Internet and YouTube golf has exploded over the past couple of years. PGA Tour and LIV pros like Jason Day, Tommy Fleetwood, and Bryson DeChambeau are out there cranking out all kinds of videos. Then you’ve got the big creator crews—Good Good, Fore Play, Grant Horvat, and so many more—pumping out content nonstop. Whether you’re a scratch golfer looking for serious tips or just want something fun and laid-back, there’s something for everyone. The variety is unreal.

A couple of months ago, Dave Portnoy from Barstool Sports teamed up with Bob Does Sports to pull off the Internet Invitational: 48 golf creators, one million dollars on the line, six episodes of pure chaos. Each episode ran two to three hours, mixing up formats to cut the field down to a final six. They started with teams, and after every round, the losing squad got sent home. The first round wiped out half the field. They’d reshuffle teams, play again, and keep trimming until it was four teams of three. From there, it went to two teams in an alternate-shot match for a winner-take-all split of the million.

Portnoy, the self-appointed commissioner, wanted something raw and different: guys chirping at each other over shanks, full trash-talk mode. He didn’t quite get it early on. These creators collaborate all the time; they’re buddies. Plus, golf’s built on etiquette. A little more smack talk would’ve cranked the entertainment even more.

The series was a massive hit. LeBron James is out here tweeting that he can’t stop watching YouTube golf. The final episode dropped less than 24 hours ago and already has 1.5 million views. I have seen people talking about how the PGA Tour should steal a page from Portnoy’s playbook and try something like this.

What makes it wild is the range of talent. You’ve got former Tour players, guys who could be on Tour, former college players, scratch golfers, weekend warriors, and newbies who picked up clubs during the COVID boom, all competing for real money under real rules. No do-overs, no editing out the bad misses. I’ve long suspected some creators fudge their scores or cherry-pick shots on their channels. Here they had to follow real rules, play the ball as it lies, and play only one ball. This tournament stripped away the safety net and exposed a few who may not be as good as they claim to be.

Still, the production was top-notch. Tight matches, real drama, big moments. Portnoy was running around offering side bets for extra holes, trying to spark more fire. The final episode had it all. Cody “Beef” Franke, who passed suddenly a couple of weeks ago, was on the winning team. He hit the first tee shot for the tournament, and his last putt closed it. It was hard not to shed a tear.

This is one of the best golf productions in the new era. Sure, the Masters can still deliver peak drama when the stars align, but rounding up 48 random creators and holding a million viewers captive? That’s special. Way more fun than those stiff “Match” events the Tour or TNT throw together. These guys have personality that the big pros either don’t have or won’t show.

I am sure that Portnoy, Fore Play, and Bob Does Sports are already jotting down notes for the next one. First swing and it’s a home run; imagine what they’ll cook up with more time. Will the PGA or LIV borrow the idea? Will the Grass League step up? Golf’s been flipping upside down the last five years. YouTube golf is pulling views that rival or beat pro events. The future looks wide open and a lot of fun to watch and be a part of.