How apparel startup Eastside Golf is expanding the appeal of the game

Over the previous couple of years, a brand new wave of golf attire manufacturers has begun to flood the fairways with daring and brilliant designs which might be serving to to draw new gamers to the sport. Since its founding in June 2019 by Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper, Eastside Golf has grown from a golf way of life attire model to an influential power in diversifying the game. The model has grow to be a staple worn by such notable golf fans as Barack Obama, DJ Khaled, Dwyane Wade and CC Sabathia and has collaborated with the likes of Jordan Model, the NBA, Apple, and Mercedes-Benz USA.

Final 12 months, Eastside landed a six-episode Hulu sequence titled Grails, When Sneakers Modified the Recreation. The corporate has grown from two workers to 16, its income growing from $100,000 in its first 12 months to a projected $4 million to shut this 12 months. Ajanaku and Cooper’s final objective? To show Atlanta into an incubator for future leaders within the golf trade who will proceed to evolve the tradition of the game. 

Ajanaku and Cooper met as teammates on Morehouse Faculty’s golf staff, serving to the Tigers win a nationwide championship in 2010. Upon graduating, Cooper went on to grow to be a Class-A PGA professional then among the best instructors within the nation. Ajanaku needed to pursue his desires of turning professional. After making an attempt unsuccessfully to amass sponsorship for just a few years, he determined to place his accounting diploma to make use of and took a job in finance. Earlier than firmly settling into additional advancing on that profession path, he got here up with the concept to begin his personal model and grow to be his personal sponsor. 

Born and raised in East Atlanta, Ajanaku saved the corporate title true to his upbringing. For the brand, he needed one thing that was cool and in addition represented himself. Why not him? Black golfer, in mid-backswing, sporting denims, a sweatshirt, and a gold chain swinging in the other way. This brand wasn’t simply authentically him; Ajanaku noticed it as one thing that may very well be an inspiration for what the way forward for golf might appear to be. 

“Going out on the golf course, one of many issues that lots of people don’t get to be is themselves,” Ajanaku stated. “The brand actually says I don’t care. I’m out right here as a result of I really like the sport of golf and since I like dressing fly. When persons are in a position to be themselves, it offers them the facility to take action many different issues.” 

Ajanaku was initially going to only place the brand on his golf bag earlier than Cooper inspired him to place it on a T-shirt. After urgent the swingman brand on a Gildan tee, Ajanaku ventured out round his new dwelling in Detroit and was shocked what number of occasions he was approached by individuals of all creeds and ages about the place he received it. He emptied all of his accounts to buy extra attire and commenced promoting. Cooper would accompany him to a PGA commerce present, and after receiving extra of the identical response from the gang there, they each knew they have been on to one thing.

The model received on the radar of NBA level guard Chris Paul’s older brother CJ, who messaged Ajanaku and requested for 2 of every part. When Chris was noticed draped within the gear throughout nationwide protection of the NBA’s boycott through the coronavirus-shortened season and within the wake of the Jacob Blake taking pictures, gross sales and demand for Eastside Golf elevated by 400 p.c.

CJ had been {golfing} with Gentry Humphrey, who was then Jordan Model vp of footwear. When CJ talked about Ajanaku and Cooper’s story, Humphrey knew this was one thing he wanted to take to the GOAT.

“As a result of MJ and I really like the sport and these two gents had aspirations of making a model with a brand new perspective for the sport, we needed to supply them with a possible jump-start by making a collaboration,” stated Humphrey, now the overall supervisor of Jordan Golf. “We shared our ideas, creativity, and enterprise philosophy to hopefully support them of their efforts. Making the sort of funding in a minority-owned enterprise that liked the sport merely appeared like the correct factor to do.”

Thus far, the partnership has produced 9 extremely coveted sneakers and a number of other attire gadgets. Their current assortment titled “Change. 1961” highlights the 12 months that the PGA of America revoked the Caucasian-only clause. Humphrey says the collaboration with Eastside Golf was a precursor to Jordan Model’s broader method to its golf attire, and he’s excited to see how each of the model’s approaches could have an thrilling influence on the game. 

For Ajanaku, who grew up drawing and designing his personal Jordan sneakers, it’s nonetheless a surreal expertise. “Sitting in that design room and telling our story, our why, in a method that they’ve by no means skilled has been exceptional,” he stated. “We’re simply bringing a special wave to golf.”

In keeping with the Nationwide Golf Basis (NGF), the full financial influence of the game within the U.S. is over $100 billion and climbing. There are additionally extra People enjoying golf than ever earlier than: Greater than 3 million individuals performed on a golf course for the primary time in 2022, in accordance with the NGF. There have been greater than 5 million Asian, Black, and Hispanic on-course golfers final 12 months, accounting for 22 p.c of general gamers. 

Ajanaku and Cooper wish to assist make sure that as the sport continues to develop, there are extra numerous communities uncovered to the alternatives inside and across the sport. 

“It’s okay to be a shopper, however we wish to proceed to problem, push, and hopefully encourage folks to get into the trade,” Cooper stated. “We not too long ago talked to a gaggle of HBCU youngsters, and we informed them we have now a profitable firm contained in the golf trade and we’re not enjoying golf. I feel that’s essential to concentrate on after we have a look at this subsequent technology. There’s a whole lot of alternative exterior of simply enjoying golf on the weekends.”

Ajanaku and Cooper are additionally targeted on constructing a bridge for future generations. And one finish of that bridge is ready within the place that impressed their perception that they might obtain their ambitions. 

“Morehouse was a spot that actually uncovered us to potentialities,” Cooper stated. “I noticed folks that appeared like me reaching on so many ranges. Whether or not it was within the medical area, the enterprise aspect, or in sports activities—it was simply unimaginable. That perception and publicity we had, it’s like we’re constructing on that now.”

Thus far, Eastside Golf has donated $150,000 and a custom Sprinter van to the Morehouse golf program. 

The model will quickly be launching its neighborhood days in Jacksonville, Atlanta, Detroit, Memphis, and even Augusta, Georgia, dwelling of America’s most illustrious golf match. The Masters is hosted yearly at one of many world’s most unique golf golf equipment, Augusta Nationwide, which admitted its first Black member in 1990.  Eastside may also be releasing a ladies’s attire line across the begin of one of many greatest ladies’s beginner golf occasions on the earth. 

Within the subsequent few years, they’ve aspirations to deepen their presence in Atlanta with a brick-and-mortar retailer and their very own Eastside Golf–type nation membership, in addition to a basis to nurture, mentor, and prepare junior golfers.

“We wish to develop the model to a spot the place we’re touching all factors of golf,” Ajanaku stated. “Rising the sport of golf to a spot we needed to see it after we have been youthful. I do know that after we have been 10 years previous, we had a bunch of concepts. Now, it’s about placing that into play, as a result of I do know that’s what the subsequent generations wish to see.”  

Ajanaku hasn’t given up on his dream of turning professional, which might full his preliminary objective when he created Eastside Golf.  However his desires have gotten larger, as he and Cooper goal to make an eternal influence on the sport.