Rickie Fowler to switch into standard-length, custom orange Jailbird putter
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GolfWRX.comRickie Fowler, the undisputed Odyssey Jailbird king of 2023, is likely making a major switch-up to his popular putter setup this week at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
First, a brief recap of how we got here.
Back in January of 2023, Fowler switched into an old Odyssey Versa Jailbird putter equipped with a 17-inch SuperStroke Tour 3.0 grip, and slathered in lead tape on the sole for weighting purposes.
Fowler was struggling with his putting leading into 2023, but the elongated putter and Jailbird mallet head helped quell his issues.
“I was very shocked, because I never really looked into anything that was longer, counterbalanced, or anything like that,” Fowler said in 2023. “It’s very interesting, but it’s kind of freeing me up in a way. I’m not changing stroke-wise, or setup, not gripping anything differently than my normal length putter. I just feel like it’s, I don’t know, kind of helping me do some things, and I don’t have to think about it.”
After the putter switch was proven effective, his fellow PGA TOUR players started to take notice, and some even switched into a replica putter for themselves. Most famously, Wyndham Clark used the Fowler-esque Jailbird putter setup to win the 2023 U.S. Open, and the Jailbird went onto become a top-10 equipment story of 2023.
In response to the Jailbird craze, Odyssey has released a limited-edition Jailbird 380 putter, and has included various Jailbird profile options into its new Ai-ONE series of putters.
The Jailbird craze hasn’t really slowed down in 2024, either. According to Odyssey rep Joe Toulon, there are about 18-20 Jailbird putter users on the PGA TOUR.
Most recently, Akshay Bhatia won the 2024 Valero Texas Open using a broomstick style Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter and Webb Simpson is switching into a replica of that putter at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
Now, Fowler, who essentially started the whole Jailbird craze, is making a significant change to his putter setup.
Rickie Fowler started experimenting with a new, custom-orange Jailbird 380 head that’s equipped with a standard 35-inch putter build, rather than his previous 38-inch counter-balanced setup. (Courtesy GolfWRX)
Fowler, who has had a couple weeks off since the 2024 RBC Heritage, started experimenting with a new, custom-orange Jailbird 380 head that’s equipped with a standard 35-inch putter build, rather than his previous 38-inch counter-balanced setup.
Rickie Fowler started experimenting with a new, custom-orange Jailbird 380 head that’s equipped with a standard 35-inch putter build, rather than his previous 38-inch counter-balanced setup. (Courtesy GolfWRX)
According to Fowler, while he still likes the look and forgiveness of his Jailbird putter head, he’s looking to re-incorporate more feel into his hands during the putting stroke.
Rickie Fowler's putter setup in 2023 (left) and in 2024 (right). (Courtesy GolfWRX)
He told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship that the 38-inch counterbalanced setup “served its purpose” by helping him to neutralize his hands during the stroke, but now it’s time to try the standard-length putter with a standard-size SuperStroke Pistol Tour grip to help with his feel and speed control.
Rickie Fowler started experimenting with a new, custom-orange Jailbird 380 head that’s equipped with a standard 35-inch putter build, rather than his previous 38-inch counter-balanced setup. (Courtesy GolfWRX)
Although Fowler was also spotted testing standard-length mallets from L.A.B. Golf and Axis1 on Tuesday, he confirmed that the custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 is the putter he’ll use this week at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.
We’ll keep an eye on Fowler going forward to see how the change works, and any further testing he conducts, but for now, Fowler is back into a standard-length putter.