When Martin Pursell watched a recent Titleist commercial during The Open, one line stuck with him: “Excellence in process produces excellence in performance.” For Martin, Director of Branding at Pursell Farms, that mantra perfectly captures the quiet intentionality behind one of golf’s most surprising cultural inflection points.
Because while most golf resorts chase viral moments with polished campaigns and expensive influencers, Pursell Farms helped launch an entire subculture almost by accident. Or, as Martin puts it, “right time, right relationships, and God’s timing.”
The Fertile Ground
Pursell Farms wasn’t always a destination. It started as a tool. Built by the Pursell family to showcase fertilizer technology to golf superintendents, the farm’s 18-hole course was never designed for the public. “We were flying in guys from Augusta National and all over the world,” Martin said. “They came to see turf applications, not to tee off for leisure.” That changed after the family sold the fertilizer business in 2006.
With a push into hospitality, expanding with a 40-room inn and wedding venue, Pursell Farms pivoted. And, unknowingly, positioned itself at the epicenter of a rising YouTube golf movement.
The YouTube Catalyst
Martin’s best friend, Joseph Gilliland, happened to manage a few names you might know: Mac Boucher, BustaJack, Grant Horvat. He also helped package and build the business of Good Good, arguably the most influential YouTube golf collective today.
Their collaboration started back in 2013 with George and Wesley Bryan’s trick shots. By 2020, as the world shut down, Pursell Farms opened its gates to creators like Garrett Clark, Micah Morris, and Matt Scharff.
“We didn’t know what we were doing,” Martin laughs. “But we gave them space, trusted their creativity, and let them rest. Five days turned into a month. And the content that came out of that changed everything.”
The resort became a safe haven for creators, without red tape or corporate mandates. Just good golf, good stories, and real relationships.
A Brand Built on Trust
Unlike other properties that chase virality or micromanage partnerships, Pursell Farms operates on instinct and intuition.
“We never give parameters on what creators need to do. We just trust that if they’ve gotten value here, they’ll create something meaningful,” Martin explained. “And they always do.”
That philosophy has paid off. While most brands pay for YouTube real estate, Pursell Farms earned theirs organically. Hundreds of videos, millions of impressions, and not a dime spent beyond hosting.
The Long Game
Despite growing their reach exponentially in just a few years, Pursell Farms isn’t in a rush. “People aren’t patient anymore. They want instant success,” Martin said. “But the staying power comes from doing the slow work, the values check, the relationship building. That’s what makes this place special.”
So when fans visit the farm, they often say the same thing: “It feels exactly like it did on YouTube.” And that, perhaps, is the truest compliment a brand can earn.
