Former Good Good Golf CEO Matt Kendrick has broken his silence following his dramatic departure from the company as the fallout from the controversial Callaway advertisement continues.
Kendrick and Good Good president Joe Flannery left the company this week after the now-deleted advertisement sparked widespread backlash. The video showed Good Good co-founder Garrett Clark pushing fellow creator Alexis Miestowski to the ground during an advert promoting a co-branded Callaway driver.
However, Kendrick’s comments before his departure revealed just how deeply the controversy had affected the relationship between Good Good and Callaway.
MATT KENDRICK SPEAKS OUT
After Callaway ended its partnership with Good Good, Kendrick publicly accused the golf equipment giant of approving the advert before later distancing itself from the campaign.
In a social-media post, Kendrick claimed Callaway had asked Good Good to make the advert and approved it before the companies faced the public backlash.
But Kendrick later adopted a more measured tone when discussing the end of the relationship.
He said Good Good understood Callaway’s decision to sever ties and expressed regret over how the entire situation unfolded, acknowledging that nobody wanted to find themselves in such a position. Kendrick also said the company had valued its relationship with Callaway and was disappointed by the way it ended.
GOOD GOOD UNDERGOES MAJOR SHAKE-UP
Kendrick’s departure came as part of a dramatic leadership overhaul at Good Good.
President Joe Flannery also left the company, while vice-president of brand and marketing Jeffrey Lefkovits had previously been dismissed. Board member and early investor Nahid Giga has since been appointed interim CEO.
Good Good’s head of finance and operations, Alex Puchala, described the departures as a difficult moment for the company and praised Kendrick’s role in helping build Good Good into one of golf’s largest content brands.
THE CONTROVERSY THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
The advert was removed shortly after its release following criticism that it made light of violence against women.
The consequences quickly extended beyond the deleted video. Callaway ended its partnership with Good Good, the company withdrew from sponsoring a PGA Tour event in Austin, retailers pulled Good Good merchandise, and Golf Channel cancelled its planned collaboration on Big Break.
Before leaving the company, Kendrick had also publicly stated that Good Good had work to do and that the organisation needed to focus on its team, culture and learning from the situation.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT FOR MATT KENDRICK?
Kendrick’s exit marks an extraordinary fall for one of the executives who helped transform Good Good from a golf content operation into a major media and lifestyle brand.
For now, the former CEO has made his feelings clear about the controversy and the breakdown of Good Good’s relationship with Callaway.
But with the company now under new leadership, all eyes will be on whether Matt Kendrick speaks again and reveals more about what happened behind the scenes before the controversial advert was released.
