On the 30th anniversary of his professional career, we felt it necessary to cover a KJ Choi WITB review to honor his commitment to golf. Erin Blakely, Senior Golf Source founder met with the first Korean to earn a PGA Tour card.
Choi paved the way for Y.E. Yang to win the 2009 PGA Championship and Tom Kim and Sunjae Im to flourish as professionals.
Thirty years after turning pro, K.J. Choi still has a lot of golf left in him, now going into his fourth season on the senior tour. Let’s start with a quick look inside his bag.
KJ Choi WITB Quick Summary
KJ Choi Quote & Quick Facts Table
NameChoi Kyung-Ju (K.J. Choi)NicknameTankBirthdayMay, 19, 1970BirthplaceWando, South KoreaAge54Year Turned Pro1994Professional Wins33Biggest Achievements2011 Players Championship (winner)1st Korean to secure PGA Tour Card1st Korean winner on the PGA TourCareer Earnings$36,271,866Senior Ranking9
KJ Choi Driver
KJ Choi – 3 Wood
The 2011 Players Champion switches to Srixon for his 3-wood duties for workable flight, forgiveness, and more control on the landing.
Srixon focused on low and deep weighting in the head and extra clubface flex to increase ball speed and promote an easy launch off the deck for all golfers.
The Rebound Frame and Dual Flex Zones boost forgiveness off the deck, promoting consistent ball speed and a high launch.
K.J. plays a strong 13.5-degree loft to balance out the high launch profile with his apex demands. However, the average senior is better off swinging the higher lofted 15 degrees.
KJ Choi – 5 Wood
The gentleman who played T.K. Oh in Seven Days In Utopia turns to the low-spinning, workable Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke TD for 5-wood duties. Its exceptionally low spin profile better suits powerful hitters like K.J.
My group of casual golfers enjoyed greater forgiveness, higher flight, and consistency with the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max.
Besides spin and launch, the Ai Smoke TD carries an attractive compact profile, which enhances the ability to shape long approach shots into the green.
⛳️ Related: Callaway Ai Smoke Max vs Max Fast
KJ Choi – 4 Hybrid
KJ Choi – Irons
KJ Choi – Golf Wedges
The eight-time PGA Tour winner struggled as much around the greens last season as he did on approach, mustering up a 50% scrambling record.
Choi adjusted his setup towards the end of last year as a result, but the 54-degree Cleveland RTX Tour Rack is the sole survivor.
The club is fitted with a moderately bouncy sole, measuring 10 degrees.
It suits a variety of turf conditions and a neutral attack angle and generates outstanding spin. However, it lacks the forgiveness the average golfer looks for around the green.
You’ll also note from our photo that KJ likes using a lot of lead tape on his wedges.
K.J. swaps the Cleveland RTX Full-Face for the RTX Tour Rack Full-Face this season as he searches for form around the green.
He retains the same bounce profile set to a low 8 degrees, which helps him navigate underneath the ball, perfect for flop shots.
The spin is high on the RTX Tour Rack Full-Face, and it feels buttery soft when you catch the ball in the sweet spot.
However, I found his older Full-Face wedges provide more stability and forgiveness than his new addition.
⛳️ Related: Cleveland – Is it a Good Golf Manufacturer?
KJ Choi – Putter
The founder of the K.J. Choi Foundation rounds out his bag with the Odyssey White Hot OG Seven putter.
His overall putting average last year was 1.593, which was decent but only good enough for 72nd place on tour.
Choi continues to stroke the mallet putter in 2024, appreciating its gorgeous finish, stability, softness, and roll.
The key feature is the White Hot Insert, which softens each touch and generates a clean roll, resulting in limited skid off the face and optimal distance control.
On a side note, we noticed KJ carrying an extra putter during his practice rounds. So, we will be curious to see if he continues using the Odyssey White Hot OG Seven Putter throughout the 2024 season.
Final Thoughts on KJ Choi WITB
Our K.J. Choi WITB 2024 shows that he has made many changes to his setup for this season.
Choi is swinging completely different woods, hybrids, and irons to what we saw in 2023 but has retained two clubs. The Cleveland RTX Tour Rack ZipCore and Odyssey White Hot OG Seven are the sole survivors in his bag from the start of last season.
With natural talent and his desire to break age stereotypes, I anticipate his 38th win won’t be too far off in his future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does KJ Choi still play golf?
Yes, K.J. Choi still plays golf on the PGA Tour Champions. He joined the seniors tour in 2020 and has recorded 16 top tens, including one win, four runner-ups, and three third-place finishes.
Is KJ Choi married?
Yes, K.J. Choi is married to Hyunjung Kim. The couple tied the knot in 1995 and have three children together.
Who is KJ Choi’s caddy?
Matt Olsen was K.J. Choi’s caddie, and little is known about the man on the bag other than his time carrying for Adam Long back in 2019.
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WITB articles are researched before publishing. While we strive to ensure our content is accurate, there may be inaccuracies. Players may change clubs after our content is published. In addition, players may choose to use different clubs depending on the course or for other reasons. If you notice something that appears to be incorrect, please let us know here.
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