Suzy Whaley, PGA, Sits Atop New, Cool, On-Demand Golf Nation

One of golf’s leading ladies, PGA Coach Suzy Whaley’s barrier breaking is undeniable and her ability to thoughtfully drive more women (and men) into the golf lifestyle is penetrating.

The first female President of the PGA of America, she is also a Master PGA Professional, one of only a handful of women to play in a PGA TOUR event and commentator on ESPN and Sirius XM coverage of Tour events.

Now, for her next illustrious chapter, Whaley’s reign atop Golf Nation is here and now.

In March, she was named President of the new golf-lifestyle, on-demand entertainment channel featuring in-video shopping.  Dubbed “Netflix Meets Home Shopping Network,” Golf Nation sneak-peeked on December 5 with super-duper, cool shows.

One of them is hosted by Whaley.  “Don’t I Know You?” is an updated take on the hit “The Newlywed Game” TV series of the 1980s and 1990s.  Golf Nation’s first episode boasts Whaley doing her best Bob Eubanks impression, asking Zach and Kim Johnson a series of revealing questions to determine how well they know or don’t know one another.  The 10 minute-plus banter is light and airy, highlighting the glory and fun of golf with nary a swing analysis or coverage of a tournament.

If that’s not a harbinger of Golf Nation golf-lifestyle shows to come, we don’t know what is.

“We will spark golf discovery and foster general discussion through the prism of golf,” says Whaley with the excitement of a kid with her parents’ credit card in a candy store. “Golf is a connector for men, women and all communities that occurs around the game, not only while playing.”

Golf Nation is the first and only producer of original golf-lifestyle shows with the ability for viewers to instantly purchase items while never leaving the screen.  Each episode is five to 30 minutes and specials may be longer with a product “buy bar” intermittently popping up during shows.  Orders are processed and, in some instances, products are delivered the next day.

“Shoppable video commerce, and the technology that anchors it, is Golf Nation’s first-mover advantage,” says Whaley.  “Immersive content creates opportunities for brands to sell products directly, and golf consumers to buy them ‘at once’ while enjoying our shows.”  

Golf Nation’s original and licensed shows are free to watch on GolfNation.com.  In early 2023, Golf Nation will be available via mobile app, connected-smart TVs, Apple TV, Android, Fire TV and Roku. 

Sneak-peek series include: “Tee Shots” where golfers drink, chat and swing with famous mixologist Bill Binder; and “Watch. Buy. Play.” highlighting the planet’s hottest golf products.

Whaley is quick to point out that Golf Nation isn’t the first foray into video commerce for Golf Nation owner, NBTV Studios and its NBTV Channels spinoff.  The company’s Spirits Network is a smash success, selling volumes upon volumes of adult beverages inside “Cocktail History,” “Tales From the Cask,” “Sipping Point” and “Science of Spirits” and other series of original shows.

“The foundation for Golf Nation is that surveys show more than 60% of Spirits Network viewers count golf as a passion,” says Whaley.  “So, we’re hardly starting from scratch – there’s a built-in audience from Day One and brands are already hopping on this coveted, affluent demographic.”

Rest assured, Golf Nation is here to stay.  NBTV’s investor and advisory lineup incudes Mindy Grossman, former CEO of WW International (Weight Watchers) in partnership with Oprah Winfrey and former CEO of HSNI, parent company to Home Shopping Network and a portfolio of catalog and digital brands; Mark Bezos (High Post); David Nichols (former Global President of K-Swiss); John Esposito (Chairman of Whistle Pig and former CEO of Bacardi North America); and other family offices and venture funds.

“The crop of capital and intellectual investment in Golf Nation is extraordinary,” Whaley says.  “We are ready to change lives through human-interest stories about and related to golf.  And with our content-to-content platform, golfers, the golf curious and brands win.”

Two thumbs up, Suzy, two thumbs up.