GOLF.AI • Sep 12, 2026

Player as Designer: Akshay's Shoe

Long before the TravisMathew "Modern Tour" shoe hit the shelves, PGA Tour winner Akshay Bhatia was deep in the trenches, serving as its lead product designer and R&D tester. Throughout his season, Bhatia wore a 'mystery shoe' in the heat of competition, providing invaluable, real-world feedback to build the final product from the ground up.

This wasn't a casual testing session on the range; it was high-stakes research. Bhatia trusted his performance in golf's biggest events, including the Masters and the U.S. Open, to a prototype. He wore custom-designed versions of the still-unreleased shoe, turning major championships into the ultimate proving ground for comfort, stability, and performance.

This collaborative process highlights the symbiotic relationship between a modern tour pro and their equipment sponsor. "The team and I worked closely throughout the entire process, testing and refining each detail," Bhatia noted. The story of his season offers a tangible look at a product's journey from a lab concept to a tour-validated piece of gear, demystifying how brands use their top athletes not just for marketing, but for critical product development.