I’m going to say it, writing golf product reviews sucks.

It didn’t used to be this way, and I’ve been banging my head and trying to figure out what the hell happened. Most people will blame COVID, and they wouldn’t be entirely wrong. What COVID did to the marketing departments of the golf space was wild. It allowed them to realize they didn’t need writers, bloggers, or even golfers to get their point across. They started doing it in-house, and because of that, they have controlled what gets out there.

Others, and I find myself “blaming” this category, will say the reviewers themselves are to blame for their lack of credibility. That can seem harsh, so let me explain a bit. It’s actually simple really, if a product is shit, say so. If it’s good, say so. But for a lot of the “players” in the review game, it’s all about clicks, rankings, and the number of followers you have. It plays a massive part in not only what you have to say but also what you won’t say. In this “woke” era we are in, negativity can do so much damage to a brand. It’s easier to say something nice than honest.

The last area that I think has had the most impact on how reviews are done is YouTube and the explosion of channels dedicated to golf. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t think this is a bad thing. YouTube is a fantastic source for golf. I constantly find myself endlessly scrolling through golf channels on YouTube for not only entertainment purposes but also educational purposes. If you are a golf coach, you better have a YouTube Channel. If you’re looking for a “fix” to your swing, you go to YouTube first. We can get into how much that can hurt you later, but the truth is, golf on YouTube is MASSIVE! And the review sites using that platform are doing an amazing job.

The days of “writing” golf reviews may be over.

I laugh now because I used to think about how much time I would spend writing articles.

It was a lengthy process. Talking with the brands, explaining what we can do for them, getting in the merchandise, taking the initial product shots, going out and playing golf with the new gear, coming up with a creative way to discuss the product, and putting together the review. Going through the editing process, working on the article SEO, and ensuring it’s formatted so Google picks it up and shows it to as many people as possible. Publishing the post, promoting it on social channels, responding to the comments, and reconnecting with the brand to let them know the article is out.

I laugh because now, to be relevant, you have to use YouTube, and while I love creating content on my Instagram account, making professional videos on YouTube that people would watch and enjoy, is at a talent level I’m nowhere near. I’ve thought about it and even tried a few, but man, it’s a different level of production that is a lot more difficult than all the stuff I mentioned above.

My attempt in the YouTube Review space. You can see why I stopped. HA!

“But you got the stuff for free, Matt?!?”

Yes, this is true. But if I’m being honest, it was the connections I made with the brands that meant more. I still have some fantastic friends I made while writing reviews for this site and Three Guys Golf. Those connections and friendships mean way more to me than the Putter or Driver we got in. Most of that gear is long gone (For the record, most of it I would donate to the local Junior Golf program we have here in Southern Nevada)

The Free Gear was nice, but it comes at a cost.

Shoes, apparel, golf bags, all those things are fine regarding reviews. None of them will affect your play on the course; well, maybe shoes will a little. But when it comes to clubs and balls, they can have a severe reaction to what you are trying to accomplish on the course.

A few years back, I decided to dedicate more of my time to playing better, and that, along with COVID and brands deciding written articles were not as important as they used to be, had me straying away from reviews.

I found out that changing your clubs to get some time on the course with new products can do more harm than good. Most of the gear was off-the-rack type equipment, and since I’m now working for Callaway as a fitter, that is the last thing I would recommend. The same goes for a club like a putter. If you have no business playing a mallet, it’s not exactly good for your game to spend hours with a new club and play several rounds with it. yes, you can get some good feedback for a review but what is it doing to your game??

I had to decide what was more important, my golf game or creating reviews.

I chose my golf game, and I’m glad I did.

While writing reviews is something I enjoy, I enjoy playing better golf SO much more. While I loved getting in the newest gear and showcasing it on this website and my social channels, I love showing an improvement in my Greens In Regulation stats, WAY more!

So yeah, the reviews have taken a back seat. I did spark the fire a little bit last year and thought I was going to take the website in a new direction, but nah. That was short-lived. I realized there are SO many more people who are better at it than me, so why even try to get into a space that is so heavily occupied with incredibly talented creators?

Besides this website, I also have a build shop in my garage, which I’ve been sharing mainly on The Breakfast Ball Instagram account. I have The Chasing Daylight Podcast, which just celebrated its 300th episode a few weeks back. I also run a local golf league with over 100 members. When you add the new gig with Callaway, my golf life is full!

So, what to do with this website is the question that is lingering in my mind.

The Breakfast Ball name means a lot to me.

I trademarked “The Breakfast Ball” many years ago because I loved the name and the “brand” I was trying to create. But, as I’m sure many of you know, the use of the Breakfast Ball is all over the place.

FS1 has a new morning show called BREAKFAST BALL, and their YouTube channel has over 40,000 subscribers

RSVLTS had an entire line of products called BREAKFAST BALLS

There is a Facebook page called Breakfast Ball that is a front page for the Double Bogey Show, which is a golf podcast.

And I almost forgot, there is a golf ball brand called BREAKFAST BALLS

While none of these shows, channels, or products have anything to do with me and The Breakfast Ball, I can’t do anything to protect the name because “The” is not being used. Facebook and Instagram are absolutely awful at helping protect your name, and because of all the heartache our friend Joel from Atomic Golf is going through with his brand and the Golf Entertainment facility here in Vegas, I’ve decided it isn’t even worth the fight anymore.

So, until I decide where to go with The Breakfast Ball…

Even with the lack of content, this website still gets a lot of attention. I recently contacted a friend, Tim Flotte, and asked if he’d like to utilize the website’s reach to help him gain some exposure for what he’s doing in the golf space. He was up for it, and you’ll find his blogs here on the website. Tim is a PGA professional who teaches online and is a fantastic coach.

I’m going to bounce around some ideas and see if they garner any attention. I still think there is a place for some content we’re not seeing. I’ve always been a proponent of honest golf reviews, but maybe it’s time for some BRUTALLY HONEST golf reviews where we look at gear not provided to us by the brands or manufacturers. Instead, we obtain merchandise as everyone else does, and we can, without limitations, let everyone know what’s really going on.

Who knows, maybe that’s what we all need right now. Less fluff and more honesty.

Stay tuned and see what happens…