Odyssey have really outdone themselves this year with their Ai-One and Ai-One Milled range of putters. Already the most played brand on the professional tours, Odyssey have cemented that position by coming up with a line of putters that really raised the bar this year.
When it comes to utilising tech I don’t think there is anything out there currently that can match Odyssey’s Ai-One and Ai-One Milled putters. Sister-company Callaway lead the way in the use of Artificial Intelligence and have been producing some of the best driver faces on the market for a while. Now Odyssey have used the same tech and basic principles in their putters to create what they are calling “the most advanced insert in golf”.
This A.I. designed face has been created by utilising information gathered from many thousands of golf shots which has allowed Odyssey to identify where on the face golfers tend to miss. Then that information is used to create contours behind the face which helps to minimise the damage done by those slight mishits.
This technology is used in both the Ai-One and the Ai-One Milled ranges, although visually there is a difference between the two, which I’ll explain shortly. In terms of the tech they are very similar, however. The Ai-One Milled are just that bit more premium and carry a higher price point, but in terms of performance there is little to choose between them.
The standard Ai-One is certainly not inferior, and there are more Ai-One putters in use on tour than there are Ai-One Milled. The higher price is just a result of the build quality, as milled heads cost more to produce.
All putters in both ranges are fitted with Stroke Lab weighting in the shaft, which basically means there us 20-30 grams (depending on the grip) of counterbalance weight in the butt end, which allows you to really feel the clubhead during your stroke.
The aesthetics on the Ai-One and Ai-One Milled putters are stunning, but they aren’t identical. What they do share is a Navy PVD finish which is quite unique and premium. There aren’t many putters out there that look this good. The main difference between the two styles is that the standard Ai-One has a white face insert whereas the Milled has a gold insert. Both look great but the gold is just that bit more high end I think and separates the Milled from the standard Ai-One.
The Ai-One Double Wide looks great behind the ball. You can just about see the white face insert as you look down at address, and the extra beef behind the ball inspires confidence. Thin blades can really sap your confidence if you aren’t the most consistent of strikers, so the extra weight of the Double Wide gives you that reassurance.
The one area in which the standard Ai-One putters have an edge over their more expensive siblings the Ai-One Milled, is in the little window behind the face (see below) which shows off the A.I. designed face insert in all of its glory. That’s a really cool feature.
The premium leather head cover looks great and I really like the grip too. All in all, it’s a great looking putter.
The standard Ai-One putters have a slightly softer feel than the Milled which is mostly due to the difference in the face inserts. In terms of the acoustics it isn’t the softest sounding but it gives a pleasing ‘tock’ sound and isn’t high pitched at all, so if you want something a bit muted then this will do the job.
I usually steer clear of blade putters as they don’t suit my stroke, but I am fond of the wider models so therefore the Double Wide really appeals to me. It suits my eye when I’m looking down over the ball and it feels beautifully balanced in the hands. I’d probably prefer a slightly thicker grip but that’s just personal preference really.
It’s nice and forgiving and as with the Odyssey Ai-One Milled Seven T I recently reviewed, I found that putts where I didn’t quite find the middle of the face still made it to the hole and there was no noticeable drop off in distance from the well struck ones. On the more obvious mis-hits there was obviously some drop off but that’s to be expected. Besides, if you hit off the heel or toe then you should have to pay some sort of price.
This putter was easy to use and gave me good, consistent results and I was especially pleased with the distance control it gave me.
Overall I loved using this putter. It’s definitely one of the best blade putters I’ve ever tried and if I was forced to put this in the bag and never use any other putter again, I could live with that. It looks fantastic, I enjoyed the feel and I putted well with it. It’s not as expensive as the Milled range so if you don’t want to splash out five hundred quid on a putter then the standard Ai-One putters will be more to your liking.
