Equipment

2020 Odyssey Triple Track and Stroke Lab Black putters

Published

4 years ago

Jan 16, 2020

Odyssey Golf is bringing Triple Track alignment from golf balls to putters with the introduction of the Stroke Lab Triple Track line for 2020. This makes some of the most alignment-friendly putters on the market even friendlier.

Odyssey Triple Track

What is Triple Track?

In the simplest terms, Callaway Triple Track is three high-resolution parallel lines drawn onto a golf ball to help with alignment.

But in reality, it’s not that simple, because a golf ball is, let’s be very clear, a spherical object, and trying to put what appears to be three straight parallel lines on a ball isn’t as easy as just drawing the lines. If you are not looking at them from a perpendicular 90-degree angle (or close to it), then you will realize they aren’t straight.

Triple Track Ten Odyssey 2020

The Triple Track lines use your eye’s Vernier Acuity: “the ability to discern a disalignment among two line segments or gratings” to help make sure you aligned properly when putting. You see, the human eye is extremely sensitive to spotting parallel lines and Callaway worked with an optometrist to prove this could be brought to golf balls, and now they are bringing it to putters.

More photos of/discussion about the new putters in the forums.

What is Stroke Lab?

Odyssey Stroke Lab Shaft

Stroke Lab putters use a method of weight distribution designed to improve the physical dynamics of the stroke. This weight distribution is achieved through Odyssey’s Stroke Lab shaft, which is a full 40 grams lighter compared to a standard steel Odyssey putter shaft. The Odyssey shaft design combines a graphite body with a steel tip, which in total weighs just 75 grams, with the majority of weight concentrated in the tip.

According to Odyssey, the addition of their new shaft and weight distribution results in “improvements in the consistency of backswing time, face-angle at impact, ball speed, and ball direction,” while “feel for the putter head becomes more acute.” What this means is—you have the opportunity to sink more putts.

Odyssey Insert putter 2020

If there is one more thing Odyssey knows about putters, it’s roll and inserts. The Triple Track putters will all utilize the popular Microhinge Star insert to increase the sound for better player feedback. The 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.

More photos of/discussion about the new putters in the forums.

Let’s Put this Together

In what Sean Toulon called “a 30-second prototyping” experiment using an Odyssey 2-ball putter, a ruler, and a few Sharpie markers, Triple Track putters were born. They’re not claiming rocket science here—but Triple Track is scientifically proven.

By bringing Triple Track Alignment from the ball to the top of the putter, Odyssey has brought the same Vernier Acuity to getting not just the ball (if you are using one with Triple Track alignment) but your putter lined up better too. Figuring out ways to get golfers to line up and aim properly is not new, in fact every putter maker has tried almost anything and everything to help golfers putt better—that’s a good thing.

Odyssey Triple Track Double Wide

Since everyone uses different parts of the putter to get properly aligned depending on a lot of factors including eye dominance, Triple Track combined with proven putter shapes including the 2-Ball, 2-Ball Blade, the Ten Model, Double Wide, and Marxman, allow golfers of putter style preference to find a shape.

Odyssey Triple Track Putter Cover

Odyssey Stroke Lab Black

On top of the new Stroke Lab Triple Track, Odyssey is expanding the popular Stroke Lab Black series with additional models including the One, Seven, Rossie, R-Line Arrow, and Double Wide.

Pricing and Availability

Both the Triple Track and Stroke Lab Black putters will be available at Retail Stores and online starting January 30.

Pricing varies depending on the model with the Triple Track starting at $249.99, and Stroke Lab Black models starting at $299

More photos of/discussion about the new putters in the forums.

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Equipment

Michael Block spotted with full set of TaylorMade “Proto” irons at Valhalla

Published

2 hours ago

May 14, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

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.

On Monday at the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, Block had a full set of TaylorMade “Proto” irons in the bag.

Block is the first player of many on the PGA TOUR to bag a set of the mysterious “Proto” irons. Rory McIlroy first switched into a “Proto” 4-iron at the Valero Texas Open, and Collin Morikawa followed suit at the 2024 RBC Heritage. Block isn’t using just the 4-iron, though, he’s using a full set to go along with a TaylorMade Stealth UDI driving iron.

Speaking with GolfWRX.com on Monday at the PGA Championship, Block revealed the full backstory.

“I hit a couple super “Proto” irons when I was at the Kingdom (TaylorMade’s fitting facility in Southern California) a couple months ago, and it was a 9-iron that didn’t have any badges or anything on it,” Block said. “I had no idea what it was … It was very similar to what I was using back then, you know, my old MCs, and very similar from the top. I hit it and absolutely loved it. For me to even think about switching irons from the last 11-12 years is crazy.

“I got this set about two weeks ago, and I’m working my way into them. I hit them more solid; it comes off the face more solid. Much higher. I think they’re still slightly too upright for me, so they’re being bent a degree flatter, because they’re going a little too high for me and drawing a little too much. When that starts to happen, I start to drop the club under and compensate too much, so I’m getting them flattened slightly, and I’m going to test them on the range again, and hopefully have them in play on Thursday…

“They go further, and they go higher … that combination is kind of a no-brainer. If I can take a 5-iron from 204 rather than a 4-iron, it’s good on me. It’s going to help me out for sure, especially at a major with the pin locations. Having that height coming in, that descent angle is going to be huge.”

With such new irons in the bag, after using the same irons for over a decade, surely you’d think there will be a bit of a learning curve. Block, however, is finding immediate comfort with the new “Proto” irons.

Head over to PGATour.com for the full article.

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Whats in the Bag

WITB Time Machine: Rory McIlroy’s winning WITB, 2014 PGA Championship

Published

4 hours ago

May 14, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since Rory McIlroy outlasted Phil Mickelson at the 2014 PGA Championship. It’s even harder to believe McIlroy hasn’t hoisted a major trophy since his 2014 victory at Valhalla.

After a slow start to his final round, McIlroy tallied an eagle and two birdies on the back nine and his fourth major championship. Take a look at the clubs he played a decade ago in Kentucky.

Driver: Nike VR_S Covert 2.0 Tour (8.5 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Mitsubishi Kuro Kage XTS 70X

3-wood: Nike VR_S Covert 2.0 Tour (15 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Rombax Pro 95 X

5-wood: Nike VR_S Covert 2.0 Tour (19 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Fujikura Rombax Pro 95 X

Check out more in-hand photos of Rory McIlroy’s clubs from 2014 here.

Irons: Nike VR Pro Blade (4-9) Buy here.
Shaft: Project X 7.0

Wedges: Nike VR Forged (46, 52, 56, 60 degrees) Buy here.
Shafts: Project X 6.5

Putter: Nike Method 006 Buy here.

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

Ball: Nike RZN Black

Check out more in-hand photos of Rory McIlroy’s clubs from 2014 here.

WITB Time Machine 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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