The Origins of the Campaign
In August 2026, a collaboration between golf content brand Good Good Golf and equipment giant Callaway resulted in a promotional video that faced immediate and intense public backlash. The footage featured Good Good co-founder Garrett Clark in a scene that appeared to depict him shoving a woman, identified as Miestowski, to the ground. The public reaction was swift, characterizing the imagery as a display of violence against women, which forced both companies to retract the advertisement within hours of its release.
Garrett Clark’s Public Apology
Following the outcry, Garrett Clark issued a nine-minute video statement on Instagram to address the situation. Clark explained that the concept was intended to be a parody of the 2026 horror film Obsession, focusing on his relationship with his driver, rather than a depiction of real-life abuse. He explicitly stated that no physical contact occurred during the filming of the sequence.
In his apology, Clark expressed deep regret for his involvement, noting:
«I personally want to apologize for playing a role in this skit and this ad at the magnitude that I did. 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.»
He further described the finished product as “super dumb” and insisted that he fundamentally opposes domestic violence in any form.
Callaway’s Corporate Response
Callaway CEO Chip Brewer acknowledged that while Good Good produced the content, the company had reviewed and authorized the advertisement before it went live. Brewer characterized this oversight as a significant error in judgment.
“To be clear: We are unequivocally against discrimination, domestic violence or threatening behavior of any kind,” Brewer stated. As part of their restorative efforts, Callaway announced a $1 million donation to organizations dedicated to preventing violence against women and supporting survivors. Furthermore, the firm confirmed that it has overhauled its internal approval processes to prevent similar incidents.
Conflict Escalates Over Responsibility
The situation took a contentious turn when Good Good CEO Matt Kendrick publicly challenged Callaway’s narrative, accusing the brand of shifting blame. In a series of posts on social media, Kendrick alleged that Callaway requested the specific ad concept and provided final approval before orchestrating a "coordinated media blitz" to distance themselves once the public backlash began.
Kendrick stated:
«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.»
Despite his critique of Callaway’s handling of the crisis, Kendrick admitted that the creative output was fundamentally flawed, stating, “Agree we made a terrible ad. No denying that. We apologize for that.”
The Aftermath
As of now, the business relationship between Good Good Golf and Callaway has been officially dissolved. While Callaway moves forward with its charitable commitments and tightened oversight, Good Good continues to challenge the framing of the event, leaving the future trajectory of both organizations to be determined by the public and their respective stakeholders.