With nearly 800,000 combined followers across platforms and videos pulling over 1.5 million likes, Fairway Fields has become the internet's most talked-about DIY driving range. We sat down with the founder to find out how a neglected field in Chesterville, Maine turned into one of golf's most unlikely stories.
Where are you from originally?
Born and raised in New Sharon, Maine which is way up north on the East Coast, about 2hrs drive to the Canadian border. I went to Mt. Blue High School, pretty much a local through and through.
Did golf feature much growing up?
Barely. I played a handful of times, but it was never really a part of my life or my family's. I've only really gotten into it in the last few years.
So what made you buy a golf course?
My parents and I always loved that piece of land. I grew up right down the road from it, and it had been sitting there untouched for ten years, completely overgrown. It was a shame. When we had the chance to get it at a good price, we took it. There was no grand plan at that point. We just knew we didn't want to see it go to waste.
Where did the name Fairway Field come from?
That was actually my mum’s idea. She just thought of it one day and that was that.
You've spent most of your career in marketing. How much has that shaped the way you've approached this?
A lot. I was employee number seven at Origin USA, which now has over 500 people. For the last four years I've been at Jocko Fuel, working under the same management team. I've spent my whole adult life thinking about how brands build audiences and tell stories, so when this came along, I think I recognised pretty early on that it was something worth sharing.
Were you expecting it to take off the way it did on social media?
I thought it was an interesting story for people to follow along with, a family buying an abandoned golf course and building it up from scratch. But nearly a million followers in under a year, from less than 50 posts? I definitely didn’t see that coming.
What have been the standout moments so far?
Honestly, all of it. Having the whole family involved in a project like this has been something I'll never forget. From day one on the property, finding old equipment buried in the overgrowth, to getting the pro shop ready, opening the driving range, welcoming the first customers. It's been our first business together. Every part of it has meant something - and we’re not done yet!
Have any well-known names reached out?
Plenty. Pro golfers, professional athletes from other sports, major companies. I won't name names, but the connections we've made just from buying an overgrown field in Maine have been pretty remarkable.
What kind of experience are you hoping to create at Fairway Fields?
I want local golfers to have access to technology that people in other parts of the world have had for a while now. I want people who've never picked up a club to feel comfortable giving it a go, because it's a relaxed, fun environment. Families, kids, all ages. And ultimately, I want people to leave thinking: I have to bring someone here.
What does having Inrange installed mean for you?
It means bringing something new and genuinely exciting to an area that doesn't get that very often. That's what I'm most proud of.
Visit www.fairwayfields.com or follow them on instagram to follow the journey.
