Equipment
2020 Odyssey Golf launches new Bird of Prey and Stroke Lab Ten putters
Odyssey Golf is taking Stroke Lab technology and innovation further with the release of the all-new Stroke Lab 10 putters along with the introduction of the Bird of Prey putter for 2019 and 2020.
2020 Odyssey Bird of Prey, Stroke Lab Ten putters: The details
To say Odyssey Stroke Lab putters, along with the revolutionary mass-shifting Stroke Lab shaft, have been a success both on tour and with regular golfers would be a huge understatement. On the professional side—since their introduction at the beginning of 2019 as a prototype product, Stroke Lab putters have become the number one putter on all tours and won more professional tournaments (65 to be exact) than any other brand on all tours combined.
Now, Odyssey’s General Manager Sean Toulon and his design team are looking to advance designs again with what many would call familiar shapes but with unconventional advantages.
First off, we have the Stroke Lab Ten. And, yes, even Sean Toulon himself is willing to admit it shares similarities to a particular arachnid-style putter that he helped originally design at another OEM many years ago. But, as a modern equipment historian, I believe it’s important to point out that as much as the “arachnid” style has been popular for quite some time.
There was another putter that predates it (released in 2005), which offered an extremely high MOI design but without the catchy name: the Ping UG-LE. The UG-LE pushed mass way back and to the corners of the head to create (at the time) the highest MOI putter on the market.
But here’s the thing: Putters and material design have come a long way since the introduction of the UG-LE and the original arachnid designs, and Odyssey is here to prove golfers just how much better with the Stroke Lab Ten.
The Stroke Lab Ten’s frame is made from ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene…don’t worry, I had to look it up too). Here’s a further explanation
“It is an amorphous polymer comprised of three monomers, acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene. ABS is most commonly polymerize through the emulsification process or the expert art of combining multiple products that don’t typically combine into a single product. When the three monomers are combined, the acrylonitrile develops a polar attraction with the other two components, resulting in a tough and highly durable finished product. The different amounts of each monomer can be added to the process to further vary the finished product. The versatility of ABS plastic properties contributes largely to its popularity across several industry sectors.” (Thanks, Adreco plastics)
According to Sean Toulon, what the ABS material allows is maximum distribution of metal (heavy) mass parts to the back and extreme perimeter of the putter to blow past other putters’ MOI (Moment of Inertia: a measurement of forgiveness) but also in sound and feel.
“The sound and feel of this putter is special (thanks to the material advantage of ABS)” Sean Toulon, Odyssey Putters General Manager
Beyond just the shape of the putter, the sole has been meticulously crafted to help the head aligned square when grounded towards the target in the playing position. Sean continues
“We got these putters to the point where ( with the alignment on top ) they have become point and shoot”
There truly is a lot going on to make sure these putters do everything they can to help both regular golfers and touring professionals align properly and get the best possible result when putts are not hit absolutely perfect.
The Stroke Lab Advantage
Considering the MOI of these designs, you would think that the highest of high handicappers would be the target market, but in that assumption, you couldn’t be more incorrect. The designs of both the Stroke Lab Ten and the Bird of Prey were entirely driven by the tour and player desire to get every last bit of performance out of their putting games.
These putters will all come stock with the Stroke Lab shaft, which pulls mass from the shaft and redistributes it under the grip and into the head for even greater stabilization. Odyssey has proven that the shaft alone can help stroke consistency across the board, and the most notable stat is the 13 percent increase in face angle delivery at impact. This increases the make putt percentage, which when you think of a round of golf, equates to strokes saved.
If there is one more thing Odyssey knows about putters, it’s roll and inserts. With the new Stroke Lab Ten and Bird of Prey designs, the company is using an all-new Microhinge Star insert to increase the sound for better player feedback. Generally, inserts are used to decrease the sound, but in the case of the New Microhinge Star, engineers at Odyssey wanted to recreate more of the original sound and feel of the White Hot putter but with the added benefit of the Microhinge to increase forward roll.
This new Microhinge Star insert improves the correlation between the sound and expected distance a player will hit the ball—firmer means further. This is just another step in the design process put in place to help players of all abilities putt with greater consistency since without audible feedback, all players will have a more difficult time controlling distance.
The new Stroke Lab Ten and Bird of Prey putters will be available starting November 1. For more information check out OdysseyGolf.com
- Check out what people are saying GolfWRX Forums: Odyssey Stroke Lab Ten discussion
- More photos of/discussion about the new Odyssey putters in the forums.
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Whats in the Bag
Rory McIlroy’s winning WITB: 2024 Wells Fargo Championship
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @8.25) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 9 X
Irons: TaylorMade Proto (4), TaylorMade Rors Proto (5-9) Buy here.
Shaft: Project X 7.0 (4-9)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (46-09SB, 50-09SB, 54-11SB) Buy here, Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks (58-K @59) Buy here.
Shafts: Project X 6.5 (46-54), Project X 6.5 Wedge (60)
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X3 Buy here.
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol Tour
Ball: 2024 TaylorMade TP5x Buy here.
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Rory McIlroy’s WITB in the forums.
View this post on Instagram
The winning WITB is presented by 2nd Swing Golf. 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
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Whats in the Bag
Kevin Tway WITB 2024 (May)
- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
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Equipment
Did Rory McIlroy inspire Shane Lowry’s putter switch?
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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DPavs
Nov 20, 2019 at 12:58 pm
What happened to second off? I would have like to have seen more information about the Bird of Prey design and what advantages it offers in comparison to the 10 (ten)
Dave r
Oct 18, 2019 at 12:26 pm
Pretty soon will need a bag just to carry the putter , mabey impose a size limit on these things that don’t even look like putter. And Boydie couldn’t agree more.
John-Magdalene Agel
Oct 17, 2019 at 8:17 am
The 2003 Big Ben and Little Ben putters from Ben Hogan golf and Bertinelli predate the Ping UG-LE.
Make it so
Oct 16, 2019 at 4:22 pm
Does the Bird of Prey look like a Star Trek ship or am I just a nerd?
Mark Hachey
Oct 16, 2019 at 3:18 pm
Pretty much all putters are point and shoot. The problem is that most golfers don’t know where to point them, or how hard to swing them.
Kiko
Oct 16, 2019 at 2:55 pm
Nice TM and PXG knockoffs, lol….
parsky
Oct 16, 2019 at 12:36 am
Is this a fancy new drone or a putter?
Iknowdonkeys
Oct 15, 2019 at 10:34 pm
Did I say Kuchar sucks big donkey?
Hesucks
Oct 16, 2019 at 10:04 am
Kuchar is a cheap SOB.
reef
Oct 16, 2019 at 10:31 am
HeeHaw, heehaw
Bing Hogan
Oct 15, 2019 at 10:03 pm
I can’t wait to buy one or even two!
Just hope it gives me 17 more yards….
Unbelievable…
Brandon
Oct 15, 2019 at 8:57 pm
So what if it’s looks like a spider? An Ardmore 3 looks like a fang. Every heal toe weighted blade looks like an anser. What are they supposed to do, make a putter that looks like a Thanksgiving turkey?
Exitlowandleft
Oct 15, 2019 at 5:02 pm
Yes Mr Toulon?…you have an incoming call on line one…I believe the gentleman said he was part of legal counsel representing Taylormade golf….he’d like to speak with you for a bit….
Ryan
Oct 16, 2019 at 12:00 am
Patent is 10 years old and expired. I believe I heard Callaway bought it… It’s also Toulon’s design.
Tony P
Oct 15, 2019 at 3:37 pm
Putting with a dinner plate. Yeah – not for me.
S
Oct 15, 2019 at 1:17 pm
Kuch sucks
lawrie mcgregor
Oct 15, 2019 at 12:37 pm
hmm odyssey cashing in on the spider design. putter is the biggest club in the bag these days if you can win an open using a golden goose surley its in the stroke, take designs back to basics instead of carrying a crocket in the bag!
Boydie
Oct 15, 2019 at 12:30 pm
Here are few takes from this wonderfully written article.
“stroke consistency,” “polar attraction,” “driven by the tour,” “13 percent increase in face angle delivery at impact,” “increases the make putt percentage,” “Microhinge Star insert to increase the sound for better player feedback,” ” correlation between the sound and expected distance a player will hit the ball—firmer means further,” and finally “greater consistency since without audible feedback, all players will have a more difficult time controlling distance!”
What a bunch of used car salesman gibberish!
K
Oct 15, 2019 at 8:59 pm
Couldnt agree more. The marketing banter these companies have been using the last few years is nothing short of tacky. Its obvious they are desperate to push new product with absolutely zero benefit over whats been available the previous 5-6 years.
If you need a new club anywhere in the bag, do yourself a favor and pick up some new old stock or something in good used shape thats from this century.
They say “give a dumb man $1,000 and he will turn it into a new iphone, give a smart man $1,000 and he will turn it into $1,000,000”. Same rules apply
parsky
Oct 16, 2019 at 12:43 am
My entire life advertising has never worked on me. I wish I could say the same for others because it would end spam and lame ads across all forms of media. Imagine how sweet it could be. So much money is wasted with marketing.
Andy
Oct 15, 2019 at 12:19 pm
You know golf clubs have hit a wall after reading this article!
Chris G
Oct 15, 2019 at 12:02 pm
cough*taylormade*cough
KMack
Oct 15, 2019 at 10:35 am
So Odyssey has their version of the Spider? I don’t get it