You don’t have to look too far back in the Wayback Machine to see that YouTube, especially when it came to golf content creators, was the home of DTC brands and a few OEMs attaching themselves to only the biggest of the big CCs (Content Creators with a capital ‘C’). GoodGood and Bob Does Sports were with Callaway, Fore Play and Grant Horvat are in the TaylorMade stable, the Bryan Bros. and (just to show he doesn’t show favorites?) Horvat signed recently with Takomo.
Noticeably absent from the Great Content Creator Grab (as it is hereafter known) was arguably the most respected brand in golf.
Titleist, “#1 [ball] in Golf,” is absent no more.
Earlier this year, Titleist signed Me and My Golf (Andy and Piers), Micah Morris (off his TaylorMade deal), and—most notably in this author’s eyes—Peter Finch. While Andy, Piers and Micah are all much subscribed-to channels, it was the signing of Finchy that took me most by surprise.
For years, I’ve loved Peter’s “Build My Bag” series. Because he was always brand-agnostic and tested nearly every new release that came out, he would identify a few clubs in each category (driver, fairway woods, irons, wedges, putter and ball) that he really liked and then take them on-course for a “battle royale” (said with Finch’s distinctive Manchester accent) where he would put them all head-to-(literal) head, and the winner would earn a place in his bag for the next season. It was a really fun and unique way to test new product, a highlight in the YouTube space each year.
So when he announced—via a delightful announcement video and a truly fantastic fitting video at Titleist’s bucket-list TPI (Titleist Performance Institute in Carlsbad, California)—that he was leaving behind my beloved “Build My Bag” series and signing with Titleist to be his sole provider of clubs (and balls, and hats, and bag, etc.), it came as a bit of a shock.
It was evident Titleist was making some big moves to selectively sign some highly respected CCs and to not let the other OEMs get all the talking points. Their strategy is clearly to carefully identify those creators who best represent such a timeless and classic brand.
The question, then, becomes “Why now?”
Go big or go home
While CCs have, for years now, enjoyed club deals with a lot of different companies, it’s been relatively in the background.
Let’s take a look into the potential reasons Titleist is making such a push into YouTube.
Sure, while seeing the Good Good/Bob Does Sports guys in Callaway gear or the Fore Play crew in TaylorMade stuff is relatively commonplace, most of the “respected reviewers” of golf gear were almost always brand-agnostic. Rick Shiels, Peter Finch, James Robinson and more CCs who derive a LOT of content out of reviews have, historically, stayed away from signing with golf equipment companies. They’ve all dabbled in other deals, mind you: apparel, shoes, golf carts, etc., but clubs seemed to be the one thing they all were staying away from.
Honestly, it makes sense: if you’re someone like James Robinson, who famously delivers new videos every day, signing a deal to play only one brand of club severely limits your content potential.
So to see someone of Finch’s stature, not just in subscriber-base but in overall YouTube cachet, signing with one brand, let alone one of the most respected brands in all of golf, says to me that Titleist is all-in on the CC front.
Me and My Golf are among the premier golf teachers in all of YouTube. Micah Morris, formerly of Good Good and trying to make it as a professional golfer, is a major draw.
Titleist also has a partnership with No Laying Up that dates back to January 2023—that secured a relationship with the top podcast in golf. NLU also has a highly respected YouTube channel, which has featured visits to TPI and a Titleist content series entitled “Finding Feel” released last March.
With these signings, Titleist have made it clear they are not willing to sit back and wait any longer. They’re going after the younger golfing crowd in a way they’ve never really attempted before. Which brings us to point No. 2.
PGA Tour players alone are not enough
Titleist’s PGA Tour ambassadors are some of the best-known in the world: Ludvig Åberg, Wyndham Clark, Justin Thomas, Tom Kim, Jordan Spieth, etc.
While this lineup is enviable (especially considering Åberg’s win at The Genesis last week), it doesn’t have the star power it once did (Max Homa recently signing with COBRA is just the latest example).
Also, if the TV ratings are to be believed, more and more people are actually watching golf via YouTube than traditional channels. More than three million tuned in to the Genesis final round to watch Åberg battle down the stretch, which was considered a “massive ratings success.” Awesome! However, the month before at the AmEx, the final drew in excess of 10x less—so it’s not all roses.
Meanwhile, in a report from last June, there were more than 4.3 billion (with a ‘B’) views of golf videos on YouTube.
If you’re bad at math, allow me to help: YouTube golf viewership>PGA TV Viewership.
So the move to sign some of the most-respected/most-watched personalities on YouTube makes total common and financial sense. Increase your brand awareness, increase your bottom line.
The gift that keeps on giving
If you’ve been to Titleist’s website over the last few years, you’ll see “#TeamTitleist” is one of the featured items in the main menu and the hashtag is all over the internet. Team Titleist is a free membership program for golfers who love Titleist golf equipment, where members get access to exclusive events, product testing and other benefits.
Adding a bevy of YouTube CC’s who are #TeamTitleist is a win-win situation: the CCs get access to Titleist’s member list and Titleist gets access to the hundreds of thousands of weekly viewers watching the YouTube videos of these newly signed creators.
Not only that but there’s a built-in sense of community as now all of us random schmoes who are subscribed to #TeamTitleist (yes, yours truly is a member—hey, it’s free! Leave me alone!) get to root on these CCs who’ve signed with the “home team.” If you weren’t already a Peter Finch fan, say, wouldn’t you now be more interested in his videos if you’re seeing them promoted in an email directly from Titleist?
Every video promotes Titleist, every email from #TeamTitleist promotes the CCs.
And because Titleist encourages amateur golfers and content creators to share their experiences using Titleist products through hashtags like #TeamTitleist, this strategy not only amplifies brand visibility but further fosters a sense of community among those using the hashtag—”I’m just like them!”
Behind-the-scenes and educational content
Titleist works with influencers to create behind-the-scenes content such as factory tours or insights into product development. Additionally, they collaborate on educational content, like tips for improving your game, which positions Titleist as an authority in the golf industry.
Future-proofing
Titleist is expanding its presence on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels by collaborating with creators who produce short-form, engaging content. This helps the brand reach younger, tech-savvy audiences who are increasingly interested in golf.
More and more young people are finding all of their golf-related content via these platforms—just look up at that “billion” reference—it’s astounding. The major OEMs are clueing in that, whether they want it or not, this is the literal definition of “influencers.” These folks could be moving the needle further and faster than any Tour star, even someone as up-and-coming as Åberg .
By getting in now with a few well-respected CCs whose content is already reaching several hundred thousand views per video, they are assuring themselves that future viewers will see that Titleist isn’t just the brand their parents and grandparents played but the brand their current favorite teachers, players and creators are playing, too.
Where does Titleist go from here?
I truly believe this is only the beginning of Titleist’s foray into the Content Creator space. I predict they will continue to go after big names currently in the space and target young, hip, up-and-coming talents with audiences still growing to further cement themselves as the brand of young AND old.
Mark my words: Titleist will soon be “The #1 Brand in (YouTube) Golf”.
Top Photo Caption: Peter Finch is the latest in the Titleist content stable. (Courtesy: Peter Finch YouTube)
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