Distance control, not aim, is the key to becoming a good if not great putter and consistent distance can only come from a repeatable stroke. Odyssey, Callaway Golf’s putter division has the solution with their Stroke Lab putter line.
According to Sean Toulon, Callaway’s senior vice president and general manager of Odyssey,
“These new putters epitomize what Stroke Lab is all about. Questioning the norm for the purpose of developing putters that perform substantially better to help golfers make more putts.”
With the speed of putting surfaces constantly increasing, it’s not unusual for recreational players to face Stimpmeter readings of 11 during a weekend round. On the PGA Tour, 12 is the norm and green speeds approaching 14 are not uncommon.
Putter makers are making putter heads heavier, with the thinking being that, when greens are fast the stroke doesn’t have to be as long. Part of this trend is the popularity of relatively lightweight larger grips, which means putter swing weights have gotten extremely high.
The critical factor in the Stroke Lab design was to make the shaft from graphite with a steel tip section which allowed Odyssey to reduce shaft weight by 40 grams. To keep the overall weight constant, 10 of the 40 grams were moved to the head and the remaining 30 grams were added to the grip. The shaft at 75 grams is lighter, but with a much higher resistance to twisting, which encourages a free and consistent stroke.
A testing of Stroke Lab putters showed as much as a 25% improvement in backswing length consistency, which makes the stored energy more reliable. The design helps to raise the consistency of the face angle at the end of the backswing by almost 20% so the amount of face rotation needed to be back at square at impact is more predictable.
Our Review:
The balance of the head, grip and graphite/steel shaft were great. The Tuttle model was tested extensively on and off the course. It was one of very few putters, in my experience, that didn’t require a “break-in.” There was no time wasted “getting used to it.”
From the very beginning I simply picked the line and made the stroke with instant confidence.
Did every putt go in? Of course not, but three putts are almost a thing of the past because if the first putt missed the second is close enough to be makeable…even a tap in.
Francisco Molinari putted lights out, with a Toulon Madison model, winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational making a 43-foot birdie on the 72nd hole.
Want to improve your putting? Control your distance with one of the new Odyssey Stroke Lab Putters.
