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Who I am – MGS Tester Introduction My name is Chris and welcome. I am a 65 year old male and I live with my artist wife Sue and two huskies in Oakville, in the greater Toronto area in Ontario, Canada. To put things into perspective the province of Ontario is 1.5 times larger than the state of Texas and 4 times the size of the U.K. Why I am testing: I am very grateful to MGS and L.A.B. and excited by this opportunity. I am keen to see if the L.A.B. DF3 and its lie angle balance approach to putter design works as claimed. It was designed to eliminate torque and produce a repeatable swing. The DF3 is the smaller, sleeker version of its bigger brother, the directed force, DF2, but does it deliver the goods? It has gained significant traction on tour and begs the question of how it stacks up to my fitted reference putter(s). VERSUS But this is no ordinary Evnroll. It has been fitted and modified with a stability tour shaft and an Evnroll gravity grip. For more information on this and my putting statistics, see, What am I looking for in the L.A.B. DF3: I gave a lot of thought on how I would test this if given the opportunity before applying. I am a fairly decent putter averaging 31 to 32 putts per round based on my Arccos data. If it proves to deliver the putter more consistently to the ball and results in more one putts, less three putts and overall, less putts per round, it will be a candidate to go in the bag permanently. I am particularly interested in how it performs from 10’ feet and in. Does it offer good value for the money? My putter testing protocol including testing on Quintic to follow in a separate post. Moreover, thorough testing of the L.A.B. DF3 will focus me on improving my putting and working on my putting drills. So thankyou MyGolfSpy. Making those short putts is critical. Who I am: I am driven by challenges and the constant need to learn and improve and I’m passionate in what I do. I am also data driven and analytical in nature. Needless to say, I am a golf, data and equipment junkie. I have had many careers. After graduate school, I did medical research looking at factors involved in preterm labour. I then moved onto organ donation and transplantation, eventually running the organ donation program based out of Toronto General Hospital. Toronto General hospital (TGH) is one of the premier transplant centres and hospitals in the world. They pioneered both successful single and double lung transplantation in the eighties. I had the distinct pleasure of working in multi organ transplant in the early days (80’s/90’s) and worked with many brilliant and incredibly smart people. Where the driving principle was you do what’s best for the patient and what does the data show. What is the source of that data, is it evidence based, is it fair, balanced, and non promotional in nature. You had to know your stuff and be prepared for anything. Back then it was routine to work 24-36 hours straight procuring and transplanting organs. Think of the guy getting off the Lear jet in OR greens with a cooler. I was that guy. I’ve been in every teaching hospital and most ICU’s (intensive care units) across Canada and many in the US. No frequent flyer miles I’m driven by the need to learn, push myself and enjoy what I do. I then transitioned to career 3, moving to the “dark side” starting with Wyeth and then Pfizer in their Rare Disease group and the launch of Rapamycin for organ transplantation. So, I stayed in transplant, interacted with all the people I worked with for many years, although now in a different capacity. If you’re going to go to industry, it’s the best way to go. Over time, bleeding disorders (hemophilia) and growth disorders were added to my portfolio but the same guiding principle of doing what’s best for the patient and what does the data actually show, guided me. Career 4, presented itself during the pandemic and the opportunity to take early retirement with no more Zoom calls and the opportunity to be a full time golf aficionado and pickleball player was too irresistible to pass up. My other passions are building, home renovation and cooking. When I was young, I bought a water access shell of a cottage as my first property. Not being handy at the time, I proceeded to take courses in construction, carpentry, electrical and plumbing. I then proceeded to completely wire the cottage, plumb it, insulate it, drywall, install flooring, build the kitchen, bathroom, etc. I’ve built and rebuilt docks, decks, so hence the handyman moniker. There’s not much I can’t do, although with age comes wisdom. Golf: I have been playing golf on and off for 40 plus years. After not playing golf for 10+ years, I got back into golf at the age of 60. I was inspired by a friend who once said, golf is the only game you can play for 30 years and never improve. When I thought about it, it is rather true, so I was determined to do it right the second time around. At the time I was about a 25ish handicap. Hence lessons, fitted equipment and diligent practice. I was inspired again when I went to Tour Experience Golf (TXG) 5+ years ago and came out not only with expertly fitted and built clubs, but many new friends. I now go at least twice a year to tweak my setup. My current handicap is 6.3, but I have been as low as 4 or high as 8.5. Most of my rounds are in the 78 - 82 range. My home course is TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley featuring 3 courses all ranked within the top 60 courses in Canada and all 3 in the top 20 public courses in Canada. TPC Sawgrass, I’m the guy in the middle in the blue and black. I love scenic, challenging courses, especially mountain or coastal courses. What drives me is hitting good shots and being consistent. My philosophy is if you hit good shots the score will “usually” take care of itself. If you don’t like the score, play better. I am competitive, however, I play more for the joy of the game. I strive to improve each year and keep father time at bay. Now, my day job is golf, pickleball and my two huskies. Myah (front) and Hazel (rear) Thank you for your patience and understanding in reading my introduction. Unboxing and Initial impressions of the L.A.B. DF3, aka the Lab Rat The L.A.B. DF3 putter has arrived and the blue Lab Rat is in the house. Overall: An excellent opening start to testing of the L.A.B. DF3. This is one seriously good putter. Great weight, feel and balance. Alignment and distance control were outstanding. Precision and accuracy are the two words that keep coming up when I think of this putter and the results convey that. Very similar putting stats versus my historical 50 round average, although with subtle and slight differences. Where I have already seen a difference is a slight positive trend in strokes gained as well as an increase in one putts. No three putts after two rounds. Is it ready to replace my Evnroll in the bag? Ah, not so fast. We’re still a long way, many more rounds and much testing from there. However, an intriguing and impressive opening start with the L.A.B. DF3 Score 15/15 Initial impressions. This is a premium, very high quality and very well built putter. Great balance, weight and feel. It sits beautifully and feels very smooth. The TPT shaft is premium and gorgeous. Love the pistol grip. Overall, this putter is stunning and gorgeous. Very impressed with L.A.B. and this putter. The looks of this putter are intoxicating. To get a custom hand built and balanced putter from the west coast in a week is insanely crazy and fast. Unboxing link First round and initial impressions link And without further ado a live unboxing of the L.A.B. Putter and initial reaction. It’s short and only 90 seconds. Looks: the DF3 is noticeably sleeker and significantly smaller than the DF2.1 In person, the putter, while still unique looking, is gorgeous. You grow to love its unique and intoxicating looks. However, the DF3 is still a large putter. It didn’t take long (first hole) for someone to say, what the hell is that. It’s a L.A.B. A what? But of course, they had to try it. Sound: Soft, but firm muted feel little higher in pitch than the Evnroll. Alignment: Exceptional alignment, very easy to align with line on my ball, Callaway Chrome soft X LS triple track Feel, weight and balance: Great feel, weight and balance. Love how it’s sits and lies. The stroke is very smooth. It provided great feedback and was very consistent, precise Shaft/grip: Impressed by the feedback provided by LAB / TPT shaft. Very stable and instant feedback. Pistol grip felt super comfortable and felt great in my hands Distance control: excellent, almost made a 60’ missed by 3 inch phenomenal feel and control. Impressed from long distance. It was very consistent, no 3 putts, 5 one putts in a round where I had 4 putts of 50’ or more longish putts. Stats: Puttings stats (Arccos data) for round. Played TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley on the newly and extensively renovated North course. In short, this is now a championship level course. Overall, 31 putts, 5 single putts and 13 two putts. No 3 putts. VERSUS (Evnroll/Stability/Gravity grip combination) - Historical Control My putting statistics from Arccos over the last 50 rounds compared to a 0 handicap Comments: inside 5’ felt almost automatic, within 10’ also very good. As the round progressed, I felt more and more confident I could consistently make putts 10’ and less. I made several long putts. Another nice little touch, the hole in the putter makes it easy to pick up the ball, also known as the gimme getter. The first few holes, I left putts uncharacteristically short by 3-4’. At this point, my wife commented you putt better with the Evnroll. Well the LAB heard that and then began to show its mettle. I felt that once you get the proper read, set your alignment and then all you need to do is just get the ball rolling along its intended line. Basically, take it back with your usual stroke and then let the putter do its thing. Nice start to the testing of the DF3.

It is no secret that L.A.B. Golf has taken off because of multiple wins on the PGA Tour and a greater professional presence overall. Its success in MyGolfSpy testing and the hype around the newly released L.A.B. DF3 has only increased its notoriety. What Is L.A.B.? L.A.B. stands for Lie Angle Balance. These putters, unlike other putters, are not toe-hang or face balanced. They are balanced to point at the target, meaning no twisting, no struggling to keep the face directed at the target—the putter does this naturally. As each golfer is unique in their putting stance and stroke, the fitting process for L.A.B. is crucial. L.A.B. has made this easy by way of their online submission. A simple step-by-step process is sent to L.A.B. and they use this video to dial in your specifications. L.A.B. is best known for their big and unique-looking DF 2.1, a putter that has many nicknames and certainly does not appeal to all golfers. This is where the DF3 comes in. Please welcome and congratulate our testers! @jbern @MattWillGolf @CFreddie @Cfhandyman @GolfSpy MPR @Steve F

Introduction Thank you to L.A.B. Golf and the MGS Forum for this unbelievable opportunity to test the new L.A.B. DF3 putter! As a husband and father of 3 young children (Ages are 6, 4 and 1.5 years old) my main job is reading children’s books in funny voices and expertly applying superglue and packaging tape to broken toys! I have a side gig in building creative (and mostly safe) obstacle courses for the kids to jump around on. As a family, we also like going on hikes and bike rides. The photo below is from a local hike that has a viewing/learning area about farms and crops and their various growth stages (my wife and I decided not to put our kids on any social media, so you’ll just get the backs of their heads ) We live in an area of Southern Michigan that is known for having a lot of lakes, so we try to spend a lot of time in and around the water (in the summertime) in this beautiful area. It's also a great area for golf and there are at least 12 golf courses within 20 minutes. My day job is working as an electrical protection engineer for generating facilities throughout the state of Michigan, protecting the people and equipment within the facilities. It’s an incredibly interesting job and I’ve enjoyed it for the last 10 years! As far as golfing goes, I started golf when I was 14 and played on the H.S. golf team. My peak handicap was 5 during that time. After high school I almost never golfed, playing 7 times over 15 years. I got hooked again in the fall of 2021 and haven’t looked back. I got my first ever fitting in the fall of ’22. I’m a proud member of the pushcart mafia and walk every chance I get (check out the Clicgear 4.0 review thread; in ‘23, I had lower scores when walking)! I’ve put in quite a bit of practice to get my HCP from 17 in ’21 to my current HCP of 7.4. Putting has improved, but my golf game has traditionally gone as my driver goes and putting has always been my biggest weakness. Being a weak putter, L.A.B. golf putters have been of obvious interest to me, and there seems to be excitement around these putters in everyone from professionals to weekend warriors. I love that they're using technology and engineering to try to make putting easier. I’ve had about 100 different combinations of L.A.B. putters in my cart over the past year or so! That being said, I have never rolled a single putt with a L.A.B. putter… yet! I did a putter fitting in '22 and it was based on my static measurements and my putting stroke style. My putting stroke is straight-back straight-through so they recommended a mallet, face-balanced putter that is 33.25" long putter with a lie angle of 69*. We'll see what LAB recommends via their online fitting! My current gamer putter is a Sub70 AL-6 armlock putter that is 39.5" long with a lie angle of 72*. I did an unofficial review last year of the putter and switching to armlock. You can see the review here. I had significant improvement switching to armlock! VS. Over the course of this test, I plan on putting the LAB DF3 through it’s paces in 3 main ways: The key testing method is going to be on the course. Before switching to the AL-6 armlock, my average putts per round was 38.7 putts. With the armlock putter over the last 9 months my average putts per round is 34.1. Will the LAB DF3 improve my putts per round? I’m going to keep more detailed records on my putting than ever before (e.g. length of putt, make/miss, long/short, left/right, confidence over putt). Tempo has been something that I’ve struggled with, so it’s what I practice most at home and so far that has consisted of rolling putts in my living room using a ruler to gauge my takeaway length and a mirror to keep setup consistent. This setup is easy, has worked and I’d like to see how quickly I establish a good tempo with the DF3. I will also be using the EXputt putting simulator, which should be arriving any day now, to compare my armlock putter stroke to the DF3 and get data on face, path, and speed control. As a side test, I’m hoping to go to a true putter fitting experience and get their thoughts on the DF3 vs. my gamer armlock AL-6 putter. I also want to answer the following questions: How long does it take to get used to the L.A.B. style of putting? Is going from armlock style to L.A.B. style more difficult than my transition from normal to armlock? Do I like the looks/feel/sound of the putter? How was the fitting and ordering process? Thanks again to the MGS Forum staff and L.A.B. Golf! Let us know if you have any questions that you’d like answered throughout this test! Fitting Experience In order to be fit properly for a L.A.B. putter, length and lie angle are critical. LAB has a system on their website (with detailed instructions) to submit videos of a single putting stroke online (video should be 3-5 seconds). From there, they analyze the video and provide fitting results via email. Our fitting results were delayed because of a hiccup in the computer system where they lost all video submittals. My fitting results took 12 days to receive. Below is the video I submitted: My fitting results came back with a length of 32.5" and a lie of 70*. At this point, I was able to respond back to the fitters at LAB with all of my questions. I had questions about the counterbalance option, alignment aids, shaft options, grip options, and the fact that 32.5" length is unusually short for someone 5'9". Their responses were quick and thorough! To sum up the replies, because my gamer putter is an armlock that has a putter head weight of 400g, they recommended the heavy head and the counterbalance option. The TPT shaft was recommended because it's the best at removing inconsistencies most golfers struggle with. For alignment lines, LAB replied that they are personal preference and can be combined if they don't overlap. I knew that I wanted lines from front to back, but also wanted something unique. See the final result below. Unboxing/Initial Photos The counterbalance option with the TPT shaft and Garsen Quad Tour 17 grip I spec’d out at 36.5" long and 70* lie angle. I decided on the blue DF3 color, with alignment lines: I (two lines), X (LAB logo), & G (line all the way to the back). This thing looks !!! Below is the unboxing video I recorded as fast as possible after receiving the DF3 from FedEx! All of the testers decided to name their DF3 putters and I landed on 'Dory' because she's blue (like my DF3), has short term memory loss (necessary attribute for putting), and always finds a way to get things accomplished! Here are the initial photos of Dory right after the Unboxing! I cannot wait to get this thing out on the course and put it to the test! First impressions coming soon...

After a brief offseason, the VCT is back!!!!! Buckle up buckaroos, we have some changes to the format. Here are the pertinent details: Start Date: 4-22-24 End Date: 10-6-24 The season will run 24 weeks for season 3, rather than a full calendar year, unlike season 2. End of Season Tournament: 10-14-24 through 11-3-24 For the offseason, we will still have a weekly leaderboard for those that live in year-round golfing climates, but the main competition for next off season will be a SIM league we are developing that will run through the winter months. Details to come. Format Change: We are instituting a Flight System, and will breakdown as follows: Flight I - + to 5 Flight II - 6 to 10 Flight III - 11 to 15 Flight IV - 16 to 20 Flight V - 21 to 25 Flight VI - 26+ How are the flights determined? To avoid any confusion regarding course handicaps or allegations of sandbaggery, with each round posted we will be asking for the following information: Member Name Course Name Gross Score Course Slope Course Rating # of Actual Eagles or Birdies Longest Drive Distance The gross score, slope, and rating will be added to a spread sheet each week and after week 5, each participant that submitted enough rounds will be given their VCT handicap and assigned to one of the flights above. Once the flights have been established, a scoring system will be used to give points to each member based on where their best score places them within their flight for the week. Also, there is a wrinkle I have decided to add: We will have in season Promotion and Relegation within the flights. Each golfer gets 2 passes, where they exceed their handicap i.e. a Flight III golfer shoots a PB 74, without consequence. After the 2 passes are used, a PB round of 74 would earn them a promotion to Flight II. Conversely, there will be 2 passes for blow-up rounds, after which a golfer will be relegated to a lower flight, i.e a Flight II golfer posts an 89, after using their 2 passes they would be relegated to Flight III. A fascinating sidebar to this will be watching members rise through the flights, as their games improve over the course of a season, so there will be a trophy room badge given in the EOS awards for the highest riser. There will also be weekly badges given in each flight for top finisher, # of actual birdies or better, and longest drive. However, we have done away with bonus points for the birdie or long drives. The points for the season will be based solely on finishing order within each flight. A points standings will be made available with the flight results each week. Caveat: We are still working with the developer on the getting the submission form the way we want it, so the first couple weeks may look similar to last season. I would ask that each score that is posted contain the course slope and rating. I will also accept combined 9 hole scores, as long as each nine has slope and course rating included. Lastly, welcome back! Let's make this the best season yet!!!!

The new Titleist Vokey SM10 wedges were released in March of this year and have been a popular addition to many golfers' bags since. We are looking for four golfers to test, review, and keep a set of Titleist Vokey SM10 wedges. About The Vokey SM10 Wedges MyGolfSpy Staff member Tony Covey has a complete breakdown of the new SM10 wedges here , which is a must-read, but the shorter version is Vokey SM10 is focused on three key elements: versatility, distance control, and trajectory, and maximizing spin. The Vokey SM10 lineup has six different grind options for a total of 25 different loft, bounce, and grind options. This includes the M Grind that had previously only been available through WedgeWorks and T Grind that has also made its way to the retail market. The other options that a golfer must choose from are the finish, and the SM10 has three of them: Tour Chrome, Jet Black, and the new addition Nickel. There’s more though; the Vokey SM10 has refined the shape and CG placement to help optimize distance control and trajectory. This works in tandem with their spin-milled grooves that have groove geometry that varies depending on the loft to maximize spin for each loft. Titleist Wedge Selector Tool Of course, all of this can be a lot to take in, so Titleist offers an online Wedge Selector Tool to help simplify things. It is a series of eight questions which gather various information about your current setup and game to help make the best recommendation on what setup would be best for you. To try it yourself, go here! WEDGE SELECTOR TOOL Please welcome and congratulate our four testers! @HeathS16 @snoopy79 @MIGregB @Chubbs1991

It's a peach!

Good Friday morning! Working on some things at home today while we have a giant hole in the house. Door is being installed for the new deck and the rest of the family is heading to SandFest. Sucks I don't get to go, but we are all super excited about the new deck and family time we will spend on it. Rain forecasted all weekend so we will see if the weatherman is right. Have a great day and hopefully golf is in your forecast.

A good morning to all on a beautiful spring day. Thoroughly enjoying my morning espresso knowing that my L.A.B. putter is still scheduled to be delivered later today. It’s in country, 30 min from my house at the FedEx sort facility. Yippee, with unboxing to follow. And now something a little different. From my artist wife’s gnome collection. Who wins this battle, papa gnome or the fish, fishing with cans of Bud? Have a great day.

Good morning on a community call Thursday! Up way earlier than normal but couldn't sleep. Coffee is being made and working on some things for the RE business that the wife and I are ramping up on some big changes. Fairly busy day and hoping to get a round in this afternoon if the weather holds. Had some good rain all evening and over night. Hope everyone has a great day!

A lot of catching up to do, but I think most of it will just have to wait. Another busy day planned, but is this the coolest table you have seen?

AWESOME DAY! So much to say and will be able to open up everything that is coming in about a week. Very exciting times for the golf indurstry and can't wait to see the HIO main headquarters and fitting studio tomorrow.

Good morning Spies and Happy Friday! I'm proud to say this is my 500th post on the Forum and it feels poetic that it's happening in this thread. This community has become a second home for me over the last nine months or so and I'm very grateful to be a part of it. Cheers to many more posts and years ahead! Not much on the agenda today. Should be a pretty easy workday and I'll be checking out some of the Zurich on the side. Weather supposed to get rainy later on, but at least temps are starting to climb for the weekend. I hope that everyone has a great Friday and if you're lucky enough to be golfing, hit 'em straight!

Happy Thursday all! Pumped that it is another community call day and we have a new guest lined up for two weeks from now. Thrilled for another Live Q&A where you all will have a ton of questions to ask about the insights of their product. Exciting times and looking forward to a great weekend as well!

ah man... wife had a sore breast and had to get a biopsy/mammogram and the doc said it doesn't look good. we await the results of the biopsy in 1-2 days. doing everything I can to remain optimistic and positive.

Good Thursday Morning Spies! Another beautiful Central Florida morning, 67 degrees, clear & sun rising. Walking 18 holes this morning with my golf buddies! Sipping on espresso! Forum Call Day. Have a Great Day Everyone and Hit’em straight ️ Here’s a pic looking down 18th hole at Ventura CC

Good morning All! A beautiful morning here in golf course mecca. Early round scheduled today with a chance for an additional round in the afternoon. Will have to miss the community call this week but hopefully @GolfSpy_APH records it so I can listen in on it later. Happy Birthday @Michael.Sandoval33! May your day be everything you wish it to be. Fairways and greens everyone!

Off to Munich. Full fitting today or tomorrow top to bottom. Managed to pack a pencil bag with shoes, 14 clubs, a few golf balls, tees and gloves for some golf. Worked surprisingly well. Nice to be on the train vs flying. So much more relaxing and none of that security nonsense and waiting endlessly. Will be sure to take plenty of photos and plan to get some videos for @GolfSpy AFG

Good Thursday morning to you MGS Troops! Look what I woke up to. Mother Nature said “No golf for you”! That’s ok, have to head to Denver this morning anyway, but check out the forecast: So awesome!!! Yes, yes it was sarcasm. Sunday is supposed to be better, but I play on Friday at Marianna Butte which is in the foothills of Loveland CO. Friday’s forecast??? Rain and snow. Maybe the VGA will cancel. I’m doubtful. Here’s a throwback Thursday pic for ya on my way out the door. Zoey crushing another girl from Dallas! It was awesome! Happy Snowy Thursday from Wyoming!

The Introduction First off, massive thanks to MGS and L.A.B. Golf for this incredible opportunity - if you’ve been following me since the introduction of the DF3, I’ve had my eye on the DF3 for sometime! My name is Chris, and I currently reside in Atlanta, Georgia, with my wife (of 9 years) and 2 children (5 and 1.5 years). And while we do get (mostly) year-round golf, the busyness of my personal & professional life afford me those precious few rounds of golf during a typical month. However, I hope that's changing in the coming years, as both my wife and oldest are picking up the sport I’ve known & loved for many years. Crossing fingers it sticks! Living in Atlanta, we have a number of “ok” options - mostly munis or semi-private tracks that aren’t maintained that well and / or way too busy. If you get outside, you have better options, but you are looking at a full day of golf / travel, which isn’t the most conducive to having a young family. Regardless, I make it work, and usually focus on planning my next golf trip (these are Tobacco Road & Bandon Dunes, respectively). The Game If you have followed a previous testing thread of mine (Cobra 50th Challenge & Member Test), I’ve been playing golf “most” of my life (most meaning once / year), but didn’t really take it seriously until the world shutdown in 2020 and it was basically the only thing you could do outside. Since then, I’ve gotten the bug, and thrown myself headfirst into the game - first playing with hand me downs from my dad, then getting to build a fully fitted bag from Cobra (thanks again MGS - forever grateful). Currently, I carry a 13.1 handicap, thanks in large part to my recent performance at the end-of-season VCT Tournament (shoutout to my awesome partner @Javs). I’ve been going through some distinct swing changes through an online swing coach / program, and have seen massive gains in my driver down to short irons (shoutout my most excellent collaborator @Preeway). And for the most part, my putter has held its ground (although that’s pretty shaky ground at most times). My current gamer is a Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5.5 (similar head shape to JT / Homa / Cantlay’s putters), which I selected off the rack a couple years ago. The Setup As an engineer (Go Jackets), I’ve been drawn to the L.A.B. concept for some time, and have been a huge fan of Sam / the business he’s built to this point. Prior to being selected, I obsessed over the idea of gaming the DF3 - a putter which I believe combines some of the best aspects of their other models, particularly the stated forgiveness of the DF2.1. And with the ability to create your own “virtual” putter on LAB’s website, I took many liberties in creating a multitude of designs - different color / shaft combinations, grips, and 33 (yes, 33) different alignment options. Is this the one? Stay tuned and see... As I think about this test, I’m planning to breakdown this process in a couple distinctive sections: 1) The Fitting - LAB offers a unique fitting experience that seems to have its fans (and detractors). Lets see what works well, what doesn’t, and how it could be a good option for others considering a LAB in their future. 2) The Numbers - In order to capture the requisite data points, I’m planning to utilize Arccos as my on-course data capture tool, augmenting it with some old-school data capture techniques on my Perfect Practice mat at home and some LM time at a local Club Champion. In addition, I’ll plan to sprinkle in some additional “mini-competitions” on a local putting green, and heck, maybe even another surprise or two (hint - anyone remember a certain Cobra test with flat-sticks last year? ). 3) The Course - Most importantly, the DF3 will be put through its paces on the course - comparing to previously captured results from my Scotty and doing a couple head to head matches with friends of various putting prowess (maybe even a fellow MGS member perhaps?). And with that… The Fitting A unique part of LAB’s model is a remote fitting process, which asks the player to create a short (3-5 second) video, using a door jamb as a reference point, and submit through their website. Yes, its that simple - in a couple days, you get a response from your fitter who can then walk you through your measurements and answer any questions you may have. And boy, did I have questions… The Fitting (Part 2) Unfortunately (or fortunately?), I had to wait a couple more days to get my measurements back from LAB. It seems that my gamer was a bad fit (at least in the eyes of Calvin, LAB’s head fitter) for my height (6’4” gaming a 34” putter), so he asked if I could resend a video with a slightly longer putter. Luckily, being in Atlanta, I have a number of big-box retailers close by - I headed over to my local Golf Galaxy to reshoot my video. After finding a 35.5” Bettinardi to try, I awkwardly got a store associate to shoot a new fitting video (little did he know I would not be purchasing said Betti). Regardless, Calvin was able to use this video to properly spec out my new putter - 35” length with a 68° lie angle (right below “stock”). Speaking of Calvin, as part of this fitting process, I asked if he would be open to conducting a short video on the fitting process, which should hopefully give prospective buyers a (small) look the LAB magic. More importantly, we were able to confirm final specifications for the build, including head color, headweight, shaft, and others. Unboxing & Initial Impressions “RRWWWGG” - Chewie After a couple start & stops with FedEx, Chewie finally arrived this past week - notice me thanking the FedEx driver from afar. As others have noted, LAB definitely goes a long way in protecting their putters - the box was heavily fortified with packing protection, including the actual putter, which shipped with the headcover ON (unfortunately, not every OEM does this, which is still baffling to me). Moving onto the club itself, the headcover has a very premium feel - thick & plush liner with two very strong magnets that enclose on both sides of the shaft. And while the cover is quite tight, I’d imagine it will loosen up a bit over time & use. Here's a comparison to my gamer's headcover - it may be hard to tell but the DF3s inside is much thicker (plus no horrible velcro enclosure). One bummer, my favorite headcover (Seamus from Bandon) won't fit the DF3, which I suspected - given LAB & Seamus are Oregon companies, we need that collaboration to happen STAT. The two pieces of my selection that I went back and forth on was color and alignment aid. And after seeing the putter outside the headcover, I immediately knew I made the right choice on both. First off, the cappuccino color has a very unique finish - semi-matte but with a small bit of reflection and a deep brown color that I’m very drawn to. Here me when I say this - the pictures on the LAB website do not do this color justice - just look at this finish! Second, on the alignment aide - I know most / all of the other testers went with a line, multiple lines, or a combination of multiple aides, but I took a slightly different approach. After conversing with Calvin, my left eye dominance led me to wanting a profile that had little to no distraction, hence ending up with a simple three-dot alignment aide. At the end of the day, I realize these are VERY personal, and I’m super-stoked with my choice (along with the other testers it seems!). And a quick comparison to my gamer at address: While I’m planning to get some course time this weekend, I was able to roll a couple putts on my putting mat. As others have noted, there may be a bit of relearning the putting stroke with the DF3 - the first couple of putts were all pushed right as I was gripping the club in my typical strong grip. However, upon lighting the grip (especially in my thumbs) and “letting the gravity do its thing”, I immediately saw a transition to a true roll from any distance. Maybe the transition won’t take as long as I initially expected… Stay tuned!!!

Happy Friday all! I hope that everything is able to watch as much of the Masters as they like and for all who are out on the course to go low. Looking forward to a relaxing day today and hopefully this weekend with a round booked for Sunday. May miss some of, but not all of the Masters. Got my Newton 5 dot to go test out as well! Oh and I need to get my next Stack session in today as well.

Little wet and rainy round but for some things sorted so feel much better! Now work for the next few hours then back to the course for a quick 6 holes with @ToastedSoul and home for the night!

Out to the Uniontown CC to play 18 today using the Bridgestone mindset RX balls, got a tee time @ 1110, it's a beautiful day Sunny, no rain forecasted and no frost on the pumpkin,. It's already 63* and climbing to a mid 80's day. A longtime friend and former golfer partner moved back to the area and we are getting back to our usual golfing, drinking, eating and great conversation. Have a great day! MyGolfSpy Nation- HITTEM Straight

Good morning everyone! Kind of a rainy, dreary day today. There are showers throughout the day, so it's a good day to be inside and get some work done. The good news is, this weekend looks really nice and my wife already gave me the green light to golf this weekend! She even wants to get out and play on Sunday, which gives me something to look forward to. But for now, we have to make it through the last two days of work. We can do it! I hope you all have a thunderous Thursday!

Good morning everyone. Life has been stupid busy lately which means little time to practice or play. And the weather lately has nixed the little free time I do have. Only have a couple more weeks until school is out and freedom is upon me. Can’t wait. Hope everyone has a great day ahead and crossing fingers I can tune in for a little bit of the community call today as well.

Good Friday morning to one and all, been one of those days so far , awoke at 2:55 and couldn’t capture sleep again so it’s away we go ! 7:30 tee time , my blessed wife’s birthday today so it’s a full day culminating in dinner tonight at her choice. May you all have a super day , be blessed and kind !

It's up! Finally - I amaze myself at the computer work I am able to accomplish considering I am an Ice Technician and not training in all this nonsense. Also would love feedback on the new Newsletter (sorry yesterday was a broken morning so the old one went out) However we are working hard on providing a better newseltter for all to experience! It took about 4 months to build - lots of bs along the way - but happy with how it has turned out. Let us know what you think! Hope the coffee is hot and everyone is enjoying their days!

Good morning Spies on this Community Call and First Round at the Masters Thursday from a wet Michigan. Raining here, and supposedly lasting all day today through tomorrow morning. Although we can use the rain and I don't have golf plans until the weekend, not a big deal to me. Hope you get the t/stat and wiring issue resolved @cksurfdude, a lot of great advice, but with you knowing exactly how the house heating is laid out, you will make the best decision for yourself. Hope that all here have the best day they possibly can, that something fun and enjoyable may be in your plans, and hope to see many on the Community Call later today,

Good morning spies! What an exciting week this is in the world of all things Golf and MGS! So many testing opportunities, and so many new members!!! The next few days will be bringing typical April storms down here, which means I may only be able to get 9 in this morning before GC duties today. Hope everyone gets through Humpday with ease!

Not as much what I bought, but what I won during a Masters giveaway on Instagram from Jesusofgolf! Thank you Scottie for shooting -11 and the random draw out of three for the win! Was able to get a Ventus TR Blue 6X as well, which is the shaft I play in my TSi3. Can't wait to see how the Darkspeed X does on the course! Just a few teaser photos, proper ones to come later As an owner of the Aerojet Max, the Darkspeed line is night and day better looking from the club to the headcover, and the AJ Max is no slouch in the looks department. And yes, @sirchunksalot, the crown looks nearly identical to the KING TEC Hybrids!

Good morning MGSpies on a Community Call Thursday in the suddenly springtime masquerading as summer here in WNY the work computer is sorting itself onto the network while coffee is not yet ready but with most of the office away for the rest of the week there is no doubt going to be plenty to do before the end of the workday at 3pm when it will be time to regear into golf life with session 1 of the PGA HOPE program at Niagara Frontier CC at 6pm so that means (incidental music for the scene ) another drive time for the MGS Forum call on the way. Yesterday got out for 9 holes after work for what was truly the first summer round of the year in Buffalo and there was so much Smoke, the testing Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max D made its debut in outdoor conditions and you can read about it just by using the link below in my signature and go to the last page if you go to it the same day this is posted. Hope golf is a part of your day! 27

Good morning all! Had a lovely little concert for our kids music class yesterday. As per usual it was about an hour to watch the kids perform for 1 minute or so, but there were plenty of other interesting performances from other students. One of them was a kid who was teaching piano but performed some amazing pieces and found out he plays at a local restaurant a couple times a week which is very cool. Weather held out most of the day but another cloudy day ahead. Also more work as always to keep me busy. Somehow we always manage to find more to do. Have a great Thursday everyone!

Good morning Spies on this first day of May 2024. Yesterday was a roller coaster type of day for me, as it was officially my last day at work. Wanted to make sure that all I needed or wanted to do to ensure that there was a pathway to success for those left in charge was present, but also realizing that it would be the last day to see everyone I interacted or worked with on a regular, daily basis. Biggest challenge for me now will be getting my body clock more aligned with not waking up at 4:00AM with no alarm, and on a later schedule. They had a luncheon for me on Monday, and that was a great gesture, as it showed that they cared and I mattered, as that is not a usual thing they do. Had some artwork given to me, a caricature picture by the company, and then a Corvette photo from 4 friends who do more work with their hands than use a computer. Weather here is supposed to be gorgeous for the next couple days, so I may find range time later today, and try to get a round in before we get more rain on Friday. Weekend for me looking like another charitable day for the Leader Dogs on Saturday, and possibly a round in on Sunday again. Hope that your day is the best it can be, and that something fun and enjoyable is in your plans.

LAST FULL DAY OF WORK! .... for this season.

Good morning MGSpies from another frosty start to the day in WNY on this awesome Friday (aren't they all?) with coffee hot in the mug, space heater warming the workspace in the basement on this zero commute workday and tossing around options for this afternoon with the options of golf and lawn mowing as the main features because the weekend will be wet and we have a full day away from the house for Saturday and who knows about Sunday and the coming week only gets busier with two PGA HOPE sessions starting for the WNY PGA Section and both are over an hour drive away so (I know I didn't mention finding time to replace the rear wheel bearing assemblies when I finally get the parts delayed in shipping...) hope I don't get into problems with bearing noise slowly changing, like a little bit over hundreds of miles (and yeah I am that kind of driveway mechanic). community call was fabulous and connecting in from the golf course again this week was a 2fer with Justin @just52887 listening in with me, another round in just over 80 minutes is always a good option, just saying, and hope golf is a part of your day 33

Good morning spies. A really long, tough past four days for my family. I lost my newborn nephew to a rare heart condition yesterday. A lot of time spent with family which was nice, but a really tough part few days. We were able to come to peace with the situation and are ready to move forward with our own lives. In golfing news, I was able to play 18 on Monday. Front nine was not great. Shot +4 on the front with some silly mistakes that cost some strokes. However, I bounced back and fired a -1 on the back for a final score of 75. Really happy with that score and how I played on the back. Hoping that's a sign for upcoming rounds. The weather is supposed to be really nice over the next week, so I'm hoping to get out and play a few more rounds. Won't complain about that! I hope we all have a wonderful Wednesday!

Damn good sunrise this morning busy day at work hopefully have a quiet day have some good weather rolling in. Need a day for a round!

Good morning, Spies! Keeping it brief. I overslept a bit; supposed to be on site for my event at 6:30 am. So I'm scrambling to get ready, and I'll have to get the valet to bring my car down soon (as far as I can tell, this place only has valet parking; one of the hazards of a downtown hotel, I suppose). I'll be on site about 12 hours and may or may not feel like a Fit For Golf workout afterward. Enjoy your Monday!

Good Monday morning! Busy day on the horizon and enjoying the quiet house for the moment. Feeling a little under the weather but ready to take on the day. Have a great day!

Good morning MGSpies from the calm before the rains start again early on this Friday in WNY where the coffee is almost ready and work computer is going onto the network from the zero commute to underground central where I'm having the same kind of start Jason @sirchunksalot had and I don't know why the delay in getting started either, but community call was awesome yesterday with holes 3 through 9 shared from my phone camera (just not so good on keeping up with all of the discussion but I manage) and today I'm going to have a new experience getting a club fitting, heard lots about them but my first so hold me down!! Hope golf is a part of your day too! 40

Good morning everyone. And oh what a testing opportunity this is going to be. A friend and I used to go garage sale shopping for persimmon drivers and refinish them and sell them. We would also tinker and build out different clubs at different swing weights just to see how/if they would perform differently. Still have one of the drivers I built with the old school leather grip. Haven’t swung it in years, no decades, though and not sure how it would hold up after all this time. Happy birthday @GolfSpy SAM and I hope everyone has a great day ahead. Bummed to miss the community call today as I’m sure the talk about Toura will dominate the chatter.

Good morning Spies on this Community Call Thursday from the Motor City. Cool and cloudy now, but supposed to warm-up later as the day progresses. Want everyone here to know to wish @GolfSpy SAM a Happy Birthday today. Rumor has it he is turning 39 for the unknown time again today. Hoping to see many on the call later and hoping that your day is the best it can be, and that something enjoyable is in your plans.

Good morning MGSpies from 'it's already getting light out and definitely springtime' in WNY on this day before the Community Call, work computer going online and starting the workday from the zero commute to the basement command center. Got in 9 holes yesterday in sunshine, still Caz park with nice greens as the fairways are far from ready but did run into longtime friend and played 5 holes together before he had to leave. Rain in the forecast due to arrive soon today and again on Friday so might be taking everyone for a vicarious view on the call tomorrow for the first time this year. Hope golf is a part of your day 42 And welcome! Jessica @Jessica Adams to the forum and a great place to start on the Good Morning Thread too! Hope to see your good morning's more often as well as posts around the forum where I am sure you are going to find this a family kind of friendly the way we all enjoy it being as it has always been.

Right with you there. Watch a bunch and then when I did try to sleep the baby was up and before i knew it my alarm went off to get into work. I do have a tee time booked for 2 hours so we will see how that goes and I had a fun round yeterday at a course I don't particularily like, but was able to give the Newton 5 dot another good run. Was better for sure after a few minor tweeks, but think I found a few things out along the way and was able to get a few good photos.

Good morning! Up and at it early as I have a build walk for a clients home this morning across town and I'm expecting a 1.5hr commute. The Newton 3w shaft arrives today and I'm hoping to get out to the range to test it out. Hope everyone has a great day!

Good morning spies! Starting out the day with a cool 38° but it should be around 71° this afternoon. Taking the clubs to work with me just in case everything goes my way and I can get a round in after work. Mother Nature is definitely going to challenge the golf community around here this weekend. Weekend forecast is for sun and high 70s to low 80s while The Masters is on. Have a great day everyone! ️