ClubTest First Look: Odyssey’s White Hot OG putter is a blast from the past

Let’s start this story with a question: How many pros still use a White Hot insert in their Odyssey putter? We’re talking about the original. The OG. According to Luke Williams, Odyssey’s senior director of product and brand management, more than half continue to rely on the two-part urethane insert that was developed using the same material as Callaway’s Rule 35 golf ball.

It’s a testament to the consistency and reliability of the forward-thinking design.

Odyssey has released successful iterations of the insert over the years, but the original has continued to generate interest, particularly with recreational golfers who’ve requested an updated version of the putter with the original White Hot.

“One of the things we’ve consistently heard through the years is that players have really loved our White Hot insert,” said Williams. “We heard this from tour players, club pros, customers, even our sales team. Many tour players still use a White Hot insert on more modern designs. If people really want that insert, maybe we should give it to them.”

Ask, and you shall receive.

For the 20th anniversary of the insert’s introduction, Odyssey is rolling out a White Hot OG line that pairs the original White Hot formulation with six different head shapes. For those who’ve never used White Hot before, the insert is firm to the touch but performs like a softer material under impact loads, delivering consistent ball speed ratios.

Each milled putter head is finished in a silver PVD with milling marks on the face (around the insert), heel-toe sole weights and a gray DFX rubber grip — a popular option on tour — for a classic look and feel.

In addition to a stepless steel shaft, Odyssey is also offering a redesigned multi-material Stroke Lab that’s 7 grams lighter and features a shorter stepless section than the original. The end result is a shaft that’s stiffer and more stable than its predecessor.

“We paid a lot of attention to all the details,” Williams said. “All of the radii around the edges of the face, the blends of the different surfaces to make sure it’s just right for the most discerning golfers.”

The head shapes offered fit a list of Odyssey’s greatest hits: 1, 1WS, 5 SB, Rossie (S), 7 (DB, S) and 2-Ball.

Odyssey’s White Hot OG is available Jan. 28 and retails for $219.99 (steel) and $269.99 (Stroke Lab).

Want to overhaul your own bag for 2021? Visit the expert fitters at our sister company, True Spec Golf. For more on the latest gear news and information, make sure to check out our recent Fully Equipped podcast in the Spotify link below.