Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K Putter Review

Thanks to multi-material heads the Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K family bring forgiving high MOI performance to blade putters. 

Ordinarily ‘blade’ and ‘forgiveness’ are two words never uttered in the same sentence when talking about the best putters. Golfers who prefer the styling of narrow body blades until now have just had to accept they’re giving up forgiveness to play a putter that better suits their eye.

Forgiveness in putters though has become a real topic of debate over the last few years, and the trend can be traced back to when TaylorMade’s Spider Tour putter shot to fame in the hands of Jason Day and Dustin Johnson. Since then more players (think Rory McIlroy) have tried mallets (and MOI putters) and realised the benefits that bigger, higher MOI putters bring to the putting party.

The trend has meant since the introduction of TaylorMade’s Spider putters in 2008 there’s been a dramatic swing on tour from 75% of pro’s using blade style putters to 65% now preferring more forgiving mallets and MOI style flatsticks.

Odyssey have felt the shift themselves, with forgiving putters on the up they say 65% of the putters they sell now fall into the MOI and mallet categories. The downward trend for blades though hasn’t meant the brand moth-balling new blade putter development, quite the opposite in fact.

In a bid to offer golfers who love blades, the same sort of levels of forgiveness as a forgiving mallet, Odyssey have literally thrown the kitchen sink at developing a new range of forgiving blades, with the goal of putting them firmly back on the putter map in 2022.

What they’ve come up with is five new classic Tri-Hot 5K blades. All have a multi-material construction, to offer golfers a forward CG and higher MOI than most mallet putters. Here’s why they work.

What you need to know about Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K putters

The goal

Odyssey say they set out with the audacious goal of creating a blade putter that could out perform a mallet, but any design had to have a classic head shape that tour players would love. They didn’t want to go down the route of just chasing MOI through a bigger sized blade like Jack Nicklaus used to bag his last major title at Augusta in 1986.

Forward centre of gravity

Blade’s naturally have a forward centre of gravity as their bodies are so narrow. Odyssey’s engineers wanted to make sure they didn’t lose this whilst chasing MOI performance, as it’s what gives the launch, feel and ball speed control that many blade advocates love.

A forward centre of gravity also creates less side spin on off centre hits, so golfers get a tighter dispersion and more chance of holing in-perfect putts.      

Ultimate multi-material design

Stainless steel, aircraft grade aluminium and over 120g of tungsten are combined within each Tri-Hot 5K head. The front of each head (including the hosel) is constructed from 303 stainless steel, this helps keep the CG forward, then a CNC Milled aluminium body is fixed to the back of the face with chambers to position 120g+ of tungsten in the toe and heel.

The design creates an MOI of over 5000gcm² which Odyssey say is unheard of in a traditional sized blade putter.

The gain

More so than any other brand Scotty Cameron is the go-to choice for blade putter enthusiasts, it makes sense then Odyssey compared their 5K models against a blade fans favourite model, the Scotty Cameron Newport.

On a mechanical putting robot Odyssey say thanks to the Tri-Hot 5K models boasting 14% more MOI than the corresponding Scotty, their models hit putts into a 44% smaller area than their chief competitor. Putts also produced a 20% tighter dispersion ellipse, with a 15% improvement in distance control, which all in say Odyssey is enough to equate to gaining at least a shot per round on the dancefloor, just by switching putter.

Initially that might not sound like ground-breaking numbers. But don’t forget Odyssey’s goal was creating a more forgiving blade that tour players would love. And out on tour it’s no secret that pros who shave 0.25 strokes from a round (yes that’s a single shot over a four-day tournament) earn an extra $600,000 a season.         

Weight a minute

To ensure golfers have the opportunity to tailor each of the Tri-Hot models to their individual weight and balance tastes interchangeable sole weights in the sole can be either aluminium (light), steel (standard) and tungsten (heavy). Of-course you’ll need a fitting session to decide which is best for you.    

White Hot insert

Over half the putters Odyssey make for tour pros are requested with the legendary White Hot urethane insert. After years of trying to convince golfers there are better insert options for improving top spin and roll the White Hot is now firmly back on the menu at Odyssey.

Each Tri-Hot 5K putter comes with a White Hot insert, Odyssey say it, along with a red StrokeLab shaft means the new models feel and sound authentically Odyssey.    

WATCH: Best 2022 Putter video

Details: Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K putters

RRP £379

Models:

Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K One putter

Hosel: Crank Neck   Headweight: 360g   Loft: 3°   Length: 33″ / 34″ / 35″   Offset: Full Shaft   Toe Hang: 52°

Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K Two putter

Hosel: Crank Neck   Headweight: 360g   Loft: 3°   Length: 33″ / 34″ / 35″   Offset: Full Shaft   Toe Hang: 50°

Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K Three putter

Hosel: Flow Neck   Headweight: 360g   Loft: 3°   Length: 33″ / 34″ / 35″   Offset: Half Shaft   Toe Hang: 70°

Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K Double Wide putter

Hosel: Crank Neck   Headweight: 365g   Loft: 3°   Length: 33″ / 34″ / 35″   Offset: Full Shaft   Toe Hang: 42°

Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K Triple Wide putter

Hosel: Double Bend   Headweight: 365g   Loft: 3°   Length: 33″ / 34″ / 35″   Offset: Full Shaft   Toe Hang: 0° (Face Balanced)

Meet the Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K putter models

Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K One putter

One is the archetypal toe and heel weighted blade putter. See the One’s slightly stubbier body and flowing curved back bumpers as an alternative to Ping’s Anser or Scotty Cameron’s Newport and you really won’t go too far wrong.

A cranked neck gives moderate levels of toe hang so the model is a good fit for slight arc strokes. 

Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K Two putter

The Two’s fuller, less sloping back bumpers and a slightly longer blade length give a straighter edged look at address. Tiger Woods loves the shape as he’s won 14 of his 15 majors with a similarly shaped Scotty Cameron Newport 2.

We like the contrast in colours between the darker front and lighter back section, which for some golfers will highlight the alignment of the blade at address. A cranked neck gives moderate levels of toe hang so the model is a good fit for slight arc strokes.    

Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K Three putter

Perfect for fans who remember the flowing back shape of a Ping Zing putter. A slant neck gives significant levels of toe hang so the Three is a good fit for golfers with strong arc strokes and players who like to feel the sensation of releasing the putter through impact. 

Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K Double Wide putter

The name double wide comes from the head being almost twice as wide as a traditional blade putter head. The Double Wide comes with a cranked hosel (it’s got slight toe hang) so the model is well suited to slight arc strokes.

Double wide putters have grown significantly in popularity over the last five years as their body size dictates offering slightly more stability and forgiveness than a traditional narrow body blade.    

Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K Triple Wide putter

The Triple Wide is a brand-new idea from Odyssey for 2022. Thanks to being significantly wider than a traditional blade putter the body boasts additional stability and forgiveness.

The size and straight edges can be a real bonus for golfers who love blades but aren’t quite ready to go full on traditional narrow body toe and heel weighted blade. The Triple Wide comes with a double bend shaft, so the model is face balanced and a good fit for straighter back and through strokes.  

Verdict: Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K putter

‘Forgiving’ and ‘blade’ used to be two words that were never uttered in the same sentence, when talking putters, but Odyssey’s new Tri-Hot 5K family changes everything. By specifically setting out with the goal of only creating a family of stable blade putters Odyssey have not got caught up with the mixed messaging of combining their tech into bigger mallet and MOI style putters.

If you love blade putters but also wish they could be a bit more forgiving, Tri-Hot 5K will be right up your street.

Odyssey say the forward CG (which is possible thanks to combining a heavier steel front section, that’s loaded with 120g of tungsten, with a lightweight aluminium back) creates less side spin on off centre hits, so golfers can expect a tighter dispersion pattern, and more chance of holing out.

The Triple Wide is a new Odyssey model for 2022, we like it because thanks to the stability of the wider head and a face balanced set-up it opens blades up to straighter stroke players, who in the past may have loved the look of blades but have typically benefitted from the extra stability of a more MOI style design.

We love the feel and roll of the White Hot insert and how the two tone (black and silver) steel and aluminium body combines to create a subtle alignment cue when squaring the putter up to your target. A beautifully engineered modern blade putter, if you’re stroke is more arcing or you prefer a traditional narrower blade the Tri-Hot’s other four models are every bit as good

Odyssey on the Tri-Hot 5K putters

We developed Tri-Hot 5K with an audacious goal, to introduce a new blade putter construction that outperforms a mallet, in a classic shape that the best players on Tour love.

We’ve moved the CG positioning forward and leveraged new materials in ways that have never been realized in a putter. Stainless steel, tungsten, and 6061 aircraft grade aluminum have all been meticulously crafted to re-invent what a blade can accomplish.

Using massive amounts of tungsten, we’ve developed an inertia level exceeding 5000 IZZ for incredible forgiveness that’s unmatched in the blade category, all while moving the CG closer to the face.

This spectacular combination promotes improved performance in speed control, spin control, speed consistency on off center hits and a much tighter downrange dispersion that limits off-target spin. It’s the best performing blade we’ve ever made by far.

By changing how a putter is constructed, we’ve reinvented how a putter can perform.

Specs: Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K putters

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Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K putters

RRP £379

Stock shaft: Red Stroke Lab

Stock grip: Odyssey Tri-Hot Pistol

Models:

Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K One putter

Hosel: Crank Neck   Headweight: 360g   Loft: 3°   Length: 33" / 34" / 35"   Offset: Full Shaft   Toe Hang: 52°

Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K Two putter

Hosel: Crank Neck   Headweight: 360g   Loft: 3°   Length: 33" / 34" / 35"   Offset: Full Shaft   Toe Hang: 50°

Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K Three putter

Hosel: Flow Neck   Headweight: 360g   Loft: 3°   Length: 33" / 34" / 35"   Offset: Half Shaft   Toe Hang: 70°

Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K Double Wide putter

Hosel: Crank Neck   Headweight: 365g   Loft: 3°   Length: 33" / 34" / 35"   Offset: Full Shaft   Toe Hang: 42°

Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K Triple Wide putter

Hosel: Double Bend   Headweight: 365g   Loft: 3°   Length: 33" / 34" / 35"   Offset: Full Shaft   Toe Hang: 0° (Face Balanced)

Visit the Odyssey website here