Victor Cruz started playing golf as a way to further bond with his daughter, Kennedy, who first picked up clubs when she was 6 years old. The more the former Super Bowl-winning wide receiver played, the more he became obsessed.

Not only did golf give Cruz the ability to scratch his competitive itch after retiring from the NFL in 2018, but it also opened up a new community and network to support his post-playing endeavors. Witnessing firsthand the values and opportunities golf can unlock, Cruz also saw the obstacles overshadowing the game, especially for players of color.

Four years ago, he came across a Black man wearing jeans and a hoodie with a gold chain swinging a club that not only changed how he felt about golf, but has galvanized the game’s growing diversity.

“The first time I saw the logo and some of the apparel, I saw myself in it,” Cruz said. “I saw myself as the logo. I thought, ‘Oh, that’s cool. I want to embody that logo and be part of whatever that brings. I want to be part of that community that’s representing that logo.’

“That is what’s going to encourage people (to play golf).”

Designed by Olajuwon Ajanaku to resemble himself, the former Morehouse College golfer was searching for ways to support his dream of playing professionally. Unable to secure sponsorship from existing brands, Ajanaku launched his own after friend and former Morehouse teammate Earl Cooper suggested he put the logo on a T-shirt.

Launched June 1, 2019, Eastside Golf is a lifestyle golf brand “developed to raise awareness about golf among youth and non-golfers.” The brand aims to “inspire the culture, promote diversity and continue to be authentic.”

The Eastside Golf logo doesn’t just resemble Ajanaku, it represents the changing face of golf and the potential opportunities the game can provide to anyone who picks up a club.

“The way the golf landscape is changing, I think that their logo is perfect for speaking to us and whoever that crew of golfers is,” said former New York Yankees pitcher and Eastside Golf investor CC Sabathia. “I told them right away, this is like the Jordan logo. This is like the Jordan logo from public golfers to private courses—every kind of golfer.

“After Covid, golf has taken off and I feel like this is kind of the brand of the people.”

Growing the Game

Golf’s modern-day roots trace back to 15th century Scotland. Once dubbed “crack cocaine for rich white guys” by renowned author Malcolm Gladwell, golf and its country-club exclusivity have unfortunately not been the most welcoming to all communities.

Due to the game’s barriers to entry at the grassroots level, particularly the exorbitant costs needed for success and advancement, the professional ranks lack diversity. Out of the approximately 400 card-carrying members on the PGA Tour in 2020, there were just four players with Black heritage. Of the 582 members of the LPGA and Symetra (now Epson) Tours, 55% were white, while just 2% were Black or African American.

The lack of opportunities for players of color in the U.S. can be traced to countless systemic barriers, including a “Caucasian-only clause” that existed in the PGA of America from 1934-61, which was part of the association’s bylaws preventing non-whites from membership and competing on the PGA Tour. Many prestigious clubs and courses were also selective in membership. Founded in 1932, Augusta National, home to The Masters, didn’t admit its first Black member until 1990 and its first female members until 2012.

“People just see the majority of white folks playing it, so they don’t know where they fit or where they represent,” said Cooper, a PGA professional and one of Golf Digest’s Best Young Teachers. “What we’re about isn’t necessarily a white man’s game or a Black man’s game—we’re about the game.

“We know the game has not fully represented everyone so we want to make sure they feel encouraged and we want to tell the history of that so we’re not ashamed of that or are moving away from that.”

Golf became the go-to activity for millions during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, witnessing its largest boom since Tiger Woods burst onto the scene in the late 1990s. Coupled with increased accessibility via off-course venues like Topgolf, Five Iron and PopStroke as well as the emergence of streetwear-influenced brands, golf is growing, diversifying and changing.

The game’s largest segment (18-34 year olds) represented 6.3 million on-course participants and another 5.8 million off-course-only participants last year in the U.S., according to the National Golf Foundation. A record 3.5 million juniors played on a golf course in 2023, with 37% of today’s juniors girls compared to 15% in 2000. More than one-quarter of juniors are non-Caucasian, while 6% were minority participants more than 20 years ago.

Buoyed by a $3.4 million seed funding round led by EP Golf Ventures announced in January, the support of CAA and partnerships with major brands including Mercedes-Benz, Nike, Shopify, State Farm and Bridgestone, Eastside Golf is speaking to today’s golfers and non-golfers on and off the course.

“At the end of the day, we’re trying to change the sport and make it more welcoming by showing people a different lens,” Ajanaku said, “and it’s working.”

Eastside’s multi-year relationship with Mercedes-Benz begun in November 2023 has been a multi-pronged partnership to increase inclusivity and diversity in the game.

The partners launched a nine-piece co-branded women’s capsule collection in April, while continue to shine a spotlight on HBCUs, particularly the co-founders’ Morehouse College, via academic and sports funding for student-athletes.

“We saw the immediate brand alignment as far as vision,” said Erica Bolden, Mercedes-Benz USA head of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & People Analytics. “In thinking about all the work I do to increase access to equity where we have programs to support students and the next generation, the alignment was there and then just looking to identify those opportunities so there wasn’t a flash in the pan and one sponsorship, but what could we do to really align the brands to have some type of sustainable impact?”

Not only have the co-founders given back to their collegiate program, but the brand’s Community Golf Days are integral to supporting local golf. Held prior to major golf events around the country, Eastside brings together local players to connect and experience the fun of the game without the financial barriers that exist.

The Eastside Golf Community Golf Day in conjunction with Mercedes-Benz USA in Augusta, Ga., ahead of the 2024 Masters offered a free round of golf to 150 attendees, while having the opportunity to meet Eastside’s co-founders as well as to connect with other golfers in their community, including HBCU golfers from Morehouse College and Paine College.

In September, Eastside Golf launched its “Everyone’s Game” fall collection which includes its first footwear collaboration with Nike as well as custom-printed TOUR B X golf balls with Bridgestone featuring the brand’s iconic Swingman logo.

Eastside Golf recently announced a partnership with State Farm for the First Collegiate Golf Invitational from November 2-4 at PGA Frisco in Texas.

“We have a chance to be game changers,” Ajanaku said. “As long as we can keep doing that and do that on a grand scale and truly make golf ‘non-traditional,’ but still respect it, we’re headed down the right path.”

Growing the Brand

When Eastside first launched, the reception was a mixed bag to say the least. Some golf traditionalists questioned the brand or passed judgment on the logo because it was different from everything else that was in the game.

Boasting 50+ years of combined experience in golf, Ajanaku and Cooper understood why the initial concern existed, though they were hardly deterred.

Staying mindful of where they came from and what golf has provided them, the co-founders haven’t let their messaging of “be authentic” and “everyone’s game” get lost in the margins, though finding that balance hasn’t necessarily been the easiest.

“Knowing where golf started, I understand that point of view,” Cooper said. “I may not agree with it, but I understand it. The fact that we have continued to grow year over year and created a business that is thriving and growing while working with new partners, it reminds people that this is a legit brand and we know golf.”

While seeing the Swingman logo adorned by athletes, celebrities and politicians including Steph Curry, President Barack Obama, Patrick Mahomes, Fat Joe, Chris Paul, DJ Khaled, Cruz and Sabathia is great for brand awareness, Ajanaku and Cooper know building a sustainable business is more than just buzz.

The biggest learning curve was getting “on calendar” with products, understanding it was substantially cheaper and more efficient to be ahead of seasons rather than playing catch up with collections and collaborations. Having a better understanding of all of the costs involved has also paid major dividends for the brand as it better positions itself for further success in 2025 and beyond.

Next year is “going to be a big year,” not only for Eastside Golf, but its founders as well, according to Cooper.

Eastside is increasing its presence at PGA Tour Superstore locations around the country, opening a retail space at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, will release more collections and shoes, and has begun a Series A fundraising round expected to be announced next year. Not only that, but Ajanaku will be turning professional in a full-circle moment for the founder.

Expect to see the Swingman logo more prominently on and off the course, but Ajanaku and Cooper hope people do their diligence before passing judgment.

“The more people see it, the more they’ll see the things we’re about and actions we’re taking,” Ajanaku said. “That’s what the logo will start meaning to people. I never wanted to box the logo in. We don’t really say Black-owned here, it’s just known. You look at the logo and it’s like, who else is going to own it?

“It’s more about the actions that we take.”