abjectplop
Hacker
Golfmates lad has a new video up explaining why he's doing what he's doing.....basically YouTube revenue way down and he says impossible to continue on that basis.
YouTubers.
- Thread starter theoneandonly
- Start date
3 jabber
Well-known member
TBH I'm not really surprised. His stuff always comes across as a little gang with OMP and Mr Barlow etc and I'm not really interested in watching a bunch of hackers chop it round average courses.
chico
Club Champion
I think the point he was making was his earnings, £500 for ~ 50,000 views.
evemccc
Well-known member
I would watch a YouTube golf video only if it had some of the following:
V high production values, on a course I like/want to get to know, has likeable (or no obnoxious) people on, or I may learn something about good technique
As 3 Jabber said, I have no interest in watching other people banter about a course I care little about, recording it on an iPhone and who are (relatively) crap at golf
Not attacking any particular channel here folks!
V high production values, on a course I like/want to get to know, has likeable (or no obnoxious) people on, or I may learn something about good technique
As 3 Jabber said, I have no interest in watching other people banter about a course I care little about, recording it on an iPhone and who are (relatively) crap at golf
Not attacking any particular channel here folks!
ExRabbit
Club Champion
Started watching one of the Golf Mates videos from before I went on a recent holiday and realised that I'm no longer interested in watching them, never mind paying for the content. Too much same-o, same-o.
MACM85
Newbie
While I was feeling sorry for Golf Mates etc for the drop in earnings. I did think that surely as a business you try and make earnings elsewhere through sponsorships and adverts first? Then I felt perhaps rather than get the subscribers to bail him out then perhaps no longer having the office space with a monthly rent should go. Then when he said he has 2 x camera guys and a couple of guys who edit. Perhaps letting one of them go is the option to go with.
I can only see this plastering the cracks but wont fix anything long term for him.
3 jabber
Well-known member
Liam from Golfmates seems to be a really decent guy but his content lets the channel down. To me it really comes across as having to be 'in the gang' and understanding all the 'in' jokes and banter. Bit like me filming my game messing around with my mates, who wants to see that. The most successful golf youtubers are either a) very high quality players or b) produce very good equipment reviews.
timd77
Assistant Pro
Watched the video explaining why he’s gone PPV, first one of theirs I’ve watched in years! I just can’t help but think, maybe the show’s over for him, certainly as a full time job anyway. Nothing lasts for ever.
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
Quite surprised at golfmates follow up ‘justification’ vid, did he really think he’d get universal support for his paywall venture, a bit naïve
I’m not surprised that a lot of the ‘no thanks’ comments below the vid are from pensioners. I hope liam did his homework to understand his viewer demographic before determining that paywall would work for him
I do wonder about the logic of presenting a ‘woe is me’ position for his business then asking for ppl to hand over credit card details. A bit like a shop having a closing down sale and asking ppl to join the xmas club!
I’m not surprised that a lot of the ‘no thanks’ comments below the vid are from pensioners. I hope liam did his homework to understand his viewer demographic before determining that paywall would work for him
I do wonder about the logic of presenting a ‘woe is me’ position for his business then asking for ppl to hand over credit card details. A bit like a shop having a closing down sale and asking ppl to join the xmas club!
SteveJay
Head Pro
I enjoyed his videos in the early days as it was a bit different, seeing average golfers play and have a laugh. The novelty did wear thin though with basically the same content week after week.
I find it ironic that he made so much of the "golf mates not subscribers" early on, now he is going paywall (for some content).
However, i do have some sympathy as it seems it's YouTube and the watching viewer trends that have driven him down that route.
3 jabber
Well-known member
Xmas club...now there's a blast from the past. Do you still have Provi cheques in Mauritius?
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
Xmas club...now there's a blast from the past. Do you still have Provi cheques in Mauritius?
We still have cheque books, spot the ball and coke/fanta in glass bottles too !
Voyager EMH
Slipper Wearing Plucker of Pheasants
Ah, Liam.
He is actually quite good in front of camera. Very little hesitation and speaks clearly.
I can only wonder what he has done for attracting people to the game, increasing golf participation and club membership applications.
He does present golf as an enjoyable hobby.
The average/poor courses and average/poor players is how the majority of is played. A fairly accurate portrayal to attract the average/poor player to the game. We need them.
A huge contrast to the brand new club reviews, comparisons of the most expensive clubs, unaffordable courses, etc etc. Quite an overload of those around.
But he has become a bit of a victim of his own success as far as youtube is concerned and can't go any further with it.
I haven't actually watched a great deal of his content, but enough to form an opinion, I think.
Well done Liam for all your efforts.
Maybe time to get a proper job, haha.
Good luck.
He is actually quite good in front of camera. Very little hesitation and speaks clearly.
I can only wonder what he has done for attracting people to the game, increasing golf participation and club membership applications.
He does present golf as an enjoyable hobby.
The average/poor courses and average/poor players is how the majority of is played. A fairly accurate portrayal to attract the average/poor player to the game. We need them.
A huge contrast to the brand new club reviews, comparisons of the most expensive clubs, unaffordable courses, etc etc. Quite an overload of those around.
But he has become a bit of a victim of his own success as far as youtube is concerned and can't go any further with it.
I haven't actually watched a great deal of his content, but enough to form an opinion, I think.
Well done Liam for all your efforts.
Maybe time to get a proper job, haha.
Good luck.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
I was always a bit surprised when Golf Mates Liam said he was going 'full time' - I never thought YouTube views would pay enough to sustain a wage off of it. Subsequently I think that was death knell for their content, since having to churn out videos every day, it's impossible to come up with enough new ideas on that schedule. Now I'm not really surprised it's crumbled somewhat. As above - might be time for him to go back to the world of work and go back to a couple of vids a week - increase the quality of those videos, and take whatever money you get as a bonus.
MACM85
Newbie
I did notice that the vast majority of the posts on the latest videos are people saying they will sign up and want golfmates to continue.
I spotted a few negative ones but they seem to have been deleted. Did make me laugh when he was like oh we are off to Scotland to do some hidden gems and we will be taking 6 guys and have to expense it all. Tried to make out that he was personally paying for it. Not quite sure I fully take that.
I spotted a few negative ones but they seem to have been deleted. Did make me laugh when he was like oh we are off to Scotland to do some hidden gems and we will be taking 6 guys and have to expense it all. Tried to make out that he was personally paying for it. Not quite sure I fully take that.
Tough crowd on here. Bloke starts a business, it does well. He expands, brings a lot of pleasure to people, good promotion of golf and courses that otherwise would not get mentioned. His business model then gets pulled from under him and he has to 'pivot' (as they say in business circles now 
). This is a last throw of the dice. If it doesn't work, it will fold. You can't blame him for trying, it is what anyone with a business would do. Is he supposed to just give up without trying this?
). This is a last throw of the dice. If it doesn't work, it will fold. You can't blame him for trying, it is what anyone with a business would do. Is he supposed to just give up without trying this?
Orikoru
Tour Winner
I think it was always on shaky foundations to begin with. Obviously he had the ambition to make a full time job out of it, because who wouldn't want that as a job? But I can't see that being a success for anyone except the Shiels and Horvats of the world really.Tough crowd on here. Bloke starts a business, it does well. He expands, brings a lot of pleasure to people, good promotion of golf and courses that otherwise would not get mentioned. His business model then gets pulled from under him and he has to 'pivot' (as they say in business circles now
I think he maybe has to be a bit careful now as well, if he gets a bunch of 'paid subscribers' but it still doesn't work out and he has to pull the plug, he'll have a lot of people unhappy that they started paying for bugger all won't he?
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
Tough crowd on here. Bloke starts a business, it does well. He expands, brings a lot of pleasure to people, good promotion of golf and courses that otherwise would not get mentioned. His business model then gets pulled from under him and he has to 'pivot' (as they say in business circles now
Or the market conditions changed and his business model didn't ?
I don't know the details but from what I gather, at some point YT changed something and are paying less per view than previously
The simplest/cheapest reaction would seem to be to increase views, which would involve improving/adding content for a wider reach without impact the core
Moving most of the new content off the worlds No1 video streaming platform and behind a paywall is a gutsy choice to take
They don't pay up front, it's a monthly charge. Worst case, you are £7 down. You know that before you subscribe, it's hardly a big risk.
He has changed it now. Increasing views is something they are all aiming to do, that's standard.
It's both gutsy and probably the only option before closing the channel. I don't understand the grumpiness towards him. He is trying to run a business, it's tough. If people don't want to subscribe then don't. I don't see the need to hammer him when it's clear it is not his preferred decision. He has been backed into a corner by YT, he is trying to keep going.
Similar threads
- Deleted member 18121
- The Lounge