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Odyssey Ai-One: Artificial Intelligence comes to putters

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We spotted Odyssey’s new Ai-One and Ai-One Milled putters down the stretch of the PGA Tour season and were able to photograph them on the putting green at the Shriners Children’s Open three weeks ago.

And we didn’t just spot the wands on the putting green; they wound up in some pretty big-time bags pretty quickly.

Jacob Davidson, GM of Odyssey Golf and Callaway VP of Global Tour spoke to this:

“We knew we had a great product when we launched this because the testing results came in so strong, but the one thing that I think we were a little bit, maybe not surprised, but excited about was early on – this putter captured the attention of the best players in the world. This putter is already in the bag of a number one player in the world (Ruoning Yin). This putter is already in the bag of our Masters Champion (Jon Rahm). This putter is already in the bag of someone that made a switch at the Tour Championship (Sam Burns)…the same player has never made a switch in putter since he turned professional in 2017.”

Given all of the aforementioned, intrigue abounded at GolfWRX HQ and in the GolfWRX forums around Callaway/Oddysey’s apparent application of artificial intelligence to putter design. Speculation about the cutaways behind the putter faces and what exactly was being showcased was rife as well. A putter face designed leveraging the powers of artificial intelligence, perhaps?

In a word, yes.

Odyssey today unveiled its Ai-One and Ai-One milled putters, which leverage the company’s Artificial Intelligence design and super-computing capabilities, honed in recent driver faces, to create what the company is calling “the most advanced insert in golf.”

What this means visually is a unique contour pattern on the back of the insert face designed to minimize speed loss on off-center putts and expand the sweet spot. Translation: Putts that finish up to 21 percent closer to the hole, according to Odyssey.

Detail of the rear side of the Odyssey Ai-One putter face.

Introducing the putter line, Luke Williams Sr. Global Director at Odyssey said:

“We’ve designed two different putters under this Ai-One umbrella with really two different objectives. We have the milled line, the champagne-colored insert which is a milled titanium insert in a milled stainless steel head. So you get that look and feel of a milled putter, that is very important to us, to have the feel of that be consistent with what players that use milled putters expect, but with performance you wouldn’t get from a typical milled putter.

“And then we also knew that we wanted to have a White Hot version or a urethane softer feeling insert because that’s what through the years has really had the most decided advantage in the marketplace and really has become what we’ve been most known for, so that insert is a combination of an aluminum back section which has the contours which deliver the consistent ball speed married and co-molded to a White Hot urethane on the front. And that delivers the soft feel and the sound that that players have come to love for White Hot, so those are the two types of inserts – they both have tremendous performance.”

Let’s dig in further.

Odyssey Ai-One putters

At the heart of the Ai-One tech story is the Ai-One insert. A contoured aluminum insert is co-molded to the back of Odyssey’s famed White Hot insert in a bid for enhanced forgiveness and a larger sweet spot. Also notable from a feel standpoint: the White Hot insert is grooved.

Rightly proud of the innovation, Odyssey engineers developed a Panlite window to showcase the face technology behind a layer of automotive-grade polymer. The window is positioned in different locations on blade and mallet models.

Deviating from the traditional black exterior, engineers elected to use a blue PVD finish across the line.

5, 10, 15, and 20-gram weights may be used interchangeably to dial in head weight. Also, the latest iteration of Stroke Lab is a steel SL 90 shaft, which features up to 30 grams of weight in the butt end for counterbalancing.

Pricing, specs, and availability

  • At retail and online: November 3
  • Price: $299.99
  • Head shapes (November 3): #1, Double Wide DB, Rossie S, #7S, and #7CH
  • Head shapes (February): #2, Double Wide CH, Rossie DB, #7 DB, 2-Ball DB, CH, Jailbird Mini CH, DB

Family portrait, below.

Odyssey Ai-One Milled putters

Similar to the Ai-One, the insert design is essential to the Odyssey Ai-One Milled putter story. For this premium, milled stainless steel model, engineers utilize an A.I.-designed titanium insert to again achieve a larger sweet spot and enhanced forgiveness, minimizing speed loss on putts struck away from the center of the face.

Again, engineers implemented a blue PVD finish, and 5, 10, 15, and 20-gram weights may be used interchangeably to dial in head weight. The steel SL 90 shaft is standard here as well.

Pricing, specs, and availability

  • At retail and online: November 3
  • Price: $449.99
  • Head shapes: One T, Two T, Three T, Six T, Seven T DB, Seven T CH, Eight T, and Eleven T

Family portrait, below.

Check out more photos of Odyssey’s Ai-One putters here.

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16 Comments

16 Comments

  1. Pingback: Odyssey Ai-One Cruisers join Ai-One putter lineup - Fly Pin High

  2. Pingback: Odyssey Ai-One Cruisers join Ai-One putter lineup – GolfWRX

  3. Pingback: Oddysey Ai-One Cruisers join Ai-One putter lineup – GolfWRX

  4. GetOverYourselves

    Nov 8, 2023 at 4:06 pm

    A lot of Bitter beer face posters on here. All every company does is recycle their old designs, except maybe LAB, and no there is nothing special about Cameron putters, they stole their design from Ping, you the purchase just pay for the name.

  5. Don

    Nov 4, 2023 at 9:26 am

    BS. It’s PIXIE DUST. Callaway uses all of their existing designs with an alleged technology that suddenly turns everyone into a world class putter. It’s a marketing gimmick, nothing more.
    As someone who has a US patent in the use of AI and works with it daily, I understand it’s capability and source of it’s inferences. AI is a type of software that cycles and through a process of “backpropagation” refines a desired output from a set of human inputs. It’s input parameters follow a criteria from the original training by the developer. The tasks are then processed through a Rule-base before presentation to the developer for evaluation. It’s unlikely to create new criteria on its own. So, go ahead and getcha some of that AI stuffed in your putter. If anything, it’ll make you happy and ready to brag to all of your friends about you smart putter.

  6. The Truth Network

    Nov 4, 2023 at 7:28 am

    Nobody cares.

  7. Martin

    Nov 3, 2023 at 3:47 pm

    Marketing At its best

  8. Joey5Picks

    Nov 3, 2023 at 3:33 pm

    Gimmick. What’s next? AI grips?

    $300 is better spent on putting lessons.

  9. The Truth Network

    Nov 3, 2023 at 8:39 am

    Every time Odyssey releases this trash, Scotty Cameron is laughing all the way to the bank.

  10. The Truth Network

    Nov 3, 2023 at 8:20 am

    Every time Odyssey rolls out garbage like this, Scotty Cameron is laughing all the way to the bank.

  11. NotToulon

    Nov 3, 2023 at 12:50 am

    Was supposed to be a Toulon brand but he is no longer with callaway.

  12. Billy

    Nov 2, 2023 at 3:38 pm

    Isn’t this just Ping TR grooves? Or what they accomplish, or evnroll too? I just feel like oddy is so gimmicky sometimes. I get there is AI, and it probably helps some-but you put a robot testing off the sweet spot help and I bet they perform similar to tech (see above) that has been around a decade.

  13. Louis

    Nov 2, 2023 at 2:37 pm

    Same old tired designs Odyssey has had for years.

  14. D Gillis

    Nov 2, 2023 at 11:47 am

    Aka – reinventing the wheel!

  15. Jimmy

    Nov 2, 2023 at 10:05 am

    Same old tired putter designs.

  16. boydenit

    Nov 2, 2023 at 4:22 am

    Is this the same Ai software Callaway used in there Golf Ball plant a few years back?

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Equipment

Wilson introduces new Staff Model ZM wedge series

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Wilson Sporting Goods has today unveiled the introduction of its Staff Model ZM wedge series which become available for presale on Wilson.com starting Tuesday, March 19 and at retail beginning Tuesday, April 2.

The new Staff Model ZM Wedges incorporate a new high-spin groove construction, face milling and Garnet Face Blasted finish that all work together in design to to ensure a faster, deeper and longer ball interaction. The combination aims to provide golfers with more consistent spin and control in all weather and lies, with a special focus on wet conditions.

Constructed from soft forged 8620 carbon steel, the new Staff Model ZM Wedges are designed with a straighter leading edge and elevated center of gravity (CG) in design to improve trajectory control in the higher lofted wedges. A new progressive CG design exists as the lofts increase in a bid to promote a more consistent and controlled ball flight.

“The meticulous level of detail our team invested in perfecting the grooves of this wedge lineup really paid off. From Tour player testing to amateur player testing, the feedback is resoundingly favorable that these are the highest-spinning – and most consistent-spinning – wedges Wilson has ever produced.” – Bob Thurman, Global General Manager of Golf and Vice President of Research & Development at Wilson

The new Wilson Staff Model ZM Wedges will be available in six loft options – 50, 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60-degrees with 46 and a 48-degrees available through custom order. Golfers can select between various bounce options in the 56, 58 and 60-degree lofts. All lofts are available in right-handed, with the 52, 56 and 60-degrees available in left-handed.

A high toe offering, the Wilson Staff Model ZM HT, launches alongside the lineup and is distinguished by a high toe shaping, wide sole construction and full-face grooves. The ZM HT model infuses the same performance features as the Staff Model ZM Wedges.

All ZM and ZM HT Wedges come equipped with a True Temper Dynamic Gold Spinner stock shaft and a Golf Pride Tour Velvet grip.

Wilson Staff Model ZM Wedge Highlights:

  • ZM Grooves: A deeper ZM groove pattern combined with a high-tech garnet face blasting and milled face ensures faster, deeper, longer ball interaction resulting in higher consistent spin and control in all weather conditions.
  • Versatility First: Ranging from 6 to 12 degrees of bounce, ZM Wedges provide the versatility necessary to cover a range of skill levels, attack angles, divot depths and course conditions.
  • Forged 8620 Carbon Steel: The soft forged 8620 carbon steel comes with a straighter leading edge, and elevated center of gravity for trajectory control in higher lofted wedges.
  • Pricing Information: $149.99 USD ($199.99 CAD)

Wilson Staff Model ZM HT Wedge Highlights:

  • ZM Grooves: A deeper ZM groove pattern combined with a high-tech garnet face blasting and milled face ensures faster, deeper, longer ball interaction resulting in higher consistent spin and control in all weather conditions.
  • High Toe & Wide Sole Construction: The high toe and wide sole design allow the club to be played at a variety of open and closed face positions.
  • Forged 8620 Carbon Steel: The soft forged 8620 carbon steel comes with a straighter leading edge, and elevated center of gravity for trajectory control in higher lofted wedges.
  • Pricing Information: $149.99 USD ($199.99 CAD)

 

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Equipment

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (3/19/24): Custom Ping PLD Prime Tyne putter

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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 Custom Ping PLD Prime Tyne putter.

From the seller: (@nelsonbr.15.15): “Custom Ping PLD Prime Tyne $775 shipped OBO. Finish: Patina. Length: 34.5″. Loft: 3°. Lie: 1° flat. Head material: Carbon w/tungsten toe and heel weights (headweight I believe is 370g ish). Face milling: TR grooves. Shaft: Flat black. Grip: Garsen Quad Tour Non-Tapered. I am not the original owner and do not have the original headcover, there are a couple of marks on the neck. Let me know if you have any questions or want additional pictures.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Custom Ping PLD Prime Tyne

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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Whats in the Bag

Russell Henley WITB 2024 (March)

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  • Russell Henley WITB accurate as of the Cognizant Classic.

Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 6.5 TX

3-wood: Titleist TS3 (16.5 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX

Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT Hybrid 100 TX

Irons: Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT (4-6), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (7-9)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 50-08F @51, 54-10S, @55, 60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron T5 Prototype

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

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