Some of the best putter fitters in the game are great listeners; almost like a wise co-passenger who is on a similar journey through the greens, but knows that there isn’t just one answer to their player’s problem. The real task is to bring their player back to a place of calm, of comfort—to restore their trust in the stroke, and in themselves. Sure, the coach may teach a golfer the stroke work, but it is the putting fitter who enhances it by reading surfaces, a player’s feel, and countless other factors. And who would know this better than Cody Hale?

The best golf players have sensitive feels for their putters, and it is Hale’s job to make the two work together. He needs to adjust the putter to the player; never the other way around. That was his Odyssey Tour putter fitting strategy. And one of the biggest names connected to the putter is Rickie Fowler, who switched to an old Odyssey Versa Jailbird putter equipped with a 17-inch SuperStroke Tour 3.0 grip in January 2023. The golfer had been having issues with putting leading into the year, but the Jailbird mallet head and elongated putter helped him on the course. However, Hale, who has helped countless golfers, is in need of support today.

His wife, Kayla, died from cancer and left behind their two sons, Bowden and Bennett. So on the family’s behalf, Rebekah Bean, Kayla’s friend, started a GoFundMe. As per GoFundMe’s page, “This fund has been created to help ease the financial burden of funeral expenses, ongoing care for the boys, and to give Cody the time and space he needs to grieve and care for their family. If you feel led to give, any amount is deeply appreciated.”

When Rickie Fowler got to know about it, he was quick to share the GoFundMe link to support Cody Hale. In his story, Fowler wrote: “It’s a family out here on tour… Cody is someone who has been there for me and helped me… time for us to help him and his family.”

Cody Hale and Kayla had been married for ten years and were together for more than 15 years. Apart from two children, they also had a dog together named Jackpot Hale. Cody Hale and Jackpot loved going out to catch wild turkey while Kayla would make sure to photograph their moments. She also loved exploring new places. Be it her excitement for her “Cali Trip” in 2014, when she had an active countdown on her phone before her flight, or exploring the Windsor Castle in 2017 along with Hale, she loved traveling and making new friends.

Her sister, Jenna, simply cannot imagine her life without Kayla’s constant presence. But Kayla’s bubbly personality and kindness, as per her sister, resulted in an “overflowed and over capacity by a long shot” at the funeral.

It is a big loss for the Hale family and beyond.

Cody Hale is an unsung hero on tour

While fans typically focus on the players hoisting trophies on Sunday, much of a professional golfer’s success is built behind the scenes—with expert craftsmen like Cody Hale playing a crucial role. As a master putter fitter for Odyssey, Hale has spent years fine-tuning some of the most important clubs in a player’s bag. Putting is often what separates a top-10 finish from a missed cut, and Hale’s deep knowledge of putter design, balance, and fitting mechanics has helped countless players, including Fowler, optimize their performance on the greens.

Their collaboration extended through years of Odyssey use. In 2023, Fowler was back in the winner’s circle when he won the 2023 Rocket Classic, and it was with his Odyssey Versa Jailbird putter. The putter had been the hottest club on tour back then, and Fowler’s victory was the third consecutive win for the putter. Wyndham Clark and Keegan Bradley lifted titles with it, too, at the 2023 U.S. Open and the 2023 Travelers Championship.

Hale, who was a professional golfer himself from 2008 – 2012, used to work for Cobra Golf as a salesperson. Ever since his move to Odyssey, Hale has been praised as one of the best fitters for putters on tour merely because he’s a good listener. He first understands the players’ needs and then dives into a suggestion. Hale understood the intersection of several unique variables that would affect a golfer’s setup and stroke and was always up for a challenge.