Inside Good Good's Callaway ad crisis, which led to exec exits and lost partners

Octavio Passos; Jared C.

Tilton/Getty Images; Alyssa Powell/BI The stars of YouTube supergroup Good Good could hardly contain their enthusiasm as they unveiled an expansive partnership with one of golf's best-known names: Callaway.

"It's a dream of ours," one said, as another gushed it would be "super dope." That was 2023, and the reveal — which Good Good called its "biggest announcement yet" — felt like a sign of golf's new era.

Good Good's high-energy pranks and challenges were getting the backing of a blue-chip equipment maker.

Good Good followed the deal up with a string of retail partnerships and $45 million in investment.

The creator economy had come to breathe new life into an aging sport, and Good Good was its star.

Three years later, Good Good's dream unraveled in nightmarish fashion over the course of two weeks.

An ill-fated ad with Callaway — which many saw as a poor attempt at humor at best, and promoting violence against women at worst — caused the golf giant to cut ties and other key partnerships to evaporate.

Good Good's CEO went nuclear on Callaway in a series of early-morning posts.

Days later, he was out , along with a newly installed president, who arrived just as the ad was published and didn't stick around to try to clean up the mess.

To Good Good fans, the crisis seemed to come out of nowhere, and stood in sharp contrast to the brand-friendly image the group had cultivated for years.

The group had rolled out a campaign earlier this year, called "There's more to Golf," to promote inclusivity and reach new audiences.

Good Good's Garrett Clark, center, starred in the controversial ad.

Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images Inside the company, however, there were signs that leaders and investors recognized a need for greater professionalization and a steadier hand.