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If you follow the PGA Tour Champions, you’re probably curious about Steve Alker WITB (what’s in the bag?) or related queries. Read on for the full details.
As Steve Stricker mentioned in an interview at the 2024 Chubb Classic, Steve Alker is the one to beat this year.
Whatever he is doing clearly works for him. This is why I conducted a Steve Alker WITB 2024 review. You may find some of his equipment suits your game and give you an added advantage on the golf course.
I have added an extra club to the line up that Alker had in his bag during a practice round. The 2023 Charles Schwab Cup Championship winner will alternate golf clubs depending on the conditions, explaining his vast arsenal of tools.
Steve Alker Quick Facts Table
Here is a summary of current facts and statistics on PGA Professional Golfer Steve Alker.
| Full Name | Steven Craig Alker |
| Birthday | July 28, 1971 |
| Birthplace | Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand |
| Age | 52 |
| Year Turned Pro | 1995 |
| Tournament Wins | 18 |
| Biggest Accomplishment | 2023 Charles Schwab Cup Winner |
| Senior World Ranking | 2 |
| Equipment Sponsor | New Level Golf, Titleist |
Steve Alker WITB Breakdown
Before we dive into each golf club, here’s a quick summary of what’s in the bag Steven Alker.
Driver: Callaway Epic Speed 9.0°
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus 6X
3-Wood: TaylorMade Sim Titanium – 15°
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus 8X
5-Wood: TaylorMade Sim Titanium – 19°
Shaft: Kiyoshi Purple 85 05
7-Wood: Callaway Paradym – 21°
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus 8X
Hybrid: Tour Edge Exotics C721 Hybrid – 22°
Shaft: Aldila NV Green HYB 85X
UDI: TaylorMade Tour Preferred UDI Hybrid – 23°
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus 8X
Irons: New Level 623 (5 – PW)
Shaft: True Temper Aerotech Steelfiber Shaft 110cw X
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 – 50°
Shaft: Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM9 – 54° & 58°
Shaft: Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
Putter: White Hot OG Rossie
Shaft: Odyssey Stroke Lab
Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1
⛳️Read Next: The 13 Best Putters for Seniors To Shave Strokes Today!
Steve Alker Driver
Callaway Epic Speed Driver
Driver – 9• Loft
Steven Alker plays a 9-degree driver, which carried him to second on tour for combined distance and accuracy.
I feel the Epic Speed is an excellent option for senior men looking for consistent ball speed, accelerated clubhead velocity, and a draw-bias profile.
🏌️♂️ Related: Best Golf Drivers for Seniors
PROS
- Exceptional forgiveness
- Lightning ball speed
- Encourages straighter flight
- Aerodynamic clubhead for accelerated pace on the downswing
CONS
- The stock shafts for stronger lofts are only available in a stiff flex
- The draw bias profile can exacerbate hooks
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Steve Alker Fairway Wood
TaylorMade SIM Titanium
Woods – 15• & 20•
The 2022 & 2023 Charles Schwab Cup Champion attributes part of his success to the accuracy and consistency of his fairway woods.
Steve swings a 15-degree 3 wood, and a 20-degree 5 wood weakened from the stock 19-degree profile.
I find the SIM Titanium helps the average golfer combat heel and toe mishits to preserve ball speed and restrict spin for straighter golf shots.
Plus, I appreciate the superior turf interaction produced by the V-Steel sole to catch the ball cleanly from any lie.
PROS
- Encourages straight shots
- Maintains ball speed on all strikes for optimal distance
- Limited turf interaction from all lies
- Flexible clubface
- 2-degree adjustable loft sleeve
CONS
- Difficult to find stock
- Limited shaft options for slower swing speeds
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Steve Alker Fairway Wood
Callaway Paradym Fairway Wood
7 Wood – 21•
The Kiwi returns to Callaway in the 7 wood department, opting for a 21-degree Paradym, which is one of the most forgiving long clubs in his bag. A low center of gravity (CG) and a flexible clubface combine to produce a high launch and optimal carry distance from the fairway and the rough.
I also find the Jailbreak Batwing construction boosts moment of inertia (MOI) for greater stability at impact. It helps me minimize ball speed drop off, contain spin and promotes a square clubface at contact. Despite the forgiveness, it generates neutral ball flight which still enables a draw or a fade shape.
If you still deliver erratic accuracy on all shots, I recommend testing the Callaway Paradym X, which works to combat slices from amateurs.
PROS
- Effortless launch
- Adjustable hosel
- Rapid ball speed
- Clean turf interaction
- Forgiving
CONS
- Expensive for a fairway wood
- Spin is not as low as the Triple Diamond
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Steve Alker Golf Hybrids
Tour Edge Exotics C721
Hybrid – 22 •
I am fond of Tour Edge equipment as they cater to the needs of golfers with slow swing speeds.
Alker is far from a slow swinger, but he leverages the forgiveness and easy launch produced by the C721 hybrid. The 22-degree construction is the only hybrid the Hamilton native carries.
🏌️♂️ Related: Best Senior Hybrid Golf Clubs
PROS
- Easy launch
- High MOI to deliver straighter shots
- Produces consistent distance
- Preserves ball speed across the clubface
- Optimal forgiveness
CONS
- Some golfers may drop carry distance and control because of its high launching nature
- Expensive for a hybrid
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TaylorMade Tour Preferred UDI
Hybrid – 23•
TaylorMade released the Tour Preferred UDI range in 2014, and it is still good enough to find a spot in Alker’s bag. I suspect he opted for the veteran club as an alternative to the driver and fairway woods off the tee at the narrowly constructed Oak Hill Country Club.
I noticed that it generates superb flexibility into impact, which bolstered my energy transfer and ball speed while lowering spin. The result is a higher launch than typical long irons, but my overall results were inconsistent, given my moderate swing speed.
In the photo of Steve’s bag, you’ll notice this particular club has a lot of lead tape covering it (shown in the middle).
As an alternative I recommend casual golfers consider the forgiving, hassle free launch of the TaylorMade Stealth Rescue.
PROS
- Launches higher than the average long iron
- Workable flight
- Superb feel
- Flexible clubface
- Impressive distance for higher swing speeds
CONS
- Limited retail availability
- Not suited to the average golfer
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Steve Alker Irons
New Level 480-TC Forged Irons
Irons (5 – PW)
New Level is not the first name that springs to mind when you think of irons for tour players, but here we are.
The Scottsdale, Arizona company only sponsors one golfer, the on-form kiwi. He uses their forged irons which carry traditional lofts and a player’s iron profile that provides added forgiveness of perimeter weighting. You may remember Steve Alker’s 20223 WITB where he used the prior 623-CB irons, which was the prior release.
In my experience, these irons best suit players with a low to mid handicap and below. They do not deliver the forgiveness of game improvement irons, but it is more than you find in the muscle backs.
PROS
- It provides more forgiveness than standard golf irons
- Traditional lofts
- Soft feel
- Crisp acoustics off the clubface
CONS
- Not forgiving enough for most golfers
- You can only source them directly through New Level or buy used
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Steve Alker Wedges
Titleist SM8 Tour Chrome Wedge
Wedge – 50°, 54°
Alker finished the PGA Tour 2022 season as the second-best senior player from the sand, getting up and down more than 63% of the time. In addition, he ranked fourth for scrambling.
He opted for the Titleist Vokey SM8 wedges to take him to glory, thanks to their feedback, acoustics, spin, and controlled ball flight.
Here’s a quick video we captured of Steve Alker practicing with his Vokey wedge.
⛳️ Related: Deciding Between SM8 vs. SM9 Golf Wedges
PROS
- Delivers controlled ball flight
- Produces rampant spin
- Buttery soft feel
- Clean turf interaction
- Compact head design
CONS
- Not many improvements from the SM7
- Reduced forgiveness
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Titleist Vokey SM9 Wedge
54° & 58°
At the Chubb Classic in February 2024, we noticed that Steve updated two of his wedges to the Titleist Vokey SM9.
The Vokey brand is among the most loved wedges on the PGA TOUR Champions. We’ve seen a lot of the SM8 and SM9 still in use.
The newer release, Vokey SM10, hasn’t dominated yet, but we anticipate seeing some of these in the near future among the pros’ bags.
PROS
- Maximizes spin with its precise and durable grooves
- One of the best wedges on the market
- Quality design
CONS
- It’s Titleist, so expect to pay a premium even as a prior release
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Steve Alker Putter
Odyssey White Hot OG Rossie Putter
Putter
Looking at Alker’s putting stats this season, it is no surprise that he dominated the money list and the silverware cabinet. The Waikato veteran claimed the honors for the best putting average and the Odyssey White Hot OG Rossie that carried him.
The moderate mallet putter head features a classy, PVD milled finish and a two-part urethane insert for a superb feel.
In addition, the added weight in the mallet head expands the sweet spot and generates consistent topspin across the insert.
PROS
- Forgiving
- Preserves topspin on all strikes
- Produces a soft feel
- High MOI to help you square the clubface at the contact
- Enlarged alignment to ensure your putter face is aiming at your target
CONS
- Not the prettiest head profile
- Moderately expensive
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Steve Alker Golf Ball
Titleist Pro V1
Golf Ball
As one of the top-ranked Senior male golfers on earth, Steven Alker likes the classics. This is evidenced by the presence of Titleist Pro V1 sleeves in his golf bag.
These legendary three-piece golf balls deliver low driver spin, prolific velocity off the tee, and superior greenside spin.
⛳️ Related: Best Golf Balls for Senior Golfers
PROS
- Low long-game spin
- Rapid ball speed
- Exceptional greenside spin
- Produces penetrating trajectory
- Soft feel
CONS
- Expensive
- Built for faster swing speeds
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Final Thoughts | Steve Alker WITB
I tip my hat off to the New Zealander for his phenomenal work ethic and never die attitude. After years of slugging it out on the Korn Ferry Tour, he has finally hit his straps at the sprightly age of 52. After completing my WITB Steven Alker review, I noticed a few key points.
Firstly, he plays a weaker-than-usual 5 wood, which has helped him dominate on long approach shots this season. Secondly, he uses irons from the relatively unknown New Level brand, which are affordable, feel soft, and provide some forgiveness.
Finally, he employs classic Titleist Vokey SM8 wedges and an Odyssey White Hot OG Rossie, which helped him get up and down with ease this year.
Enjoyed this Steven Alker WITB article? Check out some of our latest WITB articles on Justin Leonard, Steve Stricker, and Rocco Mediate.
Who is Steven Alker’s Wife?
Steven Alker has been married to Tanya Alker since 2003. The happily married couple has two children. Steven Alker recently referred to Tanya as a “Super Mum” and often pitch hits as a “taxi driver, lunch lady, teacher, supporter, rock” for the family.
Who is Steven Alker’s Caddie?
Steven Alker Caddie, Sam Workman passed away on February 6, 2023. Sam Workman was his dear friend, motivator, decision-maker, and like an older brother to Mr. Alker since they connected in 2019. His current caddie in 2024 is Troy Martin.
