ODIN Golf Balls: 2023 Forum Member Review

[GolfSpy_BNG]

Testers Announced!

In the vast landscape of golf ball options available to consumers, the direct-to-consumer (DTC) golf ball market has experienced an explosion of new brands in recent years, introducing golfers to a plethora of choices.

One such brand that caught the attention of our Forum members, although not featured in the primary golf ball test of 2023, is ODIN Golf. So, who exactly is ODIN Golf, and what sets them apart in the competitive DTC golf ball market?

About ODIN Golf

According to ODIN Golf, their mission is to make golf more accessible, affordable, and streamlined for the next generation of everyday golfers.

ODIN Golf aims to deliver a golf ball experience equal to or better than traditional brands, all without breaking the bank. An additional enticing feature is ODIN Golf's unique Cashback program, offering a 20% return on every dozen purchased (applied to future purchase) providing golfers with savings on subsequent ODIN orders. Essentially, you get paid to play golf, mirroring the benefits enjoyed by the pros.

Emphasizing their commitment to the everyday golfer, ODIN Golf distances itself from the allure of tour pros, declaring, "We're not excited about the pros; we're excited about you!" They aim for their community to directly benefit from and engage in the value they bring as a company, extending beyond merely reloading on ODIN golf balls.

With bold claims and unique purchasing perks we are curious to see how the performance of these golf balls stacks up. 

Please welcome and congratulate our 5 testers!

@Javs

@LinksgolfFever 

@Girldad18 

@fredsharky 

@Cecil Williams

 

 

[Javs]

Introduction (12/12/23):

First off, I would like to thank My Golf Spy and Odin Golf for the opportunity to be a tester for the Odin X1 golf ball. This was a great opportunity and I hope to provide some helpful testing results to all my fellow forum members.

As most know by now I am Javs on the site. As stated before, I selected this because my last active duty assignment overseas was Task Force Javelins.  

My professional life was 42 years combined service in the military. Of that, 27 years were active duty. My active duty career ended when I was wounded in action in Iraq. However, I was extremely lucky and was offered a government civilian position as a Deputy Operations Officer for a training command. After spending 15 years in that very rewarding position I decided to fully retire. My professional life provided the opportunity to travel around the globe and experience things one only dreams of as a kid. Those years were some of the best and at times some of the worst, but almost always exciting and new. 
Currently my wife and I reside in Georgetown, Texas. We live in a 55 plus retirement community. This place is an adult candy-land! We are a golf cart friendly community. Our retirement resort sports 4 high-quality gyms and each of them have an indoor and outdoor pool. Additionally, there are walking trails, more clubs and activities that prevent even the most active person from ever getting bored. However, my personal favorite part is the 3  golf courses with 9 sets of tees and all the new golfing friends! 

Golf Background:
My first exposure to this great game of golf was as a young 8 year old. I started as a caddie for my Dad. He is the one who taught me the game and all the rules coupled with proper etiquette. At 13, I started caddying at a local country club and making decent money for a kid. In high school, I played on the golf team and we won our conference championship. I started on varsity all 4 years. I played decent competitive junior golf. Had the opportunity for a few golf scholarships, but chose to enlist in the military. When I joined the military playing golf was often placed on the shelf. I did have an opportunity a few times of playing in the all armed forces tournaments. While I would make the cut, I never could beat those Air Force guys that seemed to play for a living! After retiring May 2022, golf became a big priority and the love for the game has returned. Due to lack of play my handicap index was a 12 when we first moved here. Now I am a 1 index; however, (depending on the tees we play) my course handicap ranges from 2 to +3. I have played on the VGA, our Men’s Club Events and play at least four times a week here. I am very competitive and really enjoy our local group money games. My goal for the next few years is to get my handicap to a plus and win the club championship. As someone pretty serious about their game, I can also be labeled a golf and equipment junkie

.

So, I am always tinkering with my equipment. I currently play the Callaway Chrome Soft X LS. Callaway states that the “Chrome Soft X LS 22 is designed for max distance in a fine-tuned lower spin profile. It’s especially suited for better players who want to “bomb it” off the tee, with a tremendous combination of long distance and a straight ball flight. Key performance characteristics include very fast ball speed off the tee, penetrating long iron shots, straight ball flight, and excellent greenside control”. I tested the Titleist White Box against this ball and am looking forward to seeing how the Odin X1 ball performs in comparison. First Impressions Grade (10 out of 10):I can’t believe that the balls arrived so quickly. There are bonus points when a company delivers your golf balls with days! Thank you My Golf Spy and Odin Golf! Let the unpacking begin! What a great looking box! I love the color and design. 

Aesthetics Grade (10 out of 10):

The  ball looks great as well! The big lettering and numbers might be too large for some; however, I really like it. They have also placed aiming arrows on the side of the ball. I like that feature to assist with putting alignment. While doing the finger nail test, the cover made me feel like I was holding a OEM Premium Ball. The dimple pattern reminds me of a Taylormade ball more than a Callaway or Titleist. Let’s take a look inside. We can see it’s a 3-piece ball with elastic mantle and compression of 86. Odin claims this is “ to increase workability that are both encapsulated by a Urethane Cover to maximize spin around the greens”. Something I will look at while testing. Odin states that the X1: “Plays like a ProV1, Chrome Soft & TP5”. So, I am expecting more spin than my current gamer. 

In contrast my gamer is “The Chrome Soft X LS is a four-piece offering. Like the CSX, it’s a dual-mantle (as opposed to dual-core) design. Like other Chrome Soft offerings, it features a 332-hex dimple cover. While the count is the same, Callaway says it alters the geometry of the dimple on each cover to provide an optimized trajectory for each model”. I love the Callaway ball and its 94 compression. 
To conclude my first impressions I attached a picture of the bottom of the box. Love that welcome and saying! It is very apparent that Odin seeks to cater to the regular golfer. The packaging and ball appearance scream let’s have some fun. The first impressions of the ball and Odin company are a score of 10 out of 10. I also gave the Odin X1 an aesthetics score of 10 out of 10.
 In the first two categories the Odin X1 has scored equal to or better than other premium balls on the market. I was extremely excited to get this ball out on the practice area and course. I put the Odin X1 through the paces against the Callaway Chrome Soft X LS.  During my testing I headed off on vacation on 16 December till 2 January. Went to the land of ice and snow. Appropriate for the Odin name! However, after several practice sessions and six rounds I found this ball phenomenal. So, I wanted to get a full review out on the street. 

Practice and the Numbers (19 out of 20):

During my testing I did not use a launch monitor. Many of the testers will provide you with the technical numbers. I do know my technical numbers off the launch monitor. However, none of us swing alike and I believe seeing my launch, ball speed and spin rate won’t help you. I wanted to provide you what I actually saw. Since I am a feel player even in testing my own equipment I need to see the flight. In the testing I used my gamer the Callaway Chrome Soft X LS, a Titleist ProV1 (since Odin claims their ball is comparable) and the Odin X1. 
First up is the driver and the distance comparisons. In the picture above this was an 327 yard drive over a creek and junk to pin high! Everyone wants to know if the ball is long or long enough. With the driver we all want distance and accuracy. Sometimes there is a trade off. With the Callaway Chrome Soft X LS, I average 286.7. While with the ProV1 my average drops to 282.6 and with the Odin X1 my average was 284.6. A caveat here is that with my gamer and the ProV1 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. Another fairway hit! I averaged 10 of 14 fairways with the Odin X1.  Not bad and I saw less side spin than the Callaway Chrome Soft X LS and a Titleist Pro V1. 
Next up was a 7 iron comparison. With my gamer my average distance is 178 yards. The ProV1 average was a 172 yards. The Odin X1 came in at 176 yards. Once again the mid-flight and dispersion of the Odin X1 was superior to the other balls. Or at least the flight and dispersion I desire. The shot below was 179 into the wind with a 7 iron.
Around the greens was a place that the Odin X1 really shined. The company’s Website states: “We had the ODIN X1 independently vetted, lab tested and reviewed against the best balls out there. Don't just take our word for it”. I found this to be very true around the green. After just a few pitches and chips I gained full confidence in playing the many shots required around the green (bump and run, hop and stop, flop, etc). While the ball performed excellent off the tee and on irons, putting was indeed a pleasant surprise. First, the markings on the side of the ball were great for alignment assistance. Second, the ball felt nice coming off my PXG Putter. It made a dull thud and was not firm and loud click like my gamer. The ball was softer than my gamer, but was easy to control the distance. Overall I graded the Odin X1 a 19 out of 20 for the practice and numbers. While the Odin X1 was slightly shorter off the tee, it made up for that delta in flight, accuracy and around the greens. While the ball seemed great in practice could this extend to the course?

On The Course (20 out of 20):

On the course is where the money is made or lost. For me, performance under pressure is everything. Everything that makes my bag has to have purpose and be designed to improve my ability to perform. If not, then why play it. I played over six rounds with the Odin X1. This ball performed better than I could have imagined. In the my first three rounds I was a combined 12 under par and only made 1 bogey! That is just unbelievable. My handicap dropped from a 1 to plus 3! The picture above was the look for the opening tee shot today at Cowan Creek. Dogleg left with OB right and long and a ravine to carry and trees and hazard all along the left. Goal is to hit a hard draw over the corner of the dogleg left. As you can see we pulled off the shot. The ball was hit 275 to the first cut of the left rough. Easy wedge left to the green. Off the tee in every round the Odin X1 performed as advertised. In today's round I hit 11 of 14 greens with a driving average of 278. This was very acceptable for a day in the low to mid 40’s with a heavy wind. The shot above was another highlight reel. This Par 4 is guarded by bunkers, OB's, hazards and there are two ways to play this tricky hole. One is to lay up on the left fairway and then hit a short to mid iron over a creek to the green. Or take the risk and bomb a shot over the junk and two creeks. The ball must carry 265 to touch land and 327 is pin high. As you can see I was pin high just left of the green. This resulted in an easy up and down for birdie! It is one aspect to have a ball that performs off the driver, but it must also be playable with your irons.  The shot above was hit from 176 into a breeze with a 7 iron off a down hill/side hill lie. As you can see it hit and bit right there. That is just one example of the multitude of excellent irons hit with the Odin X1. The ball was easy to work both ways and flight up and down. The stock trajectory was a mid-flight which is exactly what I have been craving. I found the ball was easy to control even up or down wind. Also the spin was never excessive.  As you can see above this was a hit stop and just slight spin back. Exactly what I desire in a ball off the irons! The picture above show the results of four shots all hit from around 159 yards with a very heavy side wind. My shot with the Odin X1 is the closest. It was a beautiful 3/4 8 iron that was flighted low to stay out of the wind. After this hole my playing companion in the black top wanted to try one of my balls. After three holes he was sold and told me I wasn't getting it back, I think he is buying a dozen tonight! The Odin X1 is exactly what you desire in short game performance. Bottom line this ball helped improve my scores. I have never played three rounds with only one bogey! 

The Good, the bad, the in-between (20 out of 20):

Odin states their commitment to the everyday golfer, ODIN Golf sets itself apart by declaring, "We're not excited about the pros; we're excited about you!" They have a mission to the everyday golfer to directly benefit from and engage in the value they bring as a company, extending beyond merely reloading on ODIN golf balls. In this mission they have hit a home run! 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. It feels good off the putter and distance control is easy. In the picture below you can see the big ODIN letters make it easy to identify your ball. Everything about this ball is designed to make you play better. 

Play it or Trade it? (20 out of 20):

According to ODIN Golf, "their mission is to make golf more accessible, affordable, and streamlined for the next generation of everyday golfers." I think they have absolutely achieved this goal. The bottom line is Odin Golf has designed and delivered a tour level ball that the every day player can purchase for 34.99 and actually play good golf with it. Compare that to 46 and 50 plus for the big OEM balls. In my mind performance is everything. You can promise, but it needs to perform. In this regard, the Odin X1 checks every box. I just played three money matches this week and shot amazing scores. 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!!!! Take a quick look at the ball below. I played three rounds with it and the ball still looks like it just came out of the box. 

Conclusion:

What would you think if a company stated they aim to "deliver a golf ball experience equal to or better than traditional brands, all without breaking the bank." Well they would have your attention. That company is Odin Golf. Then on top of that is "ODIN Golf's unique Cashback program, offering a 20% return on every dozen purchased (applied to future purchase) providing golfers with savings on subsequent ODIN orders. Essentially, you get paid to play golf, mirroring the benefits enjoyed by the pros." While saving money on a quality ball is great the performance of the ball is even better. This ball delivers the goods. Its long, its accurate, its playable in all conditions and its durable. Couple with the fact its affordable this might be the best ball on the market!  

Final Score (99 out of 100). 

Edited January 7 by Javs

[LinksgolfFever]

Welcome to my official MGS review for Odin golf balls.  Thank you MGS and Odin golf balls for the opportunity.  (a few friends that missed the cut on Thanksgiving....)

About Me:  I am from Santa Cruz, CA and my family has been here since 1910.  I grew up playing everything but golf.  I never saw the allure of golf.  After high school I enlisted in the Army and that was my plan.  After a traumatic knee injury cut my service time short, I returned to Santa Cruz and was looking for my next life story to write.  A couple of weeks later my Grandfather was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and was not expected to make it 6 months.  He asked me to go out and play golf with him, my dad and uncles.  Of course I said yes, but wasn’t expecting to enjoy the golf just my time with him…  Totally not the case.  I WAS HOOKED!  I got a job a local course in the cart shed and started playing as much as I could.  Two years later ,I was playing on the golf team at college.  Playing competitively for the next few years.  Then it was time to get a real job, got married and life happened, not very much time for golf.  Fast forward to 2015 and while on vacation in Maui, my love for golf was rekindled.  More life changes and my wife Anna and I met.  We have two boys at home with us and for the next 2 months they are the same age. (9 months difference between them).  Anna and I got married last year and for our honeymoon we went to Ireland and Scotland.  She is totally supportive of my golf, so much so that when I broached the idea of taking my clubs on our honeymoon she didn’t even pause when she said “you should absolutely do that.”  While in Scotland we stayed at Carnoustie and I played three rounds there.  She came out and walked with me and kept remarking how beautiful it was and even recognized some of the course from seeing the Open championship.

I am playing 2-3 days a week currently with 1-2 days of practice.  I play competitively whenever possible, this year I played in the NCGA matchplay tournament and made it to the group of 8 before a bad round, and a great competitor ended my run....until next year.  

Plans for testing:

●      The testing plans are 10+ rounds of golf, multiple putting green/chip and pitch practice sessions.  I will be comparing the my results against my current ball of choice Srixon Z-star.  

●      The review and comparison will be based on feel, responsiveness, wear and sound.

●      The litmus test is how well this stacks up to the Srixon. Feel, distance, spin, dispersion? From a price point and what I've researched it is a contender for sure.  

●     This will be a keeper if it plays comparably to the Srixon.  

●      This is a great addition to the DTC market, comparisons to Pro-V1 and the like.  3 piece urethane cover.  Great price point with subscription benefits.

●      I expect that the product will be very similar to the Srixon, from the data comparisons I've read they should perform similarly.

The Arrival:  They've landed!!!

 

Tuesday the balls arrived.  Great looking packaging !!!

 

Welcome to my Final review of the ODIN X1 golf ball:

***Spoiler Alert*** -This is my new favorite ball HANDS DOWN!-

RECAP-First Impressions: 10/10.  Packaging is great, balls look great. The ball feels soft and gives pleasing audible feedback off the putter.  I really like the oversized logo/name on the ball, makes a good alignment aide.  From all of the reviews I read prior to receiving this, I had set my expectations pretty high thinking this would be on par with my old 1st choice Srixon-Zstar.  

Aesthetics: 10/10.  I know it’s the ball that does the work, but when I opened the mailer to get the box of balls out, I just felt HAPPY.  I really love the other than everyone else 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. 

 

The Numbers: 20/20.  I did all of my review on the course and a few different practice facilities, THE REAL-WORLD TEST… (sorry no trackman).

Putting green and short game practice area, ODIN met and exceeded my expectations. Over the course of the test I chipped/pitched a few hundred balls and equaled that time on the practice green.  The roll off the putter was true and consistent.  I am not a big spinner of the ball, I normally get some check and release from pitching into the green and when chipping if needed I can get some check and stop.  I was able to consistently get better controlled spin from the X1 than my Z-star.

On the course.  Over the course of the evaluation I played 10 rounds of golf (and with the exception of the 3 balls I lost, the balance are still players).  Lost 1 in the woods, another in the lake and the last in the fairway’ I was playing, not singing in the rain…. 

Off the tee- A+, Driver between 105-110/mph off the tee, the X1 sailed with a repeatable flight, dispersion was very tight.  The ball makes a great sound off the tee (Callaway Roque ST 3xDiamond LS 10º).  The ball has a soft feel, reminds me a bit of the Hickory v. Balata from the olden days..

Approach- B+, The only thing I noticed was that my long irons 4-6 had a bit of a muted arc, didn’t get quite as high as I usually hit.  “Silver lining” they are great in the wind…..Again feel off the long irons is great and while it seemed the trajectory was a bit lower than my usual, the repeatability in flight “on target” was on point.

Short iron/Chipping/Pitching-A+, 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!!!!

Putting-A+, I don’t have much to say here, the ball felt great.  I started with my Cameron Super Select at the beginning of the review, but went back to my Zebra AIT1 and it is stellar on the greens…..

Good/Bad/In Between: 20/20.  Good, this ball is a player.  I signed up with ODIN online half way through this test and placed an order for another dozen.  Feels great off the club and it wears well even after 10 rounds. ( One of the balls was played in all 10 rounds).  Nothing BAD PERIOD!!  The only in between was what I found with my long irons, but for me that is a no brainer of a trade off and I am sure I could make some swing adjustments to mitigate what was a noticeable, but marginal change in flight.

Play it or Trade it: 20/20.   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.  

Conclusion: If you want to play a quality product, you like to play golf and would rather spend 50 bucks on a round than a dozen balls....do yourself and order some golf balls https://www.odin-golf.com/products/odin-x1-ball .  I made the switch and can't be happier with the ball.  I don't know whether it's my OCD, I'm cynical, I'm a statistician and work with numbers all day but I don't leap at the "new and improved" or now with xxx added products.  I am never quick to make changes and I like what I like (Just ask my wife about getting me to try something new, or change something just because....).  My scoring has improved, the X1 helped the confidence and/or trust in the shot and feeling better on the course has helped....

A special thank you to @Jordan ODIN Golf, ODIN golf, MGS and @GolfSpy_BNG for the opportunity to test this great product as well as the rest of the testers in this group, it was great to see how everyone fared with the ball.  I am eager to read the rest of the final reviews, to see what they thought.  @fredsharky  I think for this years match play team event, we can get an ODIN team together (Win again this year? )

As a side note, take a look below at a few samples of how well the X1 held up after 10 rounds. 

The number 2's had the same number of rounds in, the only difference is the ball on the left met a tree and a friendly cart path once.  Had that not of happened I don't think I could see any flaws otherwise. 

  for another comparison the #4 sleeve never left my practice area at home, both the 4 and the 2 on the right look nearly identical.   

TOTAL SCORE:100/100

ODIN GOLF FOR THE WIN!!!!

 

Edited January 6 by LinksgolfFever
Update

[Girldad18]

Hello MyGolfSpy!  I am thankful to be chosen for such an opportunity as this to test these ODIN X1 golf balls!  Thank you to those at ODIN for offering this opportunity to the forum!

My name is Matt.  I am happily married going on 18 years.  I have three daughters, 16, 14, and 12.  Hence the handle, Girldad, their idea...

Golf has been part of my life for over 35 years.  I played in college at Francis Marion University in Florence, SC and we were fortunate enough to win the 2003 NCAA Division II National Championships in Crosswater, Oregon.  This led to me being inducted into the schools Hall of Fame in 2018.

This year we had our 20th anniversary meet up as we consisted of two Swedish players, one South African, and one from Argentina.  Also, I was fortunate enough to go to L.A. to see the U.S. Open.  While there we played Trump National.  This is shot from the back tee on 18, a 500+ yard par 4, that played into the wind.  Too much for a 42-year-old office manager.

I currently reside in Northwest Arkansas, home of the Razorback!  I play as much as I can, but not as much as I would like.  I carry a scratch handicap and have played most of the high end, more popular, golf balls.  I mainly look for a deal, but if it comes to competition, the ProV1X is the go-to.  I do play the ProV1 as well but do notice a considerable spin difference on approach shots, especially with wedges in hand.  

UNBOXING/FIRST IMPRESSIONS (10/10)

The ODIN's arrived in a white packing bag.  No damage, no issues.  The colors on the box are eye catching and honestly, I expected those colors to reflect on the ball, kind of in the same way as the VICE.  My daughter even said the same thing, that she thought they would have the colors on them too.

The ODIN feels the same as any other high-end ball would feel in your hand.  The writing, ODIN and the number, are noticeably larger than usual.  That is not a bad thing.  Makes it stand out.  Also, could make it easier to identify when playing with your buddies.

I am interested to see how the arrows on the side help with alignment.  I draw a line for putting alignment there, so I will definitely test this to see how it plays with my mindset and ease of use as the test goes on.

I will run these through the testing process.  I am heading east for Christmas and plan to get a few rounds in with my dad while there.  We will see how it goes and will take you along for the ride.  

AESTHETIC (9/10)

As shown above, the packaging is catchy and fresh.  I would love to see a paint splatter finish on an ODIN moving forward.  The durability is good.  I did scuff one on the cart path 

so it became a sacrificial lamb to a dissection on my dad’s bandsaw later to open it up and see the insides. 

The alignment aid on the writing on the side is nice for me, as I draw a line on the ball anyway to help align my putting.  I still do prefer the line I draw, creature of habit, but what is provided does work.  I did notice a small scuff on the ODIN from one of the sand shots I hit.  It did not help that the sand was wet, and I caught it on the teeth.

The ODIN tends to get dirtier, in my opinion.  The transfer from when the ball hits the ground, the stain is not as easily removed as I am used to.  A simple finger wipe does not get it clean.  I had to either wipe it on the turf or use a towel.  I did deduct a point for this as it was noticeable to me.

I have played all sorts of higher end balls through the years.  For feel - this ball reminds me of the high-end Srixon when they came out in 2004 when they went seam free and that was all the rage.  It is not as sharp of a sound as a ProV1X, it sounds closer to a ProV1.  It performs the same as the website states, very comparable to the ProV1, the TP5 and the Chromesoft.  The sound it made off the clubface felt more dull than what I am used to.  Not 100% sure if this is due to the weather as it was pretty chilly during testing days, so I didn’t put too much into that being a factor.  It doesn’t matter though, the ODIN performs!

 

THE NUMBERS/PERFORMANCE (20/20)

As the website states and my testing confirms, the ODIN X1 is right in line with other high end OEM balls.  I did see a slight increase in distance off the driver with the ODIN X1 vs the ProV1.  Could not really tell a difference with distance on the irons.  The ODIN X1 had some shots spin back on the greens, some released out.  Again, comparable to the other balls I tested alongside it. 

My dad has watched me play golf from the start and I asked him his thoughts on it, just being a spectator.  He said you wouldn’t notice it was a different ball.  It performs like any other ball you would be playing.

I did not get any sort of number measurements with the ODIN, or for any other ball I have played for that matter.  If I take a ball out and it doesn’t do what I want it to do, then it doesn’t make the cut.  The ODIN makes the cut.  It is definitely gamer material!  I plan to try them out the next time I purchase some golf balls. 

 

ON THE COURSE (20/20)

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 clubs.  Driver distance is as good or better than what I am used to.  I am interested to see in warmer months how this pans out.  Ball flight with all clubs is what I expected.  I could hit all the shots I wanted with it.  Feel and distance control with the putter was good.  Again, all as expected.  I won’t say it will help improve my scoring, but at this point I can say I do not think it will hurt my scoring either.

 

THE GOOD, BAD, AND IN BETWEEN (20/20)

The ODIN X1 is legit.  Definitely worth a shot for anyone looking to try a new ball and save some $$ while you do it.  The only bad thing I can say about it is, carry a towel with you to the green so you can wipe your ball clean.  But that is a small ding in this exceptional product.  I already deducted a point off for this earlier in my review.

 

PLAY IT OR TRADE IT (20/20)

Would I play this ball in a money match or big tournament? YES!  And I plan to try it out for 2024 and see what happens.  Their pricing of $34.99/dozen for their ODIN X1 is exceptional for the product.  Especially in comparison to other high-end balls being $50/dozen or more.  If you purchase on their website, then you get 20% cashback which is good towards your next purchase.  Hopefully this is something they keep as I think it promotes brand loyalty and a nice discount too.

They do have an ODIN X on their website too that we did not test that offers at $19.99/dozen, so they have a few options.  Looks like the X version is for a mid to higher handicap golfer.

FINAL SCORE (99/100)

CONCLUSION

The ODIN X1 stands up to all other high-end balls.  It is fresh and comparable, maybe a touch longer even, and a better price point than what is on the market at this time.  Nothing really blew my socks off with the ODIN X1, but it did EVERYTHING I wanted and needed it to do, and the price point is almost too good to be true for a ball as good as this one!  Get online to their website and order a dozen or several and Go Balls Out. Always!

Edited January 6 by Girldad18

[fredsharky]

Introduction 12/13/2023

I want to thank MyGolfSpy and ODIN Golf for being selected to test the X1 golf ball. I see a lot of the tests on this forum and find them super helpful. All the testers do a great job and take testing products seriously.

I just hope that I can bring something to the table..

I am fredsharky on the site and have been a member for a couple years now. I live in Fort Walton Beach Florida (for the past 2 years) but grew up in Arkansas (Go Hogs!!!). I am super lucky to have a job that I have been at for about 23 years as an IT Systems Engineer (Data Protection and Recovery). Also very lucky that I can do everything from home so that gives me a lot of time to get to the course.

I have been married to my super awesome wife for almost 28 years and between all the years spent fishing bass tournaments and fishing trips and now golf almost everyday without complaining about it - well I am def super lucky to have her.

 

I have been playing the game of golf for several years, but never really took it too seriously until the last three years or let’s say never worked on my game.  I was always way too busy fishing..

Since moving to FWB and rarely fishing any longer I have a ton of time to work on my game. I am at the range almost every day at lunch just working on swing and aiming (SMH because for some reason I cannot aim very well). I have dropped my HDCP from around 15 to about an 8 (depends on week). I set goals every year, some are more attainable than others, like getting HDCP consistently in the 7’s and others that may be a little more difficult like hole in one (which I did get this year) and shoot in the 60’s (also did this year 68). I play a few cash games weekly and love playing golf tournaments, whether it is FSGA, two man or 4 man scrambles for fun. 

One of my favorite things this year was the MYGOLFSPY FORUM MEMBER MATCH PLAY EVENT. I had such a blast and it really got me to focus on playing for a score. Our team was also lucky enough to win the inaugural event (Shout to the Sharky Mac’n Swans, @GolfSpy_BNG, @swansosa and @LinksgolfFever), way to go guys.

 

First impressions (10/10) 

So let’s get into this golf ball review introduction….

First off - Packaging: Just WOW!! This box is outstanding and it tells you that hey I am right here waiting to be opened and I probably have something inside that is equally awesome. Very rarely does a box make me take notice, but it did.  Mean they even have a subtle X1 on the sleeve.

Opening it up and getting the first sleeve of balls out was also very telling in the packaging department, as the sleeve is very smooth and sturdy (some other manufacturers have very flimsy sleeves). I mean they even have a subtle X1 on the sleeve.

As I open the first sleeve up and I get the first ball, 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 (We will see soon if that translates to the course).

I only had one concern when I initially opened the package and inspected the ball. The lettering is quite large and at first I was a little concerned, but after looking at it for a few minutes I actually think I like it.

As stated above I gave the first impressions a 10/10 and I absolutely hate that, but I am a super fair person and I just cannot find anything wrong with this ball so far..

 

Below is a list from the manufacturers website of claims - I am going to try and convey what I have found from this list and then go into some detail as to what I thought of the ball on first impressions 

RUNDOWN

Durable 3-piece Urethane

All-round performance

Softer feel & more control

Lab tested by PING & USGA approved

The official ball of 100s of leagues/clubs

PLAYER FIT

Low to mid handicaps (13 and below)

Faster swing speeds

Tournament enthusiasts

BALL NOTES

High compression (86) & very workable

Top distance, spin & control

Plays like a ProV1, Chrome Soft & TP5

Concerning the “Rundown” piece of it, I do think that it does have a soft feel and I am able to control the ball very well. I also think this ball is super durable which I will dive into later on. The ball for me was really exceptional in the All-around performance category as well.

For the “Player Fit”, I would definitely say this is a ball that low to mid handicappers would enjoy and would be a great ball to try out. Of course I recommend a good ball for any handicap as the better the ball the better chance you have to hit a better shot, whether that is confidence or the ball is just that good (never hit a bad ball when you have to hit a great shot). I see people all the time changing out golf balls to hit over water, why hit a ball that is all scuffed up and maybe some cheap ball that is not good, if you think you are going to hit in the water just lay up, but do it with a good ball. I will say this - I would hit this ball over any water hazard anytime I needed to and would not think twice about it.

The “Ball Notes” category 2 of the 3 listed are super conditional per player. For the distance, spin & control for me I can attest that it is a leader in the testing phase for me - I tested against the three balls that I play regularly (ProV1, Vice Pro, Srixon Z-star)

 

Here is a rough cut of my methodology:

Take balls to practice green and putt 100 times 

Go to chipping green and do the same

Go back to both again this time with ProV1, Vice Pro and Z-Star (3 of each)

Take to the course on Friday and play 

Take to course again and hit shots all the way through the bag 

Take to Trackman and get numbers

From there just keep playing different shots 

 

The Final Review

Aesthetics (10 out of 10) 

First off the packaging is amazing - the box it comes in is super eye-catching and it wants you to dive right in and open it up (See pics above). Probably the best looking packaging on the market to me (please do not change it too much in the future). 

As for the ball itself it is a really nice looking ball, looks and feels like a really premium ball. In my opinion it has that; You know it when you feel it; feel.

I do like the alignment aid as it is wide enough to see well and align with, but also not too large as it takes up half the ball. It has a nice soft sound for me, not too clicky or any of my clubs.

With a 350 dimple pattern I had very little issues with ball flight, spin and launch angle. The X1 performed just as good if not better than the balls I normally play (On-course or on Trackman).

As for durability, I mean I could go on and on for me - I have hit 3 X1’s at around 500 times now with my wedges and they still look pretty good, I would and will still play them in a round for sure. I hit several sand shots and it held up very well also - these pics and reviews of that are deeper in this post if you want to check that out further.

 

The Numbers (20 out of 20)

I was able to test this against the other golf balls mentioned above on a Trackman (Pic’s below). My impressions for the X1 is that it performs as good if not better than the other three golf balls. I have zero issues saying that this ball would fit most golfers. I am a very big spin guy (off the tee, irons and def in my wedges) and this ball delivered in every aspect that I threw at it.

The one thing that I will say is that it was super consistent for me - if I make a good swing the ball performs well.

On The Course (19 out of 20)

So with the “On the course” testing I tried to be very cautious and not to compare thi ball with others and just do an on the course evaluation (I will tell you that this was very difficult as we as humans love comparing things).

But here is the most unbiased opinion I can give.

Off the tee - The X1 was very straight for me, did not have a lot of movement in the air, I like to fade the ball and had zero issues fading it and the “BIG” fades or what would be considered maybe baby slices were not too present. I was really impressed with the length off the tee.

Approach shots - This will be the one category that the X1 may have little more work to do. Although I am being very knit-picky here, with my longer irons (I carry a 6 and 7) the ball did appear to want to hold the green as the ball flight was a little less steep than normal. But I am being very, very judgmental here. The X1 still performed very well

Ball Flight - With the drive it was excellent, it was just what I wanted, but with the longer irons it was a little more shallow than my usual ball flight (This is where it is hard not to compare with other balls) but nothing that would keep me from playing the X1. Ball performed very well to excellent in the wind - this time of year in the panhandle of Florida it can get windy and the X1 was great.

Around the Green - To me this is where the X1 shined the brightest - 50 yards and in. I play a 58 degree wedge for 99.99% of every shot around the green and this is one of my strongest attributes. So when I say that this ball performed perfectly, I mean it. I am super, super picky about the golf ball that I use around the green, because I believe you should always work backward from the green to the tee. If it was possible to use three different balls while playing a round of golf, I might choose another ball for the tee and irons, but the X1 would be wedge in every time, without a doubt no questions.

Putting - As with the “Around the Green” I loved this ball putting - I would say it has a super nice crispy soft feel (sorry I have no other words to describe it). The ball always rolled true and unless I just hit a bad stroke it did very well.

Pics of some wedge shots of 60 to 80 yards - grouping is right were I like it 

 

The Good, the bad, the in between (20 out of 20)

So first off as I stated above, I love this ball around the green and with my wedges, it performed flawlessly for me. 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. The only thing that was just so so, was the longer iron ball flight was a little shallow, but that is easily worked out with my swing. 

 

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

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.

First off, I have been trying to find a ball to replace the ProV1 for the past couple years, because the price for that ball is just too dumb for my brain to comprehend. I have been testing golf balls in that span of time and narrowed the search down to the Vice Pro and the Srixon Z-Star. Both of those balls play very well for me, but with each one I was giving something up.

Once I saw that I was selected for the testing I was super excited as I was going to be able to test another ball for this year (past year). 

I have just put in my first order for the X1 so I cannot wait until I get a new batch in. This ball was super solid in all facets of the game and I had to get really picky about something so that I could have something negative to say about it. 

All in all this is a ball that should work for any handicap level 

Conclusion

So in conclusion I think this is one of those no brainer brands that need to be tried and tested. Always play the ball that you are confident with and in my opinion I can get that from the X1. 

I do not change golf equipment easily, so me changing golf balls is a very big deal. I truly think this ball will help my game. Do I think that it will make me shoot 5 to 6 strokes better, no, but I do think I can play more confident and in turn makes me play better. 

I am very much a numbers and task guy, so it is very difficult for me to make this a bells and whistles type of review - so if you have any questions about this ball please feel free to either ask it in this forum or shoot me a question personally - I will give you the straightest answer I can.

Again I want to say thank you to MGS and Odin for the opportunity to test this ball, it has been very exciting and fun.

Final Score (99 out of 100)

Edited January 5 by fredsharky

[Big C]

Placeholder introduction 1st I wanna give a big shoutout to my spy and Odin golf family for choosing me out of the thousands of people u could of choose thank you so much for this opportunity and my honest opinion on these Odin golf balls.              My name is Cecil Williams I’m 66 years old I worked for  ( UPS) 29yrs 6 months on that brown truck been married to my wife for 44yrs we have a son n daughter 3 grandson 1 granddaughter love all to the moon  golf background I started playing golf in 1984 first time ever on a course I also taught myself to play golf by google videos golf digest and going practice at the golf range and develope my on shot it works now I’m a 2.1-3 handicap love the game first impression on Odin Golf Balls was so excited to get them quickly on Tuesday as I opened the package and saw this beautiful colorful box all my favorite colors as got 1 ball out compared it my tp5x gamer they feel the same look the same as for as dimples but Odin x1 also the Odin ball is 86 compression and tpx5 90 compression 5 piece vs Odin 3 piece I’m excited today to take them to the course to test n compare my play and thoughts I will get back to u spies later links here I come 

My Final Review.                                             

As you can see what more colorful box can you ask for golf balls love the design reminds me of my golf clothing very well designed and beautiful colors.    

Aesthetics(10/10).                                       

This is very well designed golf balls with 350 dimples 86 compression ball with a very durable cover putting line up is nice also very well done.  

Numbers (20/20).                                           

I like the way this ball feels on club face it’s hot long rolls out amazing long for a 3 piece ball compete well with my gamer ball tp5x                                                  

Off The Tee(A+).      

I like the sound and feel of the Odin x1 ball with the driver high flight and it flies down the fairway.  

Approach shot (A+).                                       

This ball is hot off the face of my irons hits high and I like the roll out I get from this Odin x1 very nice I hit different approach shots I like my results. 

Short irons/chipping/pitching.                        

With irons I like the flight roll out chipping also pitching is very nice I don’t peel the hide off the ball. Cover very durable.                                                                

Putting (A+).                                                   

I have a axis 1 putter that’s torque free I like the feel and roll of the Odin x1 ball being a 3 piece ball stays on line well.    

Good/bad/in between( 20/20).              

I can’t find a thing wrong playing this Odin x1 ball excellent play only thing bad in on the players part of how you play no in between you golf will it are bad.      

Play it or trade it (20/20).                            

Play this ball for real it’s a keeper for me I’m very impressed at play with this ball bag it for real.                           

Conclusion. 

My experience with this Odin x1 ball bs my tp5-chrome soft  is very well compatible being a three piece ball and it plays outstanding in cold weather Odin golf has got a winner from me very well designed want peel cover easy either.         I wanna give a big shout out to Odin golf and my spies staff for choosing me to give my honest opinion thanks a million 

[TJ Hall]

Congratulations testers!  Looking forward to seeing the feedback on these.

[MDGolfHacker]

Congratulations testers!  

[rkj427]

Congratulations to this great, diverse group of testers.

Looking forward to their comments and reviews.

[GolfSpy_BEN]

Congrats to the testers! Now the fun begins. I’ll be interested to see how these stack up to the other DTC balls in this price range.

[unccross]

Congrats testers, look forward to reading your reviews. I’d never heard of these balls.

[Preeway]

Congrats everyone! I'm eager to hear your thoughts comparing these to other DTC offerings as well as the big boys.

[fixyurdivot]

Congratulations spies!  Have fun testing.  Presuming ODIN get tested by MGS Lab next year, it will be good seeing your numbers and feedback for comparison.

[jbern]

Congratulations testers! Since I had never heard of these prior to the MGS forum test announcement, I'm very curious how they stack up vs all of your gamer balls! Have fun @Javs, @LinksgolfFever, @Girldad18, @fredsharky & @Cecil Williams!

[dlm]

Good luck testers!  Let us know when you lose one so we can hunt em down to try them.....

[Notpaulrudd]

Congrats, the cashback program is super intriguing

[ZJeb67]

Looking forward to the reviews
May all the testers hit 'em straight 

[Big C]

Good morning spies thanks to everyone I haven’t got mines yet but asap I will inform u all I’m excited to y’all have a good day 

[OdinSnipes414]

6 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Looking forward to this test. It should be a fun test and hopefully provide some valuable insights. 

Can’t wait to hear what you think I have been in love for a while and Ik others in my community love them as well

[OdinSnipes414]

8 minutes ago, Cecil Williams said:

Good morning spies thanks to everyone I haven’t got mines yet but asap I will inform u all I’m excited to y’all have a good day 

I can’t wait my man!  What balls do you use currently 

[tdroma98]

Congratulations Testers! Interested to hearing about Odin Golf Balls! Enjoy! 

[OdinSnipes414]

Congrats to all the testers @Javs @LinksgolfFever @Girldad18 @fredsharky @Cecil Williams I’ve been pushing these down the throat of anyone who would hear me! I can’t wait to see some results! 

[BallsLeon]

Price and cashback program make these super intriguing! Would love to see these compared to Maxfli Tours if any of the testers are currently playing those.

Edited December 12, 2023 by BallsLeon

[OdinSnipes414]

I wish there was an X test as well but there  is a cheeper option o tope of the already in expensive X1 can’t wait for results! Good luck everyone! #GoBallsOutAlways

[OdinSnipes414]

Just now, BallsLeon said:

Price and cashback program make these super intriguing! Would love to see these compared to Maxfli Tours if any of the gamers are currently playing those.

 Just need to find a Maxfli in the woods

[Big C]

Guys I play 3-5 times a week n it’s good to hit the ball long but u also need a ball that’s stop on the green also need a 3-4 piece ball that compresses good off the face of club can’t wait to test these balls I play mizunos rx566 - tp5x Wilson triads good price on these also 

[Derek Lusk]

7 hours ago, GolfSpy_BNG said:

Testers Announced!

In the vast landscape of golf ball options available to consumers, the direct-to-consumer (DTC) golf ball market has experienced an explosion of new brands in recent years, introducing golfers to a plethora of choices.

One such brand that caught the attention of our Forum members, although not featured in the primary golf ball test of 2023, is ODIN Golf. So, who exactly is ODIN Golf, and what sets them apart in the competitive DTC golf ball market?

About ODIN Golf

According to ODIN Golf, their mission is to make golf more accessible, affordable, and streamlined for the next generation of everyday golfers.

ODIN Golf aims to deliver a golf ball experience equal to or better than traditional brands, all without breaking the bank. An additional enticing feature is ODIN Golf's unique Cashback program, offering a 20% return on every dozen purchased (applied to future purchase) providing golfers with savings on subsequent ODIN orders. Essentially, you get paid to play golf, mirroring the benefits enjoyed by the pros.

Emphasizing their commitment to the everyday golfer, ODIN Golf distances itself from the allure of tour pros, declaring, "We're not excited about the pros; we're excited about you!" They aim for their community to directly benefit from and engage in the value they bring as a company, extending beyond merely reloading on ODIN golf balls.

With bold claims and unique purchasing perks we are curious to see how the performance of these golf balls stacks up. 

Please welcome and congratulate our 5 testers!

@Javs

@LinksgolfFever 

@Girldad18 

@fredsharky 

@Cecil Williams

 

 

Congratulations testers!! Excited to hear how you feel about these balls.

[Tom the Golf Nut]

Congrats testers. Looking forward to your reviews.

[Girldad18]

7 hours ago, GolfSpy_BNG said:

Testers Announced!

In the vast landscape of golf ball options available to consumers, the direct-to-consumer (DTC) golf ball market has experienced an explosion of new brands in recent years, introducing golfers to a plethora of choices.

One such brand that caught the attention of our Forum members, although not featured in the primary golf ball test of 2023, is ODIN Golf. So, who exactly is ODIN Golf, and what sets them apart in the competitive DTC golf ball market?

About ODIN Golf

According to ODIN Golf, their mission is to make golf more accessible, affordable, and streamlined for the next generation of everyday golfers.

ODIN Golf aims to deliver a golf ball experience equal to or better than traditional brands, all without breaking the bank. An additional enticing feature is ODIN Golf's unique Cashback program, offering a 20% return on every dozen purchased (applied to future purchase) providing golfers with savings on subsequent ODIN orders. Essentially, you get paid to play golf, mirroring the benefits enjoyed by the pros.

Emphasizing their commitment to the everyday golfer, ODIN Golf distances itself from the allure of tour pros, declaring, "We're not excited about the pros; we're excited about you!" They aim for their community to directly benefit from and engage in the value they bring as a company, extending beyond merely reloading on ODIN golf balls.

With bold claims and unique purchasing perks we are curious to see how the performance of these golf balls stacks up. 

Please welcome and congratulate our 5 testers!

@Javs

@LinksgolfFever 

@Girldad18 

@fredsharky 

@Cecil Williams

 

 

Looking forward to seeing how these compare with the ProV1x I currently play. I haven’t received mine yet but will update when I do. 

[William P]

Congratulations! Looking forward to your feedback on their performance.