Online criticism in golf isn’t new, but a recent trend is turning it into must-watch content. Barstool Sports’ Sam “Riggs” Bozoian has found viral success with his Haters YouTube series, where he faces off against amateur golfers who’ve mocked his game on social media. The most recent episode, posted earlier this week, featured Riggs battling an outspoken critic in an 18-hole match laced with on-course tension and a $25,000 side bet. The format—directly confronting dismissive online voices—struck a nerve, including among professional female golfers.

This dynamic is all too familiar for many on the LPGA Tour. Female pros have long endured casual put-downs from amateur male golfers—comments ranging from clubhead speed comparisons to dismissive judgments on how far they can hit a ball. Few of these critics have faced accountability, let alone a face-to-face matchup with the players they deride.

Enter Jenny Shin. The 32-year-old LPGA veteran, who has one Tour win and a recent T4 finish at the 2025 Riviera Maya Open, weighed in after Riggs’s latest video. Posting on X, she wrote: “It’s brilliant what @RiggsBarstool is doing. Some of us LPGA golfers need a haters series where we play against the amateur male golfers that look down on female LPGA pros.” It wasn’t just a comment, but quite the challenge. Shin’s post quickly gained traction across golf circles, and Riggs responded publicly, offering to “happily provide the camera crew” for such a showdown.

The idea echoes a wider sentiment from women in professional golf who’ve spoken about being underestimated by male amateurs. While most of these critics remain anonymous or online-only, Shin’s proposal hints at something more than just content—it’s about credibility. And now, it might just happen in front of the lens. That mindset, and the quiet frustration it creates, has been building for years, prompting several LPGA pros to speak out publicly about the disrespect they routinely face from casual male golfers.

LPGA pros pushing back against outdated attitudes

The LPGA Tour has long battled dismissive attitudes from parts of the golf world, especially amateur male players who question the legitimacy or competitiveness of women’s golf. These judgments, often subtle and unprovoked, continue to frustrate top professionals. Cheyenne Woods once recalled being told, “Wow, you move it pretty well for a girl,” after launching a drive past male players—an offhand comment she described as both patronizing and revealing. “It was astonishing that a woman could be good,” she added, highlighting how even simple competence is met with surprise on the course.

Other players have spoken out more directly. In 2019, Michelle Wie West, after hearing golf instructor Hank Haney dismiss the LPGA and reduce its players to “just Lees,” tweeted: “As a Korean American female golfer, these comments disappoint and anger me on so many levels.” She called for accountability and respect. Even inside the sport, attitudes have lagged. For instance, in 2022, former PGA pro Mark Lye was fired from his role as a host of SiriusXM after saying he wouldn’t pay to watch the LPGA, claiming he “couldn’t relate.” These moments, though often isolated, reflect a broader disrespect that players like Jenny Shin are now challenging head-on, calling not just for acknowledgment, but direct confrontation with the critics themselves.

Regardless, this might be something that will soon start to see a change, especially with the new LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler. The LPGA does require more exposure when it comes to its online and media presence; maybe they end up taking a few pages from the book of LIV Golf, which has managed to utilize YouTube for the brand’s growth.