Bullied golf champion Steve Alderson hopes to become a beacon for others living with autism

Steven Alderson says he fell in love with golf at the age of seven and is now a household name in international golf. The 44-year-old South Australian made global headlines for becoming the first autistic champion on the Golf for the Disabled Tour.

Nicknamed "Spud" for his potato-heavy diet, Alderson is a local celebrity at his beloved Willunga Golf Club. He has spent countless hours honing his skills there since childhood. "I would actually get on the school bus in my golf gear ... come here to play golf, and when the bus was ready to go home, I'd get on the bus and go home," Alderson told the ABC.

Willunga Golf Club members Ella and David Kairl, who have known Alderson virtually his entire life and are often considered his "other mum and dad," say they have always been amazed by his passion and dedication to the sport. "He'd be here at 6 o'clock in the morning and he'd still be here at 8 o'clock at night," David Kairl said. "He just hits and hits and hits, and that's why he's so good."

That success culminated in the 2024 season. Alderson and his best friend and caddie, Trent Blucher, travelled the world to play on the G4D Tour, a series of golf tournaments for people with disabilities. After victories in Spain and Dubai, Alderson made international headlines for becoming the first autistic person to win on the tour. In a post-victory interview that went viral, Alderson confessed that he had suffered years of bullying growing up, even at some golf clubs. The positive response that followed surprised him. "I didn't really know what to think, I just opened my phone and my phone just blew up," he said. "I just said to Trent, 'I'm trending everywhere.' I had people messaging me saying they've got autistic kids or autistic brothers and they've watched my video and it's made them feel happier in life."

The self-described "mischief maker," who was only diagnosed with autism about 10 years ago, says he grew up in a time when there was confusion about the condition. "(It) was really, really hard because we didn't know what autism was," he said. "A lot of doctors told my parents that they were bad parents and that I was a bad kid." The Kairls echoed that sentiment, saying they only understood Alderson's challenges later in life. "A lot of people didn't understand autism, we didn't understand," Ella Kairl said. "We just thought he was a grumpy little redhead." Alderson says he often let his temper get the better of him on the course, resulting in multiple suspensions from the club. However, Willunga Golf Club president Brad Steele says the club has been working to understand autism and how to help Alderson manage his outbursts. "A lot of the members don't really understand some of the difficulties he has, and he loves golf so much, when things aren't going his way, he needs to deal with those things," Steele said. "As a club, we've done a lot of work in the last 18 months to two years to try and understand more about 'Spud' and his disability. We're incredibly proud of him, and happy that he's enjoying his time here at Willunga."

Alderson's recent experiences on the G4D Tour have also helped him learn valuable life skills that once overwhelmed him, such as riding crowded trains in Dubai or navigating busy international airports for the first time. He says he hopes his success on the golf course can provide guidance for others living with autism. "If I can help other people in the world with autism or just a disability, I'm happy to do that," he said. "Just follow their dreams, and if someone tells them that they can't do it ... go out there and show them that they're wrong." Blucher says Alderson has handled the attention well over the past few months, and he hopes the success can continue. "The truth is, he's absolutely loving it," Blucher said. "I've been watching him since it went viral ... just to make sure he's not overwhelmed — but he's loving it. His story is genuine and authentic, but the attention he's getting is genuine. People are thanking him for sharing his story."

The story continues into 2025, with Alderson already having claimed another trophy at an all-abilities event in Perth. He was also recognised on Australia Day, being named the City of Onkaparinga's Athlete of the Year.