Odyssey Ai-ONE Milled Putters - 2023 Forum Review

[GolfSpy BOS]

Testers Announced!

Just incase you haven't seen or heard these new putters come with Odyssey's Ai designed face inserts with a milled insert for those who prefer a different feel. 

Ai-ONE Milled Insert
Designed using Artificial Intelligence, we’ve created contours on the Aluminum backer of the
insert to promote consistent ball speed across the face.

SL 90 Shaft
A lightweight steel shaft with 20-30 grams (depending on the grip) of counterbalance weight in
the butt end. This is an evolution of our Stroke Lab Weighting that will appeal to even more
golfers.

Unique Navy Blue PVD Finish
These putters all feature a beautiful navy blue PVD finish that really sets them apart and gives
them a premium look.

Interchangeable Front Weights
Available in 5, 10, 15 and 20 grams these removable weights allow you to dial in your head-weight to your exact preference.

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!

@fixyurdivot
@Preeway
@Willie T
@ZoonORama

[fixyurdivot]

Introduction

Hello Spies and thanks for checking out the Odyssey AI One Milled Putter product test reviews!  My name is Bill and I have been a member of MGS sine June 2018.  I stumbled onto the website while doing searches for new irons; never having heard of My Golf Spy before.  If memory serves, it was a product review on the Srixon Z585's.  Poking down through the website, I subsequently found several of the annual "Most Wanted" reviews and really liked the format.  Club performance data generated by a nice cross-section of handicaps... as opposed to data heavily weighted using near scratch golfers... what a concept!! 

It wasn't until a week or so later that I saw we had a forum.  Having tried a couple of other golf forums and finding one sort of okay, and another which I did not like at all, I found MGS to be a superb group of folks and have truly enjoyed my time here. I know some members in-person but even those I've yet to meet feel like long time friends.

@Kenny B and his lovely wife Martha when they visited us in Yuma, AZ

Kenny, Martha and Chris (@Thin2win) at Circling Raven, ID, during our 2020 PNW Spy Meet

I was introdiced to the game by my Dad at age 6 and played in the JGA in Ft. Lauderdale, FL for several years before we relocated out west.  While I always played as the years rolled along, there were periods where military, college, and my career with Boeing limited me to a dozen or so rounds per year.  After retiring in 2016 and relocating to Montana (the golf capital of the world ), I split my time between flyfishing and golf.  Between home in MT and wintering in Yuma, AZ, I was playing about 70 rounds/year.  

Mode of travel on the Madison River

Mode of travel here in Surprise, AZ

We have sinced re-located to Sun City Grand (now The Grand) in Surprise, AZ and I am playing ~120 rounds per year on the 4 championship courses we have in our "active adult" community. While I have returned my golf game back to a lifetime PB (7.7 index), I am still better with a 5 weight flyrod than I am with a 5 iron .

During my tenure with MGS,  I have been fortunate to have been selected to test a handful of products.  I am still playing the PING G410P and the Evnroll ER5v.  But, as is the case for most of us golfers, the quest for that magic putter seems to always lurk in our minds... even when we think the one we're rolling is "the one".  So this is what peaked my interest in the latest Odyssey putters.  In particular is the Artificial Intellegence (AI) face insert... purportedly offering more consistenty across the face.  A more forgiving putter?  Sign me up .

I'm really excited about testing this putter and will be doing a H2H comparison against my Evnroll ER5V. 

I will be using a strokes gained test format that I employed when I tested the Evnroll against my now retired Ping B61.  This test format is a version of one Tony Covey and staff employed on most wanted tests. 

So let the putts start rolling and the data lead us to a result/decision .

Package Open/First Impressions  (18 of 20)

I received my putter yesterday afternoon and got so caught up waiting for the UPS truck to arrive, I missed the "testers conference call" .  I had it in my head that it was this afternoon... the perils of being retired and keeping calendars.  I resisted opening the box until today so that the "official reveal" was... well... official.  I am so bad at these .

I believe all of the putters arrived for all testers yesterday and that is for sure the fastest order to arrival of any product tests I've done.  The folks at Callaway made quick work of getting these out.  The box was received in good condition and the putter, with headcover on, was framed/protected by an internal cardboard divider.  In addition to the P.O., a small specification card was provided.

My first impressions were quite positive.  The head was a bit smaller than I expected, but not overly so.  This is among their mallet style, high MOI designs and it looks like they have found a nice balance of offering added forgiveness without getting excessively large.  It also feels a bit lighter than my Evnroll but I plan to get my gram scale out and compare.

Aesthetics (9 of 10)

The machine workmanship is very good and I really like the white alignment lines - quite bold.  The PVD Navy/Steel Blue with the Gold AI insert face is sharp... and I'm not just saying that because I'm a Notre Dame fan.  The engraved logo's also find a good balance of pop without being overdone.

The "Stroke Lab" shaft has a pretty large label which takes up about half the length of the shaft.  The only issue I have with these is that they tend to get scraped up over time going in & out of the bag.

The Odyssey grip I chose is the OD-PT-Q4 Pistol.  It most closely matched the style I have now and that I really like. It's a nice looking grip that matches the colors on the head.  It feels a little softer and slicker than I'm using.  I also note that it is about an inch shorter.  That had my left hand low forefinger extending below the grip and onto the shaft.  I'll be interested to see how this feels while putting.

The headcover is very nicely made and also has the same colors.  Again, the swen logo's offer a nice balance of pop without being too much (for my taste). The inside has a velvet-like fabric for added protection and the magnetic flap snaps positively into place.

If you have any questions or want more details, please let me know.  Now it's time this putter rolls balls... lots of balls . 

Okay, had a chance after my round this morning (worked hard for an 81) to test out the putter on the green.  It was a cold morning with a north wind from 7-15mph... so the practice area was a ghost town.  Retired people, living in AZ, have a low tolerance for "adverse" weather .

OMG, what a difference in feel than my ER5v.  Much more pronounced "click" and softer... or so my mind thinks. This being the first "insert face" style putter I've tried, it feels much different but in a good way. 

Before I get started on the H2H, strokes gained test, I'll spend at least one session putting the wagon wheel locations around the hole from the 3 distances.  This should give me a good feel/baseline and make the comparison more evenly matched.

The Numbers (10 of 10)

Arguably the most important portion of testing clubs; how does the product effect the ability to get the ball from tee into the hole. I really had fun doing this part of the review.  I completed the strokes gained test matrix I described in this post. A total of 450 putts between the Odyssey and my Evnroll.  After crunching the data, here are the results.

As my time on the green suggested to me, this was going to be a very close contest. The Seven T proved itself more accurate overall; slightly better in the 5 and 20 foot distance and the ER5v slightly better at the 10 foot distance.  Ultimately, the SG testing suggests the Odyssey might offer me  just over a half stroke better scoring.  No doubt, had I tested this against my previous gamer (Ping B61), I'm certain it would offer something over one stroke gained per round.

As I mentioned in a couple of my progress/update posts, I find the Seven T CH to be a great feeling putter that inspires confidence.  Distance control is very good as is stability - particularly on those long lag, big backstroke, off-center strikes.

While not part of the SG tests, I did spend some time putting from the apron.  I did not notice any loss in my ability to move the ball across the longer grass and was able to judge distance pretty well.  

Regarding "forgiveness", this is the principle design feature of the Artificial Intellegence (AI) faces.  These face inserts are not of a constant cross-section but rather of varying thickness.  The final design of these is based on thousands and thousands of data points that capture where players of all capability tend to miss-strike the ball.  Instead of these toe and heel side hits yielding less than optimum control of distance and path, the AI face compensates, lessening the adverse effect of off-center strikes.  Here is more detail on this feature from Johnny Wunder.

In a period of time where the term AI often tends to simply be a buzz marketing tool, this approach by the Callaway/Odyssey design team makes perfect sense! Hats off to them .

That said, my attempts to verify this forgiveness on shorter to moderate length putts fell a bit short.  Try as I might, I just could not control strike force accurately enough to see a measureable difference.  However, there have already been some independent test labs who have employed putting robots, and they have demonstrated benefits of the AI face tecnology.  You can check those tests and results here.

Several articles I read about these new putters spoke about the improvement offered for getting more long lag putts closer to the hole more often.  Being closer to the hole on those second putts is always a good thing - increasing the odds of making that next putt.

So, I decided to do a smaller scale test to see if this was true of the Odyssey and to what extent it offered improvement over my gamer.  Here is a description of that test, and here are the results.

1.7 inches doesn't sound like much, but if one subscribes to the "closer is always better" axiom, it could be the difference in more second putt makes.

On the Course (20 of 20)

I now have 5 rounds completed with the Odyssey and finding the putter to have all the prowess it showed on the practice green during tests.  I like the look at address on it a little better than the Evnroll.  The bold white alignment marks on the top rail and the talons (which envelope the face insert) are very easy to see and focus on. They sort of "frame" the ball which aids in set-up.

Honestly, two of the rounds were among my worst in the past few months but it did not have anything to do with the putter.  I contribute those to my less than stellar wedge and short chips.  I might argue that the Odyssey helped keep those scores from being worse .

The Good, Bad, and In-between (17 out of 20)

So the good is that the AI face technology is absolutely not marketing baloney but rather well thought out design.  While truth in advertising is not law here in the USA, rest assured there is truth in how the new faces improve putter performance.

The bad is that I'm already starting to see burnishing/wear of the PVD coating on the leading, bottom edge.  I really haven't seen any OEM products offering these colored coatings survive that well. Being this is a putter and I'm quite careful of how I handle, use, and store clubs, I was a bit surprised by the quick wear.  For many (normal people ), this is no issue but for those of us who suffer from how our clubs look OCD... well, it's something to consider.

The in-between is that the handle I ordered is about 1/2" shorter than my gamer.  With my left hand low grip style, this has my left forefinger struggling to stay on the grip and not onto the shaft.  It dosen't seem to adversely effect my putting numbers but just feels a bit odd.  I might also throw in that the sticker on the shaft, is quite long and I suspect will start getting scarred up pretty quick if one is not careful moving it in/out of the bag.  Again, just a cosmetic thing for those who care about such things.

Play it or Trade it  (18 of 20)

After 18 rounds with the Seven T CH, I have decided it will be my primary gamer.  I say primary because the ER5v is still a fantastic performer for me and it's great having two flat sticks to draw from.  For those that followed my update posts, I experienced a couple of bad rounds with the Odyssey and decided to bench it for a couple of rounds.  I knew those performances were more archer than arrow but being able to swap out putters was a nice option.  

But ultimately, I like the feel and look at address of the Odyssey a little better than the Evnroll.  Also, I'm going with the SG and lag putt tests from the head to head testing.  There is nothing like having your own data help make the final decision.

Conclusion 

So here's my key take-away/conclusion about the Odyssey AI milled insert putters - they are the real deal!  That's right folks, no overblown, long on promises and short on performance marketing hype here... but rather well thought out and developed technology that improves putting consistency.  

As you can see from my various testing, the numbers support the claims.  While we may not be talking big differences, they are improvements nonetheless.  I will gladly take an additional 0.67 strokes gained and lag putts nearly 2 inches closer to the hole.  

With all the various models Odyssey offers, in both the milled and non-milled face, one can most definitely pick the best one for their particular putting stroke and feel.  From there, the AI magic is already "built-in" and is based on data from users like you and me.  That's right, where we tend to mishit, they added help... you just gotta love simple, eloquent design approaches to problems and improvement.

I want to conclude by once again thanking the folks at Odyssey and our MGS staff for this test opportunity.  I hope my testing has provided good information for anyone interested in Odyssey's latest line of putters.  As always, if you have questions, please do ask in the thread or send me an IM.  Thanks for following along!

Final Score (92 of 100)

Edited January 31 by fixyurdivot

[Preeway]

FINAL REVIEW 2/4/2024

Greetings fellow spies! Super excited to be chosen to be a part of the testing group for the new Ai putters from Odyssey. A little bit about myself.

Who Am I: Greetings. My name is Chris and I live in a suburb west of Omaha, NE. I was born and raised in Oregon and eventually moved to the Midwest because, well, I wanted to stay married. My wife is from Omaha and all her family is here and after we met and got married in Seattle, WA it was clear that my days in the PNW were numbered. I’ve been a regular here on the forum since I joined about a year ago and enjoy sharing in everyone’s experiences both on and off the course.

I’m sharing a picture the 4 putters I’ve used off and on over the years. I currently game the Bettinardi BB1 milled face putter and while not the world’s biggest fan, I have become very comfortable with it and tend to put very well. It found it’s way into my bag after seeing it for sale on the Costco website and was able to get it for a measly $20 with all the gift cards I had at the time. My son was about to start his freshman golf season and I gave him the option of gaming my Scotty Newport or taking a new Bettinardi. I was really certain he would choose a new putter but he’s pretty savvy and he chose the Scotty. Prior to the Scotty I had used a PING Anser for 30 years going back to my high school days. The Odyssey Two Ball putter was something I got cheap on a whim and it never really worked for me. So until I got the Scotty I was a PING Anser guy.

As you can see, I’ve been a blade putter guy all my life. This last couple years I’ve been feeling like I needed something different from a putter. I wasn’t putting poorly but I wasn’t putting the ball as well as I liked either. I was looking at some different options from Scotty Cameron, Mizuno and PING last spring but chose to ride out what I currently had in the bag. I’m excited to test out the new technology from Odyssey and to do it in a model that I’ve been wanting to try for quite some time.

About my game: My handicap at the start of the 2023 season was a 6 and I ended the season at a 3. I attribute much of my game improvement on being fitted for new irons and spending a lot of time working my short game. My GIR percentage was up from 2022 and my three putts were lower. Better approach shots contributed much to these stats and my ability to hit better chips led to more up and downs. Not all was rosy as I struggled much of the year with missing a lot of makable putts and struggling to adapt my stroke on slower greens.

My main area of focus in testing will be my ability to control the swing with this putter. Most of my misses with my current putter come from pushing the ball right or leaving it short. Controlling the swing path on longer putts and controlling the putter face on shorter putts will be two of the bigger areas of focus as I test out this putter and compare it to my Bettinardi. In order for this putter to replace my current gamer it will have to deliver more consistent outcomes and have the same or better feel hitting the ball.

What I’m looking for: I’m most eager to see if there is a significant difference in the milling compared to my Bettinardi and my Scotty. What did Ai do that is different or better? I’m also looking to see if there is any significant difference in non-center face hits compared to my Bettinardi. One of my biggest putting weaknesses is making solid contact on longer putts thereby causing longer second putts and missing mid range putts due to non center contact and coming up short.

Looking forward to receiving the Seven T CH and posting my initial feedback!

 

First Impressions - 12/8/23 - 20/20
My Odyssey Ai-One 7 T CH arrived midday on 12/7 but alas, I was forced to wait until I got home from work to pick it up from the UPS Store near my house. The package was in pristine condition, and inside there was plenty of protective packaging to ensure nothing went wrong.

Upon opening the package the first thing I noticed was the SuperStroke Synergy Tour 2.0 grip I requested but wasn’t sure if I could get. Big shout out to @GolfSpy BOS for coming through like a champ! I love the feel of this grip and it’s going to greatly enhance the testing experience for sure.

After taking it out of the box, I stood over a couple of practice putts on my putting mat and I was immediately able to better stand with my eyes over the ball compared to my Bettinardi.

Maybe its the 34” length versus the 34.5” length of my Bettinardi? Can’t yet say for sure but I can tell my posture is in a better position. I will be checking my putting posture compared to my Bettinardi using a putting mirror as part of my testing process to compare how well I’m able to get my eyes over the ball with each putter. 

Aesthetics - 12/8/23 - 10/10
Straight out of the box, this putter is a sure fire 10! The navy blue PVD finish looks even better in person than it does on the web.

The white alignment line paired with the two lines on the fangs allow me to visibly notice whether the stroke of the putter is off line or not as it rocks back and forth. Initially, I like this, but I’ll be curious to see if this serves as a benefit or a distraction when I get out to the range and start hitting putts.

The gold titanium insert is a great color choice and pairs well with the blue giving a really good look. Not sure yet if this will in more consistent putts but it looks great coming out of the cover and anything to possibly distract my playing partners is great in my book.

The putter cover isn’t anything fancy but again, Odyssey has a great color scheme and overall design. The putter head fits easily inside and the magnetic closure is solid. I’m glad it’s magnetic rather than velcro as I find magnetic closures remain in working order for longer periods of time.

The last detail I want to point out is the difference in the milling compared to my Bettinardi. While the pattern is very similar, the oval loop pattern is noticeably larger on the Odyssey.

I am still reading and learning about this new Ai line of putters has me wondering if this different pattern is part of the Ai design and if it will lead to any noticeable changes in the feel and/or effectiveness.

Looking forward to getting outside very soon to put this bad boy to work!

The Numbers 9/10

I really wanted to get on the course a few times to see how the Odyssey fared in the wild but Mother Nature had other plans. My last round played was the Monday before Thanksgiving and by the time the putter arrived a couple weeks later, courses were closed most of the time due to cold temps so my options were too few to make it out. We have just recently begun to thaw out so hopefully I will be adding to this review in the next few weeks once the courses allow foot traffic again.

For my review, all of my data is composed of indoor session on my putting mat or at the putting green at my local course. I took advantage of as many opportunities as I could to sneak in 20-60 minutes at a time when the weather cooperated.

My first test was looking at putts hit intentionally off the heel and toe from 6' and 10' on my putting mat. I really wanted to test the forgiveness of off center strikes compared to my Bettinardi

After practicing my stroke from 6' for about 5 minutes to get my stroke dialed in I went ahead and captured the results of three putts made with a center strike. The picture above shows the grouping off three such putts.

The next round was putting with mishits near the toe. The picture above captured a normal grouping of three off center putts. You can see the variation from center strikes to toe strikes was very minimal. This was just the first of many series of tests that showed that Ai-One was going to deliver on the marketing promises being made.

My next testing session was at my nearby practice green rolling putts from 15'. 

After having ample time to get the line and speed figured out I wasn't surprised to be able to make at least 2 out of 5 putts, sometimes 3 or even 4 out of 5, with the Odyssey. The Bettinardi was a different matter however.

While I am normally fine with my 15 foot putts missing close as pictured, it was quite obvious which putter was better. Knowing I will have the ability to make more putts in this range has me amped to get out on the course soon to put it to the real test. One of my goals for 2024 is to finally break par for 18 holes and shoring up my putting game will go a long way to making that happen.

On The Course - 18/20

This is one aspect of the test that has left me feeling very incomplete. There were only a couple of opportunities with courses open but they always fell on days where I had other conflicts. So for these numbers I am relying on my days on the practice green testing at various distances as shared above.

I also had a testing day a few days ago after all the recent snow had melted away. The course wasn't ready for foot traffic yet but they did have the practice area open. I only had about 30 minutes of good daylight and it was already down to 35º so I had to be fairly quick in my method. I decided to go for lag putts from 50' to see how both putters faired head to head. I found a line that was slightly uphill with about 3 feet of break from left to right. My only regret here was not being able to get video as I didn't have my mini tripod with me at the time.

After putting for about 5 minutes to get a feel for the speed and line, I went ahead and rolled 10 putts with the Odyssey. All 10 missed with average distance to cup of 3'10". I then proceeded to roll 10 putts with the Bettinardi with all 10 missing with an average distance to cup of 6'2". This was perhaps the most telling of all the tests I completed since this distance was the biggest putting challenge I have. Taking longer swings with my putter typically leads to more off center strikes and as a result more three putts. If these results can pan out on the course then the score I've assigned will truly hold up. Odyssey has a strong reputation for making some of the best putters out there and this new line of putters is no excpetion. I would have given it 20/20 but since I have yet to get on the course I felt it was best to knock off a few points for now.

The good, the bad, the in between - 16/20

The Ai-One 7 T CH is definitely a model to be taken seriously. All of the pre-release hype had me keenly interested but still just a tad skeptical. When I put my name in to be considered as a tester I was genuinely interested in knowing whether the new technology was anything more than just hype. 

One of the bigger downsides for this putter is the cost. the base cost of $450 is higher than any putter I've ever considered before. I typically view my top end for spending on a putter at $300-$350. This is probably why I've never seriously considered buying a Scotty Cameron new, LOL. Given the current state of new high end putters though, the price does seem to fall in line with all the others. Still, I've taken 2 points off for base price.

The next area I've deducted points is for the weight kit. The weights weren't available right away and it wouldn't have mattered if they were. With a price of $50 for each weight, you could be looking at $600 when it's all said and done for the putter if you were looking to make any additional adjustments on your own. I will be waiting to see if generic brands make compatible weights sometime soon as I would like to tinker with the weights to see if any fine tuning is needed to get it completely dialed in. Minus 2 points here.

Play It Or Trade It - 20/20

Hands down, this putter will start the 2024 season in my bag. From the very first moment I gripped the first putt taken on a putting green, everything about this putter screams high class. The base price while quite expensive, is still on par with other higher end models. The alignment aids on the putter are very helpful and yet sharp at the same time. I see the 7 T CH being a good fit for golfers of all handicap levels.

Conclusion

I want to thank MGS and the admins for selecting me again to be a tester. This was again a very rewarding experience and I take my responsibility to the members of this forum very seriously. I wish I would have had the opportunity to get on the course and play during my two months with the putter but it just didn't happen. I will certainly be adding to this thread over the next 3-6 weeks as it appears some courses will allowing foot traffic real soon. If you are in the market for a new putter, any of the new Ai-One models should be among those being considered. 

My final score - 93/100

A little bonus footage me putting my the 7 T CH

 

 

Edited February 5 by Preeway
Final Review

[Willie T]

Well hello, MGS Community!  My name is Willie Tyndall (aka @Willie T on the forum pages).  SUPER Gassed to be picked for the Odyssey AI-One Milled Putters (going with the AI-One Milled 7 T DB (link to putter specs)). This is my second time as a tester for the MGS community. Before we talk too much about putters, let’s speak on what brought my journey in golf to this point in time.  I have always been a person who loves the outdoors.  I grew up here in Eastern NC, which meant I had ample time to hunt, fish, play baseball and all the other things a kid of the ‘60s would have enjoyed.  Yes, I am one of those “old” guys at the ripe age of 64!   

So how does a kid who does everything but golf get into the game?  I grew up watching some golf on TV, seeing Travino, Nicklaus, Palmer, Player, Norman, Seve’, etc. make their way around the course. Anyone remember the old “Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf” TV series.   But it was not a game within reach as my parents were not country club folk.  Fast forward to my working career in procurement for a chemical processing facility and the invitation in 2009 to play in a 9-hole Super-Ball “team building exercise”, aka an excuse to play golf.  I was to just fill the “D” slot and not much more.  We finish the 9-hole round and my boss along with a couple of others opt to play the front nine.  I was asked if I wanted to join and I thought why not - it was that or either go back to the hotel and be bored.  Mind you, I was almost illiterate when it came to what’s in the bag.  After the fIrst couple of holes, the best player leans over and says, “If you want to play off my tee shot that is okay” as we were playing stroke play..  I tell him that I want to play my tee shot and he tells me to use the 3 wood as it will get the ball airborne easier (1st lesson).  That worked and I am off and running.  At the end of the round, my counterpart from a sister facility looks at me and says, “You’ve learned more in nine holes than most will in a lifetime.”  I opt to “retire”! 

Fast forward to 2016 and while I remember the round, golf is not a table item as I am into riding motorcycles. 

That changes in June that year as I get hit by a car that results in my left foot being degloved and I wind up as a trans-metatarsal amputee (no toes on the left foot, grafted skin from my left thigh to cover the wound). I tell folks I can only count to fifteen these days.  After learning to walk, I need a new hobby and our church men’s group is starting a once a month super-ball scramble. I still have those old “real wood” Spalding woods, MacGregor blades and Spalding putter from the set gifted to me in the late 90’s.  My son and I tag along and the rest is history.  I get the golf bug and pick some newer “used” clubs, this time a full set of Tommy Armour 845s Silver Scots (pat pend).  Likewise I pick a TaylorMade R580 driver and fairway woods and start practicing in earnest, learning to get the weight forward in a way that my rebuilt foot does not hurt too much. It has been a journey of first times, like when I got that first birdie, broke 100, broke 90, got to 80 (still haven’t broken it), had as few as 29 putts, holed out from off the green - several times.  The biggest joy is that my bride of 22 years has joined me from time to time that's us on a dream vacation gifted us by our children to the Dominican Republic playing La Cana Golf Course, a super enthusiastic grandson who lives to play the game

My current game has me bouncing between 13 and 15 handicap. My journey with putters started with the Spalding Tournament.  I quickly picked up an old Odyssey DF992 with the black face insert.  Putted many an hour in the house on the mat getting used to the feel of “soft face”.  The putting game got better but still not good.  Found an Odyssey White Steel #5 mid-mallet that had the white hot insert.  I really enjoyed that one, ended up gifting it to a young man when last year my son got really frustrated at what is now my current gamer - Odyssey Versa 7CS.  He told me to take it, play it and if I like it, it was mine.  That has been the gamer I have learned to rely upon.  When on, the putter is smooth and silky with as few as 25 putts in an 18 hole round.

So the big question is - How will the “milled” face perform compared to the “white hot” face or "black insert" face or plain steel face?  As you can see I still have the Spalding Tournament, the Odyssey DF 992 and Odyssey Versa 7 CS.....   

Let's get rolling.....

Testing process:  In my intro, I spoke that this will be my first real time with a “milled” face putter as I have lived in the insert world.  Key areas: (1) Accuracy: Odyssey claims these putters finish 10% closer than the average milled face.  Planning a series of lag tests at defined distances - 6’ (10% closer means it will finish just of 7” closer to the pin), 8’ (10% closer means it should finish approx 10” closer), 10’ (12” closer), 15’ (18” closer”), 20’ (24” closer), you get the point.  (2) Forgiveness - With AI design, do toe or heel strikes affect the ball’s roll less?  On the course, I plan to play the AI-One Milled 7DB head to head against the Versa 7CS (current gamer) in a series of environments - long putts, short putts, putts from the fringe and just off the green but in the fairway.  Big test will be the end of the day results - have I had to take far fewer overall putts per round (strokes gained) and have I “all but” eliminated three (3) putts?  

Review comparisons:  Of course the big claim by Odyssey “...with Ai-ONE Milled, putts finish 10% closer to the hole on average than a typical milled putter”.  Truth or just PR.  I will be comparing it to the current gamer (Odyssey Versa 7CS) (insert pic)  As I am  really comfortable with the Versa’s predictable roll, I am looking to see how much better the AI-One Milled 7DB.  Does a Milled face inspire more or less confidence in the roll of the ball.  

Will it stay or will it go (as the old song says):  Accuracy, predictability on and off the green.  If strokes are gained - its a winner. (Over the past quarter my average putts per round is just over 30, so the goal will be for the AI-One to improve that)  If strokes remain the same - more testing may be required.  If strokes are lost - it loses and the Versa will roll on.  

What is not to be excited about - new putter, new technology: The opportunity to test a brand new putter with technology I have not used in the past (the milled face).  It combines so much of the familiar (the head shape, weight, length) with the latest AI technology.  

In the know stuff:  Odyssey has been my putter of choice for the most part as I have used them exclusively the past 5 years. As this is a new technology Odyssey is bringing I have not seen or heard too much about it.    

Expectations-high, high, high!:  Fewer strokes taken while putting which will mean lower scores and we all know that lowest score wins!  The combo of familiar looks and feel with new face technology will give me the opportunity to hole putts more often from all distances.      

First Impressions (19 out of 20)

Unboxing: The box (a little the worse the wear (thanks brown truck people)) arrived Thursday, as others noted.  It was a total surprise as I had not received any shipping notices from Odyssey.  Upon opening - the putter was well encased with an internal brace to keep it in place. 

 

Really like the spec sheet sent as well : 

Did a little compilation video showing some of the details:

If the way it is packed is any indication of how it is to play, this is going to be some high class fun.  Nothing like a NPD (New Putter Day (borrowing from guitar geeks to whom NPD means New Pedal Day)).  

Aesthetics (10 out of 10)

Initial Thoughts:  Love, love the look and feel of the putter - being a Odyssey 7 user (Versa 7CS) - it is amazingly familiar.  The navy blue - gold theme reminds of seeing Blue Angel jets flying as a kid (and as an adult) and being in total awe of their precision in flight.

That is one thing that this putter speaks to me - precision.  Nothing looks afterthought, but purpose driven.  Even the Super Stroke grip is spot on:  Pulling all the little wraps off and setting the putter down for the first time behind the ball was like saying “Hello” to an old friend.  I guess the similarity of the Versa 7CS (

and AI-One Milled 7DB

allows for that to happen. 

So what’s on tap….today was just breaking out the old putting mat and getting some rolls on it.  How did it turn ou? Well lets say the Versa is going to have its hands full with the AI-ONE!  The alignment aid (center stripe, flanked by stripes along the internal part of the tangs)

frames the ball well as compared to the Versa’s 3dot alignment:  

Feel off the face was solid and I hit a number of ball types (urethane thru surlyn) and it was consistent. 

That about wraps up initial thoughts. Any testing thoughts, will be glad to see how I can accommodate.  The best part is that with the weather here, I am hoping to spend lots of time on the practice green rolling on real turf as well as on the course. 

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More Thoughts on Aesthetics: The putters are very similar in terms of feel “in my hands” as my current gamer, Versa 7CS, is very much the same as the AI-One 7DB milled, aka “Millie” and both are fitted with SuperStroke GT 2.0 grips (albeit Millie’s is very new).  The biggest difference is first “heard” when hitting balls.  The muted White Hot face is very different from the Milled face as the latter is more percussive and solid in transferring that to the puttee.  The sound was alien at first but rapidly became expected and enjoyed as more rolls were made.  Off-center hits were more forgiving with the Milled (this showed up in the testing as accuracy was more consistent).  What about alignment?  Versa is simply three white dots while Millie has a center line flanked by white lines on the wings 

(think Triple-Track Harley Wide Glide style). 

Also the White Hot (Versa) has a Center shaft while Millie is a Double Bend (about ½ shaft offset).  The latter meant adjusting slightly but not a big deal or deal breaker...

The Numbers (10 out of 10)

The heart of testing is emphasizing the differences we see and/or feel or maybe don’t!  

Life in the mat lane? In my initial comparative rolls of the ball with each putter, I realized real quick that what worked with the White Hot did not with the Milled and vice-versa.  On the putting mat is where I first learned that “Millie” showed great restraint.  In the initial roll tests - at 5’, both were comparable, each putting the ball within 6” on average of the target hole (note - the Versa was typically long, the Milled just at or below), at 7’, the Milled moved ahead with a 12” average with the Versa moving out to 15’ on average.  A 9’ (the max distance of my mat), the Milled dialed in to about 6” just at pin high while the Versa was more scattered at about 12”.  

What about maintaining start lines?  Odyssey touts that AI is more forgiving across the face - to test it, I set up the gate drill to see how consistently straight the ball comes off the face.  In the rounds of testing, I found the Milled to be slightly better on keeping the ball straight, fewer pushes or pulls.  With Versa the ball was more erratic, playing into my typical push.  I conducted several tests, the most extensive is noted below.  The focus was on "make potential" - again using the putting mat to get some base lines here is how the numbers shook out:  

• Total of 30 putts at each distance (six groups of 5 putts per group): 3’ - both averaged 90% potential make rate; 5’ - Milled - 66.7%, White Hot - 76.7%; 7’- Milled - 73.3%, White Hot - 60%; 9’ - Milled - 76.7%, White Hot - .53%. Impressed to say the least that at the longer distances the Milled was putting me in the hole more often and closer on misses.

I came out of this testing series pumped that I may see some real gains on the course (see On Course for details). 

What about the long mat in the yard?  This mat is roughly 18’ long and the carpet is like putting on a green that has a stimp of at least 12 - it is slick!  Also, as it follows the contours of the yard, you get an undulated roll to where you have to pace the break to keep it on the 3ft lane. How did it play out?  The milled face gave a “solid” connected roll whereas the white hot was “freely (lacking a sense of control)”. 

What does this mean? Very quickly Millie demonstrated an accuracy I have not seen in any other putter.  On the course, see below, I would read my line, figure the start “gate” point and then watch as the ball would consistently roll the start line as it came off the face.  Distance control continues to remind me why a good putter (Versa) may not be a great putter (what Millie was starting to prove).  Over the course of testing, lag distances continue to shrink as I develop a more consistent feel.  The last round before this report was like this - lag putts in the 20’ plus range were well within 4’ of the hole (some less than a foot), putts that were less than that length that missed also ended within the circle of friendship.  This tester has a lot of approaches that are in the fringe or just in the rough that can call for a putter.  In the course of testing, I found Millie to be a good choice to make these rolls with a number of these “off the green” strokes with the ball often finishing close to the pin. Looking at course journals (highly recommend) - putts off the green often lagged as close as those long putts on the green, a tribute to the AI face technology to deliver consistent impact to the ball.    

On-Course (20 out of 20)

Real world life.  Putting mats and such are great practice tools, but if yours is like mine flat ain’t where it's at on your local course.  How did they do on the course?  Through a series of head to head roundsI learned that there are no automatic putts. If you want to be a good putter, it requires having confidence in your stroke as well as the club.  There were days where I could putt with either club and it was the same result.  Other days the Milled would leave me on misses much closer to the hole than the White Hot.  Overall, data from the rounds showed that “on average” I gained about 1.66 strokes per round with Millie.  Is just under two strokes per round significant?  For a guy whose handicap has been hovering just under 15, each stroke gained is significant.  What about three putting? That is the nemesis of all putters - prior to the test (using data from August to December) I would see “on average” a 3-putt or worse at least 7 out 10 rounds.  So has my accuracy gotten better in the testing period?  I want to say that bad putts were cured with Millie, but that has not been the case.  Partly because it is winter and greens have been everything from greasy slick to furry slow.  Interestingly enough, long putts have been the norm (talking in the 25 - 35ft range) so lags to the holes have been the priority to which Millie has proven extremely consistent in finishing misses closer than what I was used to seeing.  In that area, it is 1000% better!  The last round I played before this write-up a no 3-putt round on greens that were smooth and firm with plenty of undulation and slope with a total of 31 putts coming away with a whopping 4.88 strokes gained using an online Putting Calculator that uses your current handicap to base strokes gained.

The Good, the bad, the inbetween (15 out of 20)

The Good: Odyssey has a proven design in the 7.  The AI-ONE continues that familiar shape and feeling.  Overall balance and feel was identical to the Versa 7. The AI technology was consistently consistent as deliberate heel and toe putts were impressively at or into the hole (a definite plus for touted technology).   I found it to be confidence inspiring on and off the green (fringe putts were inspiring).  The PVD finish has done remarkably well, showing no signs of wear and is a standout color even in brown dormant grass!  

The Bad: This really came to light in the last couple of rounds and it has to do with the Mille Face insert.  I noticed some checking in the face - could be incidental club chatter as I will carry the putter without the head cover to the hole especially if I am doing an up and down.  However as I have been super careful not to bang the club, it makes me wonder if this may be more of an issue as time wears on (3 point deduct).  The glints of steel against the gold face are hard to unsee once you’ve seen them. 

The Inbetween: Overall not too much of a “gray area” here. Mainly the interchangeable weights were not available at the start and have now just become available (2 point deduct). 

If we had been able to work with a fitter with different weights, it may have made the putter more accurate for individual swings. Until recently the weights have not been available for purchase, however they now show the 5g & 10g as in stock.  As time goes on, this may be a future side test.    

Play it or Trade it? (18 out of 20)

While it was obvious for me, but what about the “average Joe/Josephine”?   First the putter itself is top shelf gear and that comes with a really nice price tag of $ 450.  For the “average Joe” golfer this may be way too rich as it’s almost as much as a nearly new driver.  Yet, typically you will use it for 36 strokes on average (2 putts per hole - 18 holes) and is known as the most used club in the bag.  Second, there are myriads of used putters on the market and the bargain hunter will say, “Na, not today.”  Taking a couple points off as it speaks more of a  “custom putter” realm and likely out of reach for the average golfer.  Would I buy it?  Most definitely, but only after working with a professional fitter.  

Conclusion

One would think that a putter is a putter is a putter.  As a tinkerer of all things, including putters I have always been looking for a magic bullet that would be automatic.  What I have found is that this putter works well - no matter the ball in play. In the past some balls just felt “funny” coming off the putter, like you could not feel the ball coming off the face.  To address the feel, I played several rounds where I switched balls every few holes (playing two balls from the approach into the green and putting out both from the same spot using Pro-V1 thru Wilson Zip): I was pleasantly pleased that the putter reacted similarly no matter which ball was in play.  The feel off the face is excellent!  The fit and finish for most part is excellent (after 15+rounds, many days of rolling balls on mats, etc) as the putter still looks like it has been just unboxed except the notation in the Bad section above.  While audibly different...once dialed in to my ears, it was subtly telling - on center, sweet, off center less sweet.  Playability - this is where it really stood out as each round, each roll built on the last to instill confidence.  One of the best comments about it came from my son who said “Man, your misses just barely miss and stop close.”  That means fewer overall putts and less opportunity for three putts.  Versatility, I have been one that is not afraid to try a putt from “off the green”.  In the course of the test, I had a number of approaches that were 3yds or less off the green either fairway or fringe.  Some were of significant distances (ball at the front fringe, cup in the back up to 90’ at one hole), yet I could lag to less than 10% of the hole distance (ex. 40’ putt to less than 4’) and know that it was a makeable 2 putt finish.  

The Odyssey AI-ONE Milled 7T DB (that is a mouthful) “Millie” definitely impressed in the long run.  I thought the AI technology would be more marketing than material, but in playing the club round after round I am seeing the forgiveness across the face deliver makeable 2nd putts and fewer three putt misses.  I can see it or one of its siblings as good fit in any golfer's bag.   

I again want to say how thankful I am to the MGS Mods to have been chosen for this test as it truly is an honor and privilege and to Odyssey for the opportunity to test this next level putter.  Having been a solid White Hot Insert puttee for the past few years, the AI designed and implemented face provides a feel and confidence that I had not known before.  Distance control, i.e. lag, was spot on through the entire test.   It was truly an honor to test and discover the “new face” of putting. 
 

Final Score (92 out of 100)

 

Edited February 3 by Willie T

[ZoonORama]

The Review - February 3, 2024

Odyssey AI-ONE Milled SIX T DB - Official MGS Forum Review by ZoonORama (Keith)

I am super excited to have been chosen to test the Odyssey Ai-ONE SIX T DB Milled putter. Before all of that, I want to take a minute to introduce myself and what I seek from this test.

About Me: I am 58 years old and used to play golf regularly. I say “used to” because around 2007 I hurt my back severely and had to take several years off of playing. I made the decision to re-start my golf journey in 2021. My swing, tempo, everything had changed, not to mention the equipment advancements! I play weekends and weekdays in the summer. Really, whenever I can. I have not competed but have played in a few leagues. I am in Ohio so weather can impact playing during the “closed” months of the year and it certainly was challenging for this putter review.

My game (thus far): My current handicap sits at 14.8 - I struggle for distance from the tee (like most). My iron play has been pretty solid and my short game to the green isn’t too bad. This past year however, I have had several rounds where three putting was happening WAY too often. My current putter is an Odyssey #8 XG White Hot (circa 2007). 

Testing Methodolgy: I really wanted to get this out on the course and see how it performed head-to-head with my current flat stick however, it was the end of the season and weather was a factor. What I didn't want to do was taint the test by my inability to properly read a green vs. performance of the putter. As such, it made sense for me to do static putting tests to really get the numbers and contrast any differences. This would involve 100 putts from various distances indoors, and distances outdoors from 20, 10, and 6 feet.

Expectations: I am expecting to see a dramatic difference in how the ball rolls, off center contact vs. consistent distance, and alignment ease. To keep this putter in my bag after the test, it will need to provide more consistency in distance. Basically, this putter needs to provide what is advertised, better overall performance.

I chose the SIX T DB model after hitting a Sub 70 milled putter. Up until that point, I was using, and liked, the white hot insert type of putter. This test compared the inserts of white hot and milled directly. This particular model looked good to me and had the specifications for how it sets up that is closest to what I am currently using.

 Keep in mind each putter model has differing toe hang degrees. This particular model has 17 degrees of toe hang.

Unboxing / First Impressions

Aesthetics (18 out of 20)

The box was “meh” other than the Callaway stamped on the cardboard. Exactly what you would expect from golf equipment coming via UPS.

Upon closer inspection I was really impressed with the fit and finish of this putter. The color is more of a cobalt blue than actual navy or dark blue. It is almost smoke or black. In short, I find the color very attractive and easy on the eye.

The graphics and badging on the putter are not overstated and blend nicely with the overall look. Often, we see products that the brand detracts from the product itself. This is very well executed and keeps the look clean and attractive.

The quality of the finish, you can see the sole here, is very well done. There are two adjustable weights that can be replaced easily with a torx head driver. No additional weights came with the putter however, as I took a few pokes with it, really didn’t need or want to change them at this time. More on the weights later, as they were unavailable at the time of this testing.

The grip that is the “standard” is a pistol style. There are options for different grips (too many to name). I wanted to see how this faired with a standard grip since most of my previous motivation to switch on my current gamer, was to stabilize performance. The grip, while more "rounded" than my current gamer, works extremely well. 

The head cover is good quality, fits well and uses a magnetic closure. The interior is a black faux fur type material that reminds me of the valuables pocket interior of most golf bags. Very plush.

One of the more interesting aspects, in my option, is the shaft. The AI One comes with a steel shaft that is designed to offer great feedback and feel, which it does. However, the label is gigantic so I will take a few points off for that. They do put the label centered on the underside of the shaft so it isn't visible while putting but still. We all know it will wear and become a sticky mess at some point.

The milling on the face of the putter is amazing! Not a sharp edge, leftover rough spot or anything was found on very close inspection. The care taken in producing this putter really shows. The milling feels “almost” sharp to the touch and the overall head size is smaller than I am used to using, while the insert appears larger. Very well done.

Lastly, this thing sets up wonderfully. The putter balance feels natural, with the head not feeling too heavy. The balance point allows for the head to float evenly above the ground with ease.

First few jabs with this compared to my current gamer really foreshadowed the overall results. Without really lining up the ball, I just walked up, eye balled it, and let it fly. Comparing this to my current gamer the score looked like this:

Odyssey XG #8 (Circa 2007) = 8 out of 12

Odyssey AI ONE = 12 out of 12   

Yes, that is correct. Without ever putting one of these before, I drained 12 of 12 first go. 

And if you are wondering what I have been playing? Here it is for comparison.

One thing that struck me as very interesting between my current putter and the AI ONE is the size of the head and insert. My old gamer is much longer and the insert is wider, however the sweet spot for solid contact is narrow. The AI ONE is smaller while the insert provides greater area for ball striking with minimal loss of distance. I must admit, I was skeptical about claims of 20+% better distance control but…. well, keep reading.

The Numbers (20 out of 20)

So, the practice green at the club had all of the flags removed for the winter season. So, I planted a few tee pegs at 20’, 10’ and 6’ from a target tee peg. The below video is from the 10’ mark. First putt at that distance with the AI ONE. 

What I was trying to capture (amidst the wind) was the sound of the putter. It is not unpleasant but it does have a distinctive “click” to it. I was using Maxfli Tour X (4 piece) balls. They are a little firmer than the standard Maxfli Tour balls so I expected a little more noise from them going into this. 

It is much different from my current putter (comparatively) but I don’t think it detracts in the least. At least not to me.

First, let me just say that I wasn’t expecting anything too crazy different from what I have now. So I was pretty “pre-disposed” to be disappointed overall. Call it my cynical nature but we have all had our hopes dashed at some point by product claims and promises that just don’t pan out (like the tread mill that I thought was supposed to make me taller and better). For this test, I was looking for subtle differences at best.

The testing I did was rudimentary as a first go. I would putt 9 balls and measure the farthest past the mark (target tee), and a toe and heel hit (offline/distance).

The results at 20' were….um, surprising. The face of the AI ONE putter was not only hotter than my white hot insert, it was consistent. Mis-hits resulted in closer results (halving) my normal distance on dodgy pokes.

The results at 10 feet were no different, albeit on a different scale. (You can see from the above video the accuracy of the first putt at 10 feet.)

But the REAL difference was at 6 feet…..

 One of my recurring problems is in my ability to leave putts too short or dribble them into the hole. Especially at 6 feet and less. The AI ONE putter was very hot off the face at this distance. Every putt at this distance went right past my target tee (putting from left to right in the pic) but not miles past. Just the right amount. The distances ranged between 9.5” to 29.5” past the mark with the majority between 21" and 23.5” past. (also keep in mind a few of these bumped into one another as they brushed past the right side of the tee).

I thought for sure my current gaming putter would do great, and for the most part, I did hit several into the tee but…..

Long shots were between 8.5” and 17” over/past the target.

While this group looks pretty stellar, it was not as consistent as the AI ONE group. Here is why. There was a slight break to the right (and the wind was pushing to the right as well). I was not adjusting my point of aim but rather, going for groups and consistency. Several of my putts with the XG #8 actually hit the tee and pushed out (to the right). That means I pulled them left offline. That is my usual “miss”. Every putt with the AI ONE putter went to the right of the tee, missing it by a few millimeters. Every one. 

My initial thoughts that this was more marketing than substance was beginning to evaporate right before my eyes.

My first observations of the AI putter were pretty dramatic. So, I thought I might spend some time with my older putter(s) and just get some practice in before switching back to compare again. You know, the honeymoon syndrome with new equipment. (keeping objectivity) After a few days of ignoring the new putter, I started putting again today on an indoor mat (snowing and ice prevented outdoor testing). I thought I would record my first few shots with the AI putter after a few days of not even holding it. 

As you can see. No issues whatsoever. The sound and feel are still new to me. It sounds hard but feels soft. While I was testing at the club earlier before the snow, another player tried out the putter and made the same observation. He commented how "soft" it felt off the face. It takes getting used to.

I completed a series of tests with the AI-ONE SIX putter as the results were very interesting to me. First, the methodology I was using.

7’ - 100 putts, 5’ - 100 putts, 3’ - 50 putts, 1’ - 25 putts. (5 balls at a time to allow walking back and forth and reset)

The two putters being used for this are the AI-ONE Milled SIX and White Hot XG #8 blade style. I have always liked blade styles better and really, haven’t even wanted to try a mallet until recently. So, this was a departure from my normal tendencies.

Each of these has a unique aiming style. I have found the AI-ONE to be VERY easy to set the alignment. And one thing to mention here is that the toe hang is exactly the same between these two putters.

The performance between these two is no contest. I had originally thought how this might play on the course, which would only really give me about 36+ putts unless I took a little extra time on each green. While I am itching to see how this performs out there on the course, this test was solid in that I had many mis-hit and off center strikes with way more repititions.

The 1’ mark was a wash. 100% for both, however I did notice some substantial differences that I want to share:

1. Alignment - alignment was so much easier with the AI-ONE

2. Consistency - great distance on off center strikes

3. Feel - AI-ONE - more launch / smooth - little noticeable feel difference for off center strikes. (XG #8 - less launch unless perfect strike - really feel off center hits - less distance)

Even though I don’t think this style of putter is my "preference", I cannot argue with the results I am seeing.

 

On-Course - (18 out of 20)

While I wasn't able to actually scrape the greens of snow and ice in order to game this stick, I did take into consideration the factors that mose plague my game while on the course. The first being alignment. When I stand over a putt, I sometimes feel like I am unsure or aiming can be fuzzy. This is less so with the AI-ONE compared to my current putter. I believe this has a lot to do with the contrast colr and generous aiming line. AS a result, I feel a LOT more confident standing over this putter than my current one (sorry XG#8).

The second factor for me is distance. I somehow manage to either just dribble the ball into the hole or come up a few inches (or feet) short. This is related to a couple of aspects: Not hitting it hard enough or off-center hits resulting in loss of power. I feel that no matter where I hit this AI-ONE, on the face my distances will be much more consistent. The face seems hotter as well.

Lastly, decoding the right line to putt to the hole. No putter can help you read the line so I cannot fault the equipment for that aspect. As a result of the testing I did, my confidence with this on course gives it top marks until proven otherwise. I did remove a few points because others who have taken the stick into the real world have indicated the finish could be compromised or damaged just by pulling it in and out of the bag and with regular "expected" use. 

The good, the bad, the in between - (15 out of 20)

The Odyssey AI-ONE SIX DB putter is the real deal. When I first saw the claims and technology described in this putter line, I was skeptical. The testing I did individually proved that I was wrong and the putter, actually delivers on the claims. This has me re-thinking my approach to the latest and greatest technology trends in equipment. 

What I don't like about the putter. The cost. This thing comes in at the price of a custom putter. Retail as of this writing is $449.99 !  Does that mean I don't think it is worth it? Well, let's discuss this point. When I first received the putter and realized how much it cost, my first reaction was "No way this is worth what they are asking". However, it does deliver and had I not been able to do so much testing (100s of putts), I would probably just pass by this at my local golf shop without a second thought. I have since changed my mind. For me, and having the experience with this putter, I would absolutely buy it knowing what I do now. After all, you make half of your score with the putter. It is a pretty important scoring club. I did take 2 points off however, because I feel the cost will be a negative factor for many golfers.

One other item I dislike about the putter is the weight system, but not for the reasons you might think. The weights are a great way to allow you to customize the feel. What I don't like about them is the way they are secured. One screw. And when I removed one of the weights to see how they work, the screw was already loose. This means you might need to check these from time to time or you could lose the weights without knowing it. A wee bit of thread lock might be in order. I would hope they redesign these in the future to have a tab or similar system to help prevent loss. One other note. Mine came with the 10g weights as stock. I had to remove them to see this since it wasn't published anywhere in the specs.

 

At the time of testing, the weight kits were not available. They have since been made available. And this leads me to why I took an additional 3 points off of my overall score in this section. The cost of the weights. $50 per set!

Should you want to play around with the weights and find what works best for you, you will need to purchase up to three sets at $50 each, ($150 for all three) just for the weights in 5g, 15g, and 20g respectively. This makes these weights more expensive (per gram) than sterling silver ingots. Luckily, my putter came with 10g weights and they seem perfectly fine for my putting method.

Play it or Trade it? (20 out of 20)

This putter has earned a spot in my bag for this season. I will keep my old putter but I doubt it will see much, if any use going forward. The results, feel and overall look of the AI-ONE just gives me so much more confidence over the ball. I do believe the asking price is fair for what you get in performance and I do believe that for those who want to tighten up their putting, this could be a breakthrough. As mentioned early on, my current handicap is 14.8 and I see a tremendous difference with this putter. I think most golfers would benefit from at least trying this putter as part of a fitting. Your mileage may vary. 

Conclusion

The Odyssey AI-ONE Six DB putter is a winner. As a first generation of this new type of flat stick, I see this as game changing. I was a skeptic and now I am a believer. This putter is extremely consistent in distance, very forgiving and easy to align with the target. The feel off the face is soft even though the milling offers a subtle "click" at impact. The balance and roll is both smooth and without effort. The finish and branding is pleasing and has exceptional contrast with the putting surface.

Final Score (91 out of 100) 

 

One last thing...

I would like to thank MyGolfSpy for the awesome opportunity to participate in this testing. Through this test, I have changed my perspective on golf equipment technology and how it benefits my game. Who knew?!

For those of you reading this that may have just found MGS...... If you haven't taken the time to browse the user forums, please do. The level of knowledge and sharing with forum members has been nothing less than astounding. And remember, the product reviews that you find here are by golfers like you (and me). The good and the bad. Real observations and truth. This test has me uber interested now in the testing that other members will be doing on the latest drivers that recently dropped. Again, I am a skeptic but I cannot wait to see what those results might be and I hope to see some of you following that was well. The results could be interesting (and personally expensive) .

Cheers! 

 

 

Edited February 6 by ZoonORama

[GolfSpy_APH]

Never been a big white hot insert fan so will be following this one closely!

What models did you as testers go with?

[sirchunksalot]

Congratulations testers! This is a great test and I'm looking forward to seeing if the A.I. Face helps your putting.

[Josh Parker]

Congrats testers!  Im looking forward to see what everyone picked.

[Willie T]

2 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Never been a big white hot insert fan so will be following this one closely!

What models did you as testers go with?

Extremely excited to be part of this test and to answer the question….which putter??  I went with AI-One Milled 7 T DB -

[Samuel09152]

Congratulations testers! 

[Love2Golf526]

Have fun!  Can't wait for the results.

[ParFore74x]

Congratulations testers! Looking forward to your thoughts on these, have fun testing!

[CFreddie]

Awesome news - what a great set of testers!!! Can’t wait to watch this thread to see these reviews start rolling in! 

[Rob Person]

Congratulations to all the testers! This is an awesome opportunity as these just hit the market!

[MattWillGolf]

Congratulations Testers. This one really interests me. Especially psyched to see my fellow Evnroll tester  @fixyurdivot compare the two takes on face technologies.

[Preeway]

4 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Never been a big white hot insert fan so will be following this one closely!

What models did you as testers go with?

I went with the milled 7 T CH.

Super stoked for this opportunity. Thanks a ton MGS and Odyssey. 

Edited November 28, 2023 by Preeway
Reduce pic size

[ole gray]

Congrats folks looks like some birdies are getting plucked by this group!

[Shapotomous]

Congrats testers!!  The milled insert has my attention!

[GolfSpy BOS]

Having gone out and rolled the Six T a little I am decided jealous of our testers here! Looking forward to the reviews of the Ai-ONE milled face!

 

 

[GornGolf]

Congrats Testers. Slick looking putters. Looking forward to these results!

[GolfSpy_KFT]

5 hours ago, GolfSpy BOS said:

Testers Announced!

Just incase you haven't seen or heard these new putters come with Odyssey's Ai designed face inserts with a milled insert for those who prefer a different feel. 

Ai-ONE Milled Insert
Designed using Artificial Intelligence, we’ve created contours on the Aluminum backer of the
insert to promote consistent ball speed across the face.

SL 90 Shaft
A lightweight steel shaft with 20-30 grams (depending on the grip) of counterbalance weight in
the butt end. This is an evolution of our Stroke Lab Weighting that will appeal to even more
golfers.

Unique Navy Blue PVD Finish
These putters all feature a beautiful navy blue PVD finish that really sets them apart and gives
them a premium look.

Interchangeable Front Weights
Available in 5, 10, 15 and 20 grams these removable weights allow you to dial in your head-weight to your exact preference.

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!

@fixyurdivot
@Preeway
@Willie T
@ZoonORama

Congrats, testers! Looking forward to seeing how you get along with these flat sticks! Putters and putting is such a personal and unique element to this game. Excited to see what this tech can do!

[Golfing_Rover]

Can't wait to see the reviews. Congratulations testers

 

[Preeway]

24 minutes ago, Shapotomous said:

Congrats testers!!  The milled insert has my attention!

Mine as well. I've been feeling out mallet putters all summer since my struggles began with my Bettinardi BB1 but the tech in this putter has me really excited. Going to be a lot of fun to put this thing through as many challenges as I can think of.

[GolfSpy_BEN]

Congrats to the testers! These putters look stunning and I’m interested to see how they perform. Now the fun begins.

[MattyIce13]

34 minutes ago, GolfSpy BOS said:

Having gone out and rolled the Six T a little I am decided jealous of our testers here! Looking forward to the reviews of the Ai-ONE milled face!

 

 

I did the same last weekend and decided to order one.  Love this putter.  

[russtopherb]

Congrats all! Looking forward to your reviews.

[fixyurdivot]

4 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Never been a big white hot insert fan so will be following this one closely!

What models did you as testers go with?

Hey Jamie. I was with my neighbor this past summer at a local golf store helping him pick out some new grips (and showing him how to install using compressed air).  While there, we tried some of the putters on the putting green and it was the first time I tried Odyssey's.  I rolled the "2 Ball" and a model that looked alot like my Evnroll ER5v (I think it was the older Seven T?).  Both rolled putts nicely but I just can't get past the look of the 2 Ball . 

As you may recall, I had a bag fitting at TrueSpec in 2020 and was moved away from my Ping B61 into a mallet-style, high MOI design.  My testing of the ER5v against my B61, using a structured SG format, showed an improvement. So, as hard as it was to bench my 30+ years in the bag Ping, I followed the data and it has proven true on the course.  

So now I get to see if the Odyssey AI-Milled One Seven T CH can outperform my ER5v.  They are very similar in design and a design I was fitted too.  Much like Evnroll's unique (even-roll across the face) groove design, the AI face technology in Odyssey's new line of flat sticks is intriguing.  I'm really excited about having been chosen for this product review and can't wait to get started.  If anyone has questions or would like something included in the testing, let me know on thread or the new "Members Testing Q&A thread.

Thank you so much to the folks at Odyssey and MGS staff for the opportunity!! 

[fixyurdivot]

49 minutes ago, GolfSpy BOS said:

Having gone out and rolled the Six T a little I am decided jealous of our testers here! Looking forward to the reviews of the Ai-ONE milled face!

 

 

Bryan, I went back and forth between the Seven T CH and this model.  During my TrueSpec fitting, one of the Ping mallet models was similar to the Six T and was on the "short list".  But, I ultimately stuck with/chose a design that is most like the ER5v I'm bagging... for now .

[Derek Lusk]

Congratulations testers!! I am excited to see how these putters stack up to the ones you are already playing with.

[Placasse61]

Congrats testers!!! I am looking to step up to a new putter so this test will be interesting to me. looking forward to watching the journey!