A co-branded golf commercial has spiraled into a corporate — and very public — fight.
Good Good Golf and Callaway Golf released — and then pulled — a promotional video in August 2026 that showed Good Good cofounder Garrett Clark shoving a woman to the ground. Apologies, a $1 million pledge and a severed partnership swiftly followed in an attempt to assuage the swift online backlash.
Scroll below to get to the bottom of the controversial ad:
The Good Good Golf and Callaway Ad That Sparked the Backlash
The commercial promoted the co-branded Callaway Quantum driver. In the spot, Garrett Clark ran toward Good Good employee Alexis Miestowski and shoved her to the ground after she attempted to pick up his driver, telling her, “Do not touch my new driver.”
Viewers online quickly criticized the ad as a depiction of violence against women. The campaign was quickly pulled.
According to Clark in a social media statement, his marketing team pitched a concept meant to riff on the 2026 horror movie Obsession — but reframed as being between Clark and his driver. Clark also stressed that he did not physically touch Miestowski during filming.
Garrett Clark’s Nine-Minute Apology
Days later, Clark posted a nine-minute video statement on Instagram, addressing his role in the ad.
“I personally want to apologize for playing a role in this skit [and] this ad at the magnitude that I did,” Clark said. “On Good Good’s behalf and Good Good marketing’s behalf, I wanted to say an apology as well because this is not at all what we stand for. The way that this ad was received was not how Good Good is, and it’s not what we stand for, once again.”
Clark claimed that his “skin was crawling” once he watched the finished commercial, calling the concept “super dumb.”
He added, “I was cringing, even just minutes after I saw it get posted everywhere online. I thought it was the worst ad known to man. … I want everyone to know that I do not support DV, abuse or any of that of any kind.”
Callaway’s Response
Callaway CEO Chip Brewer issued a statement on Instagram that same month, acknowledging Callaway’s role in approving the ad.
“While the video was produced by Good Good, it was approved by Callaway prior to posting. That approval should never have happened,” Brewer said. “Mistakes were made, and we are taking the matter very seriously.”
Brewer added, “To be clear: We are unequivocally against discrimination, domestic violence or threatening behavior of any kind. … We believe we have been a positive force for diversity and inclusion in the game of golf. This video was completely inconsistent with that. I assure you that we will learn from this and do better.”
The Callaway exec further revealed that the company was conducting internal and external investigations and has already changed future approval processes.
Callaway later announced it would donate $1 million “to support organizations working to prevent violence against women, provide resources to survivors and advance education and awareness efforts.” In addition, the firm “significantly strengthened” approval procedures moving forward.
Matt Kendrick Accuses Callaway of a ‘Coordinated Media Blitz’
The story took a sharp turn when Good Good CEO Matt Kendrick publicly accused Callaway of scapegoating his company.
“Interesting that @CallawayGolf asks us to make an ad then approves it then asks us to take the fall then drops us in a coordinated media blitz and covers it up by giving a million dollars away thinking everyone will be ok with it,” Kendrick wrote on X.
Kendrick’s post laid out the sequence he says played out: Callaway requested the ad, signed off on it and then terminated the partnership while shifting public attention through a coordinated response and the seven-figure charitable pledge.
The Good Good CEO didn’t spare his own company either. Responding to a user who said the ad “wasn’t that good,” Kendrick added: “Agree we made a terrible ad. No denying that. We apologize for that.”
What Happens Next for Good Good Golf and Callaway
For now, the partnership between Good Good and Callaway is over. Callaway has committed to its $1 million donation and says it has overhauled its approval process. Good Good, a social-first golf content and apparel brand cofounded by Clark, is publicly pushing back on how the fallout has been framed.
Us has reached out to representatives for both companies for further comment.
This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.
