Odyssey Stroke Lab Putter Review - Plugged In Golf (2024)

on April 22, 2019

50 Words or Less

The Odyssey Stroke Lab putters put the focus on an innovative new shaft. Plenty of head styles and nearly every one is built to fit different types of strokes.

Introduction

Innovation in putters almost always centers on the head. New putter heads are touted as more forgiving, easier to aim, or able to create a better roll.

With their Stroke Lab putters, Odyssey is putting the focus somewhere new: the shaft. With a mixture of graphite and steel, they’ve moved weight in an effort to improve your tempo on the green.

Looks

In each of the ten head shapes, the Odyssey Stroke Lab putters feature a combination of silver, white, and matte black. Most of them, like the Seven shown above, have a silver face and top line with a black flange and white alignment features. To my eye, this makes all the mallets appear much smaller than they are.

Though the Stroke Lab shaft is unusual looking, it doesn’t factor into the appearance at address. The bottom portion of the shaft is steel, and that extends far enough up that you won’t see anything unorthodox when you stand over the ball.

The ten head shapes include Odyssey favorites as well as some new offerings. For the traditionalist, there’s the One (Anser), Three (Anser w/flow neck), Double Wide (wide body Anser), and heel-shafted Nine. Odyssey fans will recognize the Seven (shown here), 2-Ball Fang, Marxman, and V-Line. The newer offerings include the R Ball (a combination of line and a single ball alignment aids) and Tuttle.

Sound & Feel

The White Hot insert used in the Stroke Lab putters is a classic, and for good reason. It marries soft and solid in a way that no other insert can quite copy. Impact sounds very quiet, a dull “thud.” However, the feel in the hands is solid and connected, not mushy or dead like many inserts that aspire to be soft.

In a large mallet like the Seven, there is very little feedback on strike quality. Impact sounds the same across most of the face, and only extreme toe or heel shots create any twisting.

Performance

The Stroke Lab shaft uses a combination of graphite and steel to reduce weight. It weighs just 75 grams, which is 40 grams less than your typical steel shaft. Odyssey put that weight back in the head (10 grams) and the grip (30 grams). This includes the use of a 40 gram counter weight in the grip.

In essence, the Stroke Lab shaft allows Odyssey to create a counter balanced putter without driving the total weight of the putter sky high. As someone who has been experimenting with putter weighting lately, I was really intrigued by this. I benefit from having more weight in my hands, but I don’t like the putter to weigh a ton.

Though the mallet is a stark departure from my gamer, the Stroke Lab putter felt comfortable in my hands right away. The weight and balance made it feel like a more natural extension of my body. This translated to solid distance control, which is often my biggest challenge on the green.

Odyssey also continues to impress with their focus on fitting. Seven of the ten head styles come with two different neck options. That means that whether your stroke needs a face balanced putter or one with some toe hang, you have a wide variety of options to choose from.

Finally, the Stroke Lab putters come with two stock grip options. The oversized model, seen above, is nearly round and has no taper. Players can also opt for a more traditional pistol-style grip.

Conclusion

If you’re struggling with your putting, the unique weighting and balance of the Odyssey Stroke Lab putters is worth checking out. What’s really impressive to me is that Odyssey is making this innovation available to everyone with a wide array of head shapes and fitting options.

Author
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Matt Saternus

Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf

Matt has worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking.

He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.

Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.

13 Comments

Frank
April 25, 2019 at 12:39 pm ·Reply

I bought the Stroke Lab Seven on the first day it was out.
Really didn’t like it, but my wife, who “borrowed” my old Odyssey O-Works 7S encouraged me to work with it.
I’m glad I did. Took about 2 weeks and it’s in my bag for good.
I have the pistol grip and am now experimenting with a left-hand low for shorter putts. Finished today’s round birdie- birdie, both par 5’s.
So far so good with the experimentation.
Dale
June 3, 2019 at 4:47 pm ·Reply

Well if the last comment was true then I have a few weeks to get used to it because I feel compared to the old O works hinge face this one is dead and punky. I left every single putt short for the last two rounds. The look is exactly the same which make the feel that much harder to deal with. While the old hinge face is a real hinge face this new one is not in my opinion even close to that. I have looked at it with a magnifying glass and how this is hinge face is beyond me. the hinges as they are called are just on the front of a plastic face???????????
Steve
July 27, 2019 at 4:49 pm ·Reply

Stoke lab nine feels heavy…both overall weight…..and head weight…..does anyone know the total weight…..head and overall. ..
I do have the pistol grip…..
I actually took both weights out of the sole for a few putts….actually felt good…
Steve Gottschalk
August 9, 2019 at 10:42 am ·Reply

Purchased the “Type Nine” in 36 1/2 shaft. First impression, counter weighting gave a new feel to putting the ball. The softer face did, initially, have me leaving putts short. Looking down during alignment I noticed a slight illusion. The way the black marks are laid out on white face gave the illusion of slight bowing of face. This is great because your focus is forced to center of putter face. Coming back to the soft face. Yes, initially putts were left short but loved the “feel” of the putter. What has now occurred is my hitting putts with a more firm stroke. Results have been great. Confidence has gone up on putts of any length. Head does feel a tad heavy but I like a heavy putter. All my putters have Golf Pride Sensor grips. Stock grip on the Type Nine feels similar and for immediate future will remain on putter. In closing, feel, focus, and confidence have made this Odyssey a great fit in my bag.
Gary Grimes
September 29, 2019 at 6:34 am ·Reply

What is the difference between the Odyssey Stroke Lab and the Odyssey EXO Stroke lab putters?
- Matt Saternus
  September 29, 2019 at 8:25 am ·Reply
  
  Gary,
  The EXO putters have a high MOI construction. Stroke Lab putters all have the new graphite and steel shaft. EXO Stroke Lab putters have both.
  Best,
  Matt
Bruce Landry
August 3, 2020 at 4:15 pm ·Reply

Which of the Stroke lab fang type putter is best for a stroke that is close to straight back and straight through…even though there is always a small arch to the stroke? Thank you.
- Matt Saternus
  August 3, 2020 at 4:23 pm ·Reply
  
  Bruce,
  There is only one model called Fang. Are you referring to the Seven?
  -Matt
Richard
December 5, 2020 at 7:29 am ·Reply

This is a very useful and informative article. Thank you.
Ron Rutledge
February 8, 2021 at 1:51 pm ·Reply

Have the Stroke Lab Double Wide. I love it. Such great feel and is easy to make a smooth putting stroke. Will use this for a very long time.
corneliius
November 11, 2022 at 10:39 am ·Reply

is there a difference between a stroke lab 7 and stroke lab 7 S?
- Matt Saternus
  November 11, 2022 at 10:53 am ·Reply
  
  Cornelius,
  Yes, they have different necks.
  -Matt
Donn
March 25, 2024 at 4:46 pm ·Reply

I recently picked up a used “R” ball. Like it a lot, I putt cross handed. Wonder why it didn’t sell well. Any clue? Don’t like the feel of the impact too much but love when the ball goes in the hole.