Good Good is facing heavy backlash for female golfer being pushed down in driver advertisement

When Callaway partnered with the YouTube golf content creators Good Good in early 2023, it was hailed as “marketing gold.” But a promotional video for the special Good Good version of the company’s new Quantum driver may have turned that relationship into a lead balloon.

The 15-second video, designed ostensibly to make the Good Good Quantum driver seem so special that its owners will go to extreme lengths to protect it, shows a woman golfer (Good Good's Alexis Miestowski) reaching for the new driver in a golf bag before being pushed to the ground by Good Good’s Garrett Clark, who then ominously intones, “Do not touch my new driver.” Miestowski looks to be grinning as she lies on the ground. A caption under the Callaway Golf banner reads, “You have been warned …”

Almost immediately the video drew a backlash as a thoughtless attempt at humor that seemingly endorsed violence against women. On one level, it’s probably not much of a reach to expect sophomoric takes from bro-centric social media influencers like Good Good, but making light of throwing a woman golfer to the ground and then threatening her seems a reckless choice given that recent statistics from the National Golf Foundation indicate that female representation within the traditional golfer population now is at 28 percent, the highest proportion on record, and more than 50 percent of the net participation gains in green grass golf were the result of play by women and girls.

The video and any references to it were taken down by Good Good and Callaway late Friday, but the video still plays on several social media accounts that were highly critical of the choice. Notably, the Fried Egg’s Kevin Van Valkenburg wrote, “It just takes so many stupid decisions for this to make it into the world, it’s almost breathtaking that no one along the way was like ‘hand up, not trying to be uncool, but is there a better way to sell this driver?’” Claire Rogers from Skratch Golf, wrote simply, “Not to make it into this Big Thing but what on earth are young girls supposed to think when they see something like this?”

Late on Saturday afternoon, Good Good posted an apology on X that read, in part, "We posted a video to our channels that are not aligned with our values as a brand. We have since taken that content down, and sincerely apologize." A Callaway spokesperson responded to Golf Digest that the company was working on releasing a statement.

The reach of Good Good—founded in 2020 as a YouTube channel—extends well beyond videos, merchandise and equipment. Last October, Good Good and the PGA Tour announced that the company would be the title sponsor for a 2026 Fall Series event, the Good Good Championship, that will be played Nov. 12-15 at the Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas.

On Saturday, in response to a Golf Digest request seeking comment, a PGA Tour spokesperson said, "The PGA Tour believes in golf’s ability to bring people together and create a welcoming environment for all. We do not condone violence in any form, and the since-deleted video does not reflect our values or commitment to inclusivity and respect.”

Good Good reportedly retained creative control of its content in its partnership with Callaway, while the company would gain access to Good Good’s social media presence, which now numbers more than four million followers. The arrangement also allowed the company to produce special versions of its products, such as the Good Good Quantum driver that was being promoted by the video ad.

Callaway is an official marketing partner of the LPGA Tour, and several years ago, CEO Chip Brewer said, “Callaway is the industry leader in women’s golf equipment, and this partnership offers an opportunity to connect with LPGA fans through additional collaboration on content, players, and programs that engage golfers and celebrate the game.”