The Marxman and Blade models are different, with black and white alignment lines. Many people will be familiar with the 2-Ball model, as it looks a lot like the other 2-ball models. Having said that, Odyssey has thrown caution to the wind with the introduction of the new BackStryke series of putters.Let’s take a look at these interesting putters and see if they live up to the hype.īecause the shaft goes into the back of the head rather than near the face, this creates an unconventional look. But based on a very unscientific sample of my own less-than-stellar putting, the Backstryke does all that it’s touted to do and more, and feels great.The design of putters hasn’t changed much over the years, and despite the new and funky designs we see every year, most people still use the more traditional shapes and styles. I believe this is the “stroke balance” the company describes, a stable stroke even through light rough.Īll this is probably more than you want to know. The Backstryke also performed well from off the green: putts had enough momentum to get out and roll quickly from longer grass. But on a variety of greens and grasses (flat, undulating, big, small bent, Bermuda, paspalum), once I had a feel for the speed I was very happy with the results even if that meant burning the edges. Of course I didn’t make every putt: The problems are always with the archer, not the arrow. Maybe it’s being able to see the entire face and the first alignment “ball,” but it’s now easier to take the putter away long and low. No doubt the head shape and weighting help, but the putter was going to make a full through-stroke whether I liked it or not.Īlso, with my original two-ball putter I tend to pick up the head on the backstroke rather than dragging it away low. I couldn’t help but finish the stroke, accelerating back to the starting position and beyond. I believe that’s partly due to a consequence of the design no one else has mentioned: Wanting to get the shaft back to the ball. Once corrected, contact was solid and putts rolled true. to where the shaft connects on an earlier Odyssey two-ball head. That also may have been exacerbated by the head shape: Although I’ve used a “normal” two-ball putter for years, the new design presents a very different look with a little practice and concentration, I was fine. Thanks to the unusual shaft position, I began with the head too far forward, which led to putts pulled to the left. I’ll start with the drawback: It took quite a few practice strokes to locate the proper club position at address. The verdict? It took a little getting used to, but now that I have I expect it will be in my bag for a long time. I’ve spent a few hours practicing with it on putting greens in the Northeast and the Caribbean, and have used it in a few rounds. He then praised the concept because it makes it easier for the golfer to see the face at address, promotes a forward press to begin the stroke, and offers what the company calls stroke balance, which is defined on the website as “balancing the putter on the axis of the putting stroke” to promote “a fluid, stable stroke path that is more consistent, accurate and leads to better distance control.”Ībout a month ago, after a little begging, Odyssey sent me a Backstryke two-ball model. Dave-who pioneered the original two-ball putter shape-admitted that he had nothing to do with the Backstrykes. Also announced was a relationship between Odyssey and my friend and occasional collaborator, Dave Pelz. The putters were unveiled at the PGA Show in January. If you haven’t seen them, they are unusual in that the shaft enters at the back of the head rather than near the face the three models currently available all have deep heads, so the shaft connects more than 2-1/2 inches behind the face. A few weeks ago, I wrote about the new Backstryke putters from Odyssey (part of Callaway Golf).
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