The Golf Podcast Presented by Golficity · Golficity

Will the Internet Invitational Change Golf Forever?

·32 min·2 clips

What is a better spend: Mastercard's 25 million to purse out Bay Hill, or Dunkin' throwing in a million?

1. The Golf Podcast Presented by Golficity asks whether Barstool's Internet Invitational, a six-episode creator golf event with tens of millions of views, will change how golf is funded and consumed. 2. Two hosts, who say they know many of the creators in the field personally, give a fan-and-media perspective, with one admitting being 'a little bitter' about not receiving an invitation. 3. The core thesis is that attention, not live broadcast reach, is becoming the currency of sponsorship, with the hosts weighing whether this is 'the future of golf' or an 'unsustainable flash in the pan.' 4. They credit Dave Portnoy and the Barstool team for building the event from nothing, praising the editing of three-hour-plus episodes and the decision to keep the winner secret since filming months earlier. 5. Citing a Golf Spy list, they explain the appeal as watch-anytime viewing without commercials, a mix of funny and skilled players, gamified structure, unpredictable golf, and a parasocial bond between creators and viewers. 6. On sponsorship, they contrast Dunkin' building a drive-through on one hole, likely for a seven-figure sum, with Mastercard-scale purses of 25 million dollars, and note Microsoft's ad as the odd fit beside DraftKings and Body Armor. 7. They estimate a typical PGA Tour signature event draws 10-12 million total viewers, similar to the Internet Invitational, while conceding the Masters' 12 million concurrent viewers is not directly comparable. 8. One host predicts the 2027 PGA Tour schedule will lean toward signature events and drop lower-tier events like the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, with players such as George and Wesley possibly choosing an Internet Invitational over alternate events. 9. Their criticisms include profanity that stops one host from watching with his young daughters, questions about inclusions such as 'the Duke,' and the point that a filmed-ahead format cannot sell tickets or run live. 10. Golf fans interested in media, sponsorship economics, and creator content will get the most from it.

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