MEMBER REVIEWS: L.A.B. Golf DF3 Putter Testing | See What Members Are Saying!

[ChrisATL]

Great write-up @Drrussell - looking forward to seeing the side by side videos of each one!

[srsbeans]

On 4/25/2024 at 10:58 AM, geesecougar2 said:

Is it fair to say that the DF3 (and LAB putters in general) fare better with a straight-back-straight-through stroke rather than an arced stroke? 

 

I think the putter is designed to travel along the shaft plane (that is to say, along the lie angle plane to which it is balanced). I think that the face is designed to remain square to that plane, which means that it will open and close in relation to the target. 

 

 

[coreyhr]

On 4/25/2024 at 9:58 AM, geesecougar2 said:

Is it fair to say that the DF3 (and LAB putters in general) fare better with a straight-back-straight-through stroke rather than an arced stroke? 

From what I've experienced with mine, it just promotes less face rotation no matter what your stroke style is. At times it feels like my stroke is more SBST than I normally would have, but I think it's more equated to me feeling less face rotation rather than my stroke actually being more SBST.

[Avidswampthing66]

Its arrived!  36" Lab DF3 Heavy head weight, Press II textured grip.

 

It came after a round  where I missed 4 birdies in under the 10ft range on yesterday's evening nine.  Unbelievably frustrating!  Have you ever heard of "the lady in the lake"?  I was ready to donate my old putter to her.  But, I kept my cool.

 

First impressions are, this is a stunning putter out of the box.  The head shape is freaking rad. This is high quality and the lines are all very tight.  A lot smaller than I expected!  Keep in mind, I have no experience with DF2, only a few weeks with a buddies Mezz 1 to try out @SwingBlues

 

The feel.  I game CTX mostly, so I used that while testing on the putting green.  My goodness does this putter feel good.  It's a nice muted tone with a softer milled feel.  Nothing like an odyssey insert soft, but not overly firm at all.  Feels wonderful.  The roll.  I've read enough to know to move the ball forward and let the putter swing on the arc and don't let the hands fight it.  So, once I got that squared away it freed up the stroke.  The ball comes off pure and just hugs the ground.  I have always had trouble with getting that pure end over end line ball roll.  No problem doing that today.  The cool thing is, when you miss it, the putter is so forgiving that it seems to have little effect.  I'm a good golfer, with decent hands that doesn't like gimmicks.  I knew as soon as I hit the first putt that this putter is special.  It puts a very nice roll on the ball right out of the gate.  Distance control will take some time on the long putts.  I will still have to pick good lines and have proper speed.  There is no fairy dust.  It's plain and simple....the thing doesn't want to move in the stroke.

 

Will it make me a better putter or help me hole more putts?  Who knows, time will tell.  Do I feel like I could trust  in my stroke better, yes.  Absolutely.  If I can remove a variable and focus on the read, then that will be a small win for me.

 

 

I chose the back line as another reference.  I'm not sure I'll use it much as I focus more on the blade and ball, but I figured it couldn't hurt. 

[SwingBlues]

3 hours ago, Avidswampthing66 said:

Its arrived!  36" Lab DF3 Heavy head weight, Press II textured grip.

 

It came after a round  where I missed 4 birdies in under the 10ft range on yesterday's evening nine.  Unbelievably frustrating!  Have you ever heard of "the lady in the lake"?  I was ready to donate my old putter to her.  But, I kept my cool.

 

First impressions are, this is a stunning putter out of the box.  The head shape is freaking rad. This is high quality and the lines are all very tight.  A lot smaller than I expected!  Keep in mind, I have no experience with DF2, only a few weeks with a buddies Mezz 1 to try out @SwingBlues

 

The feel.  I game CTX mostly, so I used that while testing on the putting green.  My goodness does this putter feel good.  It's a nice muted tone with a softer milled feel.  Nothing like an odyssey insert soft, but not overly firm at all.  Feels wonderful.  The roll.  I've read enough to know to move the ball forward and let the putter swing on the arc and don't let the hands fight it.  So, once I got that squared away it freed up the stroke.  The ball comes off pure and just hugs the ground.  I have always had trouble with getting that pure end over end line ball roll.  No problem doing that today.  The cool thing is, when you miss it, the putter is so forgiving that it seems to have little effect.  I'm a good golfer, with decent hands that doesn't like gimmicks.  I knew as soon as I hit the first putt that this putter is special.  It puts a very nice roll on the ball right out of the gate.  Distance control will take some time on the long putts.  I will still have to pick good lines and have proper speed.  There is no fairy dust.  It's plain and simple....the thing doesn't want to move in the stroke.

 

Will it make me a better putter or help me hole more putts?  Who knows, time will tell.  Do I feel like I could trust  in my stroke better, yes.  Absolutely.  If I can remove a variable and focus on the read, then that will be a small win for me.

 

 

I chose the back line as another reference.  I'm not sure I'll use it much as I focus more on the blade and ball, but I figured it couldn't hurt. 

 

 

❤ the Beautiful putter mate 👍

 

So Stealthy and I do like the end line, nice call. One thing I adore about my own older DF is the Stealth look and it's money because nothing distracts you when you look down. It really feels like your 💯 is the aim. Since you have my Mezz.1 putter, you'll know that I went as far as even using black sharpie to color in the white fonts on the grip...yeah...I know crap job but heck, I ain't selling it

 

I'm rolling my DF so nicely lately. We had 4 day old punched sandy green and my DF rolled SO PURE the scored 3 nice birds on those greens. 

 

Wait till you try and roll the ball from the fringe onto the green with Lie Balance technology. I swear I've never had so many birds and Eagles with it, it rolls pure.

 

Get's em Birds mate 🍻

 

ps which is softer, the Mezz.1 or the DF3 with your Chrome Tour balls?

 

 

Edited May 2 by SwingBlues

[SwingMan]

On 4/21/2024 at 5:59 AM, mstuewe said:

 

have you measured this or is it perception?  For $400 bucks I am hoping to find someone who identified a measurable difference.

 

My golf instructor currently is a distributor for TPTGolf. He tested the TPT LAB Putter Shaft  against other putter shafts. He has met with LAB and discussed the advantages of the TPT shaft. He says through his testing that the shaft improves your performance. He is data-driven.

[mstuewe]

27 minutes ago, SwingMan said:

 

My golf instructor currently is a distributor for TPTGolf. He tested the TPT LAB Putter Shaft  against other putter shafts. He has met with LAB and discussed the advantages of the TPT shaft. He says through his testing that the shaft improves your performance. He is data-driven.

 

I’d love to see some numbers on this, it would be amazing to quantify the benefits.  As silly as this sounds, I would 100% drop 400 bucks on 2” tighter dispersion on a 10 foot putt, lol.

 

but if he’s a distributor for TPTgolf, we also need to understand if he’s selling snake oil.  Certainly he isn’t impartial.

[SwingMan]

3 hours ago, mstuewe said:

 

I’d love to see some numbers on this, it would be amazing to quantify the benefits.  As silly as this sounds, I would 100% drop 400 bucks on 2” tighter dispersion on a 10 foot putt, lol.

 

but if he’s a distributor for TPTgolf, we also need to understand if he’s selling snake oil.  Certainly he isn’t impartial.

 

I've worked with this Instructor for four years. He gave TPT feedback on the putter shaft (and all the other shafts) in their development. I gave feedback on the putter prototypes. He collects data, not BS. Next time I see him, I will ask.

[TonyRo]

I always go back to this: 

 

I have a hard time wrapping my head around why any putter shaft would noticeably change any of the things that actually matter as far as making putts go - the line, the face, and the speed. The closest I can come to really getting there would be a broomstick (because the shaft is long) on really long lag putts. But the variance on those is so high already, at least for me, that I don't think I could prove it anyway. That being said, you can buy shafts for looks, feel, feedback, whatever, and that's totally cool too. If I buy a DF3 broomstick, I think I'd at least try the TPT once to see if I liked the feel of it. 

They have taken so much longer than first thought to release the DF3 broom that I've gotten distracted building my own Jailbird broomstick a la Akshay, so I don't even know if I'll buy one when it comes out. 😭😁

 

[Avidswampthing66]

18 hours ago, SwingBlues said:

 

 

❤ the Beautiful putter mate 👍

 

So Stealthy and I do like the end line, nice call. One thing I adore about my own older DF is the Stealth look and it's money because nothing distracts you when you look down. It really feels like your 💯 is the aim. Since you have my Mezz.1 putter, you'll know that I went as far as even using black sharpie to color in the white fonts on the grip...yeah...I know crap job but heck, I ain't selling it

 

I'm rolling my DF so nicely lately. We had 4 day old punched sandy green and my DF rolled SO PURE the scored 3 nice birds on those greens. 

 

Wait till you try and roll the ball from the fringe onto the green with Lie Balance technology. I swear I've never had so many birds and Eagles with it, it rolls pure.

 

Get's em Birds mate 🍻

 

ps which is softer, the Mezz.1 or the DF3 with your Chrome Tour balls?

 

 

I'm all in on more birds and eagles.  Let the party begin!

 

DF3 is softer for sure. imo

[mstuewe]

4 hours ago, SwingMan said:

 

I've worked with this Instructor for four years. He gave TPT feedback on the putter shaft (and all the other shafts) in their development. I gave feedback on the putter prototypes. He collects data, not BS. Next time I see him, I will ask.

Awesome, thank you

[molecularman]

I booked a round for Monday on a really tough course with large and undulating greens.   I'm excited for the first real test with the DF3 in terms of lag putts.   A lot of the courses locally have such small greens that it's a lot of up and downs with very few putts outside of 20-30 feet. 

I'm really loving the confidence with those putts just outside of gimme range.   We'll see how the putting holds up on totally new course.

[BYK]

On 5/2/2024 at 3:18 PM, SwingMan said:

 

I've worked with this Instructor for four years. He gave TPT feedback on the putter shaft (and all the other shafts) in their development. I gave feedback on the putter prototypes. He collects data, not BS. Next time I see him, I will ask.

He might, but like mstuewe said, being a distributor kinda makes what he says a little less believable.  "Data" isn't always so black and white.

[snagy2000]

On 5/2/2024 at 2:18 PM, SwingMan said:

 

I've worked with this Instructor for four years. He gave TPT feedback on the putter shaft (and all the other shafts) in their development. I gave feedback on the putter prototypes. He collects data, not BS. Next time I see him, I will ask.

I've played stability shafts for the last 4 years, IMO there's nothing better in terms of dispersion and distance control. I have some shop credit I will probably order the DF3 with the Stability. 

[SwingMan]

18 hours ago, snagy2000 said:

I've played stability shafts for the last 4 years, IMO there's nothing better in terms of dispersion and distance control. I have some shop credit I will probably order the DF3 with the Stability. 

 I also played with the Stability.

 

I now play the TPT shaft and one reason is that I know the shaft is round and to spec. Machine made, no humans involved in production.

Edited May 5 by SwingMan

[SwingMan]

21 hours ago, BYK said:

He might, but like mstuewe said, being a distributor kinda makes what he says a little less believable.  "Data" isn't always so black and white.

 

Whatever. He distributes the shaft because he believes it is the best. He was involved in the development and is rather opinionated to the manufacturer. Play whatever you want ...

[mstuewe]

9 hours ago, SwingMan said:

 

Whatever. He distributes the shaft because he believes it is the best. He was involved in the development and is rather opinionated to the manufacturer. Play whatever you want ...

 

Im still interested in seeing the stats.  if he wants to stand behind his product maybe he can do an AMA or something.  It's a $400 up charge.  We've seen data on stability shaft performance.  for the price I'd love to see something similar for TPT.

[molecularman]

That was an interesting round of golf.    Unfortunately not the best test of the putter.  I missed way too many greens.   When I did hit a green, my proximity to the hole was under 10 feet.   So it was either I hit a really good shot, or hit an absolute stinker.

The greens were bent grass, but had a lot of patchy spots of poa taking over.  So very bumpy.   Still very happy with how the putter performed. Just burning a lot of edges.    More comes down to green reading.   Time and time again I'm happy with how the ball comes off the face and how often I'm hitting my start lines.

[kved]

On 4/18/2024 at 11:55 PM, Rod Dandy said:

Face width: about 4.25”

Face thickness: nearly 1”

Depth from face to back: about 4.25”

Face to center of shaft: about 1.5”

just ordered mine now will a long wait but working with someone on creating headcovers for this. Ill send pics once done but let me know if anyone else is interested. 

 

[dbdors]

1 hour ago, kved said:

just ordered mine now will a long wait but working with someone on creating headcovers for this. Ill send pics once done but let me know if anyone else is interested. 

 

I'd like to see what you come up with for headcovers.

[benrd5420]

First and foremost, I want to thank the GolfWRX and LAB Golf Teams for this amazing opportunity, and apologize to the GolfWRX Community for taking so long to add my pieces to this forum.  After a wetter and colder spring that was anticipated, as well as an unanticipated surgery sidelining me for a bit, it took me longer than I had hoped to get my first entry into this forum. 

 

But I am incredibly honored to have been selected, and hope that my tardiness in posting will be made up for in robustness of posting as we go through the next few weeks and months.  Part of my commitment to this test was to, after making the necessary comparisons in feel/sound/roll etc. to my existing putters, to remove them from the house and commit to using just the LAB DF3 for the whole of the season.  At the end of the year I can compare my year over year statistics, and see if in fact a noticeable difference was made.

 

 

About Me 

A little about me, I am a 43 year old father of 2 toddlers who make it hard to get out as much as I used to.  2 years ago I moved from Arizona to Ohio, making golf a year round to seasonal part of my life.  I have been able to find some simulator spots in and around where I live that keep me limber in the off-season, but it’s not the same.  

 

Still, in the time I have lived here my handicap has only slipped from a low 8 to a high 9, currently sitting at a 9.8.  I would not describe putting as a strength or a weakness of my game.  Based on the stats I kept last year I averaged 33.9 putts per round, with most of those putts (69%) being 2-putts, 21% being 1-putts, and 10% being 3-putts.  My goal for 2024 is get that total number of putts per round below and average of 32, and I am hoping the DF3 is the ticket.

 

What is probably deceiving about my putting stats, is that the strength of my game is around the green, so while I am not three-putting often, it’s not unusual for me to already have chipped it to within 10 feet to begin with.  With that nugget, the putts per round really should be lower.

 

Remote Fitting

The remote fitting process was, as others have already noted, a breeze.  Why more companies do not use something this simple is truly beyond me at this point.  That said, the follow up phone call and discussion was both informative and interesting.  I have always preferred a shorted putter, and felt validated by the process.  What did surprise me was how flat they recommended going.  More on this later, but I put my trust in their process and feel like I am happy that I did.

 

For anyone thinking about going with the ‘off-the-rack’ version, I would highly consider at least giving the process a try first.  If you fit the standard, great.  If not though, do yourself a favor and go with what they recommend.

My Specs

Here is what they recommended:

33”

65* Lie Angle

Pistol 2* Right Grip

Heavier Weight

 

I opted for the TPT shaft, Platinum finish, and Small T alignment aid

 

Looks

I am sure I am like many of you here, if it does not look right behind the ball, it’s a no go.  There have been putters that have been money on the putting green for me that simply could not pass the ‘eye-test’, a shining example for me being the older version of the Spider (and I still can’t believe the brought back the older body in the new line).  I have experimented with both the DF2.1 and Mezz putters in a variety of golf shop situations, and with those who were kind enough to let me on putting greens over the years.  

 

I was not as put off by the size of the original DF design, but you cannot deny it was a big putter. The Mezz for me never looked right at address, and I struggled to want to put them in the bag.

 

Straight away the DF3 did not struggle in this department.  While it is more compact on the DF scale, it is still a pretty sizable mallet putter, but not out of hand. I noticed that in one of my first rounds while in the push cart, when I put the rain cover on, I had to be thoughtful with how it was placed to get it inside the cover, as it wants to spill outside of the putter well of my bag more than a traditional putter, but outside of that I don’t know that I will notice the size much.

 

The platinum color is amazing and clean, and I am really happy I went with it.  I was very tempted to go with something more bold, but I think the understated look is timeless and clean I will never tire of it.  I really like the look of the putter, and think it frames the ball well, giving plenty of square face behind the ball, with enough mass behind the ball to give me confidence that I can miss a little bit.

 

 

Sound / Feel

Before starting this test I was using two different putters.  First, was an Odyssey Eleven 2-Ball CH Tour Line, and the second is Scotty Cameron T22 Fastback.  One gives me the firm feel of a milled face, the other the soft touch of an insert, so that is the back and forth I am using as reference points for feel.  For an additional reference point, I am using the new 2024 Bridgestone Tour BX balls, which are on the firmer side.

 

Right off the bat, the feel of the putter has been great.  Center struck the ball comes off fast and soft, with a gentle ‘tock’ noise and a great feel through the hands.  My ‘miss’ tends to be toe side, and I get that feedback immediately when I venture that direction.  Both the sound and the feel change, but what is awesome is that the direction and roll don’t seem to be impacted too much.  It can be argued I lose a little distance, but if I do it’s not overly penal.

 

Over the years I have tried most everything that has come to market, either at home or on the turf at a Golf Galaxy/PGA Super Store…what can I say, I am one of you!  I have always gone back to the original White Hot face as being one of the best feeling off the face and through the hands, but that feeling (for me) has translated into having a hard time finding consistent feel for distance.  While I would not equate the feel of the DF3 to the soft feel of the White Hot face, I would say it is pleasing in the hands, and I am coming to find it repeatable.  Over time I think it will find a nice middle ground in the ‘feel vs consistency’ battle for me.

 

 

Performance

 

This will be the section of the review I think will evolve over the course of the season.  What I can say so far is that I am very impressed with the performance of the DF3, but am aware I may still be in a bit of a ‘honeymoon’ phase.

 

For me, I must own two big learning curves to date.  The first is trust, and the second is pace.

 

Trust:   The basis of this technology is that the putter will work to keep itself square through the stroke.  BUT, that does not mean you cannot override that through manipulating it.  For those of us who have used putters in the past we have been ill fit for, or have fought, fighting the face rotation has become potentially too engrained in our putting.  Watching what I can only describe as a ‘plethora’

 

 

of videos on YouTube, I worked at home on putting with my thumbs off the putter.  I had to really re-learn to trust my stroke and trust the head to do what it says it will.  When I do this, it delivers.  But, like the true dumbass I am, I don’t always have that level of trust when I am staring down the six footer to save par.  The longer I use it though, the more confident I am getting.  I am working to change my pre-shot routine to pull off my thumbs in practice stroke and really feel the head holding the line, and that is helping.

 

The second thing I have had to really focus on falls in line with trust, and that is pace.  With the bigger head I tend to want to not hit the ball as hard, and often leave the putt just short.  Nothing worse than having the line right and leaving it on the edge or lipping out.  As I continue to use it I am gaining confidence in giving it the oomph it needs to get the ball to the hole, but it has not come easy.  As a person who likes a ‘heavy’ putter, I went with the heavier version thinking this would help, but with there were still more weight behind the ball.  More to come on the next installment of my review, but hoping I can gain confidence and stop leaving them in the jaws as the weather gets warmer.

 

The ‘small T’ alignment aid may be quickly becoming my favorite part of this putter.  I have long liked alignment aids that allow me to bring together to parallel lines as opposed to connecting two lines, or a dot to a line, etc.  Almost like clapping my hands together, it makes hitting the ball square seem easier to me.  This is especially true if I align the alignment line on the ball perpendicular to the intended start line.  By doing this not only have I been starting my putts on their intended line much more often, but I have been hitting the ball much more square.  This has led to rolling the ball end over end much more consistently.

 

As it stands right now, I only have 1 negative.  Because the lie angle on my putter is so much flatter than I have ever had in the past, the old ‘reach around the hole’ come backer and wide stance ‘don’t stand in your partners line’ type putts are not as easy as with more traditional putters.  If you are playing a competitive round, and are hitting cups, mark your ball.  Don’t get cute.  

 

Mid-May Conclusion

 

As I mentioned at the top, my season has had a slow start due to injury and weather.  I am excited to see where things go with the DF3, and commit to updating this forum every month, if not more often, with updates on how I am adjusting and how my game is shaping up.  I genuinely believe that as I get more used to this putter I am going to shave strokes off my game, and as it stands now, it has not cost me any.  

 

The feel is great, it looks great, and aligning the ball is a breeze.  I love a company like LAB who thinks outside the box, but moreover, love that they put function first.  Now that they have put that function into a shape and form that is more pleasing to the eye, I think they are going to continue to find converts among not just the WRX community, but the PGA and other tours as well.

Edited May 9 by benrd5420

[cocolamb22]

2 hours ago, benrd5420 said:

 

First and foremost, I want to thank the GolfWRX and LAB Golf Teams for this amazing opportunity, and apologize to the GolfWRX Community for taking so long to add my pieces to this forum.  After a wetter and colder spring that was anticipated, as well as an unanticipated surgery sidelining me for a bit, it took me longer than I had hoped to get my first entry into this forum. 

 

But I am incredibly honored to have been selected, and hope that my tardiness in posting will be made up for in robustness of posting as we go through the next few weeks and months.  Part of my commitment to this test was to, after making the necessary comparisons in feel/sound/roll etc. to my existing putters, to remove them from the house and commit to using just the LAB DF3 for the whole of the season.  At the end of the year I can compare my year over year statistics, and see if in fact a noticeable difference was made.

 

 

About Me 

A little about me, I am a 43 year old father of 2 toddlers who make it hard to get out as much as I used to.  2 years ago I moved from Arizona to Ohio, making golf a year round to seasonal part of my life.  I have been able to find some simulator spots in and around where I live that keep me limber in the off-season, but it’s not the same.  

 

Still, in the time I have lived here my handicap has only slipped from a low 8 to a high 9, currently sitting at a 9.8.  I would not describe putting as a strength or a weakness of my game.  Based on the stats I kept last year I averaged 33.9 putts per round, with most of those putts (69%) being 2-putts, 21% being 1-putts, and 10% being 3-putts.  My goal for 2024 is get that total number of putts per round below and average of 32, and I am hoping the DF3 is the ticket.

 

What is probably deceiving about my putting stats, is that the strength of my game is around the green, so while I am not three-putting often, it’s not unusual for me to already have chipped it to within 10 feet to begin with.  With that nugget, the putts per round really should be lower.

 

Remote Fitting

The remote fitting process was, as others have already noted, a breeze.  Why more companies do not use something this simple is truly beyond me at this point.  That said, the follow up phone call and discussion was both informative and interesting.  I have always preferred a shorted putter, and felt validated by the process.  What did surprise me was how flat they recommended going.  More on this later, but I put my trust in their process and feel like I am happy that I did.

 

For anyone thinking about going with the ‘off-the-rack’ version, I would highly consider at least giving the process a try first.  If you fit the standard, great.  If not though, do yourself a favor and go with what they recommend.

My Specs

Here is what they recommended:

33”

65* Lie Angle

Pistol 2* Right Grip

Heavier Weight

 

I opted for the TPT shaft, Platinum finish, and Small T alignment aid

 

Looks

I am sure I am like many of you here, if it does not look right behind the ball, it’s a no go.  There have been putters that have been money on the putting green for me that simply could not pass the ‘eye-test’, a shining example for me being the older version of the Spider (and I still can’t believe the brought back the older body in the new line).  I have experimented with both the DF2.1 and Mezz putters in a variety of golf shop situations, and with those who were kind enough to let me on putting greens over the years.  

 

I was not as put off by the size of the original DF design, but you cannot deny it was a big putter. The Mezz for me never looked right at address, and I struggled to want to put them in the bag.

 

Straight away the DF3 did not struggle in this department.  While it is more compact on the DF scale, it is still a pretty sizable mallet putter, but not out of hand. I noticed that in one of my first rounds while in the push cart, when I put the rain cover on, I had to be thoughtful with how it was placed to get it inside the cover, as it wants to spill outside of the putter well of my bag more than a traditional putter, but outside of that I don’t know that I will notice the size much.

 

The platinum color is amazing and clean, and I am really happy I went with it.  I was very tempted to go with something more bold, but I think the understated look is timeless and clean I will never tire of it.  I really like the look of the putter, and think it frames the ball well, giving plenty of square face behind the ball, with enough mass behind the ball to give me confidence that I can miss a little bit.

 

 

Sound / Feel

Before starting this test I was using two different putters.  First, was an Odyssey Eleven 2-Ball CH Tour Line, and the second is Scotty Cameron T22 Fastback.  One gives me the firm feel of a milled face, the other the soft touch of an insert, so that is the back and forth I am using as reference points for feel.  For an additional reference point, I am using the new 2024 Bridgestone Tour BX balls, which are on the firmer side.

 

Right off the bat, the feel of the putter has been great.  Center struck the ball comes off fast and soft, with a gentle ‘tock’ noise and a great feel through the hands.  My ‘miss’ tends to be toe side, and I get that feedback immediately when I venture that direction.  Both the sound and the feel change, but what is awesome is that the direction and roll don’t seem to be impacted too much.  It can be argued I lose a little distance, but if I do it’s not overly penal.

 

Over the years I have tried most everything that has come to market, either at home or on the turf at a Golf Galaxy/PGA Super Store…what can I say, I am one of you!  I have always gone back to the original White Hot face as being one of the best feeling off the face and through the hands, but that feeling (for me) has translated into having a hard time finding consistent feel for distance.  While I would not equate the feel of the DF3 to the soft feel of the White Hot face, I would say it is pleasing in the hands, and I am coming to find it repeatable.  Over time I think it will find a nice middle ground in the ‘feel vs consistency’ battle for me.

 

 

Performance

 

This will be the section of the review I think will evolve over the course of the season.  What I can say so far is that I am very impressed with the performance of the DF3, but am aware I may still be in a bit of a ‘honeymoon’ phase.

 

For me, I must own two big learning curves to date.  The first is trust, and the second is pace.

 

Trust:   The basis of this technology is that the putter will work to keep itself square through the stroke.  BUT, that does not mean you cannot override that through manipulating it.  For those of us who have used putters in the past we have been ill fit for, or have fought, fighting the face rotation has become potentially too engrained in our putting.  Watching what I can only describe as a ‘plethora’

 

 

of videos on YouTube, I worked at home on putting with my thumbs off the putter.  I had to really re-learn to trust my stroke and trust the head to do what it says it will.  When I do this, it delivers.  But, like the true dumbass I am, I don’t always have that level of trust when I am staring down the six footer to save par.  The longer I use it though, the more confident I am getting.  I am working to change my pre-shot routine to pull off my thumbs in practice stroke and really feel the head holding the line, and that is helping.

 

The second thing I have had to really focus on falls in line with trust, and that is pace.  With the bigger head I tend to want to not hit the ball as hard, and often leave the putt just short.  Nothing worse than having the line right and leaving it on the edge or lipping out.  As I continue to use it I am gaining confidence in giving it the oomph it needs to get the ball to the hole, but it has not come easy.  As a person who likes a ‘heavy’ putter, I went with the heavier version thinking this would help, but with there were still more weight behind the ball.  More to come on the next installment of my review, but hoping I can gain confidence and stop leaving them in the jaws as the weather gets warmer.

 

The ‘small T’ alignment aid may be quickly becoming my favorite part of this putter.  I have long liked alignment aids that allow me to bring together to parallel lines as opposed to connecting two lines, or a dot to a line, etc.  Almost like clapping my hands together, it makes hitting the ball square seem easier to me.  This is especially true if I align the alignment line on the ball perpendicular to the intended start line.  By doing this not only have I been starting my putts on their intended line much more often, but I have been hitting the ball much more square.  This has led to rolling the ball end over end much more consistently.

 

As it stands right now, I only have 1 negative.  Because the lie angle on my putter is so much flatter than I have ever had in the past, the old ‘reach around the hole’ come backer and wide stance ‘don’t stand in your partners line’ type putts are not as easy as with more traditional putters.  If you are playing a competitive round, and are hitting cups, mark your ball.  Don’t get cute.  

 

Mid-May Conclusion

 

As I mentioned at the top, my season has had a slow start due to injury and weather.  I am excited to see where things go with the DF3, and commit to updating this forum every month, if not more often, with updates on how I am adjusting and how my game is shaping up.  I genuinely believe that as I get more used to this putter I am going to shave strokes off my game, and as it stands now, it has not cost me any.  

 

The feel is great, it looks great, and aligning the ball is a breeze.  I love a company like LAB who thinks outside the box, but moreover, love that they put function first.  Now that they have put that function into a shape and form that is more pleasing to the eye, I think they are going to continue to find converts among not just the WRX community, but the PGA and other tours as well.

Would love to see pics as that's the same set up I'm leaning towards with my next LAB! (Platinum, black shaft, small 'T' alignment). Good luck on the upcoming season!

[molecularman]

3 hours ago, benrd5420 said:

I had to really re-learn to trust my stroke and trust the head to do what it says it will.  When I do this, it delivers.  But, like the true dumbass I am, I don’t always have that level of trust when I am staring down the six footer to save par.

That's so true.  I think some folks might dismiss L.A.B. putters too quickly because we are so ingrained to add a little zhuzh to the stroke.

[benrd5420]

1 hour ago, cocolamb22 said:

Would love to see pics as that's the same set up I'm leaning towards with my next LAB! (Platinum, black shaft, small 'T' alignment). Good luck on the upcoming season!

I plan to put them up tonight. 

[Sooner1]

great review. it's been a game changer for me.  I did a remote fitting and have a custom one coming. I was close to standard but wanted to commit to the right fit to see what the results will be. I know this, everyone that has rolled putts at my club has been interested and several guys have bought one. @labgolf has found something in this design.  

[Tn Buckeye]

Such great information and reviews here. Thank you all for your time and dedication!

I wanted to post a shout out to the customer service side of the house. I’ve worked with Matt and Jake and both have been spectacular about communicating and making sure that I get exactly what I want/need from my DF3, just like my Link before it. The company is growing quickly and it is easy to lose your connection to those of us who have been early adopters and avid fans and yet they continue to treat us with attention to our individual needs. Kudos to L.A.B. for continuing to treat a dying commodity like customer service with the respect that it deserves!

[Sooner1]

On 5/9/2024 at 10:38 AM, Sooner1 said:

great review. it's been a game changer for me.  I did a remote fitting and have a custom one coming. I was close to standard but wanted to commit to the right fit to see what the results will be. I know this, everyone that has rolled putts at my club has been interested and several guys have bought one. @labgolf has found something in this design.  

 

 

Got mine today. Love the blank slate and simple look. Can't wait to get her out. 

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[ChrisATL]

This has been an excellent testing thread to follow - truly appreciate all of the testers continuing to provide updates.  I'm sooooo close to pulling the trigger on one!

[molecularman]

Something interesting I noticed...

I'm not saying I wouldn't have noticed with a different putter, but it seemed way more apparent with the DF3.

I hover the putter -  but in doing so I was actually kicking my wrists back a bit, adding loft to the face and slightly opening the face up.   I haven't been putting badly, but I also haven't been making a lot of putts. I've since been working on maintaining the position the putter wants to sit in and the ball is rolling just that much better for me.  I've also really started to lean more towards the claw grip.  I find it lends itself the most towards letting the putter do the work without manipulating the head. 

Onward and upward!