LAB DF3 Order is in!

[swook]

https://www.instagram.com/p/C54Zy_jui4P/?igsh=MTJ5ZmVrcjJlNngwcw==
 

Looks like LAB has made their way to the Bryan Bros bags!

[Labfan]

Ordered DF3 Custom 3/18.  It shipped 4/18.  Just fyi for general time line info.

[UnderPar18]

[hunterjlent]

The more and more I see them the more and more I want to buy one.

[Rbsiedsc]

1 minute ago, hunterjlent said:

The more and more I see them the more and more I want to buy one.

ditto except my DF2.1 is magical right now

[hunterjlent]

Just now, Rbsiedsc said:

ditto except my DF2.1 is magical right now

My Mezz 1 does everything I want right now also haha.

[QNTN]

Already have a Mezz Broom but I really want to try a DF3. If I go the CB route, does the lie angle change? For reference, I had an OG Standard Mezz 34/69 back then. Do I order it in a 69 as well?

[manVSgolf]

28 minutes ago, QNTN said:

Already have a Mezz Broom but I really want to try a DF3. If I go the CB route, does the lie angle change? For reference, I had an OG Standard Mezz 34/69 back then. Do I order it in a 69 as well?

Same lie, add 3”.

[Arlin964]

Finally got my DF3 out to the putting green. It will likely take some time getting used to her but the practice session was very positive. I also brought a couple of my other favorite putters and the forgiveness/line holding/distance control is night and day. DF3 is incredible. Because there is no torque on the hands, it’s so easy to just bring the putter back a certain length based on the distance and let it go through. Truly it feels like the putter is doing the work, not me. I can’t wait to get it on course this weekend for my first outing. 

 

Headcover feels very high quality too. Also fits well. 
 

 

Accra black shaft

35”

69 lie

Blue head

LAB Pistol grip

 

[Labfan]

20 minutes ago, Arlin964 said:

Finally got my DF3 out to the putting green. It will likely take some time getting used to her but the practice session was very positive. I also brought a couple of my other favorite putters and the forgiveness/line holding/distance control is night and day. DF3 is incredible. Because there is no torque on the hands, it’s so easy to just bring the putter back a certain length based on the distance and let it go through. Truly it feels like the putter is doing the work, not me. I can’t wait to get it on course this weekend for my first outing. 

 

Headcover feels very high quality too. Also fits well. 
 

 

Accra black shaft

35”

69 lie

Blue head

LAB Pistol grip

 

I agree with all of that.  It’s awesome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Golfcrzy]

On 4/22/2024 at 5:41 PM, UnderPar18 said:

 

1 hour ago, Arlin964 said:

Finally got my DF3 out to the putting green. It will likely take some time getting used to her but the practice session was very positive. I also brought a couple of my other favorite putters and the forgiveness/line holding/distance control is night and day. DF3 is incredible. Because there is no torque on the hands, it’s so easy to just bring the putter back a certain length based on the distance and let it go through. Truly it feels like the putter is doing the work, not me. I can’t wait to get it on course this weekend for my first outing. 

 

Headcover feels very high quality too. Also fits well. 
 

 

Accra black shaft

35”

69 lie

Blue head

LAB Pistol grip

 

Very nice choice of alignment aids. What led you both to pick that? How do you like it? I have a T, but I was recommended this one…

Edited April 24 by Golfcrzy

[Arlin964]

7 minutes ago, Golfcrzy said:

 

Very nice choice of alignment aids. What led you both to pick that? How do you like it? I have a T, but I was recommended this one…

For me, I like having a really strong leading edge. I aim with perpendicular lines best. So the long front white line helps me to align it like I would a blade putter. 
 

As for the three dots, I was a toss up between this one and the solid line. Both those help with centering the ball. For whatever reason I just liked the three dots better on the digital mockups. I think I am pleased so far. 

Also I figure that if I really want it to be solid, worst case scenario I could maybe send it back to fill in the blue space, use some modeling tape, white marker, whiteout etc lol

 

[Golfcrzy]

My 2.1 has the full length T, but the DF3 has the short T. I was looking at your photo behind the ball and, to my eye, it jumps out that the face is the slightest bit open as captured in the image. The circles seem clearer to me than the solid line. 

[kidthunder]

Has anyone ordered a "stock" DF3 from LAB? Just wondering if the shipping times differed from custom or not. Website mentions the lead time on custom but doesn't specifically mention their shipping time for stock models. Realize that also may have to do with what they have on hand at any time but assumed stock would be faster than custom. 

 

Thanks! 

[UnderPar18]

9 hours ago, Golfcrzy said:

 

Very nice choice of alignment aids. What led you both to pick that? How do you like it? I have a T, but I was recommended this one…

I looked at a lot of the alignment options and went through all of the pictures being posted here. I had seen the T alignment in person and did not like it. I honestly just liked the way this one looked best so went with it and gambled on liking it. Here is what I will say now that I have it in hand and have used it. The long line across the leading edge is very beneficial in ensuring the putter face is square. That being said I think it it's important to use the alignment aids for what they are, but the second you get all caught up in if the putter is perfectly square etc. you forgot about stroke, line, speed etc. 

 

I have found my best routine to be. Set up and align the putter, get comfortable in my stance and then roll the putt and do all of this very fluid. The more you sit over the ball changing the set up the worst the stroke gets IMO. 

[Golfcrzy]

2 hours ago, UnderPar18 said:

I looked at a lot of the alignment options and went through all of the pictures being posted here. I had seen the T alignment in person and did not like it. I honestly just liked the way this one looked best so went with it and gambled on liking it. Here is what I will say now that I have it in hand and have used it. The long line across the leading edge is very beneficial in ensuring the putter face is square. That being said I think it it's important to use the alignment aids for what they are, but the second you get all caught up in if the putter is perfectly square etc. you forgot about stroke, line, speed etc. 

 

I have found my best routine to be. Set up and align the putter, get comfortable in my stance and then roll the putt and do all of this very fluid. The more you sit over the ball changing the set up the worst the stroke gets IMO. 

I don’t disagree. But I’ve got trouble aligning the alignment aid with the aid in the ball. I think the long line is great across the face, but the short line vs the dots is jarring to my eye in how much more clearly I can see the putter face turned. I’ve been using the long T for three seasons on my 2.1. The short T on the 3 isn’t much better. 
 

I’ve been looking at the Versa style but the line and dots might be what I like the most. 

[PixlPutterman]

Whats the consensus on the CB as far as head weight goes? Standard length the standard weight seems good but I feel like there is mild trend to go with the heavy head in CB. How much heavier is the heavy?

 

Also, is the standard CB head heavier than the standard head at normal length?

[amolefty24]

2 hours ago, PixlPutterman said:

Whats the consensus on the CB as far as head weight goes? Standard length the standard weight seems good but I feel like there is mild trend to go with the heavy head in CB. How much heavier is the heavy?

 

Also, is the standard CB head heavier than the standard head at normal length?

Very interested on the answer to this! 

Edited April 24 by amolefty24

[Mrgreen36]

Couple of 9s in with my df3 and a few putting green sessions.  Made a few longer putts, left a few horribly short or blew it by.  I was able to make most of the second putts after my poor speed control.  

 

Still struggling a little getting it lined up, feels slightly closed and that causes me to push it most times, maybe that was how I actually putt?   

 

The ball rolls so nice with it.  

[streak]

On 2/15/2024 at 1:27 PM, streak said:

 

Order - Placed on first day of early release Jan. 18, notifications “in production” Feb. 5 and “shipping” Feb. 9, received today Feb. 15, 28 days.  Custom, standard, black, Accra, Press II 1.5* textured, full single alignment line #6.

 

QC - Decent packing, undamaged at my door, can’t find any flaws on the club, length perfect, lie seems accurate.

 

Size in the bag - Slightly bigger than a Two Ball or a TM Spider GT I’ve played, in an average size cart bag with a putter well it’s borderline mainly because it’s center shafted, in a stand bag it’s going to require some rearranging.

 

Headcover - Very good padding, material seems thick enough to take some wear and tear.  I’m having some difficulty with the magnetic clasps especially on the side towards the heel of the putter, there are nickel-size round magnets, I have to keep shoving the putter firmly into the cover and pull the flap over several times, it may be the new stiffness of the head cover?  If not this could be an annoying hassle, might have to call LAB about it.

 

Grip - I generally prefer a texture versus a slick feeling smooth, mid- to slight oversize, not a pistol fan.  The Press II texture feels comfortable enough, a lighter weight and slightly smaller profile than I am used to.  It will take some time for this LAB newbie to become comfortable with the offset design.

 

Sound and feel - For perspective, over the last ten years or so I’ve played about a dozen putters, when a putter would fall out of favor with me I always defaulted to either a Two Ball or Rossie White Hot Pro, that’s the feel I’ve been most comfortable with.  Tested short putts on my indoor matt and longer strokes into a pillow with ProV1, ProV1x, Chrome Soft, Tour Response.  Sound is definitely not a “tink” some have written not liking on other models, more like a “clack”, each of those balls sounds slightly different, strikes me as a good thing.  Feel is solid, crisp … authoritative … ?  Overall firmer yet closer than I expected to the White Hot Pro experience I am accustomed to, very pleased with that.

 

Performance - Short putts on a flat matt are not sufficient for a fair evaluation.  Roll seems very good though.

 

Summary - So far pleased.  I very much rely on feel and instinct with putting, so comfort with the tool is critical.  I’m intrigued by the LAB concept, I have a few weeks to do thumbs-off and right hand only drills to get used to “where did that putter head go?” at transition.  We’ll see, hope springs eternal … ⛳

Although it's still spring weather and less than ideal greens condition here, I've had enough outdoor practice and play to better evaluate my DF3.

 

Online fitting - Very comfortable with Lab Golf's recommendations.  Plus.

 

Headcover - Out of the box I was having trouble easily refastening the tab towards the heel, but I'm now accustomed to pushing the head fully into the cover then folding the heel flap over first, not a problem on the course.  Looks like it will protect and hold up well.  Plus.

 

Feel and sound - Having been accustomed and happy with the soft muted feel of an Odyssey White Hot insert, I was very concerned whether I would like the DF3, I chose the Accra shaft hoping that would help.  Although my DF3 sounds and feels a little more firm than my Rossie, I like the DF3 feel very much.  Interestingly, I can sense more of a difference in sound and feel between ball models than with my Rossie.  I haven't had a chance to try a stock steel in a big box store to see if Accra is significantly softer feeling, but I'm guessing it was a worthwhile upgrade. Plus.

 

Lie angle balance - Took me just a little while to adapt to the feel.  The technology is noticeable, especially when I compare it side by side with my Rossie and an Evnroll on a practice green.  With traditional putters, for years a flaw I've had with longer putts is striking a bit towards the heel, somehow most putters might move out away from my body on a longer through stroke, sometimes I could feel it starting to happen at the transition from backswing to forward.  Nothing like that happens with my DF3.  Big plus.

 

Roll - I've tried a number of address positions and roll off the face seems to be very good and reliable.  Plus.

 

Distance control - Some commenters on various LAB models seem to have had problems, so I'm pleased my DF3 has been excellent for me.  Plus.

 

Head design - I wanted the single alignment line, it has helped with my right aim bias, I wish I had asked LAB if they could have made it wider (it's about 3/16" wide, my Evnroll ER11vx has a 3/8" wide line which is a great help for me).  Although the "gimme getter" hole is a nice feature to have I would prefer to be able to see one continuous alignment line (but that's just me).  The high MOI is a noticeable improvement over my Rossie, however I think the lie angle balance design alone is helping me make center strikes more consistently.  Plus.

 

Grip design - I'm comfortable with the profile and feel of my textured Press grip, but I'm having a very difficult time adapting to the non-traditional configuration, how the shaft comes out sideways from what I've seen my whole golfing life, and how the face of the putter head looks way forward (although if I study how the grip and therefore my hands are oriented, everything is closer to "normal" than what my eyes see).  Minus.

 

Overall performance - This putter has a lot going for it, especially the roll and distance control I'm getting, as well as more confidence I'm gaining in the lie angle balance design yielding a "just start it and forget it" mindset.  So far the only problem I'm having is the non-traditional grip, shaft, and head orientation, hoping as time goes by this will lessen.  I will take a closer look at a Link next time I'm at a big box store, might be worth another LAB investment.

 

[MCMathteacher]

After my online fitting I felt nervous about ordering 33.5/66 in blue. After one round and a couple of practice sessions I’m so happy with all my selections. Particularly the length feels perfect since I would go back & forth between a 33 and 34 length putter. My putting stroke changed almost immediately for the better once I started swinging the DF3 

[Arlin964]

First round review with DF3.

 

I only have 18 holes under the belt with my new DF3, so there might be some salt to be had while digesting this. 
 

BUT, I already have a ton of confidence with it. I played a brand new course to me, so this assessment is after having been on 18 greens I’ve never seen before. 
 

29 total putts (avg 34)

9 one-putts (avg 4)

2 three-putts

Including putts made from 15 and 26 ft

Lag putting was very good

 

It may not seem like much to some of you putters who have always been good but this is truly a game changer for me. 
 

The 9 one-putts were assisted by having a very sharp short game, but the nice thing was that 5 footers were automatic. My other putters wouldn’t have been that good even with a sharp short game. 
 

Compared to my handicap, this is my strokes gained for the last 10 rounds, per Arccos:

 

+2.6 (DF3)

-1.7 (blade)

-1.8 (blade)

-2.2 (blade)

-6.4 (blade)

+0.1 (blade

-3.7 (blade)

-2.1 (blade)

-1.0 (Mezz max @ Grayhawk Talon ie tough greens)

+1.4 (Mezz max)

 

I have never had confidence in putting. The feeling I had during this last round is different, and incredible. 
 

I might officially be a LAB Rat. 

[GDB67]

Are these real? I’ve never seen one in the wild. While out playing anywhere..

i think the 26 LAB putters sold the last year or so, all post on this forum. 

 

It’s this a secret club? 
i don’t get it. 
carry on. 
 

[ChrisATL]

4 hours ago, Arlin964 said:

First round review with DF3.

 

I only have 18 holes under the belt with my new DF3, so there might be some salt to be had while digesting this. 
 

BUT, I already have a ton of confidence with it. I played a brand new course to me, so this assessment is after having been on 18 greens I’ve never seen before. 
 

29 total putts (avg 34)

9 one-putts (avg 4)

2 three-putts

Including putts made from 15 and 26 ft

Lag putting was very good

 

It may not seem like much to some of you putters who have always been good but this is truly a game changer for me. 
 

The 9 one-putts were assisted by having a very sharp short game, but the nice thing was that 5 footers were automatic. My other putters wouldn’t have been that good even with a sharp short game. 
 

Compared to my handicap, this is my strokes gained for the last 10 rounds, per Arccos:

 

+2.6 (DF3)

-1.7 (blade)

-1.8 (blade)

-2.2 (blade)

-6.4 (blade)

+0.1 (blade

-3.7 (blade)

-2.1 (blade)

-1.0 (Mezz max @ Grayhawk Talon ie tough greens)

+1.4 (Mezz max)

 

I have never had confidence in putting. The feeling I had during this last round is different, and incredible. 
 

I might officially be a LAB Rat. 

Whoa - thats some great progress already!  Great round!

[Arlin964]

28 minutes ago, ChrisATL said:

Whoa - thats some great progress already!  Great round!

That’s why I had to make a post about it!

[GDB67]

If I ever play against someone gaming these putters, I’m not giving them any putt. No gimmies ever! 

i figure the reason why they bought that hideous thing is that they probably suck at short putts.

Rake💰

 

[Avidswampthing66]

Today, I played a quick nine hole match play round.   I hit 7 of 9 greens and had 4 birdie putts under 10ft.  Needless to say, I was striking the ball well.  I would have easily smoked the other player had I made just a few of them (we tied). I missed ALL OF THEM and it's been this way for at least a year.  I wanted to throw my putter in the lake.  But, I kept on quietly knowing the LAB DF3 will be in tomorrow.  HUZZAH!  This is the whole reason I am going to a LAB putter, and I believe in the tech.  Can't wait to start working on putting and letting go of "the stroke".   

[AlpineGolf]

I didn't have time to play a round with the DF3 before going on a golf trip but decided to put it straight in the bag after some quick putting green testing. 

 

Compared to a 7 handicap (I'm a ~10), this is my strokes gained for the last 15 rounds, per Arccos. These were two golf trips and most of the courses I only played for the first or second time:

 

-0.8 (DF3)

+3.1 (DF3)

+1.7 (DF3)

+0.7 (DF3)

-1.8 (DF3)

-2.5 (first round with the DF3 and we had 30 to 40mph wind on that day)

+0.0 (Jailbird)

-0.3 (Jailbird)

+1.4 (Jailbird)

+1.3 (Jailbird)

-0.4 (Jailbird)

+1.8 (Jailbird)

-0.2 (Jailbird)

-2.4 (Jailbird)

-0.2 (Jailbird)

 

Looks and feels like we are trending in the right direction. Interestingly, short putts make me the most nervous with the DF3 at the moment. 

[jkman]

Do these feel closed at address? Tried one at PGA but felt like it setup naturally closed.

[AlpineGolf]

2 hours ago, jkman said:

Do these feel closed at address? Tried one at PGA but felt like it setup naturally closed.

 

Nope. Might be a ball position issue. It takes a bit of time to get used to it.