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

[Tommyboi95]

49 minutes ago, molecularman said:

I was able to get out to the putting green.    It's still cold and windy, but this was that best day I'll have for a week or two. The weather hasn't been great, so the green looked worse for wear - but hey, probably a good test to putt in some bad conditions. 

I have truly never rolled the ball as well as I have today!   Not to say that I was making every putt out there - but man, the ball just rolls so well.  I've really struggled with balls skidding and seemingly avoiding the hole.  It's hard to really put into words, but with this putter the ball just seems to hug the ground and track towards the hole,  it's wild.  I made a 100 foot putt (it was hit off the toe mind you) and just giggled.   I mean dead in the center.  Several longer putts went in for me,  which never happens.  It's just so darn good!  I have very high hopes for this putter once I can get out and play some actual golf.

Now that isn't to say it was all perfect.  I found I was struggling with the press grip and where to feel comfortable in terms of shat lean + getting some pushes/start line issues. What I learned (and this is going to be hard for me to break this habit)  is the less I fidget and adjust on the set-up,  the better the results.

If I set the putter down and line up only with a finger on the back of the grip,  then take my putting grip while keeping the putter in the position that it wants to set.  MONEY!    However -  my tendency has always been to set up, then make little adjustments to get comfortable.  And when I did that, the result was always worse.  I've never been a forward presser and I'm really use to/comfortable with a pretty vertical shaft.  So with the press grip an the slight automatic forward lean of the shaft, it was giving me a hard time visually.

 What I noticed is that the DF3 is sensitive to shaft lean.  If I start leaning more forward, the face opens up.  If I lean the shaft back, it starts to close.  So the key for me was to allow the putter to sit naturally and get myself comfortable in that position, rather than fighting the putter to be in a position it doesn't want to be in.   Once I really honed in on that,  the putts starting dropping more frequently.  I ended the session with a 15ish footer the slides left to right and made 3 in a row.  Definitely ending on a high note there, with a lot of hope and excitement to get out to the course once the weather allows.


 

What kind of build is yours?

[coreyhr]

13 minutes ago, Tommyboi95 said:

Man I got almost the same identical build, although mine is blue...mine gets in tomorrow😝

 

Love that you're saying the TPT and Garsen is a knockout combo

I'm so glad I went Garsen over Superstroke. I took the Superstroke off of my Jailbird as well and went with the Winn Pistol. I've always loved the Garsen Quad Tour grips that I've tried, and the 17" version is no exception. The firmness, shape and size are perfect. At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, I'm trying to refrain from commenting too much on performance until I get this thing outside. Because I've been fooled before at how different a putter can feel and sound from indoors to outdoors. But the balance, setup behind the ball and feel of this build has me pretty giddy right now. Will get some practice in tomorrow afternoon outside and then hopefully a round this weekend if the weather will cooperate. 

[Tommyboi95]

8 minutes ago, coreyhr said:

I'm so glad I went Garsen over Superstroke. I took the Superstroke off of my Jailbird as well and went with the Winn Pistol. I've always loved the Garsen Quad Tour grips that I've tried, and the 17" version is no exception. The firmness, shape and size are perfect. At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, I'm trying to refrain from commenting too much on performance until I get this thing outside. Because I've been fooled before at how different a putter can feel and sound from indoors to outdoors. But the balance, setup behind the ball and feel of this build has me pretty giddy right now. Will get some practice in tomorrow afternoon outside and then hopefully a round this weekend if the weather will cooperate. 

I hear ya!

 

So I built a Spider V Model in the fall that was 37" SS 3.0 and lead taped it to hell. And loved it, so I was a bit hesitant to go a bit smaller. But I figured with the TPT the biggest thing was feel and feedback which in my brain all the more reason pushes for the Garsen

[molecularman]

33 minutes ago, Tommyboi95 said:

What kind of build is yours?

35"  with the Press Pistol 2 degree grip.  TPT shaft, 65* lie angle, and the heavier weight option.

[Drrussell]

On 2/21/2024 at 4:29 PM, Drrussell said:

Thank you @GolfWRX_Official and @labgolf really excited to get started with testing. I will use this as my spot to update as testing progresses. 

 

Background

My review might be helpful for those in the market for a new putter because until I saw the promotion to be a tester, LAB putters were not really on my radar. I have gamed different putters over the years, but over the last 3 years, I have gamed: Scotty, Ping, Odyssey, SIK, Cobra and Bettinardi.

 

I always have two golf bags, one I leave at the golf club, the other is in my trunk and ready to go if the opportunity arises. I play off a 3 index.  I am a pretty good putter. Always have been.

 

A few years ago I realized that while I rarely 3 putted, I also didn’t make enough birdies. Because I never wanted to leave myself a 3-4 foot return putt, I died the ball to the hole and as a result I left a lot of putts short. I figured I could immediately increase putts made by simply being more aggressive on my putting, but that meant I needed to be confident in the come back putt. That revelation caused me to switch from the traditional putter to armlock. 

 

Truth is, over the last few years I have changed putters pretty frequently. After all, if I missed a 4 foot putt and it cost me money, it was clearly the putter’s fault. 

 

Recently, I started reading up on all things LAB. Their customization options hit home. I signed up for the remote fitting and ended up ordering the DF2.1 (Armlock) and then ordered another Mezz 1 Max (armlock). The day after I received the DF2.1, I was notified that I was going to be an official GolfWRX tester for the DF3. 

 

In my review, I will be able to compare the LAB DF3 to the putters I have played most recently which are most of the big name putters. At the same time, I will be able to compare the new DF3 to the previous models, both the DF2.1 and the Mezz1 Max.

 

 

 

 

 

Remote Fitting

The remote fitting was super simple and Calvin is awesome.

 

I shot the initial videos. We exchanged emails and based on some of my questions he asked to see a couple more videos to confirm some things. After dialing in the numbers, orders were placed. DF2.1 (blue), Mezz 1 Max (orange) and then the DF3 (red).

 

Since the DF3 isn’t available as an armlock, we discussed the options to best fit my putting stroke. I provided videos of a putting stroke for 3 putters (armlock, wristlock, and standard). 

 

We decided that for the DF3, we would do something a little different. 

40” length

75 degree lie angle

wrist lock grip

 

By using this setup the DF3 will only be a couple inches shorter than my armlock putters. It will connect to my lead arm mid-forearm and in my setup, the ball position will be slightly more forward so that the shaft lean allows the putter head to sit flat (giving it the proper loft). 

 

This will allow virtually no change to my putting stroke and allow for a more accurate comparison of the putters. 

 

Day 1 - New Putter Arrival

 

My LAB DF3 Specs

 

Color: Red

Alignment: Big T Alignment)

Length: 40" Counterbalanced

Lie: 75*

Shaft: White Accra X LAB long

Grip: Superstroke Wristlock 

Head Weight: Heavy

 

Unboxing - First Reaction

Out of the box, putter had headcover on and that was it. Other than a piece of paper that tells you about taking care of the putter and using oil on the screws to keep the putter looking nice. 

 

My other LAB putters were on standby waiting for the arrival of their new brother. Looks are obviously personal, but the DF3 is pretty sexy. Not nearly as obnoxiously big as the DF2.1. 

 

I dropped a couple balls on my putting sim putting green just to stroke a few and immediately felt that the DF3 is right in between the Mezz 1 Max and DF2.1. Meaning the Mezz has a bit harsher feel, the DF2.1 is silky soft. The DF3 is much softer than the Mezz and probably approaching the DF2.1 in terms of how soft the ball feels off the face. 

 

Testing Day 1

The putter was originally supposed to arrive yesterday and I blocked the second part of my day so I could get out and do some proper testing. It didn’t arrive until today. I had pretty limited time, but I did run out to the course just to get some time on the real putting green. 

 

I used all three putters from 5ft, 15ft, random lag putting. With 20 balls, I went through a rotation of putters. Mezz 1 Max, DF2.1, DF3. The practice putting green was rolling at a 10 on the stimp meter. Unfortunately, they are going to be aerating next week, so I will probably need to try and get out there tomorrow for more detailed testing and maybe even a real round of golf. 

 

Because both of the armlock putters are more upright and also about 2 inches longer, that was obviously a little more comfortable just because I am so used to the setup. With armlock, I know exactly where the putter rests against my arm. I also know that the face of the putter will be exactly center of my stance. 

 

For the DF3 I wanted to make sure my setup wasn’t causing weirdness on the stroke, so I was pretty particular about the setup routine. I lineup the ball, place the putter behind aligned properly and soled flat. Then I would step in and setup around the putter being soled properly. I didn’t want to lean the shaft too far forward because online armlock putters which have the built in shaft lean, the DF3 with a wristlock grip does not. That means I want the shaft to be more vertical on setup. 

 

As soon as I realized where the wristlock putter was going to rest on my arm…the setup became super simple. In a couple more sessions it won’t require any extra caution and can adjust to the setup with no problems. 

 

I was rolling the rock so well with all three putters. I think that based on my initial feel I could game any of the 3 putters without hesitation. This testing could really come down to feel between the putters because I was hitting my line and seeing true end-over-end roll on almost every putt across all three putters. 

 

Tomorrow, if I don’t to the course, I am going to get all three putters on the simulator so I can see the launch angle, launch angle, and spin rate. That will give me real data I can compare between all three putters. In addition, I will use HackMotion to see if there are any variations in my stroke pattern with the three putters. 

 

 

I took the DF3 to the course today for the first time playing. I was so excited about the round and then discovered they had just aerated the greens!

 

Results:

9 holes

Zero three putts 

Four one putts

Longest putt made 21’

Longest lag putt 61’, lagged to 3’

 

Feel:

The DF3 just feels smooth. It’s not as soft as the DF2.1, but it’s definitely softer feel than the Mezz 1 Max. 

 

Counterbalance putter setup as a wrist lock:

This 100% works. I am used to armlock putting with 42.5’ putters 79 degree lie angle. With the armlock setup, the putter is played right in the center of my stance. With the DF3 because it’s setup as wrist lock it doesn’t have the forward shaft lean. As a result, I play the ball more forward in my stance. However, it’s only a couple inches shorter so it still locks on my forearm and it’s just easy to use. 

 

Downside:

The lie angle is 75 degrees instead of my normal armlock which is 79 degrees. This does make me modify my setup slightly but not enough that it makes much difference putting.

 

Up next:

In my next testing, I am going to be on the launch monitor and I will compare the three putters from 3’, 6’, and 10’. I expect that the flatter lie will make my tendency to hit a pushed putt as my miss. I will get that done during the day tomorrow and I will also get some video of this testing. 

[Hunteruu]

Finally got this out in the sun for a few initial rolls! I'll do a more in-depth review soon, but since I believe I was the only one to choose the cappuccino color, I wanted to showcase it for others to see... to say the least, it's an interesting color that seems to cross between brown, copper, red-ish, even some pink-ish hues. Honestly, it may need to grow on me, because it doesn't flatter me as much as I had hoped. 

 

 

 

 

[Minarets]

It’s backwards!!!

[Minarets]

I was wondering what color that was.  It looks like a maroon almost to me in that sunlight.   Looks good.  Not what I thought the cappuccino would look like. 

[Hunteruu]

2 minutes ago, Minarets said:

I was wondering what color that was.  It looks like a maroon almost to me in that sunlight.   Looks good.  Not what I thought the cappuccino would look like. 

 

Yeah, it is quite honestly a bit of a let down for me. Visually, it doesn't excite me when I look at it because all I'm thinking in my head is that it's an ugly color compared to the other offerings. 

[rooski]

Man I think that color looks SICK in that lighting. If I knew it would have been a bit maroon like that I might've gone with that instead

[Minarets]

5 minutes ago, Hunteruu said:

 

Yeah, it is quite honestly a bit of a let down for me. Visually, it doesn't excite me when I look at it because all I'm thinking in my head is that it's an ugly color compared to the other offerings. 

I actually think it looks great in those pics.  When I saw the “brown” online I kinda thought, “eww”   I think it looks great there.   I do love the green tho. 

[SEP1006]

On 2/20/2024 at 1:44 PM, SEP1006 said:

As the others have said above. MANY THANKS to LAB Golf and Golfwrx for this opportunity.

 

I tried a LAB 2.1 Armlock sometime mid last year but never could gain any consistency. Not because of the putter but because of the Armlock Method. It just seemed to me that the Armlock would have to be an easier but obviously it wasn't for me.

 

Like @rooski above I have pretty much always been a good putter. My short game pretty much gets me out of any trouble most of the time. Aside from my trial with the LAB/Armlock putter I have been gaming a PXG One and Done putter. Really like the alignment aids and the way the milled face rolls the ball. So this will definitely be a good battle.

 

So now the DF 3.0 comes out. LAB really knocked it out of the park with the size and looks. Also for me, I REALLY think I'm going to like the heavier option. And what makes this even better is there is a LAB Rep at my club. We spent about 30 minutes on the putting green and came up with the following specs:

 

Color - Blue

Shaft - TPT

Alignment - J ( I thought this was the #9 when I was on the website the other day )

Style - Standard

Head Weight - Heavier

Grip - Press II 1.5* Textured

Shaft - TPT

Length - 35"

Lie - 71*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 3/13/2024 at 8:10 PM, SEP1006 said:

 

Yeh that's the same color I went with as well.

 

On 3/15/2024 at 7:59 PM, SEP1006 said:

 

 

So my putter arrived this afternoon. Got it in time to go to the course today and play 27 holes. Like others have said here (who have the blue) the blue head really pops. Especially in the sunlight, it's a metallic like shine but it doesn't reflect the sun into your eyes. Really like the white alignment aids against the blue as it is very easy to start it out on your intended line.

 

I also have a red DF 3 with an Accra White shaft in it. It is also 35" but it is 75*, aside from that they are basically the same. I bought this one with the 75* lie based on what I usually play. Putted with it for the last 2 weeks and love the way the ball feels off the face.

 

Once I was notified that I had been picked for a review I found out that there is a starter at my club who is a LAB Rep. I got with him and we did a fitting on the practice putting green. Putted with him watching and making adjustments. After about 30 minutes both he and I were convinced that a 71* was best. And boy was he right, he did a great job. I am so much more comfortable at a 71* lie.

 

Here are the main differences in the two aside from lie angle:

Red - Accra shaft and total weight is 559 grams. Very soft muted feel off the putter face.

 

Blue - TPT shaft and total weight is 569 grams. Right at 10 grams heavier, which obviously has to be the shaft. But I really like the feel of the extra 10 grams. The feel isn't quite as soft off the face but it's definitely not harsh in any way.

 

They both put a fantastic roll on the ball which start out end over end with no hopping. You can hit the ball anywhere on the face and it pretty much ends up in the same place. TO ME this is the biggest benefit over any other putter I've tried. The smaller head is awesome and a huge plus over the DF 2.1. As others have also stated you can now pick up the ball with the hole in the back as well. 

 

Hopefully if it doesn't rain tonight we will play 36 tomorrow. 

 

Stay tuned for more comments. Until then here is a pic of the 2 side by side:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 3/16/2024 at 4:49 PM, SEP1006 said:

Played 27 holes this morning using both the red head/Accra shaft DF3 and the blue head/TPT shaft. Used the red the first 9 holes and the blue for the last 18 holes. Was pretty cloudy today but both colors really look good against the green grass on the greens.

 

I know a lot of guys have asked this about the feel difference between the 2 shafts. I know feel is subjective but TO ME the Accra shaft continues to give a soft/muted feel. While the TPT is still soft, it's just not quite as soft. You can definitely feel the ball contact a little better.

 

As far as consistency, it's ridiculous. You can hit these putters ANYWHERE on the face and the ball rolls end over end. And whether you hit it in the middle, on the toe, or on the heel. The balls roll pretty much the same distance, easily within 6" of each other.

 

LAB really did a great job with the new smaller size as well. The DF 2 always felt like I was putting with a branding iron. The DF 3 is a perfect compact size and very easy to look down at.

 

The DF 2 I had was an armlock putter. So my only concern with the DF 3 was the grip. I have never been a hands pressed forward putter. It was recommended to me to go with the Press II 1.5* grip so I did. Went with the textured grip and it is perfect. I putt with the pencil grip and my hands are very comfortable.

 

As much as I love the roll that the PXG milled face putters (which I've been using for years) put on the ball the DF 3 is even better. Can't believe I'm saying this but you will soon see my PXG putter on the BST.

 

Supposed to get a lot of rain tomorrow and my club is closed on Mondays. I have Grandpa duty Tue, Wed and Thursday. I will have more to report Friday evening hopefully.

 

I will definitely get some pics of both of them on the green the next time I play. 

 

 

 

 

 

So got relieved from Grandpa duty early today and got out for a quick 18. These putters are just so d*&n good it's not even funny. Great look, feel and the roll is just unbelievable. 

 

Took some time out on one of the greens and took more pics as promised. You can really see the looks of the TPT shaft in the sun. As well as how much the blue head pops in the sun.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 20 by SEP1006

[Minarets]

Any more differences in the shafts that you’ve noticed? Which do you prefer? 

Edited March 20 by Minarets

[SEP1006]

22 minutes ago, Minarets said:

Any more differences in the shafts that you’ve noticed? Which do you prefer? 

 

From my end there isn't much difference at all. The TPT shaft definitely has a "not as soft" feel but nothing harsh. We all know feel is subjective but my golf buddies were saying the same thing. I know I've read on here where some guys say they can feel where (heel, toe, center) the putter head makes contact with the face. Maybe this is what I feel, just hard to describe.

 

The Accra shaft has a very soft/muted feel while still being a solid strike. 

 

TO ME both putters put the same roll on the ball. Just so good, end over end with no hopping and easily on the intended line.

 

 

 

 

 

[Minarets]

11 minutes ago, SEP1006 said:

 

From my end there isn't much difference at all. The TPT shaft definitely has a "not as soft" feel but nothing harsh. We all know feel is subjective but my golf buddies were saying the same thing. I know I've read on here where some guys say they can feel where (heel, toe, center) the putter head makes contact with the face. Maybe this is what I feel, just hard to describe.

 

The Accra shaft has a very soft/muted feel while still being a solid strike. 

 

TO ME both putters put the same roll on the ball. Just so good, end over end with no hopping and easily on the intended line.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks.  I’m still using my DF2.1.  Been a user since 2017. A real OG, lol. Back when I got made fun of on the regular for carrying one of these.  I do prefer the feel of the stock head/shaft combo from the store to my DF2.1. Much more muted feel/sound.  I have the KBS GPS shaft in my 2.1.  Had a BGT originally.   Keep thinking I’ll go Accra but I do have some FOMO on shafts but having a hard time wrapping my head around a $300 premium from the TPT, especially since I’m seeking softer feel.  My other putter is a white hot OG 7 bird so I like soft putters.  
 

thanks for your thoughts.  They look good. 

[coreyhr]

@Drrussell Could you see how your DF 2.1 headcover fits on the DF 3 and if it's way too big? If I had one tiny critique, it would be that the DF 3 headcover fits just a little too snug for my liking. I'm guessing it will stretch out and loosen up over time though. 

[wcbjr]

Regarding the ill-fitting, too small headcover, I've tried to contact Lab via their online form and also an email reply to my original order, have not heard anything back.  Might be time to look at one from Delilah.

 

update: Lab is sending a new cover out free of charge.  Maybe they are keeping an eye on this thread.

Edited March 20 by wcbjr

[molecularman]

I wonder if there was a batch that was sewn or cut just slightly wrong.  I haven't had any issues with my headcover,  it fits perfectly.

I will say though,  I do wish the embroidery was color matched to the putter.  That would be next level!

[molecularman]

2 hours ago, wcbjr said:

 

update: Lab is sending a new cover out free of charge.  Maybe they are keeping an eye on this thread.

They definitely are.  Calvin reached back out to me regarding the finish blems I reported.  It seems like he was the one handling all the orders and it just slipped by.  We are all humans, it happens.   I did ask him what the process would be for a normal customer if that happens.  I'll update my original post if I hear back about that. 
 

[coreyhr]

2 hours ago, molecularman said:

I wonder if there was a batch that was sewn or cut just slightly wrong.  I haven't had any issues with my headcover,  it fits perfectly.

I will say though,  I do wish the embroidery was color matched to the putter.  That would be next level!

In my case, it could very well be the fact that I've never used a center shafted type putter for more than a couple rounds. So I'm not used to having to secure two flaps instead of just one. It may just boil down to being a lazy, first world problem for me in the fact that it's much harder for me to use only one hand to secure the magnets. Haha

[JWilfred]

6 hours ago, molecularman said:

I wonder if there was a batch that was sewn or cut just slightly wrong.  I haven't had any issues with my headcover,  it fits perfectly.

I will say though,  I do wish the embroidery was color matched to the putter.  That would be next level!

 

 

Lab Golf, if you are reading, please do this!!!

[prouse25]

On 3/19/2024 at 9:24 PM, SEP1006 said:

 

 

 

 

 

So got relieved from Grandpa duty early today and got out for a quick 18. These putters are just so d*&n good it's not even funny. Great look, feel and the roll is just unbelievable. 

 

Took some time out on one of the greens and took more pics as promised. You can really see the looks of the TPT shaft in the sun. As well as how much the blue head pops in the sun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I went with the same color / shaft combo today.  I have every LAB putter iteration with the exception of the LINK.1 - going all the way back to the original DF.  They just flat out perform.  

[Drrussell]

9 hours ago, coreyhr said:

@Drrussell Could you see how your DF 2.1 headcover fits on the DF 3 and if it's way too big? If I had one tiny critique, it would be that the DF 3 headcover fits just a little too snug for my liking. I'm guessing it will stretch out and loosen up over time though. 

The DF3 headcover is a little tight, but I noticed that when I go to insert it, if I don’t make sure it actually goes in on both sides then it’s a problem. However, the DF3 head cover is bigger for sure. I will take a picture of the headcover comparison tomorrow when I get back.

 

on the plus side, I got out to another course today and they also just aerated. I was making such good rolls today again. I expect I will get out for 18 tomorrow. Hopefully, tomorrow I will get true greens. 
 

 

 

[ccape0328]

First off I’d just like to again give a huge thanks to @labgolf & @GolfWRX_Official for this great opportunity!

 

I finally got my hands on my DF3 today! I was able to get on the course with it this afternoon and here are a few brief thoughts so far.

 

The fit and finish is second to none as it should be for a high end product such as this.  The anodizing is free of any imperfections and looks great.  I was concerned about the alignment marks not showing up well on the Platinum color way but I never had an issue with seeing it in the sun today.

 

The head cover is a big step up IMO over the DF2.1’s head cover.  The quality is there and it looks great.  I’m also a huge fan of the 2 degree pistol grip. 

 

The feel off of the putter is a little different vs the pure roll insert and white hot insert I’ve been using.  It’s not really soft like a face insert but still has a good feel.  

 

The TPT shaft feels extremely stable and provides a good bit of feel to let you know where you’ve hit the ball on the face.

 

 

 

Once I was able to get it outside and roll a few putts I realized it was going to be a learning curve compared to my Odyssey Versa 3T that I’ve been putting with.  I have putted with face balanced putters for the last 10 years or so and just recently in the last few months went to the slant neck putter with some toe hang.  I’m left eye dominant but right handed so some putters are easier to naturally align than others.  The Versa has been great for me in that regard having the black and white lines as I use the face of the putter to aim.

I putted with it a good bit on the practice green and kept naturally wanting to aim the putter left of my intended line.  I decided to go out with a few buddies and play 18 to see how it would do on course.  The first 12-13 holes were pretty tough with me missing some putts inside 5’ that I normally don’t miss.  I tried moving the ball forward and back in my stance but just couldn’t get a good grasp on it.   I was struggling to get the putter on my intended line so I started to really focus on the alignment aid and use it to aim with vs aiming the face (crazy concept I know).  I putted pretty well the last few holes and went to the putting green when we got done playing to really try to get everything dialed in.

 

I found that running the shaft in the center of my feet with the ball towards my front foot produced the best results for me.  I also used the “thumbs off” drill that LAB recommends to get a feel of letting the putter do its thing vs me trying to control the stroke.  After probably 30 minutes of putting I got where I was comfortable with the putter and really putting well with it.  Hopefully this confidence will translate on to the golf course!

 

Here are a few shots of the putter from this evening and a few short videos as well.  Feel free to ask any questions and I’ll answer everything to the best of my ability!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 21 by ccape0328

[Arlin964]

On 3/17/2024 at 3:14 PM, Arlin964 said:

That blue looks so dang good. I think that has convinced me to go blue whenever I decide to place an order. 

Only took three days before I submitted my order. Delayed gratification is not a strong suit lol. 

[Minarets]

6 hours ago, ccape0328 said:

First off I’d just like to again give a huge thanks to @labgolf & @GolfWRX_Official for this great opportunity!

 

I finally got my hands on my DF3 today! I was able to get on the course with it this afternoon and here are a few brief thoughts so far.

 

The fit and finish is second to none as it should be for a high end product such as this.  The anodizing is free of any imperfections and looks great.  I was concerned about the alignment marks not showing up well on the Platinum color way but I never had an issue with seeing it in the sun today.

 

The head cover is a big step up IMO over the DF2.1’s head cover.  The quality is there and it looks great.  I’m also a huge fan of the 2 degree pistol grip. 

 

The feel off of the putter is a little different vs the pure roll insert and white hot insert I’ve been using.  It’s not really soft like a face insert but still has a good feel.  

 

The TPT shaft feels extremely stable and provides a good bit of feel to let you know where you’ve hit the ball on the face.

 

 

 

Once I was able to get it outside and roll a few putts I realized it was going to be a learning curve compared to my Odyssey Versa 3T that I’ve been putting with.  I have putted with face balanced putters for the last 10 years or so and just recently in the last few months went to the slant neck putter with some toe hang.  I’m left eye dominant but right handed so some putters are easier to naturally align than others.  The Versa has been great for me in that regard having the black and white lines as I use the face of the putter to aim.

I putted with it a good bit on the practice green and kept naturally wanting to aim the putter left of my intended line.  I decided to go out with a few buddies and play 18 to see how it would do on course.  The first 12-13 holes were pretty tough with me missing some putts inside 5’ that I normally don’t miss.  I tried moving the ball forward and back in my stance but just couldn’t get a good grasp on it.   I was struggling to get the putter on my intended line so I started to really focus on the alignment aid and use it to aim with vs aiming the face (crazy concept I know).  I putted pretty well the last few holes and went to the putting green when we got done playing to really try to get everything dialed in.

 

I found that running the shaft in the center of my feet with the ball towards my front foot produced the best results for me.  I also used the “thumbs off” drill that LAB recommends to get a feel of letting the putter do its thing vs me trying to control the stroke.  After probably 30 minutes of putting I got where I was comfortable with the putter and really putting well with it.  Hopefully this confidence will translate on to the golf course!

 

Here are a few shots of the putter from this evening and a few short videos as well.  Feel free to ask any questions and I’ll answer everything to the best of my ability!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looks great.  Great vids and good timing.  Sunset looked nice.  A smooth stroke with the DF3 as well. Damn that TPT looks good.  

[ccape0328]

1 hour ago, Minarets said:

Looks great.  Great vids and good timing.  Sunset looked nice.  A smooth stroke with the DF3 as well. Damn that TPT looks good.  

Thanks man! Best time of day to be on the golf course!

[coreyhr]

Finally got some outdoor practice time yesterday afternoon and was able to play 5 holes as well. Here's just a couple of things that stood out after getting it outside for the first time. I'm going wait until a couple of rounds are under my belt before writing my full review. Planning on a couple of money matches this weekend to really be able to stress test it.

 

Left to right putts: Left to right putts are something that have plagued me my entire life of playing golf (as a righty). I've always tended to fan those and not release the putter properly. It's insane how often I miss low side when there's any considerable left to right break. I'm a very handsy player in my golf swing and rely on timing at the bottom (unfortunately), and this I think bleeds in to my putting stroke as well. I produce a lot of face rotation with the blade opening up a significant amount in the backstroke and thus having to close it back at impact. I suspect that's why I miss so many left-to-righters on the low side. I'm not able to properly get the face back to square on those, for whatever reason. Now I don't know if it was beginners luck or fundamentally something with the lack of torque in the DF 3, but it was wild how much of an easier time I was having with left-to-righters. I think the reduction in face rotation had me starting the ball on line much better. I was not seeing any of those weak, low side misses. It could also be aided by better alignment with the "T" alignment aide on the DF 3. When using the line on the golf ball to line up the putt, I found myself really being confident on my pre-putt alignment. So if you struggle with left-to-righters, you might want to look hard at a LAB putter.

 

Feel and Sound: I've had many a putter that felt and sounded much different outdoors than inside on my putting mat. I'm happy to report that this is not the case with the DF 3. I love everything about the muted sound and solid feel this thing produces. It matched exactly what I was seeing indoors. I'm also very impressed with the forgiveness, you can strike this thing pretty much anywhere on the face and see very similar results. I will say however, that I found myself hitting this thing out of the middle on a repeated basis. I love the TPT paired with the heavy head of the counterbalance model. It's just so easy to make the same stroke time and again. The TPT shaft also seems to really take out any vibration on longer lag putts, which I love. I've had other counterbalance putters that on those longer 50' or so lag putts you could really feel the vibration of the head at impact due to the speed at which the putt had to be struck. That's not the case with the TPT and DF 3. Even when you get out to those longer distances and start making lengthier strokes, it feels just as solid as it does at 5 feet. 

 

Speed: The only thing I struggled with just a touch initially was speed. I seemed to be hitting everything a little harder than normal. I faired much better on uphill putts. The downhill testers gave me a little more trouble in not hitting the putt too hard. This could be due to the fact that I've been using a Jailbird 380 microhinge insert for a couple months now, which feels like a marshmallow. But I did take a couple of my conventional milled putters with me yesterday to compare and was better with speed with those. I think this is something that will just require a little more time to adjust to. The torque free aspect of the DF 3 is just much different than what I'm use to. My plan now is to not touch anything else besides the DF 3 for the foreseeable future. I think doing so will allow me to really dial the speed in.

[Carolina Golfer 2]

10 hours ago, ccape0328 said:

First off I’d just like to again give a huge thanks to @labgolf & @GolfWRX_Official for this great opportunity!

 

I finally got my hands on my DF3 today! I was able to get on the course with it this afternoon and here are a few brief thoughts so far.

 

The fit and finish is second to none as it should be for a high end product such as this.  The anodizing is free of any imperfections and looks great.  I was concerned about the alignment marks not showing up well on the Platinum color way but I never had an issue with seeing it in the sun today.

 

The head cover is a big step up IMO over the DF2.1’s head cover.  The quality is there and it looks great.  I’m also a huge fan of the 2 degree pistol grip. 

 

The feel off of the putter is a little different vs the pure roll insert and white hot insert I’ve been using.  It’s not really soft like a face insert but still has a good feel.  

 

The TPT shaft feels extremely stable and provides a good bit of feel to let you know where you’ve hit the ball on the face.

 

 

 

Once I was able to get it outside and roll a few putts I realized it was going to be a learning curve compared to my Odyssey Versa 3T that I’ve been putting with.  I have putted with face balanced putters for the last 10 years or so and just recently in the last few months went to the slant neck putter with some toe hang.  I’m left eye dominant but right handed so some putters are easier to naturally align than others.  The Versa has been great for me in that regard having the black and white lines as I use the face of the putter to aim.

I putted with it a good bit on the practice green and kept naturally wanting to aim the putter left of my intended line.  I decided to go out with a few buddies and play 18 to see how it would do on course.  The first 12-13 holes were pretty tough with me missing some putts inside 5’ that I normally don’t miss.  I tried moving the ball forward and back in my stance but just couldn’t get a good grasp on it.   I was struggling to get the putter on my intended line so I started to really focus on the alignment aid and use it to aim with vs aiming the face (crazy concept I know).  I putted pretty well the last few holes and went to the putting green when we got done playing to really try to get everything dialed in.

 

I found that running the shaft in the center of my feet with the ball towards my front foot produced the best results for me.  I also used the “thumbs off” drill that LAB recommends to get a feel of letting the putter do its thing vs me trying to control the stroke.  After probably 30 minutes of putting I got where I was comfortable with the putter and really putting well with it.  Hopefully this confidence will translate on to the golf course!

 

Here are a few shots of the putter from this evening and a few short videos as well.  Feel free to ask any questions and I’ll answer everything to the best of my ability!

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_1664.mov 11.5 MB · 5 downloads

 

 

 

IMG_1666.mov 8.87 MB · 3 downloads

 

Fantastic picture...and video!    

Love what I hear from sound.   How far was that 2nd putt guessing maybe 15 to 20 feet?    I won't ask how many takes it took...LOL  Well done!

[Drrussell]

23 hours ago, coreyhr said:

@Drrussell Could you see how your DF 2.1 headcover fits on the DF 3 and if it's way too big? If I had one tiny critique, it would be that the DF 3 headcover fits just a little too snug for my liking. I'm guessing it will stretch out and loosen up over time though. 

Here are the two head covers side by side. The DF3 does fit into the DF2.1 headcover with no problem, but it’s loose.  Looking at the covers, I much prefer the tighter fit of the DF3 cover, but you definitely have to make sure the head is all the way pushed in so that the magnetic strip clicks.