Odyssey Ai-ONE #7 Review

Putter insert marketing is usually noise, so the useful question is what happens to a putt struck off centre. On the Ai-ONE the answer is measurable: the urethane layer sits on an aluminium backer whose thickness varies across the face, thicker where a mishit needs support and thinner through the middle, and the speed loss on a strike half an inch toward the toe shrinks to the point where the ball finishes a few inches short instead of a couple of feet.

On a long lag that is the difference between a tap in and a knee knocker. It still feels like an Odyssey, soft with a low click, though a fraction firmer than the White Hot it descends from. The seven is the familiar fang mallet with a strong sight line and plenty of stability. At $299.99 it costs eighty dollars more than the reissued classic and gives back real forgiveness for the money, which is a fair trade rather than a con.