Expert Review: Odyssey Women's White Hot OG 2-Ball Stroke Lab Putter
All photos courtesy of Michael V.
About this Review: This review is my mom's honest opinion of the putter, which she purchased with her own money in June of 2020.
My take
The Odyssey’s White Hot OG 2-Ball Stroke Lab Women’s Putter is a great option to optimize feel and forgiveness. An extremely reliable build from a reliable manufacturer. Ladies with a straight back, straight through, consistent tempo putting stroke are going to benefit the most from this putter.
About the club my mom owns
- Model: Odyssey White Hot OG 2-Ball Stroke Lab Putter.
- Shape: 2-Ball
- Shaft Length: 33in, Stroke Lab Shaft
- Grip Type: Odyssey Pistol Grip
About my mom
- Average Score: Around 100
- Handicap: +15
- Experience: She has played golf for 10 years
- Right/Left-Handed: Right-handed
- Stroke Type: Straight-back-straight-through, slight arc
- Golf Ball Used: Srixon Soft Feel Lady, Bridgestone Precept
- Height: 5’7”
Test conditions
- When I bought the putter: June 2020
- Days tested: 15 rounds
- Where I’ve used it: The putter was used mostly in courses around the Twin Cities area such as Minneapolis Golf Club
- Weather and Wind Conditions: Rain, shine, and wind
- Green Speed: Fast and slow greens
- Grass Type: All types of grass with travels
How it performs
What I was looking for
I wanted my Mom to be extremely happy with her putter. She understands the game and knows how crucial putting is. She had been using an older Odyssey 2-Ball design. I wanted to offer something familiar while getting an upgrade in technology, and a shaft upgrade for premium feel and performance.
Why I chose this club
I chose this club for familiarity. I knew my Mom would transition into this putter easily. Odyssey is a very reputable putter brand, the 2-Ball is traditional, as is her golf game. I did consider buying her a Bettinardi Queen B putter. Bettinardi is another great putter brand. I thought that might have been a predictable choice, and with how good of a putter she was with the old 2-Ball, it would have been hard to switch up from that.
What I love about it
- Face Feel: The hollow face feel is a stand out on any Odyssey putter. Allowing the ball to come off of the face extremely soft gives golfers an advantage in being able to keep the ball on the line, especially where it matters the most (the initial six feet of roll).
- Forgiveness: The 2-Ball design offers a great amount of forgiveness on mishits with an extremely high moment of inertia.
- Weight: The heavier-weighted club head offers more forgiveness within the stroke.
- Alignment: This club is easy to align and aim with the 2-Ball pattern.
- Length: The length worked out perfectly. I did consider 0.5in longer, but she feels more comfortable hunched over the ball a bit.
- Aesthetic Appeal: It’s a great-looking club from the grip to the shaft upgrade and traditional club head design.
- Grip Feel: It offers a tacky grip that will last a long time.
- Customization: No customizations. I would have considered changing the lie angle if she hadn’t been so accustomed to stock specifications.
Issues I’ve encountered
- Weight: The heavier club head isn’t going to be ideal for every golfer. If a golfer has a slower and more methodical putting stroke, longer putts are going to be more difficult with the 2-Ball design.
Great to see this design still being used
Best Putt or Round with this Putter
The best round my mom has had with the putter is on the fastest greens at a Donald Ross-designed course. Difficult putts are her specialty, and everything that was on the green ended up within five feet. For the first time, she was putting better than I was.
Value for the money vs. other options
This putter offers an exceptional value. Some stability shaft upgrades on putters cost this putter price alone. One is getting a reliable putter with Odyssey’s most popular design. Bettinardi’s Queen B putters are a great option at $400 for a better aesthetic and feel. The Original Odyssey Designs have lasted over 20 years and should be considered the most trustworthy out of any option on the market.
Final verdict
This was definitely the right putter choice. The 2-Ball Stroke Lab putter from Odyssey is a traditional design with a shaft upgrade. It is the most-played putter brand on tour for over 20 years with the same designs. Newer technology offers better speed control and feel where it matters the most.
