Odyssey EXO Putter
Odyssey is one of the longstanding leaders in the putter industry and has used their experience to deliver a killer putter lineup. The new Odyssey EXO putter family is an evolution from a classic company that shows they have no intention of slowing down anytime soon. By combining multiple materials and placing the weight around the perimeter, Odyssey has delivered some of their most forgiving and best feeling putters yet.
First Impressions
At first sight, it’s hard to miss that the Odyssey EXO putter has a unique look. EXO is a fitting name as the putters look more like an “exo-skeleton” of a putter. So far, the EXO line has only three head shapes. Two of those shapes are Odyssey classics – the #7 and the Rossie. The third is the Indianapolis shape brought over from the Toulon guys. Staying consistent with recent lines, the EXO family has the same red, black, and white color scheme. In the interest of the utmost integrity and transparency, as cool as the EXO looks, it definitely takes some getting used to when looking at it from address. Making that adjustment is easy and this 7s pictured here looks great behind the ball.
Another “first impression” worth noting is that the EXO (7s specifically) “feels” somewhat heavier at first. We’ll cover this in more detail in the next section, but this was something I immediately noticed when I picked up the putter.
How Does it Feel?
The Odyssey EXO putter series brings the second iteration of the Microhinge insert. The EXO’s version of the Microhinge, however, is built on the foundation of the classic White Hot insert. If you have familiarity with the previous Microhinge insert, the Odyssey EXO has a slightly firmer feel with a touch more click. Don’t get me wrong, you won’t confuse the EXO for a clicky putter, but it’s a little less muted than previous inserts. People that aren’t typically insert fans may find the EXO a little closer to their liking.
As mentioned earlier, the EXO 7s we tested had a heavier feel to it at first. Coming in at a 360 gram headweight, the 7s isn’t exceptionally heavy. I’m chalking this perception up to the concentration of the majority of the weight being around the perimeter of the putter. This makes the putter extremely forgiving and easier to control during the stroke. The EXO is well balanced throughout the swing and is easy to keep under control due to its “EXO” construction.
How Does it Sound?
I mentioned above that the Odyssey EXO 7s we reviewed had a firmer feel to it with a touch more click. My historical experience with putters that have a more open body design like the EXO is that the putter can almost sound like a tuning fork. Don’t worry, the EXO does not sound like that at all. Between the urethane insert and fine tuning of the body design, the EXO has a solid yet muted click. Let’s be clear, the Odyssey EXO putter line doesn’t click like a milled steel putter, but it isn’t a quiet “puffy” sound you may get from other inserts. The auditory response is great and matches the feel of the putter.
On-Course Performance
Immediate roll, distance control, and accuracy are the paramount goals for the Odyssey EXO putter lineup. Utilizing the Microhinge insert, the EXO really gets the ball rolling on a quick,tight roll. This helps put the ball on a good track and stay on its line as long as the greens are in reasonable shape. The key to you putting well then becomes your ability to control the stroke and distance. Given the higher MOI from the finely-tuned perimeter weighting of the EXO, that control is little more than just knowing how far to pull the putter back.
Final Thoughts
While traditionalist may balk at the Odyssey EXO putter line, rest assured these are strong tools of the trade. Though the look of the putter is futuristic, the feel and balance are classic Odyssey. I applaud Odyssey and their continuous efforts to evolve and innovate to improve performance. The EXO putters are a great multi-material design and shows Odyssey still has some tricks up their sleeves.
