Where to start with this club? Let’s begin with the shape. In 2001, Odyssey came out with the White Hot range, one of which included a little club called the 2-Ball. That little club went on to take the world by storm, and become one of the best selling putters of all time. Incredibly forgiving, and with a simple but effective alignment aid, it made mallet putters cool and fashionable, a trend which still lasts today. The popularity of this model is reflected in the fact that it essentially hasn’t changed at all in the new version. The shape is identical - the same rounded fins, the same protruding central column - because it works. Visually, it’s been blacked out, which makes for a modern, exciting look, and should help make those two balls on top stand out even more. So far, nothing particularly revolutionary - just a new model of a proven classic. But then we come to the next part of this design: the Triple Track alignment system.

A couple of years ago, Callaway debuted their now famous and widely used Triple Track golf balls. There’s some cool science behind the way the three lines interact with our eyes - it apparently utilises Vernier Hyper Acuity, or the ability to detect misalignment amongst parallel line segments, which is the same technology that pilots use to land jet planes on aircraft carriers! But the long and the short of it is that with Triple Track, golfers can line up their putts better, and with more confidence. Callaway and Odyssey have now taken that a step further by putting those same three lines on top of some putters. Now not only can you be sure you’ve lined up your BALL correctly, but also that your CLUB itself is set down in the right place as well.

Alignment is a crucial, if often overlooked, part of putting. A misalignment of just one degree, no matter how good the read or stroke, will cause a ten foot putt to miss. Odyssey are making some pretty big claims about how much this new system should help correct those mistakes. The Triple Track putters are supposed to make golfers 27% better at lining up their putts, which is huge! Not only that, but Odyssey claims the Triple Track system helps golfers get better at finding the middle of the putter as well - presumably because it’s so much easier to line up in the right place. Using a regular ball, testing showed golfers were 20% more consistent with their impact locations, and a whopping 106% more consistent when using both the Triple Track putters and balls.

I’ve never been fully convinced by Triple Track, but those numbers are mightily impressive. To me, the red and blue lines still look a bit busy, and it can be easy to get too obsessed over the minutiae of where you’re aimed and forget to make a good stroke. The lines also will look different for each golfer depending on where their eyes are in relation to the club head, and I worry that more ‘feel’ players might find themselves feeling stuck and unable to adjust by the prominence of the system. But then again, Phil Mickelson, the ultimate feel player, stuck the Triple Track golf balls in his bag and immediately won at Pebble Beach a couple of years ago, so what do I know?

Triple Track isn’t the only fun tech inside this putter. The face contains a new ‘Microhinge Star Insert’, which is essentially this textured, multi material structure designed to get the ball moving forwards with a nice amount of top spin. Odyssey have also continued with their Stroke Lab tech, a hybrid steel/graphite shaft which is 40g lighter than a regular putter shaft. This allows them to distribute more of the weight in the grip and club head, which is supposed to improve feel and help golfers make a more consistent stroke.

It’s a lot of tech, but will it make a difference to most golfers? Hard to tell. Putters are so subjective, so based on feel and personal preference, that it’s very hard to assess whether or not all of this innovation will translate to you holing more putts. But here’s what I can say with confidence: the 2-Ball is an absolutely classic shape, and one which if you haven’t tried before, I would massively recommend. It’s definitely suited to a more straight back and straight through stroke, so if you’ve got more of an arc and prefer bladed putters, one of Odyssey’s other models might be more up your alley. But if you’re a golfer who’s a fan of mallets, well, you can’t go wrong with a 2-Ball. As for the Triple Track, I think there is something to it, especially if you know that you struggle with your alignment. For many golfers it might really help with allowing them to make their stroke with confidence, as they can be much surer they’re set up in the right place. Putting is all about confidence, so anything that helps with that can surely only be good.

The big question with these models is whether they need to be used with the Triple Track balls to work. Odyssey claim not, and I’d be inclined to believe them, but if you’re investing in one of these putters, it might be worth grabbing a sleeve or two just to try. Overall, this is an exciting update to a timeless classic that could be a real game changer on the greens for golfers of all levels.