Tag: Odyssey

6 Last Minute Father’s Day Gift Ideas

We’re less than a week away from Father’s Day, and this year more than most is a year to celebrate what we all hope is the return of family gatherings and outdoor activities without restrictions. If you haven’t figured out what to get dear old dad on Father’s Day, here are a few last minute suggestions.

Try an Arm Lock Putter!

Let’s face it – If you are here, you and dad are probably golfers, and you both probably suck at putting. Why not try an arm lock putter? Several companies fit them and custom make them, and the style helps eliminate left wrist breakdown, which causes missed putts. I know, because I’ve switched and my putts per round stat has dropped by almost 1.5 putts in 4 months!

Odyssey has a new model called the Arm Lock 2-Ball Ten, SIK putters have a few models and a custom fitting program for those local to Orlando. I was recently fitted for my SIK (Study In Kinematics) arm lock putter and the experience was eye opening! Also, Bryson DeChambeau won the US Open with a SIK arm lock putter, and he’s statistically one of the best putters on the planet. Another great option is the Directed Force 2.1 putter from LAB Golf. LAB stands for lie angle balancing, which is a technology that prevents the face of the putter from opening and closing during the stroke. It just wants to stay square. Pair this tech with the arm lock style and you have the makings of a very accurate putter!

Recommendation: Book a fitting in Orlando with Greg Harrison from SIK golf to explore every nuance of dad’s putting stroke under a high-speed camera, and they’ll not only fix your stroke, but they’ll build you a putter to make more putts by fitting it to your new improved putting stroke. That’s a win – win if you ask me!

Walk The Course

18 months of COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions has kept many of us indoors, and that means many of us also got fat or fatter! There’s an easy fix to get rid of those extra pounds – Get out of that golf cart and walk the course! Grab one of Big Max Golf’s Dri Lite Hybrid Bags and the Cape model push cart from Walker Trolleys and you’ll be ready to go in style. You’ll get years and years of use from both because they are built like tanks!

Big Max Golf has been selling top quality golf bags and accessories in Europe for years and now they are available in the USA. The Big Max Dri Lite Hybrid stand bag fits all push & pull carts, is 100% waterproof and weighs only 4.4 pounds. That’s what I call versatility. Paired with the solidly built and classic styled Cape pushcart from Walker Trolleys, you’ll be ready for anything the golf course (and Mother Nature) can throw at you.

Cleveland RTX Full Face Wedges

Who doesn’t need new wedges? We can always use new wedges. Some PGA Tour pros get new wedges every few weeks! While we common folk don’t have the luxury of having new wedges built for us each week, once per year we can keep our short game sharp with fresh grooves and take advantage of new designs like the new Cleveland RTX Full face Wedges. These clubs feature a high-toe profile and full face grooves, along with Cleveland’s Zipcore technology to reposition the center of gravity for more spin and control. You can also custom order your wedges with several custom shafts and grips, or even personalize the paint fill and add engraving.

Let’s Go Racing!

Lexus, the official vehicle of Pebble Beach Resorts, is offering a full-day racing experience at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Dad can drive this thrilling, iconic circuit while building his driving skills and confidence – on and off the track. Summer school dates include June 25, 26 or 27, and Aug. 20, 21 or 22, 2021. Fall and winter dates are also available. The experience is $995. To order a gift certificate or to register a participant as a gift, contact the Lexus Concierge at 888-211-8522 or Concierge@LexusPerformanceDrivingSchool.com

Must Have Accessories

Most golfers wear a glove when they play, but why not ditch the boring white or black color and add some personality with something from Bender Gloves? They have all kinds of fun designs for gloves that will make you and dad stand out on the course while helping you get a grip. Check out their limited time deals before Father’s Day here: https://www.bendergloves.com/

Bushnell range finders are being used by 98% of professionals on the PGA Tour. In fact, they invented laser rangefinders for use on the golf course. To say they are the industry leader would be a bit of an understatement to say the least. With a full range of devices at every price point and technology like Elements Compensation that adjusts distances based on factors like elevation, temperature and barometric pressure, Bushnell makes the best golf rangefinders on the market. Get more info here: https://www.bushnellgolf.com/golf-laser-rangefinders/#

June 14, 2021
Best of the 2019 PGA Show
It has been just over a month since the 2019 PGA Show ended, and now that the dust has settled and we’ve had time to reflect on the week, here’s a list of what we felt were the best products or services we could find while walking the halls of the Orange County Convention Center.

Apparel

https://youtu.be/GzcQYZd0TQY

Best in Show: Original Penguin – Founded in 1955, Original Penguin was a brand launched by Munsingwear with what is thought to be the world’s first golf shirt. When the likes of President Richard Nixon, Arnold Palmer, Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope are wearing your stuff, you are obviously doing something right. Now owned by Perry Ellis International, Original Penguin is making a big comeback in golf with a line of classic designs using modern performance fabrics.

Honorable Mention: Loudmouth Golf – The mad clothing scientists at Loudmouth have been hard at work making all sorts of new stuff to help you stand out and turn heads, and not just on the golf course. If it seems like company founder Scott “Woody” Woodworth and his crew are having more fun than anyone else, it’s probably because they are. Loudmouth makes some of the flashiest garb you can find and they are rapidly expanding into the fashion and lifestyle industries.

Footwear

Best in Show: Jack Grace – The classic saddle golf shoe is back, and this small company from Arizona has given it a much-needed refresh with some innovative technology. The saddle on the Jack Grace Innovator 1.0 golf shoe is interchangeable! No longer will you be limited to the color of the shoe you bought. Now, you can buy several saddles in different colors and patterns to match your outfit as needed. It’s not only a brilliant idea, but it really works! With 3 shoe colors, more than 25 saddle colors and 25 lace colors available, you have over 1875 possible combinations. Even Imelda Marcos would approve!

Honorable Mention: Puma Golf IGNITE PROADAPT – Rickie Fowler’s new golf shoe is light, stable and loaded with technology. Cobra/Puma Golf is quickly re-establishing itself as a major player in golf and is cutting into Callaway and Taylor Made’s market share, and they are doing it with a solid lineup of damn good looking and performing clubs, apparel and accessories.

Drivers & Fairways
Best in Show: Cobra KING F9 Speedback – This driver is hot. Period. I think was probably the most talked about driver at the PGA Demo Day at Orange County National’s massive circular range. Like many modern drivers, it looks cool, is adjustable and loaded with tech. The KING F9 Speedback driver already has already garnered several professional wins in the hands of Rickie Fowler, Bryson DeChambeau and Lexi Thompson. The scary thing is, the matching fairways are just as good…

Honorable Mention: PING G410 – The two biggest names in golf are missing from this list for good reason. While their newest offerings are good, I feel they missed the mark slightly compared to Cobra and PING. The massive success of the PING G400 (2018’s number one driver) carries over into the PING G410 driver, with more adjustability for fine tuning and some new shaft options for better fitting. We’ll be testing this one soon so stay tuned!

Honorable Mention: Lynx Golf Prowler VT – Adjustability in drivers isn’t new. Every major manufacturer now makes adjustable drivers, but Lynx is doing it differently with an interchangeable face! Now you can adjust the loft of your driver by simply changing out faceplates, and it won’t affect the lie or face angle. Brilliant! The Lynx Prowler VT driver will arrive in the US in June or July.

Irons & Wedges

Best in Show: New Level Golf – Only a small, privately owned company could put out irons that look this cool and perform as well as they do. Founder Eric Burch’s motto for New Level Golf is “Small company, big impact” and it fits, because his designs certainly made a big impact on me when I saw them in my buddy Tony’s bag at Bandon Dunes last July. I’ve been a fan of New Level ever since, and with the introduction of their new 623 irons, my lust for these awesome forged and CNC milled beauties is only growing.

Honorable Mention: Indi Golf Wedges – For years I’ve been begging golf club manufacturers to develop non-conforming clubs for recreational golfers. Indi Golf is one of the few that have actually done it. The Indi Golf Stingray wedges are available in both conforming and non-conforming models and in 2 finishes. Not only do they look and feel great, but they perform great too. If you want to add more spin to your short game, you’ll want to try the Indi Stingray wedge.

Putters

Best in Show: Odyssey Stroke Lab Putters – Odyssey Golf has been around for a long time, and they continue to innovate and make some of the best performing putters on the market. Odyssey Stoke Lab putters combine a lighter steel/graphite shaft with weights in the head and the grip and a new White Hot microhinge insert to produce a series of putters that enhance tempo and feel of the stroke. There are six mallets and four blades to choose from, fitted with either a pistol or oversize grip.

Honorable Mention: Sacks Parente Putters – Steve Sacks has spent a lifetime in golf and pioneered the concept of an ultra-low balance point in putters. Using 35g graphite shafts and grips that weigh less than half what a normal grip does, he can place the balance point of his putters at 5 inches or less from the sole, making the putter more stable, easier to swing and helping transmit more feel. All this tech doesn’t come cheap, however. Sacks Parente putters match performance with price.

Rangefinders

Co-Best in Show: Bushnell Pro XE – Bushnell Golf has taken last year’s excellent Pro X2 rangefinder and gave it a brain. The new Bushnell Pro XE rangefinder now automatically considers altitude and temperature as well as slope when measuring distance in a mode they call “Slope with Elements.” The feature can be turned off for tournament play. The Pro XE is also waterproof and accurate within +/- one yard at up to 500 yards, and has built-in magnets to stick it to the post on golf carts or anything else metallic. With new tech also comes a new price, and this one will have an MSRP of $549. The Pro EX comes out in late March 2019. Go to https://www.bushnellgolf.com / for more info.

Co-Best in Show: Nikon COOLSHOT PRO STABILIZED – In a nutshell, Nikon took the image stabilization technology from their professional camera lenses and stuffed it into a laser rangefinder, making it super easy to lock on to your target, even with one hand. Combine that with slope adjustment, a claimed accuracy to 3/4 of a yard inside of 700 yards, and super fast measurement speed and it make the Nikon Coolshot Pro Stabilized a co-best in show winner. MSRP – $449

Honorable Mention: SkyCaddie SX500 – Sporting a bright and large (for golf GPS) 5″ color screen, the SkyCaddie SX500 takes golf GPS to the next level. Pre-loaded with over 35,000 courses and wifi connectivity, you can always keep it up to date with the latest software updates and course maps. Available for $399 with a 1-year subscription.

Accessories & Misc

Best in Show: Big Max Golf Blade IP Push Cart – Austrian company Big Max Golf dominates the European market for “trolleys” or push carts as we call them in the USA. Weighing in at only 6.5 pounds and folding nearly flat, the flagship Big Max Blade IP push cart is simply the best push cart available in my opinion. It folds and unfolds in seconds and has a whole line of accessories to customize it to your specific needs. MSRP – $329 direct.

Honorable Mention: Click Caddie – Sometimes a product comes to market that makes you do a double take, scratch your head and say “Why didn’t I think of that??” Devices like this have probably been thought up by many people, but only the guys at Click Caddie were able to bring it to life. This simple little device fits in the golf ball holder of almost every golf cart out there and holds your phone or GPS securely with silicone straps or the built-in magnet. Simple, right? Sometimes we get lost in a sea of technology at the PGA Show and miss simple but brilliant ideas like this one. I’m glad I discovered these guys. Not everything has to cost $400 or more to be useful. The Click Caddie sells for $24.95 on Amazon.

https://youtu.be/bsaGzqYApek
March 9, 2019
Cleveland Golf Introduces New TFI Smart Square Putter

Cleveland Golf/Srixon have been a little quiet lately, and their focus has shifted a bit in the last year. Cleveland has always been known as a wedge company, and they are focusing more on that this season and allowing Srixon to be the main club company for a change. But Cleveland has put out some nice putters also, and the new TFI Smart Square is their new flagship flat stick. Here are some excerpts from the press release introducing the new putter.

Cleveland® Golf , the leader in short game innovation for players of all abilities, is pleased to introduce the new TFI Smart Square® putter. The TFI (True Feel Innovation) Smart Square putter is the most advanced putter that the company has ever created. The tour-inspired design features a milled, copper-infused face cap over a copolymer insert for the ultimate in feel and consistency. The combination of materials allows for immediate feedback from sound and feel when striking the ball, while the putter’s copolymer insert creates soft feel and consistent speed across the club face. The TFI Smart Square putter, which features Smart Square alignment technology, couples a High Density Stabilizing Wing with a Low Density Aluminum Body resulting in increased head MOI for greater stability and minimal distance loss on off-center hits.

Smart Square Alignment Technology

Following intensive research into the most successful putters of all time and what golfers focus on when they align a putt, the new TFI Smart Square putter, along with its highly successful predecessors the Smart Square Blade and Mallet putters, incorporates alignment technology that has proven to be the most advanced – and simplest – that Cleveland Golf has ever created.

The key to the Smart Square technology is Dual Axis Alignment®. Two squares create parallel lines that frame the ball at address and provide a clear visual path to the hole. They also generate two perpendicular lines that easily highlight when the putter is misaligned – even by a fraction of a degree. Cleveland Golf’s testing shows players aligned Smart Square putters 23% more accurately than one of the most popular putters of all time.

In case you didn’t figure it out, the putter they are referring to is the Odyssey Two-Ball. But anyway, let’s see some photos of the TFI Smart Square!

April 23, 2015
SuperStroke Flatso Putter Grips

Back in 2007 while struggling with my putting I decided to take drastic measures and install a huge, weird-looking new putter grip called SuperStroke. It felt about as fat as a baseball bat, had a reverse taper design and it attached to the shaft of my putter using set screws, a couple of tap screws and some epoxy to make it a “permanent” install and allowable under USGA rules. Using this funny looking grip all summer, I went on to win 7 of 10 tournaments on the fledgling Golf Channel Amateur Tour in Orlando, earning Player of the Year honors in the Championship Flight.

The SuperStroke brand has come a long way since the early days of the screw-on grip that destroyed your putter shaft. They have a complete line of putter grips for all kinds of putters in many different sizes. All of their grips are now installed using the more conventional method of grip tape and solvent, and they are widely used on the professional tours all over the world. The television exposure SuperStroke gets with players like Jason Dufner and Jordan Speith has helped the company grow fast.

I have about 6 or 7 putters fitted with SuperStroke grips, and often when I get a new putter the first thing I do is rip off the stock grip and replace it with a SuperStroke Ultra Slim – my model of choice. But there is a new sheriff in town. It’s called the Flatso. Some people prefer a grip that has a more pronounced flat part on top, and it seems SuperStroke heard these people and created the Flatso line.

The SuperStroke Flatso grips feature a unique pentagonal shape with a distinct flat top. They have three different models, including the Flatso 1.7, Flatso Mid 1.4 and the Flatso Ultra 1.1. The numbers indicate the grip width in inches. The grips weight 100, 60 & 85 grams, respectively. All three models share the same soft, tacky feel and solid construction of all SuperStroke grips, and they are sure to be a big hit for players that like a less rounded shape and prefer the feel of an enlarged flat section on top. I think the Flatso Mid 1.4 will be the best option for most golfers, as it seems to be just the right size for most hands and is also the lightest.

The SuperStroke Flatso grips are sold individually at many golf retailers and cost around $25. Some OEMs have also started offering their putters with various SuperStroke grips pre-installed. I know Odyssey Golf has done well with SuperStroke grips on the Versa models. My current “gamer” is an Odyssey Versa Black #9 with a SuperStroke Ultraslim 1.0, but the Flatso 1.1 may soon be going on it!

August 29, 2014
Cleveland Smart Square Putter

Cleveland Golf is taking a shot at one of the most popular putters in history with a new spin on the tour proven design. Odyssey’s legendary Two-Ball putter is still in use by many, but they say that they have come up with something better in the new Cleveland Smart Square putter. We took a close look at it before it is released to the public on November 15, 2013.

The first thing I noticed was the obvious square design on the top of the putter. By using squares instead of circles, Cleveland claims that players aim the Smart Square putter 23% more accurately than the two ball design. The second thing you’ll notice is the color. It is a matte black with white paint fill that stands in sharp contrast with my white (or sometimes yellow) golf balls. It has a pretty standard looking mallet style head and double bend shaft to make it face balanced. This balance encourages a full release of the putter during the stroke and helps keep the face square through impact. The grip is a common Winn type with a soft and tacky feel.

Most new putters I get start out by rolling balls on my putting green at home, aka my office carpet which stimps at about 11. I then take them out to the course for a few rounds and some putting green sessions. My takeaway is that the Copolymer face insert gives the putter a nice feel, with the impact feeling firm but muted with a nice sound and low vibration. The insert is similar to competing putters on the market, but feels slightly firmer and the ball doesn’t spring off the face like some other inserts. It’s just right in my opinion.

Aiming properly is this putter’s raison d’etre, and the key for Cleveland is the Dual Axis Alignment feature. The two squares provide parallel lines the frame the ball at address, and the perpendicular lines help to show if the putter face is misaligned at address. As mentioned before, Cleveland Golf testing shows players aligned the Smart Square 23% more accurately than the Odyssey Two Ball Putter. Although they don’t mention it by name, we know that’s the putter they are talking about.

The Cleveland Smart Square putter will be available in three different variations. The standard heel shafted model and center shafted models will be available in lengths from 33″ to 35″, and there will also be a 39″ model with a heavier 400 gram head and heavy grip for a counter balanced feel. In my experience, the counter balanced design is worth trying out. I really like the way a counterbalanced putter swings.

The Cleveland Smart Square putter is a simple idea that makes plenty of sense. The putter rolls the ball very well and should be easy to align. The matte black paint job will not be distracting in the sun and should hold up to regular use. MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) for the standard models is $139.99 and $179.99 for the 39″ model, but street pricing may be a bit lower than that. The Smart Square putter hits stores on November 15, 2013. For more info, visit http://www.clevelandgolf.com/smartsquareputter/ and check out the video below.

October 7, 2013
Odyssey BackStryke Putter Review

Callaway Golf’s putter division – Odyssey Golf – has been making putters for some time. They have gained a huge following with amateurs and professionals all over the world with their popular putting instruments. As the modern golf ball has evolved from a wound construction to a 2 piece, 3 piece and 4 piece design, they have also become harder and harder. To counteract this trend, Odyssey started making putters with inserts in the face to provide a softer feel. While they were not the only manufacturer to make insert putters, Odyssey’s inserts were the best feeling, and they quickly rose to the top of the very competitive putter market.

The design of putters hasn’t changed much over the years, and despite the new and funky designs we see every year, most people still use the more traditional shapes and styles. Having said that, Odyssey has thrown caution to the wind with the introduction of the new BackStryke series of putters. Let’s take a look at these interesting new putters and see if they live up to the hype. As we first talked about in our First Look at the BackStryke, their are 3 main design features on these putters – Visible Face Alignment, Forward Press Stabilization and Stroke Balance. The video below gives us a brief overview of these features.

Technology & Features

1. Visible Face Alignment

With the BackStryke, Odyssey has moved the point at which the shaft enters the head to the back of the club, rather than the traditional position near the face. The result is a putter that affords the player an unobstructed view of the leading edge of the putter, making alignment easier. Combine this look with the very popular 2-ball alignment feature and you have a putter that is very easy to square up to the target line. The other two models feature alignment lines that give a different look, but still make it easy to line up your putts.

2. Forward Press Stabilization

The forward press has always been a textbook key to good putting. A forward press putting stroke is one in which the hands are pressed forward of the ball before making a stroke, promoting solid contact and truer roll. Recently the forward press has been reborn, with putting legend and teacher Dave Stockton working with Phil Mickelson before the masters and re-emphasizing Phil’s forward press move. The position and angle of the shaft with the BackStryke putters helps promote a forward press hand position.

3. Stroke Balance

Most putters on the market are of the “toe hang” variety, which means that when held from the shaft, the balance of the head makes it hang with the toe down. Some putters are face balanced, which when held from the shaft results in the face of the putter remaining parallel with the ground. This helps make the putter more stable on off center hits. With the BackStryke putters from Odyssey, the putter is balanced along the stroke path. In practice, this results in a putter that doesn’t like to open or close during the putting stroke.

Appearance
Odyssey has always pushed the envelope when it comes to design, so it's not surprising that they've come up with some odd looking putters over the years. The BackStryke putters are no exception. Because the shaft goes into the back of the head rather than near the face, this creates an unconventional look. Many people will be familiar with the 2-Ball model, as it looks a lot like the other 2-ball models. The Marxsman and Blade models are different, with black and white alignment lines. If you are one of those players out there that doesn't like center shafted putters because the shaft distracts you and makes it harder to line up, you may like the BackStryke line. The putters feature Odyssey's new White Ice insert, which to me is a step back in time to the feel and responsiveness of the original White Hot insert from several years back. The finish is slightly darker than the standard White Ice putters, which creates more contrast between the white insert and alignment features and the rest of the putter. The grip is the familiar Winn pistol style.
Performance & Feel
I'll be honest, my thoughts on this putter (my test unit was the 2-Ball model) has been like a stormy relationship. It's been up and down. When I first saw them at the 2010 PGA Merchandise show, I thought they looked cool and seemed to roll the ball well. When I first got my demo unit from the folks at Callaway/Odyssey, I was a little skeptical. After rolling about 50 putts in my living room over several days, it didn't impress me. To be fair and thorough with my review I had to play with it for at least 18 holes, so I took it out to Eagle Creek Golf Club in Orlando, FL. Again, after rolling a few on the practice green, I didn't feel comfortable enough to game it right away. The look and feel when making a putting stroke was just awkward to me. After playing 7 holes I was 3 over par and struggling with my regular putter, so with nothing to lose I pulled out the BackStryke and put it in the game for the rest of the day. I told myself to just trust it, and the results were stunning. With the BackStryke coming off the bench, I proceeded to make seven birdies on the remaining 11 holes, including a 45 foot snake on the 15th hole. I just missed a five footer on 18 for birdie that would have made it 8 for 11.
When it comes to this putter, it's true that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. The look and setup takes time to get familiar with for sure. It's been 36 holes and I'm just now becoming comfortable with the BackStryke. I'm used to the face of a putter opening as the putter swings back, returning to square at impact, and closing slightly on the through swing in a traditional arc shape. With the stroke balance feature of this putter, it tends to want to remain square to the line as I make my back swing, making me believe my stroke is off. It took me several putts to realize this and determine that it is actually what is supposed to happen. I also have a tendency to have my hands slightly behind the ball at address with this type of putter, but once I committed to make a slight forward press my results improved dramatically. If you can see the face insert at address, make a slight forward press until it disappears. This is the ideal position to get the best roll from this putter. The feel is very much like the original White Hot inserts, with the ball popping off the face with some energy. The previous White Hot XG insert was much too mushy for my taste. The new White Ice insert has added more resilience for that extra pop, but retained a soft, controlled feel. The 2-Ball model I had also makes a slight pinging noise at impact, which many players like for auditory feedback. While it is heavy and has a large head for forgiveness, the sound and feel of the putter provide great feedback, and the player can tell right away if a solid putt was hit.
Specs & Pricing
The Three models available in the BackStryke series (2-Ball, Marxman and Blade) all come standard with 3 degrees of loft, 69 degree lie and 355g head weight. I have noticed that Odyssey's putters tend to sit flatter than most. 70 degrees is usually a putter's standard lie angle. The putters are available in 33", 34" and 35" lengths. For the lefties out there, the only model available for you currently is the Marxman. Street price so far is around $199.
Overall Impressions
The Odyssey Backstryke putters are a bit like a late night infomercial. You want to look away, but somehow you are draw to it like a moth to a flame. At first glance, I didn't want to put it in play and didn't really trust it when I did, but after I got past the odd setup and unfamiliar way it swings, I started making putts in bunches. This putter is heavy, solid and likes to swing square to square. The key to the BackStryke is to just use it the way it was designed. If you use a forward press style, you should try this baby. If you fight it, you'll have trouble getting any confidence with it. The design of the BackStryke putters is new, innovative and it certainly won't be for everyone. Traditionalists and players with a hands-back setup like Zach Johnson probably won't like it. However, I think Odyssey really has something with this putter, and I'm certainly a believer!
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May 27, 2010
First Look! – Odyssey Backstryke Putters

Odyssey Backstryke Marxman and 2-Ball

Odyssey Golf has been one of the market leaders in putters for a long time. Their position at the top of the equipment ladder was cemented with the introduction of the 2-Ball Putter back in 2001. For 2010, Odyssey has come up with a who new line of putters called the Backstryke, and they are sure to attract attention with their innovative new design features. Update: May 27, 2010 –> For the full review of these putters, click here!

To paraphrase the press release, Backstryke putters offer a combination of benefits designed to improve the way players align, stroke and roll the ball. Austie Rollinson, Principal Designer for Odyssey adds “The shaft lean found in Backstryke encourages a forward press putting style used by many of the great players in the game. The way the shaft enters the putter head creates a unique balance, a pleasing, almost elegant look, and also makes it easier to align the putter with the ball. Backstryke is a bona fide triple threat.”

Rolling the Backstryke Blade

So what’s all the fuss about? The Backstryke putters feature visible face alignment that allows players to clearly see if the face is aligned square to the target because the shaft doesn’t impede your view like a traditional putter. Indeed, in my testing of the Backstryke 2-Ball at the PGA Show in Orlando, I found it very easy to align the putter without the shaft in my line of sight.

Osyssey Backstryke Blade

The Backstryke’s Forward press Stabilization allows the golfer to use a hands-forward position without de-lofting the putter head, thus promoting a slightly upward stroke on the ball. The shaft leans slightly forward at address simply because of the fact that it enters the head of the putter in the back. A slight forward press helps keep the leading arm in line with the shaft and prevents the wrists from breaking down. At least that’s the intent.

The Backstryke putters also feature Odyssey’s new White Ice multi-layer insert. Most casual observers would simply remark that it looks and feels just like the old White Hot insert from several years back, and in my opinion the new insert feels very similar to that old insert. Since the original White Hot insert was hugely popular, it would make sense that Odyssey would want to go back to it. They have actually improved on the insert by making it with an inner core that is 19.6% firmer for better feel and 92% stiffer for better resiliency. Golf balls were softer several years ago when the original white hot was on the market. They have since gotten harder and putter companies made softer inserts to compensate. This new White Ice insert finds a nice balance of feel and pop for the new line, and is in all the Backstryke models and a new line of White Ice Putters.

From my initial testing indoors, these new Backstryke putters should be a hit with some golfers, while traditionalists will likely shy away from the radical design. There are three models available. The Blade, Marxman and 2-Ball. The release date for the new Backstryke putters is April 15, 2010 and the MSRP is $199. UPDATE – Check out our full review of the BackStryke putters here!

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January 30, 2010