Odyssey began making putters in 1991 with the Rossie, and by 1997, became the sport’s top brand, leading innovations like the Tank and Stroke Lab. Recently, artificial intelligence has contributed to new models, promising enhanced performance. In 2016, Odyssey introduced the Toe-Up putter, designed to maintain face squareness throughout the stroke, though it had limited popularity.
Fast forward to 2018, and the lie angle balance putter gained traction, especially LAB putters with their unique designs.
Now, Odyssey returns with three models in the Odyssey Ai-One Square 2 Square range. Today, I’m testing the DW (Double Wide) model, featuring a blade-like head.
- RELATED: Introducing the Odyssey Ai-One Square 2 Square Putters: The Revolution is Here!
- RELATED: Odyssey Ai-One Square 2 Square #7 Putter Review.
- RELATED: LAB Direct Force 2.1 Putter Review
Odyssey Ai-One Square 2 Square Double Wide Putter Review : NCG Summary
NCG SUMMARY
The dark blue PVD finish certainly makes this look a premium option. And with Ai assistance and the Stroke Lab shaft, allied to the new Square 2 Square technology, this putter certainly packs a punch.
The Square 2 Square technology does take some getting used to, but is certainly worth a try for anyone who wants to improve their putting stats, and that’s probably most of us.
PROS
- Packed full of tech.
- Forgiving head still offers feedback.
- Tech promotes stable stroke.
CONS
- Lacks alignment assistance.
Odyssey Ai-One Square 2 Square Double Wide Putter Review: First Impressions
At first glance, this putter takes some getting use to. Granted, the head itself looks good with the dark blue PVD (for Physical Vapour Deposition) finish, but the way the shaft enters the head is, no pun intended, a little off-putting. This, however, is the whole point of this type of putter in that the axis of the shaft points the centre of mass of the head. This in turn helps to promote a squarer face throughout the stroke, leading, in theory, to more holed putts.
Don’t forget that you have the Ai head which is designed to minimise the effects of off-centre strikes, and you also have the Stroke Lab 90 shaft with 20-30 grams of counterbalance weight in the grip end, to aid distance control. So what could possibly go wrong? Let’s head out onto the course to find out.
Odyssey Ai-One Square 2 Square Double Wide Putter Review: NCG Review
As an ageing golfer who is clinging on to Category 1 status with a handicap of 4.1, I regard myself as an average putter. Historically I have mostly used a toe-hang putter of the Anser/Newport style, with an opening/closing stroke, much like Tiger Woods in his prime. But I’m always on the lookout for assistance. For a while I used a Yes! putter with a heavy shaft, and I still have a couple of Odyssey Tank putters with heavy heads and counterbalanced weight in the grips. What I like about these models is that I’m using a good-looking putter and look like a proper golfer, while secretly getting some technological support.
Advertisement
I want to emphasize that while this putter may not win any beauty contests, its performance speaks for itself! I shared it with several friends at my home club, and we all agreed that its effectiveness holds the real value. So if you’re looking for a visually stunning putter, this might not be your first choice. However, if you’re focused on functionality, this could be just what you need!
Furthermore, when you first put it behind a ball to hit a putt, it seems to aim well to the left. But if you read some of the background information, you will see that there is 3.3′ of forward shaft lean which pre-sets your hands in a forward press position, and that small move of shifting your hands forward makes everything look so much better.
Once I’d got my setup sorted, the aim also normalized. My personal preference is to have an aiming line on the flange of the putter but in this DW there is just a small aiming mark at the top of the face. I would have preferred a bit more assistance here. And the two other putters in the Square 2 Square stable, the No.7 Fang putter and the Jailbird, both offer aiming help, albeit in slightly different ways.
But, dear reader, if you’ve got this far, I have some good news. I found that a normal putting stroke with the Double Wide felt particularly stable and straightforward. It really did feel as though the face wanted to remain square. And although our greens had just been hollow tined, I generally achieved and end over end ball roll on just about every putt – indicating a square strike.
Advertisement
What I also really liked was the White Hot urethane insert. This gave excellent feedback so I could tell where I’d struck the ball on the club face, but it was also incredibly forgiving so that (mostly deliberate) off-centre hits lost hardly any distance. I guess the Ai technology is playing a part here. So, distance control was a strong feature of this putter.
Where I did struggle a bit was on those 10-15 foot putts with lots of break, where alignment is so crucial. Conversely, I found shorter, straighter putts to be relatively simple.
The putter also comes with a nice thick grip as standard. I am sure there will be custom options but I don’t have those details yet. There’s also a leather-look premium head cover with magnetic closure to keep your putter well protected.
Advertisement
The Details
Available: Pre-Sale Nov 15th / Product At Retail Nov 29th
RRP: $299.99 / £289
Shaft lengths: 34 or 35
Grip: Odyssey
Models: Double Wide / #7 / Jailbird
More information: Callaway UK / Callaway US
Advertisement
