How Peter Millar became golf's favorite viral trend

Peter Millar started in Raleigh, N.C., in 2001 with a single cashmere sweater. Twenty-five years later, it’s one of the biggest names in luxury golf apparel. It sells polos, quarter-zips, tailored clothing, footwear and lifestyle collections, and its crown logo is a regular sight in pro shops, in private clubhouses and on tour players. The brand has never needed to be cool online.

But in its 25th year, Peter Millar has become a viral internet sensation, and a new generation of golfers is buying into "the crown."

Much of that is thanks to Ben Methvin, a 25-year-old golf content creator who posts as @MethGolfs on Instagram and TikTok. It started when he walked into a Peter Millar store in pajama shorts and flip-flops and filmed himself buying his first shirt. The video did about 1.5 million views, so he made another, and then another, all in tribute to the golf apparel label. The series now has an imaginary royal court, elaborate outfits and a following that has pledged itself to Peter Millar. Their rallying cry is “Die for the crown.”

If you’ve spent any time on golf social media lately, you’ve probably heard it, or seen someone turn around to show off the little crown on the back of their polo. Kids dressed up as Peter Millar for Halloween. A few have gotten the crown tattooed.

What began as a laugh has brought in a wave of younger golfers, and many seem to be staying for the clothes. Methvin genuinely fell in love with the brand. “It’s, like, become not a joke,” he said. “I genuinely love it.”

“I didn’t own a single Peter Millar shirt, like two months ago,” Methvin told Golf Digest. “Now it’s my entire wardrobe and most of my videos.”

He’s been making golf videos for about two years, mostly impressions and comedy, but he can play. He was a competitive junior and teed it up at the Junior World Championships around age 13. His interest in golf clothes goes back to Rickie Fowler, whose bright orange, blue and green outfits he tried to copy as a kid. “Golf was cool because of Rickie Fowler to me,” he said.

The crown videos grew out of a running bit online about recognizable logos, like Peter Millar’s crown and Vineyard Vines’ whale. One video became a series, and the series became a trend. There are “Millar Mondays” and “Flip Flop Fridays.” Kids are copying Methvin’s videos, and Peter Millar sounds are trending on TikTok. There’s a kingdom, ruled by a mysterious Sir Peter Millar. Anyone wearing the crown is considered a royal subject. Anyone who isn’t is a peasant. “Die for the crown,” Methvin explained, is basically a declaration of loyalty to Peter Millar.

The crown videos have earned Methvin about 25,000 followers, on top of the 201,000 or so he already had. But he didn’t understand how big it had gotten until he showed up at the Tour Championship at East Lake.

He’d posted only four or five crown videos by then. At East Lake, fans of all ages kept walking up to him. Some showed off their Peter Millar. Some yelled the catchphrase. A lot of them just called him Peter Millar.

“On that day, I was Peter Millar,” he said.

It isn’t only kids. On a visit to a Peter Millar store, Methvin was recognized by shoppers who looked to be over 50.

Most of the brand's customers didn’t find it through a creator’s video. Methvin describes the typical Peter Millar buyer as a golfer somewhere between his mid-30s and 50s, maybe in finance. Social media has spent the past several years pulling new players into golf through content creators, entertainment-driven videos and newer apparel brands.“Once they get more into golf, they realize how awesome brands like Peter Millar, Taylormade and Titleist are,” he said.

Golfers have always cared about what they wear and carry: the logo from a prestigious club, a certain putter, the brand of their bags. “Wearing the crown on the back of your shirt is status,” Methvin said.

High schoolers message him almost every day. Some ask for gear. Others send photos of what they just bought. A few reach out on LinkedIn. “They’re like, ‘Here’s my crown.’ Like, ‘What do you think of my crown?’” Methvin said. “And they’re super formal about it.”

He plays along, addressing them as “Sir” and answering as many as he can.

Peter Millar has noticed. As the videos took off, Methvin says, he’s been in touch with Todd Martin, president of Peter Millar Golf, and Courtney Wilson, the company’s director of marketing. The brand’s Instagram account follows him and regularly engages with him. He and Wes Sanders, a fellow golf creator who also makes Peter Millar content, did a shoot outside a Peter Millar store in Birmingham, Ala., with golf bags, apparel and a sword.

The crazy thing is, Peter Millar had nothing to do with it. The company didn’t start the trend, and it isn’t taking credit for it. In a statement to Golf Digest, chief marketing officer Paul Nugent pointed to the brand’s customers instead. “Over the past 25 years, we’ve been fortunate to build an incredibly loyal following of Peter Millar customers,” Nugent said. “We’re truly honored by their enthusiasm, and the many ways they embrace and celebrate the Crown. This social media movement is entirely a reflection of their passion, and we couldn’t be more grateful for their support.”

Methvin and the brand also share a milestone. “Their company was founded the year I was born,” he said. “They celebrated their 25th anniversary this year, and so did I.”

Who knows how long this will last. Internet trends burn out fast. But right now, a bunch of teenagers are buying Peter Millar polos and calling each other “Sir,” and Peter Millar seems to have a whole new generation knocking on the door.

As for Methvin, he's not planning to abdicate the throne anytime soon.

"The crown will never die," he says.