The Rise of YouTube Golf: Why Is On-Demand Golf So Popular? 
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The Rise of YouTube Golf: Why Is On-Demand Golf So Popular? 

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The Rise of YouTube Golf: Why Is On-Demand Golf So Popular? 

In the past 15 years, watching golf has morphed into something few could have predicted. 

By the millions, people are watching the game—often played by strikingly average golfers—on YouTube. 

There is considerably more time spent consuming on-demand golf than any other form of passive off-course golf entertainment—including tuning into the professional game on TV. 

But the story goes a lot deeper than just time. There is a whole cultural movement toward YouTube golf. Videos are brimming with hundreds of comments. Channels, boasting millions of subscribers, have their own bustling Reddit pages, entire communities dedicated to seemingly random golfers who have embraced their own unique personas like characters in a sitcom. 

The golf itself is secondary. In some ways, that is the entire point of how it’s become so popular. 

A personal creator-viewer relationship is being fostered, a relatability that fans of all ages are connecting with on a deep level. There is a whole genre of golf comedy. It’s attainable and believable. Viewers become invested in someone’s journey because they are witnessing each detail of that investment. 

The data says golf’s younger crowd, in the 18-32 age category, is flocking to the YouTube version of golf. It’s in contrast to the average age of a PGA Tour viewer which is north of 60. 

Why? 

The Growing Presence of YouTube Golf

YouTube is the video home of 2.7 billion active users, making it the second most popular social media platform in the world. Almost four million new videos are uploaded each day, many of them from content creators looking to monetize their videos through YouTube’s ad system. 

It’s a “brand versus brand” battleground for eyeballs. 

The site hosts millions of niche offerings and one of those has become golf. There are dozens of YouTube golfers who play the game professionally, as a full-time job, despite their limited skill sets on the course. 

So many channels have emerged that one golf industry friend said, “the world of YouTube golf has become very cutthroat and competitive.” It is a fierce competition of ratings and the coolest collaborations. 

How popular is it? Consider that the PGA Tour—still home of the game’s best golfers despite challenges from LIV—has 1.3 million subscribers on YouTube. The Tour’s videos average about 85,000 views. There are an average of 34 “engagements” per video, meaning comments or other interactions. 

This is an organization that has video rights—and access to an endless sea of present and past footage—to bring the greatest golfers in the world into everyone’s living room. It’s the best tour of pro golfers on the most popular video site in the world. The channel started 15 years ago when YouTube was gaining traction. 

But the PGA Tour is an afterthought on YouTube compared to other golf channels. Compare it to GoodGood, which tabs itself as “six dudes, one golf channel.” They have 1.4 million subscribers, just slightly more than the Tour—but their videos are watched an average of 545,000 times. There are 717 engagements per video. The channel is only three years old. 

GoodGood, and a host of other popular channels, have quickly lapped the Tour in connecting with golf viewers on YouTube. 

Yes, professional golf is on cable TV and other streaming options (we touched on that in this piece). There is a wide audience net and substantial interest when it comes to major championships or talking about the future of the game, even if it’s frustrating fans

At the same time, competitive professional golf lacks some of the qualities offered by YouTube (more on that in a moment). Weaknesses are being exposed. 

What can you find on YouTube golf? Niches within the niche. 

One popular area is instruction. Mark Crossfield (437k subscribers) is considered by many as the “original golf YouTuber” with his channel being 16 years old. He focuses on lessons and equipment reviews. Others came along and made their mark in the instruction space including Danny Maude (1.17M subscribers), MeAndMyGolf (929k subscribers), Peter Finch (569k subscribers) and Golf With Aimee (468k subscribers

Rapid-fire golf instruction has been a part of golf magazines for decades so it makes sense that this would follow over into the on-demand video space. 

More surprising is the rise of other golf entertainment forms. Rick Shiels (2.74M subscribers), “the godfather of YouTube golf”, constructed a channel that mixes instruction, competition and equipment experimenting. His most popular video of all-time is about how to cheat at golf with illegal clubs (6.6M views). Shiels has such a popular channel that Tommy Fleetwood, Rickie Fowler, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and other top pros have come onto his “show” to play against Shiels. 

Shiels’ channel is 11 years old and it has been an inspiration to other competition-based channels sprouting up over the years. GoodGood (1.41M subscribers) and GM Golf (1.04M subscribers) were started by Garrett Clark—they feature Clark, a plus-handicap golfer, playing against other highly skilled players who have their own channels. On that list are former GoodGood members Grant Horvat (530k subscribers) and Micah Morris (471K subscribers) as well as popular channels like Bob Does Sports (680k subscribers) and Fore Play (408k subscribers). 

In only 432 total videos, GoodGood has more than 357 million views. The group travels around the world to film their escapades—they even have a Reddit community of 33,000+ that discusses videos and they also have their own apparel line. It’s a full-blown business. 

The channels are competing against each other but are also collaborating to raise each others’ profiles. A recent video of a match between Clark and Horvat hit one million views and over 4,000 comments within 24 hours

There are other niches within YouTube golf. Pro golfers themselves, such as Bryson DeChambeau (461k subscribers) and Bryan Bros. Golf (305k subscribers), are building their own content while still competing in tournaments. There are platforms for niches like golf architecture and equipment reviews. Some women like Paige Spiranac (379k subscribers) have leveraged their appearance to grow their channels although Spiranac’s nearly four million Instagram followers trump her YouTube following. And some channels like hockey-based Spittin’ Chiclets (323k subscribers) post golf matches between hockey players that easily clear 500,000 views. 

Another outlet that is important to note is No Laying Up (149k subscribers), which includes podcast video, an artfully produced travel series called “Tourist Sauce”, a low-budget golf travel series called “Strapped” and deep-dive golf content that delves into profound topics. NLU is an excellent example of a channel that looks at content through a particular ethos more so than maximizing attention. The audience is smaller than the most popular YouTube golf channels but serves a specific niche for a hard-core golf audience. 

How much money is being made? YouTube creators receive about 55 percent of the revenue generated from ads on their channels and 1,000 views equate to roughly $18—it varies based on the channel’s popularity and engagement. 

Around 100,000 views per day equates to $5,500-$9,500 of revenue per month. This is purely from targeted ads placed within the video—a lot of content has product placement or other advertising on top of that. 

How much can be made? In the week prior to this article publishing, GoodGood had 2.3 million views on their videos. Accounting for all of the past month, that number was around 8.2 million views. It’s difficult to say exactly but their YouTube ad revenue is in the hundreds of thousands per month. 

There are some obvious reasons behind the YouTube golf phenomenon but there is also a fascinating psychology behind it that is tough to quantify. 

The most obvious reasons? The audience can watch at their convenience, engaging with a community of like-minded golf lovers. It is accessible, and free, for anyone who has an internet connection. 

PGA Tour golf, or whatever competitive circuit you might enjoy, has one traditional broadcast. There are lengthy commercial breaks. If you want to watch, you have to sit through whatever the telecast shows, whether it’s a golfer you aren’t interested in or sponsored content within a broadcast—you usually don’t have another option to watch a tournament. Pro golf is regularly behind a paywall and can require multiple app subscriptions to watch. It can be a hassle at times. 

With YouTube golf, there are an infinite number of videos. Successful content has to be engaging in order to produce results. Titles, graphics and the videos themselves cater to engagement above all else. Everything is edited so there is no waiting between shots. And the viewer can get hyper-specific with what type of content they want to watch within golf. 

That explains a lot of it.

But we have another question.

Why do people like watching, in some cases, objectively mediocre golf?

There is a whole video series on the Fore Play channel where viewers watch Trent Ryan, a struggling golfer, attempt to first break 100—which he eventually does—and then continuously attempt to break 90. In No Laying Up’s “Strapped” series, Neil Schuster and Phil “Big Randy” Landes go to modest municipal courses and play relatively uninspiring golf. The show is more about their friendship than the golf. In Bob Does Sports, a three-man ensemble of varying low-to-high handicappers take on the likes of Jon Rahm, Max Homa, Xander Schauffele and other Tour pros. 

People love it. They love watching bad golf, especially when it’s paired with significantly better golf. 

It’s relatable, sure. That is part of it. But there is something else people are attracted to in these videos. 

One is access. The audience sees and hears every bit of a character’s personality. The characters each have an expressed goal and a purpose, even if it’s not necessarily serious. Viewers are invested to see if they reach it. Every shot has an immediate reaction from the player who hit it. 

Another is comedy. There is a lot of laughing at bad shots and celebrating the unexpected good ones. The environment is like a Saturday morning scramble amongst friends.  

There are experimental formats. One-club challenges, alternate-shot matches, tournaments where a team of friends are split into two groups—anything to keep the content interesting and engaging. 

We asked Clark, the driving force behind GoodGood, why he thinks his brand is successful. His answer hit on something else: organic content.

His group came together naturally. Some members were friends who grew up together in Kansas City and that slowly evolved naturally into what GoodGood is today. 

“I just don’t think it would ever work to the extent that it’s worked for us if it’s not organic,” Clark said. “If you try and force it, if you try and go create a group to make money and do YouTube and that’s the sole purpose, I don’t think it would work. For us, we’ve been friends for such a long period of time… if you’re not really good friends off camera, then you definitely can’t be really good friends on camera, and it’ll shine through.”

Maybe that is it. Community matters. The group likes each other. The audience likes that that group likes each other. They feel a part of it. If you watch, you are living vicariously through them. So many of the YouTube golf channels have that same vibe.

Maybe it is not enough to just watch golf for some people. There needs to be a “why” behind it. Why does this matter?

People are now answering that question on their own.

Do you enjoy golf on YouTube? Why or why not? Let us know below in the comments.

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Sean Fairholm

Sean Fairholm

Sean Fairholm

Sean is a longtime golf journalist and underachieving 8 handicap who enjoys the game in all forms. If he didn't have an official career writing about golf, Sean would spend most of his free time writing about it anyway. When he isn't playing golf, you can find Sean watching his beloved Florida Panthers hockey team, traveling to a national park or listening to music on his record player. He lives in Nashville with his wife and dog (of course the dog's name is Hogan).

Sean Fairholm

Sean Fairholm

Sean Fairholm

Sean Fairholm

Sean Fairholm

Sean Fairholm

Sean Fairholm

Sean Fairholm





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      EBM

      7 months ago

      Great article. This sorta coincides with PGA of America news conference this week. Somewhat clueless about what is driving golfers to TV or TV driving golfers to golf. Also 50% of golfers under 35. Well the action / interaction is on the You Tube not TV. Professional golf needs to engage the You tube audience or that audience is saying hell with you guys.

      Reply

      Joseph Bagadonitz

      9 months ago

      I’ll go one further than this. I watch some GoodGood, Rick Shiels, Crossfield and others and have been watching them for years now. Alex Etches is one of my favorites, just for his sense of humor.

      But my latest YouTube addiction is watching dudes play courses on GSPRO. I caught myself watching Josh Oddy for two hours last night.

      I hope the snow melts soon.

      Reply

      Jim

      10 months ago

      There are a lot of youtube golf channels from matches to teaching to equipment reviews and more. I enjoy watching the various channels to pick up a swing tip, see equipment reviews or for just watching a match, but I also watch the network golf as well. I started watching to help improve my swing (you forgot to mention Chris Ryan and Coach Lockey) and then moved on to the matches. The matches are clearly geared toward a younger generation, or as you stated it’s more like your Saturday 4-some goofing around as you play. They can be fun and with some of the golfers having amazing swings it’s almost like a lesson (re: Horvat, Kwon/ Walsh, etc). Clearly different avenues to get your golf fix and compliments the PGA/ DP Tour broadcasts.

      Reply

      JL

      10 months ago

      It’s just all around more fun than the PGA. The creators are out there having a good time and it comes through in their content…. the PGA is dry, conceited and boring.

      Reply

      John

      11 months ago

      I am going to show this article to my wife. She just doesn’t get it. I stumbled across Good Good about a year ago when I got back into golf after 20 years away. I think your article hits it on the head: These creators are adept at engaging the audience. Playing again after all this time, I benefit from watching other mediocre golfers struggle just as much as watching beautiful swings from Horvat, Clark, etc. I don’t know what the solution is for professional golf. I watch the majors and PGA events and they just don’t hold my interest. I am not a hater, but the way LIV presents its product does not cut it for me. The worrying thing for the PGA should be that as a 56-year-old I am in their demographic but would rather watch YouTube golf.

      Reply

      Shannon Sanders

      11 months ago

      I started watching YouTube golf to check out the courses I wanted to visit. They show much more than the website from the course. I personally don’t like bad golf , I get plenty of that on my own. If the golfers are better , Luke kwon comes to mind, they share info on how they play. Course management is hard to learn right off the bat.

      Reply

      Teebs

      11 months ago

      You failed to mention a couple of my favorite shows – Adventures in Golf and Random Golf Club with Erik Anders Lang (EAL) – he showcases different locations and courses with a very down to earth and likeable personality. He also takes the “status” out of the game and makes it feel more like golf is for everyone. Don’t get me wrong, love Good Good and others like BDS and Grant Horvat and Rick Sheils – they do fun games, play awesome courses, and give you that “golf round with the boys” vibe, but the absolute best in story, production value, and grounded approach to the game is everything with EAL.

      Reply

      Yaaqob

      11 months ago

      I know smaller fish, but c’mon how you gonna leave out Erik Anders Lang with Random Golf Club? He was one of the original creators with Adventures in Golf back in 2016. While not as big in the Youtube sphere as Rick Shiels or the GoodGood channel, the content of playing Old Course with different handicap golfers, going head to head with Brian Baumgartner, filming and playing in a 100 man scramble, etc. is just fun and relatable compared to the usual +2 handicap golfers you usually watch hit 2 hole in ones each year (Matt needs to chill out).

      Reply

      Rob

      11 months ago

      Yes, I love YouTube golf. A mix of instruction and entertainment. Came upon Rick Shiels early in the pandemic and continue to follow him. His podcasts are great and they touch on a variety of topics. Did follow GoodGood for awhile but dropped them with Grant split with the group. Also follow Matt Friar regularly and do watch Bob Does Sports on occasion. There are several others I will watch when I have time.

      Why watch? It is entertaining, educational, and relatable. Watching Shiels scull a chip shot or miss a short putt is very relatable. We’ve all done that and that is something you rarely see on the pro tours. Not that I don’t like watching the PGA Tour, I do. But the window to watch is limited. I can watch Rick Shiels podcast on my lunch hour every Tuesday and catch his Break 75 on my lunch on Friday. And if I can’t do it then, I can do it some other time.

      Reply

      Atxrich

      11 months ago

      The variety of content and personalities is great. I love the Tour and it has its place, but YouTube golf is something different. It’s truly an outlet for the golf obsessed and the creators do a great job connecting with their audience.

      The “niche within a niche” is well said. Many YouTube channels that I follow have their own spin on the same content/format that others film and present.

      Reply

      Mike

      11 months ago

      There’s tons of instruction and reviews on YouTube, I will watch them. Watching a bunch of guys play golf, maybe it’s an age thing, because I would have absolutely no interest in watching that. I want to be the one playing.

      Reply

      Notnow

      11 months ago

      As mentioned YouTube golf is more engaging, relatable and fun. Maybe it is the more inside views, the banter, the relatable golf good and bad. Or all those things. Watching millionaires too self important to engage fans or play for money they really dont need is boring. Majors have legacy on the line, which makes them interesting for the most part.

      Reply

      Randy

      11 months ago

      I’m an old guy (81) and have pretty much switched to watching Youtube golf. No one mentioned Bustajack who had a great series where they played a 50 courses in 50 states in a year. Can’t understand why they don’t have more of a following. They rate bridges like Rick Shiels rates sausage rolls. Or, what about Zak Radford, a plus handicapper, who is a one man show and plays courses around the country and the world (now posting from New Zealand). I like golf courses and Youtubers tend to give you a better look at the course using drones and good editing. We’d probably be amazed at how much money some of these guys are making with Youtube money, club contracts and merch. Becoming a Youtube golf fan makes watching PGA guys line up AIM point putts painful. That said, I wouldn’t miss any Bryson Youtube as he is the actual “most interesting man in golf.” But you would never figure this out watching a LIV event.

      Reply

      John

      11 months ago

      Thanks for shouting out Bustajack. I could watch those guys for hours. And do.

      Reply

      Kansas King

      11 months ago

      YouTube golf is relatable and is a better social experience. It’s not hard to figure out why it became popular. That said, it seems a large portion of followers get burnt out on YouTube golf after a while. While every channel has their own flavor and relate to different audiences, I find that burnout is a common factor. Not only do viewers get burnt out but also the YouTubers. It’s a ton of work to upload edited videos. That said, it seems the YouTubers have found a better work/life balance and many are big enough to hire an editing person.

      My fear from what I’m reading on here is the push to turn professional golf broadcasts into YouTube. Professional golf is professional golf. I think they can learn things from YouTube, but I don’t need to have pure commentary 100% of the time injected into my veins. My biggest thing with professional broadcasts is that I simply want to see more golf. I don’t need someone giving interpretive dances and over-the-top reactions to golf shots.

      Reply

      Russ Farrer

      11 months ago

      Love YouTube Golf, started watching Good Good the GM golf Now Grant H
      Picked up on Rick Shields and the European YouTube clan
      Can find instruction and just good clean fun on the course.
      The banter often reminds me of play at my club and most of them don’t come off as spoiled brats, but feel lucky to be doing what they’re doing.
      Basically I find it entertaining to watch

      Reply

      MarkM

      11 months ago

      I may be one of the few in this tribe that’s not a fan of most YouTube golf, especially the Good Good, etc. types of channels.
      I enjoy Crossfield’s channel (mostly for the instruction & reviews), Malaska, Alex Etches and the Club Champion guys. That and all the major Tours are about it. Watching a group of guys try to get around a golf course, no matter how beautiful, does nothing for me. I can get that anytime I play with my squad.

      Reply

      Lloyd

      11 months ago

      What about Manolo?

      Reply

      Gavin

      11 months ago

      PGA and LIV need to kiss and make up and move forward first. The next priority after that needs to be figuring out how to get the youtube secret sauce in the tour. If viewership shrinks, sponsorship dollars will as well. Get people invested in players personality (Netflix doc was okay but way to surface level in my opinion), add more fun events (team events that are fun and bizarre), incentivize players to have more fun in a tournament (maybe even the odds so bad shots can be laughed at vs costing them potentially millions).

      Reply

      Bryan

      11 months ago

      I find it odd you use a picture of Fat Perez in your tweet and on the article and don’t mention him once, don’t quote him at all, and only mention Bob Does Sports in the middle of your post of creators. Why use his image then? Just seems odd.

      Reply

      Brandon

      11 months ago

      For real. FP is the only reason anyone watches Bob Does Sports. Dude needs his own channel.

      Reply

      elDubya

      11 months ago

      Thanks for writing this. As an older golfer squarely in the PGAT demographic, I have become a YouTube golf fan. LIV thought that flashy graphics and loud music would captivate young viewers but all it did was drive most of those viewers to YouTube. For every fan watching a LIV tournament or even the AmEx there are ten thousand who’d rather watch Grant vs Garrett. PGAT is mortally wounded and LIV was DOA but golf YouTube is thriving and growing. I don’t think my viewing habits will go back to the way they were before the LIV/PGAT war began but I’m OK with that. You happy, Greg?

      Reply

      Cory Frazier

      11 months ago

      I think it allows viewers to more easily relate to the golfers they are viewing.

      I watch No Putts Given (also YouTube golf in a way) because I get to listen to the opinions of 2 people I respect/admire talk about the game I love. I’ve heard countless times about how irons aren’t the strongest part of Tony’s game or how tough #2 is at his home course or how elevation impacts Chris’ distance.

      Yet, I’ve never seen Tony hit an iron and I have no idea what #2 at his home course looks like from the blue tees or I’ve never seen Chris hit driver from a supremely elevated tee box versus one at sea level. And honestly, I’d love to.

      It would add authenticity to your statements on the podcast. It would allow me to connect/relate to you in a whole different level.

      I’m never going to get to know a PGA tour player on that level. They golf at a level that is incomprehensible to me, they are celebrities/millionaires and as such, aren’t ever going to open themselves up for me to connect with them. But y’all have been “talking golf” to me for years now. I “know” you in a different way than I’d know any pro golfer.

      That’s the real power of YouTube.

      Reply

      Skraeling

      11 months ago

      Lets face it… all of us have been or are Trent. Dudes just so god damn likeable and it puts into perspective just how hard the fking sport is. Yes its cool to watch elite athletes do elite athlete things, and most of the youtuber golfers are while maybe not elite for sure within the top probably 10% of the sport. That’s fun to a point and they do have valuable opinions on things (equipment, courses, teaching).

      Im never going to be elite. I wanna watch a regular guy playing regular golf and cheering him when he succeeds.

      And who the hell doesnt love Fat Perez?

      Shoutout to channels not mentioned (Average golfer and Lets Play through).

      Reply

      HikingMike

      11 months ago

      I’ll add that it’s not necessarily really about the golf for a lot of these. Maybe it is at first. But one of the biggest Youtubers was someone that started out painting her nails and giving tips. She gained followers for her fun personality and comedy. I think she won a Youtube comedy award. Then it became a running joke how few of her videos were actually about nails. But really overall it’s the entertainment factor, relatability, and the Youtube format and accessibility that works.

      Also, I think the PGA Tour could do better here without too much trouble. And it would feed back into increased TV viewing of tour events. The article mentions pros on some of these and those are popular. If the tour requires some press conference time at events from players, it could also require some Youtube time for players – with pay or whatever. The TV announcers could be in some Youtube videos for NBC, showing those people as you never see them normally, and that might even increase event viewership on their TV network.

      Reply

      Bulldog520

      11 months ago

      Love the youtubers like Rick, Mr. Short Game, NLU and others. Their gear reviews are great giving a sort of unbiased approached that allows me to research what they say vs. MGS to have more trust in a brand or product. TV golf is very dry with little emotion whereas youtube golf allows for the bad and good, the fun and the serious

      Reply

      Dave R

      11 months ago

      This article encapsulates most if not all of the reasons I have taken to golf on YouTube. My favorite of the groups/individuals mentioned is No Laying Up. I love the various series they do, the thought and care that goes into the videos, and frankly just enjoy the guys themselves. I have watched most of the groups mentioned in some capacity, and the reason I continue or stop watching any particular selection almost entirely comes down to personality. Peter Finch seems like a guy I’d get along with, so I watch him even if it’s an instructional video in an area I don’t think I need help in, or a review for a club I don’t need. Some of the other channels I’ve tried produce similar content to Finch or NLU, but I don’t really like the people involved as much for whatever reason.
      The biggest factor is availability for me. You’ve got the ability to get a golf fix on demand after shoveling the driveway on a frosty Chicago day on one end, and the ability to pull up a video the night before a round to get you even more excited to play.

      Reply

      CryptoDog

      11 months ago

      It’s the kids. They’re all watching it.
      Personally, I don’t watch most of those main ones even though they show up on the feed all the time, but I watch some Shiels when he hits new equipment, definitely Bryson, sometimes Crossfield if he’s going to do a new equipment, and if a name player that I like goes onto one of the channels to play with them or do a lesson.
      Who has the time to watch it all? There’s so much other stuff.

      Reply

      Randy

      11 months ago

      It gives me my golf fix when I can’t be on the course.
      No surprise that it’s more relatable than top level pro golf as that is governed by spin doctors that teach the pros what to say/not say.

      Compare that to Shiels giving us a review of the sausage roll at each course he plays and you quickly see the difference.

      I would suggest the golf quality is pretty decent on some channels. Many of them would be “low man” on any weekend foursome, anywhere, so it’s still aspirational.

      I hope it stays

      Reply

      ryebread

      11 months ago

      Some of these guys are plus handicaps. They’d beat the tails off of 99.999% of golfers (and non-golfers) out there on the course. It’s absolutely aspirational but seemingly more relatable than the professional.

      The PGA Tour and LIV should examine this and determine what’s working for the YouTubers. I can almost guarantee that the most popular PGA Tour players (particularly with the younger generation) are the ones who have engaged with the YouTubers. I’m just as guilty as anyone on this. I always liked Ricky since his college days, but I couldn’t have picked Tommy Fleetwood out of a weekend line up until he played on a YouTube channel. His “match” showed his skill, but also his humbleness and graciousness. He came across WAY better there than ANY golfer comes across on any any Tour event I’ve ever watched or been to in person.

      Even Netflix’ productions for and with the Tour aren’t as good as the Youtubers. I watched Full Swing for much of the same reasons mentioned here (on demand, when I wanted, easily consumable, able to be stopped and started), but none of the golfers other than Joel Dahmen and Tony Finau came across (to me) as even likeable or relatable, much less entertaining. Most came across as spoiled brats.

      I think the Youtubers are good for the game.

      Reply

      Vandyland

      11 months ago

      Love the article, YouTube golf is all about serving their viewers while PGA Tour seems to be more interested in serving their “members”. I think the shift in views from traditional telecast to youtube reflects that. Tour must evolve or their audience is going to disappear.

      Reply

      TJ

      11 months ago

      I can’t stand the clickbait and constant hype train some of these channels are on. The only group I really enjoy watching is No Laying Up, but they seem to put a lot of thought into their production side.

      Reply

      Sean

      11 months ago

      Great article. Mentions all of my favorite YouTubers and is thoroughly aware of the scene.

      Reply

      Scott

      11 months ago

      Important to mention the role of the Covid pandemic on YouTube golf. So many people were stuck at home trying to find an escape. Even the private club around the corner from my house was shut down and newly abandoned. For those of us living in regions that are cold in March and April who usually need to get our golf fix through the tour didn’t have that and turned to YouTube. That’s when I discovered Rick Shiels…and MyGolfSpy.

      My only complaint is how monetized all of these channels have become. Custom studios. Corporate sponsorships. Bespoke apparel lines with $90 polos. The worst is the “come golf with us” events that are hundreds per person and not even at exclusive courses. Barstool is charging $1,000 per golfer to play in their event. Absurd.

      Reply

      kc

      11 months ago

      The PGA Tour YouTube page is as saccharin as the Tour broadcasts are. Personally, I am not a LIV fan but they get the need to include fun, albeit somewhat staged. The PGATour are woefully behind on engagement, it seems they make the same mistakes their broadcast partners make, despite having a plethora of historical content. NLU are my favorite, Shiels is my least favorite. I would rather watch the NLU guys on YouTube than any NBC/GolfChannel broadcast that includes the wretched Dan Hicks. He is an automatic mute. Many is the day I’m in my chair with the tour broadcast on the big tv (muted), while I watch YouTube golf with volume. The appeal is the “regular guy” thing, the top level tour players have become more like CEO’s of a company that pays less tax than you do.

      Reply

      Jim

      11 months ago

      Watching Youtube golf is fun, different, and enjoyable – it’s the first thing I check typically, then switch to the Golf Channel. I still enjoy watching PGA level golf but sometimes it’s fun to watch odd ball matches and people genuinely having fun playing or picking up some tips on how to play better. There are some characters on Youtube too, unlike the PGA where everyone seems to be a copy of the other for the most part.

      Reply

      BH

      11 months ago

      Don’t forget Cartbarnguys with Kyle, Pup and Buttsy. No idea how the channel doesn’t get more traffic. Buttsy is a damn national treasure.

      Reply

      FinsandPins

      11 months ago

      Sounds like something ol buttsauce would type. Lol 😆

      Reply

      Will

      11 months ago

      The PGA is all about the big names, but somehow manages to dehumanize the actual people. You see them, but only really hear from some boring announcers. They may as well be cardboard cutouts. Meanwhile Rick Shiels is out there chatting with some of those same people and just generally being relatable as he tries to hit his ball out of whatever crazy predicament he’s gotten it into. In terms of entertainment value, there’s just no contest.

      Reply

      Scott

      11 months ago

      Great points. Even so, when an announcer shows their personality (like Gary McCord) they’re shunned. Full Swing pulled back the curtain on the humans playing on tour. I appreciated the guys the golf media previously led me to dislike. I understood why guys jumped at LIV money. The PGA and broadcasters give us none of that. Its especially important as tournaments become more corporate sponsor-focused. I’m already resigning myself to the fact that I’ll not be able to get US Open tickets when its in my same county next year because everything will be $250/day corporate loge packages.

      Reply

      John

      11 months ago

      Tiger says don’t watch YouTube golf, but Rick Shiels legit fixed my slice.

      Reply

      Andre

      11 months ago

      The main draw of youtube golf for me is indeed the thought process and banter between the players. Every player PGA player should be mic’d up and caddies should be mandated to go-pro every shot. That would make things much more appealing.

      Which brings up the other reason I like youtube golf…. it’s edited! You get a whole more actual content in a much shorter period of time. Yes I love watching the drama of a Sunday major, sometimes Saturday if time permet, but I’d much rather watch a 1h edited recap (player specific possibly) of the 1st two rounds, and most (if not all) regular events.

      Reply

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