GOLD COAST GOLF CO.

From thesis project to lifestyle brand — building a golf apparel company from scratch.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

ROLE: Founder, Creative Director & Designer

TIMELINE: 7 months (June 2025 - Present)

INDUSTRY: Golf Lifestyle / Apparel

SCOPE: Brand Identity, Apparel Design, E-commerce, Content & Social Media

What started as a senior thesis project became a fully operational apparel brand. I built Gold Coast Golf Co. from concept to market — handling brand strategy, logo design, apparel artwork, website development, product photography, and social media content.

THE CHALLENGE

Launching a direct-to-consumer apparel brand as a solo founder meant wearing every hat — literally and figuratively. The golf apparel market is dominated by legacy brands with deep pockets and traditional aesthetics. Breaking through required a distinct point of view and scrappy execution.

The challenge was threefold: establish a brand identity that resonated with a younger, style-conscious golfer; build the infrastructure to design, produce, and sell products; and create a content engine that could compete for attention against established players — all without a team or outside funding.

I also needed to validate whether there was a real audience for "coastal casual" golf gear that rejected country club stuffiness in favor of graphic-driven, laid-back apparel.

LOGO

MY APPROACH

STRATEGY

Identified whitespace in the golf apparel market: younger golfers who wanted self-expression over tradition
Developed brand positioning around "coastal casual" — relaxed, graphic-forward apparel for golfers who care more about style than scorecards
Created a drop-based release model to build anticipation and test product-market fit with limited inventory risk
Built community-first through transparent, behind-the-scenes content showing the entire creative process

EXECUTION

Designed core brand identity including primary logo, wordmark, and flexible collection sub-brands for seasonal drops
Created 5+ collections of original apparel artwork spanning graphic tees, hoodies, crewnecks, and hats
Built and launched e-commerce website (goldcoastgolfco.com) handling UX, copywriting, and product photography
Developed social media strategy centered on short-form video content, including the interactive "Building the Fall Drop" series
Produced all marketing materials: product mockups, lifestyle photography, launch graphics, and promotional videos

CROSS-COLLECTION BRANDING

MULTIPLE COLLECTIONS│End-to-end brand

4th of July Drop

Autumn '25 Collection

Original

Summer Circuit Collection

Holiday Drop 2025

Scroll to see more from these collections

THE OUTCOME

Gold Coast Golf Co. went from thesis concept to functioning brand with real customers, organic community growth, and validated product-market fit.

4+ COLLECTIONS LAUNCHED

End-to-end brand built and operated solo

The drop model created urgency and allowed rapid iteration based on customer feedback. The "Building the Fall Drop" series drove engagement by inviting followers into the creative process — turning customers into collaborators.

Most importantly, the brand proved that there's an audience for golf apparel that doesn't take itself too seriously.

WHAT THIS DEMONSTRATES

Full entrepreneurial lifecycle: concept → brand → product → market
End-to-end creative ownership (identity, product design, web, content)
Ability to build and engage a community from scratch
Comfort operating with constraints (solo founder, bootstrapped)

THE DROPS

4TH OF JULY DROP

Giveaway-fueled launch

1 HAT / 1 TEE

SUMMER CIRCUIT COLLECTION

Core line expansion

2 HATS / 2 TEES

AUTUMN '25 COLLECTION

Core line expansion

4 PIECES

HOLIDAY DROP 2025

Core line expansion

1 LONGSLEEVE / 1 BEANIE

APPAREL ARTWORK

select graphic designs across collections

Sunset Circuit Tee (summer 2025)

This piece was designed as a core piece of the Summer Circuit collection, inspired by golden hour rounds and coastal golf culture. The back graphic blends a cruising cart silhouette, palm trees, and a bold sunset palette to capture peak summer energy, while the minimal GOCO chest badge adds balance and hierarchy. Thoughtful color selection and layout ensure the design translates cleanly across multiple garment colors, reflecting Gold Coast Golf Co.’s focus on intentional, lifestyle driven golf apparel.

Freedom Fairway Tee (july 2025)

This piece was created as a seasonal statement, blending classic Americana with Gold Coast Golf Co.’s laid back golf aesthetic. The back graphic features a custom-illustrated mascot designed to feel playful, bold, and instantly recognizable. A minimal chest hit keeps the front clean while allowing the artwork to stand as the focal point. Thoughtful color choices and design style ensure this tee feels timeless, reflecting an intentional balance of heritage inspiration and modern golf lifestyle design.

Holiday Drop-In Longsleeve (december 2025)

This piece was designed as a cold-season staple that brings festive character into Gold Coast Golf Co.’s coastal golf world. The back graphic features a custom winter illustration blending snow-day scenery with playful surf-side attitude, creating a design that feels cozy, lighthearted, and unmistakably Gold Coast. A subtle front chest hit keeps the silhouette clean while letting the back artwork carry the story. Vintage-inspired colors give the piece a timeless quality, striking a balance between seasonal fun and everyday wearability.

Cart Cruiser Cap (summer 2025)

The Cart Cruiser Cap was designed as a laid back companion to the Summer Circuit collection, drawing inspiration from coastal fairways and slow loops in the sun. The custom front patch distills a beachside golf cart scene into a clean, graphic mark, while the rope detail adds a subtle retro touch. Thoughtful color blocking and simple construction keep the cap versatile and easy to wear, reflecting Gold Coast Golf Co.’s focus on relaxed, lifestyle driven design rooted in modern golf culture.

CONTENT & SOCIAL

Building a brand with no ad budget meant organic content had to do the heavy lifting. I developed a social strategy around three content pillars: process transparency, product storytelling, and lifestyle imagery — each designed to build trust, showcase craftsmanship, and establish a distinct visual identity.

PROCESS → Built trust and transparency

Documenting the journey from initial concept sketch to final logo lockup — showing followers the craft behind the collections

PRODUCT→ Drove purchase intent

Short-form video highlighting the design details and inspiration behind the Holiday Drop-In longsleeve, positioning it as the perfect gift for golfers.

LIFESTYLE → Established visual identity

Candid lifestyle imagery capturing the apparel in context — prioritizing visual composition and authentic brand energy over polished product shots.

Beyond product content, I produced cinematic course edits and lifestyle videos that established Gold Coast's visual tone across social.

Explore more on Instagram

WEBSITE & E-COMMERCE

Custom-built e-commerce experience

Explore the Website

PROJECT DETAILS

MY ROLE

Founder, Creative Director, Designer

TIMELINE

June 2025 - Present

COLLABORATORS

Solo venture

SKILLS APPLIED

Brand Strategy, Logo Design, Apparel Design, Illustration, E-commerce Development, Copywriting, Social Media Strategy, Video Content, Product Photography