Today we’d like to introduce you to T.J. Van Gunten.
Hi T.J., 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?
FairWagers started out as a simple little passion project among four golf-loving friends who were scattered across different parts of the country but still wanted to “participate” in each other’s golf rounds. We totally missed the energy of teeing off together, so we decided to record 9-hole vidoes and add a little spice by letting buddies toss in side prop bets as well as overall score wagers. It was our way of staying connected and making things more exciting!
Fast-forward to today, and that tiny idea has snowballed into a whole bunch of cool content—everything from product reviews & golf comedy skits to full-on golf course reviews. In fact, we launched a podcast called Must Play, where we use a special 10-question rubric, The Must Play Test, to judge courses. And it’s not just about the fairways and greens—we rate the entire golf experience from start to finish!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s honestly been a pretty smooth ride for our first year in doing FairWagers If we’ve hit any bumps along the way, they’ve mostly been about figuring out how to edit videos or even start a podcast. None of us came in with those skills, so diving into that world was definitely a bit of a challenge—but in the best way possible! Learning what works, what doesn’t, and seeing ourselves improve has turned into one of the most fun parts of the journey. It’s less of a struggle and more like a creative adventure!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Our bread and butter—and what most people know us for—is our podcast, Must Play. What makes Must Play really stand out is our unique 10-question grading rubric, the Must Play Test. We’re not just rating the course itself; we’re diving into every detail of the entire golf experience. From booking your tee time, to the snacks at the turn, to how smoothly the pace of play goes—we cover it all.
But here’s the real kicker: it’s all firsthand experience. We’re not sitting at home watching YouTube videos, scrolling through Google to look at photos, or skimming reviews on websites. Nope, we’re out there, physically playing these courses—and so are our guests.
This way, you get the most authentic take on how a course feels and what your day will actually look like. I mean, when you’re spending six-plus hours at a golf course, you want to know exactly what kind of experience you’re signing up for, right? That firsthand approach is what sets us apart—it’s real, it’s honest, and it’s way more fun!
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
You know, it’s funny—if I had to pick a childhood memory that ties into golf, it’d probably be playing golf video games. Honestly, I think I was swinging virtual clubs way before I ever held a real one. I mean, who could resist firing up Tiger Woods PGA Tour and pretending to be one of the greatest golfers to ever do it? It was the ultimate way to feel like a pro without ever leaving the couch!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/fairwagers
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fairwagers/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FairWagers
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/3U3FiSS3o6pCYHvd9opz88?si=a4313ddc929e4ecc
Image Credits
Camiren Huth on both of the shots in the white polo
