Odyssey O Works - Red Marxman

The year is ending too quickly. I need to clear my leave and maybe just maybe reward myself for another year of hard work while out shopping. Guys' shopping is simple, just go straight to the shop, pick up what you need or want, pay up and go. 

But I didn't know it was "Black Friday". What the heck was that for? To make everyplace crowded? Look at the crowd here. How much can you save by joining such a long queue? Just make everyday the same, no difference. In those days, we only get new clothes and good food during the new year. These days, you get good food and new clothes everyday.

Walking and in transit, I have time before lunch and had this to feel good. Something we love since our childhood days. Malaysia is limiting eggs export to Singapore so we better start laying our own. 

I walked through Tangs and I have always like their food court in the basement. It has many of your favourites. A newer stall has been set up and it has a good mee siam.

Finally settled for lunch at Tonkichi for Tonkatsu.

Maybe my taste bud has changed but I felt it was not as good as before. 

It has never been the same but anyhow it is the season to be jolly.

I came to Isetan and I was not looking for these but the poster said that TRUE are golf shoes for people who are fed up with golf shoes. Keep walking Johnny.

I tried it and these are to be had. I shall tell you at another time about these shoes.

I recced and found this at Isetan which I thought would be interesting for all gentlemen to shop for his needs. They have nice shoes and other accessories too.

I didn't get anything except for golf. How silly. It led to the same thing.

We wanted a break so we got to Scotts Square.

To Lady M. What should we  have?

For a good cuppa.

And their most fabulous Rose Mille Crepes.

Just too good...

To be true but it is true.

Marxman

And doing all these because I wanted this. Ladies and gentlemen, the Odyssey 'O' Works (Slant Neck) Red Marxman. What is is that strikes me about this putter? Callaway owned Odyssey and their being number one in putter sales was not the reason. First impression was that this is a fierce looking weapon. Like something from outer space. A spaceship if you like. If you got updated, mallet putters are getting increasingly popular on Tour. Even Pros know that putting makes or breaks their game. It has been the same for the other equipment be it drivers, woods, hybrids or irons. They are spotting friendlier gears. Not only that, the more classic black that do not reflect sunlight has become a bolder red!

In golf gears, there are Player's clubs, Game Improvement clubs and Super Game Improvement clubs for every stick from drivers to woods to hybrids and irons. It is simple to spot the difference. The bigger the club the more forgiving it is due to its perimeter weighting and CG position. So a blade putter is more a a Player's club even though you may play well with it as the margin for error is greater. A half-mallet is like Game Improvement and a mallet like the Marxman is Super Game Improvement which means the most forgiving. Most golfers are not really so highly skilled to play with blades.The Odyssey O Works Red Marxman is a progressive mallet design with solid perimeter weighting and high definition alignment with their effective microhinge face insert. Mallets offer better alignment schemes, higher MOI and a much lower CG that means easier putts. 

Microhinge technology provides gains in topspin and forward roll on impact even on poorer strokes. The red finish is unique and striking and have been popular even among pros. It has an awesome white alignment stripe in the centre that helps you get online - on the golf course not the internet. Red, like a race car gives you a bit more excitement. As cool or even cooler than the colour red is this slant neck. That little slant in the neck has been my new experiment. After all these years I realised that I feel most comfortable with a slant neck putter. Slant neck in a mallet is effectively very good for those who used to play with a blade putter and it comes with toe hang. Red on the greens is also beautiful. The rich red colour seems to change according to the light of the day. There are various head and neck designs to choose from but this is my favourite. 

Look carefully at the neck/hosel (which is a slant neck) with a toe hang design which is good for golfers who putts with a slight arc (face rotation) in their stroke. Luke Williams who is one of Odyssey's top putter designers himself uses the Red Marxman with a slant neck. This says a lot because if he plays with one, it is worth sporting one as well as he could make or use any putter or any neck in the golf world.

The problem is mostly blade players feel strange when switching from blade to mallet as most mallets have traditional necks that just do not feel suitable to a blade player. The slant neck in a mallet such as the Marxman is supposed to be a game changer such that when a blade player plays with one, you do not feel any chance to your swing. That is a good enough reason for me to try and game one.

The architecture, engineering and aesthetics cannot be faulted. The darker colour grey base contrast well with the red and makes it look stealthy enough should you hole in your putt and wanted to show your dark side.

Same design cover on various types of putters.

I just hope that it won't just decompose and peel off after prolong usage like many of my other Odyssey putter covers or other brand covers with such putter material. If the putter is not cheap why not make a better putter cover that do not rot over time.

When you switch fro blade to mallet you need that honeymoon period to adjust and make some slight changes. Do not worry as over time it shall be rewarding. Be brave.

There are putter grips that are too thin or too thick and your grip will affect your putting strokes. These mid-size Super Stroke grips are very likable indeed.

They feel very natural in your hands. Flat in front for your thumbs and below the grip a tapered V shape for your supporting fingers.

In life as in golf, changes are inevitable. Sometimes you have to make that change or you shall remain stagnant. If you do not change and adjust, changes will still come to you. It is inevitable. You have to be bold, you have to be curious, to be versatile, to explore. Tiger changed his swing due to his injuries. Some of us may have to change and adjust due to being at a different age. I mean every year I am at a new older age where I have never been before so that makes me a novice at that age. Many people/golfers fear changes in life or with golf equipment especially their driver and putter as they feel very comfortable with their current one so much they fear to change. Changes in life are inevitable. We have to flow with it like a good putt. Get the direction, look at the terrain, the breaks, do you charge or let it die off into the hole. Sometimes, you just need the rub of the green.

This is how it looks on the green. 

The alignment is tops for me as it is not a personal preference for me with two big round shaped ball on top for alignment.

Can you see a clear path to victory? The slant neck has less offset to allow me to contact the ball earlier. The microhinge provides instance touch for a forward and quicker roll. The white alignment is a no brainer point and shoot. The red is red hot and classy on the green. Now is the time to roll them in. Let me borrow a quote from Ty Webb from the movie Caddyshack:

"I’m going to give you a little advice. There’s a force in the universe that makes things happen. And all you have to do is get in touch with it, stop thinking, let things happen, and be the ball."

Fear not the weapons but the hands that wield it. 

Golf as in life, play as it lies.