Good Good CEO Matt Kendrick and President Joe Flannery leave after Callaway ad backlash

Good Good CEO Matt Kendrick and President Joe Flannery have left the golf media company following the widespread backlash over its controversial advertisement for a new Callaway driver.

Good Good co-founder Nahid Giga has been named interim CEO, according to an internal memo first reported by Business Insider.

The departures are the latest development in a controversy that has already seen Good Good lose its partnership with Callaway, step away from a PGA Tour sponsorship and have a planned Golf Channel television series cancelled.

The backlash began after Good Good released a 60-second promotional video on August 20 as part of its co-branded driver campaign with Callaway.

In the advert, Good Good founder Garrett Clark pushes colleague Alexis Miestowski to the ground as she reaches towards the golf club before standing over her and saying: “Do not touch my new driver.”

Good Good said the commercial was intended as a parody of the horror film *Obsession*, but the video immediately attracted widespread criticism across social media.

The company removed the advert on the day it was released, although copies continued to circulate online. 

Good Good and Callaway both issued apologies, while Clark later described the commercial as “the worst ad known to man” in a response video.

“I do not support DV or abuse or any of that of any kind,” Clark said, adding that the advert did not reflect what the company stands for.

Good Good also apologised and reiterated its commitment to making golf more inclusive.

However, the fallout continued to escalate.

Callaway ended its relationship with Good Good with immediate effect and announced a $1 million commitment to organisations working to prevent violence against women.

Callaway CEO Chip Brewer acknowledged that, while Good Good produced the commercial, Callaway had reviewed and approved it before publication. He said the advert should never have been approved.

Kendrick later criticised Callaway's handling of the situation in a post on X, accusing the equipment manufacturer of approving the advert before expecting Good Good to take responsibility for the fallout.

Major retailers also moved to distance themselves from the company. Dick's Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy removed Good Good merchandise from their stores and websites.

The controversy also brought an end to Good Good's planned *Big Break x Good Good* television project with Golf Channel. The network initially postponed the series before cancelling the season entirely, citing recent developments involving the company.

Good Good subsequently relinquished title sponsorship of the PGA Tour event in Austin, Texas, scheduled for November 12-15. The tournament has since been renamed the Austin Championship and will still take place.

"After thoughtful discussions with the PGA Tour and careful reflection, we have decided to step away as sponsor of the tour event in Austin this fall," Good Good said.

The departures of Kendrick and Flannery underline the scale of the crisis facing one of golf's biggest digital media brands.

Founded as a YouTube channel in 2020, Good Good quickly grew into a major force in golf content, expanding into apparel, merchandise, television and high-profile commercial partnerships.

But what began as a 60-second promotional video has now resulted in a major leadership shake-up, the loss of significant business partnerships and a period of uncertainty for the company's future.