Key takeaways
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Callaway ad showed a man shoving a woman to the ground, sparking immediate outrage and removal from social media.
Callaway CEO apologized, admitted the company approved the video, launched investigations and changed its approval process.
Good Good said the clip was meant to spoof a horror film, apologized, and its CEO will preapprove future marketing.
PGA Tour condemned the ad, warned it may affect Good Good sponsorship, amid rising female participation in golf.
A major golf equipment giant is under fire for an ad that critics say made light of violence against women by showing a man shoving a woman to the ground.
On Tuesday, Callaway Golf CEO Chip Brewer apologized for the since-pulled video promoting a co-branded driver with golf-focused lifestyle brand Good Good. The 60-second clip shows Good Good co-founder Garrett Clark running after former Division I golfer Alexis Miestowski after she reaches for the driver in his golf bag, pushing her to the ground, then standing over her and warning, “Do not touch my new driver.”
I have daughters that, even at their young age, are showing a healthy interest in golf. This is a generationally stupid ad. Callaway and Good Good should be ashamed. https://t.co/NRm4ttKsE5
— Matt Llewellyn (@MrMattBSN) August 22, 2026
Almost immediately, the ad drew backlash. Commenters on X, for instance, called it “very scary” and “a generationally stupid ad.” By late Friday, both Good Good and Callaway had removed the video from their social media accounts, though copies continued to circulate online.
Good Good issued its first public apology late Saturday afternoon, saying the video depicted actions that weren’t aligned with its values. Callaway followed with its own statement, saying it was “disappointed by the content.”
But the outrage continued. On Monday, Good Good CEO Matt Kendrick took responsibility for the ad, telling The Wall Street Journal that the full video was intended to spoof the horror movie Obsession, but acknowledged that the execution “missed the mark.” Kendrick also said that, for the foreseeable future, he would personally review content from the company’s marketing teams before it goes live.
Then early Tuesday, Brewer issued a stronger apology — and acknowledged a key detail Callaway’s initial response had left out: The company itself had approved the video before it was posted.
“That approval should never have happened,” Brewer said. “Mistakes were made, and we are taking the matter very seriously. I want to make it clear that we sincerely apologize for the video.”
Brewer added that Callaway is conducting internal and external investigations and has already made changes to its approval process.
The PGA Tour has also spoken out (Good Good is the title sponsor of a new PGA Tour event set to debut in Austin this November). On Saturday, a spokesperson told Golf Digest that it “does not condone violence in any form” and said the video didn’t reflect the organization’s commitment to inclusivity and respect.
By Tuesday, the Tour sharpened its criticism of the debacle. During a press conference ahead of the Tour Championship, PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp called Good Good’s initial response “disappointing” and “a bit defensive and late.” When reporters asked whether the controversy could affect Good Good’s sponsorship of the November tournament, Rolapp called it “a bit of a fluid situation.”
“We’ll continue to monitor the situation and see how it develops,” he added.
The controversy comes as women make up a growing share of the golf world. According to the National Golf Foundation, the number of female golfers in the U.S. jumped by 45 percent between 2020 and 2025. That might not sound like much, but it amounts to 2.5 million more players, bringing the total to a record 8.1 million. By comparison, the number of male golfers grew just 12 percent over the same period. Women now account for 28 percent of golfers — the highest share on record. Against that backdrop, how an ad like this got approved in the first place is even more of a head-scratcher.
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