The Testing Opportunity
Go Balls Out. Always!
A relative newcomer to the direct-to-consumer golf ball scene, ODIN Golf offers two choices, the X and X1, to golfers looking for high performance at an affordable price. ODIN says it aims to “build a golf brand for the everyday golfer no matter the background, experience or handicap.”
Under their “reload” program, you can earn 20 percent cash back with ODIN on future purchases after creating an account and buying balls. At $34.99 for a dozen of their premium X1 balls, this drops the “reload” price to $27.99. A three-piece urethane offering, ODIN says the X1 plays similar to the Pro V1 at about half the price.
Emphasizing their commitment to the everyday golfer, ODIN Golf distances itself from the allure of tour pros. "We're not excited about the pros; we're excited about you!" They want their community to directly benefit from and engage in the value they bring as a company, extending beyond merely reloading on ODIN golf balls.
Forum members Javs, LinksGolfFever, Girldad18, fredsharky and Cecil Williams had the opportunity to test ODIN’s X1. Would they perform well enough to earn a spot in their bag? Read on to find out!
(Spoiler alert: You don’t want to skip this one.)
Testing Methodology
Our testers were prepared to put the X1 through the ringer to see if ODIN’s claims held up about competing with the likes of Pro V1, Chrome Soft and TP5. Testing plans varied but consisted largely of the following:
- On-course performance
- Chip and pitch practice sessions
- Feel, responsiveness, wear, sound
First Impressions
A common theme among our testers was how impressed they were with shipping speeds. ODIN wasted no time in getting these golf balls into the hands of our testers. Another aspect that contributed to initial impressions with a golf ball is physical feel. Does the ODIN X1 feel like a premium golf ball?
Javs: “While doing the fingernail test, the cover made me feel like I was holding an OEM premium ball. The dimple pattern reminds me of a Taylormade ball more than a Callaway or Titleist.”
LinksGolfFever: “ I really love the “other than everyone else's” approach on their box/sleeve design. I would say it’s understated with just a pinch of slap you silly. Black box and multi-hued paint splatter is great. The ODIN X1 just feels good, quality for sure.”
Fredsharky: “I automatically love the feel and texture. It feels super soft to the touch and has the “it” factor when you pick up a ball and instantly it either feels like quality or it doesn’t and this one does.”
Ball Performance
The X1 checked all the boxes for our testers on initial inspection but looks and feel only get you so far. The ODIN X1 is marketed as a premium and durable three-piece urethane ball with a compression rating of 86 for maximum distance, spin and control. ODIN says this ball plays similarly to the Pro V1, Chrome Soft and TP5. Would this ball perform like a premium OEM golf ball?
For tester Cecil Williams, the X1 delivered on its claims and then some: “This ball is hot off the face of my irons, hits high and I like the roll out I get from it.”
Girldad18: “The ODIN X1 stands up to any other high-end ball out there. It did exactly what I expected it to do. I don’t know how else to put it. Feel is good on all of the clubs. Driver distance is as good or better than what I am used to.”
For LinksGolfFever, the X1 really shone in the short game: “I think this was my favorite “most surprising” aspect with the ball. If I wanted to go steep on the ball and really force spin, It’d do it. Clean shallow clip to make the spin on chips, DONE. I got more consistent hold and ball action inside 130 yards than I have in a long time. I LOVE THIS BALL!!!!”
Javs went head to head with the X1 (284.6 yards) against the Chrome Soft X LS (current gamer; 286.7) and Prov 1 (282.6) on driver distance. While noting the X1 landed squarely in the middle, he had this to add: “A caveat here is that with my gamer and the Pro V1 those averages included playing in the summer heat at over 100 degrees. The temperature was never higher than 51 here this week. While the distance was a couple yards shorter, the ODIN X1 had a better trajectory and much tighter dispersion.”
Performance? Check. Chalk up another tally in the positive column for the X1.
The Good, The Bad and The In-Between
To this point, the X1 has lived up to its claims of on-par performance with the big boys and then some. With no real flaws yet uncovered, did our testers find something, anything, they did not like about this ball?
Fredsharky came into the review prepared to be critical of the ball, but quickly realized that he was fighting an uphill battle: “I cannot really say anything bad about this ball and I tried very hard to do so. I wanted to be super critical and work backwards, but I could never find anything that I did not like about it.”
Similarly, Girldad18 had nothing but praise for this golf ball: “The ODIN X1 is legit. Definitely worth a shot for anyone looking to try a new ball and save some $$ while you do it.”
Javs was also unable to find anything negative: “The ball is long enough to match the big brand OEM balls. The ODIN X1 is extremely playable, forgivable and downright fun to play! I found the ball long off the tee and very easy to control. Iron play was predictable and I loved the mid-flight of the ball. Around the greens this ball will give any tour caliber ball a run for its money.”
Does the ODIN X1 Make the Bag?
Our testers left no stone unturned with their testing of the X1. Head to head, it competed and out performed some big players in the golf ball game. We saw unprecedented results with our final grading of this ball from our testers—an AVERAGE score of 99.4/100. Not only that but all five testers have put the X1 in play as their full-time gamer.
LinksGolfFever: “NEW GAMER, PERIOD!! I feel like I really put the X1 through the paces and it didn't disappoint. Prior to the X1, I was playing the Z-Star and I liked it, but the idea of shelling out $45-50 a dozen just becomes a little maddening. I would usually wait for a semi-annual sale and buy six dozen for the year (e.g., buy 2 get 1, etc.). Not worrying about that anymore. On top of the great product, the business model of having a cashback incentive toward your next purchase is FANTASTIC.”
Consider tester Javs a part of the ODIN family as well: “Every little detail of this ball is designed to help you play better. This is a no brainer for me. I am officially declaring I am joining the ODIN family! This ball is in the bag!!!!”
For Fredsharky, the numbers didn’t lie: “So I guess this is where the rubber meets the road as “they” say. For all the testing that I have done and all the numbers that I have tracked, I have come to this one conclusion, I am now playing the ODIN X1 as my full time ball of choice.”
Bottom Line: The ODIN X1 is the Real Deal
ODIN prides itself on being committed to the everyday golfer and that commitment is proven in the X1. With a ball that performs as well as any premium OEM offering for $34.99 per dozen, the value is unmatched. Do yourself a favor and sign up for their cash back program here to save money on future orders. And as ODIN says …
Go Balls Out. Always!
For an even deeper look into the ODIN X1, head to the MyGolfSpy Forum and check out our testers’ full reviews here!
- Rob Person, OdinSnipes414, GolfSpy_SHARK and 7 others
-
5
-
3
-
2
Recommended Comments
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.