EASTSIDE GOLF AND THE PGA TOUR COLLABORATE TO REACH NEW FANS AND PLAYERS

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Mar 06, 2024, 08:38 ET

Eastside Golf Expands Community Golf Day Events to Four US Cities, Aligned with Key FedExCup Events
Eastside Golf's Coveted Apparel Will Be Available For Purchase at *Select FedExCup Events Inside the PGA TOUR Fan Shop

NEW YORK and PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla., March 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Eastside Golf, the lifestyle golf apparel brand dedicated to driving change and creating a more culturally relevant point of view of the game, is working with the PGA TOUR to drive grassroots community engagement and outreach to new golf players and fans of the game.

Eastside Golf, the lifestyle golf apparel brand dedicated to driving change and creating a more culturally relevant point of view of the game, is working with the PGA TOUR to drive grassroots community engagement and outreach to new golf players and fans of the game.

A cornerstone of the agreement is the expansion of Eastside Golf's popular Community Golf Days, which are focused on diversifying the sport and bringing fans of the brand together at local courses to experience the fun of golf without the financial barriers commonly found in the game. Now in its second year, Eastside Golf will host Community Golf Days in four cities across the United States, timed to key FedExCup events on the PGA TOUR schedule.

This year, Eastside Golf's Community Golf Days will be held across four cities that play host to PGA TOUR stops: Jacksonville, Fla. (THE PLAYERS Championship), Detroit, Mich. (Rocket Mortgage Classic), Memphis, Tenn. (FedEx St. Jude Championship), and Atlanta, Ga., home of the TOUR Championship at historic East Lake Golf Club. The first Eastside Golf Community Golf Day event kicked off in Jacksonville on Friday, February 23, at Brentwood Golf Course. Dates and locations for the remaining cities will be revealed in the coming months.

The Community Golf Days will feature free tee times for 72 players, food and entertainment, the chance to win tickets to that city's upcoming PGA TOUR event, as well as the ability to meet with Eastside Golf co-founders Earl Cooper and Olajuwon Ajanaku. Spots are coveted and historically fill up within 48 hours of the event being announced.

Additionally, for the first time, Eastside Golf's product lines will be sold in the PGA TOUR Fan Shop at each event to bring the brand in front of new audiences and showcase its unique, high-quality offerings. Traditionally available online only, fans can now explore and purchase Eastside Golf's collection of apparel including branded hoodies, polos and a collection of graphic tees. Eastside Golf's signature swingman logo, a young Black man dressed in a sweatshirt and jeans with a gold chain around his neck and a club in mid-backswing, is meant to convey that you can bring your authentic self to the game of golf, with full confidence.

Kenyatta Ramsey, Vice President, Player Development at PGA TOUR, said: "Eastside Golf is using fashion to change the cultural conversation around golf. As a more diverse fanbase has come to the game, golf is evolving to engage all who play it and what it actually means to be a fan. Earl and Olajuwon have been able to create a meaningful brand rooted in golf that brings new audiences into the game while being their authentic self – whether that's playing 18 holes, attending a PGA TOUR event or wearing an Eastside Golf hoodie. The PGA TOUR is committed to supporting organizations that welcome everyone who wants to be a part of golf, and we look forward to working with Eastside Golf to create more meaningful opportunities to invite new fans and players to the game."

Earl Cooper, Eastside Golf Co-Founder, said: "Our goal at Eastside Golf is to show people that you don't need to look or dress a certain way to participate. Golf is and should be a game for everyone who wants to play, and you can be comfortable bringing your whole self to the course no matter who you are. By working with the PGA TOUR, we can now reach more people and invite them to play, make connections with other players in their community and build more awareness and accessibility for golf events happening in their backyards."

Lee Smith, Executive Director of THE PLAYERS Championship, said: "We are thrilled to have hosted Jacksonville's first Eastside Golf Community Golf Day. The event provided a new reason and opportunity to participate and engage with the game and we witnessed incredible support from the entire community. Eastside Golf's brand and ethos is changing the perception of who plays golf – we hope that this will help to draw more fans into the game and grow it for future generations."

Eastside Golf has grown quickly since its founding in 2019, with athletes and tastemakers including NBA stars Chris Paul and Jayson Tatum, NFL great Victor Cruz, musician DJ Khaled, and former President Barack Obama, among many others wearing the brand's apparel on and off the golf course. Its success is further underscored by notable relationships with global brands including seven collaborations with Jordan Brand, and strategic partnerships and licensing deals with major entities such as the NBA, MLB, and Mercedes Benz. Eastside Golf was profiled in Hulu's "Grails: When Sneakers Change the Game," a six-episode docuseries on how Ajanaku and Cooper are driving social and cultural change in golf. As former members of the Morehouse College golf team, Ajanaku and Cooper are deeply committed to supporting and spotlighting HBCU golf and have donated a cumulative $150,000 in funding, as well as apparel and other gear to their former team.

For updates and to register for the next Eastside Golf Community Day, visit www.eastsidegolf.com or follow @EastsideGolf on social.

About Eastside Golf

Eastside Golf was founded on June 1st, 2019, and has quickly grown into a brand that has shifted the culture of golf on and off the course. The mission of Eastside Golf is to be the lifestyle brand customers deserve — forging new paths and breaking barriers by designing and curating classic lifestyle wear of the highest quality so every customer can authentically express themselves in comfortable luxury. Eastside Golf's community outreach and golf education aims to connect young professionals and non-golfers with education, resources, and encouragement to love the game. Learn more at eastsidegolf.com, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter, through @EastsideGolf.

About PGA TOUR

By showcasing golf's greatest players, the PGA TOUR engages, inspires and positively impacts our fans, partners and communities worldwide.

The PGA TOUR, headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, co-sanctions tournaments on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Americas and administers PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry and PGA TOUR University. TOUR members represent the world's best players, hailing from 28 countries and territories. Showcasing the biggest moments in the sport with history and legacy on the line, the PGA TOUR has long-term domestic distribution partnerships for broadcast coverage on CBS, NBC and Golf Channel and video streaming service on ESPN+. Internationally, PGA TOUR coverage is available across 200+ countries and territories in 28 languages via 44 broadcast and digital partners. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations to maximize charitable giving, and to date, tournaments across all Tours have generated more than $3.93 billion.

Fans can follow the PGA TOUR on the new PGA TOUR app and PGATOUR.COM, and on social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram (in Spanish, Korean and Japanese), LinkedIn, TikTok, X (in English and Spanish), WhatsApp (in English and Spanish), WeChat, Weibo, Toutiao, Douyin and LINE.