- 3 minutes ago
Joe Ferguson from Golf Monthly takes a look at the Odyssey Dual Force Rossie II putter, which Nick Faldo won the Masters with in 1996, and compares it to the modern day equivalent in the Odyssey Ai-One Rossie putter in this series of Retro Review.
Can it still compete with the modern day equivalent?
Filmed at: Frilford Heath golf club.
Can it still compete with the modern day equivalent?
Filmed at: Frilford Heath golf club.
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SportsTranscript
00:00Retro review time again and I've got a beauty for you today.
00:03Today I'm looking at the Odyssey Dual Force Rossi II Putter.
00:08Now those of you in the know will know this was made famous
00:10by Nick Fowler at the 1996 Masters.
00:12And as always on Retro Review,
00:14we're putting it up against the modern day equivalent.
00:16So I'm looking at the Odyssey Rossi AI1 Double Bend Putter.
00:22Now we've teamed up with Golf Clubs for Cash,
00:24one of the leading retailers of pre-loved equipment.
00:26We're gonna see how these stack up against each other.
00:28Let's go.
00:36So the Rossi II was really the putter that paved the way
00:38for Odyssey to become what they are today.
00:41And paved the way for other models like the two ball,
00:43like the number seven, the fang,
00:45that you'll all be familiar,
00:45and loads of familiar Odyssey models.
00:48Now essentially this was a face balance putter
00:50and it came with some really cool alignment aids.
00:53So on the top of the flange here,
00:54we've got three alignment aids that sit on the leading edge
00:56and two that sit on the back.
00:58So it was really super easy to line up.
01:00And another benefit of that is it kind of helped you with your eye line.
01:03I always found if you try and get those two lines to match up when you're looking down on them,
01:07you could be pretty sure your eyes were in a really nice place over the ball.
01:12It was one of the first putters ever to use an insert, which really affected the feel and enhanced that
01:17feel.
01:17And again, really paved the way for some later technologies, which you'll see present on this AI-1.
01:23So we've got the white hot insert.
01:24This has become really, really familiar and we've got the AI-1 face that sits behind there,
01:29which is all designed to increase the MOI and increase your performance off your miss hit putts.
01:35Loads of other technological advancements here.
01:37We've got interchangeable weights.
01:39We've got the stroke lab shaft.
01:40There's a lot more going on here.
01:42So I think it's time to see whether the technological advancements have made all the difference
01:46and see if this can still stack up against the competition.
01:49So before we get the first impressions here, let's get the numbers out of the way.
01:53I picked this up for £48.99, less than £50 for a putter that's won multiple, multiple majors.
01:59That's a really, really good deal.
02:01When you consider the AI-1 that I'm putting it up against, retails at around £289.99.
02:06There's quite a significant difference there, I think you'll agree.
02:09So in terms of first impressions, down by the ball, I've used this putter a lot in the past.
02:13It was really a very familiar look for me.
02:16I love the abundance of alignment aids, as I mentioned.
02:19They're really prevalent on the top and it makes it really, really easy to point
02:23this putter where you want to point it.
02:25This is one of the first putters with an insert.
02:28So it'll be really interesting.
02:30Yeah, that's really nice.
02:32Little low on the blade, but it still felt really, really soft.
02:35So it just ran out of pace because I hit it a little lower on the blade.
02:40But really, with that very simple alignment aid,
02:44that super soft feel to just burn the lip there,
02:47that's a really, really nice feeling putter.
02:50It's given me vibes of Faldo 96 already.
02:53I'm really enjoying this one already.
02:56A little bit off the toe, still maintain its speed and just slipped out on the left edge.
03:01So that's a really interesting one.
03:03Let's grab those balls back and we'll hit a couple of putts
03:05with the AI-01 and get some first impressions of that as well.
03:08Okay, so the first thing I notice about the AI-01 when I put it in behind the ball
03:12is it's a little bit deeper. So there's more depth to this head.
03:16It's a bit rounder and it's a little bit larger,
03:18which is likely to give us a little bit more MOI and a little bit more forgiveness.
03:22The alignment aids are still very, very clear,
03:24although they've gone away from the sort of wider corresponding lines
03:28on the top edge to be able to match to the back edge.
03:31So they've lost that kind of, as I said, accidental training aid, if you like,
03:36although it is still really, really clear to line up.
03:39Secondly, I would say it's definitely a much more premium looking head.
03:43The sort of dark navy finish is really, really smart.
03:47And the white alignment aids really contrast nicely against that sort of dark navy finish.
03:53We've got the very, very popular white hot insert,
03:56which is essentially made from the same material as a golf ball.
03:58So matching those fields has always been a real winner.
04:01And we've got more features everywhere.
04:03We've got a weight plate on the bottom.
04:04We've got interchangeable weights in the heel and toe to spread that weight.
04:07And we've got that AI-1 face behind the ball,
04:09which we know gives us some assistance on mishits.
04:12Not only that, we've got more tech in the shaft.
04:14We've got the Stroke Lab technology in the shaft.
04:16So in theory, this putt is packed with an awful lot more features.
04:19So it'll be really interesting to see how it performs.
04:23Let's say, as with the other Rossi, really easy to line up.
04:28I would argue that's slightly firmer to the feel.
04:30It's done a great job.
04:31It's rolled straight in for me.
04:32I would argue that's slightly firmer in the feel.
04:38Coming off really, really nicely.
04:40That probably would have gone in had it not glanced that ball as well.
04:49Yeah, rolling really nicely off that face.
04:51That's arguably, that was probably three out of three from this 20, 22 foot range for the
04:56newer technology there.
04:58So it's going to be really, really interesting to see how it gets on when we start putting it on
05:02some more official tests.
05:04Okay, if you're enjoying what you're seeing, don't forget to hit that like button and subscribe to
05:08the channel.
05:09Also, let us know in the comments what you'd like me to take a look at in my next retro
05:13review.
05:14Okay, so I'm down here at Frilford Heath Golf Club, which is beautiful, by the way.
05:17And I've set up a 70 foot putt on this par three.
05:21So lag putting is crucial to your score.
05:23Not only to your score, but also to your short putting.
05:25Because obviously, the closer you can lay these, the more chance you've got holding the next putt.
05:29So it's really, really important.
05:31In theory, the tech behind the new modern putter, the AI1 face, the Stroke Lab shaft,
05:36everything that goes into this, should make it a little bit more forgiving on these longer putts.
05:40And this is where people generally miss the center of the face when they're putting more
05:44swing and more oomph into the putt.
05:46So in theory, this is where it should come into its own.
05:49So what I'm going to do is I'm going to hit six putts with each.
05:52I've got my handy tape measure with me here.
05:55And I'm going to measure each single putt.
05:57I'm going to add them up each.
05:59So I'm going to hit six with each, add them up.
06:01The cumulative total, in theory, obviously the one that's got less distance,
06:05will be the winner in this test.
06:06So let's go.
06:07I'm going to start with the AI1 putter.
06:09And as I said, in theory, this should be significantly more advanced in this test
06:18with its technology.
06:19I've blocked that one a little bit to start with.
06:22Just a little bit shy of pace.
06:24Actually, that did better than I thought.
06:25That's an interesting one.
06:26That's quite low on the face.
06:27So I'm wondering whether a bit of AI1 technology helped me there.
06:30Let's see if we can get a little bit closer this time.
06:36Really good for pace.
06:37Two pretty good there, one a bit iffy.
06:39I'll go and measure them, then we'll go again.
06:54Right, so I'm not too displeased with those.
06:56One particularly poor strike to start with, but I think I was flattered a bit by the AI1 there.
07:00I had 5.92 meters in total for those six putts.
07:05So let's see if the old one's still got the magic.
07:08It's a very different look to look down on.
07:10We've got slightly different alignment aids.
07:14But it is comfy.
07:17It's like a familiar feeling.
07:18I gamed this putter.
07:20That was a nicely struck putt.
07:22Really good for weight.
07:23That's a great start.
07:24A little kick in there.
07:31Okay, great.
07:31Another one's stoned out.
07:32I'll go and measure those and I'll get back to you.
07:47Okay, there you go.
07:49So the old Rossi came in at 5.3 meters versus 5.92 from the AI1.
07:56So really interesting there.
07:57In this test at least, a small victory for the old Rossi II.
08:01Best part of 30 years old Rossi II there.
08:03Now it's not necessarily a hugely fair test because when I went first with the AI1,
08:08obviously I'm getting a feel for the pace and a feel for the line.
08:12So if I wanted to be 100% scientifically accurate, I'd probably do it a few more times
08:17and vary the sort of the order that I go into to make that fair.
08:22But for the purposes of this test, we're calling it a victory for the old Rossi.
08:27So that's a long range test.
08:29But we all know, and you've probably seen from some of my long range putts there,
08:32occasionally I leave myself a little more than a tap in.
08:35So I need to know these putters can do their business from short range.
08:39And this is a really crucial point.
08:41This is eight foot, which for those of you who don't know is the 50-50 point for the PGA
08:46Tour averages.
08:47May seem strange.
08:48You might think they hold everything from here.
08:49But on the PGA Tour, 50% of these putts go in and 50% miss.
08:53So this will be a really good barometer for how these putters are performing.
08:57So I'm going to go with the AI1 first this time to give it a slightly better chance.
09:01I'm going to hit 10 putts with each of these.
09:03And I want to see how they perform under pressure, out of 10, how they do.
09:08So I'm going to go straight away with the AI1 and get into it.
09:11So this putts a little bit off the right.
09:14So it's probably right edge.
09:16And that's a really nice solid start.
09:18I remember watching Mark Brooks, the American Mark Brooks, win the USPGA with the old Odyssey Rossi.
09:24So this is giving me good feelings.
09:25He held out really well that time.
09:27Slight pull there.
09:33Okay, that's two out of three.
09:34I'm going to speed it up now.
09:35I'm going to take you through the 10 and see how we get on.
09:55Okay, so that's six out of 10 there.
09:57So that's above PGA Tour average.
09:58I'm not displeased with that at all.
10:00So that's a reasonable start from the AI1.
10:02Let's have a go with the Rossi II.
10:04So I mentioned Mark Brooks there.
10:05He was another USPGA Tour player who had this original dual force Rossi II in.
10:10Another one of my favorite players of all time, Annika Sorenstam.
10:13She used this putter a lot and she was one of the best holer outers I've ever seen.
10:16So I'm going to try and channel my inner Annika here and see if I can beat six out of
10:2110.
10:40That's it.
10:41So a tougher start there for the original Rossi II, but when it needed to, like in 1996 when
10:46Nick Baldo at the Masters, it came up clutch under pressure.
10:49Delivered me a really good finish there and it tied the AI1 at six out of 10.
10:54Both just above PGA Tour average, which I'm quite pleased with.
10:57And for a putter that's cost me less than 50 pounds, when you couple that with the long
11:01range test we've just done, that really is quite interesting.
11:05So that was a lot of fun.
11:06It's always nice to pick up clubs that I've used before and see how they stack up against
11:10modern day competition.
11:11And I think you'll see from the tests we did there, this can still very much cut the mustard.
11:16For $48.99 versus a putter that's costing $289.99, in those tests at least, it did a really,
11:24really good job.
11:24Now, I can hear you in the comments below already saying, well, maybe those aren't fair tests.
11:29You need to do more.
11:29There needs to be a longer test period to get a fair reflection.
11:32And I think you're probably right.
11:34From the technology behind this, and I've used this putter as well quite a lot, I think
11:39over the course of time, the extra forgiveness, the extra MOI would probably come through and
11:44start to show itself over some longer periods of time.
11:47And undoubtedly, from an aesthetics point of view and a premium feel point of view,
11:52the AI1 is still very much probably the superior putter.
11:57But you should never count out the underdog.
11:59The Odyssey Dual Force Rossi II, it's won majors.
12:02It started off a whole era of putting for Odyssey.
12:05And like I said, for under £50, I think that's exceptional value.
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