Can a face insert cut your 3-putt percentage? Odyssey AI-One Milled Putter Review
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At a glance
- TG Rating
- Owner Rating
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Pros
- You won't find a more hi-tech putter on the market.
- The quality of the finish is superb.
- There's a really good choice of head shapes and hosel set-ups.
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Cons
- As lovely as they are the Ai-One Milled models are more expensive than a Scotty Cameron Super Select putter.
What we say...
The Odyssey AI-One Milled putters harness artificial intelligence to deliver greater distance control, in a bid to reduce your three-putt percentage. But do they deliver?
Harnessing the power of AI to develop optimized wood faces, which enhance good strikes and counteract misses, has been part of golf since Callaway unveiled the tech in the first Epic Flash driver in 2019. Ever since the company has developed driver, fairway wood, hybrid, and iron faces using a super-computer. It gives the capacity to quickly and efficiently test 15,000 different iterations of new designs before coming up with an optimal solution for each individual model. Something human modeling just can’t compete with. The new Odyssey AI-One Milled putter (Callaway owns the company) is the first flatstick to introduce AI-designed faces to the dancefloor.
Odyssey has produced some of the best putters available for decades. And it’s well-known even the best players on the planet, like Rory McIlroy regularly miss hit putts by up to 3mm from the center of the face.
But, where most putters, when hit off-center experience a loss in ball speed, which leads to putts traveling less far, and ending up further from the target, Odyssey’s AI faces have been specifically optimized to counteract imperfect impacts. So, golfers can expect more consistent ball speed and distance control no matter where putts impact the face. An idea that will go a long way to reducing any golfer’s three-putt percentage.
Everything you need to know about the Odyssey AI-One Milled Putter
AI-One, AI-One Milled, or AI-One Crusier?
Odyssey is all about offering every golfer their perfect putter solution. So, to ensure there’s an AI option for all the new AI models are available in three different families.
The AI-One family consists of the brand’s most popular tour-proven head shapes. Five models will launch in November 2023, with a further eight shapes to follow in February 2024. Thanks to having a cast construction like the Odyssey White Hot OG putter, this family will set you back significantly less dosh ($299.99 in the USA and £289 in the UK). Each model comes decked out with an AI-designed aluminum insert, backed with the brand’s legendary White Hot urethane material. The pair promote great sound and feel, plus consistent ball speeds across the face.
Odyssey knows that there’s a whole band of golfers who put a premium on CNC-milled putters though, so as you’ll see below there’s also a very precisely machined Odyssey AI-One Milled putter family too. Eight head shape and hosel choices are set to appear in November 2023. This family comes with AI-designed titanium face inserts, each with a uniquely contoured back surface, which Odyssey says gives the pure feel that milled putter fans expect.
Avid putter fans will also know that counter-balanced putters are trending up right now. With Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman having won majors in 2023 using counter-balanced putters, a heavier head-weight AI-One Cruiser family will also be available from March 2024. The Cruiser models will cater to golfers looking to explore counter-balancing, armlock, and broom handle designs.
Why choose a more expensive CNC-machined flatstick like the Odyssey AI-One Milled putter?
Like forged irons, CNC-Milled putters are often seen as the pinnacle of the game, the hallmark of decent players. But plenty of tour players earn their crust with cast, not CNC-milled putters. So, it’s really difficult to say one construction is better than the other. Both casting and CNC-milling have their benefits but it’s the level of precision you get with CNC-milled putters that set them apart.
Every edge, detail, and radius will have been cut by a computer-controlled milling machine, so virtually no hand finishing is required, which ups consistency massively.
Ultimately only you can decide whether your budget can stretch to investing in a CNC-milled putter or not. My advice would be to try both the standard AI-One and AI-One Milled models, especially if both constructions are available in your preferred head shape.
If you can’t feel or recognize a difference it’s really hard to justify paying more for the Odyssey AI-One Milled putter family.
How much difference can an Odyssey AI-One Milled putter make?
Odyssey knew they were onto something special with their AI putters but they wanted a figure to prove just how much better the tech was compared to the competition. So, they robot tested from 15 different spots across the face and discovered their super-computer-designed faces hit putts 21% closer to the intended target than any traditional face putter tested.
Admittedly center-hit performance remains the same as any other putter, but most golfers do not hit putts from the center that often. So, see the AI models as having larger more effective sweet spot sizes (with the AI-One being slightly more forgiving than the AI-One Milled), so putts from a larger portion of the face travel the same distance, which of course ups consistency and reduces your potential three-putt percentage.
What’s the real-world benefit?
With AI being Odyssey’s flagship new tech, the brand obviously wanted star player Jon Rahm to be an early adopter. The brand put in some serious hard work to study his stats in a bid to convince the current world #2 AI could help his game. And their findings are mind-blowing.
Bearing in mind the 21% accuracy improvement the company reckoned they could reduce Rahm’s 23 three-putts for the season (2023 up to the Tour Championship), immediately to 12. Part of the thinking at least comes down to how Rahm sees longer-range putting being about speed control, rather than just trying to hole more putts more often.
The numbers might only equate to an improvement of 0.2 in strokes gained when putting, but such a rise would see the Masters champ jump from 23rd to 9th for his on-green performance. In terms of cold hard cash that’s a move that would see JR earn an additional $2.5 million in 2023.
Needless to say, Rahmbo was so impressed an Ai-One Rossie went straight in his bag the week before the Ryder Cup.
It’s Stroke Lab but not as you know it
Odyssey made a massive play on their original Stroke Lab shafts which launched in 2019. They and their subsequent siblings have become hugely popular on tour and found many fans around the globe since.
But, for this new generation Odyssey reckon a new lightweight 90g Stroke Lab steel shaft, which has 20g – 30g of counter-balancing built in, and weighs 15g more than the original Stroke Lab shaft (where traditional steel putter shafts weigh between 115 – 120g) will appeal to even more golfers.
Multi-material Stroke Lab shafts are still available as a custom order.
True blue
Putters are seriously personal pieces of equipment, hence why the AI family runs to 27 different models across three different families. All models come with a deep, rich navy blue PVD finish which is both durable and attractive. Expect a look that won’t offend or jar any golfer’s eye.
Although you can’t see just how lumpy and bumpy the contours on the back of the titanium face inserts are on the production Ai-One Milled family (you can on the Ai-One models), our images show the extent of the tech. Two front sole weights also let golfers tailor head weight by 5g, 10g, 15g, or 20g, so each can be dialed into the exact set-up you desire.
Video: How do the Odyssey AI-One Milled models compare to other leading 2024 putters?
Meet the models
Odyssey Ai-One Milled One T
RRP: $449 / £449
| Loft | Length | Lie | Head Weight | Toe Hang | |
| Odyssey Ai-One Milled One T | 3° | 33″/34″/35″ | 70° | 355g | 48° |
Odyssey’s answer to one of the best blade putters of all time – Ping’s iconic toe and heel-weighted Anser. Thanks to having a Cranked Hosel and 48° of toe hang this 355g traditional narrow body blade is best suited to slight arc strokes and fast running surfaces.
Compared to the Two T this model has a slightly wider head profile and more flowing, less angular back bumpers. With only a tiny sightline on the top rail it’s likely golfers who gravitate to this model will use the length of the putter blade to square up to their target line.
Odyssey Ai-One Milled Two T
RRP: $449 / £449
| Loft | Length | Lie | Head Weight | Toe Hang | |
| Odyssey Ai-One Milled Two T | 3° | 33″/34″/35″ | 70° | 355g | 45° |
See the Two T as Odyssey’s alternative to a Scotty Cameron Newport 2 profile (which was the putter shape favored by Tiger Woods for 14 of his 15 major wins) and you’ll be thinking exactly along the right lines. This 355g model comes with 45° of toe hang so realistically it will best suit slight and stronger arc players and those with plenty of rotation in their stroke.
If you’re a blade putter fan with a straighter stroke we’d seriously advise looking at a wider body blade like the Odyssey Ai-One Double Wide, which has less toe hang so is better suited to slightly straighter strokes.
Odyssey Ai-One Milled Three T
RRP: $449 / £449
| Loft | Length | Lie | Head Weight | Toe Hang | |
| Odyssey Ai-One Milled Three T | 3° | 33″/34″/35″ | 70° | 360g | 44° |
The blunt back Three T is a compact mallet with a Slant Neck and 44° of toe hang. This setup is ideally suited to slight and stronger arc players who typically like to feel like they release and don’t hold on to the putter through impact.
Compared to the majority of mallet competition I really like the straight line of the back being parallel to the face, rather than the flowing curved lines of the Six T. Having the face and putter back parallel just seems to aid alignment, and setting square to the target.
The Three T head shape is an award winner here at TG, as I ranked the preceding White Hot Versa Three T amongst my five best mallet putters of 2023.
Verdict: Odyssey Ai-One Milled Three T putter
Odyssey are brilliant at sticking with tour and consumer-proven putter head shapes and building in whatever new tech they come up with into them. The Three T shape has been an award winner here at TG before and I still love the idea of the flat/square back running parallel to the face which makes this model super attractive within the mallet category. Where mallet putters have traditionally had more flowing and rounded head shapes, especially to the rear, the Three T is blunt and straight which to me really helps highlight where the face is pointing.
You will need to love and appreciate the beauty of CNC Milled putters to buy into the Three T as at £449 they really don’t come cheap. But having been to the global launch of the whole Ai family at PGA Frisco in Texas, I can confidently say putter designs don’t come any more complex.
The work and effort Odyssey has put into developing their Ai face story is second to none and while lots of clubs golfers will likely struggle to ever know if the face tech helps putts finish 21% closer to the hole as the brand claims, over the course of a season I’d happily wager a months mortgage payment that most golfers will see an improvement in their 3-putt percentage using the tech.
With significant amounts of toe hang the Three T isn’t a model for all strokes, you will need a decent amount of arc, rotation, or like feeling the putter releases through impact to deploy this model at maximum efficiency. Personally, I really like the slightly firmer feel and faster ball speed off the titanium insert of the Ai-One Milled series as typically I use a softer, lower-compression golf ball.
To me, the feel and roll are better for all year-round performance in the UK but I completely appreciate golfers who play on seriously quick greens in the USA might like teaming the softer White Hot insert of the standard (non CNC-Milled) Ai One putter family, with a softer feeling golf ball.
All in if a beautifully made mallet putter is on your shopping list in 2024 I’d seriously recommend having the Three T right near the top of the models to try.
Odyssey Ai-One Milled Six T
RRP: $449 / £449
| Loft | Length | Lie | Head Weight | Toe Hang | |
| Odyssey Ai-One Milled Six T | 3° | 33″/34″/35″ | 70° | 360g | 0° |
The Six T is a brand new shape from Odyssey for 2024. Think of the head being a slightly larger traditional mallet model and you’ll be absolutely on the ball. Thanks to being face balanced the Six T is a good option for straighter stroke players who prefer their CNC Milled putters to come with a traditional look, shape, and feel.
Make sure you eye up both the Three T and Six T models together as you’ll instantly get a sense of what the blunt back Three T brings to the party.
Odyssey Ai-one Milled Seven T DB/CH
RRP: $449 / £449
| Loft | Length | Lie | Head Weight | Toe Hang | |
| Odyssey Ai-One Milled Seven T DB | 3° | 33″/34″/35″ | 70° | 360g | 0° |
| Odyssey Ai-One Milled Seven T CH | 3° | 33″/34″/35″ | 70° | 360g | 22° |
Odyssey Seven putters have been used by everyone from Open Champions to average hackers, which means this modern fang-shaped model comes with serious pedigree. The head is a great combination of stability and feel, with golf ball width alignment cues and a sightline to highlight your impact position perfectly.
Double Bend and Cranked Hosel options, give 0° (Face Balanced) or 22° of toe hang, so the model can suit a wide range of players and stroke types.
Odyssey Ai-One Milled Eight T
RRP: $449 / £449
| Loft | Length | Lie | Head Weight | Toe Hang | |
| Odyssey Ai-One Milled Eight T | 3° | 33″/34″/35″ | 70° | 360g | 36° |
A modern stability style mallet that has a moderate amount of toe hang, this model will best suit golfers with arcing strokes and those who like to feel they release the putter through impact. The Eight T is a new Odyssey shape for 2024, and it’s a pretty hefty model to be CNC milled.
A good option for golfers who like putting with a line on their golf ball, as the single sightline runs from the face all the way to the back of the head, which is great for highlighting how you’re aligned. Think of the model as a good alternative to the Odyssey Tuttle which has a solid tour following, and is played by Ryder Cup player Sepp Straka.
Odyssey Ai-One Milled Eleven T
RRP: $449 / £449
| Loft | Length | Lie | Head Weight | Toe Hang | |
| Odyssey Ai-One Milled Eleven T | 3° | 33″/34″/35″ | 70° | 360g | 0° |
The Eleven was the model that introduced golfers to Odyssey’s answer to the surging high MOI putter market which erupted when Jason Day shot to world number one in 2017 using a TaylorMade Spider Tour putter. This 360g Double Bend model is face balanced, so it’s well suited to players with straighter putting strokes.
The Eleven T has an oversized head, lightweight core, and strategically positioned weighting, its three sightlines also highlight impact position and where the extremities of the golf ball should lie. If you’re looking for a premium CNC Milled putter but also want super stability the Eleven T should be high on your shortlist of models to try.
We asked Odyssey General Manager, Luke Williams to explain more about the technology wrapped up in the AI-One Milled putter
Williams on the AI-designed titanium insert
Why is titanium the right insert material for the Odyssey AI-One Milled putter? It’s a material not often used in putters.
It’s good for a few reasons. It’s lightweight, which allows us to take weight out of the center of the putter to redistribute. It’s also strong and resilient, so we can make the face thinner than a steel insert. So the same sorts of reasons you’d use titanium for the face of a driver.
We can make it thin off-center, so you get more ball speed from off-center hits. It’s important to understand we’re not trying to change the speed of center strikes, we want those to be similar to what golfers normally expect, we only want to make off-center hits faster.
We tried it with steel but to meet durability requirements, we had to get thicker. As the insert got thicker we lost some of the performance gains. Aluminium was a great material it just wasn’t durable enough. Titanium was the best material we tested.
Did the super-computer suggest titanium or was it a human idea?
We fed the super-computer our insert parameters and material properties, so we were able to try titanium, steel, copper, aluminum plus a few others. The computer predicted the performance of each. From there we prototyped each, testing them head-to-head on a robot, and with human golfers, titanium was the best performer.
Ai driver faces have taken Callaway 15,000 iterations to optimize, were a similar number needed for the putter faces?
The final tally was around the 10K mark. It’s a little different than a driver, as there’s a smaller range of head speeds, plus there are different characteristics.
The interesting thing is putters are swung so much slower, so the ball is in contact with the ball for twice as long as when hitting a driver. You have more time to influence the ball with a putter, which is sort of counterintuitive, as many people would think it’s the opposite way around.
Williams on how the titanium and White Hot inserts compare
Why is the pattern on the back of the titanium face different from the White Hot urethane insert?
It’s partly down to the different materials. The titanium has some spots in the heel that has extra humps and bumps, which is to maintain durability on off-center hits. So, it’s balancing off-center speed with durability.
The advantage with the White Hot is how the backer deadens some of the strike behind the hitting surface, so we can go thinner in the heel/toe more consistently, without encountering durability issues. So, it’s the materials and the combination of them in each family that dictates the different patterns.
Are the lumps and bumps the same on each insert within each of the families?
We have one insert for the blades and one for the mallets. The shapes are a little bit different, but we don’t have a different insert for each individual model. There’s a blade insert and a mallet insert for both the AI-One and AI-One Milled families.
Why do you need a different insert for blades and mallets?
It comes down to the difference in geometry of the faces. The blades have a little deeper face where the mallets are a little shallower, so the shape of the insert changes, which dictates the different patterns on the back.
Williams on the AI-designed inserts used by tour pros
Are the inserts within Jon Rahm and Sam Burns putters exactly the same as the models consumers buy at retail?
Yes, the AI pattern on the back is exactly the same from tour to retail. Sam Burns has his insert colored black as he likes the look, but the only difference is the color. You may see some different color inserts out on tour, but structurally they are exactly the same.
Williams on the Stroke Lab shaft
How can the new lightweight steel Stroke Lab shaft possibly be as good as the previous multi-material design?
It’s actually better. The previous multi-material red Stroke Lab shaft weighs about 75g, whereas a typical steel putter shaft is about 115g, and the new Stroke Lab is 95g. There’s still 20g of counter-balancing built into the new model (it’s 30g if you choose the oversized grip), and we see lots of players are more consistent with a degree of counter-balancing when putting. They will deliver the putter more consistently and their tempo is more consistent, we wanted to maintain that and add the benefit of a lower torque steel shaft.
With the previous multi-material shaft, where the steel tip section joined the graphite upper there was a little higher torque. On off-center hits, the putter would twist a little more, and with this new model being all about off-center hits, its all-steel construction will provide lower torque.
We think we’ll get more tour players into this new shaft, as previously only half of our tour players have used Stroke Lab shafts, the rest use steel. At the end of the day, we want players to use what we sell.
Product Information
Odyssey Ai-One Milled Putters
Odyssey Ai-One Milled One T
RRP: $449 / £449
Loft: 3°
Length: 33”/34”/35”
Lie: 70°
Head Weight: 355g
Toe Hang: 48°
Odyssey Ai-One Milled Two T
RRP: $449 / £449
Loft: 3°
Length: 33”/34”/35”
Lie: 70°
Head Weight: 355g
Toe Hang: 45°
Odyssey Ai-One Milled Three T
RRP: $449 / £449
Loft: 3°
Length: 33”/34”/35”
Lie: 70°
Head Weight: 360g
Toe Hang: 45°
Odyssey Ai-One Milled Six T
RRP: $449 / £449
Loft: 3°
Length: 33”/34”/35”
Lie: 70°
Head Weight: 360g
Toe Hang: 44°
Odyssey Ai-One Milled Seven T DB
RRP: $449 / £449
Loft: 3°
Length: 33”/34”/35”
Lie: 70°
Head Weight: 360g
Toe Hang: 0° (Face Balanced)
Odyssey Ai-One Milled Seven T CH
RRP: $449 / £449
Loft: 3°
Length: 33”/34”/35”
Lie: 70°
Head Weight: 360g
Toe Hang: 22°
Odyssey Ai-One Milled Eight T
RRP: $449 / £449
Loft: 3°
Length: 33”/34”/35”
Lie: 70°
Head Weight: 360g
Toe Hang: 36°
Odyssey Ai-One Milled Eleven T
RRP: $449 / £449
Loft: 3°
Length: 33”/34”/35”
Lie: 70°
Head Weight: 360g
Toe Hang: 0° (Face Balanced)
Stock shaft: Odyssey Stroke Lab SL 90
Stock grip: Odyssey Pistol
Visit the Odyssey Golf website here
