Golf Society's/Social Media Content

Been thinking about this recently with the rise of social media golf content and things like Sugarloaf Social Club/Scratch Golf/Erik Anders Lang etc. What is it about these brands/content that draws you in and what are things that you would like to see on social media that would get you invested in that type of thing? I'm trying to figure out how Sugarloaf is successful and I'm honestly having a hard time so just curious what brings people to these brands. (not a dig at all on Sugarloaf, just surprised how their model seems to be working)

Edit: Just realized I spelled society's instead of societies...yikes

What makes you think that Sugarloaf is successful?

What does it mean to be “successful”?

What if it was “just” somebody’s passion project (/hobby)?

Well I would consider any brand with over 20k followers on social media to have at least success in that area. Sales and income would probably define successful but if the brand is reaching people that could quantify it just as well. Whether or not it's a passion project, in fact it seems to be a passion project, my question is really what is the appeal of such a brand? Especially one that seems to be a closed off society - and so people buying their merchandise are technically still outside looking in, no?

I think the professional quality of the media platform and the insight they offer and add to my "golfing life" is key in how much I enjoy a media platform. There are a lot of Golf Media types out there, only a handful are actually any good. For example (and I know most of these are good at multiple platforms and this list is hardly exhaustive):

YouTube - TXG

Instagram - Erik Anders Lang

Podcasts - Fried Egg/Shotgun Start

Honorable Mentions:

YouTube - Clay Ballard (good at explaining techniques)

Instagram - George Genkas (one day you love him and the next day you detest him because I'm pretty sure he's a despicable human being)

Podcasts - No Laying Up & TG2

F'ing horrendous content:

YouTube - Barstool/Golfholics anything...

Instagram - Pick the new golf model of the week

Podcasts - Again, Barstool and anything with Joe House

I think the professional quality of the media platform and the insight they offer and add to my "golfing life" is key in how much I enjoy a media platform. There are a lot of Golf Media types out there, only a handful are actually any good. For example (and I know most of these are good at multiple platforms and this list is hardly exhaustive):

 

YouTube - TXG

Instagram - Erik Anders Lang

Podcasts - Fried Egg/Shotgun Start

 

Honorable Mentions:

YouTube - Clay Ballard (good at explaining techniques)

Instagram - George Genkas (one day you love him and the next day you detest him because I'm pretty sure he's a despicable human being)

Podcasts - No Laying Up & TG2

 

F'ing horrendous content:

YouTube - Barstool/Golfholics anything...

Instagram - Pick the new golf model of the week

Podcasts - Again, Barstool and anything with Joe House

That's certainly interesting insight. For example Barstool's golf content is I think geared more towards your recreational kind of kid golfer, and golfholics seems to be more of an advertisement type of content in the sense that they show off amazing courses, etc. I guess I'm curious with branding and such things as Sugarloaf and Malbon etc like how is that appealing and what about it is appealing? Same with the video content like what is it about Erik Anders Lang youtube that sets him apart from Golfholics..

I think the professional quality of the media platform and the insight they offer and add to my "golfing life" is key in how much I enjoy a media platform. There are a lot of Golf Media types out there, only a handful are actually any good. For example (and I know most of these are good at multiple platforms and this list is hardly exhaustive):

 

YouTube - TXG

Instagram - Erik Anders Lang

Podcasts - Fried Egg/Shotgun Start

 

Honorable Mentions:

YouTube - Clay Ballard (good at explaining techniques)

Instagram - George Genkas (one day you love him and the next day you detest him because I'm pretty sure he's a despicable human being)

Podcasts - No Laying Up & TG2

 

F'ing horrendous content:

YouTube - Barstool/Golfholics anything...

Instagram - Pick the new golf model of the week

Podcasts - Again, Barstool and anything with Joe House

 

That's certainly interesting insight. For example Barstool's golf content is I think geared more towards your recreational kind of kid golfer, and golfholics seems to be more of an advertisement type of content in the sense that they show off amazing courses, etc. I guess I'm curious with branding and such things as Sugarloaf and Malbon etc like how is that appealing and what about it is appealing? Same with the video content like what is it about Erik Anders Lang youtube that sets him apart from Golfholics..

Golfaholics to me is the golf equivalent of "Dude Perfect". I find that type of product annoying, but I understand it has its audience with the "short attention span" crowd.

Sugarloaf does the spotlighting hidden gems thing poorly as an excuse to push their horrible merchandise. The Fried Egg is the best source for discovery and analysis on Instagram and through the Podcasts. The same goes for the Malbon stuff, it just seems like the annoying golf version of Jimmy Buffet where they try to tap into or create a fake culture in order to part suckers from their money. I am all for "craft" culture, but there are a lot of posers out there and Malbon is one of them in my opinion. That's also why a lot of people either love or hate Genkas, because the dude knows his stuff, but comes across as an insufferable d$uche and occasional tone def sexist.