Good Good Golf’s relationship with one of the biggest equipment manufacturers in the sport has come to an abrupt end.
Callaway Golf announced Thursday, that it has ended its partnership with Good Good, effective immediately, following days of backlash surrounding a controversial promotional video involving the two brands.
The decision brings an end to a relationship that began in 2023 and had grown to include co-branded equipment and marketing campaigns.
The video, which was created to promote a co-branded Callaway driver, drew widespread criticism for its depiction of violence against a woman. Both companies removed the advertisement and issued apologies, but the controversy continued to grow throughout the week.
Callaway acknowledged that its own approval process contributed to the situation. The company said its review of the content was not thorough enough and announced that it has since taken internal corrective measures while strengthening its procedures for approving future marketing material.
Callaway also announced a $1 million commitment to organizations working to prevent violence against women, assist survivors and promote education and awareness.
“Unequivocally, violence against women is unacceptable and should never be trivialized, normalized, or used as entertainment,” Callaway said.
Pressure Mounts on Good Good Golf
The end of the Callaway partnership represents a significant development for Good Good, which has grown from a YouTube channel into one of the most recognizable digital brands in golf.
Good Good’s reach helped the company expand beyond online videos and into equipment collaborations, merchandise, television projects and partnerships with some of the biggest companies in the golf industry.
The consequences of the controversy have extended beyond Callaway. Dick’s Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy moved to remove Good Good merchandise from stores, while Golf Channel initially postponed the debut of Big Break x Good Good until September 1.
“This will allow for necessary production updates following a request from one of the show’s sponsors to remove its branding from the series,” Golf Channel said.
The partnership losses also arrived during a week in which PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp publicly addressed the situation. Rolapp said Tuesday that what he saw was “concerning” and not aligned with the Tour’s values.
He was also critical of Good Good’s initial handling of the controversy, describing its first response as “defensive and late.”
Good Good Steps Away From PGA Tour Tournament
Good Good Golf will no longer serve as the title sponsor of the PGA Tour tournament scheduled for November in Texas.
The company announced that it had decided to step away from its sponsorship following discussions with the PGA Tour. Good Good said its immediate priority would instead be addressing issues within the organization and learning from the controversy.
“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,” Matt Kendrick, Good Good CEO, said.
Good Good also expressed appreciation for its relationship with the PGA Tour and left open the possibility of working with the organization again in the future.
The PGA Tour responded by expressing support for Good Good’s decision.
“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,” PGA Tour said.
While Good Good’s name will no longer be attached to the tournament, the event itself is not going away.
The PGA Tour confirmed that the tournament will still take place from November 12-15 at Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin. The Tour said it will provide an update on sponsorship plans at a later date.
Callaway Makes Major Decision on Good Good Golf Partnership After Ad Backlash