Good Good Golf leadership exits deepen fallout from controversial Callaway ad

Good Good Golf is losing its top two executives, with CEO Matt Kendrick and president Joe Flannery both departing the golf media brand this week following the backlash over a jointly produced advertisement with Callaway owner’s rival that drew widespread criticism.

According to an internal memo reported by The Athletic, early investor and co-founder Nahid Giga is expected to serve as interim CEO. The memo indicated that both executives left voluntarily.

The departures are the most significant consequence yet of an ad released last month that depicted Good Good co-founder Garrett Clark shoving a female employee who tried to reach into his golf bag for a driver. The spot was pulled within a day, and both companies issued apologies.

The commercial consequences have mounted quickly. Callaway ended its partnership with Good Good, pledged $1 million to charities focused on preventing domestic violence, and its director of content and production, Alex Upegui, is also leaving. The PGA Tour has since cut ties with Good Good as well, meaning this fall’s Good Good Championship will need a new title sponsor.

Clark, meanwhile, will stay on and continue producing content for the brand, per Front Office Sports. Good Good also fired vice president of brand marketing Jeffrey Lefkovits this week.

Despite the turmoil, a company spokesperson told Front Office Sports that Good Good is seeing online retail growth, continued investor backing, and a potential path to re-engage former retail partners down the line.

Kendrick had led the company since 2020. In the days before his exit, he posted a string of overnight social media comments criticizing Callaway for approving the ad in the first place, suggesting the partnership cut was part of a “coordinated media blitz.” He later deleted some of the posts, said the marketing team members responsible were no longer with Good Good, and stated the company did not intend to sue Callaway.

Flannery joined Good Good after previously running apparel maker TravisMatthew and had earlier stints at V.F. Corporation brand The North Face — VFC shares were recently changing hands at $13.22, up 0.76% on the day with a market cap of roughly $5.37 billion — and Score Sports.

What to watch

• Details on Nahid Giga’s interim leadership and whether a permanent CEO search is launched.
• Which sponsor replaces Good Good as title partner of the fall PGA Tour event.
• Whether Good Good can rebuild retail partnerships and sustain its online sales momentum.
• Any further personnel or partnership announcements from Good Good or Callaway.

Source: original release