Student golf players tee off with a popular Instagram account
Aspiring mini golfers and retirement home residents alike can find their community in No Gimmies Golf, the on-the-rise Instagram account run by Newbury Park seniors Myles Young and Brody Wright. The social media stars often also bring in guests, such as fellow senior Parker Michaud. “We enjoy playing golf and we want to share our experience and create a community around golf,” Young said.
All three golfers have been familiar with the game since they were young. “My grandpa used to live on a golf course, and every time we’d go out there, we’d always play with him. I kind of got back into it when they invited me out to film with them,” Michaud said. Combined with the film and videography talents of Wright, Young and his friends were inspired to share their skills online, only to find out that many reciprocated their love for the sport. “We tried it, we had fun with it, and then they kind of blew up in our first few videos. And they were like, ‘All right, this is something that you can kind of take the next level, I guess, and kind of dedicate our time towards,’” Wright said.
Through their channel, the players hope to reach an audience of golfers that otherwise may be lost through the disconnect of social media. “I feel like a lot of people perceive golf as an old person sport, but, when other kids are posting, like us, people just feel more motivated to get out on the course,” Young said. They also hope to reach a more expansive audience through their relatability. “I kind of feel like I bring the bad golfer to the channel, so it’s more relatable for me,” Michaud said. “Because I feel like people watch Myles, you know, play really well, and they’re like, ‘I can’t really relate to this.’ So I just play horribly and then make them feel better about themselves.”
Despite the emphasis on a simple pastime, the players of No Gimmies Golf hope that their account urges people to take risks and share more on social media. “I think if golf is something that you’re passionate about and you want to post on social media, then just go ahead and do it. There’s nobody stopping you,” Young said.
