Sheridan 12-Year-Old Launches Line Of Wyoming-Branded Golf Wear

Declan Jacobson was watching one of his favorite golf YouTube channels four years ago and liked the shirts they were wearing so much he wanted one for himself.

So the then 8-year-old Sheridan boy went to the channel’s website hoping to find one in his size.

“They had all these fun colors, but then I looked at the sizes and they didn't have any youth sizes,” he said.

Disappointed, Jacobson began sketching his own clothing ideas using various colors, patterns and designs. For the next three years he continued to work on his line of golf wear, drawing designs for polos, shirts, shorts and more.

“He was making golf gear and goods out of cardboard and would paint them really fun colors,” mom Jeriann Jacobson said. “We'd have stuff all over the kitchen counter all the time. And he started asking, ‘Can we please do this?’”

Three years later, the family decided to go for it and last fall Double Edge Golf went live. Described on its website as “golf awesomeness,” the line combines Declan’s love for golf, the outdoors and his family and friends.

“I was super excited,” said the young entrepreneur. “I couldn't believe that we got to that point. It was just a dream of mine and then we got there.”

Creating A Company

Declan has basically been golfing since he could walk, starting with toy clubs when he was 1.

When Declan was 2, his dad Arik sawed off an old 7 iron for Declan to hit balls with. He began playing more competitively about three years ago, and last fall Declan won the Puget Sound Amateur Invitational in Washington and also the 11- to 13-year-old age group at the Wyoming Junior PGA Championships in Laramie.

“I just like being outside, and it's a fun thing to do that you can do for the rest of your life,” the 12-year-old said of the reason he loves golfing. “I just like the feel when you hit the ball, it just feels perfect.”

Knowing what he likes to wear while playing, Declan worked to design gear that’s not only functional, but comfortable. Jeriann, meanwhile, used her background in retail to help get the business started. They brought on friend and designer Jenae Neeson, who made graphic renderings of Declan’s ideas.

“She translated all his paintings, drawings, sketches and ideas into graphic design,” Jeriann said. “They really understand each other and work well together.”

The Dimpled Buffalo

Together Declan and Neeson created the company logo. Wanting something fitting for the West, the logo features a white buffalo with the fur around its neck resembling the dimpled texture of a golf ball.

“When I was a fourth grader, for one of my school writing pieces I wrote a story about a white buffalo,” he said. “I thought it'd be cool to print that into our logo.”

Jeriann said Declan, who enjoys creating art, has always noticed colors, and often stops to point out the various shades in a sunset or sunrise.

“He'd grab my camera, especially when he was small, and he'd be taking pictures,” she said. “So it's been fun for us to take some of the beautiful things, and take his love for golf and being outdoors, and translate that into something he's really excited about.”

Once the initial designs were complete, the Jacobsons worked with Kilpatrick Creations of Sheridan for printing the initial run. Double Edge Golf launched in August 2023, starting with T-shirts, sweatshirts and hats. They also put out a small holiday shipment last November.

“At school all my friends wear my sweatshirts,” he said. “I think it's cool to see them wearing stuff that I created.”

So far, the best sellers have been hats, hoodies and T-shirts in various colors. There’s also a variety of stickers, golf towels, water bottles, joggers and golf balls. For the August 2023 drop, the colors were more muted. The spring releases feature more vibrant shades.

“We thought it'd be fun for each drop depending on the season to have a different color story,” Jeriann said. “He loves the bright, vibrant colors, but he also likes a lot of the classics, so those are in there too. It's kind of like an unexpected combination.”

Each new release also has a tagline.

For the initial launch it was, “Work Hard, Play Hard,” while the spring drop featured, “Live for the Grind.” There’s also some other fun sayings including “Fade Hard” “GolfWY” and “The Endless Summer: The Search for the Perfect Round.”

Declan said his favorite piece up to this point is a T-shirt that says “Home, Home on the Range” and features the bison logo.

“It’s a play on the song, but also the driving range,” he said.

Growing Pains

After the holidays, the family researched to find a U.S. manufacturer to work with and went with one based in Los Angeles.

They’ve been going back and forth for more than six months with the company to make sure the new products are exactly to Jacobson’s specifications before the next release.

“It's fun to work together and to show Declan what it's like to follow through and make something happen,” Jeriann said. “Sometimes it's not easy. We've had a lot of hiccups, and that's just real life, having those challenges and having to work through them and get creative.”

The entire process has been full of teachable moments.

At the beginning, the Jacobsons were giving some of the clothing away to help spread the word and get people excited about the line.

“It got to where he was just handing out stuff to his friends when they’d come over,” Jeriann said. “We started talking about how long it would take for him to earn that back. Every time he gives something out, he knows how long it takes to earn that back.

“So that's been a really fun, real-life applicable learning opportunity.”

Currently, they’re working on some polos and shorts, which they hope to have out in the spring.

“We're developing some things, so we do a run and we have to send it back and make adjustments on sizing, fit, cut, stitching or pockets,” Jeriann said. “This is all new territory for me and definitely for Declan.”

And while their next big drop will likely be next spring, they are considering a limited release in time for the holidays.

“We honestly can't move fast enough for all the stuff we want to do, but being a little business we’re trying to do it right,” Jeriann said. “So, we have to be patient.”

In the next few years, Double Edge Golf hopes to add more youth sizes as well as a women’s line.

Declan’s ultimate goals as the line continues to grow would be to sponsor pro golfers and see them wear his clothing, and also to open his own store.

“We have a load of ideas, and we’re trying to rope his sister Harper into helping design a women's line, just to get the whole family engaged and involved in unique ways,” Jeriann said. “Eventually, we'd love to do two drops a year, as we're small.”

To see the line, visit Double Edge Golf online or find it on instagram @double.edge.golf. There are also shirts, hats and sweatshirts available at Wyld Adventure in Sheridan, and on Amazon later this fall.