Golf’s New Storytellers: How Creators Are Redefining the Game

For decades, golf’s image was shaped by television cameras and print magazines — refined, quiet, and carefully curated.
But today, the most powerful voices in golf don’t work for networks or publications.
They’re uploading from driving ranges, simulator bays, and backyards.

Across YouTube, TikTok, and podcasts, a new generation of creators is rewriting the story of golf — and in the process, changing who plays, how the game feels, and what it means to belong.

The Numbers Behind Golf’s Digital Boom

The scale of this shift is hard to ignore.

• YouTube golf content now generates more than 4.3 billion views every 90 days — a number that rivals coverage of major professional sports.

• The top five creator-led golf channels boast a combined audience of more than 10 million subscribers and 50 million+ monthly views.

• On TikTok, the hashtag #golf has surpassed 56 billion views, and #GolfTok alone has topped 22 billion — proof that golf has gone fully mainstream in short-form video.

This isn’t a niche phenomenon. It’s a new media ecosystem — and it’s where the next generation of golfers is spending time, learning the game, and finding community.

From Broadcasts to Creators

The traditional voices of golf — commentators, journalists, and instructors — still matter. But creators have captured something they often couldn’t: authenticity.

• Rick Shiels, a former PGA professional turned creator, now reaches over 3 million subscribers and nearly 1 billion total views.

• Good Good Golf, a collective built around camaraderie and fun, has nearly 2 million subscribers and more than 590 million views, recently raising $45 million to expand into media, live events, and apparel.

• Grant Horvat, once part of Good Good, has built an independent following of 1 million YouTube subscribers and nearly 900 thousand Instagram followers.

• No Laying Up, a podcast-turned-media-brand, brings a journalist’s eye and a fan’s heart to the game. With hundreds of thousands of loyal listeners and more than 100 thousand YouTube subscribers, their mix of humor, honesty, and depth has made them a trusted voice for golf’s purists and progressives alike.

• Random Golf Club, founded by filmmaker Erik Anders Lang, uses storytelling to explore the emotional side of the game.

Together, these voices command an audience larger than the Golf Channel’s cable reach — and they’ve done it without permission from the traditional gatekeepers.

The Creator-Driven Community

This new wave of golf storytelling isn’t just about entertainment — it’s about belonging.

Communities have formed around creators who make the game feel accessible, social, and human. Fans don’t just watch — they participate, collaborate, and connect.

When the PGA Tour launched its Creator Classic — pairing pros with YouTube stars at TPC Sawgrass — the event generated 2.7 million views and trended across sports categories. That kind of crossover proves the line between “golf media” and “golf culture” is disappearing fast.

Creators like No Laying Up have built something even rarer — a digital clubhouse that combines intelligent conversation, sharp storytelling, and community ethos. Whether they’re debating architecture, covering the LPGA, or recording live from The Open, their content brings depth to a space that often celebrates quick clips and swing tips.

These creators aren’t teaching the perfect takeaway or swing plane. They’re showing why the game matters: the laughter, the frustration, the friendships, the creativity.

Why It Matters

The data tells one story; the culture tells another.

Younger players are discovering golf through screens, not clubhouses.
They’re forming opinions through creators who mirror their tone and values — diverse, funny, imperfect, authentic.

This democratization of golf media is expanding who sees themselves in the game.
It’s no longer just about performance or pedigree; it’s about participation.

And brands are noticing. Partnerships with creators now drive millions of impressions per campaign. YouTube engagement among golf fans under 40 outpaces traditional broadcast viewing, and average watch time on golf creator channels exceeds 10 minutes per session — a clear sign of deep engagement.

The Future of Golf Storytelling

The future of golf isn’t only being played on fairways — it’s being filmed, streamed, and discussed in real time.

Creators like No Laying Up and Good Good aren’t competing with traditional media; they’re redefining what it means to love and talk about the game. They’ve made golf feel younger, smarter, and far more human.

Golf’s next icons may not be Tour players. They might be the voices and personalities who make the game relatable to millions online.

Because the culture of golf is no longer broadcast from above.
It’s built from the ground up — one video, one voice, and one story at a time.