A merchant, also known as the product creator or advertiser, is typically the creator of the product or services. They offer revenue sharing and commissions to people or other companies (affiliates), which have a significant following on their brand.
This doesn't mean that you only promote a single product or service, like golf balls. Instead, it means that you might become an affiliate for the broader golf niche. Within that niche, you could promote: Golf equipment like bags, clubs, and clothes Online learning and books Golf courses themselves, promoting memberships and day passes Professional golfing stuff like tournaments, golf history, memorabilia

Additionally, affiliate marketing is known as a type of performance advertising because companies only have to pay commissions to marketers when they generate conversions. A conversion is an action that the advertiser wants consumers to take, like filling in a contact request or making a purchase. Affiliates are paid for each conversion they generate, as long as these fall within the requirements set by the advertiser.
So, an ideal affiliate marketing strategy would be one that is mutually beneficial for all parties.