The parking lot at the Charlie Yates Golf Course was full by 9:30 a.m. Saturday, and Eastside Golf founders Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper were smiling like proud fathers.
The line to register for their Eastside Community Golf Days never seemed to get any shorter. There was a mixture of old and young who were waiting patiently on the practice tee to get in a few whacks. Morehouse golf coach Edgar Evans gave out swing tips to the newbie women on the end of the range. Others walked through the clubhouse to admire and purchase the new line of Eastside apparel.
There was a lot that Ajanaku and Cooper, a pair of proud Morehouse Men, could take pleasure in.
“This has always been one of our desires, to give back and to figure a way to impact the game,” Cooper said. “Golf isn’t cheap, and we can’t change that, but what we can do is create an environment where you eliminate some of the financial burden, eliminate the idea that it costs a million bucks to play golf because that’s not really the case. To be able to bring people out to connect with the community … for me and our entire team, I think we get more out of it than they do.”
The event was especially personal for Ajanaku, who grew up in the East Atlanta area and went to Cedar Grove High School. During his formative years he played golf at the Charlie Yates and John A. White courses in the city, as well as Sugar Creek and Mystery Valley in DeKalb County.
“You know, I didn’t play East Lake until I was about 32, so this was all I knew,” Ajanaku said. “For me this is like a lifetime-achievement award of my own, to spread the game and give back at a Community Day.”
This was the last of the company’s Community Golf Days for the season and served as sort of a kickoff for the coming Fed Ex Cup Championship at nearby East Lake Golf Club. The event offered free rounds of golf, quick lessons, ball fittings from Eastside partner Bridgestone Golf, food, music and fun. Eastside even took over the pro shop and filled it with merchandise at discounted prices.
Ajanaku is the one who created the logo for Eastside Golf – a self-style tall Black man with a bucket hat and a swinging gold chain around his neck. He and Long became a team in 2019 and now are among the more popular brands on the market. A special series on Hulu called “Grails” detailed their journey. After humble beginnings – selling 3,000 T-shirts out of their apartment – they have deals with Jordan Golf, with Michael Jordan and entrepreneur Daymond John on their speed dial.
Although the temperature was rising at Community Days, the attendees were loving every minute of it.
Credit: Stan Awtrey
Credit: Stan Awtrey
Corey and Samira Turner of Virginia-Highland were there with their daughters Corrine and Nia. “We’ve taken them to the range, but this will be their first time on the real golf course,” Samira Turner said.
Retired U.S. Marine Mario Reese heard about the event through social media and couldn’t wait to participate.
“I just love their story, and I love their apparel,” Reese said. “They’re making a difference and opening doors to the game of golf. I want to shake their hands and tell them ‘thanks.’”
Edward Davidson just moved here from Indianapolis a month ago. He only recently began to play golf, and he was eager to meet new people and learn more about taking lessons. Preston Howard and his 10-year-old son Miles came all the way from Carroll County, and 9-year-old Qiana Langston, who attends Drew Charter School, was brought by his grandfather.
Four women from the “Ladies Who Golf” group, who all have played for less than a year, were on hand to soak it in.
“This is all about increasing the footprint of women in golf,” Trysha Stephens said. “It’s about diversity, bringing it to the people – children and adults – and just letting them know that golf is accessible to all.”
Her friend and fellow newbie Toronnia Stevens said, “The East Lake community is a great fit for this. This is a community of diversity and inclusion, and I think that’s everything that Eastside Golf represents.”
Ajanaku and Cooper were shaking hands and posing for photos. Their effort to bring the community together was overwhelmingly successful.
“How many new people are going to meet each other here without there being a gatekeeper,” Ajanaku said. “A lot of people are trying to figure out how (Eastside Golf) has grown so fast and why we’re doing so well in business. We’re taking advantage of the game and what the game has to offer.”
Credit: Stan Awtrey
Credit: Stan Awtrey
