Attempts to stabilise a putter have conventionally revolved around making it heavier, and over the years, Odyssey has discovered the overall weight of an average putter has gone up from around 470g to 530g today, much of which is now contained in the head, creating an imbalance between the head and your hands, leading to inconsistency.

“In 1975 the swingweight of a putter might have been down in the mid-C range and now it’s up in the F-range,” says Dr Alan Hocknell, who’s in charge of R&D at Callaway/Odyssey. “A much greater proportion of the weight is near the head than it was in the past, and it’s a heavier overall putter.“

Further investigation revealed that being so head heavy led to a loss of putter feel in the hands, and it has also affected the stiffness of putter shafts. After prototyping to test the theories about swingweight and stiffness, Odyssey came up with Stroke Lab.’

Odyssey Stroke Lab Putters incorporate a unique new method of weight distribution, led by the innovative Stroke Lab shaft, essentially a tip-heavy graphite and steel shaft that weights 70g versus the 110g of a typical putter shaft. The saved 40 grams is then strategically relocated into each end of the putter to improve the performance dynamics of the stroke, with no increase in overall putter weight.

The additional weight in the sole and butt-end of the grip helps golfers to consistently repeat a smoother and more accurate stroke by as much as 21% over a normal Odyssey putter. The Stroke Lab shaft is also slightly stiffer with lower torque compared to standard putter shafts to better control the slightly heavier head.

Francesco Molinari says that he likes how the Stroke Lab shaft helps him make a smooth, consistent stroke, “When you’re making putts and you’re controlling your speed, that’s all you want to see. The Stroke Lab Shaft has been really great for me. It’s really stable throughout the putting stroke and that’s helped me a lot.”

Providing a firmer feel and sound is Odyssey’s second generation White Hot Microhinge face insert. Dozens of microhinges embedded across the popular White Hot insert promote topspin for smooth roll and acute distance control.

Stroke Lab is available in a wide range of Odyssey’s 18 popular head shapes that come in 33, 34 and 35 inch lengths.