Is White Hot a good putter?

TESTED BY: Jimmy Emanuel, Golf Australia Deputy Editor.

MODEL PLAYED:#7s, fitted with Stroke Lab shaft.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:The new red Stroke Lab shaft is certainly a bold look when first laying eyes on the Odyssey White Hot OG range, but outside of that the new line is exactly what one would expect of Odyssey appearance wise. A well-finished product that sits perfectly at address.

Off the putter face, the familiar feel of the original White Hot instant was very welcome personally as someone who used one of those very models for much of their early golfing life.

And the milled finishes on the head are a really nice touch.

HOW IT PERFORMED:As simple as some people might think putting is, believe me I am not one of them, testing putters is always an interesting and fun process and one I was greatly looking forward to with the White Hot OG for a number of reasons.

Firstly, as mentioned above, the original White Hot was one of my first “good” putters and one still hanging around in a back-ups bag in case the current flavour of the month goes cold. Comparing the original to a new version that is designed to replicate that feel was always going to be interesting.

Secondly, despite liking the #7 shape from Odyssey I have never found one that I truly jelled with despite trying double bend, centre shaft and plumbers neck varieties in the past. And finally to get even more time with the Stroke Lab shaft.

In terms of feel, Odyssey has brought back this insert for a reason and I remain a big fan. The soft feel at impact might not be absolutely everyone’s cup of tea but it is certainly mine and if anything, when hitting putts side by side with my old White Hot mallet, the feel is actually even a little better in the new models for mine.

The improvement in feel personally could well be put down to the Stroke Lab shaft. The unique weighting system gave the putter a really nice balance in my hands and seemed to help me consistently put a good stroke on the ball that led to centred impacts.

Outside of the feel, the White Hot OG is a nice update to the classic line.

More modern head weights are certainly a plus, particularly in the mallet models, while the milled finish to the putters gives a great premium look and feel to the line.

The specific model I used really impressed as well, and might be the best #7 I have used.

The combination of a forgiving mallet and slant neck creating some toe flow really suited my stroke, and my putting certainly improved as a result.

From a performance standpoint I noted throughout my testing that my distance control was extremely good despite having spent minimal time on the golf course in recent months.

The combination of the shaft, head weight and insert allowed me to put a really good roll on the ball and feel confident each time I stood over a putt, even some long downhillers early in my first round. And thinking back it is hard to remember many three putts.

Perhaps unsurprisingly as a former user of the White Hot from Odyssey, I really liked the updated White Hot OG.

The feel wasn’t some attempt to recreate or change the original, it was right in line as proven by my side-by-side testing. And it is great to see an historic company acknowledging its roots, as well as responding to golfer requests.

The Stroke Lab shaft is certainly an interesting concept and one I look forward to spending more time with as I definitely saw some benefits. The previously mentioned red colour scheme is probably my only criticism of the White Hot OG, but for pedantic putters like me there is a step-less steel shaft option as well.

If you loved the original White Hot, this is a line certainly worth trying, or if you just like a good solid putter with no attachment to the original, it fits the bill too.

And I can’t recommend the #7s highly enough for golfers who often straddle between blade and mallet flatsticks.

FACTS AND FIGURES

MODELS: The White Hot OG range is available in eight variations, including blade and mallet styles, the iconic 2-Ball and a number of neck styles. A number of the models are offered in left-handed.

ODYSSEY SAYS:White Hot is the most iconic, most played, and most decorated putter insert of all time. This classic name is synonymous with legendary performance and the unique design properties that Tour players and golfers love. Its set a standard in insert technology for nearly 20 years and we’ve been told over and over again that there’s nothing quite like it.

That got us thinking, if something is still so overwhelmingly popular, why not bring it back?

Yes, we’ve engineered the original formulation into White Hot OG, and the performance speaks for itself. This incredible line-up combines the amazing benefits of our two-part urethane insert technology with a rich silver PVD finish, and a fine milling on the finishes.

With White Hot OG, you’re getting one of the most renowned putter innovations of all-time in an unbelievable high performance package.

For more information, visit the website, www.callawaygolf.com.au

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