PutterZone – Best Putter Reviews
Continuing our coverage of the putter scene at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, we now report from inside the tour van of Odyssey Golf.
Now, this isn’t just another tour van. It’s a brand-new beast of a van with a deluxe interior. It has only been operational for four weeks, and the inside decor is still being finalized. It’s loaded with tools and gear to build custom clubs on the fly, and at one end there’s a lounge for chilling while you wait for your club to be finished (presuming that you’re a tour pro, of course).
We expected to see the new Odyssey Metal-X putters and Odyssey ProType putters, and they were out in full force here and at the practice green. But what we didn’t see coming was the new Odyssey Flip Face putter, a little engineering marvel that allows you to change the face of your putter without removing any parts.
Indeed, with the turn of a screw, you can flip the face around to feature either the Metal-X insert or the White Ice insert, depending on your preferences and playing conditions. While the adjustment is smooth and swift, it takes 14 built-in components to make it happen.
The Odyssey Flip Face putter is going to be a conversation starter, and perhaps an argument starter, too. Some golfers are going to call it gimmicky, but others are going to eat it up. Look for three models (Odyssey 1, 5 and 9) of the Flip Face golf putter to be available starting in April
Later, down on the practice green, we got a closer look at the Metal-X putters, courtesy of tour rep Johnny Thompson. The Metal-X insert features a dimpled aluminum plate backed by a urethane dampening layer. The insert’s oval depressions are designed to maximize the “mechanical lock” with the ball to increase friction and impart proper launch for a truer roll.
Starting at $150, the Metal-X putters boast a look, price and technology story that should combine for a retail hit in 2012.
New Odyssey putters tempt the pros at the Pebble Beach practice green:
I obviously haven't used them yet, but right off the bat I'm disappointed that really all we're picking between is 2 different inserts. Why not one side has an insert and the other is bare metal?
I also can't think of any practical reason why you'd not just pick a feel you like and then buy that putter. This isn't like adjustable drivers where you're adjusting a flight path… it's a preference in feel that likely doesn't change much over time.
Those are fair comments and questions, you're not alone. I think there's a subset of golfers who are tinkerers, and I think they're the ones who'll love it.