Two leading golf brands are asking for a mulligan after a video promoting their co-branded club drew criticism for depicting violence against women. Following the backlash, the CEOs of Callaway and Good Good issued apologies for the controversial ad.
The commercial—produced by Good Good and approved by Callaway—was released last week. It shows a female golfer reaching into a golf bag for the co-branded driver, but before even touching it, she gets aggressively shoved to the ground by a male golfer. The golfer, played by Good Good cofounder Garrett Clark, warns her: “Do not touch my new driver.”
Users on social media criticized the ad for both its content and sinister tone.
“Sometimes you don’t have to wonder what an industry thinks of women. Eventually, they’ll show you. Good Good Golf and Callaway Golf didn’t even try to hide it. They put it on full display,” a user said on Threads.
The criticism led to both companies apologizing, with Callaway CEO Chip Brewer saying in a statement: “The content was inappropriate and does not reflect our values.”
Responding to the backlash
By August 22, both brands had pulled the video from their social media accounts, with Good Good issuing an apology that day. Social media users who downloaded or screen-recorded the ad kept it in circulation, leading Brewer to issue an apology early on August 25. The co-branded driver is still for sale on the Good Good website.
In Good Good CEO Matt Kendrick’s apology, which he posted on LinkedIn, he notes that the ad was meant to parody the tone of the recent hit indie horror movie Obsession, but also acknowledged that the video missed the mark. “Regardless of what we intended, we are responsible for what we put into the world and how it is received. We got this one wrong,” Kendrick said.
Callaway’s Brewer said the company was conducting internal and external investigations into the approval processes, which it is already changing. “To be clear: We are unequivocally against discrimination, domestic violence, or threatening behavior of any kind,” Brewer said.
He added: “We believe we have been a positive force for diversity and inclusion in the game of golf. This video was completely inconsistent with that. I assure you that we will learn from this and do better.”
No longer a boys’ club
The questionable ad arrives as more women are getting into golf. According to the National Golf Foundation, the number of on-course female golfers has risen 45% in just five years, pushing female representation in the sport to an all-time high.
Golf’s growing base of women players is a big part of why some users were upset. “They so don’t get the point. They didn’t just create an ad that makes golf non-inclusive to women, but it endorses violence against women in the scariest and most threatening way. This is a horrible look for them and for Callaway. Wildly disappointing,” a user said on X in response to Good Good’s apology.
Some also saw the ad as reflecting a disconnect between Callaway’s messaging and the people who often make golf-related purchases.
“My husband and I golf. So do many of our friends. The women in our friend group are usually the ones buying and gifting new clubs, shoes, and clothing for ourselves and our spouses,” a user shared on Threads. “Callaway gravely misjudged how green-lighting abusive male behavior towards women will impact sales.”
Callaway and Good Good aren’t the only retailers facing social media criticism in recent days. Target on August 24 drew negative reactions over a Halloween costume that many compared to segregation-era blackface minstrelsy.