitting that Callaway reviewed Good Good’s video and approved it before it went live

“In this instance, our content review process was not comprehensive enough. We have taken appropriate internal corrective actions and significantly strengthened our approval procedures to help ensure this does not happen again,” the statement read.

Callaway said it will donate $1 million to organizations that work to “prevent violence against women, provide resources to survivors, and advance education and awareness efforts,” the company stated.

But even still, the company said it understands many people feel harmed by the advertisement and that hurt is not easy to undo.

“We sincerely apologize to everyone who was hurt, disappointed, or offended by this incident,” the statement read.

The backlash against Good Good, in particular, has been intense this week.

Multiple reports have indicated major golf retailers are pulling the company’s merchandise from shelves, which would be a significant blow to Good Good’s bottom line if it went on for a lengthy period. While the company made its name with social media videos showcasing their personalities playing golf, its merchandise sales make up a large portion of the company’s revenue.

In a video posted on Wednesday, Clark apologized for his role in the ad, and on behalf of Good Good.

“This is not, at all, what we stand for. The way this ad was received is not how Good Good is and not what we stand for once again. I want everyone to know that. I do not support (domestic violence), abuse or any of that,” he said.

Clark offered “some clarity” on the idea behind the ad, likening it to the 2026 movie “Obsession” directed by 26-year-old YouTuber Curry Barker.

Clark explained that, like the movie, he was supposed to be obsessed with his driver and anybody who touched it would become “possessed with the obsession.”

“Looking back, super dumb ad concept,” Clark added. “Terrible ad in general. Not the greatest idea. … Once I watched it back and it got posted, my skin was crawling. I was cringing. I mean, even just minutes after I saw it get posted, before this surfaced anywhere online, I thought it was the worst ad known to man.”

Clark described the comments and criticism the ad received as “very justified,” but denounced the hate and death threats Miestowski has received in her social media direct messages.

Good Good was founded in 2020 and is one of the primarily online golf media companies that became popular during the Covid-19 pandemic. The success of Good Good and other companies like it has sparked lots of discourse over whether the boisterous personalities involved in the company’s videos are the best way to promote the game of golf, which traditionally promotes a very staid and demure culture.

The company’s popularity has grown to the point that legacy names in the sport, such as Callaway, have tried to capitalize on its popularity with partnerships. The event with the PGA Tour, set to happen in Austin, Texas, later this year, was one of the signature accomplishments for the growing company.

The first indication of trouble came on Tuesday when Brian Rolapp, CEO of the PGA Tour, called it a “fluid situation” and didn’t confirm the event would go ahead as planned.

“We were disappointed at first. It sounds like in the last 24 hours they’ve made some progress. We’ll continue to monitor the situation and see how it develops,” he said in response to a question from CNN Sports.

Good Good announced just after 4 p.m. ET on Thursday that it would be pulling out of the event.

“After thoughtful discussions with the PGA Tour and careful reflection, we have decided to step away as sponsor of the tour event in Austin this fall,” the company said in a statement.

“We recognize that we have work to do as an organization, and our focus right now is on our team, our culture and ensuring we learn from this situation. We are grateful for our relationship with the PGA Tour and appreciate their partnership over the years. We remain committed to earning back trust, and we hope to work together again in the future.”

In its own statement, the Tour said, “We agree with their decision to use this time to focus on their organization and the work ahead. The PGA Tour believes in golf’s ability to bring people together and create a welcoming environment for all.

“The tournament will continue as scheduled from November 12-15, 2026, and we will provide an update on sponsorship plans at a later date.”

This story has been updated with additional reporting.

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