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My wife just got back from a business trip in Japan and surprised me with an early birthday gift: an Odyssey ProType PT #9 HT High Toe 34". I have never been more excited about a putter than this one. I have always been a fan of the heel shafted half mallet, owning the SC Del Mar California, various TM Maranello versions, Cleveland Classic Black #2, White Ice #9, NC Mogul, and the Nike Method 003 (twice). This one blows them all away. I have only tried this out on the practice green, but like Crenshaw said, "I have a good feeling about [this]. That's all I'm gonna say."
The craftsmanship is good. I wouldn't say it's quite on par with SC or even the crisp lines of the Method 003, but it certainly has a very high quality look and finish. It surely does not disappoint in that department. The HT feature does its job of making sure you sole the putter properly and it flat out looks cool when you are just looking at the putter to admire it. The head cover adds a nice touch to the entire package.
What sets this putter apart from the others that I have used is the performance. First of all, the feel off of the face is very nice. I was expecting it to be super mushy being a "white___ insert," but it actually gives a muted click that provides enough feedback and a feel that is not overly soft. Next, the stability of the putter is excellent for a putter of this style. This is the main feature of this putter that I feel sets it apart. I left the stock 15g weights in and it provides the perfect heft. Not too heavy and not too light. I'm sure I'll experiment with the 10g and 20g set ups, but for now the 15g seems to be just right. I don't know if it is the weight of the putter or the HT or a combo of both, but this putter does not seem to "twist" as much as the other models that I have tried. I thought it was just in my head, but I tried it against the Method 003 and I felt that the difference was apparent. Maybe it was still just a mental difference, but there was definitely a difference there. I don't have any tools to measure that, but a mental advantage is good enough for me when it comes to putting. My bad strokes seem to produce acceptable results, which is something you don't normally get away with when using this style of putter.
Overall, this is a superb putter. I am really not sure why Odyssey doesn't release these in the states. The current PT #9's are only "ok" compared to this. If they add the moveable weights to that line, it would actually make it worth the retail price, IMO. I am for sure a putter ho, but no putter has made me think about settling down more than this one. It may be the ball and chain.
The craftsmanship is good. I wouldn't say it's quite on par with SC or even the crisp lines of the Method 003, but it certainly has a very high quality look and finish. It surely does not disappoint in that department. The HT feature does its job of making sure you sole the putter properly and it flat out looks cool when you are just looking at the putter to admire it. The head cover adds a nice touch to the entire package.
What sets this putter apart from the others that I have used is the performance. First of all, the feel off of the face is very nice. I was expecting it to be super mushy being a "white___ insert," but it actually gives a muted click that provides enough feedback and a feel that is not overly soft. Next, the stability of the putter is excellent for a putter of this style. This is the main feature of this putter that I feel sets it apart. I left the stock 15g weights in and it provides the perfect heft. Not too heavy and not too light. I'm sure I'll experiment with the 10g and 20g set ups, but for now the 15g seems to be just right. I don't know if it is the weight of the putter or the HT or a combo of both, but this putter does not seem to "twist" as much as the other models that I have tried. I thought it was just in my head, but I tried it against the Method 003 and I felt that the difference was apparent. Maybe it was still just a mental difference, but there was definitely a difference there. I don't have any tools to measure that, but a mental advantage is good enough for me when it comes to putting. My bad strokes seem to produce acceptable results, which is something you don't normally get away with when using this style of putter.
Overall, this is a superb putter. I am really not sure why Odyssey doesn't release these in the states. The current PT #9's are only "ok" compared to this. If they add the moveable weights to that line, it would actually make it worth the retail price, IMO. I am for sure a putter ho, but no putter has made me think about settling down more than this one. It may be the ball and chain.
