As the brand new youngsters on the PGA Tour block, The Myrtle Seaside Traditional garnered consideration with a special method via YouTube Golf.
They held a 16-player, 18-hole shootout qualifier between eight skilled golfers and eight YouTubers. The winner earned a spot within the new PGA Tour match area.
Incorporating one of many fastest-growing components of the sport was an unimaginable concept.
Dubbed “The Q at Myrtle Seaside,” the video was filmed in early March, however the winner was unknown till Tuesday when Play Golf Myrtle Seaside posted it.
The YouTubers who participated within the shootout have been Grant Horvat, Peter Finch, Micah Morris, Luke Kwon, Dan Rapaport from Barstool’s ForePlay Pod, Nic Stubbe, higher often called Fats Perez of Bob Does Sports activities, George Bryan of Bryan Bros Golf and Cole Lantz of BustaJack.
The video went dwell at 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 23.
Since its premiere, it has amassed over 520,000 views.
Play Golf Myrtle Seaside’s channel has simply 11,000 followers. Most of its movies get 1,000 views or much less.
But, once they utilized YouTubers, the channel pulled huge numbers—we’re speaking tens of millions of social media impressions throughout the ten movies they made.
Was it an ideal manufacturing? No, however it’s YouTube. To place it merely, the product met the expectations.
The 90-minute video might have been condensed to make it much more engaging, however the views converse for themselves.
It supplied folks a glance into YouTube Golf and why so many get pleasure from it.
Extra YouTube Golf involvement with PGA Tour?
It will seemingly be just the start of incorporating extra of this factor into the sport.
YouTube Golf is a part of the long run. It’s nice for golf and rising the sport. Having that many eyes on a qualifier is very large. Play Golf Myrtle Seaside took a danger, and it paid off.
Total, it was a wise danger to take.
I give it an A- as a result of some modifications might have been made. The videography might have been higher, and the enhancing might have been cleaner.
Regardless, the thought ought to change folks’s perspective on golf content material will be consumed and the way very important YouTube Golf might be for the longevity of the sport.
No, it isn’t conventional, however these guys love the identical recreation as traditionalists — they simply do it in another way. Take a look at Bryson DeChambeau and the way he has elevated his model by making a channel.
He understands the worth of YouTube for not simply his private model, however the way it can profit the sport as nicely. DeChambeau has even had among the YouTube members on his channel.
Popping out of the pandemic, golf noticed in explosion in recognition. A lot of that has been at youthful age demographics. Those self same demographics make the most of social media like YouTube to devour content material and there are tens of tens of millions of them.
The PGA Tour ought to look at this marketing campaign and never write it off. Management ought to discover methods to include YouTube Golf to draw extra younger viewers.
As soon as once more, Masters tv scores have been in decline on CBS. There’s a rising shift in how folks devour media and sports activities. It’s incumbent upon the PGA Tour and governing our bodies of the game to do what’s greatest for the way forward for the sport.
For these followers who’re nonetheless in opposition to YouTube Golf, buckle up as a result of it isn’t going wherever.
YouTube Golf will not be a fad. These guys produce high quality golf content material, they usually deserve respect. Leisure is a part of golf, they usually give it to the plenty.
Embrace them and take a look at their content material as a result of this factor of the sport will have to be included for golf to proceed to thrive.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in Via. For extra golf protection, make sure you observe us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You can too observe her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.