What’s In The Bag: Akshay Bhatia

WITB: Akshay Bhatia

What golf clubs does Akshay Bhatia use? Let’s take a look inside the bag of the 22-year-old two-time PGA Tour winner.

Akshay Bhatia turned professional at the age of 17 in 2019. The American has racked up two victories on the PGA Tour and seven top-10 finishes. Bhatia’s first victory came at the 2023 Barracuda Championship, and his most recent victory was achieved at the 2024 Valero Texas Open.

Having multiple victories on the PGA Tour before the age of 23 means that Bhatia has become just the tenth golfer in the last 50 years to win more than once at 22 or younger. Thanks to the Californian’s wire-to-wire success at the 2024 Valero Texas Open he earned himself a place in the field at the Masters.

While it will be Bhatia’s first time playing in the Masters, it won’t be the first time he’s visited Augusta National. The two-time PGA Tour winner competed in the inaugural Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals in 2014, at the age of 12. Ten years on Bhatia is heading back as the first golfer who competed in the Drive, Chip and Putt to play in the Masters.

Both of the American’s victories on the PGA Tour were hard-fought. However, his most recent didn’t look as though it would be. Denny McCarthy chased Bhatia down at the Valero Texas Open despite being 6 shots back at the turn. Ultimately, the pair would battle it out in a playoff. In the playoff, Bhatia prevailed to earn north of $1,5000,000.

In July 2023, Bhatia first tasted success on the PGA Tour when he won the Barracuda Championship against a slightly weakened field, given that the event was played alongside The Open. While it’s still a massive achievement to win on the PGA Tour, I’m sure Bhatia will be glad to have won his second PGA Tour title against a much stronger field in San Antonio.

Let’s take a look at the equipment used by Bhatia during his most recent victory on the PGA Tour and the equipment he’ll be hoping to put him back at the top of the leaderboard later this season.

What’s In The Bag: Akshay Bhatia

What driver does Akshay Bhatia use?

1

Callaway Rogue ST Max LS Driver

Akshay Bhatia plays with a Callaway Rogue ST Max LS Driver (9°) with a Fujikura Ventus Black 7-X shaft

Price: $349.99 / £299.00

worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io

View Offer

Price: $349.99 / £299.00

worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io

View Offer

Despite the Callaway Rogue ST Max LS driver being a couple of years old, it doesn't matter to Bhatia, who elects to game this driver over any of the more recent Callaway models. The American has his driver set at 7.2° of loft to create a more penetrating ball flight.

Read our full Callaway Rogue ST Max LS driver review.

What fairway wood does Akshay Bhatia carry?

2

Callaway Paradym Ai-Smoke Max Fairway Wood

Akshay Bhatia uses a Callaway Paradym Ai-Smoke Fairway Wood (15°) with a Fujikura Ventus Black 8-X shaft

Price: $349.99 / £319.00

worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io

View Offer

Price: $349.99 / £319.00

worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io

View Offer

Unlike his driver, Bhatia has one of Callaway's current fairway woods in the bag. The fairway wood of choice for the American is the Callaway Paradym Ai-Smoke Max fairway wood which is forgiving, but once again he has it lofted down - to 13.9°.

Read our full Callaway Paradym Ai-Smoke Max fairway wood review.

3

Callaway Apex UW Prototype

Akshay Bhatia games a Callaway Apex UW Prototype (19°) with a Fujikura Ventus Black 10-X shaft

Price: $299.99 / £279.00

worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io

View Offer

Price: $299.99 / £279.00

worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io

View Offer

The second fairway wood in Bhatia's arsenal is the Callaway Apex UW Prototype. This is very similar to the Apex Utility Wood found in Lilia Vu's bag. The Apex UW Prototype gamed by Bhatia is once again knocked down to a lesser degree than that outlined on the club head, his 19° Apex UW actually plays with 17.8° of loft.

Read our full Callaway Apex UW review.

What Utility club does Akshay Bhatia have in the bag?

4

Callaway X Forged UT

Akshay Bhatia carries a Callaway X Forged UT (21°) with a KBS $-Taper 125 S+ shaft

Price: $249.99 / £169.00

worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io

Buy Now

Price: $249.99 / £169.00

worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io

Buy Now

To bridge the gap between his fairway woods and irons, Bhatia relies on a Callaway X Forged UT, which is more similar to an iron than a hybrid. The American's X Forged UT is a slightly older model but Callaway have been releasing driving irons for years and their more recent X Forged UT is a brilliant option I wouldn't be surprised to see Bhatia switch to at some point.

What irons does Akshay Bhatia carry?

5

Callaway Apex TCB Irons

Akshay Bhatia plays with a set of Callaway Apex TCB '21 Irons (5-PW) with KBS $-Taper 125 S+ shafts

Price: $929.99 (pre-owned) / £939.00

globalgolf.pxf.io

View Offer

Price: $929.99 (pre-owned) / £939.00

globalgolf.pxf.io

View Offer

Like many Callaway tour players, Bhatia elects to play with Callaway Apex TCB Irons, the same ones we've seen Jon Rahm enjoy many successes with. Due to the Californian carrying a 21° utility club, he decides to start his iron set at 5-iron and run it through to pitching wedge.

Read our full Callaway Apex TCB irons review.

What wedges does Akshay Bhatia play with?

6

Callaway Jaws Raw Wedges

Akshay Bhatia uses Callaway Jaws Raw Wedges (50°-10S, 54°-10S, and 60°-8C) with KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 135 X shafts

Price: $179.99 / £169.00

worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io

View Offer

Price: $179.99 / £169.00

worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io

View Offer

It's not unusual to see golfers carrying three wedges for versatility. Bhatia is just like so many other Tour players in that he chooses to make room for three wedges in his bag. All of his wedges are Callaway Jaws Raw wedges and no one can argue that his short game isn't tight. His 50° has been strengthened to 49° for gapping purposes, his 54° remains standard, but his 60° has been weakened to 61° - again for gapping purposes.

What putter does Akshay Bhatia roll the rock with?

7

Odyssey Versa Jailbird 380 Putter

Akshay Bhatia putts with an Odyssey Versa Jailbird 380 Putter

https://worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io/c/2656258/1701717/19790?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.worldwidegolfshops.com%2Fodyssey-ai-one-cruiser-jailbird-db-putter-10502976%2Fp&subid1=167714

Price: $349.99 / £289.00

Price: $349.99 / £289.00

Broomstick putters aren't massively popular on Tour, Bernhard Langer and Adam Scott are perhaps the most famous golfers associated with broomstick putters - could it be Akshay Bhatia in years to come? He certainly knows how to put with his Odyssey Versa Jailbird 380 putter that's fitted with a broomstick handle.

Sadly, the putter used by Bhatia isn't available to non-Tour players, but you can pick up the Jailbird in Callaway's newest Ai-One range.

Read our full Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser putter review.

What golf balls does Akshay Bhatia reach for?

8

Callaway Chrome Tour Golf Balls

Akshay Bhatia elects to play with Callaway Chrome Tour Golf Balls

Price: $54.99

View Offer

Price: $54.99

View Offer

Callaway golf balls are extremely popular, and their new range of Chrome Tour golf balls has been very well received on Tour, whether that's players opting for Chrome Tour or Chrome Tour X. Bhatia is one of many golfers, like Xander Schauffele to reach for Callaway Chrome Tour golf balls.

Read our full Callaway Chrome Tour golf ball review.

SUBSCRIBE TO TODAY’S GOLFER: Print and Digital access, discounts and rewards!

About the author

James Hogg – Golf Equipment Writer

James has a degree in English Language from Newcastle University and an MA in Journalism from Kingston University.

He spent seven years working for American Golf as part of the sales and fitting team alongside his studies and is a specialist in putters, golf balls, and apparel.

James took up golf as a teenager and, thanks largely to his length and consistency off the tee, he plays off a handicap of 4.7 at Cleveland Golf Club.

You can contact James via email for loads more golf equipment insight.