Equipment
Poulter chooses Odyssey White Damascus putter for The Open
Last week, Ian Poulter took to twitter to ask for help choosing a new putter for The Open Championship. (Click here to read our full story).
I am sacking my putter, I will use a new putter at the Open. Putter manufacturers please send me some to try to my IJP office please.
— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) July 7, 2013
As expected, putter makers jumped on the opportunity to get their putters in the hands of the European Ryder Cup star, sending retail store-sized shipments to Poulter’s IJP offices.
Eight days after Poulter’s proclamation (10:08 p.m. local time at Muirfield), he was true to his word and confirmed on Twitter that he would switch to a new putter.
My putter is selected for the week. It is an Odyssey White Damascus. Rolling it very nice. Testing over for now. http://t.co/tU4ICJPr72
— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) July 16, 2013
Poulter’s new putter is the same brand as his old putter, an Odyssey White Hot XG #7, but it’s a new model from the company.
The putter’s official name is “Odyssey White Damascus iX #1,” and while it has yet to be announced in the United States, but it has been publicized in Japan, where it is expected to be released in September.
Click here to see photos of the rest of the clubs in Poulter’s bag.
Odyssey’s Damascus insert on a White Damascus #9 iX9 HT putter.
According to a Callaway representative, the putter has an insert made of Damascus Steel, which is known for its almost mythical strength and has been used to make samurai swords for hundreds of years. The Damascus insert has Odyssey’s Metal X face pattern chemically milled into it, and another insert made of soft urethane insert behind it.
The back flanges of the Anser-style putter are made of tungsten, which Odyssey says moves the CG low and deep in increase the putters moment of inertia (MOI).
So what did Poulter do with the rest of the putters he was sent? According to his Twitter account, his staff will be in touch with putter makers and ship the putters back to them.
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/18/24): TaylorMade BRNR mini driver head
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a TaylorMade BRNR mini driver head
From the seller: (@lasallen): “For sale is a BRNR mini 11.5 deg head only in brand new condition. $325 shipped.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: TaylorMade BRNR mini driver head
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/18/24): Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made.
From the seller: (@DLong72): “Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made. ?: $1150. ?? 100% milled collectors item from the limited releases commemorating when Ping putters won every major in 1988 (88 putters made). This was the model Seve Ballesteros used to win the 1988 Open Championship. Condition is brand new, never gamed, everything is in the original packaging as it came. Putter features the iconic sound slot.
Specs/ Additional Details
-100% Milled, Aluminum/Bronze Alloy (310g)
-Original Anser Design
-PING PP58 Grip
-Putter is built to standard specs.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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As you probably know by now, Collin Morikawa switched putters after the first round of The Masters, and he ultimately went on to finish T3.
The putter was far from the only change he made last week, however, and his bag is continuing to change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage.
On the range of The Masters, Morikawa worked closely with Adrian Reitveld, TaylorMade’s Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, to find the perfect driver and 3-wood setups.
Morikawa started off 2024 by switching into TaylorMade’s Qi10 Max driver, but since went back to his faithful TaylorMade SIM – yes, the original SIM from 2020. Somehow, some way, it seems Morikawa always ends up back in that driver, which he used to win the 2020 PGA Championship, and the 2021 Open Championship.
At The Masters, however, Rietveld said the duo found the driver head that allowed “zero compromise” on Morikawa’s preferred fade flight and spin. To match his preferences, they landed on a TaylorMade Qi10 LS 9-degree head, and the lie angle is a touch flatter than his former SIM.
“It’s faster than his gamer, and I think what we found is it fits his desired shot shape, with zero compromise” Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the RBC Heritage.
Then, to replace his former SIM rocket 3-wood, Morikawa decided to switch into the TaylorMade Qi10 core model 13.5-degree rocket head, with an adjustable hosel.
“He likes the spin characteristics of that head,” Rietveld said. “Now he’s interesting because with Collin, you can turn up at a tournament, and you look at his 3-wood, and he’s changed the setting. One day there’s more loft on it, one day there’s less loft on it. He’s that type of guy. He’s not scared to use the adjustability of the club.
“And I think he felt our titanium head didn’t spin as low as his original SIM. So we did some work with the other head, just because he liked the feel of it. It was a little high launching, so we fit him into something with less loft. It’s a naughty little piece of equipment.”
In addition to the driver and fairway wood changes, Morikawa also debuted his new “MySymbol” jersey No. 5 TP5x golf ball at The Masters. Morikawa’s choice of symbols is likely tied to his love of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
Not enough changes for you? There’s one more.
On Wednesday at the 2024 RBC Heritage, Morikawa was spotted with a new TaylorMade “Proto” 4-iron in the bag. If you recall, it’s the same model that Rory McIlroy debuted at the 2024 Valero Texas Open.
According to Morikawa, the new Proto 4-iron will replace his old P-770 hollow-bodied 4-iron.
“I used to hit my P-770 on a string, but sometimes the distance would be a little unpredictable,” Morikawa told GolfWRX.com. “This one launches a touch higher, and I feel I can predict the distance better. I know Rory replaced his P-760 with it. I’m liking it so far.”
See Morikawa’s full WITB from the 2024 RBC Heritage here.
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Blaise
Jul 22, 2013 at 5:03 pm
“high end” putters sell better in japan.. well that’s because the product is made for $50 in China an then sold for $540 in japan. so if that is how this club manufacturer is run it is a perfect example of why our economy is where it is today. you take these billion dollar corporations to China, take away the jobs from us, so no one has the money to buy these “high end” putters that realistically should sell for $150-$200.
J
Jul 19, 2013 at 9:06 am
Odyssey…
If its available there…it should be here. Plain and simple.
Shouldn’t have to pay duties to get a product from an American company.
Boooo…
Josh
Jul 18, 2013 at 11:46 am
Wow… according to some of you, I hope Poulter never tries to take the INSERT out and use it as a dagger or fashion it into a cannon. I certainly hope that he considered that much more than he did how the ball might actually feel to him coming off the face of the club.
BallzDeep
Jul 18, 2013 at 10:50 am
You guys are absurd. People all over the world drool over golf clubs made with BeCu, Terillium(sp?), urethane, aluminum, speed slots, circle T stamps, buzzing bee’s, white paint, etc. You wouldn’t do that on a cannon either. The fact that they have a tour player with 1.5 million Twitter followers who had an open tryout for the putter he chose for his most important tournament of the year probably means they’re going to sell.
I also think this is a way cooler way to intro a putter to the world than quite possibly the douchiest video of all time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jPxtHqj5hY
I’m not a Scotty hater at all, but this video makes me laugh so hard at the other tools in the room that buy into his magic.
golfa8
Jul 18, 2013 at 9:06 am
He should have tried the “Tank”. It fits his Ryder Cup profile.
Blanco
Jul 17, 2013 at 5:57 pm
Perfect putter for Poulter. Shiny ancient steel with cloak and dagger graphics– will go well with gold pants and a leather cape.
Ah thnxBlancO
Jul 18, 2013 at 3:55 am
Thanks Blanco for making my night. Poulter, couldn’t you have just walked out onto the practice green and found one? Drama dawgs and Englishmen
Hamkenstein
Jul 17, 2013 at 5:45 pm
I think it’s the decorative part that’s important here. That’s why the money is spent on bespoke/ custom finish putters. Not to much worry about a putter blowing apart.
MarkInChiTown
Jul 17, 2013 at 4:24 pm
Sorry to burst your balloon Odyssey, but Damascus Steel has for hundreds of years been known as very cheap and very unreliable steel. Its poor quality made it affordable, but very dangerous to use. Cannons made from
Damascus Steel were known to blow apart! You won’t be selling any of these in Europe, or the far east. I’m surprised you have no metallurgists on your staff. They could have saved you from making fools of yourselves…
BIG
Jul 17, 2013 at 4:28 pm
That’s what I’m saying. Lots of better steels out there.
Drew
Jul 17, 2013 at 1:28 pm
Hey Odyssey brand team…You talk about this steel being used to make samurai swords and then you go and put an English excalibur sword on the sole?
Odyssey_PM
Jul 17, 2013 at 2:25 pm
A couple points of clarity since there seems to be some confusion here:
– We never said this wasn’t being released in the United States. Stay tuned. Why Japan first? There is a much larger high end market for putters there. We have roughly 50% market share there and sell $500+ putters in droves. Retailers in the U.S. will not stock them because US consumers won’t spend that much except in limited numbers.
– Damascus has been used by expert metallurgists for thousands of years in daggers, swords and all sorts of other executions. Samurais were not the only ones that used this type of metal.
– Things are changing…the fact that we even allow tour players in the U.S. or Europe to use a putter that we’d sell predominantly in Japan is a big change. We saw a guy shoot 59 on the Web.com with one this past week and we another player choose one here.
Seriously…stay tuned. We might surprise you with how we operate now. To pass on us because of actions in Callaway or Odyssey’s past is big mistake. All we can do it is prove it to you.
BIG
Jul 17, 2013 at 4:03 pm
I work for a knife company and I can tell you there are a lot of better steels than Damascus. Damascus, while quite a bit more expensive, is more decorative than anything.
Matt
Jul 18, 2013 at 12:16 am
Yeah America’s economy has been sucking for the last five years and I’m sure that’s put a hurting on the high end putter market. Can’t say I blame you guys for taking new products to the Japanese market first. Hey but for the record I love my new low end white hot pro #9.
Tony Lynam
Jul 22, 2013 at 9:28 pm
And to add, Damascus refers to the legendary sword makers in the middle east (whose stamp looks like a Star of David). We have those stamps on our Marine NCO and Officer swords (the Mamaluke).
Matt
Oct 2, 2015 at 2:03 pm
+1 to Tony. Know this is an old article, but author needs to get this kind of thing right. Damascus steel is 100% a medieval steel from the middle east, hence the name… Damascus is the capital of Syria… Damascus steel was NOT used to make samurai swords. Tamahagane or other specialized steels were used in Japan.
Also, BIG, while you may have worked for a knife company, they probably did not use true Damascus steel. Modern Damascus is generally made simply by folding the metal during the forging process so a “water” pattern forms. Also see “Wootz steel” and “Crucible steel” for other similar metals found in different areas of the world. The forging process of ancient Damascus has been lost to time, though certain metallurgists have set out to try and recreate the composition. It is NOT a brittle metal, but in fact was known for being extremely strong while having great flex to it. There were actually carbon nanotubes present in the original composition, well before nanotechnology was in place.
Basically, everyone above Tony is COMPLETELY WRONG in what they are stating…
Nice try haters, but you are simply misinformed.
-Matt
Displayname
Jul 17, 2013 at 11:55 am
That insert/face combo looks AWESOME! Could finally be a replacement for my old White Steel insert. Bring it to the US and bring back the SRT 2 ball and I’m sold!
Ben Hudson
Jul 17, 2013 at 7:49 am
Viral marketing – 1
the rest of us – 0
shanked
Jul 17, 2013 at 12:08 am
I understand that Japan has a large market, but seriously?!? We get stuck with Versa while they get these? I’d game that any day of the week. Maybe I need to tweet out that I’m looking for a new flat stick…
gunmetal
Jul 18, 2013 at 12:39 pm
You can game this when it gets released to Japan. It will cost you $549 but that’s what they pay for it in Japan.
NB
Jul 16, 2013 at 11:13 pm
Pretty cool putter picked by poulter, he should ebay the other ones he didnt select and donate it to charity though. Then he could choose new clubs constantly and make lots of donations.
J
Jul 16, 2013 at 10:16 pm
Sick!
It’s still frustrating that an American Company release product in Japan WAY before if ever at all in the United States.
Pretty serious turn-off when it comes to buying Callaway.
Blaise
Jul 16, 2013 at 11:26 pm
agreed. maybe that’s why i dumped my odyssey for the american made bettinardi
john
Jul 16, 2013 at 11:27 pm
the market for golf clubs in japan is so much larger that it would be silly not to release things there first…they sell to a year round market of a much greater percentage of golfers/population, they can sell it for more AND they get to see what sells and what doesn’t over there before bringing it here. on a side note, most of the stuff is made in asia so its already over there anyway…its been happening for years and EVERY company does it…callaway, taylormade, and even TITLEIST…you can find all the stuff online if you’re willing to pay
optumus
Jul 17, 2013 at 12:05 am
actually, scotty putters are milled in socal, not china
AndyJ
Jul 18, 2013 at 9:55 am
Actually Scotty’s putters are made in Mexico
J
Jul 17, 2013 at 12:14 am
At least release it here.
Philip Nielsen
Jul 18, 2013 at 10:55 am
Good point, I think people on here forget that these club manufacturers are companies lol.
Philip Nielsen
Jul 18, 2013 at 10:55 am
Good point, I think people on here forget that these club manufacturers are companies seeking profit lol.