Callaway cuts ties with Good Good after controversial driver ad

Callaway Golf has severed its partnership with Good Good, the popular golf YouTube brand, effective immediately, following backlash over a since-deleted advertisement that showed one of the company's founders appearing to shove a woman to the ground. The decision was announced in a lengthy statement Thursday, in which Callaway said it had «listened and reflected deeply on the hurt and disappointment caused by the video we reposted.»

The ad, created to promote a co-branded driver between Callaway and Good Good, was intended as a parody of the film «Obsession.» It instead drew immediate and widespread criticism for depicting a man knocking down a woman. Callaway's statement condemned «violence against women» as unacceptable and said it «should never be trivialized, normalized, or used as entertainment.» The company also acknowledged that its «content review process was not comprehensive enough» and said it had taken «appropriate internal corrective actions and significantly strengthened our approval procedures.»

In addition to ending the relationship, Callaway committed $1 million to organizations working to prevent violence against women, provide resources to survivors, and advance education and awareness efforts. The statement concluded with an apology: «These actions do not undo the harm caused or excuse our role in it. We sincerely apologize to everyone who was hurt, disappointed, or offended by this incident.»

Later Thursday, the PGA Tour announced that Good Good had withdrawn from its title sponsorship of an upcoming event scheduled for November. The tournament will no longer carry the Good Good name. This follows earlier fallout in which several major retailers, including Dick's Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, and the PGA Tour Superstore, pulled Good Good merchandise from their shelves. The scheduled release of the «Big Break x Good Good» television show was also postponed after Golf Galaxy sought to remove its title sponsorship.

Good Good has built one of the largest YouTube channels in golf and has been especially popular with younger audiences. The brand expanded into retail operations and partnered with major club manufacturers, the Golf Channel, and the PGA Tour. The company also recently launched a side channel called «Good Good Girls,» which gives young women an opportunity to build their own YouTube brand.

The severity of the response has drawn criticism from some observers who note that other brands have used similar imagery in advertising without comparable consequences. A popular Snickers commercial depicted Betty White being tackled on a muddy football field, and a Reebok ad featured a football player tackling office workers, including a woman. Neither campaign resulted in severed partnerships or retailer boycotts.

Critics also point out that Callaway, which gave final approval for the ad's release, has not faced similar commercial consequences. No major retailer has announced plans to drop Callaway products, despite the company's central role in producing and approving the advertisement. The PGA Tour, Dick's Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, and the PGA Tour Superstore have all continued to carry Callaway equipment.

The incident highlights the growing scrutiny brands face over content that touches on sensitive social issues, particularly when it involves violence. While the ad was widely condemned, the scale of the fallout has raised questions about consistency in how companies and sports organizations respond to such controversies.

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Delaney Sawyer

Society Reporter

Delaney Sawyer covers public affairs, politics, business, culture and daily news for Core Memo. The role focuses on verification, context, and clear explanations for readers.

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