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Odyssey?

• fatdan 3,379 Posts

  Fri, Jan 31 2014 5:10 PM

  Is the lvl 96 putter actually better than lvl 70?

  can anyone say they owned both and the 96 took strokes off their game, or they make more 1 putts?

  I miss the ding a lot into the break so does the accuracy send those putts way off line.....

  Got plenty of credits to buy it but don't want to waste them for 1 stroke once a week lol.

• hpurey 11,505 Posts

  Fri, Jan 31 2014 5:50 PM

  I have had both, and like both but I do have to say the L96 has helped my game immensely.

   

  I used to miss ding putt strictly but felt I was missing too many putts that way.  Yea, I'd get close, and save par, but saving par is no fun. unless it's a one putt par save. ;-)

   

  The L96, I can still get away with missing ding somewhat, but it has forced me to read putts much better and I only miss slightly against the break to be safe. The better I get at reading the line, the more putts are starting to burn the edge due to missing ding.  Tough habit to break. lol

   

  This is how I look at it now,  yes, it did help, and continues to help.  Would I have been fine with the L70 probably, and could have bought alot of virtual golf balls with those credits.. But guess what, those balls don't last forever, but the putter will.

  If you have the credits then I say go for it.  I sold back the L70 right away so I couldn't give up on the L96 too soon.

• fatdan 3,379 Posts

  Fri, Jan 31 2014 11:11 PM

  Thanks!

  I bought it today and I'm not seeing much difference except that if you have a straight in mid-range putt and miss the ding the distance you miss by seems exaggerated...I need to use it a little longer but I am thinking I was just as well off with the lvl 70 and 4000 credits worth of balls...

• Jimbog1964 8,378 Posts

  Sat, Feb 1 2014 12:08 AM

  Potentially comparing apples to oranges IMO.  

  Personally the Nike L94 is a closer comparison to the L70 Versa in the way it behaves.  I keep looking at that Nike putter as precision is king.  However, the Nike lacks the balance, and so meter set deep the dispersal distance is wider on longer putts.  I leave the Nike alone alone for that reason. 

  I say potentially comparing apples to oranges as it depends on your style.  If your putting style is ding only then the very good balance, forgiveness and then immense precision of the L96 means it's a nice to have upgrade to the mallet style tick tock L92 Ghost.  

  The L70s RL comparison would be a blade putter same as is the case with the L94 Nike.  The L70 Versa / L94 Nike blade style putters allow wide ding line missing to really hold a line / fight a break whereas the outside of a very few feet the L96 Versa mallet wants you to move the aim marker for all that and ding it.

  The big plus for the L96 Versa is of course it's precision.  I tried it for a while and I could feel that.  Any one I have spoken to that is a ding style putter has also been very pleased with that on an ongoing basis.

  No one is saying the L70 Versa is bad at dinged putts, but the L96 will nail the odd extra one now and then - especially longer ones with meter set deep.

  The L70 Versa inside of 8 feet especially shines for its dead slow meter. Its 15 foot high precision meter (balance not much of a factor that instance) makes ding style or missing easy 

  In short the L96 Versa is the shiniest, brightest bells and whistles tick tocking mallet, ding style putter.

  My findings.

• fatdan 3,379 Posts

  Sat, Feb 1 2014 12:47 AM

  My lvl 96 versa is identical to my lvl 70...when you say "mallet" putter are you referring to the lvl 86 versa?

• Jimbog1964 8,378 Posts

  Sat, Feb 1 2014 1:30 AM

  fatdan:

  My lvl 96 versa is identical to my lvl 70

  Dinged I can agree very close in performance, but precision is King in the end.  Two top putters so no night and day differences but overall the L96 will sink that long straight a little more often

  The L70 clearly allows greater flexibility in wide of ding misses to help really hold lines / help aim by miss dinging. Inside 10 feet I feel the slower meter of the L70 allows me to exploit this. 

  fatdan:

  mallet" putter are you referring to the lvl 86 versa?

  No the L96 one.

  It likes to be dinged this imitating the tick tock RL mallet putters in that way.  Personally 12 feet away, down 6, slight break, champ greens give me the L70 all day.  Up slope and dead straight the L96 all day. IRL this is the plus and minus of mallet versus blade for many also...can't have both so we compromise on what is best overall in a very personal decision.

  I would not look twice at the L86 one. Same as the L96 Ghost save for a faster meter and greater price for getting in early.

  It really is just so personal as well, no getting away from that when talking putters.

  FWIW the way I putt below.  I feel way more comfortable doing it this way with the L70 than the L96. These days I do exploit the 15 foot scale more, and don't be too critical as the meter is sometimes jumping jack flash with Bandicam on.  I also sometimes choose to miss by way more, but clearly I am not a dinger generally:)

• hpurey 11,505 Posts

  Sat, Feb 1 2014 5:53 AM

  fatdan:

  I need to use it a little longer

   

  This here is key.   It took me a little while to get used to the extra precision and get comfortable about if i could miss ding, and more importantly, how much more of a miss was needed.

  Overall, I'd have to say it has been worth it.  And that's not just me trying to justify the cost. lol

  Didn't notice the betterness right away, but after a few days/rounds of just using it, I started to notice many putts were either closer to going in if not going in.  Then add the new Nike irons meter speed helping me get a little closer to the hole I found myself learning closer putts.  :)

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Sat, Feb 1 2014 7:19 AM

  fatdan:

  can anyone say they owned both and the 96 took strokes off their game, or they make more 1 putts?

  I never had the Level 70 but I did use the 92 Ghost since the day it came out. I went to the Versa mostly because of the better balance (balance being the attribute that helps the putt hold the line) and this immediately solved my 8-12 foot problems. And I mean immediately.  It took about a week of playing over days and courses to get really comfortable with it.

  Your own personal putting style inhibits me from telling you how to do it but I will say, where I thought the 92 Ghost was the cat's meow, the Versa showed me how a lion sounds. ;-)

• Jimbog1964 8,378 Posts

  Sat, Feb 1 2014 7:25 AM

  YankeeJim:

  I thought the 92 Ghost was the cat's meow, the Versa showed me how a lion sounds. ;-)

  Exactly see your point.

  Why I keep asking WGT for an upgraded L70 Versa (extra .5 on precision would do it for me or an extra ,5  balance on the Nike whichever I don't care as they basically play the same).

  Unless you were a dinger only with the L70 Versa (basically), the L96 Versa is an upgrade to the L92 Ghost.

   

• DDRoss1 1,809 Posts

  Sat, Feb 1 2014 9:23 AM

  Jimbog1964:

  YankeeJim:

  I thought the 92 Ghost was the cat's meow, the Versa showed me how a lion sounds. ;-)

  Exactly see your point.

  Why I keep asking WGT for an upgraded L70 Versa (extra .5 on precision would do it for me or an extra ,5  balance on the Nike whichever I don't care as they basically play the same).

  Unless you were a dinger only with the L70 Versa (basically), the L96 Versa is an upgrade to the L92 Ghost.

   

  Jim i like the 70 better than ghosts i was using, but it is a ding putter, and if what i am reading is true, the 96 would be worse. Just asking cuz i am still a hack legend LOL.. thanks Jim