Eastside Golf has already established itself as an apparel brand that bridges golf with Black culture.
Founded by two Morehouse graduates, Eastside Golf has made tremendous strides and sales in their mission to make the sport an inclusive space. With its first retail store opening in Detroit as well as collaborations with Nike and Jordan, Eastside Golf is a major player in the sports apparel industry.
To founders Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper, the goal is simple. “Our brand is for the masses,” explained Cooper, told NBC News.
Dismantling the sport’s historic exclusivity, the entrepreneurial duo wants golf enthusiasts to not only rock the brand, but wear it on the course. For the past two years, they’ve taken their efforts to the greens to get more Black people swinging.
Through their “Community Days,” they help everyday and newfound Black golfers find their stride. Taking place in major cities, including a recent stop in Atlanta, the company buys out an entire golf course for the day, turned it into a cultural cookout, complete with free tee times, food, and music while teaching golf to first-timers.
“We’re here to show that golf is about accessibility, not only to the golf course itself, but to people,” explained Ajanaku about the Community Days. “And that’s the strength of what golf is.”
The Atlanta iteration brought out Black male youth and their fathers to the Charlie Yates Golf Course. The father-and-son duos not only showed off their skills but broke down barriers that prevented Black men from the sport. Historically relegated to the sidelines as caddies, Black men are reclaiming their place and natural ability in golf.
The founders have their own history on the course. They were teammates on Morehouse’s golf team. But they wanted more.
“I started this brand because I was tired of being told ‘No,’” said Ajanaku. “I got over 300 ‘Noes’ with pitching Olajuwon as a professional golfer and then also pitching Eastside Golf. So why not take the entrepreneur route and sponsor myself? And that’s when I created Eastside Golf.”
The two have since scaled the brand, bringing in over $10 million in revenue last year. However, giving back is part of the brand’s foundation. It is donated thousands to champion diverse scholars at their alma mater.
With more leverage in golf fashion and media, Eastside Golf also sponsors Black golfers on track from collegiate to professional. With celebrity ambassadors and other brand deals teed up, Eastside Golf is on the brink of changing the golf landscape.
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