Maverick Social works with the DP World Tour on retainer, covering selected golf events across the calendar. At the heart of this relationship is the Rolex Series — the Tour's flagship golf tour, offering an elevated event where the in-person experience and broadcast product are both deliberately rarefied. Digitally, however, that elevation was not coming through. Our challenge was to close that gap.
The brief was not to replicate broadcast coverage in a shorter, vertical format, but to build a distinct digital identity that matched the calibre of the in-person and broadcast experience. Giving the digital fan the same sense of privilege that Rolex afforded fans on site.
We placed the fan at the centre of every piece of content and built our approach around deeper access — inside the ropes, closer to players, closer to moments broadcast cameras do not capture. This meant working directly with players and filming previously off-limits moments. Players were initially guarded, given the sport's culture around image and privacy. As trust was established, engagement increased; players who had been reluctant became active participants, in several cases suggesting moments themselves.
Three core techniques defined the work:
A static wide shot of golfers and fans preparing for the day, punctuated by crash zooms into small human details: sunscreen application, a word with a caddy, a discussion on conditions. This treated the tournament holistically rather than from a single point of view.
An ASMR piece filmed at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, removing commentary and crowd audio entirely, leaving only the sound of the course itself.
Extended slow-motion footage isolating the mechanics of the swing, the conditions, and the golfers in detail.
Each approach was built on the same premise: sport is increasingly consumed as entertainment, and entertainment depends on personality. Surfacing that personality, while making the fan feel like an insider rather than a spectator, was the consistent objective.
As well as very impressive viewer numbers, the retainer has expanded significantly, with the scope of events covered more than trebling.
The work also generated a direct commercial outcome beyond the Tour: a film built around a Rory McIlroy win led to McIlroy becoming a Maverick Social client independently. Maverick Social is now engaged in build-up work for the 2027 Ryder Cup, positioning 2027 as a significant year for the agency's golf output.
"We have really valued our partnership with Maverick Social over a number of years across the DP World Tour and Ryder Cup — the team consistently delivers high-quality, creative content that elevates our biggest events and delivers something new to our fans. They're a fresh-thinking, proactive and collaborative team that are a pleasure to work with, going above and beyond to bring ideas to life with expertise and quality."
— George Cryer, Head of Digital, DP World Tour