Equipment

Is Rory’s Odyssey Putter Coming to Retail?

Published

7 years ago

Apr 18, 2017

Rory McIlroy has made more equipment changes than any other top player on the PGA Tour this season, but one club he’s stuck with has been a prototype Odyssey putter. And since the 27-year-old started using the putter early this year, it has has been both literally and figuratively a secret.

3T_Sole

As Odyssey does with several of its prototype models, the sole is engraved with question marks to highlight its prototype nature. And out of respect for McIlroy’s current status as an equipment free agent — the No. 2-ranked golfer in the world says he’s playing without an endorsement deal from any equipment manufacturer — neither Odyssey or its parent company Callaway is commenting on what clubs he’s currently using.

3T_Cavity

That brings us to this week, where we spotted new Odyssey prototype putters on the putting green of the Valero Texas Open, one of which looked almost identical to the prototype putter McIlroy is using. It’s called the 3T, and appears to be a new model in the O Works line Odyssey unveiled earlier this year. While the putter is black, it seems to have the same shape and size as McIlroy’s prototype, and also uses Odyssey’s new Micro-Hinge insert, which the company says helps putts roll more true.

3T_Address

So is Rory’s Odyssey putter coming to retail? A Callaway representative says that the 3T, as well as the other Odyssey putters we spotted in Texas, are just prototypes for now. If it did, however, it’s safe to say that a lot of golfers would buy one.

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25 Comments

Darryl

Apr 20, 2017 at 7:53 am

Things you should use Rory to advertise in golf: Drivers, Fairway Woods, Blade Irons, Tight shirts that make your odd shaped pecs look more defined.

Things you shouldn’t use Rory to advertise in golf: Putters

Tried the Micro-hinge at the recent Scottish golf show, didn’t really notice any difference to my old DFX 2 Ball, if I’m honest. Maybe a bit heavier, but I think that’s a general design trend.

Reply Report comment
- Gozer
  
  Jun 13, 2017 at 12:30 pm
  
  When it comes to putters, Rory does more damage to who he dumps than who he picks up. What he chooses next may not make him a great putter (and thus is no reason for us to leap to that one yet), but he clearly thinks it is better than the old one (based on a lot of his comparison testing), which is at least somewhat damning.
  
  Reply Report comment
Golf Traditionalist

Apr 20, 2017 at 1:42 am

If the USGA and R&A had any principles to protect the game they would ban the dubious Odyssey Micro-hinge face insert… but we know they are in the pockets of the OEMs to keep the industry scams alive. Golf on it’s last legs.

Reply Report comment
- Chuck
  
  Apr 20, 2017 at 11:31 am
  
  Hey, I’m okay with that. Then, 460cc driver heads, composite shafts, and a re-regulation of multilayer urethane balls.
  
  But seriously (well, I was being serious above); do you think that the Microhinge is a huge/unfair advantage? If so, why?
  
  Reply Report comment
Mike

Apr 19, 2017 at 7:43 pm

Why does the retail model have the black ferrule and Roy’s doesn’t? Is the ferrule even needed never understood why odyssey put’s them on all of these style putter.

Reply Report comment
gunmetal

Apr 19, 2017 at 12:24 pm

I love that there is a small dent on the bottom of the shaft of the darker finish one from bending. Some of my clients cry when they see a small ding from club alterations. I tell them to think of it like a badge of honor – no “standard” for you – type a thing. It’s refreshing to see arguably the best player in our game with imperfections on his clubs!

Reply Report comment
- NoName
  
  Apr 20, 2017 at 12:33 am
  
  The crimp on the hosel is “tour only”
  
  Reply Report comment
Brad T

Apr 18, 2017 at 1:00 pm

how long before rory has a spider in his bag ?

Reply Report comment
- gg
  
  Apr 19, 2017 at 1:09 am
  
  As he s probably signing/signed a deal with callaway, it doesn t appear to be soon…
  
  Reply Report comment
Chuck

Apr 18, 2017 at 12:55 pm

So I wanted to tell you guys about a silly little anecdotal-and-not-quantitative “study” I did at my local Golf Galaxy the other day.

First, I grabbed about four or five Pro V1’s on their indoor putting green, which is a carpet and which feels like about 9.5-10.0 Stimpmeter speed.

Next, I grabbed two new putters, and one used putter. Each was 34.” The first putter was one of the new Microhinge O-works Odysseys, a 1W. (My favorite model.) Next, was my favorite current Scotty Cameron, the Newport M2. Similar head shapes. Third and last was my previous favorite Odyssey, an older model Versa BWB 1W. Again, nearly identical head shape.

So the experiment was to hit 4-5 putts with each one, just listening to the sound of the ball on the carpet-y putting green surface. There was a scuffing sound as the ball started to roll in the first 2 feet of the putt, before it started its true roll. The sound of the ball skidding along the top of the surface instead of rolling silently.

The putter that felt the best in my hands, was the Scotty. But it produced the noisiest roll. The putter that produced less noise in the first two feet of roll was the old Versa (which had the softest feel, I must say). The putter that produced NO sound as the ball started to roll was the O-works Microhinge. And it was freaky, what the difference was. There was nothing else like it in the shop. And it seemed as though every O-works Microhinge putter produced the same result. It also seemed like the Microhinge was effectively “faster” too. That is, putts got rolling so fast that it was easy to hit it too far.

This was a completely subjective, unscientific, unquantifiable test. I’m not trying to kid myself or anybody else. But I worked at it for a while. And what I saw/heard was real.

Reply Report comment
- Johnnylongballz
  
  Apr 18, 2017 at 11:50 pm
  
  Cool story bro
  
  Reply Report comment
Joe

Apr 18, 2017 at 10:41 am

Not funny.

Reply Report comment
Dat

Apr 18, 2017 at 9:39 am

Funny, it was released years ago as a PING.

Reply Report comment
Bob Chipeska

Apr 18, 2017 at 9:32 am

You can now own one for the low, low price of $600.

Reply Report comment
Tony

Apr 18, 2017 at 8:56 am

You can wait for this to come to retail or you can go find a Scotty Cameron Fastback. Exact same shape

Reply Report comment
- rebfan73
  
  Apr 18, 2017 at 12:10 pm
  
  That’s exactly what I thought……
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Tyler
    
    Apr 18, 2017 at 1:34 pm
    
    Ditto
    
    Reply Report comment
- Chuck
  
  Apr 18, 2017 at 1:56 pm
  
  No; it’s not the shape. It’s the face insert. And no; a Scotty Cameron Fastback doesn’t have that insert. Nobody else does.
  
  Some people might not like the insert; some people might like it. So far, I see Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, about ten LPGA players (using amazingly stock-looking models) all gravitating to the Microhinge.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Tim
    
    Apr 18, 2017 at 9:20 pm
    
    Except if you hit the hinge just right it goes off line…
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Chuck
      
      Apr 19, 2017 at 2:33 pm
      
      See, you are arguing that the Microhinge is a bad idea. You can make that argument if you want. But no matter what, this O-Works putter is not a Cameron with a different name on it. You just sort of admitted to the point; the Microhinge makes it different. That was my point.
      
      I don’t know if what you are saying is true, by the way. I didn’t hit any putts that I thought jumped off the face off-line. And I have a hard time imagining lots of Tour-level players using Microhinge technology if it were actually suspect, in getting putts started on-line. Just guessing here, that Phil Mickelson knows more about putting, and has more money riding on his making putts, than I do.
      
      Reply Report comment
- NoName
  
  Apr 20, 2017 at 12:35 am
  
  But it doesn’t have the micro hinge technology
  
  Reply Report comment
Dj

Apr 18, 2017 at 8:46 am

Of course they’re going to release it. They release so many putters per year I’d be incredibly surprised if they don’t sell this at retail.

Reply Report comment
- Tyler
  
  Apr 18, 2017 at 1:35 pm
  
  There are so many Odyssey makes and models out at any given time its confusing.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Dj
    
    Apr 18, 2017 at 9:28 pm
    
    Agreed. Impossible to keep track
    
    Reply Report comment
  - Tod
    
    Apr 19, 2017 at 1:10 am
    
    +1
    
    Reply Report comment

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

12 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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