B_R_A_D_Y

My Introduction
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9053
First Impressions
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9647
 
 Looks like an old-fashioned bottle opener to me. 
Aesthetics and Reactions from other golfers
"It’s Big" - Response of 80% of People Who I Showed it to
I knew that someone had read about this putter whenever they echoed the words, “looks like a branding iron.”
Yes, it is big. Although, I was around when PING irons first came on the scene. When everything else was a blade, they seemed massive. One old boy used to say, “You could dig up potatoes with them things,” meaning they looked like a hoe.
And then Big Bertha appeared on the scene. “It’s huge," everyone exclaimed. Not by today’s standards though. So while the Directed Force (DF) is indeed larger, it means to me exactly what PING and Big Bertha meant back then … better performance and an increased margin of error.
"It Sounds Different" - A Youtube Reviewer Mentioned this, too
I couldn’t wait to try this club, so I grabbed 3 random balls and went to the practice green. First ball I hit, the club let out a distinctive ping. I’m old enough to remember the original PING 1A putter and it was named PING because of the ping sound it emitted. (Take a look at the L.A.B. B2 ... it resembles the original PING 1A) Turns out the first ball I tried was a Topflight. The other 2 balls were softer, a Titleist and a Callaway which did not ping near as loudly. So the harder the ball is, the louder the ping. It is a non-issue to me, because I don’t even hear it anymore.
"It’s too Light" - Immediate Response from a Golfer
I had not realized how light this DF configuration was until I picked up my Spider EX. There was a noticeable difference. I bought that Spider cuz I wanted a heavier putter head than my old PING Anser. Maybe it was lucky that I never compared the putters until after I had been using the DF for a week. By then I didn’t care that my old favorite felt heavier. I definitely can see that head weight does not make a difference in performance. I actually think it’s easier to hit the DF 2.1 on really long putts. I thought I wanted that weight for those long putts … but the DF proved me wrong.
By the way, the guy who said it was too light never even hit a putt with it. His loss.
"Is that a L.A.B. Putter" - Response from Several Golfers
While I was on the putting green a guy yelled over from the first tee, “Is that a L.A.B. putter?” Another person caught me on the chipping green, without the putter, asking if I was the guy with the L.A.B. And I also heard a few times that guys had a friend who played one. People have heard about this putter,
"That’s a Lot of Lines" - Response from Several Golfers
I love these lines. I set it down, align it to my target, and feel fully confidant that I’m right.
"The Grip is Fantastic" - Response from Several Golfers
I love this grip ... the soft tackiness and the way it fits my hand. Several other people echoed these sentiments exactly.
"How Can You Putt off the Toe if it’s Not Dead" - A Collegiate Player
As I touted the benefits of the soft feel of the ball leaving the face and the fact that toe hits don't lose momentum, a young college golfer said that he needs to have a dead hit on the toe, so he can putt a fast downhill slopping green. Sounds like something I heard when I was his age.
Off-center putts are so soft I don't really feel them ... and they definitely don't lose momentum. I set this putter up on the line I want, and then think of nothing else except pacing. I don’t care if I miss the center of the face because I know the ball maintains it's momentum wherever I strikes the face. The ball will stay on line and still not lose distance like toe & heel hits on other putters. And that is a confidence builder.
Because this putter does not torque on impact, the entire face stays square to where your hands are. That doesn't mean you can't push or pull it. As long as your hands are locked in, the face will stay square to the line on miss hits ... heel or toe.
 
The Numbers
I was one of the last in the group to receive my putter because of issues delaying my fitting process and also from being away on vacation. So I probably had 2 weeks less with my DF than most of the others. I started playing with it immediately.
I could have set up a putting trial with chalk lines and gates, but I don’t believe quantifying practice tells me anything about playability under pressure. Putting 25 balls down a chalk line with both putters on a flat putting green, doesn't help me on the course when trying to win skins. Besides, the practice green is the only flat green on our course. And at my age fatigue is an issue, too. My back is so bad it starts aching if I practice putting or chipping for more than 10 min. And that fatigue would have affected bulk testing. I have no problem trying out a club under fire. We play small $5-$20 games 3 times a week, so it was no big deal trying the DF out in a skins game. I was so happy with the club, I used it in a tournament after only playing 3 rounds with it. We tied for first, but lost on a coin toss.
I felt like I was fairly good at putting with my Spider. So, here are a few comparisons between it and the DF, so you can see my base and where the DF excelled.
I had 9-hole rounds with 5-1 putts using both putters in our men's association ... all over 10 foot putts I've had 15-putt, 9-hole rounds with both putters I had sub 30-putt, 18-hole rounds in skin games with both putters I achieved a 50% reduction in 3-putts with the DF I feel that my lag putts land closer with the DF  I had been tracking Distance to pin 1st putt / Number of putts / Distance missed, on my score cards, but I gave up and relied on my Arccos Caddie stats instead. So the only stats of mine that I feel are worthy of sharing are from my Arccos data.
I had lost my original Arccos putter sensor and Arccos replaced it for free … many thanks Arccos. I also purchased a second putter sensor so that I could track both putter’s stats separately.

Included in these graphics are the last 100 putts with both my Spider EX, and the last 100 putts with the Directed Force 2.1. As you can see there is a slight improvement in 1-putts. But the huge impact for me was the reduction in 3 putts. Every 3 putt eliminated is a stroke saved. 
I wish I could show y’all a graphic for distance left after the 1st putt. I tracked it manually a few rounds with each putter, but didn’t feel like I saved enough data to make it anything more than anecdotal. Which is unfortunate, because I honestly feel I am leaving my 10’-30’ putts much closer with the DF … less than a foot in a majority of cases. The fact that my 3 putts have been reduced by 50% proves that I am leaving long putts closer.
It’s difficult to quantify confidence in a putter. I had it with my old putter … I’ve got more of it with the Directed Force 2.1.
 
On The Course
“Set It and Forget It” is a trademarked phrase by marketing genius Ron Popeil that took on pop culture status in the 90s. His catch phrase has become my putting mantra for the DF 2.1. I set the club on line and I never think about it again, instead concentrating on distance and pace.
I have a random putting flaw where I occasionally pull my hands outside my swing plane. Sometimes, as I take the putter back, the head jumps off my swing path ... I’ve got a bit of nerve damage in my hands. But the point is, I see it when it happens, and that blows my concentration ... instead of focusing on pace, I am thinking about mechanics and it’s not going to be a good stroke. With the DF I don’t worry about controlling the stroke path anymore. I have complete confidence that if miss the center of the face, the ball will still travel on my intended line at the pace I wanted. That has given me freedom to focus on touch. Now when I see the putter move, I ignore it and toss the ball to the hole.
With the margin of error the DF provides me, I can ignore my hand drift when I see it. Sure, I still push an occasional putt. I still roll my hands on occasions, too. I’m not saying the DF eliminates all my problems. I’m saying that for me, it takes my mind off trying to control my swing, too precisely. My Arccos data has shown that using the DF has reduced my 3 putts by 50%, and that's the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 "also ran".
I may come off looking like an egotistical ass for this next graphic ... but I believe this putter played a huge part in my performance in a recent tournament. I had a Cinderella round ... I’ve included the scorecard ... and as you can see I played out my ass. This is an anomaly folks. Although I must say it stems from the confidence I had standing over every putt. And I am thoroughly convinced that that confidence carried over into my entire game that day. My drives were longer & straighter and I was confident I was going to chip-in a ball before I hit it. Don’t get me wrong, there was a fair amount of luck involved, especially on several approach shots. And hell, if you look close enough you can see that I got too cocky on the 14th, rushed the putt and lipped out an easy 5’ putt for par/birdie. Plus I had 2-3 putts of which I am thoroughly ashamed.

Full disclosure: the next round after that tournament was in our Tuesday, senior skins game, and I shot an 85. It consisted of 4-1 putts and 14-2 putts. Two skins and not a 3 putt in the bunch. I'm happy with that.
 
The Good, The Bad, and In Between
Good
This is an anti-torque head with an anti-torque shaft and they work perfectly together. I do not see any degradation in off center putts. 
I love the soft feel of the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft. The LA Golf shaft is listed as having an even a softer feel. The soft feel gives me the impression that my putts are effortless as opposed to throwing my heavy headed Spider at the ball on really long putts. 
Don’t confuse soft feel with weak ... soft does not equate to loss of feel ... I do not need to swing harder on long putts. When I putt now, my stroke feels far more intuitive ... like throwing darts. This configuration putts as easily on 35’ putts as it does at 10 footers. The ball comes off the face easily and rolls straight as an arrow.
The alignment lines are fantastic. I love how confident I feel that I am on target.
I can’t think of a single thing to change on this club. People say it’s ugly. I don’t care because I'm putting great with it.
The Bad ... Slightly Unhappy
I was unhappy with the remote fitting process. I screwed it up by submitting a poor fitting video. I would have preferred to try before I buy. That’s my only hang up in this process. I honestly believe that face to face interaction would have been better for me.
I sincerely feel that if it had been possible for me to try this putter out first, and experiment with different lies, maybe I could have had even better results than I got. Seems petty and doesn't mean I'm right. But there will always be that doubt in my head … could it be better? Would I have liked a blade better? 
I tried a myriad of putters before selecting the Spider EX I was using. When I ordered it, I asked for a custom bump to the standard lie by 2°, (assuming standard to be 67°). Turns out my Spider is a 70° standard; 72° as ordered. In the fitting video I sent L.A.B., I can see that I have the toe of the putter in the air. Lots of people putt with the toe in the air ... how was L.A.B. to know I didn't too? Nope, I did not pay enough attention to my setup and I regret it. They came back with a measurement off the video of a 67° lie, (which I have verified on my computer). It was my fault that I didn't get the lie I wanted.

I thought I was matching the putter I liked. I was wrong. So my unhappiness was caused by me. I regret that I did not match the Spider's lie angle, because like I said, it might have increased my success with the DF. And there's no running to a local fitter, if we had one, to have the lie adjusted ... you can't bend a composite shaft.
So if you order via the remote fitting process, do your homework. Try and determine what you are currently using before submitting your video. Do you want to match your current putter or improve on it? Talk it over with them. They will work with you. One caveat is that it took 2 days to get any of my questions answered. And with a holiday in the mix, a question on Friday didn't get addressed until the following Wednesday. It's only an issue if you are in a time crunch, as I was, needing the putter for my review.
Lie Angle Hack: Hold your putter flat against a tabletop, and using a protractor app on your phone, measure your lie angle.
Due to buttons getting in the way, you are probably going to get a measurement within ±1° ... make certain your table top is 0° too.

One minor caveat about the grip … I have a cart bag, and the extra width of the grip can interfere with other clubs when bagging or un-bagging them.  
Play it or Trade it
In My Bag - Forever
I actually GOOGLED "Will a New Putter Improve My Putting"
GOOGLE Says:
A change of putter can never compensate for a lack of skill. At best it can make poor putting slightly less bad. 
Hey GOOGLE, WRONG!
When you’ve been playing for a decade or two, you develop bad habits. And bad habits using a putter with no margin for error just makes things worse. A new Directed Force can actually compensate for some bad habits.
Case in point: I showed my Directed Force to Dan, a fellow golfer in our Saturday Morning Skins Game. He has fought an outside-in putting stroke his entire life, which is kind-of similar to my hands drifting off my intended swing path. For both of us, missing the center of the club with our old putters, means our putts will probably be off line and short. The DF does not penalize you on off-center hits, because the head doesn't torque open and you don't lose momentum at impact ... the entire face stays square to the target line. My off-center hits did not affect my putt distances. When I know my putter is square to my target line ... when I can ignore a swing path error, then I am going to be more successful with my pacing, and that means I’ll make more putts. To me the DF is a game improvement putter and it works.
Dan has been practicing specifically to control his putting swing plane … to a moderate success. It is a habit he picked up / ingrained at the beginning of his golf career, and those are near impossible to eliminate. From the first time he tried my DF was on the 9th green ... he started rolling them in from +10 feet. He was so excited he didn’t give the putter back to me for 10 minutes. Yes, he was still swinging outside in, but what was different this time, was that the putter was not penalizing him for off center hits. The face stayed square because it did not torque and the putts rolled true because the face maintained momentum along its entirety.
If you struggle with your putting swing plane, you need to give L.A.B. putters a try. It could make a big difference.
Trade It - Never
When I announced to my fellow golfers at the club, that I had been selected to review the Directed Force, some of the guys joked that I could trade it for a new driver after the review. I’ll say it right here and now, I wouldn’t trade it for an entire new set of new clubs.
To give you a better idea as to the value / price of my Directed Force configuration, consider this: My custom made Spider EX retailed for close to $500, with a standard shaft. The price for a stock Directed Force 2.1 with the fantastic Press-II 3° grip is $399. To customize it with non-standard length or lie, it starts at $549 and that is just slightly more than the Spider EX. Then there are upgraded shaft options from $100 - $380. The DF 2.1 configuration that I tested has the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft ($275) and Alignment markings ($25) for a total of $849.00. I believe it is in the same price range as mass market putters, and worth every penny.
 
Conclusion
I said it before: “I was not in the market for a new putter.” I was curious though. I wanted to see what a torque-less putter was all about. Drive for show — putt for dough hints at a deeper concept here … confidence in your putter is far more important than confidence in your driver. You can always fall back to your 3 wood, but lack of confidence in your putter can be disastrous.
First Impressions: 
I had issues with the remote fitting process ... part of it turned out to be my fault. I believe putters are intuitive weapons, and I want to hold it in my hands before I buy it. That said however, I love this putter. Yes, I initially thought it was big and ugly, but I don't anymore.
Aesthetics:
As far as looks go … who cares. I think it must look intimidating to my opponents. Besides, I have won money with it. The grip is fantastic and instills as much confidence as the putter head does. And the shaft not only adds to the non-torque capabilities, it provides a soft, pleasant feel.
The Numbers:
My stats show that I’ve reduced 3 putts by as much as 50%, and that’s the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 no-one-cares. The reduction in 3 putts is proof that I’m leaving my putts closer … I honestly feel like I have more putts stopping within inches then I did with my old putter.
On-Course: 
Confidence. Lining a putt up is easy for me with these top lines. Fantastic grip makes me feel like my hands are locked in. Linear face momentum from the non-torque head eliminates my worries for an imperfect stroke. Soft feel off the face gives me the the sense that I’m tossing darts.
The Good, the Bad, the In-Between:
For me, this is a game changing putter. The non-torque head and shaft compensate for my occasional drifting off the swing path and off center hits still track true. And yet, even though this is simply a mental hangup for me, I can’t help but wonder whether this is the perfect L.A.B. model for me.
Someone asked me:
"Are you happy with it."
     "Absolutely."
"Then get over it and move on."
     "Yes, but ..." 
Play it or Trade it:
The Directed Force 2.1 is in my bag to stay. The guys at the club keep joking about me trading trade it for a new driver(s) … they think it’s ugly. I just laughed while they were handing me my tournament money. Enough said.
It sounds a little cheesy, but the DF 2.1 lead me to begin thinking “I can do this.” And that powerful thought is a positivity that has seeped into my game overall. I’m enjoying my game more. There's tons of room for improvement, but I'm coming home in a much better mood. My wife is really happy about that.
I'm showing this putter to everyone, whether they have doubts about their putting stroke or not. While the base model DF is about the same price as discounted big name putters out there, custom versions of the DF are priced in line with big name putter customizations. So the next time you are in a golf store, pick one up and give it a try, then think about remote fitting. It might change your game. 

 
 
I know, it's only a 6 footer. But anything further and y'all would be accusing me of staging it.
 
 
 
 

My Introduction
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9053
First Impressions
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9647
 
 Looks like an old-fashioned bottle opener to me. 
Aesthetics and Reactions from other golfers
"It’s Big" - Response of 80% of People Who I Showed it to
I knew that someone had read about this putter whenever they echoed the words, “looks like a branding iron.”
Yes, it is big. Although, I was around when PING irons first came on the scene. When everything else was a blade, they seemed massive. One old boy used to say, “You could dig up potatoes with them things,” meaning they looked like a hoe.
And then Big Bertha appeared on the scene. “It’s huge," everyone exclaimed. Not by today’s standards though. So while the Directed Force (DF) is indeed larger, it means to me exactly what PING and Big Bertha meant back then … better performance and an increased margin of error.
"It Sounds Different" - A Youtube Reviewer Mentioned this, too
I couldn’t wait to try this club, so I grabbed 3 random balls and went to the practice green. First ball I hit, the club let out a distinctive ping. I’m old enough to remember the original PING 1A putter and it was named PING because of the ping sound it emitted. (Take a look at the L.A.B. B2 ... it resembles the original PING 1A) Turns out the first ball I tried was a Topflight. The other 2 balls were softer, a Titleist and a Callaway which did not ping near as loudly. So the harder the ball is, the louder the ping. It is a non-issue to me, because I don’t even hear it anymore.
"It’s too Light" - Immediate Response from a Golfer
I had not realized how light this DF configuration was until I picked up my Spider EX. There was a noticeable difference. I bought that Spider cuz I wanted a heavier putter head than my old PING Anser. Maybe it was lucky that I never compared the putters until after I had been using the DF for a week. By then I didn’t care that my old favorite felt heavier. I definitely can see that head weight does not make a difference in performance. I actually think it’s easier to hit the DF 2.1 on really long putts. I thought I wanted that weight for those long putts … but the DF proved me wrong.
By the way, the guy who said it was too light never even hit a putt with it. His loss.
"Is that a L.A.B. Putter" - Response from Several Golfers
While I was on the putting green a guy yelled over from the first tee, “Is that a L.A.B. putter?” Another person caught me on the chipping green, without the putter, asking if I was the guy with the L.A.B. And I also heard a few times that guys had a friend who played one. People have heard about this putter,
"That’s a Lot of Lines" - Response from Several Golfers
I love these lines. I set it down, align it to my target, and feel fully confidant that I’m right.
"The Grip is Fantastic" - Response from Several Golfers
I love this grip ... the soft tackiness and the way it fits my hand. Several other people echoed these sentiments exactly.
"How Can You Putt off the Toe if it’s Not Dead" - A Collegiate Player
As I touted the benefits of the soft feel of the ball leaving the face and the fact that toe hits don't lose momentum, a young college golfer said that he needs to have a dead hit on the toe, so he can putt a fast downhill slopping green. Sounds like something I heard when I was his age.
Off-center putts are so soft I don't really feel them ... and they definitely don't lose momentum. I set this putter up on the line I want, and then think of nothing else except pacing. I don’t care if I miss the center of the face because I know the ball maintains it's momentum wherever I strikes the face. The ball will stay on line and still not lose distance like toe & heel hits on other putters. And that is a confidence builder.
Because this putter does not torque on impact, the entire face stays square to where your hands are. That doesn't mean you can't push or pull it. As long as your hands are locked in, the face will stay square to the line on miss hits ... heel or toe.
 
The Numbers
I was one of the last in the group to receive my putter because of issues delaying my fitting process and also from being away on vacation. So I probably had 2 weeks less with my DF than most of the others. I started playing with it immediately.
I could have set up a putting trial with chalk lines and gates, but I don’t believe quantifying practice tells me anything about playability under pressure. Putting 25 balls down a chalk line with both putters on a flat putting green, doesn't help me on the course when trying to win skins. Besides, the practice green is the only flat green on our course. And at my age fatigue is an issue, too. My back is so bad it starts aching if I practice putting or chipping for more than 10 min. And that fatigue would have affected bulk testing. I have no problem trying out a club under fire. We play small $5-$20 games 3 times a week, so it was no big deal trying the DF out in a skins game. I was so happy with the club, I used it in a tournament after only playing 3 rounds with it. We tied for first, but lost on a coin toss.
I felt like I was fairly good at putting with my Spider. So, here are a few comparisons between it and the DF, so you can see my base and where the DF excelled.
I had 9-hole rounds with 5-1 putts using both putters in our men's association ... all over 10 foot putts I've had 15-putt, 9-hole rounds with both putters I had sub 30-putt, 18-hole rounds in skin games with both putters I achieved a 50% reduction in 3-putts with the DF I feel that my lag putts land closer with the DF  I had been tracking Distance to pin 1st putt / Number of putts / Distance missed, on my score cards, but I gave up and relied on my Arccos Caddie stats instead. So the only stats of mine that I feel are worthy of sharing are from my Arccos data.
I had lost my original Arccos putter sensor and Arccos replaced it for free … many thanks Arccos. I also purchased a second putter sensor so that I could track both putter’s stats separately.

Included in these graphics are the last 100 putts with both my Spider EX, and the last 100 putts with the Directed Force 2.1. As you can see there is a slight improvement in 1-putts. But the huge impact for me was the reduction in 3 putts. Every 3 putt eliminated is a stroke saved. 
I wish I could show y’all a graphic for distance left after the 1st putt. I tracked it manually a few rounds with each putter, but didn’t feel like I saved enough data to make it anything more than anecdotal. Which is unfortunate, because I honestly feel I am leaving my 10’-30’ putts much closer with the DF … less than a foot in a majority of cases. The fact that my 3 putts have been reduced by 50% proves that I am leaving long putts closer.
It’s difficult to quantify confidence in a putter. I had it with my old putter … I’ve got more of it with the Directed Force 2.1.
 
On The Course
“Set It and Forget It” is a trademarked phrase by marketing genius Ron Popeil that took on pop culture status in the 90s. His catch phrase has become my putting mantra for the DF 2.1. I set the club on line and I never think about it again, instead concentrating on distance and pace.
I have a random putting flaw where I occasionally pull my hands outside my swing plane. Sometimes, as I take the putter back, the head jumps off my swing path ... I’ve got a bit of nerve damage in my hands. But the point is, I see it when it happens, and that blows my concentration ... instead of focusing on pace, I am thinking about mechanics and it’s not going to be a good stroke. With the DF I don’t worry about controlling the stroke path anymore. I have complete confidence that if miss the center of the face, the ball will still travel on my intended line at the pace I wanted. That has given me freedom to focus on touch. Now when I see the putter move, I ignore it and toss the ball to the hole.
With the margin of error the DF provides me, I can ignore my hand drift when I see it. Sure, I still push an occasional putt. I still roll my hands on occasions, too. I’m not saying the DF eliminates all my problems. I’m saying that for me, it takes my mind off trying to control my swing, too precisely. My Arccos data has shown that using the DF has reduced my 3 putts by 50%, and that's the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 "also ran".
I may come off looking like an egotistical ass for this next graphic ... but I believe this putter played a huge part in my performance in a recent tournament. I had a Cinderella round ... I’ve included the scorecard ... and as you can see I played out my ass. This is an anomaly folks. Although I must say it stems from the confidence I had standing over every putt. And I am thoroughly convinced that that confidence carried over into my entire game that day. My drives were longer & straighter and I was confident I was going to chip-in a ball before I hit it. Don’t get me wrong, there was a fair amount of luck involved, especially on several approach shots. And hell, if you look close enough you can see that I got too cocky on the 14th, rushed the putt and lipped out an easy 5’ putt for par/birdie. Plus I had 2-3 putts of which I am thoroughly ashamed.

Full disclosure: the next round after that tournament was in our Tuesday, senior skins game, and I shot an 85. It consisted of 4-1 putts and 14-2 putts. Two skins and not a 3 putt in the bunch. I'm happy with that.
 
The Good, The Bad, and In Between
Good
This is an anti-torque head with an anti-torque shaft and they work perfectly together. I do not see any degradation in off center putts. 
I love the soft feel of the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft. The LA Golf shaft is listed as having an even a softer feel. The soft feel gives me the impression that my putts are effortless as opposed to throwing my heavy headed Spider at the ball on really long putts. 
Don’t confuse soft feel with weak ... soft does not equate to loss of feel ... I do not need to swing harder on long putts. When I putt now, my stroke feels far more intuitive ... like throwing darts. This configuration putts as easily on 35’ putts as it does at 10 footers. The ball comes off the face easily and rolls straight as an arrow.
The alignment lines are fantastic. I love how confident I feel that I am on target.
I can’t think of a single thing to change on this club. People say it’s ugly. I don’t care because I'm putting great with it.
The Bad ... Slightly Unhappy
I was unhappy with the remote fitting process. I screwed it up by submitting a poor fitting video. I would have preferred to try before I buy. That’s my only hang up in this process. I honestly believe that face to face interaction would have been better for me.
I sincerely feel that if it had been possible for me to try this putter out first, and experiment with different lies, maybe I could have had even better results than I got. Seems petty and doesn't mean I'm right. But there will always be that doubt in my head … could it be better? Would I have liked a blade better? 
I tried a myriad of putters before selecting the Spider EX I was using. When I ordered it, I asked for a custom bump to the standard lie by 2°, (assuming standard to be 67°). Turns out my Spider is a 70° standard; 72° as ordered. In the fitting video I sent L.A.B., I can see that I have the toe of the putter in the air. Lots of people putt with the toe in the air ... how was L.A.B. to know I didn't too? Nope, I did not pay enough attention to my setup and I regret it. They came back with a measurement off the video of a 67° lie, (which I have verified on my computer). It was my fault that I didn't get the lie I wanted.

I thought I was matching the putter I liked. I was wrong. So my unhappiness was caused by me. I regret that I did not match the Spider's lie angle, because like I said, it might have increased my success with the DF. And there's no running to a local fitter, if we had one, to have the lie adjusted ... you can't bend a composite shaft.
So if you order via the remote fitting process, do your homework. Try and determine what you are currently using before submitting your video. Do you want to match your current putter or improve on it? Talk it over with them. They will work with you. One caveat is that it took 2 days to get any of my questions answered. And with a holiday in the mix, a question on Friday didn't get addressed until the following Wednesday. It's only an issue if you are in a time crunch, as I was, needing the putter for my review.
Lie Angle Hack: Hold your putter flat against a tabletop, and using a protractor app on your phone, measure your lie angle.
Due to buttons getting in the way, you are probably going to get a measurement within ±1° ... make certain your table top is 0° too.

One minor caveat about the grip … I have a cart bag, and the extra width of the grip can interfere with other clubs when bagging or un-bagging them.  
Play it or Trade it
In My Bag - Forever
I actually GOOGLED "Will a New Putter Improve My Putting"
GOOGLE Says:
A change of putter can never compensate for a lack of skill. At best it can make poor putting slightly less bad. 
Hey GOOGLE, WRONG!
When you’ve been playing for a decade or two, you develop bad habits. And bad habits using a putter with no margin for error just makes things worse. A new Directed Force can actually compensate for some bad habits.
Case in point: I showed my Directed Force to Dan, a fellow golfer in our Saturday Morning Skins Game. He has fought an outside-in putting stroke his entire life, which is kind-of similar to my hands drifting off my intended swing path. For both of us, missing the center of the club with our old putters, means our putts will probably be off line and short. The DF does not penalize you on off-center hits, because the head doesn't torque open and you don't lose momentum at impact ... the entire face stays square to the target line. My off-center hits did not affect my putt distances. When I know my putter is square to my target line ... when I can ignore a swing path error, then I am going to be more successful with my pacing, and that means I’ll make more putts. To me the DF is a game improvement putter and it works.
Dan has been practicing specifically to control his putting swing plane … to a moderate success. It is a habit he picked up / ingrained at the beginning of his golf career, and those are near impossible to eliminate. From the first time he tried my DF was on the 9th green ... he started rolling them in from +10 feet. He was so excited he didn’t give the putter back to me for 10 minutes. Yes, he was still swinging outside in, but what was different this time, was that the putter was not penalizing him for off center hits. The face stayed square because it did not torque and the putts rolled true because the face maintained momentum along its entirety.
If you struggle with your putting swing plane, you need to give L.A.B. putters a try. It could make a big difference.
Trade It - Never
When I announced to my fellow golfers at the club, that I had been selected to review the Directed Force, some of the guys joked that I could trade it for a new driver after the review. I’ll say it right here and now, I wouldn’t trade it for an entire new set of new clubs.
To give you a better idea as to the value / price of my Directed Force configuration, consider this: My custom made Spider EX retailed for close to $500, with a standard shaft. The price for a stock Directed Force 2.1 with the fantastic Press-II 3° grip is $399. To customize it with non-standard length or lie, it starts at $549 and that is just slightly more than the Spider EX. Then there are upgraded shaft options from $100 - $380. The DF 2.1 configuration that I tested has the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft ($275) and Alignment markings ($25) for a total of $849.00. I believe it is in the same price range as mass market putters, and worth every penny.
 
Conclusion
I said it before: “I was not in the market for a new putter.” I was curious though. I wanted to see what a torque-less putter was all about. Drive for show — putt for dough hints at a deeper concept here … confidence in your putter is far more important than confidence in your driver. You can always fall back to your 3 wood, but lack of confidence in your putter can be disastrous.
First Impressions: 
I had issues with the remote fitting process ... part of it turned out to be my fault. I believe putters are intuitive weapons, and I want to hold it in my hands before I buy it. That said however, I love this putter. Yes, I initially thought it was big and ugly, but I don't anymore.
Aesthetics:
As far as looks go … who cares. I think it must look intimidating to my opponents. Besides, I have won money with it. The grip is fantastic and instills as much confidence as the putter head does. And the shaft not only adds to the non-torque capabilities, it provides a soft, pleasant feel.
The Numbers:
My stats show that I’ve reduced 3 putts by as much as 50%, and that’s the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 no-one-cares. The reduction in 3 putts is proof that I’m leaving my putts closer … I honestly feel like I have more putts stopping within inches then I did with my old putter.
On-Course: 
Confidence. Lining a putt up is easy for me with these top lines. Fantastic grip makes me feel like my hands are locked in. Linear face momentum from the non-torque head eliminates my worries for an imperfect stroke. Soft feel off the face gives me the the sense that I’m tossing darts.
The Good, the Bad, the In-Between:
For me, this is a game changing putter. The non-torque head and shaft compensate for my occasional drifting off the swing path and off center hits still track true. And yet, even though this is simply a mental hangup for me, I can’t help but wonder whether this is the perfect L.A.B. model for me.
Someone asked me:
"Are you happy with it."
     "Absolutely."
"Then get over it and move on."
     "Yes, but ..." 
Play it or Trade it:
The Directed Force 2.1 is in my bag to stay. The guys at the club keep joking about me trading trade it for a new driver(s) … they think it’s ugly. I just laughed while they were handing me my tournament money. Enough said.
It sounds a little cheesy, but the DF 2.1 lead me to begin thinking “I can do this.” And that powerful thought is a positivity that has seeped into my game overall. I’m enjoying my game more. There's tons of room for improvement, but I'm coming home in a much better mood. My wife is really happy about that.
I'm showing this putter to everyone, whether they have doubts about their putting stroke or not. While the base model DF is about the same price as discounted big name putters out there, custom versions of the DF are priced in line with big name putter customizations. So the next time you are in a golf store, pick one up and give it a try, then think about remote fitting. It might change your game. 

 
 
I know, it's only a 6 footer. But anything further and y'all would be accusing me of staging it.
 
 
 
 

My Introduction
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9053
First Impressions
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9647
 
 Looks like an old-fashioned bottle opener to me. 
Aesthetics and Reactions from other golfers
"It’s Big" - Response of 80% of People Who I Showed it to
I knew that someone had read about this putter whenever they echoed the words, “looks like a branding iron.”
Yes, it is big. Although, I was around when PING irons first came on the scene. When everything else was a blade, they seemed massive. One old boy used to say, “You could dig up potatoes with them things,” meaning they looked like a hoe.
And then Big Bertha appeared on the scene. “It’s huge," everyone exclaimed. Not by today’s standards though. So while the Directed Force (DF) is indeed larger, it means to me exactly what PING and Big Bertha meant back then … better performance and an increased margin of error.
"It Sounds Different" - A Youtube Reviewer Mentioned this, too
I couldn’t wait to try this club, so I grabbed 3 random balls and went to the practice green. First ball I hit, the club let out a distinctive ping. I’m old enough to remember the original PING 1A putter and it was named PING because of the ping sound it emitted. (Take a look at the L.A.B. B2 ... it resembles the original PING 1A) Turns out the first ball I tried was a Topflight. The other 2 balls were softer, a Titleist and a Callaway which did not ping near as loudly. So the harder the ball is, the louder the ping. It is a non-issue to me, because I don’t even hear it anymore.
"It’s too Light" - Immediate Response from a Golfer
I had not realized how light this DF configuration was until I picked up my Spider EX. There was a noticeable difference. I bought that Spider cuz I wanted a heavier putter head than my old PING Anser. Maybe it was lucky that I never compared the putters until after I had been using the DF for a week. By then I didn’t care that my old favorite felt heavier. I definitely can see that head weight does not make a difference in performance. I actually think it’s easier to hit the DF 2.1 on really long putts. I thought I wanted that weight for those long putts … but the DF proved me wrong.
By the way, the guy who said it was too light never even hit a putt with it. His loss.
"Is that a L.A.B. Putter" - Response from Several Golfers
While I was on the putting green a guy yelled over from the first tee, “Is that a L.A.B. putter?” Another person caught me on the chipping green, without the putter, asking if I was the guy with the L.A.B. And I also heard a few times that guys had a friend who played one. People have heard about this putter,
"That’s a Lot of Lines" - Response from Several Golfers
I love these lines. I set it down, align it to my target, and feel fully confidant that I’m right.
"The Grip is Fantastic" - Response from Several Golfers
I love this grip ... the soft tackiness and the way it fits my hand. Several other people echoed these sentiments exactly.
"How Can You Putt off the Toe if it’s Not Dead" - A Collegiate Player
As I touted the benefits of the soft feel of the ball leaving the face and the fact that toe hits don't lose momentum, a young college golfer said that he needs to have a dead hit on the toe, so he can putt a fast downhill slopping green. Sounds like something I heard when I was his age.
Off-center putts are so soft I don't really feel them ... and they definitely don't lose momentum. I set this putter up on the line I want, and then think of nothing else except pacing. I don’t care if I miss the center of the face because I know the ball maintains it's momentum wherever I strikes the face. The ball will stay on line and still not lose distance like toe & heel hits on other putters. And that is a confidence builder.
Because this putter does not torque on impact, the entire face stays square to where your hands are. That doesn't mean you can't push or pull it. As long as your hands are locked in, the face will stay square to the line on miss hits ... heel or toe.
 
The Numbers
I was one of the last in the group to receive my putter because of issues delaying my fitting process and also from being away on vacation. So I probably had 2 weeks less with my DF than most of the others. I started playing with it immediately.
I could have set up a putting trial with chalk lines and gates, but I don’t believe quantifying practice tells me anything about playability under pressure. Putting 25 balls down a chalk line with both putters on a flat putting green, doesn't help me on the course when trying to win skins. Besides, the practice green is the only flat green on our course. And at my age fatigue is an issue, too. My back is so bad it starts aching if I practice putting or chipping for more than 10 min. And that fatigue would have affected bulk testing. I have no problem trying out a club under fire. We play small $5-$20 games 3 times a week, so it was no big deal trying the DF out in a skins game. I was so happy with the club, I used it in a tournament after only playing 3 rounds with it. We tied for first, but lost on a coin toss.
I felt like I was fairly good at putting with my Spider. So, here are a few comparisons between it and the DF, so you can see my base and where the DF excelled.
I had 9-hole rounds with 5-1 putts using both putters in our men's association ... all over 10 foot putts I've had 15-putt, 9-hole rounds with both putters I had sub 30-putt, 18-hole rounds in skin games with both putters I achieved a 50% reduction in 3-putts with the DF I feel that my lag putts land closer with the DF  I had been tracking Distance to pin 1st putt / Number of putts / Distance missed, on my score cards, but I gave up and relied on my Arccos Caddie stats instead. So the only stats of mine that I feel are worthy of sharing are from my Arccos data.
I had lost my original Arccos putter sensor and Arccos replaced it for free … many thanks Arccos. I also purchased a second putter sensor so that I could track both putter’s stats separately.

Included in these graphics are the last 100 putts with both my Spider EX, and the last 100 putts with the Directed Force 2.1. As you can see there is a slight improvement in 1-putts. But the huge impact for me was the reduction in 3 putts. Every 3 putt eliminated is a stroke saved. 
I wish I could show y’all a graphic for distance left after the 1st putt. I tracked it manually a few rounds with each putter, but didn’t feel like I saved enough data to make it anything more than anecdotal. Which is unfortunate, because I honestly feel I am leaving my 10’-30’ putts much closer with the DF … less than a foot in a majority of cases. The fact that my 3 putts have been reduced by 50% proves that I am leaving long putts closer.
It’s difficult to quantify confidence in a putter. I had it with my old putter … I’ve got more of it with the Directed Force 2.1.
 
On The Course
“Set It and Forget It” is a trademarked phrase by marketing genius Ron Popeil that took on pop culture status in the 90s. His catch phrase has become my putting mantra for the DF 2.1. I set the club on line and I never think about it again, instead concentrating on distance and pace.
I have a random putting flaw where I occasionally pull my hands outside my swing plane. Sometimes, as I take the putter back, the head jumps off my swing path ... I’ve got a bit of nerve damage in my hands. But the point is, I see it when it happens, and that blows my concentration ... instead of focusing on pace, I am thinking about mechanics and it’s not going to be a good stroke. With the DF I don’t worry about controlling the stroke path anymore. I have complete confidence that if miss the center of the face, the ball will still travel on my intended line at the pace I wanted. That has given me freedom to focus on touch. Now when I see the putter move, I ignore it and toss the ball to the hole.
With the margin of error the DF provides me, I can ignore my hand drift when I see it. Sure, I still push an occasional putt. I still roll my hands on occasions, too. I’m not saying the DF eliminates all my problems. I’m saying that for me, it takes my mind off trying to control my swing, too precisely. My Arccos data has shown that using the DF has reduced my 3 putts by 50%, and that's the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 "also ran".
I may come off looking like an egotistical ass for this next graphic ... but I believe this putter played a huge part in my performance in a recent tournament. I had a Cinderella round ... I’ve included the scorecard ... and as you can see I played out my ass. This is an anomaly folks. Although I must say it stems from the confidence I had standing over every putt. And I am thoroughly convinced that that confidence carried over into my entire game that day. My drives were longer & straighter and I was confident I was going to chip-in a ball before I hit it. Don’t get me wrong, there was a fair amount of luck involved, especially on several approach shots. And hell, if you look close enough you can see that I got too cocky on the 14th, rushed the putt and lipped out an easy 5’ putt for par/birdie. Plus I had 2-3 putts of which I am thoroughly ashamed.

Full disclosure: the next round after that tournament was in our Tuesday, senior skins game, and I shot an 85. It consisted of 4-1 putts and 14-2 putts. Two skins and not a 3 putt in the bunch. I'm happy with that.
 
The Good, The Bad, and In Between
Good
This is an anti-torque head with an anti-torque shaft and they work perfectly together. I do not see any degradation in off center putts. 
I love the soft feel of the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft. The LA Golf shaft is listed as having an even a softer feel. The soft feel gives me the impression that my putts are effortless as opposed to throwing my heavy headed Spider at the ball on really long putts. 
Don’t confuse soft feel with weak ... soft does not equate to loss of feel ... I do not need to swing harder on long putts. When I putt now, my stroke feels far more intuitive ... like throwing darts. This configuration putts as easily on 35’ putts as it does at 10 footers. The ball comes off the face easily and rolls straight as an arrow.
The alignment lines are fantastic. I love how confident I feel that I am on target.
I can’t think of a single thing to change on this club. People say it’s ugly. I don’t care because I'm putting great with it.
The Bad ... Slightly Unhappy
I was unhappy with the remote fitting process. I screwed it up by submitting a poor fitting video. I would have preferred to try before I buy. That’s my only hang up in this process. I honestly believe that face to face interaction would have been better for me.
I sincerely feel that if it had been possible for me to try this putter out first, and experiment with different lies, maybe I could have had even better results than I got. Seems petty and doesn't mean I'm right. But there will always be that doubt in my head … could it be better? Would I have liked a blade better? 
I tried a myriad of putters before selecting the Spider EX I was using. When I ordered it, I asked for a custom bump to the standard lie by 2°, (assuming standard to be 67°). Turns out my Spider is a 70° standard; 72° as ordered. In the fitting video I sent L.A.B., I can see that I have the toe of the putter in the air. Lots of people putt with the toe in the air ... how was L.A.B. to know I didn't too? Nope, I did not pay enough attention to my setup and I regret it. They came back with a measurement off the video of a 67° lie, (which I have verified on my computer). It was my fault that I didn't get the lie I wanted.

I thought I was matching the putter I liked. I was wrong. So my unhappiness was caused by me. I regret that I did not match the Spider's lie angle, because like I said, it might have increased my success with the DF. And there's no running to a local fitter, if we had one, to have the lie adjusted ... you can't bend a composite shaft.
So if you order via the remote fitting process, do your homework. Try and determine what you are currently using before submitting your video. Do you want to match your current putter or improve on it? Talk it over with them. They will work with you. One caveat is that it took 2 days to get any of my questions answered. And with a holiday in the mix, a question on Friday didn't get addressed until the following Wednesday. It's only an issue if you are in a time crunch, as I was, needing the putter for my review.
Lie Angle Hack: Hold your putter flat against a tabletop, and using a protractor app on your phone, measure your lie angle.
Due to buttons getting in the way, you are probably going to get a measurement within ±1° ... make certain your table top is 0° too.

One minor caveat about the grip … I have a cart bag, and the extra width of the grip can interfere with other clubs when bagging or un-bagging them.  
Play it or Trade it
In My Bag - Forever
I actually GOOGLED "Will a New Putter Improve My Putting"
GOOGLE Says:
A change of putter can never compensate for a lack of skill. At best it can make poor putting slightly less bad. 
Hey GOOGLE, WRONG!
When you’ve been playing for a decade or two, you develop bad habits. And bad habits using a putter with no margin for error just makes things worse. A new Directed Force can actually compensate for some bad habits.
Case in point: I showed my Directed Force to Dan, a fellow golfer in our Saturday Morning Skins Game. He has fought an outside-in putting stroke his entire life, which is kind-of similar to my hands drifting off my intended swing path. For both of us, missing the center of the club with our old putters, means our putts will probably be off line and short. The DF does not penalize you on off-center hits, because the head doesn't torque open and you don't lose momentum at impact ... the entire face stays square to the target line. My off-center hits did not affect my putt distances. When I know my putter is square to my target line ... when I can ignore a swing path error, then I am going to be more successful with my pacing, and that means I’ll make more putts. To me the DF is a game improvement putter and it works.
Dan has been practicing specifically to control his putting swing plane … to a moderate success. It is a habit he picked up / ingrained at the beginning of his golf career, and those are near impossible to eliminate. From the first time he tried my DF was on the 9th green ... he started rolling them in from +10 feet. He was so excited he didn’t give the putter back to me for 10 minutes. Yes, he was still swinging outside in, but what was different this time, was that the putter was not penalizing him for off center hits. The face stayed square because it did not torque and the putts rolled true because the face maintained momentum along its entirety.
If you struggle with your putting swing plane, you need to give L.A.B. putters a try. It could make a big difference.
Trade It - Never
When I announced to my fellow golfers at the club, that I had been selected to review the Directed Force, some of the guys joked that I could trade it for a new driver after the review. I’ll say it right here and now, I wouldn’t trade it for an entire new set of new clubs.
To give you a better idea as to the value / price of my Directed Force configuration, consider this: My custom made Spider EX retailed for close to $500, with a standard shaft. The price for a stock Directed Force 2.1 with the fantastic Press-II 3° grip is $399. To customize it with non-standard length or lie, it starts at $549 and that is just slightly more than the Spider EX. Then there are upgraded shaft options from $100 - $380. The DF 2.1 configuration that I tested has the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft ($275) and Alignment markings ($25) for a total of $849.00. I believe it is in the same price range as mass market putters, and worth every penny.
 
Conclusion
I said it before: “I was not in the market for a new putter.” I was curious though. I wanted to see what a torque-less putter was all about. Drive for show — putt for dough hints at a deeper concept here … confidence in your putter is far more important than confidence in your driver. You can always fall back to your 3 wood, but lack of confidence in your putter can be disastrous.
First Impressions: 
I had issues with the remote fitting process ... part of it turned out to be my fault. I believe putters are intuitive weapons, and I want to hold it in my hands before I buy it. That said however, I love this putter. Yes, I initially thought it was big and ugly, but I don't anymore.
Aesthetics:
As far as looks go … who cares. I think it must look intimidating to my opponents. Besides, I have won money with it. The grip is fantastic and instills as much confidence as the putter head does. And the shaft not only adds to the non-torque capabilities, it provides a soft, pleasant feel.
The Numbers:
My stats show that I’ve reduced 3 putts by as much as 50%, and that’s the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 no-one-cares. The reduction in 3 putts is proof that I’m leaving my putts closer … I honestly feel like I have more putts stopping within inches then I did with my old putter.
On-Course: 
Confidence. Lining a putt up is easy for me with these top lines. Fantastic grip makes me feel like my hands are locked in. Linear face momentum from the non-torque head eliminates my worries for an imperfect stroke. Soft feel off the face gives me the the sense that I’m tossing darts.
The Good, the Bad, the In-Between:
For me, this is a game changing putter. The non-torque head and shaft compensate for my occasional drifting off the swing path and off center hits still track true. And yet, even though this is simply a mental hangup for me, I can’t help but wonder whether this is the perfect L.A.B. model for me.
Someone asked me:
"Are you happy with it."
     "Absolutely."
"Then get over it and move on."
     "Yes, but ..." 
Play it or Trade it:
The Directed Force 2.1 is in my bag to stay. The guys at the club keep joking about me trading trade it for a new driver(s) … they think it’s ugly. I just laughed while they were handing me my tournament money. Enough said.
It sounds a little cheesy, but the DF 2.1 lead me to begin thinking “I can do this.” And that powerful thought is a positivity that has seeped into my game overall. I’m enjoying my game more. There's tons of room for improvement, but I'm coming home in a much better mood. My wife is really happy about that.
I'm showing this putter to everyone, whether they have doubts about their putting stroke or not. While the base model DF is about the same price as discounted big name putters out there, custom versions of the DF are priced in line with big name putter customizations. So the next time you are in a golf store, pick one up and give it a try, then think about remote fitting. It might change your game. 

 
 
I know, it's only a 6 footer. But anything further and y'all would be accusing me of staging it.
 
 
 
 

My Introduction
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9053
First Impressions
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9647
 
 Looks like an old-fashioned bottle opener to me. 
Aesthetics and Reactions from other golfers
"It’s Big" - Response of 80% of People Who I Showed it to
I knew that someone had read about this putter whenever they echoed the words, “looks like a branding iron.”
Yes, it is big. Although, I was around when PING irons first came on the scene. When everything else was a blade, they seemed massive. One old boy used to say, “You could dig up potatoes with them things,” meaning they looked like a hoe.
And then Big Bertha appeared on the scene. “It’s huge," everyone exclaimed. Not by today’s standards though. So while the Directed Force (DF) is indeed larger, it means to me exactly what PING and Big Bertha meant back then … better performance and an increased margin of error.
"It Sounds Different" - A Youtube Reviewer Mentioned this, too
I couldn’t wait to try this club, so I grabbed 3 random balls and went to the practice green. First ball I hit, the club let out a distinctive ping. I’m old enough to remember the original PING 1A putter and it was named PING because of the ping sound it emitted. (Take a look at the L.A.B. B2 ... it resembles the original PING 1A) Turns out the first ball I tried was a Topflight. The other 2 balls were softer, a Titleist and a Callaway which did not ping near as loudly. So the harder the ball is, the louder the ping. It is a non-issue to me, because I don’t even hear it anymore.
"It’s too Light" - Immediate Response from a Golfer
I had not realized how light this DF configuration was until I picked up my Spider EX. There was a noticeable difference. I bought that Spider cuz I wanted a heavier putter head than my old PING Anser. Maybe it was lucky that I never compared the putters until after I had been using the DF for a week. By then I didn’t care that my old favorite felt heavier. I definitely can see that head weight does not make a difference in performance. I actually think it’s easier to hit the DF 2.1 on really long putts. I thought I wanted that weight for those long putts … but the DF proved me wrong.
By the way, the guy who said it was too light never even hit a putt with it. His loss.
"Is that a L.A.B. Putter" - Response from Several Golfers
While I was on the putting green a guy yelled over from the first tee, “Is that a L.A.B. putter?” Another person caught me on the chipping green, without the putter, asking if I was the guy with the L.A.B. And I also heard a few times that guys had a friend who played one. People have heard about this putter,
"That’s a Lot of Lines" - Response from Several Golfers
I love these lines. I set it down, align it to my target, and feel fully confidant that I’m right.
"The Grip is Fantastic" - Response from Several Golfers
I love this grip ... the soft tackiness and the way it fits my hand. Several other people echoed these sentiments exactly.
"How Can You Putt off the Toe if it’s Not Dead" - A Collegiate Player
As I touted the benefits of the soft feel of the ball leaving the face and the fact that toe hits don't lose momentum, a young college golfer said that he needs to have a dead hit on the toe, so he can putt a fast downhill slopping green. Sounds like something I heard when I was his age.
Off-center putts are so soft I don't really feel them ... and they definitely don't lose momentum. I set this putter up on the line I want, and then think of nothing else except pacing. I don’t care if I miss the center of the face because I know the ball maintains it's momentum wherever I strikes the face. The ball will stay on line and still not lose distance like toe & heel hits on other putters. And that is a confidence builder.
Because this putter does not torque on impact, the entire face stays square to where your hands are. That doesn't mean you can't push or pull it. As long as your hands are locked in, the face will stay square to the line on miss hits ... heel or toe.
 
The Numbers
I was one of the last in the group to receive my putter because of issues delaying my fitting process and also from being away on vacation. So I probably had 2 weeks less with my DF than most of the others. I started playing with it immediately.
I could have set up a putting trial with chalk lines and gates, but I don’t believe quantifying practice tells me anything about playability under pressure. Putting 25 balls down a chalk line with both putters on a flat putting green, doesn't help me on the course when trying to win skins. Besides, the practice green is the only flat green on our course. And at my age fatigue is an issue, too. My back is so bad it starts aching if I practice putting or chipping for more than 10 min. And that fatigue would have affected bulk testing. I have no problem trying out a club under fire. We play small $5-$20 games 3 times a week, so it was no big deal trying the DF out in a skins game. I was so happy with the club, I used it in a tournament after only playing 3 rounds with it. We tied for first, but lost on a coin toss.
I felt like I was fairly good at putting with my Spider. So, here are a few comparisons between it and the DF, so you can see my base and where the DF excelled.
I had 9-hole rounds with 5-1 putts using both putters in our men's association ... all over 10 foot putts I've had 15-putt, 9-hole rounds with both putters I had sub 30-putt, 18-hole rounds in skin games with both putters I achieved a 50% reduction in 3-putts with the DF I feel that my lag putts land closer with the DF  I had been tracking Distance to pin 1st putt / Number of putts / Distance missed, on my score cards, but I gave up and relied on my Arccos Caddie stats instead. So the only stats of mine that I feel are worthy of sharing are from my Arccos data.
I had lost my original Arccos putter sensor and Arccos replaced it for free … many thanks Arccos. I also purchased a second putter sensor so that I could track both putter’s stats separately.

Included in these graphics are the last 100 putts with both my Spider EX, and the last 100 putts with the Directed Force 2.1. As you can see there is a slight improvement in 1-putts. But the huge impact for me was the reduction in 3 putts. Every 3 putt eliminated is a stroke saved. 
I wish I could show y’all a graphic for distance left after the 1st putt. I tracked it manually a few rounds with each putter, but didn’t feel like I saved enough data to make it anything more than anecdotal. Which is unfortunate, because I honestly feel I am leaving my 10’-30’ putts much closer with the DF … less than a foot in a majority of cases. The fact that my 3 putts have been reduced by 50% proves that I am leaving long putts closer.
It’s difficult to quantify confidence in a putter. I had it with my old putter … I’ve got more of it with the Directed Force 2.1.
 
On The Course
“Set It and Forget It” is a trademarked phrase by marketing genius Ron Popeil that took on pop culture status in the 90s. His catch phrase has become my putting mantra for the DF 2.1. I set the club on line and I never think about it again, instead concentrating on distance and pace.
I have a random putting flaw where I occasionally pull my hands outside my swing plane. Sometimes, as I take the putter back, the head jumps off my swing path ... I’ve got a bit of nerve damage in my hands. But the point is, I see it when it happens, and that blows my concentration ... instead of focusing on pace, I am thinking about mechanics and it’s not going to be a good stroke. With the DF I don’t worry about controlling the stroke path anymore. I have complete confidence that if miss the center of the face, the ball will still travel on my intended line at the pace I wanted. That has given me freedom to focus on touch. Now when I see the putter move, I ignore it and toss the ball to the hole.
With the margin of error the DF provides me, I can ignore my hand drift when I see it. Sure, I still push an occasional putt. I still roll my hands on occasions, too. I’m not saying the DF eliminates all my problems. I’m saying that for me, it takes my mind off trying to control my swing, too precisely. My Arccos data has shown that using the DF has reduced my 3 putts by 50%, and that's the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 "also ran".
I may come off looking like an egotistical ass for this next graphic ... but I believe this putter played a huge part in my performance in a recent tournament. I had a Cinderella round ... I’ve included the scorecard ... and as you can see I played out my ass. This is an anomaly folks. Although I must say it stems from the confidence I had standing over every putt. And I am thoroughly convinced that that confidence carried over into my entire game that day. My drives were longer & straighter and I was confident I was going to chip-in a ball before I hit it. Don’t get me wrong, there was a fair amount of luck involved, especially on several approach shots. And hell, if you look close enough you can see that I got too cocky on the 14th, rushed the putt and lipped out an easy 5’ putt for par/birdie. Plus I had 2-3 putts of which I am thoroughly ashamed.

Full disclosure: the next round after that tournament was in our Tuesday, senior skins game, and I shot an 85. It consisted of 4-1 putts and 14-2 putts. Two skins and not a 3 putt in the bunch. I'm happy with that.
 
The Good, The Bad, and In Between
Good
This is an anti-torque head with an anti-torque shaft and they work perfectly together. I do not see any degradation in off center putts. 
I love the soft feel of the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft. The LA Golf shaft is listed as having an even a softer feel. The soft feel gives me the impression that my putts are effortless as opposed to throwing my heavy headed Spider at the ball on really long putts. 
Don’t confuse soft feel with weak ... soft does not equate to loss of feel ... I do not need to swing harder on long putts. When I putt now, my stroke feels far more intuitive ... like throwing darts. This configuration putts as easily on 35’ putts as it does at 10 footers. The ball comes off the face easily and rolls straight as an arrow.
The alignment lines are fantastic. I love how confident I feel that I am on target.
I can’t think of a single thing to change on this club. People say it’s ugly. I don’t care because I'm putting great with it.
The Bad ... Slightly Unhappy
I was unhappy with the remote fitting process. I screwed it up by submitting a poor fitting video. I would have preferred to try before I buy. That’s my only hang up in this process. I honestly believe that face to face interaction would have been better for me.
I sincerely feel that if it had been possible for me to try this putter out first, and experiment with different lies, maybe I could have had even better results than I got. Seems petty and doesn't mean I'm right. But there will always be that doubt in my head … could it be better? Would I have liked a blade better? 
I tried a myriad of putters before selecting the Spider EX I was using. When I ordered it, I asked for a custom bump to the standard lie by 2°, (assuming standard to be 67°). Turns out my Spider is a 70° standard; 72° as ordered. In the fitting video I sent L.A.B., I can see that I have the toe of the putter in the air. Lots of people putt with the toe in the air ... how was L.A.B. to know I didn't too? Nope, I did not pay enough attention to my setup and I regret it. They came back with a measurement off the video of a 67° lie, (which I have verified on my computer). It was my fault that I didn't get the lie I wanted.

I thought I was matching the putter I liked. I was wrong. So my unhappiness was caused by me. I regret that I did not match the Spider's lie angle, because like I said, it might have increased my success with the DF. And there's no running to a local fitter, if we had one, to have the lie adjusted ... you can't bend a composite shaft.
So if you order via the remote fitting process, do your homework. Try and determine what you are currently using before submitting your video. Do you want to match your current putter or improve on it? Talk it over with them. They will work with you. One caveat is that it took 2 days to get any of my questions answered. And with a holiday in the mix, a question on Friday didn't get addressed until the following Wednesday. It's only an issue if you are in a time crunch, as I was, needing the putter for my review.
Lie Angle Hack: Hold your putter flat against a tabletop, and using a protractor app on your phone, measure your lie angle.
Due to buttons getting in the way, you are probably going to get a measurement within ±1° ... make certain your table top is 0° too.

One minor caveat about the grip … I have a cart bag, and the extra width of the grip can interfere with other clubs when bagging or un-bagging them.  
Play it or Trade it
In My Bag - Forever
I actually GOOGLED "Will a New Putter Improve My Putting"
GOOGLE Says:
A change of putter can never compensate for a lack of skill. At best it can make poor putting slightly less bad. 
Hey GOOGLE, WRONG!
When you’ve been playing for a decade or two, you develop bad habits. And bad habits using a putter with no margin for error just makes things worse. A new Directed Force can actually compensate for some bad habits.
Case in point: I showed my Directed Force to Dan, a fellow golfer in our Saturday Morning Skins Game. He has fought an outside-in putting stroke his entire life, which is kind-of similar to my hands drifting off my intended swing path. For both of us, missing the center of the club with our old putters, means our putts will probably be off line and short. The DF does not penalize you on off-center hits, because the head doesn't torque open and you don't lose momentum at impact ... the entire face stays square to the target line. My off-center hits did not affect my putt distances. When I know my putter is square to my target line ... when I can ignore a swing path error, then I am going to be more successful with my pacing, and that means I’ll make more putts. To me the DF is a game improvement putter and it works.
Dan has been practicing specifically to control his putting swing plane … to a moderate success. It is a habit he picked up / ingrained at the beginning of his golf career, and those are near impossible to eliminate. From the first time he tried my DF was on the 9th green ... he started rolling them in from +10 feet. He was so excited he didn’t give the putter back to me for 10 minutes. Yes, he was still swinging outside in, but what was different this time, was that the putter was not penalizing him for off center hits. The face stayed square because it did not torque and the putts rolled true because the face maintained momentum along its entirety.
If you struggle with your putting swing plane, you need to give L.A.B. putters a try. It could make a big difference.
Trade It - Never
When I announced to my fellow golfers at the club, that I had been selected to review the Directed Force, some of the guys joked that I could trade it for a new driver after the review. I’ll say it right here and now, I wouldn’t trade it for an entire new set of new clubs.
To give you a better idea as to the value / price of my Directed Force configuration, consider this: My custom made Spider EX retailed for close to $500, with a standard shaft. The price for a stock Directed Force 2.1 with the fantastic Press-II 3° grip is $399. To customize it with non-standard length or lie, it starts at $549 and that is just slightly more than the Spider EX. Then there are upgraded shaft options from $100 - $380. The DF 2.1 configuration that I tested has the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft ($275) and Alignment markings ($25) for a total of $849.00. I believe it is in the same price range as mass market putters, and worth every penny.
 
Conclusion
I said it before: “I was not in the market for a new putter.” I was curious though. I wanted to see what a torque-less putter was all about. Drive for show — putt for dough hints at a deeper concept here … confidence in your putter is far more important than confidence in your driver. You can always fall back to your 3 wood, but lack of confidence in your putter can be disastrous.
First Impressions: 
I had issues with the remote fitting process ... part of it turned out to be my fault. I believe putters are intuitive weapons, and I want to hold it in my hands before I buy it. That said however, I love this putter. Yes, I initially thought it was big and ugly, but I don't anymore.
Aesthetics:
As far as looks go … who cares. I think it must look intimidating to my opponents. Besides, I have won money with it. The grip is fantastic and instills as much confidence as the putter head does. And the shaft not only adds to the non-torque capabilities, it provides a soft, pleasant feel.
The Numbers:
My stats show that I’ve reduced 3 putts by as much as 50%, and that’s the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 no-one-cares. The reduction in 3 putts is proof that I’m leaving my putts closer … I honestly feel like I have more putts stopping within inches then I did with my old putter.
On-Course: 
Confidence. Lining a putt up is easy for me with these top lines. Fantastic grip makes me feel like my hands are locked in. Linear face momentum from the non-torque head eliminates my worries for an imperfect stroke. Soft feel off the face gives me the the sense that I’m tossing darts.
The Good, the Bad, the In-Between:
For me, this is a game changing putter. The non-torque head and shaft compensate for my occasional drifting off the swing path and off center hits still track true. And yet, even though this is simply a mental hangup for me, I can’t help but wonder whether this is the perfect L.A.B. model for me.
Someone asked me:
"Are you happy with it."
     "Absolutely."
"Then get over it and move on."
     "Yes, but ..." 
Play it or Trade it:
The Directed Force 2.1 is in my bag to stay. The guys at the club keep joking about me trading trade it for a new driver(s) … they think it’s ugly. I just laughed while they were handing me my tournament money. Enough said.
It sounds a little cheesy, but the DF 2.1 lead me to begin thinking “I can do this.” And that powerful thought is a positivity that has seeped into my game overall. I’m enjoying my game more. There's tons of room for improvement, but I'm coming home in a much better mood. My wife is really happy about that.
I'm showing this putter to everyone, whether they have doubts about their putting stroke or not. While the base model DF is about the same price as discounted big name putters out there, custom versions of the DF are priced in line with big name putter customizations. So the next time you are in a golf store, pick one up and give it a try, then think about remote fitting. It might change your game. 

 
 
I know, it's only a 6 footer. But anything further and y'all would be accusing me of staging it.
 
 
 
 

My Introduction
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9053
First Impressions
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9647
 
 Looks like an old-fashioned bottle opener to me. 
Aesthetics and Reactions from other golfers
"It’s Big" - Response of 80% of People Who I Showed it to
I knew that someone had read about this putter whenever they echoed the words, “looks like a branding iron.”
Yes, it is big. Although, I was around when PING irons first came on the scene. When everything else was a blade, they seemed massive. One old boy used to say, “You could dig up potatoes with them things,” meaning they looked like a hoe.
And then Big Bertha appeared on the scene. “It’s huge," everyone exclaimed. Not by today’s standards though. So while the Directed Force (DF) is indeed larger, it means to me exactly what PING and Big Bertha meant back then … better performance and an increased margin of error.
"It Sounds Different" - A Youtube Reviewer Mentioned this, too
I couldn’t wait to try this club, so I grabbed 3 random balls and went to the practice green. First ball I hit, the club let out a distinctive ping. I’m old enough to remember the original PING 1A putter and it was named PING because of the ping sound it emitted. (Take a look at the L.A.B. B2 ... it resembles the original PING 1A) Turns out the first ball I tried was a Topflight. The other 2 balls were softer, a Titleist and a Callaway which did not ping near as loudly. So the harder the ball is, the louder the ping. It is a non-issue to me, because I don’t even hear it anymore.
"It’s too Light" - Immediate Response from a Golfer
I had not realized how light this DF configuration was until I picked up my Spider EX. There was a noticeable difference. I bought that Spider cuz I wanted a heavier putter head than my old PING Anser. Maybe it was lucky that I never compared the putters until after I had been using the DF for a week. By then I didn’t care that my old favorite felt heavier. I definitely can see that head weight does not make a difference in performance. I actually think it’s easier to hit the DF 2.1 on really long putts. I thought I wanted that weight for those long putts … but the DF proved me wrong.
By the way, the guy who said it was too light never even hit a putt with it. His loss.
"Is that a L.A.B. Putter" - Response from Several Golfers
While I was on the putting green a guy yelled over from the first tee, “Is that a L.A.B. putter?” Another person caught me on the chipping green, without the putter, asking if I was the guy with the L.A.B. And I also heard a few times that guys had a friend who played one. People have heard about this putter,
"That’s a Lot of Lines" - Response from Several Golfers
I love these lines. I set it down, align it to my target, and feel fully confidant that I’m right.
"The Grip is Fantastic" - Response from Several Golfers
I love this grip ... the soft tackiness and the way it fits my hand. Several other people echoed these sentiments exactly.
"How Can You Putt off the Toe if it’s Not Dead" - A Collegiate Player
As I touted the benefits of the soft feel of the ball leaving the face and the fact that toe hits don't lose momentum, a young college golfer said that he needs to have a dead hit on the toe, so he can putt a fast downhill slopping green. Sounds like something I heard when I was his age.
Off-center putts are so soft I don't really feel them ... and they definitely don't lose momentum. I set this putter up on the line I want, and then think of nothing else except pacing. I don’t care if I miss the center of the face because I know the ball maintains it's momentum wherever I strikes the face. The ball will stay on line and still not lose distance like toe & heel hits on other putters. And that is a confidence builder.
Because this putter does not torque on impact, the entire face stays square to where your hands are. That doesn't mean you can't push or pull it. As long as your hands are locked in, the face will stay square to the line on miss hits ... heel or toe.
 
The Numbers
I was one of the last in the group to receive my putter because of issues delaying my fitting process and also from being away on vacation. So I probably had 2 weeks less with my DF than most of the others. I started playing with it immediately.
I could have set up a putting trial with chalk lines and gates, but I don’t believe quantifying practice tells me anything about playability under pressure. Putting 25 balls down a chalk line with both putters on a flat putting green, doesn't help me on the course when trying to win skins. Besides, the practice green is the only flat green on our course. And at my age fatigue is an issue, too. My back is so bad it starts aching if I practice putting or chipping for more than 10 min. And that fatigue would have affected bulk testing. I have no problem trying out a club under fire. We play small $5-$20 games 3 times a week, so it was no big deal trying the DF out in a skins game. I was so happy with the club, I used it in a tournament after only playing 3 rounds with it. We tied for first, but lost on a coin toss.
I felt like I was fairly good at putting with my Spider. So, here are a few comparisons between it and the DF, so you can see my base and where the DF excelled.
I had 9-hole rounds with 5-1 putts using both putters in our men's association ... all over 10 foot putts I've had 15-putt, 9-hole rounds with both putters I had sub 30-putt, 18-hole rounds in skin games with both putters I achieved a 50% reduction in 3-putts with the DF I feel that my lag putts land closer with the DF  I had been tracking Distance to pin 1st putt / Number of putts / Distance missed, on my score cards, but I gave up and relied on my Arccos Caddie stats instead. So the only stats of mine that I feel are worthy of sharing are from my Arccos data.
I had lost my original Arccos putter sensor and Arccos replaced it for free … many thanks Arccos. I also purchased a second putter sensor so that I could track both putter’s stats separately.

Included in these graphics are the last 100 putts with both my Spider EX, and the last 100 putts with the Directed Force 2.1. As you can see there is a slight improvement in 1-putts. But the huge impact for me was the reduction in 3 putts. Every 3 putt eliminated is a stroke saved. 
I wish I could show y’all a graphic for distance left after the 1st putt. I tracked it manually a few rounds with each putter, but didn’t feel like I saved enough data to make it anything more than anecdotal. Which is unfortunate, because I honestly feel I am leaving my 10’-30’ putts much closer with the DF … less than a foot in a majority of cases. The fact that my 3 putts have been reduced by 50% proves that I am leaving long putts closer.
It’s difficult to quantify confidence in a putter. I had it with my old putter … I’ve got more of it with the Directed Force 2.1.
 
On The Course
“Set It and Forget It” is a trademarked phrase by marketing genius Ron Popeil that took on pop culture status in the 90s. His catch phrase has become my putting mantra for the DF 2.1. I set the club on line and I never think about it again, instead concentrating on distance and pace.
I have a random putting flaw where I occasionally pull my hands outside my swing plane. Sometimes, as I take the putter back, the head jumps off my swing path ... I’ve got a bit of nerve damage in my hands. But the point is, I see it when it happens, and that blows my concentration ... instead of focusing on pace, I am thinking about mechanics and it’s not going to be a good stroke. With the DF I don’t worry about controlling the stroke path anymore. I have complete confidence that if miss the center of the face, the ball will still travel on my intended line at the pace I wanted. That has given me freedom to focus on touch. Now when I see the putter move, I ignore it and toss the ball to the hole.
With the margin of error the DF provides me, I can ignore my hand drift when I see it. Sure, I still push an occasional putt. I still roll my hands on occasions, too. I’m not saying the DF eliminates all my problems. I’m saying that for me, it takes my mind off trying to control my swing, too precisely. My Arccos data has shown that using the DF has reduced my 3 putts by 50%, and that's the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 "also ran".
I may come off looking like an egotistical ass for this next graphic ... but I believe this putter played a huge part in my performance in a recent tournament. I had a Cinderella round ... I’ve included the scorecard ... and as you can see I played out my ass. This is an anomaly folks. Although I must say it stems from the confidence I had standing over every putt. And I am thoroughly convinced that that confidence carried over into my entire game that day. My drives were longer & straighter and I was confident I was going to chip-in a ball before I hit it. Don’t get me wrong, there was a fair amount of luck involved, especially on several approach shots. And hell, if you look close enough you can see that I got too cocky on the 14th, rushed the putt and lipped out an easy 5’ putt for par/birdie. Plus I had 2-3 putts of which I am thoroughly ashamed.

Full disclosure: the next round after that tournament was in our Tuesday, senior skins game, and I shot an 85. It consisted of 4-1 putts and 14-2 putts. Two skins and not a 3 putt in the bunch. I'm happy with that.
 
The Good, The Bad, and In Between
Good
This is an anti-torque head with an anti-torque shaft and they work perfectly together. I do not see any degradation in off center putts. 
I love the soft feel of the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft. The LA Golf shaft is listed as having an even a softer feel. The soft feel gives me the impression that my putts are effortless as opposed to throwing my heavy headed Spider at the ball on really long putts. 
Don’t confuse soft feel with weak ... soft does not equate to loss of feel ... I do not need to swing harder on long putts. When I putt now, my stroke feels far more intuitive ... like throwing darts. This configuration putts as easily on 35’ putts as it does at 10 footers. The ball comes off the face easily and rolls straight as an arrow.
The alignment lines are fantastic. I love how confident I feel that I am on target.
I can’t think of a single thing to change on this club. People say it’s ugly. I don’t care because I'm putting great with it.
The Bad ... Slightly Unhappy
I was unhappy with the remote fitting process. I screwed it up by submitting a poor fitting video. I would have preferred to try before I buy. That’s my only hang up in this process. I honestly believe that face to face interaction would have been better for me.
I sincerely feel that if it had been possible for me to try this putter out first, and experiment with different lies, maybe I could have had even better results than I got. Seems petty and doesn't mean I'm right. But there will always be that doubt in my head … could it be better? Would I have liked a blade better? 
I tried a myriad of putters before selecting the Spider EX I was using. When I ordered it, I asked for a custom bump to the standard lie by 2°, (assuming standard to be 67°). Turns out my Spider is a 70° standard; 72° as ordered. In the fitting video I sent L.A.B., I can see that I have the toe of the putter in the air. Lots of people putt with the toe in the air ... how was L.A.B. to know I didn't too? Nope, I did not pay enough attention to my setup and I regret it. They came back with a measurement off the video of a 67° lie, (which I have verified on my computer). It was my fault that I didn't get the lie I wanted.

I thought I was matching the putter I liked. I was wrong. So my unhappiness was caused by me. I regret that I did not match the Spider's lie angle, because like I said, it might have increased my success with the DF. And there's no running to a local fitter, if we had one, to have the lie adjusted ... you can't bend a composite shaft.
So if you order via the remote fitting process, do your homework. Try and determine what you are currently using before submitting your video. Do you want to match your current putter or improve on it? Talk it over with them. They will work with you. One caveat is that it took 2 days to get any of my questions answered. And with a holiday in the mix, a question on Friday didn't get addressed until the following Wednesday. It's only an issue if you are in a time crunch, as I was, needing the putter for my review.
Lie Angle Hack: Hold your putter flat against a tabletop, and using a protractor app on your phone, measure your lie angle.
Due to buttons getting in the way, you are probably going to get a measurement within ±1° ... make certain your table top is 0° too.

One minor caveat about the grip … I have a cart bag, and the extra width of the grip can interfere with other clubs when bagging or un-bagging them.  
Play it or Trade it
In My Bag - Forever
I actually GOOGLED "Will a New Putter Improve My Putting"
GOOGLE Says:
A change of putter can never compensate for a lack of skill. At best it can make poor putting slightly less bad. 
Hey GOOGLE, WRONG!
When you’ve been playing for a decade or two, you develop bad habits. And bad habits using a putter with no margin for error just makes things worse. A new Directed Force can actually compensate for some bad habits.
Case in point: I showed my Directed Force to Dan, a fellow golfer in our Saturday Morning Skins Game. He has fought an outside-in putting stroke his entire life, which is kind-of similar to my hands drifting off my intended swing path. For both of us, missing the center of the club with our old putters, means our putts will probably be off line and short. The DF does not penalize you on off-center hits, because the head doesn't torque open and you don't lose momentum at impact ... the entire face stays square to the target line. My off-center hits did not affect my putt distances. When I know my putter is square to my target line ... when I can ignore a swing path error, then I am going to be more successful with my pacing, and that means I’ll make more putts. To me the DF is a game improvement putter and it works.
Dan has been practicing specifically to control his putting swing plane … to a moderate success. It is a habit he picked up / ingrained at the beginning of his golf career, and those are near impossible to eliminate. From the first time he tried my DF was on the 9th green ... he started rolling them in from +10 feet. He was so excited he didn’t give the putter back to me for 10 minutes. Yes, he was still swinging outside in, but what was different this time, was that the putter was not penalizing him for off center hits. The face stayed square because it did not torque and the putts rolled true because the face maintained momentum along its entirety.
If you struggle with your putting swing plane, you need to give L.A.B. putters a try. It could make a big difference.
Trade It - Never
When I announced to my fellow golfers at the club, that I had been selected to review the Directed Force, some of the guys joked that I could trade it for a new driver after the review. I’ll say it right here and now, I wouldn’t trade it for an entire new set of new clubs.
To give you a better idea as to the value / price of my Directed Force configuration, consider this: My custom made Spider EX retailed for close to $500, with a standard shaft. The price for a stock Directed Force 2.1 with the fantastic Press-II 3° grip is $399. To customize it with non-standard length or lie, it starts at $549 and that is just slightly more than the Spider EX. Then there are upgraded shaft options from $100 - $380. The DF 2.1 configuration that I tested has the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft ($275) and Alignment markings ($25) for a total of $849.00. I believe it is in the same price range as mass market putters, and worth every penny.
 
Conclusion
I said it before: “I was not in the market for a new putter.” I was curious though. I wanted to see what a torque-less putter was all about. Drive for show — putt for dough hints at a deeper concept here … confidence in your putter is far more important than confidence in your driver. You can always fall back to your 3 wood, but lack of confidence in your putter can be disastrous.
First Impressions: 
I had issues with the remote fitting process ... part of it turned out to be my fault. I believe putters are intuitive weapons, and I want to hold it in my hands before I buy it. That said however, I love this putter. Yes, I initially thought it was big and ugly, but I don't anymore.
Aesthetics:
As far as looks go … who cares. I think it must look intimidating to my opponents. Besides, I have won money with it. The grip is fantastic and instills as much confidence as the putter head does. And the shaft not only adds to the non-torque capabilities, it provides a soft, pleasant feel.
The Numbers:
My stats show that I’ve reduced 3 putts by as much as 50%, and that’s the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 no-one-cares. The reduction in 3 putts is proof that I’m leaving my putts closer … I honestly feel like I have more putts stopping within inches then I did with my old putter.
On-Course: 
Confidence. Lining a putt up is easy for me with these top lines. Fantastic grip makes me feel like my hands are locked in. Linear face momentum from the non-torque head eliminates my worries for an imperfect stroke. Soft feel off the face gives me the the sense that I’m tossing darts.
The Good, the Bad, the In-Between:
For me, this is a game changing putter. The non-torque head and shaft compensate for my occasional drifting off the swing path and off center hits still track true. And yet, even though this is simply a mental hangup for me, I can’t help but wonder whether this is the perfect L.A.B. model for me.
Someone asked me:
"Are you happy with it."
     "Absolutely."
"Then get over it and move on."
     "Yes, but ..." 
Play it or Trade it:
The Directed Force 2.1 is in my bag to stay. The guys at the club keep joking about me trading trade it for a new driver(s) … they think it’s ugly. I just laughed while they were handing me my tournament money. Enough said.
It sounds a little cheesy, but the DF 2.1 lead me to begin thinking “I can do this.” And that powerful thought is a positivity that has seeped into my game overall. I’m enjoying my game more. There's tons of room for improvement, but I'm coming home in a much better mood. My wife is really happy about that.
I'm showing this putter to everyone, whether they have doubts about their putting stroke or not. While the base model DF is about the same price as discounted big name putters out there, custom versions of the DF are priced in line with big name putter customizations. So the next time you are in a golf store, pick one up and give it a try, then think about remote fitting. It might change your game. 

 
 
I know, it's only a 6 footer. But anything further and y'all would be accusing me of staging it.
 
 
 
 

My Introduction
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9053
First Impressions
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9647
 
 Looks like an old-fashioned bottle opener to me. 
Aesthetics and Reactions from other golfers
"It’s Big" - Response of 80% of People Who I Showed it to
I knew that someone had read about this putter whenever they echoed the words, “looks like a branding iron.”
Yes, it is big. Although, I was around when PING irons first came on the scene. When everything else was a blade, they seemed massive. One old boy used to say, “You could dig up potatoes with them things,” meaning they looked like a hoe.
And then Big Bertha appeared on the scene. “It’s huge," everyone exclaimed. Not by today’s standards though. So while the Directed Force (DF) is indeed larger, it means to me exactly what PING and Big Bertha meant back then … better performance and an increased margin of error.
"It Sounds Different" - A Youtube Reviewer Mentioned this, too
I couldn’t wait to try this club, so I grabbed 3 random balls and went to the practice green. First ball I hit, the club let out a distinctive ping. I’m old enough to remember the original PING 1A putter and it was named PING because of the ping sound it emitted. (Take a look at the L.A.B. B2 ... it resembles the original PING 1A) Turns out the first ball I tried was a Topflight. The other 2 balls were softer, a Titleist and a Callaway which did not ping near as loudly. So the harder the ball is, the louder the ping. It is a non-issue to me, because I don’t even hear it anymore.
"It’s too Light" - Immediate Response from a Golfer
I had not realized how light this DF configuration was until I picked up my Spider EX. There was a noticeable difference. I bought that Spider cuz I wanted a heavier putter head than my old PING Anser. Maybe it was lucky that I never compared the putters until after I had been using the DF for a week. By then I didn’t care that my old favorite felt heavier. I definitely can see that head weight does not make a difference in performance. I actually think it’s easier to hit the DF 2.1 on really long putts. I thought I wanted that weight for those long putts … but the DF proved me wrong.
By the way, the guy who said it was too light never even hit a putt with it. His loss.
"Is that a L.A.B. Putter" - Response from Several Golfers
While I was on the putting green a guy yelled over from the first tee, “Is that a L.A.B. putter?” Another person caught me on the chipping green, without the putter, asking if I was the guy with the L.A.B. And I also heard a few times that guys had a friend who played one. People have heard about this putter,
"That’s a Lot of Lines" - Response from Several Golfers
I love these lines. I set it down, align it to my target, and feel fully confidant that I’m right.
"The Grip is Fantastic" - Response from Several Golfers
I love this grip ... the soft tackiness and the way it fits my hand. Several other people echoed these sentiments exactly.
"How Can You Putt off the Toe if it’s Not Dead" - A Collegiate Player
As I touted the benefits of the soft feel of the ball leaving the face and the fact that toe hits don't lose momentum, a young college golfer said that he needs to have a dead hit on the toe, so he can putt a fast downhill slopping green. Sounds like something I heard when I was his age.
Off-center putts are so soft I don't really feel them ... and they definitely don't lose momentum. I set this putter up on the line I want, and then think of nothing else except pacing. I don’t care if I miss the center of the face because I know the ball maintains it's momentum wherever I strikes the face. The ball will stay on line and still not lose distance like toe & heel hits on other putters. And that is a confidence builder.
Because this putter does not torque on impact, the entire face stays square to where your hands are. That doesn't mean you can't push or pull it. As long as your hands are locked in, the face will stay square to the line on miss hits ... heel or toe.
 
The Numbers
I was one of the last in the group to receive my putter because of issues delaying my fitting process and also from being away on vacation. So I probably had 2 weeks less with my DF than most of the others. I started playing with it immediately.
I could have set up a putting trial with chalk lines and gates, but I don’t believe quantifying practice tells me anything about playability under pressure. Putting 25 balls down a chalk line with both putters on a flat putting green, doesn't help me on the course when trying to win skins. Besides, the practice green is the only flat green on our course. And at my age fatigue is an issue, too. My back is so bad it starts aching if I practice putting or chipping for more than 10 min. And that fatigue would have affected bulk testing. I have no problem trying out a club under fire. We play small $5-$20 games 3 times a week, so it was no big deal trying the DF out in a skins game. I was so happy with the club, I used it in a tournament after only playing 3 rounds with it. We tied for first, but lost on a coin toss.
I felt like I was fairly good at putting with my Spider. So, here are a few comparisons between it and the DF, so you can see my base and where the DF excelled.
I had 9-hole rounds with 5-1 putts using both putters in our men's association ... all over 10 foot putts I've had 15-putt, 9-hole rounds with both putters I had sub 30-putt, 18-hole rounds in skin games with both putters I achieved a 50% reduction in 3-putts with the DF I feel that my lag putts land closer with the DF  I had been tracking Distance to pin 1st putt / Number of putts / Distance missed, on my score cards, but I gave up and relied on my Arccos Caddie stats instead. So the only stats of mine that I feel are worthy of sharing are from my Arccos data.
I had lost my original Arccos putter sensor and Arccos replaced it for free … many thanks Arccos. I also purchased a second putter sensor so that I could track both putter’s stats separately.

Included in these graphics are the last 100 putts with both my Spider EX, and the last 100 putts with the Directed Force 2.1. As you can see there is a slight improvement in 1-putts. But the huge impact for me was the reduction in 3 putts. Every 3 putt eliminated is a stroke saved. 
I wish I could show y’all a graphic for distance left after the 1st putt. I tracked it manually a few rounds with each putter, but didn’t feel like I saved enough data to make it anything more than anecdotal. Which is unfortunate, because I honestly feel I am leaving my 10’-30’ putts much closer with the DF … less than a foot in a majority of cases. The fact that my 3 putts have been reduced by 50% proves that I am leaving long putts closer.
It’s difficult to quantify confidence in a putter. I had it with my old putter … I’ve got more of it with the Directed Force 2.1.
 
On The Course
“Set It and Forget It” is a trademarked phrase by marketing genius Ron Popeil that took on pop culture status in the 90s. His catch phrase has become my putting mantra for the DF 2.1. I set the club on line and I never think about it again, instead concentrating on distance and pace.
I have a random putting flaw where I occasionally pull my hands outside my swing plane. Sometimes, as I take the putter back, the head jumps off my swing path ... I’ve got a bit of nerve damage in my hands. But the point is, I see it when it happens, and that blows my concentration ... instead of focusing on pace, I am thinking about mechanics and it’s not going to be a good stroke. With the DF I don’t worry about controlling the stroke path anymore. I have complete confidence that if miss the center of the face, the ball will still travel on my intended line at the pace I wanted. That has given me freedom to focus on touch. Now when I see the putter move, I ignore it and toss the ball to the hole.
With the margin of error the DF provides me, I can ignore my hand drift when I see it. Sure, I still push an occasional putt. I still roll my hands on occasions, too. I’m not saying the DF eliminates all my problems. I’m saying that for me, it takes my mind off trying to control my swing, too precisely. My Arccos data has shown that using the DF has reduced my 3 putts by 50%, and that's the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 "also ran".
I may come off looking like an egotistical ass for this next graphic ... but I believe this putter played a huge part in my performance in a recent tournament. I had a Cinderella round ... I’ve included the scorecard ... and as you can see I played out my ass. This is an anomaly folks. Although I must say it stems from the confidence I had standing over every putt. And I am thoroughly convinced that that confidence carried over into my entire game that day. My drives were longer & straighter and I was confident I was going to chip-in a ball before I hit it. Don’t get me wrong, there was a fair amount of luck involved, especially on several approach shots. And hell, if you look close enough you can see that I got too cocky on the 14th, rushed the putt and lipped out an easy 5’ putt for par/birdie. Plus I had 2-3 putts of which I am thoroughly ashamed.

Full disclosure: the next round after that tournament was in our Tuesday, senior skins game, and I shot an 85. It consisted of 4-1 putts and 14-2 putts. Two skins and not a 3 putt in the bunch. I'm happy with that.
 
The Good, The Bad, and In Between
Good
This is an anti-torque head with an anti-torque shaft and they work perfectly together. I do not see any degradation in off center putts. 
I love the soft feel of the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft. The LA Golf shaft is listed as having an even a softer feel. The soft feel gives me the impression that my putts are effortless as opposed to throwing my heavy headed Spider at the ball on really long putts. 
Don’t confuse soft feel with weak ... soft does not equate to loss of feel ... I do not need to swing harder on long putts. When I putt now, my stroke feels far more intuitive ... like throwing darts. This configuration putts as easily on 35’ putts as it does at 10 footers. The ball comes off the face easily and rolls straight as an arrow.
The alignment lines are fantastic. I love how confident I feel that I am on target.
I can’t think of a single thing to change on this club. People say it’s ugly. I don’t care because I'm putting great with it.
The Bad ... Slightly Unhappy
I was unhappy with the remote fitting process. I screwed it up by submitting a poor fitting video. I would have preferred to try before I buy. That’s my only hang up in this process. I honestly believe that face to face interaction would have been better for me.
I sincerely feel that if it had been possible for me to try this putter out first, and experiment with different lies, maybe I could have had even better results than I got. Seems petty and doesn't mean I'm right. But there will always be that doubt in my head … could it be better? Would I have liked a blade better? 
I tried a myriad of putters before selecting the Spider EX I was using. When I ordered it, I asked for a custom bump to the standard lie by 2°, (assuming standard to be 67°). Turns out my Spider is a 70° standard; 72° as ordered. In the fitting video I sent L.A.B., I can see that I have the toe of the putter in the air. Lots of people putt with the toe in the air ... how was L.A.B. to know I didn't too? Nope, I did not pay enough attention to my setup and I regret it. They came back with a measurement off the video of a 67° lie, (which I have verified on my computer). It was my fault that I didn't get the lie I wanted.

I thought I was matching the putter I liked. I was wrong. So my unhappiness was caused by me. I regret that I did not match the Spider's lie angle, because like I said, it might have increased my success with the DF. And there's no running to a local fitter, if we had one, to have the lie adjusted ... you can't bend a composite shaft.
So if you order via the remote fitting process, do your homework. Try and determine what you are currently using before submitting your video. Do you want to match your current putter or improve on it? Talk it over with them. They will work with you. One caveat is that it took 2 days to get any of my questions answered. And with a holiday in the mix, a question on Friday didn't get addressed until the following Wednesday. It's only an issue if you are in a time crunch, as I was, needing the putter for my review.
Lie Angle Hack: Hold your putter flat against a tabletop, and using a protractor app on your phone, measure your lie angle.
Due to buttons getting in the way, you are probably going to get a measurement within ±1° ... make certain your table top is 0° too.

One minor caveat about the grip … I have a cart bag, and the extra width of the grip can interfere with other clubs when bagging or un-bagging them.  
Play it or Trade it
In My Bag - Forever
I actually GOOGLED "Will a New Putter Improve My Putting"
GOOGLE Says:
A change of putter can never compensate for a lack of skill. At best it can make poor putting slightly less bad. 
Hey GOOGLE, WRONG!
When you’ve been playing for a decade or two, you develop bad habits. And bad habits using a putter with no margin for error just makes things worse. A new Directed Force can actually compensate for some bad habits.
Case in point: I showed my Directed Force to Dan, a fellow golfer in our Saturday Morning Skins Game. He has fought an outside-in putting stroke his entire life, which is kind-of similar to my hands drifting off my intended swing path. For both of us, missing the center of the club with our old putters, means our putts will probably be off line and short. The DF does not penalize you on off-center hits, because the head doesn't torque open and you don't lose momentum at impact ... the entire face stays square to the target line. My off-center hits did not affect my putt distances. When I know my putter is square to my target line ... when I can ignore a swing path error, then I am going to be more successful with my pacing, and that means I’ll make more putts. To me the DF is a game improvement putter and it works.
Dan has been practicing specifically to control his putting swing plane … to a moderate success. It is a habit he picked up / ingrained at the beginning of his golf career, and those are near impossible to eliminate. From the first time he tried my DF was on the 9th green ... he started rolling them in from +10 feet. He was so excited he didn’t give the putter back to me for 10 minutes. Yes, he was still swinging outside in, but what was different this time, was that the putter was not penalizing him for off center hits. The face stayed square because it did not torque and the putts rolled true because the face maintained momentum along its entirety.
If you struggle with your putting swing plane, you need to give L.A.B. putters a try. It could make a big difference.
Trade It - Never
When I announced to my fellow golfers at the club, that I had been selected to review the Directed Force, some of the guys joked that I could trade it for a new driver after the review. I’ll say it right here and now, I wouldn’t trade it for an entire new set of new clubs.
To give you a better idea as to the value / price of my Directed Force configuration, consider this: My custom made Spider EX retailed for close to $500, with a standard shaft. The price for a stock Directed Force 2.1 with the fantastic Press-II 3° grip is $399. To customize it with non-standard length or lie, it starts at $549 and that is just slightly more than the Spider EX. Then there are upgraded shaft options from $100 - $380. The DF 2.1 configuration that I tested has the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft ($275) and Alignment markings ($25) for a total of $849.00. I believe it is in the same price range as mass market putters, and worth every penny.
 
Conclusion
I said it before: “I was not in the market for a new putter.” I was curious though. I wanted to see what a torque-less putter was all about. Drive for show — putt for dough hints at a deeper concept here … confidence in your putter is far more important than confidence in your driver. You can always fall back to your 3 wood, but lack of confidence in your putter can be disastrous.
First Impressions: 
I had issues with the remote fitting process ... part of it turned out to be my fault. I believe putters are intuitive weapons, and I want to hold it in my hands before I buy it. That said however, I love this putter. Yes, I initially thought it was big and ugly, but I don't anymore.
Aesthetics:
As far as looks go … who cares. I think it must look intimidating to my opponents. Besides, I have won money with it. The grip is fantastic and instills as much confidence as the putter head does. And the shaft not only adds to the non-torque capabilities, it provides a soft, pleasant feel.
The Numbers:
My stats show that I’ve reduced 3 putts by as much as 50%, and that’s the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 no-one-cares. The reduction in 3 putts is proof that I’m leaving my putts closer … I honestly feel like I have more putts stopping within inches then I did with my old putter.
On-Course: 
Confidence. Lining a putt up is easy for me with these top lines. Fantastic grip makes me feel like my hands are locked in. Linear face momentum from the non-torque head eliminates my worries for an imperfect stroke. Soft feel off the face gives me the the sense that I’m tossing darts.
The Good, the Bad, the In-Between:
For me, this is a game changing putter. The non-torque head and shaft compensate for my occasional drifting off the swing path and off center hits still track true. And yet, even though this is simply a mental hangup for me, I can’t help but wonder whether this is the perfect L.A.B. model for me.
Someone asked me:
"Are you happy with it."
     "Absolutely."
"Then get over it and move on."
     "Yes, but ..." 
Play it or Trade it:
The Directed Force 2.1 is in my bag to stay. The guys at the club keep joking about me trading trade it for a new driver(s) … they think it’s ugly. I just laughed while they were handing me my tournament money. Enough said.
It sounds a little cheesy, but the DF 2.1 lead me to begin thinking “I can do this.” And that powerful thought is a positivity that has seeped into my game overall. I’m enjoying my game more. There's tons of room for improvement, but I'm coming home in a much better mood. My wife is really happy about that.
I'm showing this putter to everyone, whether they have doubts about their putting stroke or not. While the base model DF is about the same price as discounted big name putters out there, custom versions of the DF are priced in line with big name putter customizations. So the next time you are in a golf store, pick one up and give it a try, then think about remote fitting. It might change your game. 

 
 
I know, it's only a 6 footer. But anything further and y'all would be accusing me of staging it.
 
 
 
 

My Introduction
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9053
First Impressions
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9647
 
 Looks like an old-fashioned bottle opener to me. 
Aesthetics and Reactions from other golfers
"It’s Big" - Response of 80% of People Who I Showed it to
I knew that someone had read about this putter whenever they echoed the words, “looks like a branding iron.”
Yes, it is big. Although, I was around when PING irons first came on the scene. When everything else was a blade, they seemed massive. One old boy used to say, “You could dig up potatoes with them things,” meaning they looked like a hoe.
And then Big Bertha appeared on the scene. “It’s huge," everyone exclaimed. Not by today’s standards though. So while the Directed Force (DF) is indeed larger, it means to me exactly what PING and Big Bertha meant back then … better performance and an increased margin of error.
"It Sounds Different" - A Youtube Reviewer Mentioned this, too
I couldn’t wait to try this club, so I grabbed 3 random balls and went to the practice green. First ball I hit, the club let out a distinctive ping. I’m old enough to remember the original PING 1A putter and it was named PING because of the ping sound it emitted. (Take a look at the L.A.B. B2 ... it resembles the original PING 1A) Turns out the first ball I tried was a Topflight. The other 2 balls were softer, a Titleist and a Callaway which did not ping near as loudly. So the harder the ball is, the louder the ping. It is a non-issue to me, because I don’t even hear it anymore.
"It’s too Light" - Immediate Response from a Golfer
I had not realized how light this DF configuration was until I picked up my Spider EX. There was a noticeable difference. I bought that Spider cuz I wanted a heavier putter head than my old PING Anser. Maybe it was lucky that I never compared the putters until after I had been using the DF for a week. By then I didn’t care that my old favorite felt heavier. I definitely can see that head weight does not make a difference in performance. I actually think it’s easier to hit the DF 2.1 on really long putts. I thought I wanted that weight for those long putts … but the DF proved me wrong.
By the way, the guy who said it was too light never even hit a putt with it. His loss.
"Is that a L.A.B. Putter" - Response from Several Golfers
While I was on the putting green a guy yelled over from the first tee, “Is that a L.A.B. putter?” Another person caught me on the chipping green, without the putter, asking if I was the guy with the L.A.B. And I also heard a few times that guys had a friend who played one. People have heard about this putter,
"That’s a Lot of Lines" - Response from Several Golfers
I love these lines. I set it down, align it to my target, and feel fully confidant that I’m right.
"The Grip is Fantastic" - Response from Several Golfers
I love this grip ... the soft tackiness and the way it fits my hand. Several other people echoed these sentiments exactly.
"How Can You Putt off the Toe if it’s Not Dead" - A Collegiate Player
As I touted the benefits of the soft feel of the ball leaving the face and the fact that toe hits don't lose momentum, a young college golfer said that he needs to have a dead hit on the toe, so he can putt a fast downhill slopping green. Sounds like something I heard when I was his age.
Off-center putts are so soft I don't really feel them ... and they definitely don't lose momentum. I set this putter up on the line I want, and then think of nothing else except pacing. I don’t care if I miss the center of the face because I know the ball maintains it's momentum wherever I strikes the face. The ball will stay on line and still not lose distance like toe & heel hits on other putters. And that is a confidence builder.
Because this putter does not torque on impact, the entire face stays square to where your hands are. That doesn't mean you can't push or pull it. As long as your hands are locked in, the face will stay square to the line on miss hits ... heel or toe.
 
The Numbers
I was one of the last in the group to receive my putter because of issues delaying my fitting process and also from being away on vacation. So I probably had 2 weeks less with my DF than most of the others. I started playing with it immediately.
I could have set up a putting trial with chalk lines and gates, but I don’t believe quantifying practice tells me anything about playability under pressure. Putting 25 balls down a chalk line with both putters on a flat putting green, doesn't help me on the course when trying to win skins. Besides, the practice green is the only flat green on our course. And at my age fatigue is an issue, too. My back is so bad it starts aching if I practice putting or chipping for more than 10 min. And that fatigue would have affected bulk testing. I have no problem trying out a club under fire. We play small $5-$20 games 3 times a week, so it was no big deal trying the DF out in a skins game. I was so happy with the club, I used it in a tournament after only playing 3 rounds with it. We tied for first, but lost on a coin toss.
I felt like I was fairly good at putting with my Spider. So, here are a few comparisons between it and the DF, so you can see my base and where the DF excelled.
I had 9-hole rounds with 5-1 putts using both putters in our men's association ... all over 10 foot putts I've had 15-putt, 9-hole rounds with both putters I had sub 30-putt, 18-hole rounds in skin games with both putters I achieved a 50% reduction in 3-putts with the DF I feel that my lag putts land closer with the DF  I had been tracking Distance to pin 1st putt / Number of putts / Distance missed, on my score cards, but I gave up and relied on my Arccos Caddie stats instead. So the only stats of mine that I feel are worthy of sharing are from my Arccos data.
I had lost my original Arccos putter sensor and Arccos replaced it for free … many thanks Arccos. I also purchased a second putter sensor so that I could track both putter’s stats separately.

Included in these graphics are the last 100 putts with both my Spider EX, and the last 100 putts with the Directed Force 2.1. As you can see there is a slight improvement in 1-putts. But the huge impact for me was the reduction in 3 putts. Every 3 putt eliminated is a stroke saved. 
I wish I could show y’all a graphic for distance left after the 1st putt. I tracked it manually a few rounds with each putter, but didn’t feel like I saved enough data to make it anything more than anecdotal. Which is unfortunate, because I honestly feel I am leaving my 10’-30’ putts much closer with the DF … less than a foot in a majority of cases. The fact that my 3 putts have been reduced by 50% proves that I am leaving long putts closer.
It’s difficult to quantify confidence in a putter. I had it with my old putter … I’ve got more of it with the Directed Force 2.1.
 
On The Course
“Set It and Forget It” is a trademarked phrase by marketing genius Ron Popeil that took on pop culture status in the 90s. His catch phrase has become my putting mantra for the DF 2.1. I set the club on line and I never think about it again, instead concentrating on distance and pace.
I have a random putting flaw where I occasionally pull my hands outside my swing plane. Sometimes, as I take the putter back, the head jumps off my swing path ... I’ve got a bit of nerve damage in my hands. But the point is, I see it when it happens, and that blows my concentration ... instead of focusing on pace, I am thinking about mechanics and it’s not going to be a good stroke. With the DF I don’t worry about controlling the stroke path anymore. I have complete confidence that if miss the center of the face, the ball will still travel on my intended line at the pace I wanted. That has given me freedom to focus on touch. Now when I see the putter move, I ignore it and toss the ball to the hole.
With the margin of error the DF provides me, I can ignore my hand drift when I see it. Sure, I still push an occasional putt. I still roll my hands on occasions, too. I’m not saying the DF eliminates all my problems. I’m saying that for me, it takes my mind off trying to control my swing, too precisely. My Arccos data has shown that using the DF has reduced my 3 putts by 50%, and that's the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 "also ran".
I may come off looking like an egotistical ass for this next graphic ... but I believe this putter played a huge part in my performance in a recent tournament. I had a Cinderella round ... I’ve included the scorecard ... and as you can see I played out my ass. This is an anomaly folks. Although I must say it stems from the confidence I had standing over every putt. And I am thoroughly convinced that that confidence carried over into my entire game that day. My drives were longer & straighter and I was confident I was going to chip-in a ball before I hit it. Don’t get me wrong, there was a fair amount of luck involved, especially on several approach shots. And hell, if you look close enough you can see that I got too cocky on the 14th, rushed the putt and lipped out an easy 5’ putt for par/birdie. Plus I had 2-3 putts of which I am thoroughly ashamed.

Full disclosure: the next round after that tournament was in our Tuesday, senior skins game, and I shot an 85. It consisted of 4-1 putts and 14-2 putts. Two skins and not a 3 putt in the bunch. I'm happy with that.
 
The Good, The Bad, and In Between
Good
This is an anti-torque head with an anti-torque shaft and they work perfectly together. I do not see any degradation in off center putts. 
I love the soft feel of the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft. The LA Golf shaft is listed as having an even a softer feel. The soft feel gives me the impression that my putts are effortless as opposed to throwing my heavy headed Spider at the ball on really long putts. 
Don’t confuse soft feel with weak ... soft does not equate to loss of feel ... I do not need to swing harder on long putts. When I putt now, my stroke feels far more intuitive ... like throwing darts. This configuration putts as easily on 35’ putts as it does at 10 footers. The ball comes off the face easily and rolls straight as an arrow.
The alignment lines are fantastic. I love how confident I feel that I am on target.
I can’t think of a single thing to change on this club. People say it’s ugly. I don’t care because I'm putting great with it.
The Bad ... Slightly Unhappy
I was unhappy with the remote fitting process. I screwed it up by submitting a poor fitting video. I would have preferred to try before I buy. That’s my only hang up in this process. I honestly believe that face to face interaction would have been better for me.
I sincerely feel that if it had been possible for me to try this putter out first, and experiment with different lies, maybe I could have had even better results than I got. Seems petty and doesn't mean I'm right. But there will always be that doubt in my head … could it be better? Would I have liked a blade better? 
I tried a myriad of putters before selecting the Spider EX I was using. When I ordered it, I asked for a custom bump to the standard lie by 2°, (assuming standard to be 67°). Turns out my Spider is a 70° standard; 72° as ordered. In the fitting video I sent L.A.B., I can see that I have the toe of the putter in the air. Lots of people putt with the toe in the air ... how was L.A.B. to know I didn't too? Nope, I did not pay enough attention to my setup and I regret it. They came back with a measurement off the video of a 67° lie, (which I have verified on my computer). It was my fault that I didn't get the lie I wanted.

I thought I was matching the putter I liked. I was wrong. So my unhappiness was caused by me. I regret that I did not match the Spider's lie angle, because like I said, it might have increased my success with the DF. And there's no running to a local fitter, if we had one, to have the lie adjusted ... you can't bend a composite shaft.
So if you order via the remote fitting process, do your homework. Try and determine what you are currently using before submitting your video. Do you want to match your current putter or improve on it? Talk it over with them. They will work with you. One caveat is that it took 2 days to get any of my questions answered. And with a holiday in the mix, a question on Friday didn't get addressed until the following Wednesday. It's only an issue if you are in a time crunch, as I was, needing the putter for my review.
Lie Angle Hack: Hold your putter flat against a tabletop, and using a protractor app on your phone, measure your lie angle.
Due to buttons getting in the way, you are probably going to get a measurement within ±1° ... make certain your table top is 0° too.

One minor caveat about the grip … I have a cart bag, and the extra width of the grip can interfere with other clubs when bagging or un-bagging them.  
Play it or Trade it
In My Bag - Forever
I actually GOOGLED "Will a New Putter Improve My Putting"
GOOGLE Says:
A change of putter can never compensate for a lack of skill. At best it can make poor putting slightly less bad. 
Hey GOOGLE, WRONG!
When you’ve been playing for a decade or two, you develop bad habits. And bad habits using a putter with no margin for error just makes things worse. A new Directed Force can actually compensate for some bad habits.
Case in point: I showed my Directed Force to Dan, a fellow golfer in our Saturday Morning Skins Game. He has fought an outside-in putting stroke his entire life, which is kind-of similar to my hands drifting off my intended swing path. For both of us, missing the center of the club with our old putters, means our putts will probably be off line and short. The DF does not penalize you on off-center hits, because the head doesn't torque open and you don't lose momentum at impact ... the entire face stays square to the target line. My off-center hits did not affect my putt distances. When I know my putter is square to my target line ... when I can ignore a swing path error, then I am going to be more successful with my pacing, and that means I’ll make more putts. To me the DF is a game improvement putter and it works.
Dan has been practicing specifically to control his putting swing plane … to a moderate success. It is a habit he picked up / ingrained at the beginning of his golf career, and those are near impossible to eliminate. From the first time he tried my DF was on the 9th green ... he started rolling them in from +10 feet. He was so excited he didn’t give the putter back to me for 10 minutes. Yes, he was still swinging outside in, but what was different this time, was that the putter was not penalizing him for off center hits. The face stayed square because it did not torque and the putts rolled true because the face maintained momentum along its entirety.
If you struggle with your putting swing plane, you need to give L.A.B. putters a try. It could make a big difference.
Trade It - Never
When I announced to my fellow golfers at the club, that I had been selected to review the Directed Force, some of the guys joked that I could trade it for a new driver after the review. I’ll say it right here and now, I wouldn’t trade it for an entire new set of new clubs.
To give you a better idea as to the value / price of my Directed Force configuration, consider this: My custom made Spider EX retailed for close to $500, with a standard shaft. The price for a stock Directed Force 2.1 with the fantastic Press-II 3° grip is $399. To customize it with non-standard length or lie, it starts at $549 and that is just slightly more than the Spider EX. Then there are upgraded shaft options from $100 - $380. The DF 2.1 configuration that I tested has the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft ($275) and Alignment markings ($25) for a total of $849.00. I believe it is in the same price range as mass market putters, and worth every penny.
 
Conclusion
I said it before: “I was not in the market for a new putter.” I was curious though. I wanted to see what a torque-less putter was all about. Drive for show — putt for dough hints at a deeper concept here … confidence in your putter is far more important than confidence in your driver. You can always fall back to your 3 wood, but lack of confidence in your putter can be disastrous.
First Impressions: 
I had issues with the remote fitting process ... part of it turned out to be my fault. I believe putters are intuitive weapons, and I want to hold it in my hands before I buy it. That said however, I love this putter. Yes, I initially thought it was big and ugly, but I don't anymore.
Aesthetics:
As far as looks go … who cares. I think it must look intimidating to my opponents. Besides, I have won money with it. The grip is fantastic and instills as much confidence as the putter head does. And the shaft not only adds to the non-torque capabilities, it provides a soft, pleasant feel.
The Numbers:
My stats show that I’ve reduced 3 putts by as much as 50%, and that’s the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 no-one-cares. The reduction in 3 putts is proof that I’m leaving my putts closer … I honestly feel like I have more putts stopping within inches then I did with my old putter.
On-Course: 
Confidence. Lining a putt up is easy for me with these top lines. Fantastic grip makes me feel like my hands are locked in. Linear face momentum from the non-torque head eliminates my worries for an imperfect stroke. Soft feel off the face gives me the the sense that I’m tossing darts.
The Good, the Bad, the In-Between:
For me, this is a game changing putter. The non-torque head and shaft compensate for my occasional drifting off the swing path and off center hits still track true. And yet, even though this is simply a mental hangup for me, I can’t help but wonder whether this is the perfect L.A.B. model for me.
Someone asked me:
"Are you happy with it."
     "Absolutely."
"Then get over it and move on."
     "Yes, but ..." 
Play it or Trade it:
The Directed Force 2.1 is in my bag to stay. The guys at the club keep joking about me trading trade it for a new driver(s) … they think it’s ugly. I just laughed while they were handing me my tournament money. Enough said.
It sounds a little cheesy, but the DF 2.1 lead me to begin thinking “I can do this.” And that powerful thought is a positivity that has seeped into my game overall. I’m enjoying my game more. There's tons of room for improvement, but I'm coming home in a much better mood. My wife is really happy about that.
I'm showing this putter to everyone, whether they have doubts about their putting stroke or not. While the base model DF is about the same price as discounted big name putters out there, custom versions of the DF are priced in line with big name putter customizations. So the next time you are in a golf store, pick one up and give it a try, then think about remote fitting. It might change your game. 

 
 
I know, it's only a 6 footer. But anything further and y'all would be accusing me of staging it.
 
 
 
 

My Introduction
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9053
First Impressions
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9647
 
 Looks like an old-fashioned bottle opener to me. 
Aesthetics and Reactions from other golfers
"It’s Big" - Response of 80% of People Who I Showed it to
I knew that someone had read about this putter whenever they echoed the words, “looks like a branding iron.”
Yes, it is big. Although, I was around when PING irons first came on the scene. When everything else was a blade, they seemed massive. One old boy used to say, “You could dig up potatoes with them things,” meaning they looked like a hoe.
And then Big Bertha appeared on the scene. “It’s huge," everyone exclaimed. Not by today’s standards though. So while the Directed Force (DF) is indeed larger, it means to me exactly what PING and Big Bertha meant back then … better performance and an increased margin of error.
"It Sounds Different" - A Youtube Reviewer Mentioned this, too
I couldn’t wait to try this club, so I grabbed 3 random balls and went to the practice green. First ball I hit, the club let out a distinctive ping. I’m old enough to remember the original PING 1A putter and it was named PING because of the ping sound it emitted. (Take a look at the L.A.B. B2 ... it resembles the original PING 1A) Turns out the first ball I tried was a Topflight. The other 2 balls were softer, a Titleist and a Callaway which did not ping near as loudly. So the harder the ball is, the louder the ping. It is a non-issue to me, because I don’t even hear it anymore.
"It’s too Light" - Immediate Response from a Golfer
I had not realized how light this DF configuration was until I picked up my Spider EX. There was a noticeable difference. I bought that Spider cuz I wanted a heavier putter head than my old PING Anser. Maybe it was lucky that I never compared the putters until after I had been using the DF for a week. By then I didn’t care that my old favorite felt heavier. I definitely can see that head weight does not make a difference in performance. I actually think it’s easier to hit the DF 2.1 on really long putts. I thought I wanted that weight for those long putts … but the DF proved me wrong.
By the way, the guy who said it was too light never even hit a putt with it. His loss.
"Is that a L.A.B. Putter" - Response from Several Golfers
While I was on the putting green a guy yelled over from the first tee, “Is that a L.A.B. putter?” Another person caught me on the chipping green, without the putter, asking if I was the guy with the L.A.B. And I also heard a few times that guys had a friend who played one. People have heard about this putter,
"That’s a Lot of Lines" - Response from Several Golfers
I love these lines. I set it down, align it to my target, and feel fully confidant that I’m right.
"The Grip is Fantastic" - Response from Several Golfers
I love this grip ... the soft tackiness and the way it fits my hand. Several other people echoed these sentiments exactly.
"How Can You Putt off the Toe if it’s Not Dead" - A Collegiate Player
As I touted the benefits of the soft feel of the ball leaving the face and the fact that toe hits don't lose momentum, a young college golfer said that he needs to have a dead hit on the toe, so he can putt a fast downhill slopping green. Sounds like something I heard when I was his age.
Off-center putts are so soft I don't really feel them ... and they definitely don't lose momentum. I set this putter up on the line I want, and then think of nothing else except pacing. I don’t care if I miss the center of the face because I know the ball maintains it's momentum wherever I strikes the face. The ball will stay on line and still not lose distance like toe & heel hits on other putters. And that is a confidence builder.
Because this putter does not torque on impact, the entire face stays square to where your hands are. That doesn't mean you can't push or pull it. As long as your hands are locked in, the face will stay square to the line on miss hits ... heel or toe.
 
The Numbers
I was one of the last in the group to receive my putter because of issues delaying my fitting process and also from being away on vacation. So I probably had 2 weeks less with my DF than most of the others. I started playing with it immediately.
I could have set up a putting trial with chalk lines and gates, but I don’t believe quantifying practice tells me anything about playability under pressure. Putting 25 balls down a chalk line with both putters on a flat putting green, doesn't help me on the course when trying to win skins. Besides, the practice green is the only flat green on our course. And at my age fatigue is an issue, too. My back is so bad it starts aching if I practice putting or chipping for more than 10 min. And that fatigue would have affected bulk testing. I have no problem trying out a club under fire. We play small $5-$20 games 3 times a week, so it was no big deal trying the DF out in a skins game. I was so happy with the club, I used it in a tournament after only playing 3 rounds with it. We tied for first, but lost on a coin toss.
I felt like I was fairly good at putting with my Spider. So, here are a few comparisons between it and the DF, so you can see my base and where the DF excelled.
I had 9-hole rounds with 5-1 putts using both putters in our men's association ... all over 10 foot putts I've had 15-putt, 9-hole rounds with both putters I had sub 30-putt, 18-hole rounds in skin games with both putters I achieved a 50% reduction in 3-putts with the DF I feel that my lag putts land closer with the DF  I had been tracking Distance to pin 1st putt / Number of putts / Distance missed, on my score cards, but I gave up and relied on my Arccos Caddie stats instead. So the only stats of mine that I feel are worthy of sharing are from my Arccos data.
I had lost my original Arccos putter sensor and Arccos replaced it for free … many thanks Arccos. I also purchased a second putter sensor so that I could track both putter’s stats separately.

Included in these graphics are the last 100 putts with both my Spider EX, and the last 100 putts with the Directed Force 2.1. As you can see there is a slight improvement in 1-putts. But the huge impact for me was the reduction in 3 putts. Every 3 putt eliminated is a stroke saved. 
I wish I could show y’all a graphic for distance left after the 1st putt. I tracked it manually a few rounds with each putter, but didn’t feel like I saved enough data to make it anything more than anecdotal. Which is unfortunate, because I honestly feel I am leaving my 10’-30’ putts much closer with the DF … less than a foot in a majority of cases. The fact that my 3 putts have been reduced by 50% proves that I am leaving long putts closer.
It’s difficult to quantify confidence in a putter. I had it with my old putter … I’ve got more of it with the Directed Force 2.1.
 
On The Course
“Set It and Forget It” is a trademarked phrase by marketing genius Ron Popeil that took on pop culture status in the 90s. His catch phrase has become my putting mantra for the DF 2.1. I set the club on line and I never think about it again, instead concentrating on distance and pace.
I have a random putting flaw where I occasionally pull my hands outside my swing plane. Sometimes, as I take the putter back, the head jumps off my swing path ... I’ve got a bit of nerve damage in my hands. But the point is, I see it when it happens, and that blows my concentration ... instead of focusing on pace, I am thinking about mechanics and it’s not going to be a good stroke. With the DF I don’t worry about controlling the stroke path anymore. I have complete confidence that if miss the center of the face, the ball will still travel on my intended line at the pace I wanted. That has given me freedom to focus on touch. Now when I see the putter move, I ignore it and toss the ball to the hole.
With the margin of error the DF provides me, I can ignore my hand drift when I see it. Sure, I still push an occasional putt. I still roll my hands on occasions, too. I’m not saying the DF eliminates all my problems. I’m saying that for me, it takes my mind off trying to control my swing, too precisely. My Arccos data has shown that using the DF has reduced my 3 putts by 50%, and that's the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 "also ran".
I may come off looking like an egotistical ass for this next graphic ... but I believe this putter played a huge part in my performance in a recent tournament. I had a Cinderella round ... I’ve included the scorecard ... and as you can see I played out my ass. This is an anomaly folks. Although I must say it stems from the confidence I had standing over every putt. And I am thoroughly convinced that that confidence carried over into my entire game that day. My drives were longer & straighter and I was confident I was going to chip-in a ball before I hit it. Don’t get me wrong, there was a fair amount of luck involved, especially on several approach shots. And hell, if you look close enough you can see that I got too cocky on the 14th, rushed the putt and lipped out an easy 5’ putt for par/birdie. Plus I had 2-3 putts of which I am thoroughly ashamed.

Full disclosure: the next round after that tournament was in our Tuesday, senior skins game, and I shot an 85. It consisted of 4-1 putts and 14-2 putts. Two skins and not a 3 putt in the bunch. I'm happy with that.
 
The Good, The Bad, and In Between
Good
This is an anti-torque head with an anti-torque shaft and they work perfectly together. I do not see any degradation in off center putts. 
I love the soft feel of the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft. The LA Golf shaft is listed as having an even a softer feel. The soft feel gives me the impression that my putts are effortless as opposed to throwing my heavy headed Spider at the ball on really long putts. 
Don’t confuse soft feel with weak ... soft does not equate to loss of feel ... I do not need to swing harder on long putts. When I putt now, my stroke feels far more intuitive ... like throwing darts. This configuration putts as easily on 35’ putts as it does at 10 footers. The ball comes off the face easily and rolls straight as an arrow.
The alignment lines are fantastic. I love how confident I feel that I am on target.
I can’t think of a single thing to change on this club. People say it’s ugly. I don’t care because I'm putting great with it.
The Bad ... Slightly Unhappy
I was unhappy with the remote fitting process. I screwed it up by submitting a poor fitting video. I would have preferred to try before I buy. That’s my only hang up in this process. I honestly believe that face to face interaction would have been better for me.
I sincerely feel that if it had been possible for me to try this putter out first, and experiment with different lies, maybe I could have had even better results than I got. Seems petty and doesn't mean I'm right. But there will always be that doubt in my head … could it be better? Would I have liked a blade better? 
I tried a myriad of putters before selecting the Spider EX I was using. When I ordered it, I asked for a custom bump to the standard lie by 2°, (assuming standard to be 67°). Turns out my Spider is a 70° standard; 72° as ordered. In the fitting video I sent L.A.B., I can see that I have the toe of the putter in the air. Lots of people putt with the toe in the air ... how was L.A.B. to know I didn't too? Nope, I did not pay enough attention to my setup and I regret it. They came back with a measurement off the video of a 67° lie, (which I have verified on my computer). It was my fault that I didn't get the lie I wanted.

I thought I was matching the putter I liked. I was wrong. So my unhappiness was caused by me. I regret that I did not match the Spider's lie angle, because like I said, it might have increased my success with the DF. And there's no running to a local fitter, if we had one, to have the lie adjusted ... you can't bend a composite shaft.
So if you order via the remote fitting process, do your homework. Try and determine what you are currently using before submitting your video. Do you want to match your current putter or improve on it? Talk it over with them. They will work with you. One caveat is that it took 2 days to get any of my questions answered. And with a holiday in the mix, a question on Friday didn't get addressed until the following Wednesday. It's only an issue if you are in a time crunch, as I was, needing the putter for my review.
Lie Angle Hack: Hold your putter flat against a tabletop, and using a protractor app on your phone, measure your lie angle.
Due to buttons getting in the way, you are probably going to get a measurement within ±1° ... make certain your table top is 0° too.

One minor caveat about the grip … I have a cart bag, and the extra width of the grip can interfere with other clubs when bagging or un-bagging them.  
Play it or Trade it
In My Bag - Forever
I actually GOOGLED "Will a New Putter Improve My Putting"
GOOGLE Says:
A change of putter can never compensate for a lack of skill. At best it can make poor putting slightly less bad. 
Hey GOOGLE, WRONG!
When you’ve been playing for a decade or two, you develop bad habits. And bad habits using a putter with no margin for error just makes things worse. A new Directed Force can actually compensate for some bad habits.
Case in point: I showed my Directed Force to Dan, a fellow golfer in our Saturday Morning Skins Game. He has fought an outside-in putting stroke his entire life, which is kind-of similar to my hands drifting off my intended swing path. For both of us, missing the center of the club with our old putters, means our putts will probably be off line and short. The DF does not penalize you on off-center hits, because the head doesn't torque open and you don't lose momentum at impact ... the entire face stays square to the target line. My off-center hits did not affect my putt distances. When I know my putter is square to my target line ... when I can ignore a swing path error, then I am going to be more successful with my pacing, and that means I’ll make more putts. To me the DF is a game improvement putter and it works.
Dan has been practicing specifically to control his putting swing plane … to a moderate success. It is a habit he picked up / ingrained at the beginning of his golf career, and those are near impossible to eliminate. From the first time he tried my DF was on the 9th green ... he started rolling them in from +10 feet. He was so excited he didn’t give the putter back to me for 10 minutes. Yes, he was still swinging outside in, but what was different this time, was that the putter was not penalizing him for off center hits. The face stayed square because it did not torque and the putts rolled true because the face maintained momentum along its entirety.
If you struggle with your putting swing plane, you need to give L.A.B. putters a try. It could make a big difference.
Trade It - Never
When I announced to my fellow golfers at the club, that I had been selected to review the Directed Force, some of the guys joked that I could trade it for a new driver after the review. I’ll say it right here and now, I wouldn’t trade it for an entire new set of new clubs.
To give you a better idea as to the value / price of my Directed Force configuration, consider this: My custom made Spider EX retailed for close to $500, with a standard shaft. The price for a stock Directed Force 2.1 with the fantastic Press-II 3° grip is $399. To customize it with non-standard length or lie, it starts at $549 and that is just slightly more than the Spider EX. Then there are upgraded shaft options from $100 - $380. The DF 2.1 configuration that I tested has the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft ($275) and Alignment markings ($25) for a total of $849.00. I believe it is in the same price range as mass market putters, and worth every penny.
 
Conclusion
I said it before: “I was not in the market for a new putter.” I was curious though. I wanted to see what a torque-less putter was all about. Drive for show — putt for dough hints at a deeper concept here … confidence in your putter is far more important than confidence in your driver. You can always fall back to your 3 wood, but lack of confidence in your putter can be disastrous.
First Impressions: 
I had issues with the remote fitting process ... part of it turned out to be my fault. I believe putters are intuitive weapons, and I want to hold it in my hands before I buy it. That said however, I love this putter. Yes, I initially thought it was big and ugly, but I don't anymore.
Aesthetics:
As far as looks go … who cares. I think it must look intimidating to my opponents. Besides, I have won money with it. The grip is fantastic and instills as much confidence as the putter head does. And the shaft not only adds to the non-torque capabilities, it provides a soft, pleasant feel.
The Numbers:
My stats show that I’ve reduced 3 putts by as much as 50%, and that’s the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 no-one-cares. The reduction in 3 putts is proof that I’m leaving my putts closer … I honestly feel like I have more putts stopping within inches then I did with my old putter.
On-Course: 
Confidence. Lining a putt up is easy for me with these top lines. Fantastic grip makes me feel like my hands are locked in. Linear face momentum from the non-torque head eliminates my worries for an imperfect stroke. Soft feel off the face gives me the the sense that I’m tossing darts.
The Good, the Bad, the In-Between:
For me, this is a game changing putter. The non-torque head and shaft compensate for my occasional drifting off the swing path and off center hits still track true. And yet, even though this is simply a mental hangup for me, I can’t help but wonder whether this is the perfect L.A.B. model for me.
Someone asked me:
"Are you happy with it."
     "Absolutely."
"Then get over it and move on."
     "Yes, but ..." 
Play it or Trade it:
The Directed Force 2.1 is in my bag to stay. The guys at the club keep joking about me trading trade it for a new driver(s) … they think it’s ugly. I just laughed while they were handing me my tournament money. Enough said.
It sounds a little cheesy, but the DF 2.1 lead me to begin thinking “I can do this.” And that powerful thought is a positivity that has seeped into my game overall. I’m enjoying my game more. There's tons of room for improvement, but I'm coming home in a much better mood. My wife is really happy about that.
I'm showing this putter to everyone, whether they have doubts about their putting stroke or not. While the base model DF is about the same price as discounted big name putters out there, custom versions of the DF are priced in line with big name putter customizations. So the next time you are in a golf store, pick one up and give it a try, then think about remote fitting. It might change your game. 

 
 
I know, it's only a 6 footer. But anything further and y'all would be accusing me of staging it.
 
 
 
 

My Introduction
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9053
First Impressions
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9647
 
 Looks like an old-fashioned bottle opener to me. 
Aesthetics and Reactions from other golfers
"It’s Big" - Response of 80% of People Who I Showed it to
I knew that someone had read about this putter whenever they echoed the words, “looks like a branding iron.”
Yes, it is big. Although, I was around when PING irons first came on the scene. When everything else was a blade, they seemed massive. One old boy used to say, “You could dig up potatoes with them things,” meaning they looked like a hoe.
And then Big Bertha appeared on the scene. “It’s huge," everyone exclaimed. Not by today’s standards though. So while the Directed Force (DF) is indeed larger, it means to me exactly what PING and Big Bertha meant back then … better performance and an increased margin of error.
"It Sounds Different" - A Youtube Reviewer Mentioned this, too
I couldn’t wait to try this club, so I grabbed 3 random balls and went to the practice green. First ball I hit, the club let out a distinctive ping. I’m old enough to remember the original PING 1A putter and it was named PING because of the ping sound it emitted. (Take a look at the L.A.B. B2 ... it resembles the original PING 1A) Turns out the first ball I tried was a Topflight. The other 2 balls were softer, a Titleist and a Callaway which did not ping near as loudly. So the harder the ball is, the louder the ping. It is a non-issue to me, because I don’t even hear it anymore.
"It’s too Light" - Immediate Response from a Golfer
I had not realized how light this DF configuration was until I picked up my Spider EX. There was a noticeable difference. I bought that Spider cuz I wanted a heavier putter head than my old PING Anser. Maybe it was lucky that I never compared the putters until after I had been using the DF for a week. By then I didn’t care that my old favorite felt heavier. I definitely can see that head weight does not make a difference in performance. I actually think it’s easier to hit the DF 2.1 on really long putts. I thought I wanted that weight for those long putts … but the DF proved me wrong.
By the way, the guy who said it was too light never even hit a putt with it. His loss.
"Is that a L.A.B. Putter" - Response from Several Golfers
While I was on the putting green a guy yelled over from the first tee, “Is that a L.A.B. putter?” Another person caught me on the chipping green, without the putter, asking if I was the guy with the L.A.B. And I also heard a few times that guys had a friend who played one. People have heard about this putter,
"That’s a Lot of Lines" - Response from Several Golfers
I love these lines. I set it down, align it to my target, and feel fully confidant that I’m right.
"The Grip is Fantastic" - Response from Several Golfers
I love this grip ... the soft tackiness and the way it fits my hand. Several other people echoed these sentiments exactly.
"How Can You Putt off the Toe if it’s Not Dead" - A Collegiate Player
As I touted the benefits of the soft feel of the ball leaving the face and the fact that toe hits don't lose momentum, a young college golfer said that he needs to have a dead hit on the toe, so he can putt a fast downhill slopping green. Sounds like something I heard when I was his age.
Off-center putts are so soft I don't really feel them ... and they definitely don't lose momentum. I set this putter up on the line I want, and then think of nothing else except pacing. I don’t care if I miss the center of the face because I know the ball maintains it's momentum wherever I strikes the face. The ball will stay on line and still not lose distance like toe & heel hits on other putters. And that is a confidence builder.
Because this putter does not torque on impact, the entire face stays square to where your hands are. That doesn't mean you can't push or pull it. As long as your hands are locked in, the face will stay square to the line on miss hits ... heel or toe.
 
The Numbers
I was one of the last in the group to receive my putter because of issues delaying my fitting process and also from being away on vacation. So I probably had 2 weeks less with my DF than most of the others. I started playing with it immediately.
I could have set up a putting trial with chalk lines and gates, but I don’t believe quantifying practice tells me anything about playability under pressure. Putting 25 balls down a chalk line with both putters on a flat putting green, doesn't help me on the course when trying to win skins. Besides, the practice green is the only flat green on our course. And at my age fatigue is an issue, too. My back is so bad it starts aching if I practice putting or chipping for more than 10 min. And that fatigue would have affected bulk testing. I have no problem trying out a club under fire. We play small $5-$20 games 3 times a week, so it was no big deal trying the DF out in a skins game. I was so happy with the club, I used it in a tournament after only playing 3 rounds with it. We tied for first, but lost on a coin toss.
I felt like I was fairly good at putting with my Spider. So, here are a few comparisons between it and the DF, so you can see my base and where the DF excelled.
I had 9-hole rounds with 5-1 putts using both putters in our men's association ... all over 10 foot putts I've had 15-putt, 9-hole rounds with both putters I had sub 30-putt, 18-hole rounds in skin games with both putters I achieved a 50% reduction in 3-putts with the DF I feel that my lag putts land closer with the DF  I had been tracking Distance to pin 1st putt / Number of putts / Distance missed, on my score cards, but I gave up and relied on my Arccos Caddie stats instead. So the only stats of mine that I feel are worthy of sharing are from my Arccos data.
I had lost my original Arccos putter sensor and Arccos replaced it for free … many thanks Arccos. I also purchased a second putter sensor so that I could track both putter’s stats separately.

Included in these graphics are the last 100 putts with both my Spider EX, and the last 100 putts with the Directed Force 2.1. As you can see there is a slight improvement in 1-putts. But the huge impact for me was the reduction in 3 putts. Every 3 putt eliminated is a stroke saved. 
I wish I could show y’all a graphic for distance left after the 1st putt. I tracked it manually a few rounds with each putter, but didn’t feel like I saved enough data to make it anything more than anecdotal. Which is unfortunate, because I honestly feel I am leaving my 10’-30’ putts much closer with the DF … less than a foot in a majority of cases. The fact that my 3 putts have been reduced by 50% proves that I am leaving long putts closer.
It’s difficult to quantify confidence in a putter. I had it with my old putter … I’ve got more of it with the Directed Force 2.1.
 
On The Course
“Set It and Forget It” is a trademarked phrase by marketing genius Ron Popeil that took on pop culture status in the 90s. His catch phrase has become my putting mantra for the DF 2.1. I set the club on line and I never think about it again, instead concentrating on distance and pace.
I have a random putting flaw where I occasionally pull my hands outside my swing plane. Sometimes, as I take the putter back, the head jumps off my swing path ... I’ve got a bit of nerve damage in my hands. But the point is, I see it when it happens, and that blows my concentration ... instead of focusing on pace, I am thinking about mechanics and it’s not going to be a good stroke. With the DF I don’t worry about controlling the stroke path anymore. I have complete confidence that if miss the center of the face, the ball will still travel on my intended line at the pace I wanted. That has given me freedom to focus on touch. Now when I see the putter move, I ignore it and toss the ball to the hole.
With the margin of error the DF provides me, I can ignore my hand drift when I see it. Sure, I still push an occasional putt. I still roll my hands on occasions, too. I’m not saying the DF eliminates all my problems. I’m saying that for me, it takes my mind off trying to control my swing, too precisely. My Arccos data has shown that using the DF has reduced my 3 putts by 50%, and that's the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 "also ran".
I may come off looking like an egotistical ass for this next graphic ... but I believe this putter played a huge part in my performance in a recent tournament. I had a Cinderella round ... I’ve included the scorecard ... and as you can see I played out my ass. This is an anomaly folks. Although I must say it stems from the confidence I had standing over every putt. And I am thoroughly convinced that that confidence carried over into my entire game that day. My drives were longer & straighter and I was confident I was going to chip-in a ball before I hit it. Don’t get me wrong, there was a fair amount of luck involved, especially on several approach shots. And hell, if you look close enough you can see that I got too cocky on the 14th, rushed the putt and lipped out an easy 5’ putt for par/birdie. Plus I had 2-3 putts of which I am thoroughly ashamed.

Full disclosure: the next round after that tournament was in our Tuesday, senior skins game, and I shot an 85. It consisted of 4-1 putts and 14-2 putts. Two skins and not a 3 putt in the bunch. I'm happy with that.
 
The Good, The Bad, and In Between
Good
This is an anti-torque head with an anti-torque shaft and they work perfectly together. I do not see any degradation in off center putts. 
I love the soft feel of the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft. The LA Golf shaft is listed as having an even a softer feel. The soft feel gives me the impression that my putts are effortless as opposed to throwing my heavy headed Spider at the ball on really long putts. 
Don’t confuse soft feel with weak ... soft does not equate to loss of feel ... I do not need to swing harder on long putts. When I putt now, my stroke feels far more intuitive ... like throwing darts. This configuration putts as easily on 35’ putts as it does at 10 footers. The ball comes off the face easily and rolls straight as an arrow.
The alignment lines are fantastic. I love how confident I feel that I am on target.
I can’t think of a single thing to change on this club. People say it’s ugly. I don’t care because I'm putting great with it.
The Bad ... Slightly Unhappy
I was unhappy with the remote fitting process. I screwed it up by submitting a poor fitting video. I would have preferred to try before I buy. That’s my only hang up in this process. I honestly believe that face to face interaction would have been better for me.
I sincerely feel that if it had been possible for me to try this putter out first, and experiment with different lies, maybe I could have had even better results than I got. Seems petty and doesn't mean I'm right. But there will always be that doubt in my head … could it be better? Would I have liked a blade better? 
I tried a myriad of putters before selecting the Spider EX I was using. When I ordered it, I asked for a custom bump to the standard lie by 2°, (assuming standard to be 67°). Turns out my Spider is a 70° standard; 72° as ordered. In the fitting video I sent L.A.B., I can see that I have the toe of the putter in the air. Lots of people putt with the toe in the air ... how was L.A.B. to know I didn't too? Nope, I did not pay enough attention to my setup and I regret it. They came back with a measurement off the video of a 67° lie, (which I have verified on my computer). It was my fault that I didn't get the lie I wanted.

I thought I was matching the putter I liked. I was wrong. So my unhappiness was caused by me. I regret that I did not match the Spider's lie angle, because like I said, it might have increased my success with the DF. And there's no running to a local fitter, if we had one, to have the lie adjusted ... you can't bend a composite shaft.
So if you order via the remote fitting process, do your homework. Try and determine what you are currently using before submitting your video. Do you want to match your current putter or improve on it? Talk it over with them. They will work with you. One caveat is that it took 2 days to get any of my questions answered. And with a holiday in the mix, a question on Friday didn't get addressed until the following Wednesday. It's only an issue if you are in a time crunch, as I was, needing the putter for my review.
Lie Angle Hack: Hold your putter flat against a tabletop, and using a protractor app on your phone, measure your lie angle.
Due to buttons getting in the way, you are probably going to get a measurement within ±1° ... make certain your table top is 0° too.

One minor caveat about the grip … I have a cart bag, and the extra width of the grip can interfere with other clubs when bagging or un-bagging them.  
Play it or Trade it
In My Bag - Forever
I actually GOOGLED "Will a New Putter Improve My Putting"
GOOGLE Says:
A change of putter can never compensate for a lack of skill. At best it can make poor putting slightly less bad. 
Hey GOOGLE, WRONG!
When you’ve been playing for a decade or two, you develop bad habits. And bad habits using a putter with no margin for error just makes things worse. A new Directed Force can actually compensate for some bad habits.
Case in point: I showed my Directed Force to Dan, a fellow golfer in our Saturday Morning Skins Game. He has fought an outside-in putting stroke his entire life, which is kind-of similar to my hands drifting off my intended swing path. For both of us, missing the center of the club with our old putters, means our putts will probably be off line and short. The DF does not penalize you on off-center hits, because the head doesn't torque open and you don't lose momentum at impact ... the entire face stays square to the target line. My off-center hits did not affect my putt distances. When I know my putter is square to my target line ... when I can ignore a swing path error, then I am going to be more successful with my pacing, and that means I’ll make more putts. To me the DF is a game improvement putter and it works.
Dan has been practicing specifically to control his putting swing plane … to a moderate success. It is a habit he picked up / ingrained at the beginning of his golf career, and those are near impossible to eliminate. From the first time he tried my DF was on the 9th green ... he started rolling them in from +10 feet. He was so excited he didn’t give the putter back to me for 10 minutes. Yes, he was still swinging outside in, but what was different this time, was that the putter was not penalizing him for off center hits. The face stayed square because it did not torque and the putts rolled true because the face maintained momentum along its entirety.
If you struggle with your putting swing plane, you need to give L.A.B. putters a try. It could make a big difference.
Trade It - Never
When I announced to my fellow golfers at the club, that I had been selected to review the Directed Force, some of the guys joked that I could trade it for a new driver after the review. I’ll say it right here and now, I wouldn’t trade it for an entire new set of new clubs.
To give you a better idea as to the value / price of my Directed Force configuration, consider this: My custom made Spider EX retailed for close to $500, with a standard shaft. The price for a stock Directed Force 2.1 with the fantastic Press-II 3° grip is $399. To customize it with non-standard length or lie, it starts at $549 and that is just slightly more than the Spider EX. Then there are upgraded shaft options from $100 - $380. The DF 2.1 configuration that I tested has the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft ($275) and Alignment markings ($25) for a total of $849.00. I believe it is in the same price range as mass market putters, and worth every penny.
 
Conclusion
I said it before: “I was not in the market for a new putter.” I was curious though. I wanted to see what a torque-less putter was all about. Drive for show — putt for dough hints at a deeper concept here … confidence in your putter is far more important than confidence in your driver. You can always fall back to your 3 wood, but lack of confidence in your putter can be disastrous.
First Impressions: 
I had issues with the remote fitting process ... part of it turned out to be my fault. I believe putters are intuitive weapons, and I want to hold it in my hands before I buy it. That said however, I love this putter. Yes, I initially thought it was big and ugly, but I don't anymore.
Aesthetics:
As far as looks go … who cares. I think it must look intimidating to my opponents. Besides, I have won money with it. The grip is fantastic and instills as much confidence as the putter head does. And the shaft not only adds to the non-torque capabilities, it provides a soft, pleasant feel.
The Numbers:
My stats show that I’ve reduced 3 putts by as much as 50%, and that’s the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 no-one-cares. The reduction in 3 putts is proof that I’m leaving my putts closer … I honestly feel like I have more putts stopping within inches then I did with my old putter.
On-Course: 
Confidence. Lining a putt up is easy for me with these top lines. Fantastic grip makes me feel like my hands are locked in. Linear face momentum from the non-torque head eliminates my worries for an imperfect stroke. Soft feel off the face gives me the the sense that I’m tossing darts.
The Good, the Bad, the In-Between:
For me, this is a game changing putter. The non-torque head and shaft compensate for my occasional drifting off the swing path and off center hits still track true. And yet, even though this is simply a mental hangup for me, I can’t help but wonder whether this is the perfect L.A.B. model for me.
Someone asked me:
"Are you happy with it."
     "Absolutely."
"Then get over it and move on."
     "Yes, but ..." 
Play it or Trade it:
The Directed Force 2.1 is in my bag to stay. The guys at the club keep joking about me trading trade it for a new driver(s) … they think it’s ugly. I just laughed while they were handing me my tournament money. Enough said.
It sounds a little cheesy, but the DF 2.1 lead me to begin thinking “I can do this.” And that powerful thought is a positivity that has seeped into my game overall. I’m enjoying my game more. There's tons of room for improvement, but I'm coming home in a much better mood. My wife is really happy about that.
I'm showing this putter to everyone, whether they have doubts about their putting stroke or not. While the base model DF is about the same price as discounted big name putters out there, custom versions of the DF are priced in line with big name putter customizations. So the next time you are in a golf store, pick one up and give it a try, then think about remote fitting. It might change your game. 

 
 
I know, it's only a 6 footer. But anything further and y'all would be accusing me of staging it.
 
 
 
 

My Introduction
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9053
First Impressions
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9647
 
 Looks like an old-fashioned bottle opener to me. 
Aesthetics and Reactions from other golfers
"It’s Big" - Response of 80% of People Who I Showed it to
I knew that someone had read about this putter whenever they echoed the words, “looks like a branding iron.”
Yes, it is big. Although, I was around when PING irons first came on the scene. When everything else was a blade, they seemed massive. One old boy used to say, “You could dig up potatoes with them things,” meaning they looked like a hoe.
And then Big Bertha appeared on the scene. “It’s huge," everyone exclaimed. Not by today’s standards though. So while the Directed Force (DF) is indeed larger, it means to me exactly what PING and Big Bertha meant back then … better performance and an increased margin of error.
"It Sounds Different" - A Youtube Reviewer Mentioned this, too
I couldn’t wait to try this club, so I grabbed 3 random balls and went to the practice green. First ball I hit, the club let out a distinctive ping. I’m old enough to remember the original PING 1A putter and it was named PING because of the ping sound it emitted. (Take a look at the L.A.B. B2 ... it resembles the original PING 1A) Turns out the first ball I tried was a Topflight. The other 2 balls were softer, a Titleist and a Callaway which did not ping near as loudly. So the harder the ball is, the louder the ping. It is a non-issue to me, because I don’t even hear it anymore.
"It’s too Light" - Immediate Response from a Golfer
I had not realized how light this DF configuration was until I picked up my Spider EX. There was a noticeable difference. I bought that Spider cuz I wanted a heavier putter head than my old PING Anser. Maybe it was lucky that I never compared the putters until after I had been using the DF for a week. By then I didn’t care that my old favorite felt heavier. I definitely can see that head weight does not make a difference in performance. I actually think it’s easier to hit the DF 2.1 on really long putts. I thought I wanted that weight for those long putts … but the DF proved me wrong.
By the way, the guy who said it was too light never even hit a putt with it. His loss.
"Is that a L.A.B. Putter" - Response from Several Golfers
While I was on the putting green a guy yelled over from the first tee, “Is that a L.A.B. putter?” Another person caught me on the chipping green, without the putter, asking if I was the guy with the L.A.B. And I also heard a few times that guys had a friend who played one. People have heard about this putter,
"That’s a Lot of Lines" - Response from Several Golfers
I love these lines. I set it down, align it to my target, and feel fully confidant that I’m right.
"The Grip is Fantastic" - Response from Several Golfers
I love this grip ... the soft tackiness and the way it fits my hand. Several other people echoed these sentiments exactly.
"How Can You Putt off the Toe if it’s Not Dead" - A Collegiate Player
As I touted the benefits of the soft feel of the ball leaving the face and the fact that toe hits don't lose momentum, a young college golfer said that he needs to have a dead hit on the toe, so he can putt a fast downhill slopping green. Sounds like something I heard when I was his age.
Off-center putts are so soft I don't really feel them ... and they definitely don't lose momentum. I set this putter up on the line I want, and then think of nothing else except pacing. I don’t care if I miss the center of the face because I know the ball maintains it's momentum wherever I strikes the face. The ball will stay on line and still not lose distance like toe & heel hits on other putters. And that is a confidence builder.
Because this putter does not torque on impact, the entire face stays square to where your hands are. That doesn't mean you can't push or pull it. As long as your hands are locked in, the face will stay square to the line on miss hits ... heel or toe.
 
The Numbers
I was one of the last in the group to receive my putter because of issues delaying my fitting process and also from being away on vacation. So I probably had 2 weeks less with my DF than most of the others. I started playing with it immediately.
I could have set up a putting trial with chalk lines and gates, but I don’t believe quantifying practice tells me anything about playability under pressure. Putting 25 balls down a chalk line with both putters on a flat putting green, doesn't help me on the course when trying to win skins. Besides, the practice green is the only flat green on our course. And at my age fatigue is an issue, too. My back is so bad it starts aching if I practice putting or chipping for more than 10 min. And that fatigue would have affected bulk testing. I have no problem trying out a club under fire. We play small $5-$20 games 3 times a week, so it was no big deal trying the DF out in a skins game. I was so happy with the club, I used it in a tournament after only playing 3 rounds with it. We tied for first, but lost on a coin toss.
I felt like I was fairly good at putting with my Spider. So, here are a few comparisons between it and the DF, so you can see my base and where the DF excelled.
I had 9-hole rounds with 5-1 putts using both putters in our men's association ... all over 10 foot putts I've had 15-putt, 9-hole rounds with both putters I had sub 30-putt, 18-hole rounds in skin games with both putters I achieved a 50% reduction in 3-putts with the DF I feel that my lag putts land closer with the DF  I had been tracking Distance to pin 1st putt / Number of putts / Distance missed, on my score cards, but I gave up and relied on my Arccos Caddie stats instead. So the only stats of mine that I feel are worthy of sharing are from my Arccos data.
I had lost my original Arccos putter sensor and Arccos replaced it for free … many thanks Arccos. I also purchased a second putter sensor so that I could track both putter’s stats separately.

Included in these graphics are the last 100 putts with both my Spider EX, and the last 100 putts with the Directed Force 2.1. As you can see there is a slight improvement in 1-putts. But the huge impact for me was the reduction in 3 putts. Every 3 putt eliminated is a stroke saved. 
I wish I could show y’all a graphic for distance left after the 1st putt. I tracked it manually a few rounds with each putter, but didn’t feel like I saved enough data to make it anything more than anecdotal. Which is unfortunate, because I honestly feel I am leaving my 10’-30’ putts much closer with the DF … less than a foot in a majority of cases. The fact that my 3 putts have been reduced by 50% proves that I am leaving long putts closer.
It’s difficult to quantify confidence in a putter. I had it with my old putter … I’ve got more of it with the Directed Force 2.1.
 
On The Course
“Set It and Forget It” is a trademarked phrase by marketing genius Ron Popeil that took on pop culture status in the 90s. His catch phrase has become my putting mantra for the DF 2.1. I set the club on line and I never think about it again, instead concentrating on distance and pace.
I have a random putting flaw where I occasionally pull my hands outside my swing plane. Sometimes, as I take the putter back, the head jumps off my swing path ... I’ve got a bit of nerve damage in my hands. But the point is, I see it when it happens, and that blows my concentration ... instead of focusing on pace, I am thinking about mechanics and it’s not going to be a good stroke. With the DF I don’t worry about controlling the stroke path anymore. I have complete confidence that if miss the center of the face, the ball will still travel on my intended line at the pace I wanted. That has given me freedom to focus on touch. Now when I see the putter move, I ignore it and toss the ball to the hole.
With the margin of error the DF provides me, I can ignore my hand drift when I see it. Sure, I still push an occasional putt. I still roll my hands on occasions, too. I’m not saying the DF eliminates all my problems. I’m saying that for me, it takes my mind off trying to control my swing, too precisely. My Arccos data has shown that using the DF has reduced my 3 putts by 50%, and that's the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 "also ran".
I may come off looking like an egotistical ass for this next graphic ... but I believe this putter played a huge part in my performance in a recent tournament. I had a Cinderella round ... I’ve included the scorecard ... and as you can see I played out my ass. This is an anomaly folks. Although I must say it stems from the confidence I had standing over every putt. And I am thoroughly convinced that that confidence carried over into my entire game that day. My drives were longer & straighter and I was confident I was going to chip-in a ball before I hit it. Don’t get me wrong, there was a fair amount of luck involved, especially on several approach shots. And hell, if you look close enough you can see that I got too cocky on the 14th, rushed the putt and lipped out an easy 5’ putt for par/birdie. Plus I had 2-3 putts of which I am thoroughly ashamed.

Full disclosure: the next round after that tournament was in our Tuesday, senior skins game, and I shot an 85. It consisted of 4-1 putts and 14-2 putts. Two skins and not a 3 putt in the bunch. I'm happy with that.
 
The Good, The Bad, and In Between
Good
This is an anti-torque head with an anti-torque shaft and they work perfectly together. I do not see any degradation in off center putts. 
I love the soft feel of the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft. The LA Golf shaft is listed as having an even a softer feel. The soft feel gives me the impression that my putts are effortless as opposed to throwing my heavy headed Spider at the ball on really long putts. 
Don’t confuse soft feel with weak ... soft does not equate to loss of feel ... I do not need to swing harder on long putts. When I putt now, my stroke feels far more intuitive ... like throwing darts. This configuration putts as easily on 35’ putts as it does at 10 footers. The ball comes off the face easily and rolls straight as an arrow.
The alignment lines are fantastic. I love how confident I feel that I am on target.
I can’t think of a single thing to change on this club. People say it’s ugly. I don’t care because I'm putting great with it.
The Bad ... Slightly Unhappy
I was unhappy with the remote fitting process. I screwed it up by submitting a poor fitting video. I would have preferred to try before I buy. That’s my only hang up in this process. I honestly believe that face to face interaction would have been better for me.
I sincerely feel that if it had been possible for me to try this putter out first, and experiment with different lies, maybe I could have had even better results than I got. Seems petty and doesn't mean I'm right. But there will always be that doubt in my head … could it be better? Would I have liked a blade better? 
I tried a myriad of putters before selecting the Spider EX I was using. When I ordered it, I asked for a custom bump to the standard lie by 2°, (assuming standard to be 67°). Turns out my Spider is a 70° standard; 72° as ordered. In the fitting video I sent L.A.B., I can see that I have the toe of the putter in the air. Lots of people putt with the toe in the air ... how was L.A.B. to know I didn't too? Nope, I did not pay enough attention to my setup and I regret it. They came back with a measurement off the video of a 67° lie, (which I have verified on my computer). It was my fault that I didn't get the lie I wanted.

I thought I was matching the putter I liked. I was wrong. So my unhappiness was caused by me. I regret that I did not match the Spider's lie angle, because like I said, it might have increased my success with the DF. And there's no running to a local fitter, if we had one, to have the lie adjusted ... you can't bend a composite shaft.
So if you order via the remote fitting process, do your homework. Try and determine what you are currently using before submitting your video. Do you want to match your current putter or improve on it? Talk it over with them. They will work with you. One caveat is that it took 2 days to get any of my questions answered. And with a holiday in the mix, a question on Friday didn't get addressed until the following Wednesday. It's only an issue if you are in a time crunch, as I was, needing the putter for my review.
Lie Angle Hack: Hold your putter flat against a tabletop, and using a protractor app on your phone, measure your lie angle.
Due to buttons getting in the way, you are probably going to get a measurement within ±1° ... make certain your table top is 0° too.

One minor caveat about the grip … I have a cart bag, and the extra width of the grip can interfere with other clubs when bagging or un-bagging them.  
Play it or Trade it
In My Bag - Forever
I actually GOOGLED "Will a New Putter Improve My Putting"
GOOGLE Says:
A change of putter can never compensate for a lack of skill. At best it can make poor putting slightly less bad. 
Hey GOOGLE, WRONG!
When you’ve been playing for a decade or two, you develop bad habits. And bad habits using a putter with no margin for error just makes things worse. A new Directed Force can actually compensate for some bad habits.
Case in point: I showed my Directed Force to Dan, a fellow golfer in our Saturday Morning Skins Game. He has fought an outside-in putting stroke his entire life, which is kind-of similar to my hands drifting off my intended swing path. For both of us, missing the center of the club with our old putters, means our putts will probably be off line and short. The DF does not penalize you on off-center hits, because the head doesn't torque open and you don't lose momentum at impact ... the entire face stays square to the target line. My off-center hits did not affect my putt distances. When I know my putter is square to my target line ... when I can ignore a swing path error, then I am going to be more successful with my pacing, and that means I’ll make more putts. To me the DF is a game improvement putter and it works.
Dan has been practicing specifically to control his putting swing plane … to a moderate success. It is a habit he picked up / ingrained at the beginning of his golf career, and those are near impossible to eliminate. From the first time he tried my DF was on the 9th green ... he started rolling them in from +10 feet. He was so excited he didn’t give the putter back to me for 10 minutes. Yes, he was still swinging outside in, but what was different this time, was that the putter was not penalizing him for off center hits. The face stayed square because it did not torque and the putts rolled true because the face maintained momentum along its entirety.
If you struggle with your putting swing plane, you need to give L.A.B. putters a try. It could make a big difference.
Trade It - Never
When I announced to my fellow golfers at the club, that I had been selected to review the Directed Force, some of the guys joked that I could trade it for a new driver after the review. I’ll say it right here and now, I wouldn’t trade it for an entire new set of new clubs.
To give you a better idea as to the value / price of my Directed Force configuration, consider this: My custom made Spider EX retailed for close to $500, with a standard shaft. The price for a stock Directed Force 2.1 with the fantastic Press-II 3° grip is $399. To customize it with non-standard length or lie, it starts at $549 and that is just slightly more than the Spider EX. Then there are upgraded shaft options from $100 - $380. The DF 2.1 configuration that I tested has the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft ($275) and Alignment markings ($25) for a total of $849.00. I believe it is in the same price range as mass market putters, and worth every penny.
 
Conclusion
I said it before: “I was not in the market for a new putter.” I was curious though. I wanted to see what a torque-less putter was all about. Drive for show — putt for dough hints at a deeper concept here … confidence in your putter is far more important than confidence in your driver. You can always fall back to your 3 wood, but lack of confidence in your putter can be disastrous.
First Impressions: 
I had issues with the remote fitting process ... part of it turned out to be my fault. I believe putters are intuitive weapons, and I want to hold it in my hands before I buy it. That said however, I love this putter. Yes, I initially thought it was big and ugly, but I don't anymore.
Aesthetics:
As far as looks go … who cares. I think it must look intimidating to my opponents. Besides, I have won money with it. The grip is fantastic and instills as much confidence as the putter head does. And the shaft not only adds to the non-torque capabilities, it provides a soft, pleasant feel.
The Numbers:
My stats show that I’ve reduced 3 putts by as much as 50%, and that’s the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 no-one-cares. The reduction in 3 putts is proof that I’m leaving my putts closer … I honestly feel like I have more putts stopping within inches then I did with my old putter.
On-Course: 
Confidence. Lining a putt up is easy for me with these top lines. Fantastic grip makes me feel like my hands are locked in. Linear face momentum from the non-torque head eliminates my worries for an imperfect stroke. Soft feel off the face gives me the the sense that I’m tossing darts.
The Good, the Bad, the In-Between:
For me, this is a game changing putter. The non-torque head and shaft compensate for my occasional drifting off the swing path and off center hits still track true. And yet, even though this is simply a mental hangup for me, I can’t help but wonder whether this is the perfect L.A.B. model for me.
Someone asked me:
"Are you happy with it."
     "Absolutely."
"Then get over it and move on."
     "Yes, but ..." 
Play it or Trade it:
The Directed Force 2.1 is in my bag to stay. The guys at the club keep joking about me trading trade it for a new driver(s) … they think it’s ugly. I just laughed while they were handing me my tournament money. Enough said.
It sounds a little cheesy, but the DF 2.1 lead me to begin thinking “I can do this.” And that powerful thought is a positivity that has seeped into my game overall. I’m enjoying my game more. There's tons of room for improvement, but I'm coming home in a much better mood. My wife is really happy about that.
I'm showing this putter to everyone, whether they have doubts about their putting stroke or not. While the base model DF is about the same price as discounted big name putters out there, custom versions of the DF are priced in line with big name putter customizations. So the next time you are in a golf store, pick one up and give it a try, then think about remote fitting. It might change your game. 

 
 
I know, it's only a 6 footer. But anything further and y'all would be accusing me of staging it.
 
 
 
 

TL;DR, full introduction here…
 
First Impressions 5/5
From the beginning, this test was different than others I’ve participated in.  We were told to avoid contacting the company directly or else you’re subject to disqualification.  L.A.B. had requested the contrary, so imagine my surprise when I was on the 17th hole of my home course after missing a 6 footer for birdie and I had an unknown caller from Oregon.  It was Sam Hahn.  Hi Steve, this is Sam…we had several more exchanges since then and there was nothing off limits for discussion as long as we were discussing the putters.
So how did I choose the MEZZ.1?  I thought all heads were pretty interesting and quite honestly, I would have been happy with any if we were voluntold which ones to select.  I liked the MEZZ.1 simply because I wanted a mallet that was not too large.
What I’ve learned during this process is that it requires an open mind.  The technology we see on the social media ads are designed to break our preconceived notions about putting.  How many of us miss putts because we miss the center of the face?  Count me in on that group, especially on longer putts.  Ever hit one off of the heel and say GD?  I do…well, I did.
Now I can…the focused mass simply makes misses better.  This technology has been attempted previously with other manufacturers and the side effects were dead faces.  Miss the toe or heel, sure, but you better smash it.  Not with L.A.B….You can miss them with your normal stroke without hammering putts and you reach your intended target.
So continuing with looks…
Aesthetics 5/5
 
I do not care much for hard and square lines on a putter; my preferences are a softer and subdued style so this is certainly in stark contrast to what I’ve always preferred.  Here’s the thing, there’s no growth in your comfort zone so get out and try something different.  I was apprehensive about signing up for this test based solely upon looks…I decided that I could continue to operate under the same level of comfort OR I could try something new and innovative and see if it could help me improve.  I am glad I did.
 
My first impression video offered looks and sound which immediately pleased me.  I would attribute a part of this to the LA Golf shaft as a contributing factor.  As the sum of its parts, this feels solid ALL ACROSS THE FACE.  Misses feel solid and that tells me this technology is legit.  Which putter helps you miss the ball better…Sound is feel and it feels good.
Bottom line…they made tech look cool
The Numbers (5 out of 5 stars)
 
I only had 3, 3-putts during this entire testing period throughout 11 rounds of golf.
Learning how to play this appropriately so that it would complement my game was the most difficult part of the process.  If this were me hitting putts at a local shop on their carpet, I may have hit a few and said nah, I’m good.  It took time to sort my mind out and understand where this putter begins the upstroke beyond the base of my arc.  I’ve always played my putters off my left toe and purposefully caught the ball in that moment.  With the forward press built into the club, I had to move the ball back and realize that this is the optimal setup position.  It was not easy, especially considering that I did not like the Press Grip.  It was too large for me and after a few rounds despite successful putting, I swapped it out for a Winn pistol.  I respect the sum of all parts and how this product works in spite of its design however, I felt like I could get more out of this club.  After making the switch, I was making more putts within the 5-15’ range.  At the moment I feel unstoppable and get frustrated when I miss from this range.  I feel the head better.  I've had most success when I set the ball up just off the center of the face towards the toe.  It suits my eye, feels wonderful and I try to catch the ball where the center grey part meets the black portion of the toe.
On-Course (5 out of 5 stars)
 
I played 11 rounds of golf (18 and 9 hole rounds) and only had 3, 3 putts.  2 of those came during one 9 hole round where I was just lost and had no touch.  While I often feel strong about my putting, this only made me stronger.  I felt phenomenally confident on my 5-15’ putts where I could give them a shot yet still leave them in a makable range.  My scoring average this year prior to testing was in the low 80’s and my index was 6.3 to begin the year.  I was able to get that down to a 5.1 during my 9th round with this putter.  That works for me.
The Good, the bad, the in-between (5 out of 5 stars)
“Hey Steve, here’s my cell.  Please call me and text me throughout the process if you have any questions regarding the MEZZ or L.A.B. In general.”  Now I am paraphrasing however this is the essence of what we (I) dealt with and experienced.  Sam gets it.  This is the good stuff, the humility and genuine concern for the golfer’s experience.  Sam Hahn was accessible and sought feedback on our testing.  Not much else to say…we spoke more via text however the two phone calls we had were 14 and 8 minutes respectively.  That’s a lot of time to talk shop without much filler.
 
Play it or Trade it? (5 out of 5 stars)
I said from the beginning, if this putter was better than my Cameron, I would sell my Cameron.  I am selling my Cameron.
A perfect score?  Seriously Steve?…without pause, I say absolutely yes…I am remarkably better with this putter and that’s the entire point.  Accessible CEO, quality product, better results.
In sum...
Different is good.  Try something truly different that is engineered to make your misses better; it worked for me.

My Introduction
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9053
First Impressions
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9647
 
 Looks like an old-fashioned bottle opener to me. 
Aesthetics and Reactions from other golfers
"It’s Big" - Response of 80% of People Who I Showed it to
I knew that someone had read about this putter whenever they echoed the words, “looks like a branding iron.”
Yes, it is big. Although, I was around when PING irons first came on the scene. When everything else was a blade, they seemed massive. One old boy used to say, “You could dig up potatoes with them things,” meaning they looked like a hoe.
And then Big Bertha appeared on the scene. “It’s huge," everyone exclaimed. Not by today’s standards though. So while the Directed Force (DF) is indeed larger, it means to me exactly what PING and Big Bertha meant back then … better performance and an increased margin of error.
"It Sounds Different" - A Youtube Reviewer Mentioned this, too
I couldn’t wait to try this club, so I grabbed 3 random balls and went to the practice green. First ball I hit, the club let out a distinctive ping. I’m old enough to remember the original PING 1A putter and it was named PING because of the ping sound it emitted. (Take a look at the L.A.B. B2 ... it resembles the original PING 1A) Turns out the first ball I tried was a Topflight. The other 2 balls were softer, a Titleist and a Callaway which did not ping near as loudly. So the harder the ball is, the louder the ping. It is a non-issue to me, because I don’t even hear it anymore.
"It’s too Light" - Immediate Response from a Golfer
I had not realized how light this DF configuration was until I picked up my Spider EX. There was a noticeable difference. I bought that Spider cuz I wanted a heavier putter head than my old PING Anser. Maybe it was lucky that I never compared the putters until after I had been using the DF for a week. By then I didn’t care that my old favorite felt heavier. I definitely can see that head weight does not make a difference in performance. I actually think it’s easier to hit the DF 2.1 on really long putts. I thought I wanted that weight for those long putts … but the DF proved me wrong.
By the way, the guy who said it was too light never even hit a putt with it. His loss.
"Is that a L.A.B. Putter" - Response from Several Golfers
While I was on the putting green a guy yelled over from the first tee, “Is that a L.A.B. putter?” Another person caught me on the chipping green, without the putter, asking if I was the guy with the L.A.B. And I also heard a few times that guys had a friend who played one. People have heard about this putter,
"That’s a Lot of Lines" - Response from Several Golfers
I love these lines. I set it down, align it to my target, and feel fully confidant that I’m right.
"The Grip is Fantastic" - Response from Several Golfers
I love this grip ... the soft tackiness and the way it fits my hand. Several other people echoed these sentiments exactly.
"How Can You Putt off the Toe if it’s Not Dead" - A Collegiate Player
As I touted the benefits of the soft feel of the ball leaving the face and the fact that toe hits don't lose momentum, a young college golfer said that he needs to have a dead hit on the toe, so he can putt a fast downhill slopping green. Sounds like something I heard when I was his age.
Off-center putts are so soft I don't really feel them ... and they definitely don't lose momentum. I set this putter up on the line I want, and then think of nothing else except pacing. I don’t care if I miss the center of the face because I know the ball maintains it's momentum wherever I strikes the face. The ball will stay on line and still not lose distance like toe & heel hits on other putters. And that is a confidence builder.
Because this putter does not torque on impact, the entire face stays square to where your hands are. That doesn't mean you can't push or pull it. As long as your hands are locked in, the face will stay square to the line on miss hits ... heel or toe.
 
The Numbers
I was one of the last in the group to receive my putter because of issues delaying my fitting process and also from being away on vacation. So I probably had 2 weeks less with my DF than most of the others. I started playing with it immediately.
I could have set up a putting trial with chalk lines and gates, but I don’t believe quantifying practice tells me anything about playability under pressure. Putting 25 balls down a chalk line with both putters on a flat putting green, doesn't help me on the course when trying to win skins. Besides, the practice green is the only flat green on our course. And at my age fatigue is an issue, too. My back is so bad it starts aching if I practice putting or chipping for more than 10 min. And that fatigue would have affected bulk testing. I have no problem trying out a club under fire. We play small $5-$20 games 3 times a week, so it was no big deal trying the DF out in a skins game. I was so happy with the club, I used it in a tournament after only playing 3 rounds with it. We tied for first, but lost on a coin toss.
I felt like I was fairly good at putting with my Spider. So, here are a few comparisons between it and the DF, so you can see my base and where the DF excelled.
I had 9-hole rounds with 5-1 putts using both putters in our men's association ... all over 10 foot putts I've had 15-putt, 9-hole rounds with both putters I had sub 30-putt, 18-hole rounds in skin games with both putters I achieved a 50% reduction in 3-putts with the DF I feel that my lag putts land closer with the DF  I had been tracking Distance to pin 1st putt / Number of putts / Distance missed, on my score cards, but I gave up and relied on my Arccos Caddie stats instead. So the only stats of mine that I feel are worthy of sharing are from my Arccos data.
I had lost my original Arccos putter sensor and Arccos replaced it for free … many thanks Arccos. I also purchased a second putter sensor so that I could track both putter’s stats separately.

Included in these graphics are the last 100 putts with both my Spider EX, and the last 100 putts with the Directed Force 2.1. As you can see there is a slight improvement in 1-putts. But the huge impact for me was the reduction in 3 putts. Every 3 putt eliminated is a stroke saved. 
I wish I could show y’all a graphic for distance left after the 1st putt. I tracked it manually a few rounds with each putter, but didn’t feel like I saved enough data to make it anything more than anecdotal. Which is unfortunate, because I honestly feel I am leaving my 10’-30’ putts much closer with the DF … less than a foot in a majority of cases. The fact that my 3 putts have been reduced by 50% proves that I am leaving long putts closer.
It’s difficult to quantify confidence in a putter. I had it with my old putter … I’ve got more of it with the Directed Force 2.1.
 
On The Course
“Set It and Forget It” is a trademarked phrase by marketing genius Ron Popeil that took on pop culture status in the 90s. His catch phrase has become my putting mantra for the DF 2.1. I set the club on line and I never think about it again, instead concentrating on distance and pace.
I have a random putting flaw where I occasionally pull my hands outside my swing plane. Sometimes, as I take the putter back, the head jumps off my swing path ... I’ve got a bit of nerve damage in my hands. But the point is, I see it when it happens, and that blows my concentration ... instead of focusing on pace, I am thinking about mechanics and it’s not going to be a good stroke. With the DF I don’t worry about controlling the stroke path anymore. I have complete confidence that if miss the center of the face, the ball will still travel on my intended line at the pace I wanted. That has given me freedom to focus on touch. Now when I see the putter move, I ignore it and toss the ball to the hole.
With the margin of error the DF provides me, I can ignore my hand drift when I see it. Sure, I still push an occasional putt. I still roll my hands on occasions, too. I’m not saying the DF eliminates all my problems. I’m saying that for me, it takes my mind off trying to control my swing, too precisely. My Arccos data has shown that using the DF has reduced my 3 putts by 50%, and that's the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 "also ran".
I may come off looking like an egotistical ass for this next graphic ... but I believe this putter played a huge part in my performance in a recent tournament. I had a Cinderella round ... I’ve included the scorecard ... and as you can see I played out my ass. This is an anomaly folks. Although I must say it stems from the confidence I had standing over every putt. And I am thoroughly convinced that that confidence carried over into my entire game that day. My drives were longer & straighter and I was confident I was going to chip-in a ball before I hit it. Don’t get me wrong, there was a fair amount of luck involved, especially on several approach shots. And hell, if you look close enough you can see that I got too cocky on the 14th, rushed the putt and lipped out an easy 5’ putt for par/birdie. Plus I had 2-3 putts of which I am thoroughly ashamed.

Full disclosure: the next round after that tournament was in our Tuesday, senior skins game, and I shot an 85. It consisted of 4-1 putts and 14-2 putts. Two skins and not a 3 putt in the bunch. I'm happy with that.
 
The Good, The Bad, and In Between
Good
This is an anti-torque head with an anti-torque shaft and they work perfectly together. I do not see any degradation in off center putts. 
I love the soft feel of the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft. The LA Golf shaft is listed as having an even a softer feel. The soft feel gives me the impression that my putts are effortless as opposed to throwing my heavy headed Spider at the ball on really long putts. 
Don’t confuse soft feel with weak ... soft does not equate to loss of feel ... I do not need to swing harder on long putts. When I putt now, my stroke feels far more intuitive ... like throwing darts. This configuration putts as easily on 35’ putts as it does at 10 footers. The ball comes off the face easily and rolls straight as an arrow.
The alignment lines are fantastic. I love how confident I feel that I am on target.
I can’t think of a single thing to change on this club. People say it’s ugly. I don’t care because I'm putting great with it.
The Bad ... Slightly Unhappy
I was unhappy with the remote fitting process. I screwed it up by submitting a poor fitting video. I would have preferred to try before I buy. That’s my only hang up in this process. I honestly believe that face to face interaction would have been better for me.
I sincerely feel that if it had been possible for me to try this putter out first, and experiment with different lies, maybe I could have had even better results than I got. Seems petty and doesn't mean I'm right. But there will always be that doubt in my head … could it be better? Would I have liked a blade better? 
I tried a myriad of putters before selecting the Spider EX I was using. When I ordered it, I asked for a custom bump to the standard lie by 2°, (assuming standard to be 67°). Turns out my Spider is a 70° standard; 72° as ordered. In the fitting video I sent L.A.B., I can see that I have the toe of the putter in the air. Lots of people putt with the toe in the air ... how was L.A.B. to know I didn't too? Nope, I did not pay enough attention to my setup and I regret it. They came back with a measurement off the video of a 67° lie, (which I have verified on my computer). It was my fault that I didn't get the lie I wanted.

I thought I was matching the putter I liked. I was wrong. So my unhappiness was caused by me. I regret that I did not match the Spider's lie angle, because like I said, it might have increased my success with the DF. And there's no running to a local fitter, if we had one, to have the lie adjusted ... you can't bend a composite shaft.
So if you order via the remote fitting process, do your homework. Try and determine what you are currently using before submitting your video. Do you want to match your current putter or improve on it? Talk it over with them. They will work with you. One caveat is that it took 2 days to get any of my questions answered. And with a holiday in the mix, a question on Friday didn't get addressed until the following Wednesday. It's only an issue if you are in a time crunch, as I was, needing the putter for my review.
Lie Angle Hack: Hold your putter flat against a tabletop, and using a protractor app on your phone, measure your lie angle.
Due to buttons getting in the way, you are probably going to get a measurement within ±1° ... make certain your table top is 0° too.

One minor caveat about the grip … I have a cart bag, and the extra width of the grip can interfere with other clubs when bagging or un-bagging them.  
Play it or Trade it
In My Bag - Forever
I actually GOOGLED "Will a New Putter Improve My Putting"
GOOGLE Says:
A change of putter can never compensate for a lack of skill. At best it can make poor putting slightly less bad. 
Hey GOOGLE, WRONG!
When you’ve been playing for a decade or two, you develop bad habits. And bad habits using a putter with no margin for error just makes things worse. A new Directed Force can actually compensate for some bad habits.
Case in point: I showed my Directed Force to Dan, a fellow golfer in our Saturday Morning Skins Game. He has fought an outside-in putting stroke his entire life, which is kind-of similar to my hands drifting off my intended swing path. For both of us, missing the center of the club with our old putters, means our putts will probably be off line and short. The DF does not penalize you on off-center hits, because the head doesn't torque open and you don't lose momentum at impact ... the entire face stays square to the target line. My off-center hits did not affect my putt distances. When I know my putter is square to my target line ... when I can ignore a swing path error, then I am going to be more successful with my pacing, and that means I’ll make more putts. To me the DF is a game improvement putter and it works.
Dan has been practicing specifically to control his putting swing plane … to a moderate success. It is a habit he picked up / ingrained at the beginning of his golf career, and those are near impossible to eliminate. From the first time he tried my DF was on the 9th green ... he started rolling them in from +10 feet. He was so excited he didn’t give the putter back to me for 10 minutes. Yes, he was still swinging outside in, but what was different this time, was that the putter was not penalizing him for off center hits. The face stayed square because it did not torque and the putts rolled true because the face maintained momentum along its entirety.
If you struggle with your putting swing plane, you need to give L.A.B. putters a try. It could make a big difference.
Trade It - Never
When I announced to my fellow golfers at the club, that I had been selected to review the Directed Force, some of the guys joked that I could trade it for a new driver after the review. I’ll say it right here and now, I wouldn’t trade it for an entire new set of new clubs.
To give you a better idea as to the value / price of my Directed Force configuration, consider this: My custom made Spider EX retailed for close to $500, with a standard shaft. The price for a stock Directed Force 2.1 with the fantastic Press-II 3° grip is $399. To customize it with non-standard length or lie, it starts at $549 and that is just slightly more than the Spider EX. Then there are upgraded shaft options from $100 - $380. The DF 2.1 configuration that I tested has the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft ($275) and Alignment markings ($25) for a total of $849.00. I believe it is in the same price range as mass market putters, and worth every penny.
 
Conclusion
I said it before: “I was not in the market for a new putter.” I was curious though. I wanted to see what a torque-less putter was all about. Drive for show — putt for dough hints at a deeper concept here … confidence in your putter is far more important than confidence in your driver. You can always fall back to your 3 wood, but lack of confidence in your putter can be disastrous.
First Impressions: 
I had issues with the remote fitting process ... part of it turned out to be my fault. I believe putters are intuitive weapons, and I want to hold it in my hands before I buy it. That said however, I love this putter. Yes, I initially thought it was big and ugly, but I don't anymore.
Aesthetics:
As far as looks go … who cares. I think it must look intimidating to my opponents. Besides, I have won money with it. The grip is fantastic and instills as much confidence as the putter head does. And the shaft not only adds to the non-torque capabilities, it provides a soft, pleasant feel.
The Numbers:
My stats show that I’ve reduced 3 putts by as much as 50%, and that’s the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 no-one-cares. The reduction in 3 putts is proof that I’m leaving my putts closer … I honestly feel like I have more putts stopping within inches then I did with my old putter.
On-Course: 
Confidence. Lining a putt up is easy for me with these top lines. Fantastic grip makes me feel like my hands are locked in. Linear face momentum from the non-torque head eliminates my worries for an imperfect stroke. Soft feel off the face gives me the the sense that I’m tossing darts.
The Good, the Bad, the In-Between:
For me, this is a game changing putter. The non-torque head and shaft compensate for my occasional drifting off the swing path and off center hits still track true. And yet, even though this is simply a mental hangup for me, I can’t help but wonder whether this is the perfect L.A.B. model for me.
Someone asked me:
"Are you happy with it."
     "Absolutely."
"Then get over it and move on."
     "Yes, but ..." 
Play it or Trade it:
The Directed Force 2.1 is in my bag to stay. The guys at the club keep joking about me trading trade it for a new driver(s) … they think it’s ugly. I just laughed while they were handing me my tournament money. Enough said.
It sounds a little cheesy, but the DF 2.1 lead me to begin thinking “I can do this.” And that powerful thought is a positivity that has seeped into my game overall. I’m enjoying my game more. There's tons of room for improvement, but I'm coming home in a much better mood. My wife is really happy about that.
I'm showing this putter to everyone, whether they have doubts about their putting stroke or not. While the base model DF is about the same price as discounted big name putters out there, custom versions of the DF are priced in line with big name putter customizations. So the next time you are in a golf store, pick one up and give it a try, then think about remote fitting. It might change your game. 

 
 
I know, it's only a 6 footer. But anything further and y'all would be accusing me of staging it.
 
 
 
 

INTRODUCTION can be found here: 
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=8987
L.A.B. Golf - DF 2.1 Putter – Official MGS Forum Review by Samsonite, Matt Swanson
FIRST IMPRESSIONS (5 out of 5 Stars)
Alright, boys and girls, we have lift-off.  
  While it's still OFFICIALLY *way* too early to name her, I managed to get out to my local putting green after the kids got ready for bed to roll a few and see how she felt.
  In short: I'm pretty blown away by what's happening with this putter.  

(Just relaxing a little before showing me what she's made of)
I won't bother with the "unboxing" stuff, as it was very basic and has been covered by everyone else, so no need to bore you: it came in a brown box with "Untorque Yourself" on it, it had bubble wrap (though not secured around it as it was with the Mezz that others have posted) in the box, and was secure but not crazy-shrink-wrapped or anything.
The cover material is HEAVY, and well-padded, and feels extremely well-made.  It 100% feels like it will keep the head safe (and sweaty...nice and velvety-feeling inside) no matter what kind of bag-chatter might happen while in my bag. 

(note the sticker - I know others have shown it, but it genuinely makes me laugh.  If you can't read it, it effectively says "don't be a dummy, DO NOT TOUCH THE SCREWS")
I'm pretty much stunned at how beautiful I find the putter - I know it's part Octopus-head and part Mega-mind (look it up - animated movie with Will Ferrell as the voice), but the quality of the build is certainly not like anything I've ever owned before.  It's spectacular.  

(What's that?  I look like your putter.  Maybe your putter looks like ME!)
I went with a simple three-dot alignment aid - and I LOVE it. It's simple, clean, and effective - all while not being too "busy" to distract.  In conjunction with the alignment line on the ball, it seems to really work for me. One of the reasons I'm so excited about this putter, is the fact that it sits flush on the ground behind the ball at address - and since it's fit to me specifically, at 65 degrees, it really helps me get into a proper position at address - if I see the heel/toe up off the ground, I need to adjust.  This is something that I've discovered over the last 6 months - I'm not consistent at all, and my stroke definitely suffers for it.  With the DF2.1, while not impossible to mess up, it's certainly harder to get into a bad position.

(Top down view - clean three-dot set-up.  Note the sticker is still attached to the face here)
One of my biggest questions was LAB's patented Press Grip (I went with the recommended 3 degree Press II), but I'm pretty stunned at how well this thing just puts my hands in what feels like absolutely the right position.  I'm coming from a pistol grip, but I LOVE how this feels - it's large, but not off-putting, it's easy to grip lightly while still feeling secure; it's got a tacky feel to it that is weirdly delightful, and even though I know the shaft is leaning and this is putting the putter in a "press", nothing about it feels awkward or leaning - it just feels like my hands are in the right spot. 
As for how it rolls?  It's still early - tonight was literally the first time I've gotten to actually roll any, but LAB isn't making things up when they say this thing nearly swings itself.  The head is SO stable, it really feels like it's on rails - you get it back in place, and just kind of ... let it go.  It's almost like a pinball lever - you pull it back, and it can ONLY go forward - you just determine the speed.  
Now, as I said, it's still early.  I found some great early success, especially in my "problem area" of 5-15 feet - drained a LOT more than I normally do, and left the ones I missed comfortably within 18".  
Getting comfortable with pace will be the next step, as it's not "pull back the same amount and accelerate through at different speeds" like I'd been doing previously for different-length putts.  This, and a lot of this is coming directly from LAB and Sam Hahn's (CEO of LAB) various web appearances (I've been watching everything I can find in prep for getting this thing in-hand), is basically "let gravity do its thing" - so shorter backswing for shorter putts, longer for longer, etc.  Determining where on the 'clock' my hands need to go to for 10', 20', 30', etc, will take some trial and (probably lots of) error.
But I'm in.  I can see this being just an absolute get-out-of-jail, go-directly-to-Samsonite's-bag card, and I can't remember ever feeling like that after one practice session with any club before.  
Now, because I've read up on this, I understand this is most likely the Honeymoon phase, but I'm happy to work through the growing pains so I can see what this thing can really do for my game.  
That's it for now.  I'll keep updating as I get more acquainted with it, and if any particular pain-points arise, I'll add them as well. 
But overall, at first blush, this thing is bit of a modern marvel. As you can clearly see - i'm a fan. 
 
AESTHETICS (5 out of 5 Stars)
I definitely had a lot of preconceived notions of how I thought it would look based on the reactions I’d seen online from other people, from videos about it from YouTubers, etc.  
But honestly, pulling it out of the box, seeing the craftsmanship (superb), and now having used it for 5 weeks – I genuinely find it to be beautiful.  It’s a tool that’s built to do one thing – help you make more putts.  Is it conventional-looking?  Of course not – but they’re purposefully trying to defy convention, so if you expect “the same old”, you might not love it.  
I went with the three-dot alignment aid, which for me is just enough to help find my line (in conjunction with the line on the ball that I use to aim), but not enough to make my eye wander too far away (which is a thing I’ve had happen with “busier” designs).  The black Accra shaft blends seamlessly, and with its matte finish, there’s once again nothing to be distracted by. 

(Look at that bad-boy grip)
The biggest surprise for me has been the Press Grip (3 degree, as recommended by the website and fitter) – I’ve never putted with a large grip, and this one just feels…right. My hands naturally seem to find comfort every time, thumbs aligned down the center (and I know they’re centered thanks to the bisecting black/white line down the front), and there’s no real tendency to over-grip – the large size allows me to lightly grip but still feel in control.  I’m a big fan.  
When I had first been chosen for this testing opportunity, one of my biggest concerns was the "built-in forward press", as I have never been one who presses forward before starting my stroke.  I was also a staunch "ball should be in the middle of your stance" guy (you know, like...umm...those guys who say that kind of thing. I might be making this up.).  So having the forward press built in, as well as the suggestion to play the ball toward the front of my stance seemed crazy to me - and 5 weeks later it's the most natural thing in the world.  So for those of you worried about this aspect, I can firmly attest that if you're willing to take the risk, the rewards are worth it. 
Also a surprise: how few people have stopped to ask about the putter.  To me, it is wholly unique-looking, and I had planned on including these as interview-style inserts, but outside of a few “what’s that?” or “Is that one of them LAB putters?” over the 5 weeks, it’s mostly been unnoticed.  I did, however, make sure to ask any/all of my playing partners (whether friends or strangers) what they thought of the looks, and despite every one saying it was “biiiig” (and it is), not a one was put off by the size/looks.
One thing I wanted to note, was just how balanced the club feels.  I don’t actually think it’s “light”, per se, but as soon as it’s in position behind the ball, it swings nearly by itself.  This could be, in all honesty, because my current mallet is considerably heavier than the aluminum head of the LAB – in a fitting I had many months ago, the fitter remarked that my putter head was definitely on the heavy side, and that I could use a lighter head given my set-up/stroke – but I find the balance of the club to be perfect.
I touched on this in my Initial Impression, and it still holds true, that mis-hits out of the toe have a distinctly aluminum sound – very similar to a baseball bat.  As I like knowing if I got it “solid”, this is not a bad feature to me in the least, as it’s a clear, audible sound that I got it out of the toe – and considering that there has yet to be any real penalty (either line or pace) for hitting it out of the toe, that’s definitely not a bad thing in my book.
As for hitting it clean out of the middle, I have found the sound to be fairly muted and the feel to be pretty exceptional – a very satisfying “thud” to it, letting you know you got it dead-center.  It’s not as “buttery” as, say, a Ping Insert (Ping Tyne 4 is still the softest putter I’ve ever hit), but certainly not as “clicky” as my prior gamer (which was milled) – though to be fair to that putter, I might have been hitting a lot of “toes” ☺ 
 
(Toe, Heel and Center Strikes)
THE NUMBERS (5 out of 5 Stars)
Accuracy - The simplest way to address this component is to say that hit the intended line every time.  Whether the line is RIGHT or not is a different story.  Quick example: my last round played, I just could NOT see that the greens were not moving nearly as much as my brain told me they were.  I would see the slope, line up my ball to my spot 6" out to the right, pull it back and let it go - and the ball would tumble end-over-end...and miss three inches high. With my previous putter, I never knew if I had a) mis-read the putt, b) mis-hit the putt, or c) hit it too hard/soft.  A and C are still in the mix, of course, but B has been effectively eliminated.  This thing rolls it where you intend it to go.
Distance Control - With three genuinely dreadful exceptions - all on putts over 75 feet (clearly my approach game hasn't been KILLING it, ahem, but I digress), I’m genuinely shocked with how consistent my distance control has been with this putter.  Yes, I’ve been putting (pronounced "puh-ting", not "putt-ing") in a LOT of practice with it, but as attested to by my regular playing partners, as well as my average 2nd putt distance (well inside 3’, with most inside 2’), I’ve never ever putted with such consistent speed.

(7 gimmes, two in the cup, from about 12 feet)
Stability of Stroke - Here’s where the LAB really does exactly what the company claims – I genuinely feel like I would have to work REALLY hard to get the face off my desired line.  It’s almost uncanny – pick a line, line the ball up, line the putter behind the ball, and watch the ball roll end-over-end on the desired line.  I’m a true believer in this technology. 
Forgiveness - One of the reasons I chose the DF2.1 vs. the Mezz/B2 are the claims about the forgiveness.  There’s a video where the CEO demonstrates hitting the ball out of the center, the toe and the heel, and all three putts roll effectively the same distance, on the same line.  It felt like a magic trick of editing.  But here’s the thing:  it isn’t.  Hit the ball out of the toe, the ball goes where you had it lined up.  Hit the ball out of the heel?  Same thing.  Hit it dead center – ditto.  For my game, this has been an incredible find, as building consistency is a huge part of what I’m attempting to do to get better, and knowing that my distance/line will be effectively the same no matter where on the face I hit it has really allowed me to focus on my stroke and not attempting to manipulate anything DURING the stroke. 
Playability - One of the last rounds I played I specifically used the putter from off the green as much as I could to get a sense of its usability.  Honestly, this has never been a strength of mine, but knowing that I was going to hit the line I was intending actually made my stroke considerably more confident.  I won’t say it made me BETTER in any measurable way (didn’t hole any, but left myself with inside-3-feet putts 2 times and one other time with about 5’ left), since I don’t really have any stats from my previous putter when playing shots like that, unfortunately, but I can say it made me more confident IN the shot, if that helps at all.  
ON-COURSE (5 out of 5 stars)
In the 13 previous rounds this year I’ve played, I averaged 35.15 putts (high of 39, low of 32).  I’ve now played 5 eighteens with the LAB in play, and I’ve averaged 33.2 putts (two 32s, two 33s and a 36 (this round included TWO putts over 80 feet, both of which I 3-putted (left them so short it was nearly comical)).  I can legitimately say that in my second-to-last round, that number could have very easily been in the 20s, considering that I left 4 putts a TOTAL of 20 inches short (that’s what I get for practicing on fast greens and playing on slow…).  I have zero doubt that I will absolutely card my first round with sub-30 putts very soon, and I’ll be sure to comment on this review when that happens.  Getting the speed down on the practice greens is an absolute must for me, as most of my practice with this putter has been at a significantly faster green complex than most of my local munis.  I don't blame the putter for being short in any way, is ultimately what I'm saying.
One of the things that I wanted to test when I first got the putter was whether or not my consistency with set-up was improved with the LAB.  Because the putter is built to my specs (65 degree lie-angle, 35.25” length), all I have to do is set the putter down behind the ball, on my line, and then step up to the putter.  This was ALWAYS a weakness in my game previously, because I could never tell if the putter was actually flush to the ground (there was a subtle curve on the bottom of the putter head) – so sometimes the toe was up, others the heel up, etc., but I couldn't REALLY tell by looking down at the club.  Now, I know I’m set up over the ball correctly almost without thinking, which – again – allows me to focus solely on the stroke.  It’s freeing in a way that is genuinely exciting (nerdy, I know).
Since I don’t play in “money matches” yet (I have a lot of poor actor-friends), the only thing I can really say is that I’ve never, ever, felt more confident over a putt.  I don’t ALWAYS think I’m going to make it, but I actually see the road where that’s a reality – no matter the distance, I have a chance.  With every putter I’ve ever used in the past, the goal was to knock it relatively close.  With the DF 2.1, I’m starting to look at long putts (for me, anything over 10’) as legit opportunities.  I knocked in two fifteen-footers my last time out, and just missed another 2 from similar lengths.  I know putting is often a confidence game – and nothing’s ever made me feel more like I have a real shot than this putter.
When I spoke with the CEO during a practice session, I kind of laughed and said “I’ve never tried a product that did every single thing the manufacturer said it would,” and I meant it. I still do.  Do I think this product will work for EVERY. SINGLE. PERSON?  No. Of course not.  And as attested by a few of the testers in this very test, you can see that it's promise may not be realized by everyone.  But for me, this is perfect.  For the first time, I know I’m going to hit my line BEFORE I strike the ball, not just hoping I hit it.  For the first time, I’m not trying to lag 15-footers, I’m actually trying to make them.  For the first time, putting practice is actually fun.  
The crazy part of this to me, is the knowledge (well, belief, but I have faith) that the more I practice, the more comfortable I get with this new putter, the more confident I’m going to become.  
Is confidence over the ball worth the price-tag of $680 that this putter would retail for?  
For me, it’s a resounding, unquestionable YES.
THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE IN-BETWEEN (4 out of 5 stars)
The good:  See above for all the things I found while working with this putter. 
The bad: LAB desperately needs to hire more people in their customer service department.  I’ve said this from the beginning of the process, but it appears that two people handled all twelve fittings, including all back-and-forth emails.  While I’m assuming there are more than just these two fitters working for the company, having a group of well-qualified service-representatives who could answer questions, return phone calls, etc. would free up the actual fitters to focus solely on the fittings. 

(Methinks they need some more operators standing by)
I’m cognizant of the fact that LAB may have decided to have all of our fittings be done by these two fitters, to ensure that we all had similar experiences, but even then – we didn’t (you can see the other reviews for their individual experiences – some great, some not-so-great).  With no ability to test this putter in a store nearby, it’s a supreme act of faith to put down $450+ on a putter that was fitted via a 5-second clip and with minimal follow-up.  While my particular fitting went great and easily, and I’m happy to report that the putter fits me to a tee (Woof - this analogy's a bit on the nose, no?), waiting 24-48 hours for a response to an email/phone call, and not being able to get a hold of someone when you do need to talk to someone is frustrating at best.  I do genuinely understand that LAB may be inundated with fitting requests (especially considering they’re free to anyone who submits a video), which is why I think a dedicated team of customer-service reps whose only job is answering emails (maybe working in conjunction with the fitter, i.e., “I spoke with Jake and he asked me to let you know that the Accra shaft is highly rated and was designed specifically for LAB putters, etc.”) and phone calls would go a HUGE distance in making the prospect of this kind of purchase much easier to swallow. 
I know that actually speaking with my fitter was a HUGE relief that we got everything right (we spoke about my lie angle (it seemed pretty flat to me, but…only compared to the 70 degrees that my off-the-shelf putter was set at), my shaft selection (I was leaning Accra, which is what he said he played in his Mezz, but that the standard steel shaft was also a great shaft), grip, etc.  Having an actual conversation with someone, even though I wasn’t actually paying for the putter, really calmed my nerves (I didn’t want to waste anyone’s money/time by accidentally getting something that wasn’t right for me), and really made me EXCITED about the putter being built just for me.  
For this, I’m docking a point, but I can also see this being remedied quickly and relatively easily as the company continues to grow.
PLAY IT OR TRADE IT? (5 out of 5 stars)
I genuinely cannot imagine taking this thing out of my bag at this point.  I’ve never felt like I was a confident putter.  I’ve never felt like I could call myself a “decent” putter.  I’ve never felt like putting might be a strength of my game.  But I do now.  My friends starting calling it "Matt's Cheat Stick", and ... it kind of feels like that's super appropriate. 
CONCLUSION
If you struggle with consistent set-up, this putter could be for you.  If you struggle with knowing if you’ve hit your line, this putter could be for you.  If you need a putter with high forgiveness on mis-hits, this putter could be for you.  
It’s definitely the putter for me, for all those reasons and more.
FINAL SCORE (29 out of 30 stars)
 
Just a final note here saying how genuinely thrilled I am at having to have been a part of this process.  Thanks to My Golf Spy, all the moderators, Sam Hahn and everyone at L.A.B. Golf.  This was a huge honor and incredible pleasure.

My Introduction
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9053
First Impressions
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9647
 
 Looks like an old-fashioned bottle opener to me. 
Aesthetics and Reactions from other golfers
"It’s Big" - Response of 80% of People Who I Showed it to
I knew that someone had read about this putter whenever they echoed the words, “looks like a branding iron.”
Yes, it is big. Although, I was around when PING irons first came on the scene. When everything else was a blade, they seemed massive. One old boy used to say, “You could dig up potatoes with them things,” meaning they looked like a hoe.
And then Big Bertha appeared on the scene. “It’s huge," everyone exclaimed. Not by today’s standards though. So while the Directed Force (DF) is indeed larger, it means to me exactly what PING and Big Bertha meant back then … better performance and an increased margin of error.
"It Sounds Different" - A Youtube Reviewer Mentioned this, too
I couldn’t wait to try this club, so I grabbed 3 random balls and went to the practice green. First ball I hit, the club let out a distinctive ping. I’m old enough to remember the original PING 1A putter and it was named PING because of the ping sound it emitted. (Take a look at the L.A.B. B2 ... it resembles the original PING 1A) Turns out the first ball I tried was a Topflight. The other 2 balls were softer, a Titleist and a Callaway which did not ping near as loudly. So the harder the ball is, the louder the ping. It is a non-issue to me, because I don’t even hear it anymore.
"It’s too Light" - Immediate Response from a Golfer
I had not realized how light this DF configuration was until I picked up my Spider EX. There was a noticeable difference. I bought that Spider cuz I wanted a heavier putter head than my old PING Anser. Maybe it was lucky that I never compared the putters until after I had been using the DF for a week. By then I didn’t care that my old favorite felt heavier. I definitely can see that head weight does not make a difference in performance. I actually think it’s easier to hit the DF 2.1 on really long putts. I thought I wanted that weight for those long putts … but the DF proved me wrong.
By the way, the guy who said it was too light never even hit a putt with it. His loss.
"Is that a L.A.B. Putter" - Response from Several Golfers
While I was on the putting green a guy yelled over from the first tee, “Is that a L.A.B. putter?” Another person caught me on the chipping green, without the putter, asking if I was the guy with the L.A.B. And I also heard a few times that guys had a friend who played one. People have heard about this putter,
"That’s a Lot of Lines" - Response from Several Golfers
I love these lines. I set it down, align it to my target, and feel fully confidant that I’m right.
"The Grip is Fantastic" - Response from Several Golfers
I love this grip ... the soft tackiness and the way it fits my hand. Several other people echoed these sentiments exactly.
"How Can You Putt off the Toe if it’s Not Dead" - A Collegiate Player
As I touted the benefits of the soft feel of the ball leaving the face and the fact that toe hits don't lose momentum, a young college golfer said that he needs to have a dead hit on the toe, so he can putt a fast downhill slopping green. Sounds like something I heard when I was his age.
Off-center putts are so soft I don't really feel them ... and they definitely don't lose momentum. I set this putter up on the line I want, and then think of nothing else except pacing. I don’t care if I miss the center of the face because I know the ball maintains it's momentum wherever I strikes the face. The ball will stay on line and still not lose distance like toe & heel hits on other putters. And that is a confidence builder.
Because this putter does not torque on impact, the entire face stays square to where your hands are. That doesn't mean you can't push or pull it. As long as your hands are locked in, the face will stay square to the line on miss hits ... heel or toe.
 
The Numbers
I was one of the last in the group to receive my putter because of issues delaying my fitting process and also from being away on vacation. So I probably had 2 weeks less with my DF than most of the others. I started playing with it immediately.
I could have set up a putting trial with chalk lines and gates, but I don’t believe quantifying practice tells me anything about playability under pressure. Putting 25 balls down a chalk line with both putters on a flat putting green, doesn't help me on the course when trying to win skins. Besides, the practice green is the only flat green on our course. And at my age fatigue is an issue, too. My back is so bad it starts aching if I practice putting or chipping for more than 10 min. And that fatigue would have affected bulk testing. I have no problem trying out a club under fire. We play small $5-$20 games 3 times a week, so it was no big deal trying the DF out in a skins game. I was so happy with the club, I used it in a tournament after only playing 3 rounds with it. We tied for first, but lost on a coin toss.
I felt like I was fairly good at putting with my Spider. So, here are a few comparisons between it and the DF, so you can see my base and where the DF excelled.
I had 9-hole rounds with 5-1 putts using both putters in our men's association ... all over 10 foot putts I've had 15-putt, 9-hole rounds with both putters I had sub 30-putt, 18-hole rounds in skin games with both putters I achieved a 50% reduction in 3-putts with the DF I feel that my lag putts land closer with the DF  I had been tracking Distance to pin 1st putt / Number of putts / Distance missed, on my score cards, but I gave up and relied on my Arccos Caddie stats instead. So the only stats of mine that I feel are worthy of sharing are from my Arccos data.
I had lost my original Arccos putter sensor and Arccos replaced it for free … many thanks Arccos. I also purchased a second putter sensor so that I could track both putter’s stats separately.

Included in these graphics are the last 100 putts with both my Spider EX, and the last 100 putts with the Directed Force 2.1. As you can see there is a slight improvement in 1-putts. But the huge impact for me was the reduction in 3 putts. Every 3 putt eliminated is a stroke saved. 
I wish I could show y’all a graphic for distance left after the 1st putt. I tracked it manually a few rounds with each putter, but didn’t feel like I saved enough data to make it anything more than anecdotal. Which is unfortunate, because I honestly feel I am leaving my 10’-30’ putts much closer with the DF … less than a foot in a majority of cases. The fact that my 3 putts have been reduced by 50% proves that I am leaving long putts closer.
It’s difficult to quantify confidence in a putter. I had it with my old putter … I’ve got more of it with the Directed Force 2.1.
 
On The Course
“Set It and Forget It” is a trademarked phrase by marketing genius Ron Popeil that took on pop culture status in the 90s. His catch phrase has become my putting mantra for the DF 2.1. I set the club on line and I never think about it again, instead concentrating on distance and pace.
I have a random putting flaw where I occasionally pull my hands outside my swing plane. Sometimes, as I take the putter back, the head jumps off my swing path ... I’ve got a bit of nerve damage in my hands. But the point is, I see it when it happens, and that blows my concentration ... instead of focusing on pace, I am thinking about mechanics and it’s not going to be a good stroke. With the DF I don’t worry about controlling the stroke path anymore. I have complete confidence that if miss the center of the face, the ball will still travel on my intended line at the pace I wanted. That has given me freedom to focus on touch. Now when I see the putter move, I ignore it and toss the ball to the hole.
With the margin of error the DF provides me, I can ignore my hand drift when I see it. Sure, I still push an occasional putt. I still roll my hands on occasions, too. I’m not saying the DF eliminates all my problems. I’m saying that for me, it takes my mind off trying to control my swing, too precisely. My Arccos data has shown that using the DF has reduced my 3 putts by 50%, and that's the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 "also ran".
I may come off looking like an egotistical ass for this next graphic ... but I believe this putter played a huge part in my performance in a recent tournament. I had a Cinderella round ... I’ve included the scorecard ... and as you can see I played out my ass. This is an anomaly folks. Although I must say it stems from the confidence I had standing over every putt. And I am thoroughly convinced that that confidence carried over into my entire game that day. My drives were longer & straighter and I was confident I was going to chip-in a ball before I hit it. Don’t get me wrong, there was a fair amount of luck involved, especially on several approach shots. And hell, if you look close enough you can see that I got too cocky on the 14th, rushed the putt and lipped out an easy 5’ putt for par/birdie. Plus I had 2-3 putts of which I am thoroughly ashamed.

Full disclosure: the next round after that tournament was in our Tuesday, senior skins game, and I shot an 85. It consisted of 4-1 putts and 14-2 putts. Two skins and not a 3 putt in the bunch. I'm happy with that.
 
The Good, The Bad, and In Between
Good
This is an anti-torque head with an anti-torque shaft and they work perfectly together. I do not see any degradation in off center putts. 
I love the soft feel of the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft. The LA Golf shaft is listed as having an even a softer feel. The soft feel gives me the impression that my putts are effortless as opposed to throwing my heavy headed Spider at the ball on really long putts. 
Don’t confuse soft feel with weak ... soft does not equate to loss of feel ... I do not need to swing harder on long putts. When I putt now, my stroke feels far more intuitive ... like throwing darts. This configuration putts as easily on 35’ putts as it does at 10 footers. The ball comes off the face easily and rolls straight as an arrow.
The alignment lines are fantastic. I love how confident I feel that I am on target.
I can’t think of a single thing to change on this club. People say it’s ugly. I don’t care because I'm putting great with it.
The Bad ... Slightly Unhappy
I was unhappy with the remote fitting process. I screwed it up by submitting a poor fitting video. I would have preferred to try before I buy. That’s my only hang up in this process. I honestly believe that face to face interaction would have been better for me.
I sincerely feel that if it had been possible for me to try this putter out first, and experiment with different lies, maybe I could have had even better results than I got. Seems petty and doesn't mean I'm right. But there will always be that doubt in my head … could it be better? Would I have liked a blade better? 
I tried a myriad of putters before selecting the Spider EX I was using. When I ordered it, I asked for a custom bump to the standard lie by 2°, (assuming standard to be 67°). Turns out my Spider is a 70° standard; 72° as ordered. In the fitting video I sent L.A.B., I can see that I have the toe of the putter in the air. Lots of people putt with the toe in the air ... how was L.A.B. to know I didn't too? Nope, I did not pay enough attention to my setup and I regret it. They came back with a measurement off the video of a 67° lie, (which I have verified on my computer). It was my fault that I didn't get the lie I wanted.

I thought I was matching the putter I liked. I was wrong. So my unhappiness was caused by me. I regret that I did not match the Spider's lie angle, because like I said, it might have increased my success with the DF. And there's no running to a local fitter, if we had one, to have the lie adjusted ... you can't bend a composite shaft.
So if you order via the remote fitting process, do your homework. Try and determine what you are currently using before submitting your video. Do you want to match your current putter or improve on it? Talk it over with them. They will work with you. One caveat is that it took 2 days to get any of my questions answered. And with a holiday in the mix, a question on Friday didn't get addressed until the following Wednesday. It's only an issue if you are in a time crunch, as I was, needing the putter for my review.
Lie Angle Hack: Hold your putter flat against a tabletop, and using a protractor app on your phone, measure your lie angle.
Due to buttons getting in the way, you are probably going to get a measurement within ±1° ... make certain your table top is 0° too.

One minor caveat about the grip … I have a cart bag, and the extra width of the grip can interfere with other clubs when bagging or un-bagging them.  
Play it or Trade it
In My Bag - Forever
I actually GOOGLED "Will a New Putter Improve My Putting"
GOOGLE Says:
A change of putter can never compensate for a lack of skill. At best it can make poor putting slightly less bad. 
Hey GOOGLE, WRONG!
When you’ve been playing for a decade or two, you develop bad habits. And bad habits using a putter with no margin for error just makes things worse. A new Directed Force can actually compensate for some bad habits.
Case in point: I showed my Directed Force to Dan, a fellow golfer in our Saturday Morning Skins Game. He has fought an outside-in putting stroke his entire life, which is kind-of similar to my hands drifting off my intended swing path. For both of us, missing the center of the club with our old putters, means our putts will probably be off line and short. The DF does not penalize you on off-center hits, because the head doesn't torque open and you don't lose momentum at impact ... the entire face stays square to the target line. My off-center hits did not affect my putt distances. When I know my putter is square to my target line ... when I can ignore a swing path error, then I am going to be more successful with my pacing, and that means I’ll make more putts. To me the DF is a game improvement putter and it works.
Dan has been practicing specifically to control his putting swing plane … to a moderate success. It is a habit he picked up / ingrained at the beginning of his golf career, and those are near impossible to eliminate. From the first time he tried my DF was on the 9th green ... he started rolling them in from +10 feet. He was so excited he didn’t give the putter back to me for 10 minutes. Yes, he was still swinging outside in, but what was different this time, was that the putter was not penalizing him for off center hits. The face stayed square because it did not torque and the putts rolled true because the face maintained momentum along its entirety.
If you struggle with your putting swing plane, you need to give L.A.B. putters a try. It could make a big difference.
Trade It - Never
When I announced to my fellow golfers at the club, that I had been selected to review the Directed Force, some of the guys joked that I could trade it for a new driver after the review. I’ll say it right here and now, I wouldn’t trade it for an entire new set of new clubs.
To give you a better idea as to the value / price of my Directed Force configuration, consider this: My custom made Spider EX retailed for close to $500, with a standard shaft. The price for a stock Directed Force 2.1 with the fantastic Press-II 3° grip is $399. To customize it with non-standard length or lie, it starts at $549 and that is just slightly more than the Spider EX. Then there are upgraded shaft options from $100 - $380. The DF 2.1 configuration that I tested has the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft ($275) and Alignment markings ($25) for a total of $849.00. I believe it is in the same price range as mass market putters, and worth every penny.
 
Conclusion
I said it before: “I was not in the market for a new putter.” I was curious though. I wanted to see what a torque-less putter was all about. Drive for show — putt for dough hints at a deeper concept here … confidence in your putter is far more important than confidence in your driver. You can always fall back to your 3 wood, but lack of confidence in your putter can be disastrous.
First Impressions: 
I had issues with the remote fitting process ... part of it turned out to be my fault. I believe putters are intuitive weapons, and I want to hold it in my hands before I buy it. That said however, I love this putter. Yes, I initially thought it was big and ugly, but I don't anymore.
Aesthetics:
As far as looks go … who cares. I think it must look intimidating to my opponents. Besides, I have won money with it. The grip is fantastic and instills as much confidence as the putter head does. And the shaft not only adds to the non-torque capabilities, it provides a soft, pleasant feel.
The Numbers:
My stats show that I’ve reduced 3 putts by as much as 50%, and that’s the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 no-one-cares. The reduction in 3 putts is proof that I’m leaving my putts closer … I honestly feel like I have more putts stopping within inches then I did with my old putter.
On-Course: 
Confidence. Lining a putt up is easy for me with these top lines. Fantastic grip makes me feel like my hands are locked in. Linear face momentum from the non-torque head eliminates my worries for an imperfect stroke. Soft feel off the face gives me the the sense that I’m tossing darts.
The Good, the Bad, the In-Between:
For me, this is a game changing putter. The non-torque head and shaft compensate for my occasional drifting off the swing path and off center hits still track true. And yet, even though this is simply a mental hangup for me, I can’t help but wonder whether this is the perfect L.A.B. model for me.
Someone asked me:
"Are you happy with it."
     "Absolutely."
"Then get over it and move on."
     "Yes, but ..." 
Play it or Trade it:
The Directed Force 2.1 is in my bag to stay. The guys at the club keep joking about me trading trade it for a new driver(s) … they think it’s ugly. I just laughed while they were handing me my tournament money. Enough said.
It sounds a little cheesy, but the DF 2.1 lead me to begin thinking “I can do this.” And that powerful thought is a positivity that has seeped into my game overall. I’m enjoying my game more. There's tons of room for improvement, but I'm coming home in a much better mood. My wife is really happy about that.
I'm showing this putter to everyone, whether they have doubts about their putting stroke or not. While the base model DF is about the same price as discounted big name putters out there, custom versions of the DF are priced in line with big name putter customizations. So the next time you are in a golf store, pick one up and give it a try, then think about remote fitting. It might change your game. 

 
 
I know, it's only a 6 footer. But anything further and y'all would be accusing me of staging it.
 
 
 
 

L.A.B. Directed Force 2.1 Putter – Official MGS Forum Review by GolfSpy_CS
Full Introduction - click here
First Impressions (4/5 Stars)
I don’t think anything can really prepare you for how massive the Directed Force 2.1 head truly is.  I mean there’s mallet putters and then there’s this thing.  I saw a Mezz.1 in person a week before I got the DF2.1 and it was a fine sized putter.  Very traditional fang-style size.  This DF2.1 is a jumbo jet!
 
I rolled a few putts on the carpet and it sets up and feels good.  I did not notice any issues with the forward ball position setup as I already tend towards forward ball position.  Overall, the first impressions are positive.  If you sole it correctly for the lie angle it’s built for and hold it with light grip pressure, the thing just wants to stay square for you. 

Aesthetics (3/5 Stars)
You’ll either love or hate the aesthetics of the DF2.1…  Personally, I love and hate it all at the same time, but am growing to love it more and more.  The all black look I went with is clean.  The matte black finish on the head and LA Golf shaft are just what I want them to be.  No glare and mean looking.  I also really like the long white line I chose for the alignment marker. 

The size of the DF2.1, as mentioned earlier, could be a huge turnoff to some people.  I was just putting with it on TrackMan’s putting analysis and our rep told me that larger mallets sometimes interfere with the TrackMan camera accurately picking up the ball on putts! LOL.  He said, “Yeah this one might be an issue…” 
The more I’ve putted with it, the more I view the massiveness as a positive though.  It just inspires confidence.  I know I miss toe side with putters, but with this thing, it doesn’t really matter.
The Numbers (5/5 stars)
Usually I'm all about data.  I taught a graduate statistics course at my last university for crying out loud.  But I wanted to keep this review on my experience.  My stroke is not your stroke.  My woes are not your woes.  At the end of the day, you've got to like the way your club/putter looks, trust that it will perform, and what works for someone else doesn't mean it will work for you.  If it gives you more confidence, that’s a good thing right?  Here’s what I can say.  In my experience, I’ve never putted better.  My playing partners have noticed as well.  I know that if I pick the right line and speed, I’ve got nothing else to think about or focus on.  With other my other putters (of which there are many), I would miss putts low side and wonder if I pulled them (often I did).  Now I don’t think about it.  I can evaluate if I over/under read break or speed.
Totally awesome putting video:
I have made more putts from inside of 10ft and over 15ft since using the L.A.B. than ever in my golfing career.  My lag putting has improved as well.  I don’t know how else to say it, this thing just drains putts.  There were several putting practice sessions that come to mind.  I wrote about these in the comments section, but one time I literally made 10 putts in a row from 10+ feet.  Then I drained one from 25ft just for good measure.  In other sessions I’m making tour-average percentages from 4-6ft (which never happened before).  L.A.B.’s slogan of “You’re a better putter than you think” rings true for me.  They also say on the DF 2.1 page, “Every putt is now makeable.”  I truly do believe that now.
As far as the actual stats go, my 3 putts are down, my make rate from inside of 10ft is up, and my confidence (while unquantifiable) is also way up.   This thing is staying in the bag.  Here is a quick screenshot of the consistency of this putter from my short TrackMan putting session today.  You’ll notice all of these launch directions were inside of 1* (our TrackMan rep said he’s pretty sure most PGA Tour players are inside of 1* either direction consistently).  If you can do that, you'll hit your line over and over.  You'll probably ask why these putts aren't consecutively numbered 1-10 or something.  The TrackMan rep and I were taking turns so I deleted his putts. 

On-Course (5/5 stars)
This thing just makes putts.  Again, I don’t know how else to describe it.  I feel very confident over the ball.  Pick the line, speed, and just let it flow.  As I said in the ‘Numbers’ category, my 3 putts are down, my make rate inside of 10ft is up, and more importantly, my 5 footers after a missed green and a short game save chip/pitch shot are up.  These are very valuable to keeping my scores where I want them.   I’ve also made more putts over 25ft during actual rounds of golf than I ever have before.  The ball just seems to be on a string connected to the cup. 
The Good, the bad, the in-between (5/5 stars)
One thing I really appreciated during this process was Sam Han, the CEO reaching out to us as testers for a phone call.  We ended up having close to a one hour phone call about the putter, golf, and life.  Sam is very passionate about the company, the products, and the game.  That was icing on the cake for me.
People also take notice of this putter.  When you take it out to practice or for a round of golf, people are very interested.  Once they see you start rolling in putts, they really get interested!
Another thing I really like is that this is the first putter that ever sits flat for me naturally. And it should!  It’s built to my lie angle specifically.  All my other putters are always way toe up because of my low hands at address.  
I didn’t really like the idea of the online fitting at first.  But after talking with the CEO, it makes sense.  Get comfortable, they build you a awesome putter, go make more putts.  Simple. 
Play it or Trade it (5/5 stars)
This should come as no surprise, but this thing is staying in the bag for the foreseeable future (check my updated signature).  I honestly don’t think any of my current putters could hold a candle to it.  There is no reason to make putting any harder than it has to be.  L.A.B. gets my vote.

Conclusion
TL;DR:  This thing just makes putts.  I have supreme confidence whenever I step on the green.  Before, I dreaded putting practice, putting during a round of golf, and only when I was inside of 1ft did I feel like I knew the putts were going to fall.  Now, I feel like any putt is legitimately makeable.  Inside of 10ft is no longer a weakness for me.  Putting is finally fun! (never thought I’d say that)
Final Score (27/30 stars)

L.A.B. Putter Mezz.1 - Official MGS Forum Review by @Dragon3 Intro:    
 
Grading 
First Impressions (5/5) 
It’s all in the presentation or in this case the delivery. And first impressions can definitely set the tone and in some cases be a deal breaker. My putter was treated like a fine piece of China with all the bubble wrap and specified name on the plastic bag. Definitely don’t want anything to come damaged until it reaches its final destination. #untorqueyourself is their patent and truly the basis of simplifying the process. We’ll see if L.A.B. (lie angle balance) does what’s intended. Time will definitely tell...
 


 
The photo taken with my current Odyssey was taken for comparison purposes, as they're both 32” in length.
 

 
While the press II 1.5°Grip came recommended it is a bit more than I expected. I’m still adjusting to the grip’s firmness and bulkiness in size.
 

 
 
Another view
 

 
Aesthetics (3/5)
 
Looks 
The L.A.B. Golf MEZZ.1 is touted as one of the most aesthetically pleasing to date. Admittedly, it takes some getting used to. I suppose it resembles most putters, as far as mid-mallet shapes – a sleek, small, black, fang-style putter. I appreciate technology and maybe I’m more old school. 
The MEZZ.1 is center-shafted with a black ACCRA X L.A.B. golf shaft. 
The L.A.B. Golf logo on the back of the mallet resembles a clove in cards 
Flipping over the putter it features eight weights on the bottom with another two on the sides of the clubhead. 

 
I selected a line marking. L.A.B. allows for customization of this putter with a dot or nothing. There are also further customization options with different grips. 

It should be noted, as this review was being finalized and going to “press” so to speak, the putter has since been upgraded to include some new colors. My rating is however based on what was currently available at the time. My possible rating may have been a 4. 
Sound & Feel 
That combination of materials equates to a fantastic feel, noticeably. It is a delicate combination of softness with a satisfying jolt off the face. However, the feeling wasn’t as soft for me. 
If you’re unprepared, the ball just tends to roll right off the face. So, definitely take that under consideration. There is this faint sound encountered at alignment. I barely noticed any sound therefore, I can only assume that the alignment functioned, as intended. 
Grip Selection: 
Another part of the feel of the club is in the choice of grip that is placed on it. The grip that came recommended for the Mezz.1, was the Press II 1.5. The grip was described as smaller than other L.A.B. putter grip models, is a bit tapered, and features a flat top. The grip was actually bulkier and still requires some acclimation to gain that expected comfort level to gain consistent putting strokes. While simple by design, the logo and lettering appeared too large in scope and generally subtleness, less overt in nature for my personalized taste.
Overall softness is neutral and sound negligible. 
The Numbers (4/5) 
Accuracy 
I was able to gain a consistent repeatable stroke performance with repeatable steps within my living area, putting mat set up, outdoor area, before feeling comfortable to hit practice putting areas at the course. As anything, patience is required. 
Distance Control
Obtaining distance control was based on length of putting strokes and slopes of hills. Initially posed some challenges prior to some control. Maybe due to overcompensating and/or just overall familiarity. 
Stability of Stroke 
Alignment and consistency of strokes was obtained upon many routine practicing shots. It stayed square throughout the stroke, as noted on their site. Very little required. It stayed square as mentioned on their site.
Forgiveness 
For stability, ”the midsection of the putter is fully CNC machined from 303 stainless” that improves feel. The body of the MEZZ.1 is fully CNC milled from a billet of 6061 aircraft aluminum to improve forgiveness.” 
Playability 
Comfort was the word that L.A.B. emphasizes in all facets. So to master this area, you really have to feel it so to speak in order to achieve it. In some instances but not in every. 
On-Course (4/5) 
Performance 
L.A.B. Golf has always had one central idea for their putters, and that’s the idea of lie angle balance (that’s where the name L.A.B. comes from). “Lie angle balance” defined by the company is the putter’s ability to stay square to the path during the putting stroke without any adjustment from your hands. This goes beyond what many of us know as the standard face-balanced style of putters. This putter, like the other L.A.B. Golf models remove torque, or the putter head’s tendency to twist, from the equation. That leads to a more consistent, repeatable stroke. 
For testing, I used executive courses for my practicing area. I used different putting holes and varying lengths. Speed and distance control came after familiarizing with the set up. And I always tended to putt on my intended line. 
I was able to make the putts with the MEZZ.1 both from long range or short distances. It resulted in true distance control and translated into successful putts on the greens. 
On a downhill, the ball appeared to roll right off the face. So, definitely take that under consideration. There is this faint sound. If you see that metal part on top, I think a lot of the sound is coming from there. But here is what I found a bit strange, and I need to work on this a lot...The sound seems more pronounced the more off-center you hit it. And when aligned, it seems like a faint sound. 
The Good, the bad, the in between (4/5) 
Notably, the online fitting process was seamless and pretty simple.. And the Order was placed rather promptly. Shipping was easy to track once received via UPS. Packed well.
 
I submitted a video based on guidelines provided. Upon submission, I received a automatic generated email that I should hear back within 24-48 hours. I did hear back within a day in which I liaised with my assigned consumer sales rep. I did have to submit another video for accuracy of capture. And then upon, I was given suggestions to hone in on appropriate specs. My specs were shaft length 32” and 69°. The length selected was the same as my current one and based on comfort. All my inquiries were addressed. Based upon the responses, I was able to make my choice. If I had specific particulars, I probably could have had more customization. Being a bit unfamiliar, I went in with no prior expectations. Each rep has his own personality. Philip was very accommodating and supportive throughout the process. 
Upon receipt of my putter, I received a call from the CEO, as an introduction which was unexpected. Personable touches are definitely noteworthy and go a long way for the future. 
Play it or Trade it? (3/5) 
Please note, I was not in the market for a new putter per se.  And must admit putting is not my biggest problem area.  I’ll still probably play it, unless I find something more aesthetically appealing.  And yet I still navigate to my Odyssey WH #5. If I allow for more time, it may grow on me. 
Align, consistency, repeatable will factor heavily in my decision to still play it. 
Conclusion 
I witnessed some minor improvements during the round. The Mezz.1 can require some patience and practice to get the most out of it, even though putting isn’t my biggest problem area. If you’re willing to give it the time and attention it needs to help your putting improve, you are surely going to see more putts fall. There’s a consistent feel and roll that can be obtained, resulting in accuracy on the greens. 
Putting made easy is their mantra. 
This putter makes the case that it “works for you, not against you.” By locating the shaft bore in a specific proximity to the putter’s center of gravity, it removes the way a golfer has to manipulate the head to square the face. Ten weights (eight on the bottom, two on the sides) allow the company to perfectly match a player’s weight, setup and lie angle specifications. And though personally, I’m not in love with the look, the putterhead is fully CNC machined from aircraft aluminum and stainless steel for a familiar, almost traditional, sound and feel. 
Check out this quick video: MEZZ.1 Putter - L.A.B Gol
Final Score (23/30 stars)
 

L.A.B. MEZZ.1 Putter – Official MGS Forum Review by Bulldog
 
Full introduction - click here
 
 
 
First Impressions  (⭐⭐⭐⭐)
Usually, getting a new golf club gives me an “ooh, ahh” moment.   When I opened the box, my first impression was, “OK, this is weird.”  Conventional is not a word you’d think of when you see it. The fit and finish of the putter is exceptional.  It oozes quality and craftsmanship. The magnetic latching head cover is almost too nice to use.  Maybe the head cover needs a head cover. Even the packaging was impressive.

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aesthetics  (⭐⭐⭐)
It took me some time to get used to the look of the MEZZ. If Lockheed Aircraft designed a barbecue fork, it would look like the MEZZ. Think industrial origami. I’ve grown comfortable with the looks, but I wouldn't call it attractive.

 
 
 
 
 
The bad boy, black monochrome look works well and there are no distracting sun refections. The shaft logo was installed label down by default which I appreciate.
 

Putts on the center of the face are muted. After my first few, I though the face might be some kind of plastic. There is no metallic sound at all (sorry Ping). Off-center putts are a bit louder, with a “clunk.”  Hitting it far on the toe or heel will cost you accuracy.
 
The alignment line is short. It gives you an impact point target. I may experiment with adding some pinstripe tape on the forks (maybe flames).

 
 
 
 
I was surprised by the feel. Compared to other putters I’ve used, it’s very, very soft. I was startled by the feel the first time I putted with it. 
It's much lighter than the KS1 (my Kirkland KS1 has the optional weight kit).  Again, a new feeling but not bad.  
Since I started using the MEZZ  I've switched back to left-hand low grip that I used years ago.  It just feels better.
 
 
 
 
 
The Numbers  (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)
I examined the putting data from Arccos for seven rounds with the MEZZ and seven previous rounds with the Kirkland KS1. The MEZZ showed 2.4 strokes gained improvement in putting.
Here are the stroked gained numbers from best to worst, per round based on my handicap:
MEZZ  +1.7   +1.6   +1.2   +1.0   -0.3   -1.5   -3.1                    
KS1     +2.1    +0.9   -1.9   -3.2   -2.5   -5.7   -5.8               
Overall, the number of one and two putts are trending the same, but three putts have decreased by an average of one per round (yippee!) 
 
 

On the practice green, the MEZZ beat the KS1 putter on 5 and 10 foot putts. Not by a ton, but consistently.
 
On-Course (⭐⭐⭐⭐)
This thing has accuracy nailed.  The ball goes where the putter is pointed.  I’ve used it for seven rounds, plus plenty of time on the practice green.  My confidence in my putting accuracy is at the highest it’s every been. Distance control is good.
At first, I was leaving putts short. I think it was due to the soft feel and quietness.  Fairly quickly, I adjusted my swing and saw improvement.  

 
 
 
The Press II 1.5° grip is interesting. It's another L.A.B. out of the box idea where the grip gives you an automatic forward press.  I’ve always had a tendency to press the grip forward when putting. This grip does that for me.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
The MEZZ works well from the fringe, but the sharp leading edge makes it difficult to use from the rough. Not a problem for me. Putting from the rough has never worked for me.
 
The Good, the bad, the in between (⭐⭐⭐⭐)
The Good - Accuracy, Accuracy, Accuracy The Bad - Price.  Some of my golf buddies have been speechless when told the price.  The In Between - Looks. The MEZZ.1 design is function over form, physics over aesthetics.
 
Play it or Trade it? (5 out of 5 stars)
It stays in the bag. Period.
 
Conclusion
 

Putter Balance Video.mp4    
I’m not sure i’d call it a nonconformist putter, maybe just settle on unconventional.  I wish there were more of that kind of thinking in golf equipment. I was skeptical that the lie angle balance could make a difference in my score.  Overall, my misses are closer, the circle of dispersion is smaller and my putting scores are better. Golf is a bit more fun.
 
Final Score  - 25 out of 30 Stars
 
 
 
 
 
 

INTRODUCTION
So, here we go! First things first… my name is John, and I’m 67 years old. I moved from Long Island to N. Myrtle Beach about 12 years ago, and live in a community with 4 golf courses, two driving ranges and short game practice areas. We also have 3 practice greens.
Here’s how I would break down my game… driver is solid. I’m longer than most guys in my age group I play with, and I’m pretty accurate. FWs are a struggle. I can hit my 3 wood very well off the tee, but off the turf it’s an adventure. Hybrids on the other hand are a strength. So much so that I recently switched from a set of PXG XP irons I really liked to a set of Launcher XL Halo hybrid style irons. As much as I loved the PXGs, I want as much help as I can possibly get from my iron game, because… my wedge game is that of a +20 cap player. It’s what has always kept me from single digits. My putting on the other hand is the biggest strength of my game, imo. I have total confidence in my ability to not only putt well, but do so in pressure situations. (that might sound like a brag, but I firmly believe that in order to be a good putter, you have to convince yourself you already are… I hope that makes sense?)
I chose the DF2.1 over the Mezz my fitter suggested, because I felt I wanted to experience all the tech L.A.B. has to offer. I also wanted to try a mallet style putter, and this looks like it’s about as extreme a version as there is out there.
I’ve done a lot of research on this putter since being chosen to test it, and the tech behind it makes sense to me. I’m looking forward to not only trying something new, but answering any questions you guys have about the product. 
One last thing… I’ve said this before, and I’m sure every other tester has also, but I’m incredibly grateful to have been chosen for this test. I want to thank MGS, L.A.B., my buddy Rob, and also give a shout out to Tony for his help and patience with us in our private testers thread. 

FIRST IMPRESSION
The box was… big, and when I opened the top of it, I was staring at the biggest putter headcover I’ve ever seen, 😂. The putter itself was packed extremely well, and after I unwrapped it and took off the headcover the head looked huge. Surprisingly though, after rolling a few balls on the carpet  it seemed normal to me.
AESTHETICS
The build of this putter is very high quality. The combination of the DF2.1 head and the BGT Stability Tour shaft is seamless, and I love the way the lettering on the shaft is shadowed in black to match the shaft itself. The one issue I had was the Press 3 grip. The half white half black combo took away from the murdered out look the putter otherwise had. It also felt awkward right from the start. (more on that later).
In summation, my first impression was very good. I purposely chose the putter that would be as far out of my comfort zone as possible, and this was certainly that. I was ready to go on my first adventure with a mallet style putter.
THE NUMBERS
I don’t feel 8 or so rounds of golf are a good base to establish any real reference point as far as seeing any real improvement. First, the style of head and the grip took some time to get used to. I’ve never played a mallet, nor used such an oversized grip. Second, throughout the roughly 3-4 week testing period, the greens I played went from very hard and fast, to aerated, then very wet and slow as we’ve now entered our rainy season.
I will say I’ve become more and more comfortable and dare I say confident after what was a very rocky start.
ON THE COURSE 
I need to preface this by saying I was unable to play for almost two months, and my very first round back, I threw the DF2.1 into the fire. Looking back now, I think that was unfair. Not only was I easing my way back from injury, I was expecting this brand new club to work magic and be the most critical scoring club in my bag right from Day One, when I hadn’t putted at all for so many weeks..
I definitely had issues taking the DF2.1 from the practice green to the course. As soon as I did, the grip went from feeling awkward to unwieldy I also struggled to set the sole flat without altering my stance. In short, I was a basket case. I went from leaving everything short, to hammering them well past the hole. 
After my third round with it, i had what was the worst day putting I can remember having. How bad? I missed the ball completely twice in a row from just off the green on a par 3. Both times I went right over the top of the ball. My playing partners thought I was making practice strokes, and when I told them I had whiffed both times and the strokes counted, they went into hysterics. That my friends, has never happened to me on a full swing, never mind a putt, so yeah, I was at my wits end.
As is often the case with golf though, things change. We can go from the highest of highs to to the lowest of lows very quickly, and never know why (at least I don’t). I wanted to give up and go back to my old putter, but I believe in the tech in this putter. I believe the head is forgiving and I believe in the idea of keeping that head square throughout the stroke, so I had a long talk with myself, and went the other direction.. instead of taking it out of my bag, I played rounds of 9, 18, 18, 9 and 9 in the 5 days after my “fiasco”. I’m starting to stack good days with it now, but most importantly, I’m trying to not over think the grip.
 Our greens roll very fast, and I had to trust the DF2.1 to get my ball to the hole with what feels like a very soft stroke. The grip is beginning to feel more natural, and Ironically, I’m finding myself fidgeting less with my hand position than I think I did with my standard size one. It still doesn’t feel perfect, but I’m starting to see results I can’t deny. I’d love to roll this putter with say, a RoseMark or Super Stroke 1.0… I think either combo would be a weapon for me.
THE GOOD THE BAD THE IN BETWEEN
The Good... I love the fact that I had a small part of designing this putter. Picking our head type, sight line, color, shaft, and even head cover make each of these feel like truly our own.
The Bad… as a lefty, I’m used to having limited selections with all types of equipment, but if I could make one suggestion to the good folks at LAB it would be to upgrade your grip game. For all the options you offer, the lack of choices here really stood out. 
The in between… I honestly can’t think of anything to put here, other than I’ve gone from a really tough start with this putter, to a gradual adjustment to it, and am only now starting to feel a sense of confidence with it. Hopefully this continues, as I really think there’s potentially something special here.
TRADE IT OR KEEP IT
Anyone who has followed this thread knows I’ve been the Debbie Downer of this review process. It frustrated me no end that I was seemingly the only one here who wasn’t immediately in love with their new L.A.B. Putter. It’s been quite the journey, but I’m starting to come around. 
If you asked me a week or two ago, my answer would’ve been Trade, but not now. I’m getting more comfortable with it every day. I have faith in the technology (although I might have to look into whether a grip change is possible and still keep the angle the same). I’m not only becoming comfortable with it, I think I’m on the verge of a breakthrough here. I’m starting to expect to make everything I look at. 😉 
There is not a more personal club than a putter. I always felt I knew right away whether I would like one or not. In the past 15 years, I’ve used a Yes! Tracy for 14, and a Double Wide Odyssey for 1 1/2. To say going to the DF2.1 was a shock to my system is putting it mildly. Those who have read the thread know what I’m talking about…
CONCLUSION
Before I wrap this up, I want to mention the LAB Online Fitting Process, as it was a part of the review. As most of you know by now, we sent in 5 second videos of our stroke, and we were fit to length and lie angle. I’ve already beaten this horse to death in the review thread, so I will just say this… these putters aren’t cheap. I believe they go for $549 stock. You can go very close to $1,000 very easily with custom shafts and such. If I’m going to spend that kind of money on a putter, I want to see and demo each of their models in person. I want to see and be taken step by step through the fit. I want to see and feel the grip options available.
I’m sure Sam and his fitters know what they’re doing, and I’m only speaking for myself here, but I would never buy any putter blind, much less one that in their own words, is so “out of the box”. It just doesn’t make any sense to me. Go to a place where you can roll one of these. Try the shafts, and the grips, then decide. They make a great product, but you should make sure it’s the right one for you.
TOTAL SCORE
26/30
 

My Introduction
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9053
First Impressions
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9647
 
 Looks like an old-fashioned bottle opener to me. 
Aesthetics and Reactions from other golfers
"It’s Big" - Response of 80% of People Who I Showed it to
I knew that someone had read about this putter whenever they echoed the words, “looks like a branding iron.”
Yes, it is big. Although, I was around when PING irons first came on the scene. When everything else was a blade, they seemed massive. One old boy used to say, “You could dig up potatoes with them things,” meaning they looked like a hoe.
And then Big Bertha appeared on the scene. “It’s huge," everyone exclaimed. Not by today’s standards though. So while the Directed Force (DF) is indeed larger, it means to me exactly what PING and Big Bertha meant back then … better performance and an increased margin of error.
"It Sounds Different" - A Youtube Reviewer Mentioned this, too
I couldn’t wait to try this club, so I grabbed 3 random balls and went to the practice green. First ball I hit, the club let out a distinctive ping. I’m old enough to remember the original PING 1A putter and it was named PING because of the ping sound it emitted. (Take a look at the L.A.B. B2 ... it resembles the original PING 1A) Turns out the first ball I tried was a Topflight. The other 2 balls were softer, a Titleist and a Callaway which did not ping near as loudly. So the harder the ball is, the louder the ping. It is a non-issue to me, because I don’t even hear it anymore.
"It’s too Light" - Immediate Response from a Golfer
I had not realized how light this DF configuration was until I picked up my Spider EX. There was a noticeable difference. I bought that Spider cuz I wanted a heavier putter head than my old PING Anser. Maybe it was lucky that I never compared the putters until after I had been using the DF for a week. By then I didn’t care that my old favorite felt heavier. I definitely can see that head weight does not make a difference in performance. I actually think it’s easier to hit the DF 2.1 on really long putts. I thought I wanted that weight for those long putts … but the DF proved me wrong.
By the way, the guy who said it was too light never even hit a putt with it. His loss.
"Is that a L.A.B. Putter" - Response from Several Golfers
While I was on the putting green a guy yelled over from the first tee, “Is that a L.A.B. putter?” Another person caught me on the chipping green, without the putter, asking if I was the guy with the L.A.B. And I also heard a few times that guys had a friend who played one. People have heard about this putter,
"That’s a Lot of Lines" - Response from Several Golfers
I love these lines. I set it down, align it to my target, and feel fully confidant that I’m right.
"The Grip is Fantastic" - Response from Several Golfers
I love this grip ... the soft tackiness and the way it fits my hand. Several other people echoed these sentiments exactly.
"How Can You Putt off the Toe if it’s Not Dead" - A Collegiate Player
As I touted the benefits of the soft feel of the ball leaving the face and the fact that toe hits don't lose momentum, a young college golfer said that he needs to have a dead hit on the toe, so he can putt a fast downhill slopping green. Sounds like something I heard when I was his age.
Off-center putts are so soft I don't really feel them ... and they definitely don't lose momentum. I set this putter up on the line I want, and then think of nothing else except pacing. I don’t care if I miss the center of the face because I know the ball maintains it's momentum wherever I strikes the face. The ball will stay on line and still not lose distance like toe & heel hits on other putters. And that is a confidence builder.
Because this putter does not torque on impact, the entire face stays square to where your hands are. That doesn't mean you can't push or pull it. As long as your hands are locked in, the face will stay square to the line on miss hits ... heel or toe.
 
The Numbers
I was one of the last in the group to receive my putter because of issues delaying my fitting process and also from being away on vacation. So I probably had 2 weeks less with my DF than most of the others. I started playing with it immediately.
I could have set up a putting trial with chalk lines and gates, but I don’t believe quantifying practice tells me anything about playability under pressure. Putting 25 balls down a chalk line with both putters on a flat putting green, doesn't help me on the course when trying to win skins. Besides, the practice green is the only flat green on our course. And at my age fatigue is an issue, too. My back is so bad it starts aching if I practice putting or chipping for more than 10 min. And that fatigue would have affected bulk testing. I have no problem trying out a club under fire. We play small $5-$20 games 3 times a week, so it was no big deal trying the DF out in a skins game. I was so happy with the club, I used it in a tournament after only playing 3 rounds with it. We tied for first, but lost on a coin toss.
I felt like I was fairly good at putting with my Spider. So, here are a few comparisons between it and the DF, so you can see my base and where the DF excelled.
I had 9-hole rounds with 5-1 putts using both putters in our men's association ... all over 10 foot putts I've had 15-putt, 9-hole rounds with both putters I had sub 30-putt, 18-hole rounds in skin games with both putters I achieved a 50% reduction in 3-putts with the DF I feel that my lag putts land closer with the DF  I had been tracking Distance to pin 1st putt / Number of putts / Distance missed, on my score cards, but I gave up and relied on my Arccos Caddie stats instead. So the only stats of mine that I feel are worthy of sharing are from my Arccos data.
I had lost my original Arccos putter sensor and Arccos replaced it for free … many thanks Arccos. I also purchased a second putter sensor so that I could track both putter’s stats separately.

Included in these graphics are the last 100 putts with both my Spider EX, and the last 100 putts with the Directed Force 2.1. As you can see there is a slight improvement in 1-putts. But the huge impact for me was the reduction in 3 putts. Every 3 putt eliminated is a stroke saved. 
I wish I could show y’all a graphic for distance left after the 1st putt. I tracked it manually a few rounds with each putter, but didn’t feel like I saved enough data to make it anything more than anecdotal. Which is unfortunate, because I honestly feel I am leaving my 10’-30’ putts much closer with the DF … less than a foot in a majority of cases. The fact that my 3 putts have been reduced by 50% proves that I am leaving long putts closer.
It’s difficult to quantify confidence in a putter. I had it with my old putter … I’ve got more of it with the Directed Force 2.1.
 
On The Course
“Set It and Forget It” is a trademarked phrase by marketing genius Ron Popeil that took on pop culture status in the 90s. His catch phrase has become my putting mantra for the DF 2.1. I set the club on line and I never think about it again, instead concentrating on distance and pace.
I have a random putting flaw where I occasionally pull my hands outside my swing plane. Sometimes, as I take the putter back, the head jumps off my swing path ... I’ve got a bit of nerve damage in my hands. But the point is, I see it when it happens, and that blows my concentration ... instead of focusing on pace, I am thinking about mechanics and it’s not going to be a good stroke. With the DF I don’t worry about controlling the stroke path anymore. I have complete confidence that if miss the center of the face, the ball will still travel on my intended line at the pace I wanted. That has given me freedom to focus on touch. Now when I see the putter move, I ignore it and toss the ball to the hole.
With the margin of error the DF provides me, I can ignore my hand drift when I see it. Sure, I still push an occasional putt. I still roll my hands on occasions, too. I’m not saying the DF eliminates all my problems. I’m saying that for me, it takes my mind off trying to control my swing, too precisely. My Arccos data has shown that using the DF has reduced my 3 putts by 50%, and that's the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 "also ran".
I may come off looking like an egotistical ass for this next graphic ... but I believe this putter played a huge part in my performance in a recent tournament. I had a Cinderella round ... I’ve included the scorecard ... and as you can see I played out my ass. This is an anomaly folks. Although I must say it stems from the confidence I had standing over every putt. And I am thoroughly convinced that that confidence carried over into my entire game that day. My drives were longer & straighter and I was confident I was going to chip-in a ball before I hit it. Don’t get me wrong, there was a fair amount of luck involved, especially on several approach shots. And hell, if you look close enough you can see that I got too cocky on the 14th, rushed the putt and lipped out an easy 5’ putt for par/birdie. Plus I had 2-3 putts of which I am thoroughly ashamed.

Full disclosure: the next round after that tournament was in our Tuesday, senior skins game, and I shot an 85. It consisted of 4-1 putts and 14-2 putts. Two skins and not a 3 putt in the bunch. I'm happy with that.
 
The Good, The Bad, and In Between
Good
This is an anti-torque head with an anti-torque shaft and they work perfectly together. I do not see any degradation in off center putts. 
I love the soft feel of the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft. The LA Golf shaft is listed as having an even a softer feel. The soft feel gives me the impression that my putts are effortless as opposed to throwing my heavy headed Spider at the ball on really long putts. 
Don’t confuse soft feel with weak ... soft does not equate to loss of feel ... I do not need to swing harder on long putts. When I putt now, my stroke feels far more intuitive ... like throwing darts. This configuration putts as easily on 35’ putts as it does at 10 footers. The ball comes off the face easily and rolls straight as an arrow.
The alignment lines are fantastic. I love how confident I feel that I am on target.
I can’t think of a single thing to change on this club. People say it’s ugly. I don’t care because I'm putting great with it.
The Bad ... Slightly Unhappy
I was unhappy with the remote fitting process. I screwed it up by submitting a poor fitting video. I would have preferred to try before I buy. That’s my only hang up in this process. I honestly believe that face to face interaction would have been better for me.
I sincerely feel that if it had been possible for me to try this putter out first, and experiment with different lies, maybe I could have had even better results than I got. Seems petty and doesn't mean I'm right. But there will always be that doubt in my head … could it be better? Would I have liked a blade better? 
I tried a myriad of putters before selecting the Spider EX I was using. When I ordered it, I asked for a custom bump to the standard lie by 2°, (assuming standard to be 67°). Turns out my Spider is a 70° standard; 72° as ordered. In the fitting video I sent L.A.B., I can see that I have the toe of the putter in the air. Lots of people putt with the toe in the air ... how was L.A.B. to know I didn't too? Nope, I did not pay enough attention to my setup and I regret it. They came back with a measurement off the video of a 67° lie, (which I have verified on my computer). It was my fault that I didn't get the lie I wanted.

I thought I was matching the putter I liked. I was wrong. So my unhappiness was caused by me. I regret that I did not match the Spider's lie angle, because like I said, it might have increased my success with the DF. And there's no running to a local fitter, if we had one, to have the lie adjusted ... you can't bend a composite shaft.
So if you order via the remote fitting process, do your homework. Try and determine what you are currently using before submitting your video. Do you want to match your current putter or improve on it? Talk it over with them. They will work with you. One caveat is that it took 2 days to get any of my questions answered. And with a holiday in the mix, a question on Friday didn't get addressed until the following Wednesday. It's only an issue if you are in a time crunch, as I was, needing the putter for my review.
Lie Angle Hack: Hold your putter flat against a tabletop, and using a protractor app on your phone, measure your lie angle.
Due to buttons getting in the way, you are probably going to get a measurement within ±1° ... make certain your table top is 0° too.

One minor caveat about the grip … I have a cart bag, and the extra width of the grip can interfere with other clubs when bagging or un-bagging them.  
Play it or Trade it
In My Bag - Forever
I actually GOOGLED "Will a New Putter Improve My Putting"
GOOGLE Says:
A change of putter can never compensate for a lack of skill. At best it can make poor putting slightly less bad. 
Hey GOOGLE, WRONG!
When you’ve been playing for a decade or two, you develop bad habits. And bad habits using a putter with no margin for error just makes things worse. A new Directed Force can actually compensate for some bad habits.
Case in point: I showed my Directed Force to Dan, a fellow golfer in our Saturday Morning Skins Game. He has fought an outside-in putting stroke his entire life, which is kind-of similar to my hands drifting off my intended swing path. For both of us, missing the center of the club with our old putters, means our putts will probably be off line and short. The DF does not penalize you on off-center hits, because the head doesn't torque open and you don't lose momentum at impact ... the entire face stays square to the target line. My off-center hits did not affect my putt distances. When I know my putter is square to my target line ... when I can ignore a swing path error, then I am going to be more successful with my pacing, and that means I’ll make more putts. To me the DF is a game improvement putter and it works.
Dan has been practicing specifically to control his putting swing plane … to a moderate success. It is a habit he picked up / ingrained at the beginning of his golf career, and those are near impossible to eliminate. From the first time he tried my DF was on the 9th green ... he started rolling them in from +10 feet. He was so excited he didn’t give the putter back to me for 10 minutes. Yes, he was still swinging outside in, but what was different this time, was that the putter was not penalizing him for off center hits. The face stayed square because it did not torque and the putts rolled true because the face maintained momentum along its entirety.
If you struggle with your putting swing plane, you need to give L.A.B. putters a try. It could make a big difference.
Trade It - Never
When I announced to my fellow golfers at the club, that I had been selected to review the Directed Force, some of the guys joked that I could trade it for a new driver after the review. I’ll say it right here and now, I wouldn’t trade it for an entire new set of new clubs.
To give you a better idea as to the value / price of my Directed Force configuration, consider this: My custom made Spider EX retailed for close to $500, with a standard shaft. The price for a stock Directed Force 2.1 with the fantastic Press-II 3° grip is $399. To customize it with non-standard length or lie, it starts at $549 and that is just slightly more than the Spider EX. Then there are upgraded shaft options from $100 - $380. The DF 2.1 configuration that I tested has the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft ($275) and Alignment markings ($25) for a total of $849.00. I believe it is in the same price range as mass market putters, and worth every penny.
 
Conclusion
I said it before: “I was not in the market for a new putter.” I was curious though. I wanted to see what a torque-less putter was all about. Drive for show — putt for dough hints at a deeper concept here … confidence in your putter is far more important than confidence in your driver. You can always fall back to your 3 wood, but lack of confidence in your putter can be disastrous.
First Impressions: 
I had issues with the remote fitting process ... part of it turned out to be my fault. I believe putters are intuitive weapons, and I want to hold it in my hands before I buy it. That said however, I love this putter. Yes, I initially thought it was big and ugly, but I don't anymore.
Aesthetics:
As far as looks go … who cares. I think it must look intimidating to my opponents. Besides, I have won money with it. The grip is fantastic and instills as much confidence as the putter head does. And the shaft not only adds to the non-torque capabilities, it provides a soft, pleasant feel.
The Numbers:
My stats show that I’ve reduced 3 putts by as much as 50%, and that’s the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 no-one-cares. The reduction in 3 putts is proof that I’m leaving my putts closer … I honestly feel like I have more putts stopping within inches then I did with my old putter.
On-Course: 
Confidence. Lining a putt up is easy for me with these top lines. Fantastic grip makes me feel like my hands are locked in. Linear face momentum from the non-torque head eliminates my worries for an imperfect stroke. Soft feel off the face gives me the the sense that I’m tossing darts.
The Good, the Bad, the In-Between:
For me, this is a game changing putter. The non-torque head and shaft compensate for my occasional drifting off the swing path and off center hits still track true. And yet, even though this is simply a mental hangup for me, I can’t help but wonder whether this is the perfect L.A.B. model for me.
Someone asked me:
"Are you happy with it."
     "Absolutely."
"Then get over it and move on."
     "Yes, but ..." 
Play it or Trade it:
The Directed Force 2.1 is in my bag to stay. The guys at the club keep joking about me trading trade it for a new driver(s) … they think it’s ugly. I just laughed while they were handing me my tournament money. Enough said.
It sounds a little cheesy, but the DF 2.1 lead me to begin thinking “I can do this.” And that powerful thought is a positivity that has seeped into my game overall. I’m enjoying my game more. There's tons of room for improvement, but I'm coming home in a much better mood. My wife is really happy about that.
I'm showing this putter to everyone, whether they have doubts about their putting stroke or not. While the base model DF is about the same price as discounted big name putters out there, custom versions of the DF are priced in line with big name putter customizations. So the next time you are in a golf store, pick one up and give it a try, then think about remote fitting. It might change your game. 

 
 
I know, it's only a 6 footer. But anything further and y'all would be accusing me of staging it.
 
 
 
 

My Introduction
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9053
First Impressions
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9647
 
 Looks like an old-fashioned bottle opener to me. 
Aesthetics and Reactions from other golfers
"It’s Big" - Response of 80% of People Who I Showed it to
I knew that someone had read about this putter whenever they echoed the words, “looks like a branding iron.”
Yes, it is big. Although, I was around when PING irons first came on the scene. When everything else was a blade, they seemed massive. One old boy used to say, “You could dig up potatoes with them things,” meaning they looked like a hoe.
And then Big Bertha appeared on the scene. “It’s huge," everyone exclaimed. Not by today’s standards though. So while the Directed Force (DF) is indeed larger, it means to me exactly what PING and Big Bertha meant back then … better performance and an increased margin of error.
"It Sounds Different" - A Youtube Reviewer Mentioned this, too
I couldn’t wait to try this club, so I grabbed 3 random balls and went to the practice green. First ball I hit, the club let out a distinctive ping. I’m old enough to remember the original PING 1A putter and it was named PING because of the ping sound it emitted. (Take a look at the L.A.B. B2 ... it resembles the original PING 1A) Turns out the first ball I tried was a Topflight. The other 2 balls were softer, a Titleist and a Callaway which did not ping near as loudly. So the harder the ball is, the louder the ping. It is a non-issue to me, because I don’t even hear it anymore.
"It’s too Light" - Immediate Response from a Golfer
I had not realized how light this DF configuration was until I picked up my Spider EX. There was a noticeable difference. I bought that Spider cuz I wanted a heavier putter head than my old PING Anser. Maybe it was lucky that I never compared the putters until after I had been using the DF for a week. By then I didn’t care that my old favorite felt heavier. I definitely can see that head weight does not make a difference in performance. I actually think it’s easier to hit the DF 2.1 on really long putts. I thought I wanted that weight for those long putts … but the DF proved me wrong.
By the way, the guy who said it was too light never even hit a putt with it. His loss.
"Is that a L.A.B. Putter" - Response from Several Golfers
While I was on the putting green a guy yelled over from the first tee, “Is that a L.A.B. putter?” Another person caught me on the chipping green, without the putter, asking if I was the guy with the L.A.B. And I also heard a few times that guys had a friend who played one. People have heard about this putter,
"That’s a Lot of Lines" - Response from Several Golfers
I love these lines. I set it down, align it to my target, and feel fully confidant that I’m right.
"The Grip is Fantastic" - Response from Several Golfers
I love this grip ... the soft tackiness and the way it fits my hand. Several other people echoed these sentiments exactly.
"How Can You Putt off the Toe if it’s Not Dead" - A Collegiate Player
As I touted the benefits of the soft feel of the ball leaving the face and the fact that toe hits don't lose momentum, a young college golfer said that he needs to have a dead hit on the toe, so he can putt a fast downhill slopping green. Sounds like something I heard when I was his age.
Off-center putts are so soft I don't really feel them ... and they definitely don't lose momentum. I set this putter up on the line I want, and then think of nothing else except pacing. I don’t care if I miss the center of the face because I know the ball maintains it's momentum wherever I strikes the face. The ball will stay on line and still not lose distance like toe & heel hits on other putters. And that is a confidence builder.
Because this putter does not torque on impact, the entire face stays square to where your hands are. That doesn't mean you can't push or pull it. As long as your hands are locked in, the face will stay square to the line on miss hits ... heel or toe.
 
The Numbers
I was one of the last in the group to receive my putter because of issues delaying my fitting process and also from being away on vacation. So I probably had 2 weeks less with my DF than most of the others. I started playing with it immediately.
I could have set up a putting trial with chalk lines and gates, but I don’t believe quantifying practice tells me anything about playability under pressure. Putting 25 balls down a chalk line with both putters on a flat putting green, doesn't help me on the course when trying to win skins. Besides, the practice green is the only flat green on our course. And at my age fatigue is an issue, too. My back is so bad it starts aching if I practice putting or chipping for more than 10 min. And that fatigue would have affected bulk testing. I have no problem trying out a club under fire. We play small $5-$20 games 3 times a week, so it was no big deal trying the DF out in a skins game. I was so happy with the club, I used it in a tournament after only playing 3 rounds with it. We tied for first, but lost on a coin toss.
I felt like I was fairly good at putting with my Spider. So, here are a few comparisons between it and the DF, so you can see my base and where the DF excelled.
I had 9-hole rounds with 5-1 putts using both putters in our men's association ... all over 10 foot putts I've had 15-putt, 9-hole rounds with both putters I had sub 30-putt, 18-hole rounds in skin games with both putters I achieved a 50% reduction in 3-putts with the DF I feel that my lag putts land closer with the DF  I had been tracking Distance to pin 1st putt / Number of putts / Distance missed, on my score cards, but I gave up and relied on my Arccos Caddie stats instead. So the only stats of mine that I feel are worthy of sharing are from my Arccos data.
I had lost my original Arccos putter sensor and Arccos replaced it for free … many thanks Arccos. I also purchased a second putter sensor so that I could track both putter’s stats separately.

Included in these graphics are the last 100 putts with both my Spider EX, and the last 100 putts with the Directed Force 2.1. As you can see there is a slight improvement in 1-putts. But the huge impact for me was the reduction in 3 putts. Every 3 putt eliminated is a stroke saved. 
I wish I could show y’all a graphic for distance left after the 1st putt. I tracked it manually a few rounds with each putter, but didn’t feel like I saved enough data to make it anything more than anecdotal. Which is unfortunate, because I honestly feel I am leaving my 10’-30’ putts much closer with the DF … less than a foot in a majority of cases. The fact that my 3 putts have been reduced by 50% proves that I am leaving long putts closer.
It’s difficult to quantify confidence in a putter. I had it with my old putter … I’ve got more of it with the Directed Force 2.1.
 
On The Course
“Set It and Forget It” is a trademarked phrase by marketing genius Ron Popeil that took on pop culture status in the 90s. His catch phrase has become my putting mantra for the DF 2.1. I set the club on line and I never think about it again, instead concentrating on distance and pace.
I have a random putting flaw where I occasionally pull my hands outside my swing plane. Sometimes, as I take the putter back, the head jumps off my swing path ... I’ve got a bit of nerve damage in my hands. But the point is, I see it when it happens, and that blows my concentration ... instead of focusing on pace, I am thinking about mechanics and it’s not going to be a good stroke. With the DF I don’t worry about controlling the stroke path anymore. I have complete confidence that if miss the center of the face, the ball will still travel on my intended line at the pace I wanted. That has given me freedom to focus on touch. Now when I see the putter move, I ignore it and toss the ball to the hole.
With the margin of error the DF provides me, I can ignore my hand drift when I see it. Sure, I still push an occasional putt. I still roll my hands on occasions, too. I’m not saying the DF eliminates all my problems. I’m saying that for me, it takes my mind off trying to control my swing, too precisely. My Arccos data has shown that using the DF has reduced my 3 putts by 50%, and that's the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 "also ran".
I may come off looking like an egotistical ass for this next graphic ... but I believe this putter played a huge part in my performance in a recent tournament. I had a Cinderella round ... I’ve included the scorecard ... and as you can see I played out my ass. This is an anomaly folks. Although I must say it stems from the confidence I had standing over every putt. And I am thoroughly convinced that that confidence carried over into my entire game that day. My drives were longer & straighter and I was confident I was going to chip-in a ball before I hit it. Don’t get me wrong, there was a fair amount of luck involved, especially on several approach shots. And hell, if you look close enough you can see that I got too cocky on the 14th, rushed the putt and lipped out an easy 5’ putt for par/birdie. Plus I had 2-3 putts of which I am thoroughly ashamed.

Full disclosure: the next round after that tournament was in our Tuesday, senior skins game, and I shot an 85. It consisted of 4-1 putts and 14-2 putts. Two skins and not a 3 putt in the bunch. I'm happy with that.
 
The Good, The Bad, and In Between
Good
This is an anti-torque head with an anti-torque shaft and they work perfectly together. I do not see any degradation in off center putts. 
I love the soft feel of the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft. The LA Golf shaft is listed as having an even a softer feel. The soft feel gives me the impression that my putts are effortless as opposed to throwing my heavy headed Spider at the ball on really long putts. 
Don’t confuse soft feel with weak ... soft does not equate to loss of feel ... I do not need to swing harder on long putts. When I putt now, my stroke feels far more intuitive ... like throwing darts. This configuration putts as easily on 35’ putts as it does at 10 footers. The ball comes off the face easily and rolls straight as an arrow.
The alignment lines are fantastic. I love how confident I feel that I am on target.
I can’t think of a single thing to change on this club. People say it’s ugly. I don’t care because I'm putting great with it.
The Bad ... Slightly Unhappy
I was unhappy with the remote fitting process. I screwed it up by submitting a poor fitting video. I would have preferred to try before I buy. That’s my only hang up in this process. I honestly believe that face to face interaction would have been better for me.
I sincerely feel that if it had been possible for me to try this putter out first, and experiment with different lies, maybe I could have had even better results than I got. Seems petty and doesn't mean I'm right. But there will always be that doubt in my head … could it be better? Would I have liked a blade better? 
I tried a myriad of putters before selecting the Spider EX I was using. When I ordered it, I asked for a custom bump to the standard lie by 2°, (assuming standard to be 67°). Turns out my Spider is a 70° standard; 72° as ordered. In the fitting video I sent L.A.B., I can see that I have the toe of the putter in the air. Lots of people putt with the toe in the air ... how was L.A.B. to know I didn't too? Nope, I did not pay enough attention to my setup and I regret it. They came back with a measurement off the video of a 67° lie, (which I have verified on my computer). It was my fault that I didn't get the lie I wanted.

I thought I was matching the putter I liked. I was wrong. So my unhappiness was caused by me. I regret that I did not match the Spider's lie angle, because like I said, it might have increased my success with the DF. And there's no running to a local fitter, if we had one, to have the lie adjusted ... you can't bend a composite shaft.
So if you order via the remote fitting process, do your homework. Try and determine what you are currently using before submitting your video. Do you want to match your current putter or improve on it? Talk it over with them. They will work with you. One caveat is that it took 2 days to get any of my questions answered. And with a holiday in the mix, a question on Friday didn't get addressed until the following Wednesday. It's only an issue if you are in a time crunch, as I was, needing the putter for my review.
Lie Angle Hack: Hold your putter flat against a tabletop, and using a protractor app on your phone, measure your lie angle.
Due to buttons getting in the way, you are probably going to get a measurement within ±1° ... make certain your table top is 0° too.

One minor caveat about the grip … I have a cart bag, and the extra width of the grip can interfere with other clubs when bagging or un-bagging them.  
Play it or Trade it
In My Bag - Forever
I actually GOOGLED "Will a New Putter Improve My Putting"
GOOGLE Says:
A change of putter can never compensate for a lack of skill. At best it can make poor putting slightly less bad. 
Hey GOOGLE, WRONG!
When you’ve been playing for a decade or two, you develop bad habits. And bad habits using a putter with no margin for error just makes things worse. A new Directed Force can actually compensate for some bad habits.
Case in point: I showed my Directed Force to Dan, a fellow golfer in our Saturday Morning Skins Game. He has fought an outside-in putting stroke his entire life, which is kind-of similar to my hands drifting off my intended swing path. For both of us, missing the center of the club with our old putters, means our putts will probably be off line and short. The DF does not penalize you on off-center hits, because the head doesn't torque open and you don't lose momentum at impact ... the entire face stays square to the target line. My off-center hits did not affect my putt distances. When I know my putter is square to my target line ... when I can ignore a swing path error, then I am going to be more successful with my pacing, and that means I’ll make more putts. To me the DF is a game improvement putter and it works.
Dan has been practicing specifically to control his putting swing plane … to a moderate success. It is a habit he picked up / ingrained at the beginning of his golf career, and those are near impossible to eliminate. From the first time he tried my DF was on the 9th green ... he started rolling them in from +10 feet. He was so excited he didn’t give the putter back to me for 10 minutes. Yes, he was still swinging outside in, but what was different this time, was that the putter was not penalizing him for off center hits. The face stayed square because it did not torque and the putts rolled true because the face maintained momentum along its entirety.
If you struggle with your putting swing plane, you need to give L.A.B. putters a try. It could make a big difference.
Trade It - Never
When I announced to my fellow golfers at the club, that I had been selected to review the Directed Force, some of the guys joked that I could trade it for a new driver after the review. I’ll say it right here and now, I wouldn’t trade it for an entire new set of new clubs.
To give you a better idea as to the value / price of my Directed Force configuration, consider this: My custom made Spider EX retailed for close to $500, with a standard shaft. The price for a stock Directed Force 2.1 with the fantastic Press-II 3° grip is $399. To customize it with non-standard length or lie, it starts at $549 and that is just slightly more than the Spider EX. Then there are upgraded shaft options from $100 - $380. The DF 2.1 configuration that I tested has the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft ($275) and Alignment markings ($25) for a total of $849.00. I believe it is in the same price range as mass market putters, and worth every penny.
 
Conclusion
I said it before: “I was not in the market for a new putter.” I was curious though. I wanted to see what a torque-less putter was all about. Drive for show — putt for dough hints at a deeper concept here … confidence in your putter is far more important than confidence in your driver. You can always fall back to your 3 wood, but lack of confidence in your putter can be disastrous.
First Impressions: 
I had issues with the remote fitting process ... part of it turned out to be my fault. I believe putters are intuitive weapons, and I want to hold it in my hands before I buy it. That said however, I love this putter. Yes, I initially thought it was big and ugly, but I don't anymore.
Aesthetics:
As far as looks go … who cares. I think it must look intimidating to my opponents. Besides, I have won money with it. The grip is fantastic and instills as much confidence as the putter head does. And the shaft not only adds to the non-torque capabilities, it provides a soft, pleasant feel.
The Numbers:
My stats show that I’ve reduced 3 putts by as much as 50%, and that’s the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 no-one-cares. The reduction in 3 putts is proof that I’m leaving my putts closer … I honestly feel like I have more putts stopping within inches then I did with my old putter.
On-Course: 
Confidence. Lining a putt up is easy for me with these top lines. Fantastic grip makes me feel like my hands are locked in. Linear face momentum from the non-torque head eliminates my worries for an imperfect stroke. Soft feel off the face gives me the the sense that I’m tossing darts.
The Good, the Bad, the In-Between:
For me, this is a game changing putter. The non-torque head and shaft compensate for my occasional drifting off the swing path and off center hits still track true. And yet, even though this is simply a mental hangup for me, I can’t help but wonder whether this is the perfect L.A.B. model for me.
Someone asked me:
"Are you happy with it."
     "Absolutely."
"Then get over it and move on."
     "Yes, but ..." 
Play it or Trade it:
The Directed Force 2.1 is in my bag to stay. The guys at the club keep joking about me trading trade it for a new driver(s) … they think it’s ugly. I just laughed while they were handing me my tournament money. Enough said.
It sounds a little cheesy, but the DF 2.1 lead me to begin thinking “I can do this.” And that powerful thought is a positivity that has seeped into my game overall. I’m enjoying my game more. There's tons of room for improvement, but I'm coming home in a much better mood. My wife is really happy about that.
I'm showing this putter to everyone, whether they have doubts about their putting stroke or not. While the base model DF is about the same price as discounted big name putters out there, custom versions of the DF are priced in line with big name putter customizations. So the next time you are in a golf store, pick one up and give it a try, then think about remote fitting. It might change your game. 

 
 
I know, it's only a 6 footer. But anything further and y'all would be accusing me of staging it.
 
 
 
 

Dollar Driver Club: Final Review (4-12-22): “Move Fast and Break Things”
So, maybe those of you familiar with technology are familiar with that phrase above. You see, when asked about his now super-company known know as Meta, Mark Zuckerberg said that was the motto the company needed to abide by. Don’t wait, make mistakes and figure out how to catch up to those mistakes after the fact. A modern version of “you can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs.” It’s easy to see for early adopters where that has gotten them and also where there are flaws in that thinking.
Personally, I remember the rise and subsequent bottoming out of Movie Pass, a service where for $9.95 a month, and later even cheaper, you could see 1 film a day, bringing people to films in droves. However, those wings built on dreams and Icarian belief later cratered into immeasurable financial difficulty and eventual bankruptcy.
So, why I am I saying these things in the lead in to my final review of the Dollar Driver Club? Well, it is a way to bring some historical context to the issues and praises I have to this business model, and since this is more a review of a service and not a particular equipment based a review, a way to edu-tain you without the usual pictures, statistical analysis, and pure numbers that a club or ball review may provide. We’re looking at 5 factors on which to grade DDC, they have the star ratings next to them at the top of the post, but I’ll list them here as well
Speed of Shipping
Selection of Equipment
Return/Exchange Process
Customer Service
Purchase Process (if applicable)
 
Speed of Shipping: 4.25 stars out of 5
There are benefits to being in a central local for service providers. You don’t need to harvest from different warehouses across the country to make shipments happen, and if you focus on one specific product you can make shipments happen very quickly. Luckily DDC has that going for them. The company is located in Texas and was able to ship me both drivers I requested for this review in about an average of a week’s time, which for someone in New York is very good, especially considering one of those exchanges was made in the winter where it was only delayed due to a bomb cyclone in the northeast by a day.
However, there is a drawback to favoring speed in some circumstances, and it comes with handling in care. As mentioned in my initial post when I received my Cobra, the box had taken some damage in transit and as mentioned when I received the current G425 Max, the driver was shipped in a box with the headcover and the tool, no extra packing materials to ensure the club made it in one piece. I appreciate the commitment to fast turn-around times, but if I had to wait a couple of extra days to make sure I could receive my driver in one piece, I’d take it.
Selection of Equipment: 3.5 Stars out of 5
If you see that star rating and think it a big harsh for this company, I’m not going to sugarcoat. The selection is decent, but nothing more. Sure, you get the major companies, your Callaway, Titleist, Taylormade, Cobra, Ping, and Srixon for something a little exotic. The shaft choices are pretty standard as to the non-upcharge stock options, but that’s about as big the selection gets. I know, you shouldn’t be going in expecting to get the latest from Oban, Accra, Autoflex, etc… but this is more about the late release of 2022 drivers.
As of right now, no 2022 drivers are available to order for testing purposes and it’s a bit of a disappointment. In talking to the folks in the DDC chat, they’ve indicated to me that there are supply chain issues in them getting clubs, and while I’m understanding of that, all the major 2022 releases so far I would have expected were released in store 6 weeks ago with preorders a month before that. It’s not a total deal breaker, but it’s a definite hit.
 
Return/Exchange Process: 3.5 Stars out of 5
Again, this is not a knock on the service here. So as either a yearly member, like we were for the test, or a monthly member, you are entitled to test and receive 3 drivers every 12 months. The actual process to go through for the returns and exchange are actually quite easy. You enter the driver you wish to exchange or “upgrade” for or the shaft you wish to swap, complete a few pages of drop down menus and get yourself a pre-printed shipping label to send the club back to Texas.
What drops a star and a half off this easy process? The fact that it costs you each time you do. For me to get my new Ping driver upgrade, it cost me $20, and the initial Cobra ran me $16.95. Again, for someone who ‘paid’ upfront $360, I should be able to send what I want for either a reduced price to a month to month member or get a few free switches, or at least have those funds used toward a potential purchase. Perhaps that’s me wanting the service to be something it’s not, but if the idea is to make it advantageous to be able to switch and try different set-ups, it should be more financially viable.
 
Customer Service: 4.75 Stars out of 5
Look, I loved dealing with the staff at DDC. The people they have with the chat function to be the up-front people for folks looking to answer questions are friendly enough, and they were helpful enough in answering some questions we had of the service. It’s also worth noting that the package we got in our initial drivers of the tees, the ball marker, and the letter from the head of the company was a very nice touch. It’s hard to be up front about supply chain issues and getting back to us with answers to our questions so that’s why it’s not a perfect five as we have gotten a bit of radio silence as a group recently, but they have good people that work there and they try to go that extra step for the customers, which is all you can ask for.
 
Purchase Process: N/A Stars out of 5
Simply put, I don’t know if I’m going to purchase whatever driver I finish with, so I can’t grade this part of the review. I am planning on a personal fitting for woods this fall, but I could be convinced by great performance by the G425 Max or any other potential driver.
 
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you guys ever heard of the saying format “X walked so Y could fly,” I think that’s what we’re in a case with Dollar Driver Club. Much like how Moviepass died and systems like Regal Unlimited, AMC Stubs A-List, and Cinemark Movie Club sprung up, I think you’ll see something similar if Dollar Driver Club falters in any fashion. You’re already seeing it with the Stealth Demo program attached to TaylorMade’s My TM+ service and if that proves popular, golf is one thing where it’s follow the leader. I could easily see Callaway and Cobra following suit soon after and potentially DDC might get played out of their own market.
I guess in summation, DDC is one heck of idea, a great proof of concept that it can and will work for some golfers. For Spies who tinker, I think you’ll find it a little threadbare for what it is we are looking for, but for the regular golfer with money to burn and a need to have the latest and greatest, Dollar Drive Club is one heck of a service.
FINAL SCORE: 77.5% (15 Stars out of 20)
 
Introduction for Posterity
"Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most"  - Dostoevsky
I often wonder some times if famous people or thinkers were golfers or not in a past life. In a way, I want to believe that ol' Fyodor Dostoevsky would have been one, and would have been one hell of a tinkerer, always trying new things in the search to get better.
Oh yeah, me. I'm Ryan Bergman, aka forum member Berg Ryman, commissioner of fantasy leagues, seeker of putters, tester of products, and writer of really intricate reviews that make multiple pop culture references that range from explanative to bizarre.
In that above quote, Dostoevsky puts forth the thesis that the one thing that man fears most is change, and he has a point. We are creatures of habit or routine, and for something as cataclysmic as change to come in and be a constant is scary. The idea of "evolve or die" comes to mind. Again, the parallels are there for us a golfers. We have our old reliable, we have our own superstitions, we have our way of doing things and it's hard for some of us to get out of there.
Interestingly, the same can be said of business and the golf industry. This is where Dollar Driver Club comes into play here. It takes a change in the way business is done to shift the golf world forward and Dollar Driver Club is attempting to be that shot in the arm. For a new company to come in and offer a subscription model for drivers is a welcome change to the typical big box model or even green grass model.
So, what can you expect from my version of this test? Well, I'm going into this as a general golfer, not as a Spy, not as a former worker in the industry. I'm not going to get fit in a big box store or a fitter before making my orders. The reason for this is two fold. One, I feel like this is a service built for those of use who want tinker and try for ourselves, so I do plan on using the options available and the people that DDC have on staff as my resources, as well as info from the companies themselves to direct me toward things I know I like. Two, I feel like beside the tinkerer in us, this service also really appeals to that "basic golfer", the one who may not dabble in the finer points of equipment differences, exotic shaft selections, kickpoints, etc. So I'm going to try and take some information about these clubs to again, color the choices. Namely, I'm looking at the measurements from the MGS Most Wanted testing.
Now, I've already signed up for the service and made my first selection. First, I want to talk to you guys about early interactions with DDC. They had us all fill out an intake form that basically set us up a profile. They asked us your basics, name address and then we got into golf specific questions. We gave them our current driver set up, preferred ball flights, lofts, etc. So I entered my info about my Mizuno ST180 with my Kuro Kage Silver TiniDual Core in Stiff flex in 60 grams (net weight 69 grams)
So, then we get into the search and as noted the selection is not all-encompassing, but is substantial. You have the Main five driver companies on offer with the newest lines from Taylormade, Cobra, Callaway, Ping, and Titleist, as well as one generation old Callaway and Taylormade in limited offerings. Again, using the info in the Most Wanted testing for mid speed swings and current feelings about drivers, there was one club that caught my eye and checked all the boxes to be the first driver I requested... and I guess I need to find out if it truly does suck.
That's right, I have a RadSpeed coming my way, 10.5 in the Peacoat Blue with the MotoreX F1 60 in Stiff. It was the longest at midspeed testing and I'm all after bombs right now. It should be here Wednesday. I am psyched.
So that's where we start from, there will be change, there will be questions, and we'll be there for the better part of a year to answer them and help you guys understand what DDC can be for you. As always, thanks to the MGS Staff for the opportunity and for the community for putting it's trust in me, I'm going to give you everything I got.

The final review!!
When I was first selected for the DDC review, I was so thrilled. Driver has been a trouble club for me in the past. We’ve all had the fitting experience…you go in and your swing is an absolute mess, or you feel like Tiger Woods. By the time you leave you are (hopefully) confident in your set-up and order your new driver. 
Fast forward to the course…
Shank city. Slice-o-potomous. Frustration. 
Having a company that allows you to test out drivers on the course without any penalty is a needed model in the industry. I think about it akin to Apple’s program that allows you to upgrade your phone every year while paying a subscription fee. People want new drivers, and want to mix and match until they feel comfortable taking in that tight par five. Dollar Drive Club allows you to test out up to 3 drivers per year for $1 per day. If you find your perfect match, you can purchase the driver for MSRP minus the cost of your subscription.
When I first got my driver, we did not get along. Shout out to @dlow206 for helping me upgrade the shaft to Ventus, which really helped me get confident. 
Fast forward to now, I feel like I can reliably hammer this thing. I do not know if it is the one for me, but it is an improvement over my old driver. Being able to have time on course with the club knowing I could swap it out is a great feeling. The model can work. 
Let’s get to the scoring. 
Speed of Shipping: 4/5 Stars
Shipping was fast and easy. I had my club about a week later. Living in CA I am used to getting a pretty fast turnaround as I’m only a couple hours away from Carlsbad, so I docked one star for the extra couple days. Shipping also costs money, which was an unwelcome surprise. I’d like to see the model adjusted that the subscription fee covers everything. 

Selection of Clubs: 2/5 Stars
This was a disappointment. When I first began the review we were fairly late in the season of 2021. Pickings were slim, especially when it came to shaft options. I use an X-Flex, so I typically have trouble with off the rack options and was hoping there would be more than I found. Some heads were lefty only. I recommend finding a shaft you love and putting an All-Fit adapter on it so you can swap it out with different driver heads, removing the need to worry about shaft selection. 
What I was most excited about was being able to jump on new releases in 2022, which never came to fruition. There are still no new driver options on the DDC website. Without an update to inventory, it makes the model a bit of a head scratcher as to how it will be sustainable. 
Return/Exchange Process: 3/5 Stars
Full disclosure…I never did this. I had been looking forward to it, but without new clubs showing up on the site I never went for it. I was going to get fitted and order the top two contenders as my last two drivers, but that never happened. I was tempted to try a swap for the sake of the review, but the shipping costs are not cheap (roughly $20 range). As I mentioned earlier, it is disappointing this is not included in the cost of the membership. What really stopped me, however, was having to ship my driver back before they’d send me a new one. That would leave me driverless for over a week, which is not something I was wanting to do. I would prefer the model gives you a two to three week window to get your old driver shipped back. That way you were never without a driver, and could test two side by side and send back the new one if you decided it didn’t compare. 
Customer Service: 5/5 stars
I did not have much interaction with DDC customer service, outside of initially setting up my account. They were very helpful, timely in their responses and aided me in feeling confident navigating everything. They also have a great FAQ section which answers a lot of questions members might have. In my limited experience, I have no complaints!
Purchase Process: N/A
I have not tried this. I assume it is a simple enough process, but cannot fairly comment on it having not completed the transaction. 
Total Score: 14/20 Stars
Dollar Drive Club can work. There is a need for the service, and they are off to a good start. It will be interesting to see how this evolves, and if companies will begin a subscription of their own much like Taylormade appears to be. Until the kinks are worked out, however, I would recommend tabling it as a wait and see option. 
Thanks to MGS and DDC for the opportunity!
Jordan
 
Greetings everyone!
My name is Jordan Daigneault, and I have been lucky enough to be amongst an amazing group of testers to provide some insight into Dollar Drive Club. What an opportunity! Thanks to MGS and the folks over at DDC for providing us access to this amazing service. 
A little about myself...
I currently reside in Southern California, just north of Los Angeles. It is an amazing area for golf, with a variety of well maintained courses that you can play just about every day of the year (we maybe lose 5-8 days to rain and extreme wind every year, it is a burden). I teach high school and am fortunate to coach the boy's golf team. I work with an amazing group of golfers, most of whom are substantially better than me (and thoroughly enjoy reminding me of such). I got my handicap down to an 11, but that was before disc replacement in my lumbar spine. It popped back up to a 13 in the time since, and I'm working on getting it back down. It can be frustrating to have it one day and completely stink the next, but that's golf! I was finally able to play two days in a row for the first time in 8 months, so I expect the scores to come down. Outside of golf, I was fortunate to finally marry my amazing wife this summer! We had to postpone a year because of COVID. We managed to have our wedding occur right as things opened up, prior to them quickly closing again thanks to Delta. It was an amazing day! Better than breaking 80! We have two dogs, one of whom is a COVID puppy, so they keep us on our toes.
Though my short game is my biggest weakness, I know that it also an area I have improved a lot and will always be working on. What has me really excited about with this test is that I get to attack another weakness of my game...driving! I can absolutely hammer the ball. My swing speed is up around 120 on a good day, and I hope to get there more consistently as I will be working the superspeed training system with my golfers starting in a couple weeks. When I keep the ball in a good spot off the tee, I get far more greens and shoot great scores. Mind blowing stuff, I know. The difficulty with hitting it far, however, is that little misses end up missing by a lot. Where someone who hits 225-240 might be in the rough, I'm OB or in the trees. Distance can be a big advantage, but also ratchet the scores up quickly!
Enter Dollar Drive Club. With this membership, I'll be able to try out clubs on the course. We all know how huge this can be. You pepper the fairway in the fitting studio, but when you get exactly one swing on the course to make it count, it isn't always there. Finding a club I feel very confident with is something I am really looking forward to. The M5 I have right now has given me some great results, but you really need to find the middle if you don't want to get punished. 
I plan to begin my test with the MGS Most Wanted Callaway Epic Max LS. I will be going to the local golf shop to test it out and make sure it isn't a complete mismatch for what I like, but I used to have an Epic Sub Zero so I feel pretty good about this option. From the reviews, it seems like Callaway really found something special this year, and the forgiveness factor is a big one for me. I'm not sure if it is just the time of year, or COVID, but DDC also seems to have limited offerings right now, so that also helps me make the Callaway decision. There are only 3 X flex options available, so I might take @dlow206s advice and put the Allfit adapter on my Accra and see how that works out across different heads. I do still plan on swapping shafts, but the Accra is definitely one that has worked well for me so keeping it in the rotation will help me compare new shafts as I go. I may also throw a Ventus Black in the mix to see how that compares. 
I'm particularly interested to see what shipping times look like. Do I send the old stuff back before they send new? Vise versa? Does inventory increase as we get into new stock at the turn of the year? (I must admit, I am incredibly excited about the prospect of trying the latest and greatest as it comes out this winter). What are peak shaft offerings? All stock? Upcharge? I hope to answer all of the these questions, and any that the community would like to know about as well!
I cannot wait to get started on this ride with my fellow testers! If any of you have information you'd like during this test, please let me know and I will make sure to find out whatever I can. 
Jordan

The best way to review these clubs is to show you how they work for me, so give your fingers a break and take a few minutes to watch this video!
 
A brief summary of my ratings:
Driver ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As a mid to high handicapper, I went with the Radspeed XB driver head in order to gain maximum forgiveness. Unfortunately, even the Aldila Rogue Silver shaft couldn’t consistently get backspin lower than 2600 rpms, robbing me of potential distance (the Motore X F3 was generating spin levels north of 3700 rpms). If you’re like me and need the lowest of spin in your driver head, the Radspeed XB might not be for you - although based on @jlukes review you might want to try the standard Radspeed. 
 
Fairway Woods ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Going with the Radspeed 5-wood in place of a 3-hybrid was the best move I made in building my bag. Easy to launch and incredibly forgiving, and the upright design with the rail system is great for anyone who struggles with a more traditional fairway wood. 
 
Irons ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The good: all that extra distance, still with the ability to land softly and hold greens. 
The bad: huge spin differences in spin between shots from the fairway and rough can lead to 20+ yard fliers. Also less forgiving off the bottom of the face than I was expecting. 
 
Wedges ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I saved my old wedges at the start of the challenge, expecting them to easily defend their spot in the bag. Nope! Great on both full shots and touch shots. Cant say that I notice any impact from the notch out the back of the sole, but it looks nice 🤷🏻‍♂️
 
Bag ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Comfy and easily releasable shoulder straps, the stand mechanism is excellent, and the notch out of the bottom is an excellent addition for pushcart compatibility. Well executed on the features it has. However, could use more storage options, and a 5-way bag will always be lacking: I have yet to find a club organizing system that is as effective as Ogio’s Woode system. 
 

 

 

jlukes' 2021 Cobra Full Bag Review

Well 2021 sure has been a year we will all remember, and one of the reasons I will remember it is because I had the honor to review Cobra’s offerings throughout the bag.  While the challenge portion of the Cobra Connect Challenge did not come to fruition, it didn’t prevent me from diving into the clubs I received in order to provide a proper review of everything for the MyGolfSpy Forum Community.
A little bit about me for those who I haven’t interacted with before or are new readers to the MGS  Forum.  My name is Joe, I am 37 and from central New Jersey.  As of writing this review I am a 4.8 handicap.  I grew up playing multiple sports, but ended up playing Varsity Golf in high school.  Now that I am in my mid (err, late) 30s I am married with a job, two kids and a busy life.  Thankfully my wife knows how important golf is to me and I still get to the range once a week and play at least every other week. The strength of my game is putting, followed by my driving.  My wedge game and approach shots have greatly improved since last year.
I was completely fitted for my gamer bag by True Spec NYC.  I went through this fitting in June 2019 and it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my golfing career.  
My bag going into the Cobra review:
Driver - Ping G410 LST 9* w/ VA Nemesys 65X
Arccos Smart Distance: 294 yards
This setup has been so steady for me.  I originally was a forum tester for the G410 Plus Driver and it was phenomenal.  The following year I did some speed training and gained about 5mph of clubhead speed and with that I needed to move into a lower spinning head.  The LST head has been incredible.  The spin isn’t too low and it provides consistency across the head which really helps keep the spin in a manageable range. 
Fairway Wood - Ping G425 LST 14.5* w/ GD AD DI 75X
Arccos Smart Distance: 270 yards
I had been gaming my favorite fairway wood of all time, the G410 LST 3 Wood until earlier this summer when I unfortunately noticed that the face was beginning to cave in.  Ping customer support was fantastic and I had a replacement within 2 weeks in a G425 LST head.  Thankfully there does not appear to be much performance difference between the 410 and 425 heads.  I am comfortable playing it off tight fairways as well as off the tee.  
Hybrid - Titleist 818H2 20* w/ GD AD DI 85X
Arccos Smart Distance: 236 yards
The oldest club in my bag and for good reason.  It is the first hybrid I feel comfortable hitting just about any shot with.  Low cut, high cut, bomb draw, high and straight.  You name it and I feel I can execute with this club.
4 Iron - Mizuno MP20 HMB w/ GD Tour AD 95X
Arccos Smart Distance: 217 yards
I moved to a slightly more distance oriented 4 iron to help give me a better gap between my hybrid and 5 iron.  The Mizuno HMB is a beautiful iron that has manageable offset, a nice topline and not an overly large sole.  I feel comfortable hitting this club off the deck and off the tee and it fills the exact gap that I need.
5-PW - Mizuno JPX Tour 919 w/ Oban CT 115X(-)
Arccos Smart Distances: 5(202y), 6(188y), 7(175y), 8(164y), 9(152y) PW(138y)
Just a fantastic iron for me.  The thin sole is key for my shallow angle of attack and the shaft gives me confidence on every shot because it just blends perfectly with my swing.
Wedges - Vokey SM7 50F, 54S, 60D w/ Modus 125 Wedge
Arccos Smart Distances: 50(123y), 54 (107y), 60 (77y)
As you can see by the yardages, by 60* is not really used for full shots. It is my swiss army knife around the greens from the fairway, rough and bunkers when I need a bit more carry then runout.  Otherwise, I use the 54 around the greens for most of my pitches and chips.  My 50 is used for full shots and for chips/pitches where I want to play more roll out.  The D grind on my 60 is maybe my favorite wedge grind of all time.  It is high bounce, but the shaping of the grind makes it extremely versatile from just about any lie. 
Putter: Evnroll 1.2V
A slight change from my ER2.  The 1.2 was made with Evnroll’s CustomER program and has the long plumbers neck, no site line, and a lighter headweight.  Just absolutely everything I’ve wanted in a putter.
 
Now that you know a little about me and my golf game, let’s get to the review of the Cobra clubs!

 
 
Driver - Cobra Radspeed 9* w/ PX HZRDUS Blue 60 6.5
Arccos Smart Distance: 287y


During my fitting, the fitting cart did not have an XB 9* head.  Having played with the traditional Radspeed for 3 months, I can say that I would at least want to hit the XB 9* head to see if it could provide a bit more spin than the standard Radspeed.  And that is exactly my only issue I had with the Radspeed driver - it is very low spin.  When struck on the screws, the Radspeed can go toe to toe with just about any driver out there.  However, it does so through a combination of ball speed and low spin.  Very low spin.  I spin my G410 LST around 2200-2400 RPM and I struggled to keep the Radspeed over 2000.  On the course, this led to really big drives, but it also led to more low spin hooks than I have hit in the last two years. If you catch the RadSpeed high on the face, and even more so high and off the toe, the spin struggles to stay above 1700 RPMs.  This would be a fantastic driver for someone that is looking to knock spin off their driver, but is not good for someone looking for a bit more stability.  I did try the standard Radspeed and  XB 10.5* during my fitting, but unfortunately Cobra decided to make the 10.5* heads of both drivers more upright than the 9* head.  A puzzling decision for me, because it really alienates the better player who wants a bit more spin, but doesn’t want a head that looks more closed or is more draw biased.  Again, it comes down to fitting.  The Radspeed driver is a great head, but it is definitely on the low end of the spin spectrum and thus should be left for those who need help dropping spin. 
 
3 Wood - Cobra Radspeed 14.5 w/ PX HZRDUS Blue 70 6.5
Arccos Smart Distance: 260y

I want to note right away that my 3W came with two paint defects on the crown.  I could see them through the plastic and unfortunately they aren’t something that I could remove.  They aren’t scratches, but imperfections in the actual paint job.  If I was a paying customer, I would have contacted Cobra and requested a replacement head.  Being that the clubs were given to me as part of a review and the imperfections did not impact performance I did not escalate these to Cobra.

As for the performance of the club, this was the surprise of the review for me.  I was apprehensive that anything could be as good and as comfortable as my G425 LST 3W.  I finished the review pondering if the Cobra Radspeed 3W had earned a spot in the bag going forward.  Ultimately, the Ping won out for me, but man the Cobra 3W is fantastic.  The head is a wonderful shape and with the loft turned down to 13.5* it sits a tad open and looks absolutely perfect at address.  The head is not overly big, but it’s definitely a little more compact than some of the other standard fairway woods on the market.  The sound and feel is muted and, while feel and sound is subjective, I think it is one of the best sound fairway woods on the market.  I had no problem launching the 3W off the fairway or off the tee.  The only reason I didn't put the Radspeed 3W in the bag long term is that it simply did not give me the distance I needed off the tee.  I believe the main reason for this is that it spun a little higher than my Ping when hit higher on the face.  So when teed up, the Ping becomes a straight bomber, while the Cobra is still admirable but just doesn’t have that extra gear. 
My brother in law (former assistant pro and low single digit golfer now), has been in search of a 3W he feels comfortable with for the last 5 years.  He is a low-spin player and struggles finding a 3W that can give him the launch and spin that he needs.  He has now hit the 3W at the range with me a few times and he played his first round with it in his bag on Saturday.  During that round I watched him hit a 3W like I’ve never seen him do before.  He was actually elevating the ball off the deck and off the tee and he was extremely pleased with the flight.  I will update the review discussion thread with his long term thoughts going forward.      
7 Wood - Cobra Radspeed 21* w/ PX HZRDUS Blue 70 6.5
Arccos Smart Distance: 225y



I went with the 7 wood over a hybrid because the Radspeed hybrid was too draw biased for me (and the King Tec Hybrid was not available at the time of our orders being placed).  Unfortunately, the 7 Wood head was not part of the standard Cobra fitting cart, so I had to go into this a little blind.  It is also worth noting that I did request an 80g shaft for the 7 Wood, but that was not available so I had to go with a lighter than preferred shaft.  My initial impression of the 7 Wood? WHOA! That’s a lot of loft.  Looking down at it in the address position there is a lot of loft staring back.  It’s pretty crazy to see because it has the same loft as my Tileist hybrid, but for some reason (perhaps because it is a fairway wood head), the loft just looks so much more drastic.  From a performance standpoint, the 7 Wood launches HIGH.  Very high. It has a much different launch window than a hybrid of the same loft (understandably so as the 7 Wood has a center of gravity that is lower and more rearward than a hybrid).  This high ball flight made it a very desirable ball flight when attacking greens as the ball came down on a steep descent angle.  
The 7 Wood was easy to hit off the fairway and the tee, though I did not find it as versatile as a hybrid when hitting out of some shaggier lies and fairway bunkers. I did struggle with manipulating ball flight with the 7 Wood.  I did not have the ease of hitting different flight windows that I have with my hybrid.  Same goes for shaping the ball left to right. Overall, I think the 7 Wood is a great option for someone who needs a gap filler between their 3 wood and irons, but is not comfortable hitting hybrids.  I would also recommend this club to anyone who struggles maximizing carry with their fairway woods.
4 Iron - Cobra King Utility 22* w/ Tensei White Pro 100TX HY
Arccos Smart Distance: 219y





An absolutely bomber off the tee.  Really great flight and distance was fantastic.  If someone is looking for a driver iron, the King Utility should be at the top of your list.  The loft adjustments are a nice touch.  I am unaware of any other driving/utility iron on the market that offers adjustability.  Where I did struggle with this club was off the fairway.  As I mentioned previously, I have a fairly shallow angle of attack with the irons.  The wider sole of the King Utility really isn’t a good fit for someone with a shallow angle of attack.  If you have a steep attack angle and are looking for something to give you a bit more pop in the long irons, then the King Utility would be a fantastic option to try.  
5-PW - Cobra King Tour MIM w/ DG AMT Tour White X100
Arccos Smart Distances: 5(198y), 6(185y), 7(171y), 8(162y), 9(148y), P(136y)





I am not going to rehash what most of you already know - due to supply issues I was sent my 5th choice in iron shafts, which was basically the only iron shaft available and not one that I would ever be fit into.  That being said, this is a review of the irons and not a review of the fit.  I really enjoyed the King Tour MIM iron heads.  Their styling was very clean and classic.  The sole is a very middle-of-the-road width which makes it a good fit for just about everybody.  While the sole was thicker than my fitted irons, I had no issues with turf interaction with my shallow angle of attack.  I found the irons very forgiving - especially low on the fact.  My miss with these tended to be very low on the face and many times I looked up and was pleasantly surprised to see the ball still in a high flight window and going further than the strike warranted.  Kudos to Cobra for packing some forgiveness into such an attractive looking iron.  
One of the big marketing points of the Tour MIM irons is the Metal Injection Molding process and the feel it creates.  While the iron is not forged, Cobra claims that the MIM process creates a feel similar or better to a forget iron.  My opinion?  It feels great, but it doesn’t feel like my Mizunos.  The MIMs, when struck well, produce a satisfying sound.  However, there is still a hint of a higher pitched click within the strike that differentiates itself from the JPX Tours and other forged irons (Srixons) that I have played.
I have given the King Tour MIM irons to my brother in law to get his thoughts as well.  He is a former assistant pro, low single digit handicap, and currently plays Ping iBlade irons.  I will be updating the review discussion thread as he tryings out the irons for the remainder of our golf season.   
Wedges - Cobra King MIM 50V, 54V, 60WL w/ DG S200
Arccos Smart Distances: 50(120y), 54(103y), 60(72y)








So the first thing everyone will notice in the pictures is that my wedges have a raw look.  This was done by soaking them in white vinegar and then scrubbing them with a scotch brite pad.  This process is used to remove the black finish on just about any black wedge and it worked just as well with the Cobras.
As for the wedges themselves, they were fantastic.  I found spin to be acceptable from the different conditions and lies, and the soles that I chose did exactly what Cobra advertised.  I was able to hit nippy spinners from the fairway, high shots out of the rough that landed softly out of the rough, and was able to get out of a variety of bunker conditions.  I really don’t have anything negative to say about these wedges.  Like any wedge, it is important to pick a loft setup that fills your gaps and a grind/bounce setup that gives you versatility to hit a variety of approach shots from around the green.
 
I think the Cobra wedges are the most underrated wedges in golf.  They have the finish, bounce, grind and loft combinations of any of the more popular wedge brands and they do so with a slightly lower price.  If you are in the market for new wedges, you should definitely give the Cobra King MIM wedges a look.
Cobra Ultralight Stand Bag


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As part of the review, we were sent the stand bags as well.  What I look for in a stand bag is something that works well on a push cart and that is relatively comfortable to carry.  I also have grown accustomed to certain features that my future bags must have.  Unfortunately, while the Cobra bag is comfortable and performs well on a push cart and motorized cart, it lacks a lot of features that other bags have.  The main feature that the bag doesn’t have is a dedicated putter slot.  I get that it comes down to weight savings, but I would sacrifice another couple of ounces to have a dedicated putter slot over having to put my putter in a section with other clubs.  The Cobra Ultralight bag also lacks a bit on the storage end.  There are fewer pockets than I am used to, and does not have a dedicated rangefinder pouch/pocket. The stand mechanism is built into the base of the bag, which all stand bags should have moving forward (sun mountain and other brands still use a foot mechanism to activate the stand and this is a pain to use on a push cart).  My conclusion is that unless you want a Cobra bag, there are other bags in the market at this price point that provide greater utility.    
 
Overall, I would say the entire current Cobra product line from top to bottom is extremely solid.  Cobra often gets overlooked when compared to the other big OEMs in the industry, but I think consumers are doing themselves a disservice to not include Cobra in the list of options they try at a demo day or a fitting.    

 

Full Bag Review Cobra Connect 5
 

 
First of all, thank you very much to MGS and Cobra for this opportunity. I know everyone was looking forward to the competition however due to supply chain issues, we will do our best to give thorough reviews of how everything performed. I was the only ONE Length tester so I will give my honest feedback and potential suggestions that may have made the overall review slightly better for me. I provided a lot of this feedback throughout the chatter thread but will include a concise review here to have it all consolidated. 
 
While I have participated with a lot of you in the pre-chatter thread, I wanted to give a little better introduction. I am a 31 and currently work in IT in Summerville, SC. There are so many awesome places to play golf our here in the Charleston area. I was a college baseball player and started playing golf about 7 years ago. Since moving to South Carolina three years ago, I have improved from an 18 handicap to single digits. For our pre-rounds in Arccos my handicap was a 9. The pre-rankings are a very telling sign of my game below:
 

 
My strength roots in my baseball playing days with being able to swing golf clubs relatively fast. My driving stats ranged from a plus one round to an 8 handicap due to inconsistency (OB and in the junk) of my long game. I think my other strength I have worked really hard on is my putting. Specifically, the change came when I started to use a line for shorter putts to only focus on speed. My weakness is my short game and approach. Specifically 100-150, which for me is my PW down. For reference with my baseline my PW was 47 degrees. I tend to miss too many greens and struggle with missing in the right place at my home course to set myself up for easier up and downs. I was very hopeful having ONE Length would simplify my swing and help with consistently shooting lower scores. 
 

 
Now on to why you are all reading through this. I played multiple rounds and my handicap with the Cobra clubs was 5.8 strokes worse overall from my baseline stats. The primary area was approach and short game accounting for -6.2 strokes gained. Luckily my driving had a slight increase of .4 and my putting was above average while I used the clubs. I think one of my biggest mistakes was trying to make the clubs more traditional by getting the irons bent weak. I read recently Bryson has stronger lofts to get the irons to launch in the right window and I should have trusted Cobra and kept the stock lofts on the irons. 
 

 
The bag is very nice. I did not get the color I originally asked for but really enjoy the black and grey color way. The material of the bag is very nice and it is much lighter than my normal bag I use. I found the 5 way divider to be an improvement from my 14 way stand bag. I walk the majority of the time and having less dividers actually kept the bag chatter to a minimum. Also, with less dividers I found the club tangle to be at a minimum. As far as other features, the little area to stick a glove is convenient, especially in South Carolina’s humid summers. I got a few nice bag comments and the individuals were impressed with a “muted” version of a Cobra product. Usually they see bright colors and the black and grey color had the individuals impressed with the bag. The best features in my opinion are the leg mechanism and the inside clip I used for my range finder. Overall, I am very pleased with the bag and am impressed with the bag quality. 
Bag – 100/100
 

Next onto the wedges. Once the MGS wedge test came out, it made a lot of sense to see the inconsistencies I was seeing with partial and touch shots with the wedges. I play primarily in the morning and depending on how wet the ball was I would get some fliers (low spin, high launch) shots. I found the wedges around the green to spin more than the Zipcore wedges I currently game. It simplified my chipping and gave me confidence on sand shots. I struggled mightily with the wedges and I believe it had nothing to do with the wedges but more to do with the ONE Length concept. I found it hard to swing a 56 and 60 degree wedge like a six iron. I hit some very very fat shots with the wedges being entirely too steep. Where I found the most success was choking down (I know this defeats the purpose of ONE Length). Because I needed to grip down significantly to get solid contact, I struggled with the gapping from the set gap wedge to the 56 degree wedge. I truly think Cobra has a great wedge product this year with the Snakebite grooves and may get some normal ones to replace my current Zipcore. The score below is representative of how poorly I performed with the wedge overall in a ONE Length configuration. I believe if the wedges were normal length I would have scored them significantly higher because the wedges did have a lot of bite with chipping around the green. 
Wedges - 65/100





I know this may be a big disappointment to the readers here, but I had major struggles with the ONE Length set. I was so intrigued being a club junkie from the moment I read Cobra was offering ONE Length options. I thought, man it would be so simple to grove one swing and just worry about putting and driving the ball. I want to be as honest as possible and share I had struggles with the concept. Mainly the worst of my experience was with 9 iron down controlling distance and getting pure strikes. I know in my baseline, irons did not seem to be the strength of my game, but I think I am a decent ball striker with my 8-4 iron, and the struggles lie in getting consistency with my PW, 9 and wedges. The 5,6,7 irons were very easy to hit and went very straight. I believe the RadSpeed irons are very solid game improvement irons with visible tech that inspires confidence. When I struck the ball pure, it would go very high and straight. There is something to the Radspeed irons in wanting to go straight instead of a fade or a draw. It made the long irons predictable and was easier to aim at the middle of the green. I found the hybrid to be a rocket launcher and confidence inspiring with the shorter length. Throughout this test, I kept thinking of an interesting bag configuration would be ONE Length 4-7 iron and then variable length the remainder of the bag. There may be some gapping issues, but maybe the gap would be addressed through a combo set with forged scoring irons to allow for bending the lofts. This concept would help with consistency with the longer end of the bag and may be something I would consider if I have a tough day with my normal irons to do a combo ONE Length/Variable Length set. I am not going to be a ONE Length converter after this but have a few lefty buddies very eager to try the experiment. If they have different stories, I will for sure have them join and post of their experiences. 
ONE Length Irons/Hybrid - 60/100
 

The Radspeed Fairway woods were absolute rocket launchers. I know 100% the 7 wood is staying in the bag and the only reason the 3 wood is not staying is because it goes too far and does not have practical usage at my home course. I currently have a TSi2 16.5 fairway with an AD XC 8X shaft. I was a little worried the shafts in the fairway woods would be too soft and not heavy enough. I will say the Motore F1 70x shaft is a great shaft especially in a fairway. Cobra did an outstanding job making this a no upcharge shaft. I truly think Cobra differentiates themselves with premium no up charge shafts in all of their clubs. Cobra is definitely onto something with the rails on their fairway woods, the woods seem to glide through the turf on even less than good contact to still produce great ball flights. The rails gave me confidence I would be able to hit the ball pure into Par 5s. The 7 wood is a weapon for shorter par 4s and second shots into par 5s. The 7 wood flies very high and lands softly with predictable small draw pattern. If I were to have any nit about the fairway woods, it would be they seem to sit slightly closed to my eye, even in the most open setting but the results on the course offset any tricks my eyes were playing for me. Cobra did an outstanding job with the Radspeed fairway wood and rivals all previous fairways I have tried (original SIM, TS2, TSi2, G410).  The Radspeed fairway wood gets a perfect score in my book.
Fairway Woods – 100/100
 

My first impression of the driver is it looks huge by the ball. I have used a TSi3 and TSi2 this year and find the Radspeed XB looks huge compared to both of those drivers. What this translated to was an increase in confidence behind the ball. The problem I had with the driver is 100% not on the driver itself and more to do with the shaft and my swing. On well struck balls, the Cobra driver was sitting right next to my optimized TSi2 with a Ventus Black 6TX. The issue with the Cobra driver was the shaft was slightly too soft and I would turn it over too much resulting in over draws and hooks. I like to play a soft fade in my driver and found my ability to hit this shot shape very difficult and it was not the head but probably the shaft. If I were to give the Cobra a fair shake and change the tip to the Ventus Black I have in my Titleist driver, I have no doubts I would get similar performance. The driver sounds great and my normal playing partners kept saying it sounds way better than my normal driver. I found the driver head to be on par with forgiveness compared to a TSi2 and more forgiving than the TSi3. I hit some bombs with the Cobra, I think my longest was a 327 yard drive, it was off the fairway but I had a clean shot into the green. With winter coming and golfing in 37* weather, the Radspeed XB with the Motore shaft may actually be a better fit. I may not have the same swing speed all bundled up and maybe the Cobra driver will offer a better winter alternative instead of trying to over swing with stiff muscles in the winter. The Radspeed XB is a very forgiving driver that inspires confidence behind the ball. 
Driver – 85/100
 
Overall Score – 410/500
Top Performer: Cobra knocked it out of the park with their woods this year. Both the fairway woods and driver are top notch. Cobra can be had at slightly less retail than some competitors and their woods will be on the top of my list for fits in the future. I am 100% putting the 7 wood in the bag and will potentially look to get a different shaft for the driver to see if it can knock out my current gamer. 
 
Thank you MGS and Cobra for the opportunity to participate and provide honest feedback on my experience.