Rick Shiels’ reign as golf’s No.1 YouTuber is almost over
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Rick Shiels has ruled golf YouTube for years – but with other creators rising fast, his time at the top may soon be over.
Rick Shiels is often referred to as the godfather of golf YouTube. The Bolton-born 38-year-old has been uploading to the platform since 2011 and is widely considered golf’s biggest content creator.
At the time of writing, he boasts 2.95 million subscribers and more than 900 million total video views.
For context: Mark Crossfield – one of the OGs of golf YouTube and once its biggest name – has 479,000 subscribers and a third of the total views.
From humble beginnings at Trafford Golf Centre, Shiels has built an empire. He employs around 15 people. He’s collaborated with umpteen tour pros. He has his own podcast. His reviews can cause products to sell out overnight. He’s become one of the most recognized faces (and beards) in golf.
Shiels has cemented his legacy – but his grip on the top spot is slipping.
As the saying goes: When you’re king, there’s always someone waiting in the shadows.
And the man set to emerge from the shadows and take Shiels’ crown is none other than Bryson DeChambeau.
The two-time U.S. Open champion only launched his YouTube channel in May 2021 but he’s already amassed 1.96 million subscribers – and momentum is building fast.
At the same time, Shiels’ growth has plateaued – and even dipped.
He lost around 20,000 subscribers in January after announcing his partnership with LIV Golf, and his channel has remained relatively static since. Even before signing that controversial agreement with golf’s breakaway circuit, he was averaging only around 10,000 new subscribers per month.
DeChambeau, meanwhile, is growing at a blistering pace. He gained 120,000 subscribers in April alone. In July 2024, a viral video featuring Donald Trump pushed him up 471,000 subscribers in a single month.
And the views? Even more lopsided.
April 2025
- DeChambeau: 27 million
- Shiels: 9.5 million
March 2025
- DeChambeau: 11.7 million
- Shiels: 5.5 million
February 2025
- DeChambeau: 7.5 million
- Shiels: 4.6 million
January 2025
- DeChambeau: 10.4 million
- Shiels: 4.8 million
While the volatile nature of social media makes reliable predictions tricky, it’s likely DeChambeau will surpass Shiels in the next 12 to 18 months – potentially much sooner.
It’s not exactly a fair fight – a former driving range pro versus a major-winning tour star with a massive global fanbase. But this is YouTube now: a platform that has gone from a one-man-and-his-camera affair to the biggest streaming platform on earth – with production budgets, revenues, and A-list power to match.
And Bryson isn’t the only one gaining ground on Shiels. A wave of younger creators are quickly rising through the ranks.
Grant Horvat, a former Good Good member, has grown from 500,000 to 1.25 million subscribers since the start of 2024, thanks to polished solo content and regular collaborations with other influencers and pros.
Meanwhile, Good Good Golf, despite some internal shakeups, remains one of the genre’s dominant collectives, with more than 1.8 million subscribers and a fiercely loyal fanbase.
Garrett Clark, under the guise of GM Golf, continues to pull strong numbers both as part of Good Good and on his solo ventures, boasting 1.31 million subscribers on his own channel.
These creators and countless more like them are helping redefine what golf YouTube looks like – younger, faster-paced, and built for a generation that watches highlights, vlogs, and trick shots more than full tournament rounds.
Shiels may have blazed the trail, but there’s a whole new group sprinting behind him.
DeChambeau isn’t the first elite athlete to go all-in on content. Cristiano Ronaldo has 75 million YouTube subscribers. Neymar Jr, 5.2 million. Lionel Messi, 3.9 million. F1 driver Lando Norris has 1.3 million. Mountain biker Fabio Wibmer has almost 8 million.
DeChambeau’s content isn’t a vanity project – it’s become a core part of his identity and brand. And it’s helped completely shift his public perception. Once dismissed as a quirky complainer, closer access to him has helped transform him from a polarizing figure into a fan favorite.
Some fans thought video-making would be a distraction and detriment to his game. But he’s managed to combine the two in a way that seems to help rather than hinder his tournament performances.
“It’s quite fun, and it really gives me perspective out there when I’m under intense pressure,” he said. “When somebody yells out, ‘Hey, let’s do a Break 50,’ or ‘I loved the video with John Daly,’ or whatever, it really sets me back into a positive mind frame of why I’m doing this.”
He’s arguably the hardest worker on tour – as evidenced by the volume of practice balls he hit during the Masters – so it’s no surprise to see him put the same effort into YouTube.
“I didn’t even think a few years ago that we could get this far,” he said. “I want to do more than just the game of golf. I want to bring in people who’ve never watched the sport. YouTube has been a great platform to do that. I’m super excited to see what the future holds because there’s a lot more room to grow.”
The numbers would suggest he’s right.
There are an estimated 61 million golfers worldwide. YouTube has 2.5 billion monthly users.
If Bryson can continue pulling in both hardcore fans and casual viewers, the sky’s the limit.
Rick Shiels may have helped lay the foundation for golf YouTube, but Bryson DeChambeau might just be building the skyscraper.
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Rick Shiels has dominated golf YouTube for over a decade. But with Bryson DeChambeau and others rising fast, his top spot may soon be history.
