Odyssey Tri-Ball SRT Putter: First look

[Donald MacKenzie]

Just got my new Odyssey White Steel Tri-Ball SRT (whew, that's a mouthful) via UPS. I've attached some (blurry) pix so you can check it out.

For as weird as it looks, this thing feels just perfect in my hands. I just wish it made a light-saber sound as I moved it around. It's such a futuristic head that I expect some special effects when I use it.

Note from the pictures:

1. How much longer the head is from heel to toe compared with a White Steel 2-Ball putter. Massive.

2. How much darker the aluminum head is than the stainless steel of the White Steel version. It looks almost like the darker DFX version (pictured in the address photo)

3. There are holes milled through the center of the body, one under each "ball."

The fit/finish of the putter are great. The CNC milling really gives it a feeling of high-tech quality, and I love the dark aluminum of the body.

Oh, and I think I could use the headcover as a spare tire if I needed to.

[iacas]

How's the weight? When putters get this big, I wonder sometimes if you'd notice the extra weight walking 18 holes!

I'm not horribly serious, because I know that people wouldn't buy a putter with an unusually high head weight cuz it'd throw off the swing weight ("Heavy Putters" excluded).

[Donald MacKenzie]

I don't know the exact weight of the head, but the putter feels the same weight as the standard 2-Ball models that are in the pictures. It feels light because the head is so large, you just expect it to be heavy, yet it isn't. This must be why they used aluminum (lighter) instead of steel (heavier) for the body of the putter.

When I demoed the putter in Orlando earlier this year, I liked how light it felt, as it seemed to give me good distance control.

[iacas]

I don't know the exact weight of the head, but the putter feels the same weight as the standard 2-Ball models that are in the pictures. It feels light because the head is so large, you just expect it to be heavy, yet it isn't. This must be why they used aluminum (lighter) instead of steel (heavier) for the body of the putter.

Interesting, thanks. I tend to like the heavier putters (as I mentioned to you in Georgia, I think). Or maybe that was Doug I said that to... Heavier putters for faster greens (which seems backwards).

[tartanjack]

That is one funky looking putter! Got to have a huge MOI advantage, though. Interesting to me how the "rings" mirror Scotty's Futura and Phantom lines. Pelz must be beaming that they've finally gone the way of his original three ball putter... and richer still since they're paying him a licensing fee on his patent. What kind of an insert does it have?

[Donald MacKenzie]

Jack: It's a White Steel model, so it has the white urethane insert with a milled stainless steel insert in the center (supposed to provide both softness and distance control). It seems softer to me than other White Steel models I've tried, probably because the body of the putter is aluminum and not stainless steel.

[Donald MacKenzie]

Quick update: Took the Tri-Ball out for a quick 9 holes on a biz trip to Florida (got to play the back 9 of the Quarry course at Black Diamond: Wow!). Had a weird time on the greens with the Tri-Ball. The putts I expected to struggle with (longer putts) were no trouble. I had 3-4 putts of 25-30 feet with considerable break, and each one I lagged to within 3 feet.

But...the putts I expected to make (6 feet and in) with were a struggle with the Tri-Ball. Don't know why, but I lipped out 3-4 short ones. I was a bit uncomfortable over the ball with this putter. Maybe it's because the head's so big. Have to play a few more rounds before forming more of an opinion, but it was an odd first outing for the Tri-Ball.