Skull & Bogeys Featured: Fighting Addiction on and off the Course

Sometimes the most meaningful recognition comes when you least expect it. Last week, the Ponte Vedra Recorder featured our story, and honestly, it still feels surreal to see our mission getting this kind of attention. When I started Skull & Bogeys, I never imagined we'd be in the paper: I was just trying to figure out how to turn my recovery journey into something that could help others.

The feature captures something I've been trying to articulate since day one: golf isn't just our backdrop, it's our metaphor. Every round teaches you the same lessons that recovery demands: presence, resilience, and the ability to take it one shot at a time.

More Than Just Premium Apparel

Here's what sets us apart from every other golf brand: While others focus solely on performance fabrics and style, we've built our entire business model around impact. Twenty-five percent of every net profit goes directly to addiction recovery efforts through our partnership with NamaStay Sober, an organization that provides affordable yoga, fitness, meditation, and wellness-focused community events for those in recovery.

This isn't a marketing gimmick or a seasonal charity drive. It's woven into our DNA. Every pirate-themed polo, every pair of performance shorts, every hoodie that leaves our shop carries a dual purpose: elevating your game while funding someone's second chance.

When you're wearing Skull & Bogeys, you're not just representing premium athletic wear. You're carrying a mission statement. Our high-quality performance fabrics, manufactured through partnerships with top suppliers, integrate anti-odor and mobility technologies because we believe excellence shouldn't compromise purpose.

The Personal Drive Behind the Mission

I can't tell this story without getting personal. My battle with addiction left me in a place of profound hopelessness: the kind that makes you question if there's any point in trying anymore. But recovery organizations showed me there was. When I hit 500 days of sobriety, something clicked. The gratitude I felt toward the people who helped me survive became the foundation for everything we do.

Golf became my teacher during recovery. Every time I stepped onto the course, I learned something new about staying present. Golf forces you to focus on the shot in front of you, not the disaster from three holes back or the pressure of the hole ahead. That's exactly how recovery works: one day at a time, one choice at a time.

The parallels run deeper than that. Golf is an incredible test of resilience. You're going to hit bad shots. You're going to have terrible rounds. The question isn't whether you'll fail: it's whether you'll get back up and try again. Resilience isn't about avoiding failure; it's about getting back up after you've been knocked down.

Building Something Sustainable

I didn't want to create just another charity initiative that fizzles out when business gets tough. I wanted to build something sustainable: a business that feeds itself through its acts of charity, something that wasn't just about profit, but about purpose.

That's why we chose 25% of net profits instead of a smaller percentage of revenue. It means when we succeed, the addiction recovery community succeeds with us. When you invest in our gear, you're literally investing in human potential.

Our pirate theme isn't just aesthetic: it's symbolic. Pirates were outcasts who found their own way, created their own communities, and refused to be defined by society's limitations. That's exactly what recovery looks like. Taking control of your story, finding your crew, and charting a new course.

The Golf Community Connection

The response from the golf community has been overwhelming. Golfers understand the mental game. They know what it means to battle your own thoughts, to overcome setbacks, and to find peace in the process. When we tell them that 25% of their purchase is funding addiction recovery, they don't just buy gear: they become part of the mission.

We're not just selling to golfers; we're building a community of golfers who understand that true legacy is built both on and off the course. Whether you're sinking the winning putt or helping someone find their winning shot at life, it's all about creating moments that matter.

The feature in the Ponte Vedra Recorder captures this perfectly. It's not just about a local business getting attention: it's about a mission getting the recognition it deserves. Every person who reads that article and decides to support what we're doing is someone who understands that golf gear can be so much more than golf gear.

What's Next

This recognition fuels our fire for what's coming. We're planning participation in farmer's markets, charity golf tournaments, and we're even sponsoring a Jax Beach softball team. The goal isn't just to grow our business: it's to expand our impact.

Every tournament we sponsor, every event we support, every conversation we start about addiction recovery creates ripple effects we might never fully see. But that's okay. The work is the reward.

I encourage everyone to read the full feature in the Ponte Vedra Recorder here. It captures our story better than I ever could alone, and it shows what's possible when personal pain transforms into purposeful mission.

Your Role in This Story

If you're reading this, you're already part of something bigger. Whether you're someone in recovery, someone who loves someone in recovery, or just someone who believes businesses should do more than make profit, you have a role to play.

Every time you choose Skull & Bogeys, you're voting for a different kind of business model. You're saying that premium quality and meaningful purpose don't have to be separate choices. You're proving that the gear you wear can change lives beyond your own.

Stop playing a round, start changing a life. That's not just our tagline: it's our invitation to you. Join us in proving that the investment you make in your game can be an investment in human potential.

Thank you to the Ponte Vedra Recorder for seeing our story and sharing it with the community. Thank you to everyone who's supported us so far. And thank you to everyone who's about to join this mission.

Your game, their second chance. Let's make it happen.