The Loop

Odyssey breaking mold on putter shapes again--twice

January 07, 2014
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More than a decade after it first introduced one of golf's most non-traditional putter shapes--the now-iconic 2-Ball--Odyssey is shape-shifting again with two new models that make the 2-Ball seem sedate by comparison.

The top-selling putter brand in golf will expand its offerings with two high moment of inertia (MOI) mallets that incorporate its White Hot face insert. The insert is laser cut to insure more uniform flatness and consistency. The White Hot Pro Havok features a large, open frame design that stretches more than four inches front to back and features an MOI of better than 6,500 (grams/centimeters squared to improve performance on heel and toe misses.

The second mallet, the Versa Jailbird, also features an open frame design with an MOI of nearly 5,300. It employs the contrasting black and white pattern seen on the rest of the Versa line, which grew from Odyssey research that shows the eye focuses on crisp edges and contrast. The striped look (like an old-time convict's clothes, hence the name) is designed to improve a player's perception of face angle at address.

Both the Havok ($160) and Jailbird ($170) were introduced to tour players at the Sony Open this week in Hawaii. They are expected to be at retail January 17.

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