"We want to take the game to the next level": Golf apparel brand makes major announcement ahead of the next season

Eastside Golf founder Olajuwon Ajanaku and co-founder Earl Cooper have announced major plans for their brand ahead of the 2026 PGA Tour season. The Atlanta-based golf apparel and accessories brand is set to introduce a new dress code for the PGA Tour events.

Ajanaku and Cooper recently spoke to host David Marr on SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio’s The Scorecard podcast. In a post shared by the channel on X on July 28, Ajanaku and Cooper said they are changing golf’s dress code and creating more space for the next generation of players. The text overlay read:

"WE WANT TO TAKE THE GAME... TO THE NEXT LEVEL... THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR BRAND TO SHOW UP IN THESE DIFFERENT PLACES."

The caption of the post read:

"Changing the game, on and off the course. Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper of @EastsideGolf are rewriting golf’s dress code and opening the door for the next generation."

Ajanaku launched Eastside Golf in 2019. Both Ajanaku and Cooper played golf at Morehouse College. Cooper later became the first African-American PGA professional at the Detroit Golf Club. Their logo shows a Black man swinging a club while wearing sneakers, jeans, a sweatshirt, and a gold chain.

In early 2024, the golf brand raised $3.4 million in seed funding, according to the brand's LinkedIn profile. The round was led by EP Golf Ventures, a partnership between the PGA of America and Elysian Park Ventures (affiliated with the LA Dodgers).

In May 2025, the brand signed PGA Tour pro Joseph Bramlett as its first endorsed golfer. In July 2025, Eastside Golf opened its first U.S. retail store at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW). The store offers golf sweatshirts, polos, track pants, bucket hats, and other items.

Eastside Golf also runs a foundation to support young golfers. Their Eastside Invitational tournament raises money for Morehouse College’s golf team and provides support to junior players. The foundation also funds travel and equipment for students. Apart from that, the brand launched it's Jordan collection in 2023.

When Eastside Golf and Jordan Brand honored a historic turning point in Golf

In 2023, Eastside Golf and Jordan Brand came together to release a special collection called Change 1961. The collaboration wasn’t just about sneakers, it was a tribute to the fight against racial segregation in golf.

The roots of this story go back to 1961, when Atlanta finally desegregated its public golf courses. This shift came after Alfred Holmes sued the city in 1955 for banning black people from playing on public golf courses. That same year, the PGA Tour removed its 'Caucasian-only' clause, which had prevented black golfers from competing.

In September 2023, Ajanaku and Cooper took things further with their partnership with Jordan Brand. They launched Change 1961 featuring three limited-edition Air Jordan golf shoes, including a striking version of the Air Jordan 1. It featured a dark green, off-white, and black color scheme, with the word 'Change' etched in gold on each shoe.

Edited by Sumeet Kavthale