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2021 Odyssey Ten Putter Line
The script definitely has been flipped with the release of the new Odyssey Ten putter line. About a month ago, Odyssey Golf announced the return of the beloved White Hot insert in the unapologetically retro White Hot OG putter line. Some voiced concerns that Odyssey was abandoning their modern putter advances. That was understandable as the updated Stroke Lab shaft was the only modern Odyssey advance featured in the White Hot OG line. And, remember, that shaft is optional for White Hot OG putters.
This new Odyssey Ten line should remove all doubts about Odyssey’s continued commitment to advancing putter technology. These putters are packed with tech. From the shaft to the insert, the face to the weighting, Odyssey has loaded these putters with all of the modern elements that they believe make for better putting. How confident are they in this line? Odyssey’s Luke Williams calls the 2-Ball Ten “the greatest 2-Ball ever.”
Ever? Think about what has been accomplished with the 2-Ball since its inception 20 years ago. Could this version of the 2-Ball really be better than all others?
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Odyssey Ten: Not a Putter, But a Line of Putters
I suppose we should start with the largest change first. Originally, the Ten model was just that, a model. It was one of the members of the Stroke Lab Black line of putters and, yes, it did look like a TaylorMade Spider. This time around, the Odyssey Ten moniker is associated not with a single putter but with a line of five, arguably 10, putters. We are still looking at a pretty Spider-like high-MOI design but Odyssey has definitely taken these Tens in different directions.
Odyssey Ten: All the Tech
While the White Hot OG line was all retro all the time, the Odyssey Ten putters feature the highest of high tech. As I mentioned, the updated version of the Odyssey Stroke Lab shaft will be the stock shaft. This version of the shaft is stiffer and lighter than the previous Stroke Lab shaft. More importantly, Odyssey says it is better performing. “Better performing” is a phrase we are hearing again and again with the Odyssey Ten line.
Some of you were not that keen on the old-school White Hot insert replacing the new-school Microhinge Star insert. Crisis averted. These new putters all feature the Microhinge Star insert. It makes sense. On one hand, this is not surprising as Odyssey has spent a great deal of time and money developing Microhinge Star. On the other hand, Odyssey believes the Microhinge Star to be their best-performing insert, so why abandon it? This insert is also very popular on Tour, likely because it features the firmest feel and promotes the most top spin. Obviously, you keep an insert like that around.
The 2021 Odyssey Ten heads have undergone some remodeling. The hidden weighting tech housed in the chamber on the sole is largely unchanged but the body has morphed. Gone are the potentially distracting holes in the head. These Odyssey Tens are solidly hole free. Odyssey has also reduced the hourglass/black widow mark shape of the original Ten. These Tens are more compact, a bit boxier and have much straighter edges, a feature that Odyssey touts as alignment improving. Speaking of alignment…
Odyssey Ten: Five Alignment Options
OK, this is where some of you are going to be annoyed that I am calling this a “line” of putters. I get your argument that it is one putter with five different alignment options. I’d probably agree with you if I had not rolled all of these in person. For me, changing the not at all subtle alignment scheme changes the performance of the putter, just like changing the neck from a double-bend spud to a slant neck. The 2-Ball Ten and the 2-Ball Ten S are not the same putters. The 2-Ball Triple Track Ten and the Triple Track Ten are not either.
Still not convinced? Think about this scenario. You decide to buy one of these putters. Would you buy one sight-unseen for $300 like you would when buying packs of Pokemon cards? If these putters came in sealed packs, you’d have a one-in-10 chance of getting your desired alignment and neck. Do you buy blind? If you are arguing that these are all the same, then you shouldn’t have a problem with getting one at random. If you would only buy a specific version, then obviously each model must be a different putter.
Odyssey Ten: The Greatest 2-Ball Ever?
Let’s get back to that quote from Mr. Williams. What is it about the Odyssey Ten 2-Ball that makes it definitively better than other 2-Balls? Essentially, I have already told you the secret. The secret sauce is the modern Odyssey putter tech and the high MOI design of the Ten head. Here are the comparison numbers provided by Odyssey.
2-Ball Ten Versus Original 2-Ball
32 percent higher MOI 20 percent less twisting on off center hits 38 percent more consistency 44 percent more top spin consistencyThe Odyssey Ten improves putting performance on off-center hits. If you don’t have off-center hits when you putt, feel free to stop reading and go back to polishing your Bulls Eye. Amateurs, even pros, do not always strike the center of the face. The tech in the Odyssey Ten line helps make those errant strikes less punishing.
Circling back to the address schemes, you have five choices there. One of them, be it 2-Ball, 2-Ball Tour Lined, 2-Ball Triple Track, Triple Track or Single Line, is going to be the best for you in terms of aiming the putt. Determining your best alignment scheme promotes better aiming and the rest of the tech assists you when the contact isn’t ideal. Now you can see why Odyssey is so high on this putter.
This gets me all excited for the Most Wanted Mallet testing that is currently underway at MyGolfSpy’s HQ. You may recall that the Odyssey Triple Track 2-Ball was the 2020 Most Wanted Mallet winner. That putter had the 2020 version of the Odyssey putting assistance technology. The Odyssey Ten has all that and more. Will the Triple Track 2-Ball Ten bring home the title this year? We will know very soon.
Which of the 10 Odyssey Tens is for you?
The 10 Odyssey Ten models will be in a shop near you on March 11. The suggested retail is a pretty standard $299.99 for these, matching the pricing for the 2020 Triple Track Ten. For some of you, the model decision will be an easy one. If you are unsure, roll them side by side if possible. Like I said, they played a little differently for me. In my non-peer-reviewed demos, they did not all perform the same. I was most excited about the Tour Lined 2-Ball but my best putting came with the single-lined version of the Ten. Identical putts made with the Tour Lined 2-Ball were consistently short. It seems the alignment scheme also influences my stroke. I can’t provide you with quantifiable data but it was definitely happening for me. I’m curious to see if any of you see something similar.
Regardless, in about a month, you will find these in a shop near you. That’s a mere 30 days until you too can roll the ‘Greatest 2-Ball Ever.”
Find out more at Odysseygolf.com.
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