Golf Brand Good Good Fires Top Executives Over Commercial Depicting Violence Against Woman

American golf brand Good Good has terminated three of its top executives following severe public backlash over a commercial that depicted a woman being shoved to the ground. The scandal has prompted the cancellation of major commercial partnerships, store removals, and the withdrawal of a PGA Tour event sponsorship.

The company announced on Wednesday that chief executive Matt Kendrick and president Joe Flannery had been removed from their positions. Their dismissals followed the firing earlier in the week of Jeffrey Lefkovits, who served as vice-president of brand and marketing. Board member and investor Nahid Giga has been named interim chief executive.

Leadership Restructuring and Company Response

Addressing the management changes, Alex Puchala, Good Good’s head of finance and operations, referred to the dismissals on Wednesday as a “difficult day for the entire Good Good family”. Puchala added that the brand was “encouraged by the continued support” from its fan base and remained “focused on moving forward and building the next chapter of the company”.

Details of the Commercial

The leadership purge followed public anger over a promotional video created last month for golf club manufacturer Callaway. In the advertisement, Good Good co-founder Garrett Clark approaches Alexis Miestowski—a professional golfer and frequent participant in Good Good productions—as she reaches for a golf club. Clark pushes her to the ground and yells: “Do not touch my new driver.”

The commercial faced widespread online criticism for trivializing violence against women. Both Good Good and Callaway subsequently pulled the video from publication and issued apologies.

Loss of Partnerships and Retail Presence

The advertisement caused immediate damage to Good Good’s corporate relationships. Callaway canceled its partnership with the group, an arrangement that had been active since 2023. Callaway also announced it is donating $1 million (£736,000) to organizations that assist victims and work to prevent violence against women.

In addition, Good Good has backed out of sponsoring a PGA Tour tournament scheduled to take place in Austin, Texas, this November. Several retail chains have also pulled the company’s merchandise from their store shelves.

Background

Good Good launched its YouTube channel in 2020 and grew into one of the largest online content creators in golf, accumulating 2.1 million subscribers. The brand produces challenge-based videos featuring male and female golfers, television shows, apparel, and golf equipment. Digital media groups have increasingly partnered with traditional golf manufacturers to attract younger audiences to the sport.