Unless you’ve been living under a rock and have somehow missed the growth of golf on YouTube, you may not be familiar with the Bryan Brothers; Wesley and George.
If Rick Shiels is the OG of golf content on YouTube, the Bryan brothers aren’t too far behind him, with their journey starting on the platform a decade ago.
But what makes the Bryan’s unique is this little fact: They have some pretty extensive competitive chops.
Wesley’s a PGA Tour winner, having captured the 2017 RBC Heritage, while George recently made his PGA Tour debut at the 2023 Butterfield Bermuda. He made the cut and finished T69.
Their YouTube Channel, which originated in 2014, now has 309K subscribers with over 40 million total video views. Their Instagram has 251K followers, and their TikTok has nearly 60k.
Coming from a golf family, the Bryan brothers don’t only have the skills and the passion for the game, but also the drive to help others see success to help grow the sport.
The duo’s dad, George III, is both the founder and Director of Instruction at the George Bryan Golf Academy in South Carolina (the state in which he played collegiately), and is consistently nominated as a Best Teacher in the state. The eldest Bryan also competed in the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah.
I recently chatted with both Wesley and George IV, asking them about the advice they’d give a hopeful golf YouTuber, as well as some tips for recreational golfers. Check out what the always entertaining gents had to say.
With this golf YouTube thing, what does it take to make it? What’s some advice you’d tell a budding young golfer creating their own channel?
Wesley: “I think the biggest advice for anyone looking to become a Golf YouTuber is to be authentic. Be insightful and figure out what it is that makes you just a little bit unique; then double down on that. If you’re more of the creative type, or if you’re a techie type, or if you’re more analytical, whatever it may be, lean into it. Whatever makes you unique to the space, I would just double down on that.”
George: “A lot of people are trying to get into YouTube; I’ve noticed that. I would say the one thing that you have to do is be consistent and be your true self. You must post with the intention of doing it because you enjoy it. If you only do it searching for likes or to make money, that will make it too much of a grind and too much like a job. If you get in it for the wrong reasons, it probably won’t be successful.”
How do you both incorporate technology into your practice and play?
Wesley: “I incorporate a lot of the Shot Link data and analytics from my PGA TOUR play to help dictate how I set up my practice. When I’m indoors, I look at my swing using V1. Outdoors, I use my iPhone to watch videos of my golf swing — and, full transparency, I wish it looked a little bit more like George’s. I’d suggest that all golfers become familiar with their own golf swing and watch video of it, using one of the available apps out there.”
George: “Ever since I started playing golf competitively, I’ve utilized some sort of technology. It was probably when I was 11 or 12 that my dad started recording and analyzing my swing using dual cameras. He’d draw the lines and circles and share with me where I currently was and where I needed to get. There are lots of apps out there, but with cell phones now, it’s way easier and more convenient. I’m always filming and sending videos to my dad, knowing he’ll give me a virtual lesson to help me improve.”
For the average golfer, give me one drill that you each think would instantly help them improve.
Wesley: “I’d just have them do a whole bunch of short game contests against somebody else, since I think that’s the best way to get your sharpen that part of your game. A game that’s easy, fun, and effective is 21 — which helps with distance control and how to handle pressure putts.”
George: “The first thing I’d suggest is to work on alignment, since that’s one major key to playing good golf. Learn what good alignment is and go set yourself up to be aligned properly to hit good golf shots. The second thing that I’d say is learning how to shape shots, like draws and fades, since this involves learning clubface awareness. Having a coach is great, but there’s something to be said about just going out to the range and figuring it out for yourself. By doing this, you instill a healthy curiosity and can incorporate some of your own creativity. I think creativity is massively important for playing good golf.”
