by Jameelah Mullen
November 14, 2025
A virtual reality experience that connects the past with the future.
Born from his family’s historical ties to golf and his ancestral lineage, Jeff Smith has introduced Let’s Geaux Golf, a mobile clubhouse featuring AI-powered and virtual-reality golf simulators. The virtual pop-up golf courses can bring the game to any setting, including schools, festivals, and corporate events.
Smith credits his inspiration for the tech startup to his great-grandfather, Joseph Bartholomew, one of the first Black golf course architects in U.S. history. Born in 1888, Bartholomew started as a caddy at Audubon Park Golf Course and later worked as a landscaper at various white-only clubs. He then studied golf course design in New York. After returning to New Orleans, he designed golf courses across the state. According to Smith, his great-grandfather built or helped create over 15 golf courses, but due to racism and segregation, Bartholomew often didn’t get credit for his work and wasn’t allowed to play on some of the courses he designed.
Smith says that while growing up, he and his siblings heard stories about their ancestor, who also founded a construction company using the earnings from designing golf courses.
“He was, I’d say, the first entrepreneur I ever knew of,” Smith told Afrotech.
In April 2024, Smith launched Let’s Geaux Golf with help from his brother Errol, who is the company’s chief technology officer. The mobile clubhouse aims to make golf accessible to everyone through portable AI and VR simulators. The startup’s technology includes a handheld device with AI swing analysis that shows where players hit the ball, its trajectory, and speed, helping them improve their swing. It also includes a coaching function that analyzes performance, provides improvement tips, and allows video playback.
Additionally, Geaux Golf partnered with GOLF+ to offer a virtual reality headset that lets players experience Topgolf and PGA courses, along with practice modes suitable for all skill levels.
Smith plans to develop a mobile app that includes golf training, an e-commerce store, merchandise, esports challenges, and community features, allowing players to connect both virtually and in person. The app is expected to launch in early 2026.
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