HE’S A GOLFER! HE’S A GOPHER! HE’S THE FURRY NEW FACE OF GOLFNOW’S MOST AMBITIOUS BRAND CAMPAIGN YET

ORLANDO, Fla. – A golf-loving, happy-go-lucky gopher is inviting the world to “Get Your Golf On” at GolfNow, the world’s largest, online tee-time marketplace and one of the industry’s biggest promoters of recreational golf.

“We like to say a star is born! Right over there, under the 14th fairway,” said Jody Vogelaar, Chief Marketing Officer, NBC Sports Next.

GolfNow’s “Get Your Golf On” advertising campaign will officially launch on Thursday, June 15, with the first television spots scheduled to air during first-round coverage of the U.S. Open Championship, professional golf’s third major championship of 2023. NBC Sports is planning to dedicate more than 200 coverage hours of the championship from Los Angeles Country Club across NBC, Peacock and USA Network, as well as more than 40 hours of live, on-site studio news coverage on GOLF Channel.

Golf participation has boomed, and the sport has become more popular than ever in the three years following the height of the global pandemic, bringing more mainstream and diverse audiences into the game. The “Get Your Golf On” campaign was designed to bring new attention and audiences to golf and the GolfNow brand.

“Golf is fun, and as more people are picking up the game, we have really pushed our marketing to welcome new people to the sport,” added Vogelaar. “We want everyone to see themselves as a golfer, regardless of their ability.”

Vogelaar and his NBC Sports Next marketing team collaborated with the Minneapolis creative agency, StrangerFriend, to take that strategy and create an approachable, charismatic ambassador for the brand. What they got was a spokesgopher!  Award-winning Stoopid Buddy Stoodios was enlisted to bring the gopher to life as a fun-lovin’ puppet with a big personality.

The new campaign introduces the gopher as a golf-obsessed optimist who invites golfers of all abilities to come play golf with the help of GolfNow, the world’s easiest way to book tee times. Hilariously, he sees himself as a “Golpher,” not a gopher, as he inspires a whole new generation to see themselves as golfers, too.

“We know golf can feel intimidating. It’s important that our messaging is not only humorous, but inclusive, so the sport feels welcoming to everyone,” said Vogelaar. “If we can encourage more people to play that creates a bigger audience for our products, which in turn, creates a better experience for golfers of all levels.”

“Get Your Golf On” video advertising will be seen across NBC networks, including NBC

broadcast, USA Network and GOLF Channel, as well as a range of linear, digital and streaming platforms. NBC Sports Next also will extend brand exposure for the campaign via social media, on-site promotion at golf tournaments and other events, and merchandising — bucket hats anyone?

GolfNow is part of NBC Sports Next, an innovative technology division within NBC Sports that creates seamless ways for golfers and golf courses to better connect. GolfNow represents the largest online tee-time marketplace in the world, offering 3.5 million registered golfers a variety of ways to stay connected to their favorite courses and the ability to easily book tee times online and via mobile devices any time of day. NBC Sports Next is headquartered both in Orlando, Fla., and Belfast, Northern Ireland, and provides technology, support, and marketing services to more than 12,000 golf courses in 40 countries around the world.

About NBC Sports Next 

NBC Sports Next is a subdivision of NBC Sports and home to all NBCUniversal digital