At just 23 years old, Akshay Bhatia is one of the most impressive players on the PGA Tour. He turned professional in 2019 and has found his way into the top 50 of the OWGR. He’s had two wins on the Tour, with the last being at the 2024 Valero Texas Open. Bhatia has had a mixed year this season with five missed cuts and three top 10 finishes, including his best at the PLAYERS Championship, where he finished tied 3rd.

This week, he finds himself in contention yet again at the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities in Minnesota. Tied for the lead at 18-under par with Denmark’s Thorbjørn Olesen, Bhatia’s impressive game is putting him in position to secure another career-defining win. But what exactly is fueling this stellar play? While he did reveal that he puts visual reminders on his wrist to be locked in, his choice of equipment has to take some credit, too. Let’s take a closer look at what’s in his bag this week.

Breaking down Akshay Bhatia’s long-game setup

Bhatia’s driver of choice is the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond ($649.99). While one of the driver’s strongest features is the way it looks at address, it is also known for its penetrating flight and workability. The driver is also capable of producing consistent and low spin, which is ideal as players need maximum distance with this club. While it’s not part of Callaway’s most recent releases, the Elyte Triple Diamond is a trusted weapon for Bhatia, offering precision and consistency off the tee. Bhatia is able to deliver an accuracy of 62.2% off the tee, and some credit goes to this driver.

Bhatia uses a Callaway Paradym Ai-Smoke Max Fairway Wood ($349.99) for his 3-wood. While the standard loft is at 15°, he lofted it down to 13.9° to give him the low shot trajectory he’ll need when playing on extremely windy courses. He paired it with a Fujikura Ventus Black 8-X shaft, which weighs around 85g, and helps offer low spin. This fairway wood is part of Callaway’s latest line and offers forgiveness without sacrificing distance or control. It’s also an excellent option for tour players primarily because it helps in shot-shaping either from the deck or the tee.

His second fairway wood is the Callaway Apex UW Prototype ($299.99), adjusted to play at 17.8° from the standard 19°. He paired it with a similar shaft as his 3-wood — the Fujikura Ventus Black 10-X shaft but with a weight upwards of 93g. This club blends the feel of a fairway wood with the control of a long iron and gives Bhatia a reliable option for aggressive second shots and tight tee lines. Bhatia seems to have a soft spot for utility clubs as he added another in his bag — the Callaway X Forged utility iron (21°). Utility irons are ideal for players who prefer the look and feel of an iron over a hybrid. This helps him bridge the gap between his fairway woods and irons, and it provides him with penetrating ball flight and consistent carry, ideal for long par-3s and or even approaches on par 5s.

For his irons, he picked the Callaway Apex TCB’21  fitted with the KBS $-Taper 125 S+ shafts. Since Bhatia already went with a utility iron, his main set of irons starts from the 5 iron to the pitching wedge. These irons are superb for shot shaping as they offer control off the face, and are a favourite for players who demand maximum feel and consistency from their iron game. Some credit definitely has to go to these irons for Bhatia’s impressive strokes gained from the approach to the green being at 0.56.

A look at Bhatia’s short game arsenal

Bhatia carries three Callaway Jaws Raw wedges ($179.99), but like some of his woods, the lofts on the wedges have been modified to suit his requirements. His 50° wedge is bent to 49°, the 54° remains standard, and his 60° wedge is lofted to 61°. All three are paired with KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 135 X shafts. This setup gives him excellent control around the greens and the versatility needed for a variety of short game situations, from bunker play to delicate flop shots. Bhatia is also known for his impressive scrambling within 10 yards of the green, as he has an 86.3% success rate.

A standout piece in Bhatia’s bag is his Odyssey Versa Jailbird 380 Putter ($349.99), fitted in a broomstick configuration. While broomstick putters are relatively rare on Tour, Bhatia makes it work beautifully. The heavier design promotes a smooth arc and allows gravity to do most of the work on the greens. With minimal wrist involvement, this putter setup helps Bhatia roll the ball consistently and confidently—clearly a factor in his strong performance this week. He also ranks 9th on the tour for his average putting strokes at 1.72. He completes his Callaway set with the Chrome Tour ball, which is one of the most well-received tour balls in recent years. Offering a combination of low spin off the tee and high control around the greens, it’s no surprise that Bhatia and several other top players, including Xander Schauffele, have made this their ball of choice.