TESTED BY: Jimmy Emanuel, Golf Australia Writer (GA Handicap 9.4).

COST: $449.99.

MODEL PLAYED: Indianapolis, with SuperStroke Mid Slim 2.0 grip.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: After seeing multiple pictures of the EXO range before getting them in my hands, the putters looked noticeably better in person, with the all-black finish on top of the Indianapolis giving it a stealth-like look that made the white sightline really standout.

HOW IT PERFORMED: As an unabashed fan of the original White Hot insert, I wasn’t particularly confident that Odyssey could recreate the same feel with the addition of its Microhinges to the face. But as soon as I hit my first putt with the EXO, the feel reminded me of my old White Hot Rossie that still occasionally makes its way out of the cupboard and never disappoints.

If anything, the EXO actually improved upon the old favourite in my opinion due to a slightly more solid feel at impact. And when hitting putts side-by-side with the old insert and the new, the Microhinges seemed to get the ball rolling faster off the putter face and unquestionably produced a more consistent roll across the face, improving my distance control on lag putts – a benefit which far outweighed the slight reduction in feedback on toe and heel strikes.

As you would expect of the largest mallet in the range, the Indianapolis is extremely stable and when combined with the standard SuperStroke grip feels almost automatic on short putts – a trait that made the Indianapolis grow on me more and more throughout my time with the putter as someone who occasionally has trouble knocking in the short ones.

Although its unique head shape certainly isn’t for everyone, the Indianapolis doesn’t feel nearly as bulky as some other high moment of inertia (MOI) putters I have tried in the past that can be awkward and clunky when making longer strokes and from off the green. And the EXO version seemed a better fit for me than the Toulon Design version of the same model I tested previously.

Based on the extremely stable performance of the Indianapolis head design alone, the EXO range ranked highly in my estimations but the re-creation of the feel of the White Hot insert with the addition of improved roll took the EXO to another level.

TESTED BY: Brendan James, Golf Australia Editor (GA Handicap 8.4).

COST: $449.99.

MODEL PLAYED: Rossie S, with SuperStroke Mid Slim 2.0 grip.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: The moment I took the headcover off I was keen to get this putter down in front of me. The red and black finish is striking and, combined with the three sight lines, it certainly helped me aim the putter accurately at my target line.

HOW IT PERFORMED: I switched to using mallet putters about 10 years ago and the first one in the bag was the Odyssey Two-ball. With each change to the flatstick being carried ever since there has always been one constant – the Odyssey White Hot insert.

The White Hot insert offers the kind of feel I like in the putter and I thought I could be content using a putter with that insert for the rest of my golfing days. But the new incarnation in the EXO putters is even better.

While the insert material is seemingly no different to what can be found in recent Odyssey models, the difference is Odyssey has combined its Microhinge technology with the White Hot elastomer insert and the combination is an absolute winner. Not only do you get the soft feel of the White Hot but I found the Microhinge eliminated those two out of three putts (especially from distances beyond 15 feet) that seem to skip after impact. The roll with this putter was outstanding, which ultimately boosted my confidence in controlling the speed of my putts.

The only drawback for me was the weight of the putter. I found it a little on the heavy side, which is understandable given nearly all the weight is around the perimeter and the red aluminium centre must weigh almost next to nothing. That said, once I got used to the overall weight of the putter I found the EXO Rossie very easy to use.

FACTS AND FIGURES

MODELS: The EXO range is offered in classic Odyssey Rossie and #7 shapes, as well as the recent Indianapolis model from the Toulon range. All three models are available in both face balanced and toe hang ‘S’ slant neck options to match any stroke type.

LEFT HANDED: The EXO #7 and #7s are available in left handed.

ODYSSEY SAYS: Bringing together elegant detailing and Tour level performance with some of the finest finishes ever seen in an Odyssey putter, the EXO line marries the on-trend red and traditional black putter look in one technology-rich package.

Each head is precision-milled, with a weight-saving aluminium red section contrasting with a milled black stainless steel body that drives significant increases in MOI.

An all-new ‘White Hot Microhinge’ insert – a slightly firmer Tour-developed insert with an identical feel to the Tour’s ‘gold standard’ White Hot insert – imparts pure roll thanks to ‘Microhinge’ technology.

To give each putter a premium look, heads are skim-milled, a light, yet precise milling process that refines edges and corners while giving the surface a beautiful sheen and feel.

Each model is engineered slightly bigger than the original design thanks to the weight-saving red aluminium section.

For more information visit www.odysseygolf.com.au