It was only a matter of time.
After we saw the Internet Invitational explode last year, it felt like the opportunity could be right for YouTube golf’s biggest personalities to create a more formal professional golf tour.
I even wrote about this very topic last month, asking the question of whether this was the next frontier in YouTube golf.
The answer is here as Grant Horvat and the Bryan Bros. have announced the Your Golf Tour, a creator-led tour that will gather 16 YouTube golf stars for a four-event circuit.
“Competitive golf is where we started. YouTube golf is where we’ve evolved. We believe there’s a place for both. It’s built by the creators for the audience who has grown with us,” a statement read.
“We’ve experienced all that this space has to offer, and now it’s time for the next chapter. Our vision is to create a structure for top players to perform under real pressure with significant stakes while remaining authentic to the YouTube format that we know and love.”
Your Golf Tour will open at Pursell Farms later this year and close at Wynn Las Vegas with a three-day, $1-million stroke-play championship.
The tour will feature four teams led by four captains including Horvat, George and Wesley Bryan and a fourth captain yet to be named. Final details will be announced in the coming weeks but the league is intent on playing multiple seasons and growing from here.
Horvat says the golfers chosen might not all be the biggest names.
“We are starting with the 16 hand-selected top golfers in the creator world, not all of which are giant names. The selection was based first on skill, then personality.”
Well, I guess Wesley Bryan does a tour after all. The 36-year-old—who was banned from the PGA Tour on account of having played YouTube matches at LIV Duels—is now going his own way.
Sean’s take
It’s still a little early to know exactly how this will look.
Hopefully, we’re talking more of an Internet Invitational feel and less of a Creator Classic feel.
While I think there is some meat on the bone for competitive YouTube golf, this is going to be a fine line to walk.
These guys have built YouTube channels based on their comedy and approachability—not necessarily on their pure golf skill. Their golf skill is a big factor but their channels would go nowhere if they weren’t entertaining as characters.
How do they maintain those traits while still competing for a lot of money? How do the videos feel?
The second this starts feeling like a cash grab without the same layers of entertainment, the bubble could burst and there could be some resistance from the audience.
The other thing is that it’s much easier to rally everyone around one event (Internet Invitational) than a series of tournaments.
And will certain characters be missed? This sounds like the best of the best players but those guys are not necessarily the best of the best characters.
However, there have been successful tournament-esque series produced before in YouTube golf, such as the Major Cut series with Horvat and the Bryan Bros.
This time around there will be money at stake and a more formal structure.
Will it work? Will you watch? Let me know below in the comments.
Top Photo Caption: Grant Horvat plays in The American Express pro-am. (GETTY IMAGES/Orlando Ramirez)
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