Eastside Golf Founders Bring Culture and Authenticity to the Green

When Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper stepped into The Breakfast Club studio, it was clear they weren’t just there to talk about golf—they were there to talk about legacy, culture, and changing the game from the inside out. As co-founders of Eastside Golf, a lifestyle golf brand that’s resonated far beyond country club walls, the two Morehouse College alums broke down how their journey through golf turned into a purpose-driven business rooted in authenticity.

“Golf changed my life,” Ajanaku said during the interview. “As far as temperament, resilience, everything that I am as far as just hard work and structure.” His story, like Cooper’s, is one of resilience and reinvention—two Black men who found their way into a sport that didn’t always feel welcoming, and then made space for others to follow.

From the East Side to the Fairway

Ajanaku’s early days in Atlanta shaped much of his worldview. Raised off Bouldercrest Road, where the line between the golf course and the hood was paper thin, he found golf to be more than a sport—it was a safe haven. “Right when I leave the golf course, the hood is right there,” he said. “But when I’m at the golf course, it was positive influences—judges, doctors, entrepreneurs. I didn’t really have that as much at home.”

Cooper, hailing from Wilmington, Delaware, discovered golf through an inner-city youth program at age six. “Nobody in my family played,” he said, crediting his father for not letting him quit the sport when he initially resisted. At 13, he won a national drive, chip, and putt competition that took him to Disney World and landed him on TV. That experience set the stage for a lifelong passion and a career that would later bridge golf and business in ways rarely seen from young Black professionals.

Golf as a Profession—and a Platform

Though both men played golf at Morehouse, their professional paths diverged. Cooper became a PGA professional—the golf world’s term for certified industry experts who manage and teach at courses across the country. Of the 28,000 PGA members nationwide, only about 300 are African American. “That’s less than half of 1%,” Cooper said, underlining the glaring lack of representation.

Meanwhile, Ajanaku pursued a professional playing career after college, winning a few mini-tour events before finances forced him to step back. “I was taking odd jobs—cart boy, caddying—hustling however I could to fund my golf career,” he said. With sponsorships proving hard to come by, he transitioned into a decade-long finance career. But the desire to return to pro golf never left. “I started the brand because I thought—if I can’t find a sponsor, why not become my own?”

Eastside Golf, launched in 2019, became that sponsor. This June, Ajanaku is turning pro again—this time backed by major corporate partners like Georgia Power and Southern Company, and with the confidence of someone who’s built a movement.

A Brand That Wears Its Culture Proudly

From the beginning, Eastside Golf stood for more than performance apparel. The now-iconic logo—a Black man mid-swing in jeans, a hoodie, and a gold chain—was designed by Ajanaku as a personal emblem before Cooper convinced him to put it on a shirt. “I went downtown Detroit and maybe got stopped a hundred times in two hours,” Ajanaku recalled. “That’s when I knew I had something.”

Even with pushback from golf traditionalists—some of whom mistook the chain for a noose or balked at dress code violations—Ajanaku held firm. “That’s who I am,” he said. “And that’s our tagline: Be authentic.” That authenticity has fueled Eastside Golf’s growth, from grassroots popularity to high-profile collaborations with Jordan Brand and global expansions like their brick-and-mortar shop in Tokyo.

Cooper reinforced the brand’s mission: “You don’t play polo but you wear Ralph Lauren. Same idea here. You don’t have to play golf to wear Eastside Golf. You just have to connect with what it stands for.”

Breaking the Country Club Mold

Much of the conversation with DJ Envy, Charlamagne Tha God, and Jess Hilarious centered around access—and how Eastside Golf is working to tear down long-standing barriers to the game. Golf is expensive, intimidating, and often perceived as “not for us.” But the co-founders believe that narrative is shifting, and they’re helping lead the charge.

“We’ve met people from every industry—movie executives, investors, athletes—just because we play golf,” Ajanaku said. “Whatever you do with your life, if you play golf, it’ll increase your revenue and opportunities.”

Through events like their community day in Wilmington, where they buy out a public course and provide everything from food to lessons, Eastside Golf is turning curiosity into connection. “When you eliminate the financial burden,” Cooper said, “people discover how great the game really is.”

They’ve also invested more than $300,000 into Morehouse’s golf program, hosted HBCU tournaments, and partnered with Mercedes-Benz and the Arthur Blank Foundation to provide top-tier training facilities. “We can’t be successful and not support the program that helped us meet,” Cooper said.

Culture as Catalyst

Eastside Golf’s cultural reach is undeniable. Chris Paul wore their gear during the 2020 NBA boycott. DJ Khaled, a longtime supporter, featured their pieces in Golf Digest and in his own tournaments. Even rapper Benny the Butcher has rocked the brand in a music video. The founders have leaned into that visibility without compromising their mission.

“We needed that cultural validation first,” Cooper explained. “That lifestyle angle. And now we’re transitioning to big box stores—Nordstrom, Snipes, Golf Galaxy—and the actual golf course.” Their collaborations, from Jordans with interchangeable swooshes to Jeff Hamilton jackets, reflect a brand that exists just as comfortably at the range as it does courtside.

With plans to eventually open their own golf course and expand into golf balls and other equipment, Eastside Golf is building a full ecosystem. “We did a collab with Bridgestone on a Tour BX ball,” Ajanaku said. “We even own the box design. It’s sold in PGA Superstores now.”

Looking Ahead: A Movement, Not a Moment

For Ajanaku and Cooper, Eastside Golf is about rewriting expectations—on the course and off. “Golf is intimidating. I’ve been the first Black PGA pro at clubs that are over 100 years old,” Cooper said. “But I took the job because it was an opportunity to reset the standard.”

They believe the next generation should feel like they belong, not just in the culture of the sport, but in its decision-making and ownership. Whether that means walking into a pro shop in jeans and a chain, launching an app with tutorials for first-timers, or funding scholarships at their alma mater, they’re proving that there’s more than one way to make a mark in golf.

“The goal,” said Ajanaku, “is that the next generation sees golf as just another option. Something normal. Something ours, too.”