MEMBER REVIEWS: L.A.B. Golf MEZZ.1 Putter (Early Access) Member Testing! See What Members Are Saying!

[ajlacombe]

1 hour ago, SwingBlues said:

Here's a photo of my Mezz.1 with the Press II 1.5 grip:

 

The grip is almost perfectly inline with the face.

 

 

This is the stock Press II 1.5 grip:

 

Front:

 

Right side:

 

 

Left side:

 

 

Physically, the grip feels great, not overly hard or too soft.

 

However, I think the presentation can be better. The suggestion I have here is to tone down the right side fonts, seems overtly "loud". Even when you look straight down, you can see the font infringe over to the top view.

 

I am going to black sharpie the font and see if this keep the visual quieter...

All I have to say while looking at the summer-like conditions in your pictures as I have listened to sleet hitting my windows for many hours here in Cincinnati - you bastxxx! 🙂  Thanks for the images - I am imagining my MEZZ arriving sooner than the 3 weeks spec'd 🙂

 

I got the Press II 1.5 grip earlier this week, mounted it on my PXG BlackBird gamer and hit the course on Tuesday with 52º temps only to find out the course was closed due to snow on the greens. This Sunday looks bleak as well for the ice and snow to leave before then.

[driveandputtmachine]

Two rounds in and I will still stand by my thoughts so far.

 

1.  Get in a comfortable stance that you can start the ball online with

2. I have found that my distance control issues, when I have any, is from setting up in an awkward stance for putts over 30 feet.

3. Even in an uncomfortable stance starting the ball online is easy and short putts all feel like they are half the distance now.  8 footers feel like 4, 6 footers like 3 and so on, you get it.

4. If you are missing putts inside of 6 feet there are only two explanations

     A. You are not starting the ball online

     B. You are not reading the putts properly

 

B. can be an issue for a lot of people.  Not because you are a bad putt reader, but because you have been compensating all your life with torque and for a huge portion of the golfing public not starting the ball on the actual line you see.

 

If you are trying to make a position more comfortable and have issues starting your stroke without a little bit of inside or outside or maybe some jerkiness, try this......

 

Lift your putter an inch off the ground before starting your stroke.  Going from static to movement with no muscle activation can cause issues for a lot of people.  Lifting or an imperceptible feel like you are lifting activates your muscles and will help smooth out starting the stroke.

 

===

 

Four club tournament starting tomorrow, and yes unlike some idiots out there I will be using a putter as one of my clubs.  So I will get a tourney round in to see if what I have seen in the to rounds thus far will hold up.  Plus I will probably be hitting some long putts with only three clubs in my bag when I do hit the green, and will probably have some longer par putts since I won't have a ton of chipping options either, it should be a good test.

[ajlacombe]

51 minutes ago, driveandputtmachine said:

Two rounds in and I will still stand by my thoughts so far.

 

1.  Get in a comfortable stance that you can start the ball online with

2. I have found that my distance control issues, when I have any, is from setting up in an awkward stance for putts over 30 feet.

3. Even in an uncomfortable stance starting the ball online is easy and short putts all feel like they are half the distance now.  8 footers feel like 4, 6 footers like 3 and so on, you get it.

4. If you are missing putts inside of 6 feet there are only two explanations

     A. You are not starting the ball online

     B. You are not reading the putts properly

 

B. can be an issue for a lot of people.  Not because you are a bad putt reader, but because you have been compensating all your life with torque and for a huge portion of the golfing public not starting the ball on the actual line you see.

 

If you are trying to make a position more comfortable and have issues starting your stroke without a little bit of inside or outside or maybe some jerkiness, try this......

 

Lift your putter an inch off the ground before starting your stroke.  Going from static to movement with no muscle activation can cause issues for a lot of people.  Lifting or an imperceptible feel like you are lifting activates your muscles and will help smooth out starting the stroke.

 

===

 

Four club tournament starting tomorrow, and yes unlike some idiots out there I will be using a putter as one of my clubs.  So I will get a tourney round in to see if what I have seen in the to rounds thus far will hold up.  Plus I will probably be hitting some long putts with only three clubs in my bag when I do hit the green, and will probably have some longer par putts since I won't have a ton of chipping options either, it should be a good test.

 Wow, lots of good stuff here.  I laughed pretty hard at the comment about people not knowing where they are starting the ball.

 

One question for you - I have heard about the lift the putter to engage the muscles for a better start to the putt, but that never felt good to me and I am wondering if that "bad feel" is due to the putter fighting a static position while hovered?  Every time I hover the putter it feels bad and I think it is because it is wanting to rotate offline and that makes it worse for me.

 

I am really looking forward to getting the MEZZ.  Thanks for the info and good luck in your tournament.  We got ice pelleted yesterday and it looks like no outdoor golf for a while.

[Long Shot]

Will there be an armlock version available in the future?

[driveandputtmachine]

9 minutes ago, ajlacombe said:

 Wow, lots of good stuff here.  I laughed pretty hard at the comment about people not knowing where they are starting the ball.

 

One question for you - I have heard about the lift the putter to engage the muscles for a better start to the putt, but that never felt good to me and I am wondering if that "bad feel" is due to the putter fighting a static position while hovered?  Every time I hover the putter it feels bad and I think it is because it is wanting to rotate offline and that makes it worse for me.

 

I am really looking forward to getting the MEZZ.  Thanks for the info and good luck in your tournament.  We got ice pelleted yesterday and it looks like no outdoor golf for a while.

The lifting can work for everyone, with some caveats.

 

1. If you are lifting with light hands and using a non lie angle balanced putter then yes it will fight that static position.  I prefer people with "other" putters and a super light grip pressure to start with a forward press to activate.

2. If you have "tight" thumbs then hovering normally does not cause an issue.

(1 and 2 are player dependent, and I have seen the exact opposite of both)

3. With the MEZZ or the DF (Never tried the blad or others like the axis) a slight hover will not try to rock closed or open unless you do it.  Some people have torquing the putter very ingrained and as soon as they lift up, they start their hands or shoulders or forearms into the movement they use to try and keep the face squarish to the target.  This is a good test to see if you can hold the finish.

 

I know a lot of good putters that used to have a longer back stroke than through stroke, but as they have gotten older they struggle with the shorty's and get into an accelerating stroke and then their speed is crap and the like.  If you used to putt with a constant speed or even slight deceleration and started struggling on the short ones, this is not an issue with the LAB putters.

 

I know the last one because it is me, 100%.  I know can go back to my stroke I had as a kid and man in my 20's and 30's.  Now in my 40's and even some in my late 30's I struggled with my normal putting stroke and my putting became steadily worse.  The longer back and shorter through became an issue with short putts, but I made a pile in the 20 foot area and had good speed control, I just missed a pile at 10 feet and under.  I would go out, hit the ball great, have 4 or 5 birdies, hit 15 greens, have one penalty stroke off the tee, and still shoot 4 over par.  Why you ask?  Because my make percentage 10 feet and in was abysmal, and even a good long putt to 4 feet was at best something I made 30% of the time.   

 

Sure I would get streaky and have a good week or two in the span of a couple of months and my handicap would go low, but in an average stroke play tourney I would get pummeled by everyone near my handicap.  Go to a match play event and I would beat them all 4&3 or something similar.

 

Now I see a light at the end of the tunnel.  I see my stroke coming back, my feel is better because of the change back to my old stroke.  My chipping has even gotten better because people don't realize how much their putting stroke infiltrates their chipping.  You are a constant peed putter, you chip best at constant speed.  If you try and go to accelerating the putter, then you need to chip that way, and if you are not practicing it a lot your chipping will suck, believe me, I know.

[Sankacoffee]

8 hours ago, ajlacombe said:

 Wow, lots of good stuff here.  I laughed pretty hard at the comment about people not knowing where they are starting the ball.

 

One question for you - I have heard about the lift the putter to engage the muscles for a better start to the putt, but that never felt good to me and I am wondering if that "bad feel" is due to the putter fighting a static position while hovered?  Every time I hover the putter it feels bad and I think it is because it is wanting to rotate offline and that makes it worse for me.

 

I am really looking forward to getting the MEZZ.  Thanks for the info and good luck in your tournament.  We got ice pelleted yesterday and it looks like no outdoor golf for a while.

Yeah miserable here too. I'm about 1.5 weeks from ordering and I'm hoping it ships soon so I have something to do.

[Panhandler]

Ordered the Mezz.1 sight unseen after getting a fitting at Club Champion. I couldn’t miss with the DF during the fitting, but couldn’t get over the look of the putter. When the Mezz.1 was released it was a no brainer. 
I have not been automatic with the Mezz.1 as I was with the DF. I tend to pull it left and then overcompensate with a push. I am not sure if it is lineup or the smaller head allows me to manipulate the putter more. 
In am contemplating purchasing a DF to compare the two. For those of you who have both, do you find them to be interchangeable as far as lineup and stroke?
One writer complained about the need to do an online fitting or pay a fitting fee at Club Champion. The 1 hour fitting at CC was well worth the price. However, they then comped the fitting fee if I purchased through them. I live in another state and they didn’t even charge for shipping it to me. 
The best thing about LAB putters is that each putter is custom fit. I am 6’5” and like to stand close to the ball. LAB is the only putter that can be ordered with my preferred 37 inch shaft with 76* loft. Thanks LAB for understanding that every golfer is unique. 

[LODGE1519]

For people who are ordering based on this thread.  I just received mine after two and half weeks with the Accra shaft.  I am in North Dakota so will be a long time before mine gets to see a course but I am already in love after one night on the perfect practice.  People wondering about the swing weight I don't have a way to measure that but I will say that it feels heavy to me and very solid.  I am pretty short so always play my putters at 32.5 inches and always feel like stock weights are too light and am constantly looking for ways to add weight.  The Mezz to me feels like my other putters after adding weight to them.

[HackinNut]

On 2/3/2022 at 1:56 PM, SwingBlues said:

Here's a photo of my Mezz.1 with the Press II 1.5 grip:

 

The grip is almost perfectly inline with the face.

 

 

This is the stock Press II 1.5 grip:

 

Front:

 

Right side:

 

 

Left side:

 

 

Physically, the grip feels great, not overly hard or too soft.

 

However, I think the presentation can be better. The suggestion I have here is to tone down the right side fonts, seems overtly "loud". Even when you look straight down, you can see the font infringe over to the top view.

 

I am going to black sharpie the font and see if this keep the visual quieter...

 

I use tennis grip tape over the grip.  Like Tourna Grip.  Then you don't see what's written on the sides.  

 

 

Edited February 7, 2022 by HackinNut

[ajlacombe]

35 minutes ago, LODGE1519 said:

For people who are ordering based on this thread.  I just received mine after two and half weeks with the Accra shaft.  I am in North Dakota so will be a long time before mine gets to see a course but I am already in love after one night on the perfect practice.  People wondering about the swing weight I don't have a way to measure that but I will say that it feels heavy to me and very solid.  I am pretty short so always play my putters at 32.5 inches and always feel like stock weights are too light and am constantly looking for ways to add weight.  The Mezz to me feels like my other putters after adding weight to them.

Thanks!  That is exactly what I was looking for - I ordered 11 days ago, but who's counting 🙂  

[Willa]

2 hours ago, LODGE1519 said:

For people who are ordering based on this thread.  I just received mine after two and half weeks with the Accra shaft.  I am in North Dakota so will be a long time before mine gets to see a course but I am already in love after one night on the perfect practice.  People wondering about the swing weight I don't have a way to measure that but I will say that it feels heavy to me and very solid.  I am pretty short so always play my putters at 32.5 inches and always feel like stock weights are too light and am constantly looking for ways to add weight.  The Mezz to me feels like my other putters after adding weight to them.

That is great news on two fronts! Ordered mine on 1 February… almost a week in. Hopefully the lead time is the same, then just another week for shipment to South Africa… 

 

It is also comforting to hear that it lives up to reputation… for somebody who never seen a L.A.B putter in real life, it was a bit daunting to fork out the money only based on reviews, reputation and a online fitment!

 

Hope you can conquer the greens soon with the Mez.1

[iceman1118]

I ordered mine two weeks ago today. No updates yet as my order says it is still processing. Hoping they are right about the 2 weeks. Getting anxious to get dialed in with this one.

 

[LODGE1519]

Maybe someone else has already mentioned this in one of their reviews but there is one thing that has me very excited about this putter.  Yes, it is extremely stable throughout the stroke but that I was expecting.  I have used just about every putter under the sun and most of them I have found that you can't just set them down and have them be aimed where you are trying to.  You have to manipulate the face a little bit with your hands right out of the gate just to get the putter soled/aimed properly.  This putter sits unbelievably square when you set it behind the ball.  With it set up exactly where you want it without having to do any manipulation it makes it that much easier to just let the putter do its thing and stay square.  I have only used it on a perfect practice mat in my basement and that will be where I am stuck for the next couple of months and it also could just be a placebo affect of the brand new shiny putter but so far I have been blown away with the Mezz.

[HackinNut]

13 minutes ago, LODGE1519 said:

Maybe someone else has already mentioned this in one of their reviews but there is one thing that has me very excited about this putter.  Yes, it is extremely stable throughout the stroke but that I was expecting.  I have used just about every putter under the sun and most of them I have found that you can't just set them down and have them be aimed where you are trying to.  You have to manipulate the face a little bit with your hands right out of the gate just to get the putter soled/aimed properly.  This putter sits unbelievably square when you set it behind the ball.  With it set up exactly where you want it without having to do any manipulation it makes it that much easier to just let the putter do its thing and stay square.  I have only used it on a perfect practice mat in my basement and that will be where I am stuck for the next couple of months and it also could just be a placebo affect of the brand new shiny putter but so far I have been blown away with the Mezz.

 

Point & Shoot!!  Best putter I've ever used when it comes to ease of alignment. 

[labgolf]

On 2/4/2022 at 6:39 AM, Long Shot said:

Will there be an armlock version available in the future?

Goes live on the site this week!

[Red4282]

Good weather forecasted this week, finally gonna get my second round in with it! Should be able to put the full court press on and see what this baby can do. First round was with bro in law and family and was distracted quite a bit so i feel like i coild have played better. 

[HackinNut]

3 hours ago, Red4282 said:

Good weather forecasted this week, finally gonna get my second round in with it! Should be able to put the full court press on and see what this baby can do. First round was with bro in law and family and was distracted quite a bit so i feel like i coild have played better. 

 

Can I live vicariously thru you?  I have yet to get it on the golf course 😂

[Long Shot]

5 hours ago, labgolf said:

Goes live on the site this week!

Good stuff!

[driveandputtmachine]

Well a couple of new things from me.

1. I didn't have a chance to try the 1.5 and 3 press grips so based on what everyone was saying I ordered with the 1.5

2. I wasn't sure if I would like the putter so just ordered it with the true temper shaft, I did not want a chance of wasting extra money with the BGT.

 

I have a Stability that I was using with my split hand trial(it was accomplishing something similar to LAB for me). I pulled the shaft and pulled the True Temper that came on the MEZZ.  

 

I will be installing the Stability in the MEZZ in the next couple of days.  Waiting on the shaft insert (which BGT was great in sending me free of charge by the way)

 

With the forward press built in I feel a little off with the 1.5.  It could have been the grip or just I needed more time, but since I owned a putter company for quite a few years and love to tinker I will be putting the stability in the MEZZ, and trying the 3.0.

 

The tape that LAB uses is REALLY a PITA to get the grip off.  Luckily I have tape better suited and will try the 3.0 first on the Stability just for a complete change.  Since I was able to save the 1.5 from the True Temper shaft so I can go back to it if the 3.0 isn't what I wanted and my tape does a lot better at activating with spirits to remove the grip.  I may even try installing with air to make it that much easier.

 

I know, I know, with how the head has to balance with the shaft and grip to match the drilled lie angle, there is a very good chance that the weighting will now be off with the MEZZ with these changes.  I know LAB can re-weight it with these changes, but I want to see first how it balances after the changes.  Then I may want to do it myself as long as they didn't use thread locker on the weights, I imagine they did on the insert piece that holds the shaft, but I am hoping they did not on the weights.

 

I am having trouble telling for sure how my distance control is going.  I knew this is something I would have to work on, since it along with the shape were issues with the DF that I used for about a month two years ago, but it is hard at my club currently.  We sprigged our greens a few years back from bent to bermuda, and only one 9 had roots deep enough to aerate this year (we did one nine each year) so during the winter the speeds between nines can be pretty different.  During the summer it is better because they keep the grass cut as such to keep the speed similar with stimpmeter testing.  What I discovered this past weekend was that one nine were rolling at almost a 12 and the other nine their greens were rolling slower to the tune of about 10.2.  Add to that the fact that when they re did the greens they put more slope into most of them so you can have some really wacky putts.

 

This week we have highs starting today of 60 for the next four days, so if my shaft extension and grip get here fast enough I will be able to do some practice putting before the weekend, if not then I hope to get some in on Saturday.  Sunday the highs drop by about 20 degrees, and I am not a fan of practicing in the cold.

 

However the shinning star right now is that my nemesis(the putts inside of say 6 feet) are SOOOOOO MUCH BETTER.  I am having to re-adjust my reading of the greens some since I was subconsciously adjusting my reads based on my stroke before, this has been weird.  The only putts I have missed inside of 8 feet are bad reads, in three rounds I have missed two putts inside of 8 feet for bad strokes in the first two rounds, but most it is still bad reads.  I now KNOW that I will start the ball where I am aiming so all I have to concentrate on is hitting the speed I want to based on my read.  It really feels good.

 

[ajlacombe]

24 minutes ago, driveandputtmachine said:

Well a couple of new things from me.

1. I didn't have a chance to try the 1.5 and 3 press grips so based on what everyone was saying I ordered with the 1.5

2. I wasn't sure if I would like the putter so just ordered it with the true temper shaft, I did not want a chance of wasting extra money with the BGT.

 

I have a Stability that I was using with my split hand trial(it was accomplishing something similar to LAB for me). I pulled the shaft and pulled the True Temper that came on the MEZZ.  

 

I will be installing the Stability in the MEZZ in the next couple of days.  Waiting on the shaft insert (which BGT was great in sending me free of charge by the way)

 

With the forward press built in I feel a little off with the 1.5.  It could have been the grip or just I needed more time, but since I owned a putter company for quite a few years and love to tinker I will be putting the stability in the MEZZ, and trying the 3.0.

 

The tape that LAB uses is REALLY a PITA to get the grip off.  Luckily I have tape better suited and will try the 3.0 first on the Stability just for a complete change.  Since I was able to save the 1.5 from the True Temper shaft so I can go back to it if the 3.0 isn't what I wanted and my tape does a lot better at activating with spirits to remove the grip.  I may even try installing with air to make it that much easier.

 

I know, I know, with how the head has to balance with the shaft and grip to match the drilled lie angle, there is a very good chance that the weighting will now be off with the MEZZ with these changes.  I know LAB can re-weight it with these changes, but I want to see first how it balances after the changes.  Then I may want to do it myself as long as they didn't use thread locker on the weights, I imagine they did on the insert piece that holds the shaft, but I am hoping they did not on the weights.

 

I am having trouble telling for sure how my distance control is going.  I knew this is something I would have to work on, since it along with the shape were issues with the DF that I used for about a month two years ago, but it is hard at my club currently.  We sprigged our greens a few years back from bent to bermuda, and only one 9 had roots deep enough to aerate this year (we did one nine each year) so during the winter the speeds between nines can be pretty different.  During the summer it is better because they keep the grass cut as such to keep the speed similar with stimpmeter testing.  What I discovered this past weekend was that one nine were rolling at almost a 12 and the other nine their greens were rolling slower to the tune of about 10.2.  Add to that the fact that when they re did the greens they put more slope into most of them so you can have some really wacky putts.

 

This week we have highs starting today of 60 for the next four days, so if my shaft extension and grip get here fast enough I will be able to do some practice putting before the weekend, if not then I hope to get some in on Saturday.  Sunday the highs drop by about 20 degrees, and I am not a fan of practicing in the cold.

 

However the shinning star right now is that my nemesis(the putts inside of say 6 feet) are SOOOOOO MUCH BETTER.  I am having to re-adjust my reading of the greens some since I was subconsciously adjusting my reads based on my stroke before, this has been weird.  The only putts I have missed inside of 8 feet are bad reads, in three rounds I have missed two putts inside of 8 feet for bad strokes in the first two rounds, but most it is still bad reads.  I now KNOW that I will start the ball where I am aiming so all I have to concentrate on is hitting the speed I want to based on my read.  It really feels good.

 

 

Wow!  More great stuff - thanks! You make our golf moves seem more normal 🙂 I am dying waiting on my MEZZ to arrive and have really enjoyed your detailed reports of your journey.  Keep the good stuff coming!

[driveandputtmachine]

2 minutes ago, ajlacombe said:

 

Wow!  More great stuff - thanks! You make our golf moves seem more normal 🙂 I am dying waiting on my MEZZ to arrive and have really enjoyed your detailed reports of your journey.  Keep the good stuff coming!

Well this may be in the normal arena, but my horrible problems and experimenting with 3 woods are FAR from normal.

 

The Lie Angle Balancing works, there are no if ands or buts about it.  The main problem is how ingrained the manipulation of our putters is in our heads.  It is just there, this is the reason it is tough to make inroads on the PGA Tour.  These guys are good, pardon the theft of their tag line, but they have gotten really good at manipulating their stroke with their putter of choice to make more putts.  The guys on the PGA Tour are all mainly better because they hit their irons closer to the hole than amateurs, like WAY closer.  The winners each week are the guys that make the most putts.

 

That is a total over simplification, but some of the "bad" putters on tour are still better than most scratch or better players at your club.  They are so good at feeling the clubhead throughout every swing they make and club face control with that feel, this translates all the way down to putting.  To go from your wrists needing to do this or do that, or shift your aim, or do this with your elbows or shoulders to keep the putter square to your stroke to just maintaining your lie angle and the face returns square is completely foreign to them.

 

It is foreign for tons and tons of players, especially the ones that have been playing for a long time.  This is a major hurdle to clear, however for most club golfers and even some high level amateurs early in their career it is doable as the technology just works.  There are no two ways about it.  However just like changing anything in your game, getting rid of that block off the tee, fat shots from the fairway, rope hooks with hybrids or whatever it does take time.  

 

Want to know why it take a little more time with a putter?

 

Results.  You don't stress as much with full shots because what is good as a much larger area, off the tee anywhere in the fairway is great and anywhere inside the tee line is doable.  Approach shots, for amateurs hitting the green is great and just not being in the sand or other hazard can be OK.  With chipping you aren't expected to make it.  Inside of 10 feet we all see coverage on TV, and of course they mainly show the leaders(who as we covered earlier are putting well and making putts) or guys a little back draining a long putt for a highlight.  Our frame of reference is wrong because of what we see visually.

 

If you can change your frame of reference to the actual stats in putting.  Average on the PGA Tour from 5-10 feet is 56%.  Average from 10-15 feet is 31% or so.  I did a study with a few friends last year and asked them to tally the number of putts they have per round from 5-10 feet. What I found was that they averaged almost 12 putts per round from 5-10 feet.  Most view it as a bad putting day if they miss a few of these putts, which is bonkers as you can see based on stats, but based on what you see on TV they think they should be making a ton of these.  So their ingrained stroke stuff comes back in, gripping the grip too tight manipulating their hand because they are used to it and the general idea that you can make a pile of putts from 5-10 feet and you expect to.

 

 

[ajlacombe]

59 minutes ago, driveandputtmachine said:

Well this may be in the normal arena, but my horrible problems and experimenting with 3 woods are FAR from normal.

 

The Lie Angle Balancing works, there are no if ands or buts about it.  The main problem is how ingrained the manipulation of our putters is in our heads.  It is just there, this is the reason it is tough to make inroads on the PGA Tour.  These guys are good, pardon the theft of their tag line, but they have gotten really good at manipulating their stroke with their putter of choice to make more putts.  The guys on the PGA Tour are all mainly better because they hit their irons closer to the hole than amateurs, like WAY closer.  The winners each week are the guys that make the most putts.

 

That is a total over simplification, but some of the "bad" putters on tour are still better than most scratch or better players at your club.  They are so good at feeling the clubhead throughout every swing they make and club face control with that feel, this translates all the way down to putting.  To go from your wrists needing to do this or do that, or shift your aim, or do this with your elbows or shoulders to keep the putter square to your stroke to just maintaining your lie angle and the face returns square is completely foreign to them.

 

It is foreign for tons and tons of players, especially the ones that have been playing for a long time.  This is a major hurdle to clear, however for most club golfers and even some high level amateurs early in their career it is doable as the technology just works.  There are no two ways about it.  However just like changing anything in your game, getting rid of that block off the tee, fat shots from the fairway, rope hooks with hybrids or whatever it does take time.  

 

Want to know why it take a little more time with a putter?

 

Results.  You don't stress as much with full shots because what is good as a much larger area, off the tee anywhere in the fairway is great and anywhere inside the tee line is doable.  Approach shots, for amateurs hitting the green is great and just not being in the sand or other hazard can be OK.  With chipping you aren't expected to make it.  Inside of 10 feet we all see coverage on TV, and of course they mainly show the leaders(who as we covered earlier are putting well and making putts) or guys a little back draining a long putt for a highlight.  Our frame of reference is wrong because of what we see visually.

 

If you can change your frame of reference to the actual stats in putting.  Average on the PGA Tour from 5-10 feet is 56%.  Average from 10-15 feet is 31% or so.  I did a study with a few friends last year and asked them to tally the number of putts they have per round from 5-10 feet. What I found was that they averaged almost 12 putts per round from 5-10 feet.  Most view it as a bad putting day if they miss a few of these putts, which is bonkers as you can see based on stats, but based on what you see on TV they think they should be making a ton of these.  So their ingrained stroke stuff comes back in, gripping the grip too tight manipulating their hand because they are used to it and the general idea that you can make a pile of putts from 5-10 feet and you expect to.

 

 

 

You should be writing a book for us.  What you wrote here is my life.  I started playing golf at 10 in 1972 and played by total feel - I have been through the wringer since then.  Getting too technical and then having to relearn everything over the last few years.  Love the putting comments.  People ask me to read a putt and they want to know how many cups out is the line - I hate giving an answer in those terms because they are NOT aiming where they think they are - I prefer to say what the line and apex are for the putt (make it roll over this spot).

 

I tend to cut my putts and know this move to the MEZZ will be a struggle, but I know it is worth it.  I video my stroke and I can connect ball roll to what I did now.

 

I whine alot about TV Golf coverage - you know if they go to #11 to see Charles Howell putt from 50 feet, that he makes it.  It is not live and they only show good shots.  It is awful since, as you say, it gives people this idea the pros make everything.

 

Thanks for all the insights - I am looking forward to more posts, and that book 🙂  The comments on our ratings of success is awesome - I never thought about it that way - hitting the fairway versus making a putt -> brilliant.

[driveandputtmachine]

1 hour ago, ajlacombe said:

 

You should be writing a book for us.  What you wrote here is my life.  I started playing golf at 10 in 1972 and played by total feel - I have been through the wringer since then.  Getting too technical and then having to relearn everything over the last few years.  Love the putting comments.  People ask me to read a putt and they want to know how many cups out is the line - I hate giving an answer in those terms because they are NOT aiming where they think they are - I prefer to say what the line and apex are for the putt (make it roll over this spot).

 

I tend to cut my putts and know this move to the MEZZ will be a struggle, but I know it is worth it.  I video my stroke and I can connect ball roll to what I did now.

 

I whine alot about TV Golf coverage - you know if they go to #11 to see Charles Howell putt from 50 feet, that he makes it.  It is not live and they only show good shots.  It is awful since, as you say, it gives people this idea the pros make everything.

 

Thanks for all the insights - I am looking forward to more posts, and that book 🙂  The comments on our ratings of success is awesome - I never thought about it that way - hitting the fairway versus making a putt -> brilliant.

I have said for years now that Arccos and now, well LAB, should put me on retainer.  I truly believed in LAB before the MEZZ but the DF left a lot to be desired on long putts and looks for me.  I knew it worked it was just so hard to get accustomed to.  It is amazing what people think and how it influences how they play golf.  It is even more pronounced in putting.

 

Getting Arccos has done more for my mind getting right on the putting green more than anything else.  When you use it properly you can compare yourself and your putting to any type of handicap you want.  If you are a 5 and want to rate your strokes gained in any area against a +1, go for it.  Now I will say that having the link accessory was the big aha, where you walk on the green press the button and mark the hole for the app and then putt away.  Otherwise before that there was some guessing. in marking the hole properly on the green.

 

Data will set you free, in the time I owned my putter company I worked and talked with a few PGA Tour winners, winners on the Korn Ferry, Nike, Buy.com, Collegiate golfers, some top 20 ranked am's, and some top 20 ranked junior ams.  I saw all kinds of strokes, the problem I had was I didn't think outside the box on design.  I knew that balancing a putter face with the lie of the shaft would be great, but lacked the CAD design or even really the full understanding of machining to toy around with it.

 

Video on my perfect putting mat lets me know things here, but I will say without a doubt that putting on an actual green rather than a mat that you hit 6 or 8 or ten footers over and over on is a big difference and the perfect putting mat doesn't help with speed only direction, be VERY cognizant of the pace at which your balls go into the hole on any practice putting mat.

[ajlacombe]

44 minutes ago, driveandputtmachine said:

I have said for years now that Arccos and now, well LAB, should put me on retainer.  I truly believed in LAB before the MEZZ but the DF left a lot to be desired on long putts and looks for me.  I knew it worked it was just so hard to get accustomed to.  It is amazing what people think and how it influences how they play golf.  It is even more pronounced in putting.

 

Getting Arccos has done more for my mind getting right on the putting green more than anything else.  When you use it properly you can compare yourself and your putting to any type of handicap you want.  If you are a 5 and want to rate your strokes gained in any area against a +1, go for it.  Now I will say that having the link accessory was the big aha, where you walk on the green press the button and mark the hole for the app and then putt away.  Otherwise before that there was some guessing. in marking the hole properly on the green.

 

Data will set you free, in the time I owned my putter company I worked and talked with a few PGA Tour winners, winners on the Korn Ferry, Nike, Buy.com, Collegiate golfers, some top 20 ranked am's, and some top 20 ranked junior ams.  I saw all kinds of strokes, the problem I had was I didn't think outside the box on design.  I knew that balancing a putter face with the lie of the shaft would be great, but lacked the CAD design or even really the full understanding of machining to toy around with it.

 

Video on my perfect putting mat lets me know things here, but I will say without a doubt that putting on an actual green rather than a mat that you hit 6 or 8 or ten footers over and over on is a big difference and the perfect putting mat doesn't help with speed only direction, be VERY cognizant of the pace at which your balls go into the hole on any practice putting mat.

 

Wow - I actually work for a company that is near the top of the CAD/CAM/CAE market and have played around with designing clubs.  I almost had a putter design milled at a trade show but they changed course at the last minute on me. 

 

Arccos really improved for me as well with Link but I have not been diligent with editing the putting data.  Arccos has been great for my game overall. The mats can help up to a point but you have to take it to a green, but at this time of year, that can be a challenge 🙂 

 

[labgolf]

6 hours ago, driveandputtmachine said:

Well a couple of new things from me.

1. I didn't have a chance to try the 1.5 and 3 press grips so based on what everyone was saying I ordered with the 1.5

2. I wasn't sure if I would like the putter so just ordered it with the true temper shaft, I did not want a chance of wasting extra money with the BGT.

 

I have a Stability that I was using with my split hand trial(it was accomplishing something similar to LAB for me). I pulled the shaft and pulled the True Temper that came on the MEZZ.  

 

I will be installing the Stability in the MEZZ in the next couple of days.  Waiting on the shaft insert (which BGT was great in sending me free of charge by the way)

 

With the forward press built in I feel a little off with the 1.5.  It could have been the grip or just I needed more time, but since I owned a putter company for quite a few years and love to tinker I will be putting the stability in the MEZZ, and trying the 3.0.

 

The tape that LAB uses is REALLY a PITA to get the grip off.  Luckily I have tape better suited and will try the 3.0 first on the Stability just for a complete change.  Since I was able to save the 1.5 from the True Temper shaft so I can go back to it if the 3.0 isn't what I wanted and my tape does a lot better at activating with spirits to remove the grip.  I may even try installing with air to make it that much easier.

 

I know, I know, with how the head has to balance with the shaft and grip to match the drilled lie angle, there is a very good chance that the weighting will now be off with the MEZZ with these changes.  I know LAB can re-weight it with these changes, but I want to see first how it balances after the changes.  Then I may want to do it myself as long as they didn't use thread locker on the weights, I imagine they did on the insert piece that holds the shaft, but I am hoping they did not on the weights.

 

I am having trouble telling for sure how my distance control is going.  I knew this is something I would have to work on, since it along with the shape were issues with the DF that I used for about a month two years ago, but it is hard at my club currently.  We sprigged our greens a few years back from bent to bermuda, and only one 9 had roots deep enough to aerate this year (we did one nine each year) so during the winter the speeds between nines can be pretty different.  During the summer it is better because they keep the grass cut as such to keep the speed similar with stimpmeter testing.  What I discovered this past weekend was that one nine were rolling at almost a 12 and the other nine their greens were rolling slower to the tune of about 10.2.  Add to that the fact that when they re did the greens they put more slope into most of them so you can have some really wacky putts.

 

This week we have highs starting today of 60 for the next four days, so if my shaft extension and grip get here fast enough I will be able to do some practice putting before the weekend, if not then I hope to get some in on Saturday.  Sunday the highs drop by about 20 degrees, and I am not a fan of practicing in the cold.

 

However the shinning star right now is that my nemesis(the putts inside of say 6 feet) are SOOOOOO MUCH BETTER.  I am having to re-adjust my reading of the greens some since I was subconsciously adjusting my reads based on my stroke before, this has been weird.  The only putts I have missed inside of 8 feet are bad reads, in three rounds I have missed two putts inside of 8 feet for bad strokes in the first two rounds, but most it is still bad reads.  I now KNOW that I will start the ball where I am aiming so all I have to concentrate on is hitting the speed I want to based on my read.  It really feels good.

 

There is indeed loctite in the screw ports. STRONGLY advise against messing with them. If your changes knock it our of balance (it most certainly will but might be negligible) we can re-balance for you.

[driveandputtmachine]

1 hour ago, labgolf said:

There is indeed loctite in the screw ports. STRONGLY advise against messing with them. If your changes knock it our of balance (it most certainly will but might be negligible) we can re-balance for you.

Well I hate heating aluminum, even with a coating to break up loctite, so if it balances weird I will send it in if I can bear to part ways with it for any time.  LOL

[labgolf]

9 minutes ago, driveandputtmachine said:

Well I hate heating aluminum, even with a coating to break up loctite, so if it balances weird I will send it in if I can bear to part ways with it for any time.  LOL

If you want, we can just handle to whole thing. We can turn it around in a day and shipping would be up to you.

[driveandputtmachine]

6 minutes ago, labgolf said:

If you want, we can just handle to whole thing. We can turn it around in a day and shipping would be up to you.

I have the shaft epoxied and setting up right now.  3.0 grip is already on its way from you and should be here Friday.  I am going to play 9 tomorrow so will put the 1.5 on the Stability for now, and swap it out possibly Friday.

[HackinNut]

Wow!  It's great to see that Adam Scott has again entrusted L.A.B. Golf.  He is using the MEZZ ... just his broomstick version & a stainless head.  I'll be watching in earnest to see how well he putts this weekend on pure rolling greens.  

[Jooshs]

First round(s) today…  I’m blown away.  Took just a few holes to get used to it, but I can honestly say it’s the best feeling golf club I’ve ever used.  9 x 1 putt birdies on the first day in use.  As everyone says, it just goes on line.  The only thing left to get used to is that you stroke it with more confidence since you know it will be on line and I should play less break on the shorter putts.