The Rise and Fall of the Jailbird: What Happened to Golf’s Hottest Putter?

In 2023, the Odyssey Versa Jailbird caught fire as three Tour pros won with it. A new Dan's Golf World Show explores how it essentially disappeared soon thereafter.

The new Dan's Golf World Show takes a closer look at a classic putter. / Dan Evans

Just two years ago, the Odyssey Versa Jailbird wasn’t just a putter—it was a phenomenon.

After Wyndham Clark’s breakthrough win at the 2023 U.S. Open, the once-overlooked model suddenly became the hottest flatstick in the game. Originally released in 2014, the Jailbird had flown under the radar for nearly a decade—until Clark, Rickie Fowler, and Keegan Bradley sparked a three-week win streak that set the gear world on fire.

Clark credited Fowler with the discovery. “I texted the Odyssey guy and said, ‘Hey, can you make me Rickie’s putter?’” he told reporters, after watching Rickie make everything in practice.

Fowler couldn’t fully explain the magic. “It’s kind of freeing me up in a way,” he said. “I don’t have to think about it.”

For a moment, the Jailbird looked unstoppable. PGA and LPGA pros rushed to bag it. Social media declared it the putter of the year.

But now? It’s basically disappeared.

Even Fowler has moved on, switching to an L.A.B. putter—an entirely different design and philosophy. So what happened to the club that once ruled the Tour?

Some point to natural cycles in player performance. Others wonder if endorsement deals are in play. But on the Dan’s Golf World Show, I offered a simpler take: “Most of these guys are free agents when it comes to putters. They switch when the magic fades—not because someone tells them to.”

Whatever the reason, the Jailbird’s run was short, loud and unforgettable. For the full rant, watch the segment above from the Dan’s Golf World Show and catch up with past episodes on SI Golf.