Eastside Golf and Mercedes-Benz are creating an inclusive future for golf

In the world of golf, where tradition often reigns supreme, Golf within the east emerges as a refreshing ray of innovation and inclusivity.

But let’s face it, it isn’t only a black business, it is a profit-making, inclusive and fiery business on the golf course.

Founded by two visionary entrepreneurs, Olajuwon Ajanaku AND Earl Cooper, this dynamic brand pushes the boundaries of sport, fusing culture with the timeless traditions of the green. Their mission: to democratize golf and redefine its image, while creating an area where diversity, creativity and passion converge to challenge the established order.

Ajanaku and Cooper, whose shared vision and entrepreneurial spirit took the brand to latest heights, founded the corporate with the straightforward desire to create golf apparel that reflected their urban upbringing and appealed to a various audience. Today, their vision has evolved right into a thriving movement that celebrates individuality and embraces golf as a tool for self-expression and community empowerment.

The two visionaries crossed paths while working on the golf team at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. As student-athletes, they worked hard, played hard and ultimately brought home a championship. Having already won, it only is sensible that years later, when Ajanaku got here up with the thought to construct a brand that will unite his interests in design, fashion and the sport of golf, he turned to his brother. Combining their shared experiences and aspirations, Ajanaku and Cooper quickly saw the potential for collaboration and synergy between their talents and passions.

“The main reason I started this brand was because I was told no,” says Ajanaku. “No” to my dreams, “no” to the things I desired to do. So I finally decided that if I desired to develop into knowledgeable and needed sponsorship, why not take the entrepreneur route and sponsor myself? That’s once I got here up with the thought for Eastside Golf.

The journey began with a logo depicting Ajanaku mid-swing, adorned with a gold chain and wearing a hoodie. During this time, Ajanaku graduated from highschool, turned skilled golf, and then left the game to develop into a successful vice chairman of a financial company. On the opposite hand, Cooper had already been recognized by Golf Digest as one in all “America’s Best Teachers” and had made a reputation for himself on the PGA, becoming the primary black golf skilled at Detroit Golf Club and then the primary black skilled golfer at Wilmington Country Club, before quitting sports and working within the mayor’s office.

From that pivotal moment, Ajanaku and Cooper began a transformational journey, united of their shared vision of redefining the image of golf and making it more accessible, inclusive and culturally relevant to a various audience.

They are a movement in their very own right, but because of their recent collaboration with Mercedes-Benz, they could be a force together. They have partnered to present three key initiatives to support citizen engagement and promote diversity in sport.

And it is a partnership that just is sensible. For example, Mercedes-Benz, a longtime sponsor of the Masters, allowed Eastside Golf to present the brand a real full-circle moment by welcoming the Morehouse College golf team to a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This opportunity highlighted the exceptional talent of HBCU golf as promising future ambassadors for the sport.

“They were already on the golf course,” Ajanaku says. “It’s like golf’s Super Bowl. So the fact that they’re already here, the fact that they represent luxury, the fact that they were Black women [bringing this partnership forward]there were a lot of things that brought us together.”

This is just one in all several initiatives marking the start of a multi-year partnership between Eastside Golf and Mercedes-Benz with a shared commitment to handle the access and equity challenges common to golf.

“I don’t think anyone is at this crossroads of culture in golf like Eastside Golf,” says Monique Harrision, director of name marketing at Mercedes-Benz. “Many of us watched and admired what they were doing. Many people continued to come to us and speak on their behalf – not as if they had asked anyone to do so – but rather in a tone of genuine, positive reviews of what they had achieved and the barriers they were breaking down on an ongoing basis.”

Earlier this month, Eastside Golf and Mercedes-Benz USA also unveiled a novel nine-piece women’s capsule collection, providing golfers the chance to showcase their individuality each on and off the green without compromising functionality or fashion. “When you look at fashion itself, who drives it?” says Cooper. “They are black women. But while you take a look at golf, who has never been targeted? They are black women.

This collaborative collection represents Eastside Golf’s inaugural enterprise into women’s apparel and accessories, featuring the brand’s renowned craftsmanship and exquisite attention to detail.

Central to the ethos of Eastside Golf is an unwavering commitment to difficult stereotypes and breaking down barriers on the earth of golf. It’s something that inspires not only to observe from afar, but to see Black history – our history – being created in real time. Through their modern designs, vibrant aesthetics and unwavering support of diversity and inclusion, Ajanaku and Cooper are redefining what it means to be a golfer within the twenty first century. With every club swing and every item of clothing emblazoned with the long-lasting logo, a whole lot, if not 1000’s, of young Black boys and girls for generations to come back shall be grateful for the impact of their work.