With cabin fever setting in and the field looking like it does at the Cognizant Classic, it’s a good week to spend a disturbing amount of hours watching golf on YouTube. The haters might tell you to go touch grass, but a lot of us haven’t even seen grass since Thanksgiving, so shut up losers and LET US HAVE THIS!
Best of the Rest
Who is the best YouTube golfer, non-Bryson DeChambeau division? That question has stumped the world’s greatest minds for decades a few years now, and this week Brad Dalke, Sean Walsh and the Bryan Bros. set out to deliver that answer. Though the concept itself is simple—three episodes, 27 holes, individual stroke play—the rollout wasn’t quite as tight as it could have been. Each episode is hosted on a different channel (episode three will premiere on Sean Walsh’s page), and aren’t numbered sequentially, so just follow along if you’re a little lost so far.
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Now to the elephant in the room: This is by no means definitive. Without the likes of Luke Kwon, Grant Horvat and others in the mix, it’s hard to call this comprehensive. It’s worth noting that both George and Wesley Bryan bested Kwon in a YouTube match late last year, but they were pipped by former PGA Tour China/Australasian Tour pro Sam Heung-Min in that same match. In other words, on any given day, any of these guys is capable of beating the other, and that’s why pro golf use cumulative metrics like the OWGR, which, despite its obvious flaws, seeks to determine a World No. 1 based on a recent body of work, not just the week’s results.
The legitimacy of this three-part series is aided a bit by the course, Casa del Campo, AKA “The Teeth of the Dog.” The classic Pete Dye design is the 51st best golf course on earth according to Golf Digest’s World’s 100 Greatest and plays at 7,471 yards. Resort golf doesn’t always provide the sternest test, but Casa del Campo is an exception. We don’t want to spoil too much, but as you’ll see there are some big numbers to be found out there.
Through the first two rounds, the series has produced a “surprise” leader, only further muddying the waters. It’s my opinion that on YouTube, competition should be used purely for entertainment, not for establishing any sort of ranking system. Go watch the PGA Tour if you want a clear hierarchy supported by hard data. YouTube should be about relatability, fun and education (instruction, equipment, etc.), and the good news is that this mostly delivers on those first two tenants. That said, would anyone complain if we got one big YouTube stroke play major a year featuring all the platform’s best players, no strokes, no teams, no gimmicks? We’re guessing not …
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Quick Hits
Bob Does Sports
There’s a first-time for everything … including Bob Does Sports’ inaugural 3v2 match. But let’s be honest, it could be 100v2 and you’d still watch because BDS is all about the journey, not the destination.
TaylorMade/PGA Tour
Honestly, I got super excited for this one. Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlory, Tommy Fleetwood and Collin Morikawa play as a best-ball foursome at Riviera to see what they would shoot as a team. Pinch me, I’m dreaming! Unfortunately, it’s just a camera following each guy around separately and then adding up the quartet’s best possible score. Still interesting, still a ton of ridiculous of shots on display, but buyer beware, this is not quite what it’s advertised to be.
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Grant Horvat
In addition to seeing how YouTube golf stars stack up to each other, there’s been a recent push to see how the platform’s best sticks stack up to their pro counterparts. This road is fraught with perils—what separates a tour pro from a plus handicapper isn’t always skill, but the ability to handle pressure, and many YouTube golf fans are drawn to the platform specifically because it ISN’T pro golf. Still though, you can’t deny the curiosity, and this week Horvat indulged us by teeing it up on the Minor League Golf Tour. If you’ve ever dreamed of playing an event like this and seeing how your game (and nerves) hold up, this is mandatory viewing.
Luke Kwon
If that Horvat video scratched the itch but you’re looking for even higher stakes, swing by Luke Kwon’s channel. This week, Kwon documented his experience playing in the New Zealand Open, where the winner earns a spot in the 2026 Open Championship. The weather is nasty and fellow YouTuber Sam Heung-Min is subbing on the bag, but it’s still cool to see Kwon—who has taken his fair share of criticism for his laissez faire attitude—lock in and focus on something that matters to him. The Claret Jug might not be in Kwon’s future, but this is still a great look at what it’s like to be one of thousands of pros grinding away on mini tours across the globe.
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Rick Shiels
With all the hype surrounding Takomo clubs and YouTube channels like the Bryan Bros., Grant Horvat and Bob Does Sports officially repping them, you might be wondering if you’re getting a truly honest assessment. Rick Shiels is here to (hopefully) put those doubts to rest with a brutally honest review of the affordable Finnish brand. If you’re in the market for a set of new clubs that punch above their weight, make sure to give this one a spin.
Good Good Golf
Want to watch Good Good’s best and brightest compete for $25,000? Of course you do. Check out parts 1 and 2 here … and keep eye a close on Mo’s rangefinder while you’re at it.
Read the full article here
