Bryson DeChambeau has changed the game when it comes to YouTube content in the last year as he looks to make his own mark on golf away from the professional game.
DeChambeau has seen his popularity rise substantially in the last 12 months and videos with Donald Trump, Tony Romo and lately, Tom Brady, have all boosted his likeability.
Of course, Bryson’s content has left some of the original content creators worried. Indeed, Rick Shiels is worried about the future of YouTube golf.
However, one man who disagrees with Shiels is Peter Finch. Finch believes that the more people creating content for golf, the better.
And delving further into the situation with pros getting involved, Finch has answered the question of if a player like Rory McIlroy will get a channel going at any point.
Why Rory McIlroy won’t be following Bryson DeChambeau into YouTube
Answering the question put to him from Fryer if Rory McIlroy would ever follow DeChambeau into YouTube, Finch was adamant that there’s just not benefit to the move for Rory.
“No. No way,” Finch quipped. “The thing is right, ultimately, when you get the very best players in the world – there’s two things here – let’s split the entire world of golf in half.
“Let’s pretend that you’ve got people who play on LIV, and then people who play PGA, DP World, or the ‘tours’. Straight down the middle, everyone on the PGA Tour side, they have media rights restrictions from the PGA Tour, which puts restrictions on what they can do.
“LIV, the guys on there, can do whatever they want, which is why Bryson has the freedom. But someone at the level of Rory, he’s worth hundreds of millions of dollars, there’s no benefit to him having a YouTube channel. I mean, what’s he going to do with a YouTube channel?.”
Why Rick Shiels is worried for YouTube golf
The world of YouTube has taken off when it comes to golf and in fairness, Rick Shiels is one of the pioneers of the movement.
However, Shiels is concerned.
“I don’t know what Grant [Horvat] said, but I’m worried about YouTube golf. I don’t think it’s in the best place right now. I think there’s way too many creators, it’s become outrageously saturated, and I think it’s good for the viewer,” he said. But I think there’s too much choice. I think really, really good videos are getting punished, because unless it’s excellent, it might not get watched,” Shiels said.
“I think there’s two things that have happened really. This might not be a popular opinion, but I think Mr Beast has damaged YouTube a little bit.”
With Joaquin Niemann confirming Torque GC are set to do their own channel, it seems the golf on offer on YouTube is getting ever bigger.
Quite how this will affect Shiels, Finch and more down the line, remains to be seen.
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