Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Walsh.
Hi Ryan, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I grew up in San Diego and have always loved everything it has to offer — from early tee times at Torrey Pines to sunset surf sessions at Swamis. That connection to the outdoors — especially golf — has shaped a lot of who I am and how I spend my time.
After starting my career in marketing, I pretty quickly stepped away from climbing the corporate ladder to launch my own performance marketing agency, helping to grow eCommerce brands. But even while scaling that business, I was always tinkering with ideas of my own — especially in spaces I cared about personally.
Golf, in particular, kept pulling me in. As a lifelong golfer, I couldn’t believe how outdated the tee time booking experience still was. It felt like golf was stuck in 2005. That pain point turned into Fairway Finder — a platform built to modernize and simplify the online tee time experience for golfers.
It’s been a winding path — part instinct, part obsession, and a whole lot of learning by doing.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road — far from it.
Starting a tech company without a technical background has been one of the biggest challenges. In the early days, I actually got scammed by a development agency that took my first $4,000 investment and vanished. That was a tough pill to swallow — both financially and emotionally. I’m still passively looking for the right technical co-founder/CTO, but I’ve been able to piece together a strong outsourced team that’s helped bring the product to life.
Beyond the technical hurdles, just being an entrepreneur is all-consuming. When I’m at home playing in the yard with my 2-year-old son or on a date with my wife, it takes real effort to stay present and not let my mind drift to the never-ending list of work challenges I’m trying to solve. The switch is always on — and learning how to manage that has been a journey in itself.
And then there’s the emotional weight of raising money — especially from family and friends. Asking my brothers, cousins, and in-laws to bet on me was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. I’m more driven than ever to make this a success — not just for my own family’s future, but to deliver a meaningful return for everyone who believed in me early.
As you know, we’re big fans of Fairway Finder. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Fairway Finder is a platform built to make finding and booking a tee time way easier.
Right now, if you want to find a tee time in San Diego (or anywhere else), you’re stuck navigating a maze of outdated websites or calling pro shops directly. We remove a lot of that friction by showing tee times at all 55 public golf courses in San Diego in one simple view. Still don’t see a slot worth booking? You can join a waitlist to get notified of last-minute cancellations at sold-out courses.
We’re proud to call San Diego home — a city with an incredible public golf scene and one of the most passionate golf communities in the country. Some of our earliest partner courses and believers — like Rams Hill, San Vicente, Carlton Oaks, and The Loma Club — have helped shape the product and pave the way for what’s ahead.
I’m proud that we’ve already helped thousands of golfers play rounds they otherwise would’ve missed — and we’re just getting started. Our goal is to become the go-to tee time app for golfers across the country.
If you love golf, hate how clunky it can be to find a tee time, and want something better — that’s what we’re building.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
As someone who was brand new to the golf industry — which is very relationship-driven and handshake-oriented — I quickly realized how important it was to put myself out there and meet the right people. For a while there, I was doing 2–3 coffees or zoom chats a day with people in the golf world. Those one-on-one conversations helped me build real relationships, which have been critical in moving the product forward.
My advice? Focus on personal connection over volume. For me, one-on-one chats have been far more valuable than big networking events. That might be because I lean more introverted, but those deeper conversations have led to mentorship, partnerships, and support I wouldn’t have found otherwise.
It’s not always easy to put yourself out there, especially in a new industry — but if you lead with curiosity, humility, and a genuine desire to learn, people are usually more than willing to help.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fairwayfinder.io/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fairwayfinder.io/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fairwayfinder.io
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fairway-finder/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@fairwayfinder.io
Image Credits
Headshot – Greg Merino
Golf Action Shot – Trevor Farrow
