It seems that among all the new golf brands that have been dominating the game over the past few years, the ones that seem to be enduring the best and finding their spot in a crowded room are the ones with the most clear – and relatable – vision. And that’s exactly why you keep hearing the name Eastside Golf.
A mission of making golf more exciting for young people and infusing culture into quality, comfortable and cool clothes is at the core of what this 6-year-old brand is doing. And now, after a collaboration with the Jordan brand in the rearview mirror and a new women’s line just hitting the shelves, the only direction Eastside Golf is going is up.
Co-founder Earl A. Cooper spoke with FairwayStyles via email about why they do what they do, and why they’re not going anywhere anytime soon.
Eastside Finds Its Direction
The brand was created in June of 2019 by Olajuwon Ajanaku, who grew up in East Atlanta and played golf for Morehouse College, where he won a National Championship along with his Co-Founder, Cooper. While Ajanaku went on to work in commercial finance for years after college, Cooper became a PGA Professional at various golf clubs and was named one of the best young teachers in America by Golf Digest.
Eventually Ajanaku got more into entrepreneurship and the pair came together to form Eastside Golf, with the combined vision of wanting to make golf more attractive to the younger generation and raise awareness among non golfers. All while inspiring the culture, promoting diversity and continuing to be authentic in the process.
“We've all heard about the values of the game: Honesty, integrity, patience, commitment, hard work are things golf teaches you,” Cooper told FairwayStyles. “But the opportunity golf provides is seldom in the spotlight. The people you meet, the relationships you develop… invaluable. It's almost like every round is a job interview, and if you hit home with the right people, you never know where golf will take you.”
Helping Eastside Golf gain momentum early on was the boom in popularity golf experienced during COVID, which has begun to level off a bit in the years since.
“The numbers don't lie in terms of rounds played and revenue generated by big brands and small brands alike,” Cooper said about the COVID bump. “Now, we're in a stage of sustainment and trying to evolve so that we keep those new players engaged and truly shape a new future for what golf looks like.”
Part of that new future is smaller brands taking some of the spotlight, leading to collaborations with bigger brands. In this case, Eastside Golf teamed up with the Jordan brand in what Cooper described as an “unbelievable” moment, and one that seemingly opened the floodgates for more collabs across all of golf apparel.
“For anyone that's ever played any sport…,whether that's basketball, golf, football, soccer, you name it. Michael Jordan is the pinnacle,” Cooper said. “We're truly honored that he and the Jordan brand saw our vision and were willing to get behind us. There's no denying that it was rocket fuel, but please believe that we have no intention of coming back to Earth anytime soon.”
“For anyone that's ever played any sport…,whether that's basketball, golf, football, soccer, you name it. Michael Jordan is the pinnacle,” Cooper said. “We're truly honored that he and the Jordan brand saw our vision and were willing to get behind us. There's no denying that it was rocket fuel, but please believe that we have no intention of coming back to Earth anytime soon.”
“We say it all the time, but that's because it's real, we remain authentically true to our mission and who we are,” he said. “Brands are always searching for their identity. We knew ours from day one and haven't waivered.”
Take a Trip to the Eastside
Before experiencing the comfort and quality that Eastside Golf brings to its clothes, you’ll notice the brand’s logo first and foremost, which was designed by and embodies the brand’s Founder and Creative Director, Ajanaku.
“It represents freedom to be your authentic self. He took the inspiration from a photo when he was kid and a current photo when he was golfing, and his chain was flying,” Cooper said of Ajanaku. “The name Eastside Golf comes from the fact he was raised in the Eastside of Atlanta and playing competitive golf in the 1990s. He is the LOGO!”
When it comes to the clothes, the standard polos, t-shirts and outerwear can be found along with a variety of other pieces, from sweats and hoodies to headwear to accessories like umbrellas, towels, headcovers and ball markers. And to go with comfort, style, tailored fits and quality fabrics, Eastside Golf offers something more: a sense of belonging.
“It starts with what we would like to wear, and then we infuse the culture. Everybody wears Jordan's, everybody wears Supreme, everybody wears Kith. Eastside is a brand for everybody, and our new women's lines are a reflection of that,” Cooper said. “Beyond what our brand represents and the appeal of the designs, it's all about premium and luxury execution. The best fabrics, fit and stitching – nothing is compromised.”