Equipment
HYPE, or REAL? The Odyssey Versa Jailbird putter craze, explained by a top PGA Tour putting coach
I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t want to write this story. Given the amount of times the Odyssey Versa Jailbird putter was brought up during the Sunday coverage of the 2023 U.S. Open at LACC, I figured that most golfers were sick of hearing about it and just wanted to move on.
Hand up, I was wrong. After covering the early-week equipment activity at the 2023 Travelers Championship, and seeing what’s going on in the putter market overall, it’s clear that the Odyssey Versa Jailbird counterbalanced putter setup has officially moved from “hype,” to “trend.”
“Success tends to leave clues behind,” – @KramerHickok @GolfWRX spotted at least 4 players testing an @odysseygolf Versa Jailbird today at the Travelers after Wyndham and Rickie put on a show with it @usopengolf
This is fun. pic.twitter.com/Vprhc59Id7
— Andrew Tursky (@AndrewTursky) June 20, 2023
On Tuesday and Wednesday at the 2023 Travelers Championship, I counted at least five* PGA Tour players testing one out for themselves. The list included Kramer Hickok, Carl Yuan, Jimmy Walker, Ryan Moore and Joel Dahmen. And that’s just who I saw with my own eyes. Obviously, Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark are using the putter, and Keegan Bradley (who’s currently atop the Travelers leaderboard after round 1) has also been using the putter since 2021.
When I asked Joe Toulon, Callaway’s Tour Manager, how many requests he’s had for a Jailbird in the last week, he simply answered, “A lot.”
Also, in the third-party used golf equipment world, the market prices have officially hit quadruple digits for listed prices.
So has the golf world simply lost its mind over this putter? Or is the hype actually real?
Before I get into my conversation this week with top PGA Tour putting coach Stephen Sweeney (who works with a TON of PGA Tour players on their putting strokes), I wanted to provide my own personal anecdote.
Don’t worry, I’ll be quick.
Back in 2018, I switched from playing golf right-handed to playing golf left-handed. It was partially because of a bet with my Two Guys Talking Golf podcast co-host Brian Knudson, and partially because of a back injury. Either way, during my first full 18 holes as a lefty, I used an Odyssey Versa Jailbird putter to help me break 100… and win the bet.
So I guess you could say I am slightly biased when it comes to the benefits of the Jailbird mallet head. I’ve seen them first hand.
But I’ve yet to try out the newer age setup that’s currently hot in the golf world – a counterbalanced Versa Jailbird version with a large, elongated SuperStroke 17-inch putter grip, and slabs of lead tape on the sole.
Before every amateur golfer in the world goes out and overspends on a used Odyssey Versa Jailbird putter, and reconfigures it into the Rickie/Wyndham specification, I wanted to get to the bottom of what’s going on here.
In my opinion, there was no one better to turn to than Sweeney. He’s one of the foremost authorities on the putting stroke in the world of golf, and he works with players like Shane Lowry, Aaron Wise, Collin Morikawa, and a slew of other top players in the world.
So, Stephen Sweeney, what’s actually going on with this Jailbird? What is counterbalancing? Why does it help? Should everyone in the world switch to this putter, or what?
Here’s what he had to say on the matter…
Andrew Tursky, GolfWRX.com: I know you’ve worked with at least one player who’s tried out the Jailbird for the first time this week. Does it have legitimate impact on improving the stroke? Like, should amateurs try out a counterbalanced putter? Should they try out the Jailbird, or is it hype?
Stephen Sweeney, PGA Tour putting coach: No, it’s not hype. I mean, I think the biggest thing that people don’t understand with that putter is the Versa element to it; the black-white-black colorway. So it helps with alignment at the very start.
And then with the counterbalanced part of the putter, and the Versa together, the way they work together, it almost swings itself once you get it started. It’s very easy to swing on the correct path. So, no, it’s not hype. It actually does have some technology in it that helps it perform better.
Can you explain “counterbalancing” to someone, you know, amateurs, who really don’t know what that means?
SS: Yeah, so the simplest way to think about it would be on a regular putter, the end of the putter, that’s where the last gram of weight is on the putter. So basically 90 percent of the weight is below the hands. It makes the putter quite heavy, activates the wrists, and makes the hands pretty active. Whereas, with a counterbalanced putter, there’s a proportion of the weight that sits higher than the hands. It basically quiets the hands down and stops so much wrist movement, and it makes the stroke more arm and body driven as opposed to wrists, hands driven.
Rickie Fowler’s 17-inch SuperStroke Tour 3.0 putter grip
If you were to put a percentage on how many amateurs you think should switch to a counterbalanced putter – of those who are currently using a standard putter…how would you describe that?
SS: Probably, for the everyday golfer, I would say somewhere close to 30-to-50 percent would benefit immensely from getting into something like that where, not just having the counterbalance, but also more of a mallet-style head with slightly more forgiveness on it.
But yeah, overall, I think it would help a lot of people get rid of those wristy, hand-manipulated strokes, and get them more into a pendulum, body-controlled stroke style.
Is there anything they can do, you know, some people might not want to go get their putter rebuilt, or buy a new grip, or buy a new putter. Is there a quick trick you can use to counterbalance a putter? Maybe lead tape on the end of the grip, or anything like that?
SS: I guess the simplest DIY trick would be to grip down the putter a little bit and put some lead tape around the top of the grip.
Not that I would really advocate that, but you could counterbalance any putter just simply by going to a local club pro, get them to extend the shaft, put a new grip on there and that will already do a lot of the work for you.
Cameron Young’s WITB from his win at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. Cameron is a Titleist staff player but his bag is definitely filled with some unique clubs. Here are the clubs he used to secure his first PGA Tour win!
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus HB Black VeloCore+ 10 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F @57), WedgeWorks (60-K* @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Prototype
- Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (10 degrees, C2 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
7-wood: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X
Irons: Titleist T150 (4, 5), Titleist T100 (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F, 56-08M @57, 60-04T @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Fastback 1.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Yellow
We’re proud to once again partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2025! 2nd Swing has more than 150,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
What is the best driver in 2025? At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. When it comes to the best driver of 2025, we want to know what our forum faithful think.
Since our founding in 2005, the bedrock of GolfWRX.com has been the community of passionate and knowledgeable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.
Below are the results of GolfWRX member voting for the 2025 best driver, along with the vote percentage for each club.
Best driver of 2025: The top 5
5. Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond: 6.02%
Callaway’s pitch: “For golfers looking for a fast, forgiving, yet workable driver, the Elyte Triple Diamond features a tour-inspired shape and is the preferred model by most Callaway tour players.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond here.
4. Ping G440 Max: 6.86%
Ping’s pitch: “The most forgiving G440 model, MAX has a hotter face to generate speed and distance, and a lighter overall system weight with a longer shaft (46″) for faster clubhead speed, higher launch and longer carries. The Free Hosel and Carbonfly Wrap crown save weight to create our lowest CG ever and increase forgiveness while contributing to a more muted, pleasing sound.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 Max here.
3. Ping G440 LST: 9.53%
Ping’s pitch: “LST is an especially good fit for faster swings, offering less spin and more control with a penetrating trajectory. A hotter face, lighter overall system weight and longer shaft (46″) deliver more speed and distance while maintaining tight dispersion.”
@phizzy30: “Not a fan of Ping drivers in general, but 440 LST takes the cake. It’s super forgiving across the face for a low spin head, looks and sounds good and the ability to make it play neutral or slightly fade biased through the hosel settings is very appealing.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 LST here.
2. Titleist GT3: 16.55%
Titleist’s pitch: “The GT3 Driver offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization through adjustable performance. Dial in the CG Track to your frequent contact location to make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping.”
@mrmikeac: “I’ve been Anti-Titleist for years and years and years (outside of Vokey, of course). With that being said, HOLY BEGEEZUS the GT3 driver is an absolute NUCLEAR MONSTER! This thing blew my G430 10K Max out of the water in every single category. Forgiveness is the biggest thing that stands out of me, the 3 model has always been one of the less forgiving models in the past but this GT3 can take bad shot after bad shot and still end up in the fairway, I think a ton of that has to do with the adjustability, it’s actually effective. Feel and sound is perfect, that solid crack is so addicting to hear and when you hit it out the screws this thing can absolutely bomb it. Titleist, I’m sorry for doubting you. You have converted me.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT3 here.
1. Titleist GT2: 22.91%
Titleist’s pitch: “Delivering impressive distance from any impact point, the Titleist GT2 Driver extracts maximum performance through a forgiving design. Get the stability and added confidence of a high-MOI driver without sacrificing speed.”
@DTorres: “The Titleist GT2 has proven to be the best driver of the year. Packaged in a classic profile, GT2 perfectly balances performance and forgiveness while consistently being a high performer across all categories.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT2 here.
Other drivers receiving >2% of the vote
| Driver | Vote percentage (%) |
|---|---|
| Cobra DS Adapt Max K | 4.85% |
| Ping G430 Max 10K | 3.85% |
| Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond | 3.68% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 | 3.51% |
| Callaway Elyte | 3.18% |
| Cobra DS Adapt X | 2.34% |
| Cobra DS Adapt LS | 2.17% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 LS | 2.17% |
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Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
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Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
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Kuch is the MAN
Jun 26, 2023 at 1:22 pm
Jimmy Walker didn’t stay very long with the overpriced and over-hyped Lamb Crafted by Tyson Lamb. What this boutique putter and ball markers are going for is HIGHWAY ROBBERY.
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Mike
Jun 23, 2023 at 4:16 pm
Also great for tapping down imaginary spike marks along the line and helping keep the ball going towards the hole. Old rules did not allow that.
Dat Dude
Jun 23, 2023 at 2:54 pm
Those are not large sheets of lead tape. If you put your “readers” on you can detect the two seams of lead tape. It might take 2-3, inch wide pieces of tape to achieve it. Once the tape is applied use something like a muddler or your fingers to press the seam and it will blend together.
DB
Jun 23, 2023 at 12:10 pm
Jailbird head has always been under-rated. They should have brought that head into the Tri-Hot 5k line, the Toulon line, etc.
However didn’t all the putter companies offer the counter-balanced thing like 10 years ago? As I recall they didn’t sell that well and they eventually stopped offering them.
Brandon
Jun 23, 2023 at 10:52 pm
Was definitely trendy about 10 years ago. I had a 38 inch TaylorMade ghost for a few years. Wish I had kept it around. Using a white hot og 7 bird now, which is the most similar current offering to the jailbird.
Jordan
Jun 23, 2023 at 11:28 am
I just want to know how i can get large sheets of lead tape like that.
D
Jun 23, 2023 at 12:00 pm
Ditto
chip75
Jun 23, 2023 at 5:05 pm
You can get 1 foot squares of lead sheet on Amazon, but as the other chap said it’s several pieces on Rickie’s putter.
Troy West
Jun 23, 2023 at 10:47 am
For those curious and Dont want to spend $1k you can buy the INAZONE CB 400 COUNTER BALANCE PUTTER head at Diamond Tour Golf for $20. It’s 400g (mine came in at 395g) so you won’t need a sheet of lead tape either.