LPGA Commissioner Addresses Golf Ad Controversy, Emphasizes Grace for Mistakes

LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler described the controversy surrounding a viral Good Good Golf advertisement as "heartbreaking," while also advocating for grace and opportunities for individuals to learn from their missteps. The ad, which featured co-founder Garrett Clark pushing fellow member Alexis Miestowski in a scene intended as a spoof of a horror movie, faced widespread criticism for appearing to endorse violence against women.

"The fact that someone thought that was a good idea and it came to life just shows you that while society has made enormous progress, we have a very, very long way to go," Kessler stated Tuesday at the Front Office Sports’ “Tuned In” summit. He added, however, that "Good people make mistakes."

Kessler, who has experience with public missteps, shared an instance in February when he had to seek forgiveness from his team after overruling a decision to cancel the final round of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions due to freezing temperatures. He argued against a zero-tolerance approach to errors, suggesting it hinders societal progress and the willingness to take risks.

"Should I have lost my job for making a mistake? That’s crazy," Kessler said. "If we live in this world where every single time somebody makes a mistake, there’s no chance to learn from it and ask for forgiveness, I don’t know how we’re ever going to raise a society of risk-takers."

He concluded, "Brutal that it happened. Awful, my heart goes out to anybody who was affected, and I think a lot of lessons were learned."

The Good Good Golf ad led to significant repercussions for the brand. Major retailers removed its merchandise, and Callaway ended its partnership with the company. Good Good Golf also withdrew its sponsorship of a PGA Tour event in Austin, Texas. Despite the controversy, viewership for videos on Good Good's YouTube channel has remained largely consistent, averaging just under 1 million views since the incident.