Odyssey's all-new Ai-One Square 2 Square putters are new to the marketplace, but don't think for a second that "zero torque" is unfamiliar territory for the putter manufacturer.
Go back several years and you'll find Backstryke and Toe Up, two Odyssey creations designed around similar concepts that never quite landed with Tour pros and recreational golfers at the time of release. Not every idea is a hit the first go-around.
With L.A.B Golf, in particular, enjoying immense success in the zero torque space, Odyssey began to consider the idea of creating a version of its own to go head-to-head against the competition. The end result is Ai-One Square 2 Square, a putter lineup built around three models (Double Wide, #7 and Jailbird) where the center of gravity is positioned directly under the shaft axis. The design reduces head twisting and makes it easier to return the face to square with minimal effort.
Hence the name: Square 2 Square.
"We are reentering this category," Odyssey Tour rep Cody Hale told Golf Digest. "We had Backstryke and Toe Up, but they were ahead of the technology curve. You're now seeing the trend reemerge in a big way. We've developed a couple of new putters sort of around the same idea to meet elevated interest. It's the hottest trend on Tour right now."
To achieve the toe-up design, Odyssey positioned the shaft directly behind the topline, along the flange, to maintain the same look golfers have come to expect from the popular Double Wide, #7 and Jailbird.
Built-in forward press (3.3 degrees) promotes a forward shaft lean that puts the hands in a preset forward press position to reduce the potential for an open face at impact.
"For players that struggle with face rotation or face impact, this gives them the ability to let the putter swing and, for lack of a better word, keep it on plane and swing itself," Hale said.
Similar to the current Ai-One, the contours found on the back side of the urethane insert, added with the help of Artificial Intelligence, make it possible for putts to wind up 21 percent closer to the hole on off-center strikes. (The claim is based on recent robotic testing Odyssey conducted.)
Odyssey's Ai-One Square 2 Square putters retail for $299.99 and come stock with a light steel shaft featuring 20-30 grams (based on the grip) of weight situated in the butt end for a counterbalanced feel.
