How Takomo Used Golf Creators to Build Confidence in Online Club Sales

Takomo Golf’s early growth turned on a familiar challenge for direct-to-consumer brands: persuading customers to buy an unfamiliar product without first handling it in a store. For golf clubs, that hurdle is particularly tangible. Buyers may want to assess feel, fit and performance before committing. Takomo used creator reviews and recurring product appearances to help answer those questions, while developing other ways for golfers to evaluate its equipment.

Founder Sebastian Haapahovi has recalled that the first production run of 200 sets sold out in under ten days after a YouTube reviewer published a positive assessment. He said the response caught the company without a follow-up batch ready. The episode became an early sign that independent-feeling product demonstrations could make golfers consider a brand they had not previously encountered.

A direct-to-consumer offer with a confidence gap

Haapahovi’s idea followed his return to golf in 2019. He found the clubs he wanted more expensive than expected and considered whether a direct-to-consumer model, like those used by brands such as Casper and Warby Parker, could work in the category. After studying club design, contacting manufacturers and testing prototypes in a garage simulator, Takomo prepared its first production order in spring 2021. Development had involved about 18 months of exchanges with manufacturing partners.

The company’s proposition paired clean, Nordic-influenced design with accessible pricing. Selling through its own website reduced reliance on distribution and retail layers, while manufacturing partners contributed production and development expertise. But an online-only purchase also left shoppers without the usual chance to inspect clubs in a shop or try them before buying. Reviews could help bridge that information gap by showing clubs in use and discussing performance beyond the specifications on a product page.

Takomo’s business expanded alongside its creator activity. Investor Mandatum reported revenue below €3 million in 2022, just under €30 million in 2024 and exceeding €70 million in 2025. Those figures indicate company growth, but the available information does not isolate how much revenue came from creator activity.

Different creators serve different roles

Takomo has worked with well-known golf personalities and groups, including Grant Horvat, the Bryan brothers and Bob Does Sports. The value of those partnerships is not limited to a single review. Skilled players can demonstrate equipment in demanding conditions, while entertainment-led creators may make the clubs familiar through repeated use in videos. Reviewers can address specific product questions, and customer stories can offer practical detail about purchasing and fitting.

That variety matters because prospective buyers approach the decision differently. Takomo CMO Sean McCullum has described one buyer who researched for months, used the online fitting tool repeatedly and tested alternatives in a store. Another already knew from YouTube that Takomo was the preferred brand and mainly needed to select a model. Creator exposure can establish familiarity, but it may not replace more detailed evaluation.

Takomo has said it gives creators room to speak in their own style, while agreements still set commitments. That balance can preserve the tone audiences expect from a creator rather than turning every video into a conventional product pitch. The company also participates in content production; a behind-the-scenes account of its Lie Detector series, for example, documented a team trip to Florida to film with Bob Does Sports.

Partnerships can deepen beyond content. In January 2025, Horvat announced an ownership position, and the Bryan brothers’ shareholder arrangements were publicly announced days later. Haapahovi has described equity as a way for selected partners to share in long-term value. The Bryan brothers also contributed to wedge development, including requests involving full-face grooves and sole design. Such arrangements strengthen commercial ties, but ownership does not make an endorsement independent or establish that it increased sales.

Instagram activity and the limits of attribution

An analysis of Takomo’s Instagram visibility over six months tracked 829 mentions from 207 accounts worldwide. Of 203 accounts classified by size, 96 were nano accounts and 60 were micro accounts; together, accounts with 1,000 to 50,000 followers represented about 77% of that classified group. The figures describe tracked participants, not a confirmed ambassador roster.

Reels accounted for 749 posts, or 90.3% of the total. Posting frequency and estimated reach did not come from the same accounts, suggesting that frequent discussion and broad potential exposure are distinct measures. The analysis classified 784 posts as organic, two as sponsored and 43 as likely sponsored. Those labels do not establish whether equipment gifting or other commercial relationships were present, and the counts cannot show sales contribution or unique audience exposure.

Product experience remains part of the strategy

Takomo has added ways to reduce purchase uncertainty beyond creator content. Its online fitting tool helps shoppers choose specifications, while a conditional return arrangement lets buyers test only the 7-iron. A partnership with RUFF described rental and demo clubs at 17 European venues, giving some golfers an opportunity to try equipment in person.

Growth has also brought operational demands. Takomo announced a €20 million funding round in May 2025 to support logistics and further marketing. Haapahovi has discussed improving inventory positioning and reducing reliance on expensive air freight, while acknowledging delivery and customer-service pressures. In late 2025, the company acquired Otso’s putter technology and related business; Miikka Farin joined to develop the putter family. Bob Does Sports joined Takomo’s creator roster in January 2026.

The broader lesson is that creator visibility can help an unfamiliar product earn consideration, especially when demonstrations address real buying questions. But content alone cannot resolve fit, fulfilment or service concerns. For Takomo, the long-term test is whether the clubs and the purchasing experience deliver on the confidence its creator relationships help establish.