Golf is changing — and Rick Shiels is leading the revolution. From driving ranges in rainy Manchester to teeing it up with Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau, Rick Shiels has transformed the game through YouTube. But not everyone’s a fan — Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy aren’t sold on YouTube golf. In this video, we dive into Shiels’ groundbreaking partnership with LIV Golf, the rise of creator-led competitions like “The Duels,” and why the future of the sport might just be online.
💥 Is this the future of golf or a passing trend? You decide. Watch now to see how YouTube is reshaping the sport forever.
👇 Drop a comment with your thoughts on golf’s digital evolution!
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The world of YouTube golf has exploded in recent years, and Noame is more closely tied to its success than Rick Shields. Yet, even as the online space grows at breakneck speed, the British content creator remains refreshingly grounded about its place in the sport. YouTube golf isn’t for everyone, Shields admits. And he’s fine with that. From uploading swing tips at a rainy Manchester driving range to playing nine-hole showdowns with major champions, Shields has pioneered a new frontier in the game. Now, closing in on 3 million YouTube subscribers, he remains the most followed figure in the space. Earlier this year, his influence took another leap when he partnered with LIV Golf, becoming an official ambassador for the Saudibacked League. LIIV, already known for luring stars like Phil Mickelson, Bryson Dambo, and John Rome, shifted focus to online content and saw Shields as the ideal bridge between pro golf and the YouTube generation. Since the partnership, Shields has appeared at every LIIV event, collaborating with players and producing content that’s pushed golf deeper into the mainstream. But while his rise reflects the growing relevance of content creation in the sport, not everyone is on board. Tiger Woods in one infamous exchange discouraged young golfers from watching videos online, bluntly saying, “Don’t watch f YouTube.” Rory Mroy 2 has publicly voiced skepticism about the impact of YouTube golf on the game’s traditions. Yet, despite the criticism, the momentum seems irreversible. Players see their social media explode when they’re featured in videos. Shields said there’s a trend now where more pros want to appear in YouTube content, and some are even launching their own channels. One of the most visible figures in this evolution is Bryson Dambo, who has become both a PGA powerhouse and a YouTube phenomenon with over 2 million subscribers and a bio that proudly reads, “Content creator and professional golfer.” Phil Mickelson too has embraced the movement recently calling himself a YouTuber after appearing in videos with other creators like Grant Horvat. To hear someone like Phil, one of the most decorated players in golf, describe himself that way is just wild. Shields said, “Alivey Golf has embraced this new era with the DS, a 9-hole competition pairing YouTubers with tour players for a $250,000 prize. Shields participated in the inaugural edition in Miami and will host the UK version on his own channel this month. It’s surreal, Shields admitted. You’re standing on the first te with major champions giving you fist bumps. It’s fun, but it’s competitive. You’re staring down Phil Mickelson and about to play a highstakes match. I still ask myself, how the hell did this happen? It’s been a 13-year journey that’s reshaped golf content, but it hasn’t come without cost. With fame has come a wave of online abuse, something Shields is all too familiar with. As one of the most visible faces in golf media, he’s called on social media companies to do more to combat anonymous hate. It’s horrible. I don’t like it. He said, “These faceless accounts spew negativity, and it shouldn’t be allowed. Until that changes, you just have to develop thick skin and learn to laugh it off. Sometimes that’s the only way. Despite the backlash, the numbers speak for themselves. And Rick Shields remains a defining figure in modern golf. For critics who doubt YouTube’s place in the sport, his success continues to be the ultimate rebuttal. The content revolution isn’t slowing down. It’s only just getting started.
1 Comment
Rick got very lucky as his content is drab and his personality is very vanilla. His beard fools nobody about his weird chin and his golf game is that of a 10 handicap most of the time. He has turned his back on his home course Hart Common and never went back, too big for it apparently and he let a weird man wife called Guy weasel his way onto his videos, adding absolutely nothing but a strange camp bitchy personality. There are so many better channels putting out content that far exceeds his. If you are still watching Rick, you are denying yourself better. His friend James Robinson is the only good thing about anything when he appears