Club Test 2011: Odyssey White Ice Putters

From Golf Magazine (June 2011)

Odyssey White Ice Dart
Category: High-MOI Mallet Putters
We tested: 34", 35" shaft length

Key Technologies: "D.A.R.T." stands for "Direction And Realignment Technology." Its "advanced roll technology" includes a low, deep CG to reduce backspin. The multilayer face insert delivers similar response to the White Hot insert, the hardness of White Hot XG, and a louder sound than White Hot, White Hot XG or White Hot Tour.

OUR TESTERS SAY: One of the top-rated putters; its touch and forgiveness make it suitable for everyone.

PROS
DISTANCE CONTROL: Very good speed control; putter allows you to hit with the same stroke, with no adjustments; consistent, repeatable, accurate.

FEEL: Soft, smooth, responsive; easy to determine misses; unlike many others, this soft face insert provides plenty of feedback.

LOOK: For such a complicated look, it’s easy to line up - sightlines force you to make the correct aim; it gets you to line up to the center back of the ball.

CONS
Some testers find the alignment aid too visually distracting; a few guys prefer a bit more consistency on mis-hits.

$180

From Golf Magazine (ClubTest, April 2010)

Odyssey White Ice Mini T
Category: High-MOI Mallet Putters
We tested: 35" shaft length

Company line: "Mini T offers a high moment of inertia and 'Hi-Def Linear' alignment in a smaller, less progressive shape than our Teron putter. The Mini T has a firmer multi-layer face insert than White Hot XG putters to complement softer Tour balls."

OUR TESTERS SAY:
PROS: One of the best in its category; reliable distance control; accurate and forgiving; balanced feel, even on mis-hits; great feedback on center strikes; easy to stroke; handsome black gunmetal finish is a plus; consistent sound at impact; lining up is a breeze, multilevel alignment device proves useful; a majority of testers find that it generates an online roll no matter where on the face you hit it.

CONS: Testers prefer a little more feedback on mis-hits; a few guys notice a performance dropoff on slight misses.

Odyssey White Ice 2-Ball
Category: Midsize Mallet Putters
We tested: 35" shaft length

Company line: "The new White Ice insert is our best feeling multilayer insert yet. Developed through extensive work with Tour players, our engineers improved the sound, responsiveness and consistency of the insert."

Our Testers say:
PROS: One of the top performers; the rear weighting reduces twisting on mis-hits; among the best from short range; the ball seems to come off rolling immediately; easy to aim and square-up at impact; the elegant new finish is a lot nicer than the old one; makes you believe that you can sink a few more 5-10 footers per round; a nice upgrade to the previous model; some testers will consider purchasing it.

CONS: A handful of panelists prefer more "click" at impact; the face-balanced head doesn't work well with everyone's stroke; even today, a few guys don't love the 2-ball alignment.

$129-$180

From Golf Magazine (December 2009)
In 2010, pro golfers will be required to play newly mandated "competition" grooves in short irons and wedges (more specifically, in clubs with 25° or more of loft).

You might not realize it, but the rule change could affect your putter choice. Consider this: New conforming grooves generate less spin on shots from rough than current grooves do. Switching to a softer Tour ball might be one way for pros to regain some spin.

Odyssey's brass is banking on this scenario. The firm's new White Ice putters feature a firmer face insert (than the White Hot XG) to complement softer Tour balls. The multilayer face has the same outer material (thermoplastic elastomerurethane blend) as in the White Hot XG, while the inner material (a different thermoplastic elastomer compound) is twice as stiff. Bottom line: Putts sound louder (for a longer period) than they do with the White Hot XG but softer than with the Black Series putters. Ball speeds with White Ice are marginally faster than White Hot XG and comparable to the Black Series.

The 8-gram insert (it saves close to 60 grams versus steel) contributes to more weight low and rear, for improved roll. Five models (pictured) are in shops now, while additional flavors debut in February.

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