The Loop

How the Bryan Bros became golf's greatest trick shot team

November 02, 2014

As a steady stream of golf trick shot videos began going viral early in 2014, Wesley Bryan began having thoughts of making his own. After seeing one particular video blow up on YouTube in which two guys teamed up at a range, Bryan had seen enough.

"That's a joke, George," he said to his older brother. "Let's just try it."

After making a video and posting it on Instagram and Facebook, the two brothers launched a YouTube channel on March 15. Just a few months later, the Bryan Bros have become a big deal in the world of golf trick shots thanks in large part to this video they made with a GoPro. Here's a recent video they made for GolfDigest.com in which they pull off their shots while wearing glow-in-the-dark suits:

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So what makes the Bryan Bros stand out (other than the glow-in-the-dark suits)? The fact that their shots are less about being tricks and more about actual golf skill. Both George, 26, and Wesley, 24, are professional golfers who were previously standouts at the University of South Carolina, boasting the school's best and sixth-best career scoring records, respectively.

"We pride ourselves on the fact we center it around real golf," said George, who was a PING All-American three times.

"Every shot is a great golf shot that we pulled off and you could hit on an actual course," said Wesley, a former All-SEC selection who can hit a straight 275-yard drive out of the air. "So the reactions are authentic."

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The brothers' main goal remains making it onto the PGA Tour. But both acknowledge their new hobby has helped with their actual day jobs.

"It's taken some pressure off and eased my mind," George said. "Pro golf is all I've thought about for four years so it's nice to have a little outlet."

"It definitely helps with creativity," said Wesley, who added it's changed how he's viewed certain pressure shots. "I'll have a tee shot and I'll think if I threw the ball up and hit it, I'd have no problem hitting the fairway. If you can't hit a fairway when the ball is just sitting there on a tee, you might as well go home."

This year, George IV has been helping his father, George III, run his George Bryan Golf Academy in Chapin, S.C., while playing mostly one-day Carolina Mountain Tour events. Previously, he mainly played on the eGolf Professional Tour, where Wesley has spent much of this year. The two have been making videos during their free time, but now, they plan on turning the pro golf off-season into trick shot prime season.

"We're going to be pumping out stuff," said Wesley, who alluded to an upcoming NASCAR-themed video being in the works and that the two have been in talks to partner with some bigger names. And yes, they know who the Bryan brothers of men's tennis doubles fame are and hope to do a video with them as well.

"There's no group like us that's primarily doing golf shots . . . that's why we wanted to push it so hard," George said. "Golf is trying to get younger and hip and we can fit that mold by bringing entertainment and fun."

(Check out the Bryan Bros' YouTube channel and follow them on Twitter)