Are You Ready for the Turtle?

Odyssey’s new TRTL putter is probably the most eagerly anticipated in years

Nine months after Min Woo Lee used one at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Odyssey’s TRTL putter is finally being released to U.S. consumers and, against all odds, promises to make quite a statement. Originally developed in Japan, where it immediately went to #1 in sales, the TRTL (Turtle) is a mid-mallet that follows on from 2025’s Giraffe Beam putter (the very long neck – geddit? – made it face-balanced) in Odyssey’s line named after animals. When the brand’s Japanese engineers brought it to Carlsbad, Calif., the U.S. team recognized its potential and, after a year of tweaks, it is set to take the domestic putter market by storm.

Invariably, the first thing golfers notice is the green center section that’s made of lightweight ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), a thermoplastic polymer that’s been around for decades. It is surrounded by PVD-coated steel, and the sole/base is made from aircraft-grade aluminum. Those familiar with how MOI works and how clubmakers use differently weighted materials to boost a club’s perimeter-weighting will understand how this combination of light-center/heavier-perimeter makes a clubhead more stable and less prone to twisting when contact is made away from the center of the clubface.

That’s what makes mallet designs so popular, of course. Blade putters typically have an MOI of about 3,000, while the largest mallets can reach 8,000 or even 9,000. The standard TRTL weighs in at about 5,000, which is pretty good without being extraordinary.

What might make the TRTL extraordinary, though, is the Ai-Star insert, which takes the best parts of the Ai-ONE and Ai-DUAL inserts to create a feel and consistency that might be unmatched in the industry. The aluminum inner side sits behind the firmer urethane outer/striking surface, with the areas near the heel and toe made thinner, which has the effect of enlarging the sweet spot. There are also the roll-producing grooves, angled at 19  degrees to help the ball hug the ground and roll end-over-end immediately after impact rather than initially skidding and beginning to roll partway into its journey to the hole.

Word from the PGA Tour, Japan, and early reviews is that the Ai-Star insert is a game-changer and could possibly be a part of Odyssey putters for a good long while.

The third of the TRTL’s design features is the four adjustable sole weights (two light, two heavier), which let you experiment with the clubhead’s weight and how it rotates (toe hang). We’re not yet sure why you’d want to experiment with how much the head rotates when the perimeter-weighting already makes it stable, but nor would we ever want to deny a golfer’s ability to tinker. Have at it, and find yourself a configuration that helps you get the ball in the hole quicker.

The elaborate Twin-Track alignment extends from the face to the rear and certainly might help some golfers aim the putter correctly. And the TRTL’s sole geometry lets the face sit square, and the head rest flush to the ground, which should boost your confidence as you stand over the ball.

There are three standard-sized TRTLs with different necks – Double Bend, CH, and S. The hosel/neck that suits you best will be determined by the amount of arc/curve in your putting stroke. The slightly larger TRTL MAX (MOI pushing 6,000) is a center-shafted, zero-torque Square-to-Square (S2S) model.

TRTL – $350
TRTL Max – $400
Double Bend and MAX are available in right- and left-hand. CH and S are right-hand only.
Pre-order now at odyssey.callawaygolf.com or wait for them to arrive in stores on Friday (Nov 6).