Golf brand Callaway apologizes for ad showing woman being shoved to ground

Callaway Golf CEO Chip Brewer issued a public apology on Tuesday for a controversial advertisement that featured a male golfer physically assaulting a female golfer. The ad, created by Good Good Golf, depicted the female golfer being shoved to the ground when she attempted to use the male golfer's driver. The advertisement was released last week with the intention of promoting a co-branded driver and had been approved by Callaway before it was posted online.

The advertisement sparked widespread criticism, with many consumers expressing their intention to stop purchasing Callaway products. Good Good, the co-founder of the ad, apologized in an August 22 social media post, stating that they always stand for making golf more inclusive. However, neither Callaway nor Good Good immediately responded to requests for comment.

Brewer emphasized that the approval of the ad should never have occurred, stating, "Mistakes were made, and we are taking the matter very seriously." He also made it clear that Callaway deeply regrets the video and wants to make it evident that the company sincerely apologizes for the content. Some social media users expressed disappointment with Callaway's response, questioning whether the company was simply framing the incident as a "mistake" without acknowledging the approval process.

Despite the growing number of women golfers in the industry, they still remain a minority, accounting for 28% of golfers. However, this is the highest proportion of female golfers on record. Callaway's CEO's apology comes at a time when the company recognizes the importance of women's involvement in the sport, with the National Golf Foundation reporting a 45% increase in female golfers from 2020 to 2025. The male golfer population, on the other hand, has increased by 12% over the same period.