“Every year, people were told the new club would go 15 yards farther,” he recalled. “If that were true, we’d all be hitting 500-yard drives by now. I looked at my wife and said, ‘I figured out what I’m going to do next. I’m going to start the Consumer Reports of golf.’”
Beach surveyed tens of thousands of golfers about what needed fixing in the industry. The answers were startlingly consistent: golfers felt oversold and underserved when it came to equipment.
That clarity shaped his approach to the business. Beach bootstrapped MyGolfSpy using profits from his previous venture, investing in technology instead of advertising.
“I’ve always used technology to level the playing field,” he said. “Agility and the right tools can beat bigger budgets.”
From day one, he set a higher bar for testing. Where the typical review from a mainstream media outlet might include a handful of swings, MyGolfSpy’s driver studies log about 20,000 shots across a broad range of golfers to achieve statistical significance.
“You either do it quick and dirty, or you do it right,” Beach said. “We chose to do it right.”
That commitment to accuracy has made MyGolfSpy one of the world’s most trusted golf media brands, with a readership topping 20 million golfers each year. A pivotal moment came when one of MyGolfSpy’s ball tests vaulted an unexpected contender over a major brand, and the findings hit national headlines.
“That was the first time I saw our work ripple from hardcore golfers to everyday players,” Beach said. “It proved that objective data could change the conversation.”
While most of the industry clusters on the West Coast, MyGolfSpy intentionally set up its lab away from the limelight.
“We like being tucked away,” Beach said. “We didn’t want to be influenced by industry reps, so it helps keep us independent.”
The company’s low-profile location belies a high-impact mission that now spans media, testing and technology.
Kristi Olsen-Hayes, director of York County Economic & Tourism Development, said Beach’s story is a prime example of local innovation making a national impact.
“We love having a company like MyGolfSpy here,” she said. “Adam’s approach shows how the strategic use of data and smart business investments can turn a local idea into a global brand. It’s exciting to see that kind of vision grow right here in York County.”
While MyGolfSpy isn’t a retail storefront, its local footprint is significant. The company employs a dozen staff members at its York County facility, donates equipment to schools and organizations, and welcomes hundreds of volunteer testers each year. Golfers interested in becoming a tester and getting first looks at new gear can email Philip.Bishop@mygolfspy.com to apply.