Rick Shiels is the biggest name in the YouTube golf scene, and the Englishman has had his say on the growth between content creators and the world’s best players

Rick Shiels is a LIV Golf ambassador(Image: Getty Images)

ROCESTER, England — YouTube golf appears to be growing quicker than ever before, but one of the scene’s biggest name in Rick Shiels is more than happy to accept that it might not be for everyone in the game.

Shiels has pioneered the online golf movement from teaching videos at a rainy driving range in Manchester, England, to taking on some of the best players in the world at iconic venues. With more followers than anyone in the space, Shiels is slowly approaching the three million subscriber mark on YouTube.

Not many have been in the game longer than the Englishman, and his growth within the sport was clear earlier this year when he opted to put pen to paper with LIV Golf.

LIV has become notorious for poaching some of the best golfers on the planet in recent years, with the likes of Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, and Jon Rahm playing their golf on the breakaway circuit. The Saudi-backed league then opted to pivot into the YouTube golf space, and who better to partner with than Shiels?

The content creator was announced as a LIV ambassador at the beginning of the 2025 season and has since created content with the league’s key players at every event. The deal with LIV only further cemented the importance of content creation in the sport, but it is fair to say not everyone is convinced yet.

Tiger Woods infamously told a group of golfers, “Don’t watch f—— YouTube,” when asked how amateur golfers can best improve their game. Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, has shared his reservations about YouTube golf. Both opinions arguably carry more weight than any others, with Woods and McIlroy being the most influential players of their generation.

Rick Shiels joined LIV Golf earlier this year(Image: LIV Golf)

And while the two big names are not on board yet, Shiels believes it has opened up doors for many others. “It is not going to be for everyone. I totally get it,” Shiels told Mirror U.S. Sports at JCB Golf & Country Club ahead of LIV’s return to the UK site later this month.

“In the new world of media, I think a lot of these players want to own their own narrative a bit more. I think when they do a video and they realize how much fun they have and they look at potential viewing figures, they go ‘that was great.’

“Suddenly, when they are at the top of the leaderboard, their social media is blowing up because all of their new grown fans are all over it. You will see a trend of players want to get on YouTube videos, and you will see a handful of pros create YouTube channels themselves.”

One player who has put more into YouTube golf than any other is DeChambeau. Donning his own channel with over two million subscribers, DeChambeau has seemingly come into his own since starting his content duty alongside being one of the most in-form players on the planet.

He is not alone, either, with Mickelson a familiar face among videos, most notably alongside another content star in Grant Horvat. “We have got people like Phil Mickelson who called himself a YouTuber the other day,” Shiels added. “This is wild to think, one of the most decorated professional golfers that has ever lived, and he is calling himself a YouTube golfer.

“You look at what Bryson has done, over two million subscribers. In his bio, it says content creator and professional golfer.” There is no better measurement of the rise of the YouTube golf scene than “The Duels”, a nine-hole event set up by LIV that sees creators team up with some of the league’s most popular players.

Shiels played his part in the maiden event in Miami earlier this year and will host the UK edition on his YouTube channel this month, where there will once again be $250,000 on the line. For the YouTuber, it has capped off a remarkable 13 years on the platform. “Players are knocking down the door to play in it, and they have really enjoyed it,” Shiels commented.

“You are standing on the first tee, and you’ve got major champions. You have these guys coming up to you, giving you a fist pump, telling you to play well. It is competitive but fun. You are staring eye-to-eye at Phil Mickelson and about to play a nine-hole match for a lot of money.

“It is a mad concept and something I never expected. I will look back on it and go ‘How the hell did that happen?’” While the career path is one he has loved, like many others, Shiels has found himself the target of online hate across all platforms on social media.

Having put himself front and center online, the LIV ambassador knows all too well the dark side of the role. Calling for those in charge to enforce change, Shiels said, “It isn’t nice. I don’t like it, and I think there should be a change.

“I think social media companies should do more to combat it and not have these faceless accounts that leave horrible comments. Until that changes, you have to be thick-skinned and laugh it off. Sometimes that is the best medicine.” One thing Shiels’ critics can not begrudge him of is success, and his and YouTube golf’s growth has shown no signs of slowing down.