PLAYING WITH … ODYSSEY O WORKS PUTTER

Cost: $349.99. Tested by: Jimmy Emanuel, Golf Australia Writer (GA Handicap 9.4)

Jimmy Emanuel puts the new Odyssey O Works putter to the test, and he might not be sending it back …

MODEL PLAYED: #1 with SuperStroke Slim 2.0 grip FIRST IMPRESSIONS: As soon as I put the O-Works putter behind the ball on the practice green I noticed the alignment improvements. Having used the Versa series previously I was familiar with the contrasting black and white colour scheme, but the addition of the red Big-T alignment was a noticeable improvement. The red line running along the top line frames the golf ball perfectly and the sightline helps to confidently align the putter face to the target.

The Micro-hinge insert also instantly stood out to me, with the texture and look of the small hinges very intriguing. Overall, the O-Works #1 looks like a classic shaped putter full of technology. HOW IT PERFORMED: When using an Odyssey putter it is easy to be blasé about the soft feel of the insert, and the O-Works certainly lives up to the brand’s reputation in the feel department.

While perhaps not as soft as some previous inserts, the new Micro-hinge insert surprised me most with its responsiveness. A slight difference in feel depending on where you hit the ball on the face made it very easy to know where to lay the blame for a missed putt.

The Micro-hinge insert isn’t simply about feel, promising improvement in forward spin, which produces an improved, quicker roll via the microhinges that cover the face. The new insert certainly seemed to deliver on what it promised.

Putting is one of the stronger parts of my game and I typically have no problem rolling the ball well. Knowing this I didn’t anticipate a noticeable improvement in the roll of the ball when compared to my current gamer, which also features roll technology. I was, however, pleasantly surprised.

To the naked eye, the ball seemed to start rolling sooner and putts looked almost as if they hugged the ground with the O-Works. It took me some time to get used to the effect this improved roll had on my speed and the distance putts rolled out.

Testing the putter on a variety of green surfaces in varied conditions the results were similar, but the most impressive results came on smooth, fast greens, with distance control and lag putting the standout. My speed was very consistent, even if the putt was not hit from the exact centre of the putter and perhaps due to the improved roll the ball seemed to stay on my chosen line.

Odyssey is confident the Micro-hinge technology can help all players with improved roll of their putts and from my testing I would have to agree.