L.A.B Golf OZ.1i vs Odyssey Square to Square Jailbird Putter: read our head-to-head verdict

L.A.B Golf OZ.1i vs Odyssey Square 2 Square Putter: Read Our Full Head-To-Head Verdict

It’s safe to say zero torque putters are all the rage. They’ve swiftly moved from quirky outliers to an almost ‘must have’ tech for anyone looking to improve their putting. And while trends come and go, there’s plenty of science and real-world evidence to back up their popularity.

L.A.B Golf are credited with bringing the stroke balanced putter to the fore, helping to usher in a slew of competitors, all designed to keep the face more stable through impact. While some of its models were, visually at least, an acquired taste, the OZ.1i is more traditional looking; a compact mid-mallet with a milled face designed with the help of Adam Scott, it certainly piqued our interest.

The same can be said for Odyssey’s Square 2 Square Jailbird putter, part of its Square 2 Square line-up. It adopts the popular head shape and striped appearance of the original model, used in the past by the likes of Rickie Fowler and U.S Ryder Cup skipper Keegan Bradley, but adds in face stability technology.

Both putters promise much, aimed at helping golfers of all abilities to get their ball rolling on the intended start line with regularity. But how do they shape up against each other? We put each model through its paces, testing them rigorously with the aim of providing you with greater insight. Read on to find out which putter is right for your game.

Technology

The best zero torque putters can take some getting used to if you’ve spent years using a more traditional design, say a blade with toe hang. In large part this is due to how the shaft enters the putter head; sitting centrally in the putter head, through its balance point and centre of gravity, it’s this that reduces torque and ultimately keeps the putter head square to the path throughout the stroke. But at address it does create a vastly different look. With this in mind, the OZ.1i is available with two different shaft lean options. The 2° shaft lean option with a forward press grip, which is the style that helped create so much attention for the brand, is still offered. But L.A.B has introduced a new 0° shaft lean option that helps give golfers a vertical view of the shaft at address and is likely better suited to those who are a little apprehensive about making the switch. As with all L.A.B putters, the OZ.1i is hand-balanced at the brand’s HQ in Oregon.

While the OZ.1i model uses a vastly different head shape from the brand’s other offerings, it also features another new addition in the shape of a milled medium-depth stainless steel insert. Previous models have used a full aluminum face and this is still available for the OZ.1i for those looking for a slightly softer feel.

Naturally, the Odyssey Square to Square Jailbird putter also features a centre shaft design. With 3.3° of shaft lean it creates a more extreme forward press than the OZ.1i model.

The face features a computer-powered White Hot insert that has varying degrees of thickness to help produce more consistent ball speeds; Odyssey uses its Ai-One tech to design the insert. Here A.I captured data identifies where golfers were missing the sweet spot in the same way that it’s done with its Callaway Rogue ST Max driver, for example. This information is then applied to create a face with greater forgiveness and ball speed consistency on off-centre strikes.

Elsewhere, the Square to Square Jailbird features a Stroke Lab steel shaft that’s designed to deliver perfect balance in conjunction with the head and grip, which in this model is a slightly larger oversize offering.

Looks

As mentioned, zero torque putters can present a bit of visual challenge for golfers switching from traditional blade and mallet designs. But both the L.A.B and the Odyssey score highly in the looks department.

The OZ.1i boasts a beautiful half-moon, solid body construction that’s instantly appealing. The matte black finish features a contrasting white sight line, alongside the stainless insert. The shaft is also black, as is the grip. However, L.A.B offers an opportunity to add some custom features including head color and sight lines, as well as different shaft options.

The Odyssey features the black and white Versa-style stripes that give the Jailbird its name. While we found the design to be visually appealing it’s also a helpful tool when setting the putter square to your target line; there are three sight line dots too. The contrasting White Hot insert completes the head, while a chrome steel shaft and a white oversize grip add to its aesthetic appeal.

Feel

While feel is an important consideration for every club in the bag, for the putter it can be the decisive factor when choosing a gamer. With this regard both putters impressed.

Opting for the stainless steel milled face rather than an aluminum one, the OZ.1i gave us plenty of feedback off the face alongside the anticipated 'clicky' acoustics that we enjoy. The result was impressive pace control, although it’s worth mentioning that we’re accustomed to milled putter faces and have developed a well-tuned understanding of how the ball responds off the face. We also tested the OZ.1i with our current ball of choice, the 2025 Titleist Pro V1x.

The Odyssey’s White Hot insert also resulted in consistent and reliable ball speeds, noticeable in the lack of nervy come-backers during our testing period. The large, oversize grip is also worthy of mention, feeling great in the hands. Putter grips are a matter of personal preference of course, but here it felt like an ideal match to both head and shaft.

Performance

If you’re considering a move to a zero torque putters it’s likely that you’re doing so because of the greater face stability they offer. The result of this should be a greater number of putts that start on your intended line, and from here improved confidence on the greens. From our time with both putters we’d suggest that this should be the case whichever you choose.

The L.A.B OZ.1i did take a little getting used to. Like any putter with built-in shaft lean it can look closed at address. We found that initially this led us to manipulate our putting stroke in order to start the ball where we intended. However, after getting used to the look and trusting the design we found ourselves rolling the ball with greater freedom that added up to a performance on the greens that was more than satisfactory. The beauty of the OZ.1i is just how well-balanced it feels, a tribute to the attention to detail that’s at the heart of every L.A.B product. This does come with a cost though, both in the price tag and the lead time.

Improved confidence on the greens was also the name of the game after spending some time with the Square to Square Jailbird. We found that its easy alignment allowed us to bang home short putts, while the technology resulted in a face that appeared to square up at impact automatically. If your distance control is typically an issue or you struggle to line up putts correctly, especially from short range, then this putter could do wonders for your performance on the greens.

Which one should you choose?

Choose the L.A.B OZ.1i if...
- You want a putter with zero shaft lean
- You prefer a stainless steel milled insert
- You prefer a half-moon shape

Choose the Odyssey Square to Square Jailbird if...
- You struggle with alignment at address
- You want extra forgiveness on off center strikes
- You prefer a putter with plenty of shaft lean

For more flat-stick advice, check out our guides on the best putters and most forgiving putters.