Callaway Golf and Frisco-based Good Good Golf have apologized after publishing an advertisement that showed a male golfer forcefully shoving a female golfer to the ground to protect his new driver. The companies removed the video following widespread criticism that it made light of violence against women.
The video was scripted and staged, but Callaway CEO Chip Brewer acknowledged that his company approved it before publication. Callaway has since opened internal and external investigations, while Good Good said weaknesses in its content-review process allowed the advertisement to be released.
What the Advertisement Showed
Good Good published a short video on its social media channels on August 21 to promote a Good Good-branded Callaway Quantum driver.
The advertisement showed Good Good co-founder Garrett Clark running toward former Division I golfer and content creator Alexis Miestowski as she reached into his golf bag. Clark shoved Miestowski to the ground, stood over her, and said, “Do not touch my new driver.”
The video ended with the words “You have been warned…” beneath Callaway’s logo, according to Golf Monthly.
Good Good removed the advertisement after viewers criticized the use of violence to market a golf club. Copies continued circulating on social media, including in a post shared by numerous social media channels, including Dallas Texas TV.
Callaway apologizes for ‘Good Good’ ad showing woman shoved to ground pic.twitter.com/oXknagyBqR
— Dallas Texas TV (@DallasTexasTV) August 25, 2026
Callaway Admits It Approved the Video
Callaway issued a statement, posted on Instagram on August 25, 2026:
In the statement, Brewer acknowledged that Good Good produced the video but that Callaway approved it before publication.
“That approval should never have happened,” Brewer said. “Mistakes were made, and we are taking the matter very seriously.”
The Good Good Quantum driver listing was later removed from Callaway’s website, although neither company immediately confirmed whether the product had been permanently withdrawn, Inc. reported.
How Did the Advertisement Get Approved?
The companies have not publicly identified the individual employees or executives who approved the concept.
Good Good CEO Matt Kendrick said the concept was intended to parody a scene from the 2026 horror film “Obsession.”
“The execution missed the mark,” Kendrick wrote in a statement posted on LinkedIn on August 25, 2026. “I understand why people found it insensitive, and I want to be clear that neither I nor anyone at Good Good condones violence of any kind.”
Kendrick said he would personally review content from Good Good’s marketing teams for the foreseeable future. In an internal memo obtained by Front Office Sports, he also said the company would donate proceeds from the driver campaign to an organization supporting women in its local community.
The PGA Tour also responded because Good Good is the title sponsor of the inaugural Good Good Championship, scheduled for November in Austin:
“The PGA Tour believes in golf’s ability to bring people together and create a welcoming environment for all,” the organization said in a statement published by Golf Channel. “We do not condone violence in any form, and the since-deleted video does not reflect our values or commitment to inclusivity and respect.”
The Tour did not announce a change to the sponsorship.
Other Advertisements Withdrawn After Backlash
Callaway and Good Good are not the first major brands to remove advertising after a scripted “joke” or dramatic concept drew an unintended response.
In 2017, Pepsi withdrew an advertisement showing model Kendall Jenner leaving a photo shoot, joining a street demonstration, and handing a can of Pepsi to a police officer. Critics said the commercial trivialized protests and confrontations involving police.
“Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding,” the company said in its official withdrawal statement. “Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologize. We did not intend to make light of any serious issue.”
Hyundai faced a similar crisis in 2013 over a European advertisement depicting a man attempting suicide by running a vehicle inside a closed garage. The attempt failed because the advertised vehicle produced water vapor rather than carbon monoxide. Hyundai removed the advertisement and apologized after viewers, including relatives of suicide victims, objected to the premise, ABC News reported.
McDonald’s withdrew a British commercial in 2017 that showed a grieving boy learning that he and his deceased father shared a preference for the Filet-O-Fish sandwich. The company apologized after bereavement organizations said the advertisement used childhood grief to sell food.
The controversy also follows broader debate over how brands handle politically or culturally sensitive advertising. The Dallas Express previously reported that major Super Bowl advertisers were reassessing their messaging after prior campaigns generated backlash.
Provided by Dallas Express
