For adaptive golfer Chaz Bowker, after finishing T14 overall and T2 in the Short Stature division of the 2024 U.S. Adaptive Open, his career has been on the up-and-up, and it’s been sent even higher thanks to a recent partnership with Callaway Golf.
Bowker sat with host Johnny Wunder for this week’s episode of GOLF’s Fully Equipped to talk about his journey through adaptive golf and his partnership with Callaway, which was announced in April.
Wunder got to know Bowker when he was working at Callaway and Bowker was getting introduced to the brand.
“I’m happy to be paired up with them, spreading awareness for adaptive golf,” Bowker said. “And I would honestly think it was probably that night that I saw you and within that week, I started talking to everybody at Callaway and they just wanted to start working with me. And ever since then, it was set in stone.”
As part of his role as a Callaway ambassador, Bowker works with the team at the Ely Callaway Performance Center (ECPC) in Carlsbad, Calif. to get his set up dialed in.
“It was like a dream come true, being able to see a facility like that and seeing all the behind-the-scenes of how the ball is made, how the clubs are made, the testing and all that,” Bowker said. “And then once going down the ECPC and having my fitting time, it was exciting because at first when they saw my clubs that I was playing, they go, ‘who did this?’ And I said, ‘I did.’
“We’re looking at it. I found a way to play this game and this is the way I’m doing it. And the guys in the tour department said, let’s build you something right.”
Bowker, who likes to find what works and stick with it, said he now plays the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond Tour Draw driver with a Mitsubishi Vanquish shaft and an Elyte Ti 3-wood with the same shaft.
Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond Tour Draw Custom Driver
Draw It Like a Pro
The all-new Elyte Triple Diamond Tour Draw is designed for better golfers who desire to turn the ball over from right to left and prefer a more compact, tour-proven head shape.
Features the same shape and specifications of the popular Triple Diamond model.
The Elyte TD positions slightly more weight heel-ward to enhance a golfer’s ability to turn the ball over compared to Triple Diamond model.
Game-Changing Technologies of Elyte
Shaped for Speed: The all-new Elyte Triple Diamond shape provides enhanced aerodynamics for elite speed throughout the entire golf swing.
Thermoforged Carbon Crown: This aerospace grade carbon fiber enables a low CG for optimal launch and spin.
Ai 10x Face: Our most advanced Ai face to date, the new Ai10x Face enhances speed, spin, and dispersion across the entire face.
The bag then starts to get interesting with a 5-wood, 7-wood, followed by a 5-hybrid in place of a 5-iron. Instead of a 6-iron, Bowker was fitted for a Callaway Elyte 11-wood.
“I had a problem hitting the ball high with my 5 and 6-irons, so we found a way to get that ball up,” Bowker said. “And I thought it was the right move, so we did that.”
Bowker has Callaway Apex Ai200 irons in the 7-PW, but his bag setup is just another example of why getting fit can lead to a much easier time shooting lower scores.
Jack Hirsh is the Associate Equipment Editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.
