Equipment

Odyssey’s new Red Ball putter is built for better alignment

Published

8 years ago

Jul 10, 2018

A 5,000-plus MOI face balanced mallet, Odyssey’s new Red Ball putter pushes the limits of MOI for maximum putter stability. Odyssey has gone with the popular White Hot RX insert for the Red Ball’s face, coupling it it with high-contrast Versa alignment technology.

The centerpiece of the Red Ball is, as the name suggests, a red ball in the scope of the putter, which offers immediate feedback to let players know when they’re set up properly (and consistently).

Sean Toulon, Odyssey general manager and senior vice president at Callaway Golf told Golf Digest’s Mike Stachura, “We think it satisfies a definite need in the marketplace,” he said. “I guess there’s never really been a super game improvement putter that’s come to the marketplace, but that’s kind of what this is.”

Odyssey says helping players to set up to the ball and align to their intended target lines are the key focuses with the new Red Ball.

“We’ve put a distinct Red Ball inside the scope of the putter so that it’s incredibly easy to align the face to the intended start line on every putt,” the company says.

Exhibit A: Improper alignment

Exhibit B: Proper alignment

“It’s not just that golfers get in an improper setup, it’s that their setup changes from round to round, and sometimes from hole to hole,” said Luke Williams, Odyssey’s senior director of product and brand management for putters. “When you get the ball too far forward, you tend to aim left, and if you get it too far back, you tend to aim right. Having your eyes too far inside the ball or too far outside the ball affects the way you see the line as well.”

The Red Ball is available at retail 7/20 for $179.99.

Click here for more photos and discussion.

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Ben Alberstadt

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

24 Comments

topsuggests

Sep 13, 2018 at 12:39 pm

I really like your awesome idea that you have given here. thank you so much

Reply Report comment
Joe

Aug 21, 2018 at 11:46 pm

Getting awful technical nowadays. Whats next, an Iron Byron putting machine?

Reply Report comment
The voice of reason

Aug 14, 2018 at 10:31 am

the hater-aide is strong in this group…what gives? Sheesh I tried the thing at the pro shop the other day and it feels a lot like a TM spider another ugly duckling that seems to work well, the algnment aide is helpful- gives you confidence and one less thing to worry about. If the ball goes in the hole- it’s a good putter.

Reply Report comment
jim

Jul 16, 2018 at 3:43 pm

My local pro let me use one at the hallway demo day a month ago. Really nice feel, really easy to putt. Its a bit more hectic than most but t thought it worked well. And what putter is under $200 these days?

Reply Report comment
shawn

Jul 12, 2018 at 2:48 pm

If you want to slobber over this ridiculous putter, go to the WRX main forum where all the geerheeds post their twitter-sized blurts reflecting their feeeelings and love for their clubs…. and post their WITB goodies they polish daily and play once monthly.

Reply Report comment
Jack

Jul 12, 2018 at 12:14 am

Time and again new clubs have made us all better (looking) golfers. Buy on people!

Reply Report comment
Jim McPherson

Jul 11, 2018 at 11:56 am

People don’t want to practice putting. They are continually told they can buy a better putter that will fix their lack of skill. Sadly, they will buy this gimmick.

Reply Report comment
- shawn
  
  Jul 12, 2018 at 2:45 pm
  
  Red ball… the height of stupidity that gullible golfers will buy because their clubs are simply toys to own and flaunt to other equally gullible golfers.
  
  Reply Report comment
David

Jul 10, 2018 at 7:13 pm

I’ve always been drawn to ugly putters. I was an early adopter of the Directed Force putter, which means, sadly, I will likely buy one of these….

Reply Report comment
ogo

Jul 10, 2018 at 3:25 pm

This is a 99% zinc die cast putter… except for the red ball which is made of rare-earth metal called “neodymium” as a spherical magnet that interacts with the earth’s geomagnetic field and stabilizes the putter against gravity. Most of the world’s commercial neodymium is mined in China… where the putter head is made no doubt.

Reply Report comment
ogo

Jul 10, 2018 at 3:15 pm

You must align the red ball to the ring only with the dominant eye because that’s the only eye that provides true alignment vision. Do not open both eyes after alignment otherwise you will lose it in the backstroke. Open both eyes after you start the putting motion and focus on the ball and only the ball. It’s an eye switcheroo putting method.

Reply Report comment
- bob
  
  Jul 10, 2018 at 11:26 pm
  
  Not only that, once the putter is moved into the stroke all alignments are lost and there is no guarantee that alignment at address will assure alignment at impact. If you can’t align your body to the putter and the putting line, you are pathetically incompetent.
  
  Reply Report comment
cody

Jul 10, 2018 at 3:04 pm

at over 200 dollars, i am not seeing these sell over the Oworks, or exos.. not sure why this is needed. they have some great putters out right now.

Reply Report comment
- rymail00
  
  Jul 10, 2018 at 8:14 pm
  
  I believe it said at the bottom it comes out July 20 at $179.
  
  Reply Report comment
Te

Jul 10, 2018 at 12:42 pm

That red ball is too small, I need a bigger one so I can see. Wait – Ill just make one and call it Blue Ball – get it? lmao

Reply Report comment
Golf64

Jul 10, 2018 at 11:50 am

Only thing I like about this putter is the insert. The rest is ugly and too busy for me!

Reply Report comment
alexdub

Jul 10, 2018 at 11:28 am

Try suing us now SeeMore

Reply Report comment
- Rob
  
  Jul 11, 2018 at 12:03 pm
  
  This wins the internet today!!
  
  Reply Report comment
greg taylor

Jul 10, 2018 at 11:02 am

The Two ball and #7 looked hideous as well. Now look at them. #1 and #2.

Reply Report comment
coops

Jul 10, 2018 at 10:52 am

“I guess there’s never really been a super game improvement putter that’s come to the marketplace…..” – is this GM & Vice President ignorant, stupid or just lazy?

Ping Doc 17 from 2004 just to give one example… MOI > 10,000.

Pic any Seemore to see where these geniuses got their revolutionary alignment concept from.

Reply Report comment
moses

Jul 10, 2018 at 9:46 am

Gimmucks sell.

Reply Report comment
pkn17003

Jul 10, 2018 at 7:54 am

Looks hideous

Reply Report comment
- ogo
  
  Jul 10, 2018 at 3:28 pm
  
  …. but it’s a godsend for golfers struggling on the greens. Finally a Super Game Improvement putter for the golffing masses who can’t putt worth a snot… 😉
  
  Reply Report comment
- faq
  
  Jul 10, 2018 at 6:16 pm
  
  Hideous sells…. golfers want to own anything that will get a yuk from buddies… like clubhead covers that look like tigers, colleges, brand logos. Golfers are gullible suckers.
  
  Reply Report comment

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Equipment

Putters that never made it: Check out some of the best tour builds that didn’t make the cut

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

Alistair Cameron

Arguably, the best perk of being a professional golfer on the PGA Tour is the ability to request or even just be handed pretty much any club you could think of. It happens more often than you think, usually with putters around the practice green from one event to the next. Come Wednesday, the Tour bags lining the edge of the putting surface become resting places for fallen flatsticks that never made the cut.

So let’s take a look at some of the best we’ve seen out on Tour this year that never made it to the competition. (You may notice none of Hideki Matsuyama’s custom Scotty Cameron putters made this list. There are too many.)

Let’s start with this custom Damascus Milled Odyssey Rossie made for Ryo Hisatsune. Featuring a single line and the short-slant hossel, we’ve seen plenty of Number 7 and jailbird heads featuring the Damascus Milled insert, but this is the first and only one we’ve spotted in a Rossie. Hisatsune primarily putts with an Odyssey Black Series iX #9, but we have seen him recently with a TaylorMade TP Collection SOTO, so there could be potential that the Damascus Milled Rossie could end up in the bag.

Everyone wants to be Cameron Young right now. We’ve had Justin Thomas and Tom Hoge both game the Scotty Cameron 9.5R prototype. Well, for the PGA Championship, Brooks Koepka nearly joined that list after requesting the same style of putter, with the full-length alignment line. But the Scotty Cameron reps took the request a step further and made one specially for Koepka with a Teryllium insert, similar to one in his previous Newport 2 gamers. The reason why this one didn’t go into play, though? Because it was too heavy.

Harry Hall was the third-best putter on Tour last year, so when Bettinardi made him a custom proto, you know it was going to be good. The custom BB28 blade features VDF face milling, a custom-welded single-bend shaft, and the owner’s initials – HH – on the sole of the putter. Hall, who usually games an Odyssey O-Works #7 W, has dabbled with a TaylorMade Spider Tour X already this year. Maybe there’s a chance this Bettinardi might make his bag.

Honestly, this one doesn’t need a description. It’s Kieth Mitchell’s custom Scotty Cameron Napa. One Scotty Cameron face stamp, two Scotty Dogs, two Scotty Cameron 7-Point Crowns and one Circle T. That is all. Oh, except for the Cashmere Cameron headcover.

Finally, and just for fun, how about we pour one out for this TaylorMade Spider Tour X made for Scottie Scheffler in its new torched finish. It’s unlikely we’ll see a putter change anytime soon from the best golfer in the world. In fact, he hit just two putts with it on the Harbour Town practice before going back to his trusty gamer.

Whats in the Bag

Patrick Reed WITB 2026 (May)

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

Driver: Titleist GT3 (9 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 130 M.S.I. 70 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 X

7-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X

Irons: Grindworks PR-202 (4), Grindworks PR-101A (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Cleveland RTX6 Tour Rack (52-10 Mid), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-08M), SM11 (60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Tour Rat 1.5 Tour Prototype

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

See more photos of Patrick Reed’s clubs here.

Equipment

Which of Tiger’s major winning irons are your favorite? – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

Gianni Magliocco

In our forums, our members have been discussing their favorite major winning irons used by Tiger Woods. WRXer ‘golferdude54’ kicks off the thread saying:

“Mizuno MP 14/29. Titleist 681T. Nike Forged Blades. TaylorMade P7TW.

Among these irons that helped Tiger win 15 majors, which is your favorite in terms of looks?”

And our members have been naming their favorites and why in response.

Here are a couple of posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

SwingBlade: “I prefer the early blades he played and the more recent TM TW’s especially because after Tiger had his major behavioral setbacks, part of Nikes support payback was making Tiger play a Nike putter and cease using his beloved uniquely customized Scotty putter.”
ProjectX: “This (Nike Forged Blades) and there’s not even a close second.”

Entire Thread: “Which of Tiger’s major winning irons are your favorite? – GolfWRXers discuss”