Zgrabby11

Hi guys, I am Zach from Michigan!
 
1) I have been playing golf for 2 years now. I am a 10 handicap currently. 
2) I love golf because of the relaxed nature of the game. Also because you get to go hang out with your buddies and drink some beer!
3) I came to the spy because of the reviews and getting to be a tester with multiple opportunities. I think it is great for the game to get some hands-on experience with certain brands you might not think about when it comes to purchasing. 
4) I am from Grand Rapids, MI and my home course is Spring Lake CC
5) The best things about golf in my region are the insane public courses in Michigan like Arcadia, American Dunes, Bay Harbour, Harbor Shores, etc. The worst thing about my region is we can only golf 6-7 months of the year compared to down south!
6) I am currently a college student with an engineering internship.
7) I picked my username because it is a nickname my friends gave me in high school. 

Love this feature! I love reading about the reviews and to have them all together in one spot will help a ton. One day I hope I can be that tester that puts theirs in this section of the forum. Can cross my fingers lol!

Congrats testers! Interested to see how these irons will stack up versus the big name brands!

Congrats testers! Interested to see how these irons will stack up versus the big name brands!

The Evnroll Neo Classic ER2 was named Best Overall Blade Putter by MyGolfSpy testers in 2024. It was the top performer in the five-foot category. Considering there were 39 putters tested ,this was no easy feat. The Neo Classic line boasts several more models and features that have not previously been seen in Evnroll putters. 
About The Evnroll Neo Classic Putters
We have a full deep dive into the Neo Classic line that you can view here. The short version is that this putter line features new takes on five classic Evnroll designs. The line incorporates adjustable weights, two finishes and their new aluminum SweetFace insert. Of the five new models, three fall are blades and two are mallets, meaning most golfers should see a shape or style that suits their visual preferences.
The biggest of all the  changes is clearly the SweetFace aluminum insert. Known for their SweetFace milled grooves that aid in direction and speed control, the new aluminum insert aims to provide a better feel that is softer but equally responsive.

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!
@russtopherb
@ChitownM2
@AndySP
@Marty2shanks

Loved the reviews here, well done guys! I see the SM8's are on sale right now hahaha might have to get those but great info and knowledge from all the testers. I tried the fitting tool for the Vokeys so I have an idea what I might need in the future. 

Loved the reviews here, well done guys! I see the SM8's are on sale right now hahaha might have to get those but great info and knowledge from all the testers. I tried the fitting tool for the Vokeys so I have an idea what I might need in the future. 

Loved the reviews here, well done guys! I see the SM8's are on sale right now hahaha might have to get those but great info and knowledge from all the testers. I tried the fitting tool for the Vokeys so I have an idea what I might need in the future. 

Hi guys, I am Zach from Michigan!
 
1) I have been playing golf for 2 years now. I am a 10 handicap currently. 
2) I love golf because of the relaxed nature of the game. Also because you get to go hang out with your buddies and drink some beer!
3) I came to the spy because of the reviews and getting to be a tester with multiple opportunities. I think it is great for the game to get some hands-on experience with certain brands you might not think about when it comes to purchasing. 
4) I am from Grand Rapids, MI and my home course is Spring Lake CC
5) The best things about golf in my region are the insane public courses in Michigan like Arcadia, American Dunes, Bay Harbour, Harbor Shores, etc. The worst thing about my region is we can only golf 6-7 months of the year compared to down south!
6) I am currently a college student with an engineering internship.
7) I picked my username because it is a nickname my friends gave me in high school. 

Hi guys, I am Zach from Michigan!
 
1) I have been playing golf for 2 years now. I am a 10 handicap currently. 
2) I love golf because of the relaxed nature of the game. Also because you get to go hang out with your buddies and drink some beer!
3) I came to the spy because of the reviews and getting to be a tester with multiple opportunities. I think it is great for the game to get some hands-on experience with certain brands you might not think about when it comes to purchasing. 
4) I am from Grand Rapids, MI and my home course is Spring Lake CC
5) The best things about golf in my region are the insane public courses in Michigan like Arcadia, American Dunes, Bay Harbour, Harbor Shores, etc. The worst thing about my region is we can only golf 6-7 months of the year compared to down south!
6) I am currently a college student with an engineering internship.
7) I picked my username because it is a nickname my friends gave me in high school. 

Hi guys, I am Zach from Michigan!
 
1) I have been playing golf for 2 years now. I am a 10 handicap currently. 
2) I love golf because of the relaxed nature of the game. Also because you get to go hang out with your buddies and drink some beer!
3) I came to the spy because of the reviews and getting to be a tester with multiple opportunities. I think it is great for the game to get some hands-on experience with certain brands you might not think about when it comes to purchasing. 
4) I am from Grand Rapids, MI and my home course is Spring Lake CC
5) The best things about golf in my region are the insane public courses in Michigan like Arcadia, American Dunes, Bay Harbour, Harbor Shores, etc. The worst thing about my region is we can only golf 6-7 months of the year compared to down south!
6) I am currently a college student with an engineering internship.
7) I picked my username because it is a nickname my friends gave me in high school. 

Hi guys, I am Zach from Michigan!
 
1) I have been playing golf for 2 years now. I am a 10 handicap currently. 
2) I love golf because of the relaxed nature of the game. Also because you get to go hang out with your buddies and drink some beer!
3) I came to the spy because of the reviews and getting to be a tester with multiple opportunities. I think it is great for the game to get some hands-on experience with certain brands you might not think about when it comes to purchasing. 
4) I am from Grand Rapids, MI and my home course is Spring Lake CC
5) The best things about golf in my region are the insane public courses in Michigan like Arcadia, American Dunes, Bay Harbour, Harbor Shores, etc. The worst thing about my region is we can only golf 6-7 months of the year compared to down south!
6) I am currently a college student with an engineering internship.
7) I picked my username because it is a nickname my friends gave me in high school. 

Hi guys, I am Zach from Michigan!
 
1) I have been playing golf for 2 years now. I am a 10 handicap currently. 
2) I love golf because of the relaxed nature of the game. Also because you get to go hang out with your buddies and drink some beer!
3) I came to the spy because of the reviews and getting to be a tester with multiple opportunities. I think it is great for the game to get some hands-on experience with certain brands you might not think about when it comes to purchasing. 
4) I am from Grand Rapids, MI and my home course is Spring Lake CC
5) The best things about golf in my region are the insane public courses in Michigan like Arcadia, American Dunes, Bay Harbour, Harbor Shores, etc. The worst thing about my region is we can only golf 6-7 months of the year compared to down south!
6) I am currently a college student with an engineering internship.
7) I picked my username because it is a nickname my friends gave me in high school. 

Hi guys, I am Zach from Michigan!
 
1) I have been playing golf for 2 years now. I am a 10 handicap currently. 
2) I love golf because of the relaxed nature of the game. Also because you get to go hang out with your buddies and drink some beer!
3) I came to the spy because of the reviews and getting to be a tester with multiple opportunities. I think it is great for the game to get some hands-on experience with certain brands you might not think about when it comes to purchasing. 
4) I am from Grand Rapids, MI and my home course is Spring Lake CC
5) The best things about golf in my region are the insane public courses in Michigan like Arcadia, American Dunes, Bay Harbour, Harbor Shores, etc. The worst thing about my region is we can only golf 6-7 months of the year compared to down south!
6) I am currently a college student with an engineering internship.
7) I picked my username because it is a nickname my friends gave me in high school. 

Congrats testers! Interested to see how these stack up against other tour balls!

AI SMOKE MAX... BECAUSE WE WANT ALL THE SMOKE
So, it's your boy back again with another driver based review.
For those who don't know, the name is Ryan. now senior family law attorney, although as I sit here all my cases are being moved to different jurists as my primary judge is making off to head back downstate to NYC to be closer to home. Can't begrudge her, but it's really jacked up my schedule something fierce. Beside this, I'm working on an journey of self-improvement, you can read about it here. I'm trying to recapture the joy and passion I had for golf when I was younger, as it is one of my happiest activities, but also the bringer of great stress when I don't want it. In all it's an interesting time of transition in both the personal and professional, so why not take a new driver into an area of the bag I thought I was set with two years on board?
Yeah, so as detailed here, I was fit at the end of 2022 for new woods, chief among them was a new driver to replace my Mizuno ST180, the first club I ever reviewed for this forum. I had been fit into a TSR2, 10 degree with a Fujikura NX Blue 50 gram stiff shaft. During the 2023 season I had a crisis of confidence. There were days I couldn't get the ball of the ground, launching it in the 5 or 6 degree range, total top balls and just no faith it would do anything. Ergo, when the opportunity to try something different came up, I said let's give it a shot.
Now, I'll be honest, outside of a period of time when due to working at Dick's Sporting Goods back when they staffed PGA guys who could got us deals through Callaway VIP, I was never a big Callaway woods guy, save for my first fitting, but that's a post for a different time... like say this weekend in the thread. I've always been intrigued by the tech the use and the way they seem to be on the forefront of the next breakthroughs, so I've very excited to see what comes of the AI Smoke.
But how will we measure success? Well, I think being honest here we should look at the differences between the two drivers from the Most Wanted 2024 test.
TSR2: 143 Ball Speed, launching at 13.23 with 2300 spin, Carry 237, total 253, straight shot percentage 49%
AI Smoke Max: 142 Ball Speed, launching at 13.75 with 2400 spin, Cary 237, Total 251, straight shot percentage 52%
So yeah, looking at them there isn't a lot of difference there, save for the straight shot percentage. Now, accuracy is always good so that may be the deciding factor here, as well as launch and consistency across the face. That's what the AI face is supposed to help with and I plan on putting a lot of spots through a lot of paces. So I'm not expecting it to be longer on a 1 to 1 basis, but I am expecting it to be more consistent across the course of a round with no real drop offs. I don't want to say this is a 'vibes' based test in a way, but I can tell you just from the fitting there is just more confidence standing over the AI Smoke than my TSR, and it isn't just because it's new and different.
How does it make the cut? Perform with more consistency, achieve a solid and repeatable launch and shot shape, and maybe creep a bit of distance, if possible. Do that and I'll be like everyone's second favorite Stanley after those big cups

Get ready folks, it's gonna be fun!
 
Final Review: “Where there is Smoke, there is Fire!”  - Smoke, Mortal Kombat 9
So, something you guys may not know about me is that I’m a huge fighting game fan. I may not be good at them, but I find them super fun to watch and fun to play. One of the first games I remember getting for my home console was Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 for the SNES. That game featured the first appearance of Smoke, in that game a cyborg ninja who was really cool. He was my main, and he’s been a character I always checked out in later Mortal Kombat games.

Why mention this? Well, he’s a cyber ninja, the AI Smoke line was designed with the help of computer assistance, some synergy there to at least meet my typical pop culture reference for a typical Berg Ryman review. So let’s explore whether or not the Paradym AI Smoke Max can land a fatality on my current driver and find its way into the bag.
 
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: 18/20
The nice part of being involved in these tests is that there’s always still a sense of enjoyment and anticipation when the box shows up on the doorstep and here there was nothing different. As mentioned, I got a nice fitting card from Callaway customs, displayed below and it was very nice to see the care that went into the build of this driver.

I wish I could say the same about the packing. I know we’re all trying to cut out waste but it is always a bit touch and go when I get a set of clubs or even a single club with minimal packaging cushioning. Also, and I know we’ve all got enough tools for drivers now, it does suck a little that no tool came from Callaway. I had my Mizuno and Titleist tool which is the same Allen Key pattern, but I’m not against getting another one!
 
AESTHETICS: 10/10
I know that Callaway can be a bit hit or miss for some people in their designs. Personally, I’ll never say what works for me works for most. I played a Deep Red, a Mellow Yellow, and Mizuno Blue, and a Nike SQ. I know what fits my eye and makes me comfortable isn’t what many people would call conventional. But, I think the Paradym AI Smoke is a looker. It has immense shelf appeal with that forged carbon on the bottom resulting in different levels of ‘smokiness’. The face grooves and design aren’t obtrusive, and from the top down look it’s pretty standard. Personally, I dig the more machine-like approach of the carbon head to the titanium cup. I know some people want a better blend, but I like the way this looks.

 
Here’s something though that isn’t up for debate. Sound wise this drive is awesome. It’s a solid crack and that sounds powerful. Admittedly, that sounds the same regardless of ball and contact. I guess the Max masks poor contact better than most, or maybe it’s the fact that the AI Face is just that solid. Either way, major points here for sound.
 
THE NUMBERS: 9/10
Well, I’m just going to link my post from the thread here for your amusement at this point as I really tried to get myself some real numbers in a closed environment . Again, thanks to Golf Galaxy in Dewitt, NY for the assist here.
As I’ve said numerous times in this thread, in private conversations with people, or even at Kingsmill, the numbers don’t tell the complete story of the AI Smoke line. Do I wish it was a touch longer? Sure. Do I wish the ball speed was a bit quicker? Yeah, but we hit the shots we need, get really good results and have much better outcomes. The ball speeds are consistently where they are with my current gamer, the carry yardage is longer, the total distance on perfect shots is a touch shorter, but the ball is in play a lot more often. Again, the numbers here don’t tell the whole story but if you’re looking for a grade simply on the numbers, it’s a 9… not a perfect 10.
 
ON COURSE: 20/20
Here’s where the AI Smoke Max shines. It’s so playable. For someone who feels nothing but fear standing over the driver, a few shots with any of the AI Smoke line should dissipate those fears. Legitimately, before being selected for this test I thought about shelving the driver as a concept completely, going solely to a mini driver and just playing like that for the foreseeable future.
I’m happy I got selected for this test, because this driver has reinvigorated my game and my joy for it. I had a real crisis of confidence last season at the tail end where the TSR didn’t even get out of my bag on my home course. Now, I’m hitting AI Smoke everywhere I can, moving back tees to hit it in spots. For the part of my game that was such a question mark is now a big old exclamation point. It’s fun now to know the shots I hit are going where I want them too, that the flight window is right where I want it, and they go out to where I was hitting it off the tee in high school. I can pull it with little to no fear on any hole. The ball flies nice and high through the air and descends softly and gets moving once it hits the ground. We’ve been averaging over 250 off the tee the last few rounds with it, I don’t care who you are, that’s never not going to be in the bag.

I knew coming into this test that Callaway makes an excellent product, I leave this test as someone willing to preach the gospel. There is no driver that creates a more playable result regardless of contact than the AI Face on the Smoke. It has helped me shave nearly a stroke off my handicap and gives me the confidence that I’ll shave more going forward. If there is an improvement to be made to this driver, it’s only that the AI tech and development of the faces is going to get better as more information is gained. I know there are some of you looking for drivers now or will be in 2025, the AI Smoke is a must test, it’s that good and the only thing I think might be better is whatever may be coming AI wise in 2025.
 
ODDS & ENDS: 18/20
Ok, so what else is there? Well first, the Dual Cog system continues on as the best adjustment system in golf. Operating independent of grip or shaft means that nothing changes on that end. Second, the Smoke Red RDX. What a shaft for me. The weight profile is great at 50 grams, the kick point and feel of it is superb, and it just married so well with this head. I know we were limited to non-upcharge options here, but Callaway’s catalog is so wide in that aspect that something to find will always be available. Lastly, the headcover pops, and has stayed so clean and is just so recognizable.
But Berg, why isn’t it perfect? Well, as I mentioned in the thread, I would love to see Callaway offer a Designer or Custom program to match what companies like Cobra and Taylormade are doing with their limited releases. My guess is that the old color options weren’t taken advantage of in the past with Callaway Customs, but we’re missing out here. We saw what the Tactical Smoke looked like, but I want more. Give me an option to pick how smoky my club looks from minimal to maximum. Roll out a couple for colors like Sunrise Fog with some yellow-orange hints or Purple Haze. I swear to you they’ll sell Callaway and it continues excitement for an incredible line of drivers.
 
PLAY IT OR TRADE IT: 20/20

 
No duh. As an aside, if anyone wants to discuss a 10* TSR2 head or total club, I know a guy.
Seriously though, I don’t get knocked on my rear often by equipment. The Smoke said I needed to sit my fat behind down and take notice. It rules, it will rule for a long time. I expect this driver to take me through the 2020’s at this point, unless it fails or breaks, and then I’ll try my best to get another head. It’s that good.
I know some may balk at the cost, or the knowledge that there will be a better one next year, but if you're serious about your game, if you're serious about playing your best, it's going to be tough to find something that performs at this level for cheaper. This is a driver for the masses and with now 6 different head options if you include the TD Max and the Mini, if you can't find something from Callaway that works, their stuff just might not be for you.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The AI Smoke Max is one heck of a driver. It may not be the longest, it may not be the fastest, but it is the most playable. It will fit a wide portion of this bell curve and can be tuned to do exactly what you need in a driver. More playable than absolute bomber, it will impact your game for the better. Everyone owes it to themselves to give it a shot if you’re in the market. It’s just that good. Callaway has for sure made a customer out of me going forward and has created a real winner with the AI Smoke Line, in all its forms. As always My Golf Spy, the pleasure was mine.
 
FINAL SCORE: 95/100

Introduction:
I’m Michael. I like putters. My love of putters is almost certainly higher than my actual skill of putting. Putters are like quarterbacks: if your team has two, it probably doesn't have one. And if a golfer doesn’t have one putter, he’s likely not a great putter. And that’s true in my case: I have a rack of putters, a few of which typically see the course each season.
This will be my second putter review for the MyGolfSpy Forum. A couple of years ago, when I was still an active moderator, I participated in the Edel EAS review. My EAS 4.0 is, as I write this preview/introduction, still my main putter.


Summary of My Putting:
I’m not a bad putter, but I’m not an especially good putter either. My Arccos handicap is currently 9.8 (yes, that 0.2 matters a lot to me). If I tweak the comparison benchmark until it gets to 0.0 SG:Putting, I putt at the level of 13 handicap. So I’m just slightly worse than average for my current level.
But given that my goal as a golfer is to get to a solid single-figure index, I must improve my putting. What has been a lingering weakness for at least 5 years of stat tracking is my performance with “makeable” putts: those within 8’ (the 50/50 breakpoint for Tour players).
Me as a Golfer:
I’ll be 45 this summer; I am the pastor of a small church at the west end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where I’ve lived for the past 12 years. My wife and I have six children, ranging in ages from 13 to a few months.
Those who’ve followed me on this Forum know that my oldest son is an avid and skilled junior golfer; I play most of my golf with him and am delighted both at the time we get to spend together and the privilege of having a front-row seat to watch him play. My other son always plays on occasion, and my six-year-old daughter also enjoys playing. All three of them will participate in Drive, Chip, and Putt this year.
I play almost all my rounds every year at the one course that we have locally. They offer a clergy discount, so for $320 I can play as much golf as I wish during our six(ish) months without snow on the ground. Kirke plays for free. I never have to book a tee time; I just show up and start my round. I don’t take this privilege lightly.
The one factor of our course that will affect my testing: our greens are tiny. Pebble Beach is famous for (a lot of reasons, but relevant here) having the smallest greens on the PGA Tour. The average green at Pebble is around 3,500 sq. ft. The average green at Gogebic Country Club is 3,200 sq. ft.
This has a couple effects on this test:
I almost never have a putt of 50’ or more. I miss a lot of greens relative to my handicap, despite having a relatively decent approach skill. The disparity is captured in this Arccos graphic, which shows that my total proximity is slightly better than a 10 handicap, while I hit 2 fewer greens per round than an average 10 handicap:
Thus, I’m normally hitting my first putt from much closer than an average player of my skill level. My short game (as per Arccos) is the strongest part of my game, but this is why it’s so crucial to me that I improve in the makeable putts range. Compared to a scratch golfer, here is my current performance:
Testing procedure:
I love data and gadgets. These will play a significant role in my testing and reporting here.
In the time spent waiting for the fitting and arrival of my L.A.B. DF3, I’ll be establishing some baseline numbers with two putters from my collection: the Edel EAS 4.0 mentioned above and my Evnroll Midlock ER11v.
“What numbers?” you ask.
I’ll be using the Putting Stability feature of the HackMotion wrist sensor to measure lead wrist stability through the stroke. I’ll likely use the Blast Motion sensor to track face opening/closing, loft/lie angle changes, tempo, stroke time, etc. I’ll also be using the ExPutt (arriving this week, according to FedEx!) to track all the club and ball data that it measures. My intention with the ExPutt is not only to track this club and ball data, but also to pit these putters against each other in matches using the practice features in the software. Now, on to the course! First, I’ll be using Stack Putting to compare the performance of these putters in putting comps. If the weather and time permit, I’d love to do at least three Stack Putting sessions with each putter, and then be able to compare the Strokes Gained putting numbers I’m getting with each of them. Once the L.A.B. arrives, I intend for that to be my exclusive gamer for the entire testing period. I’ll be collecting stats with Arccos, and I have my baseline here from Arccos with my last 20+ rounds with the Edel. Fitting Expectations:
I will be using L.A.B.’s online remote fitting option. Until my Edel test, I had never been fitted for a putter. My Edel fitting was reassuring, because my fitter (the current owner of Edel!) more or less confirmed the things I had discovered about my putting using the “fitting by eBay” method.
I have settled on a 34” length for standard putters. I aim roughly 2° to the right on most putts and pull them. My stroke is ugly; having early on read Dave Pelz, I tried to ingrain a straight back/straight through stroke that ended up being “take it back outside the line and reroute to something useful.”
I don’t know what lie angle L.A.B. will recommend, but I suspect it will end up being fairly upright. I’m currently eyeing getting my DF3 in a counterbalanced setup, at 37”. My Edel is quite heavy, and I find a level of comfort in that. The fact that L.A.B. offers a Garsen Quad on the counterbalanced putter is awesome, because that’s currently what I’m using on my Edel.
Many of the clubs in my bag (and my whole bag and pushcart setup) have a red and black color scheme, so that’s where I’m intending to go with my DF3.


 

Who I am – MGS Tester Introduction
My name is Chris and welcome. I am a 65 year old male and I live with my artist wife Sue and two huskies in Oakville, in the greater Toronto area in Ontario, Canada. To put things into perspective the province of Ontario is 1.5 times larger than the state of Texas and 4 times the size of the U.K.    
 
Why I am testing: I am very grateful to MGS and L.A.B. and excited by this opportunity. I am keen to see if the L.A.B. DF3 and its lie angle balance approach to putter design works as claimed.  It was designed to eliminate torque and produce a repeatable swing. The DF3 is the smaller, sleeker version of its bigger brother, the directed force, DF2, but does it deliver the goods?  It has gained significant traction on tour and begs the question of how it stacks up to my fitted reference putter(s). 
    VERSUS    
But this is no ordinary Evnroll.  It has been fitted and modified with a stability tour shaft and an Evnroll gravity grip. For more information on this and my putting statistics, see,
What am I looking for in the L.A.B. DF3: I gave a lot of thought on how I would test this if given the opportunity before applying. I am a fairly decent putter averaging 31 to 32 putts per round based on my Arccos data.  If it proves to deliver the putter more consistently to the ball and results in more one putts, less three putts and overall, less putts per round, it will be a candidate to go in the bag permanently. I am particularly interested in how it performs from 10’ feet and in. Does it offer good value for the money?  My putter testing protocol including testing on Quintic to follow in a separate post.  Moreover, thorough testing of the L.A.B. DF3 will focus me on improving my putting and working on my putting drills. So thankyou MyGolfSpy.
   Making those short putts is critical.
Who I am: I am driven by challenges and the constant need to learn and improve and I’m passionate in what I do. I am also data driven and analytical in nature. Needless to say, I am a golf, data and equipment junkie. I have had many careers.  After graduate school, I did medical research looking at factors involved in preterm labour.  I then moved onto organ donation and transplantation, eventually running the organ donation program based out of Toronto General Hospital. Toronto General hospital (TGH) is one of the premier transplant centres and hospitals
  in the world.  They pioneered both successful single and double lung transplantation in the eighties. 
I had the distinct pleasure of working in multi organ transplant in the early days (80’s/90’s) and worked with many brilliant and incredibly smart people. Where the driving principle was you do what’s best for the patient and what does the data show.  What is the source of that data, is it evidence based, is it fair, balanced, and non promotional in nature.  You had to know your stuff and be prepared for anything.  Back then it was routine to work 24-36 hours straight procuring and transplanting organs.  Think of the guy getting off the Lear jet in OR greens with a cooler. I was that guy.  I’ve been in every teaching hospital and most ICU’s (intensive care units) across Canada and many in the US. 
  No frequent flyer miles
I’m driven by the need to learn, push myself and enjoy what I do. I then transitioned to career 3, moving to the “dark side” starting with Wyeth and then Pfizer in their Rare Disease group and the launch of Rapamycin for organ transplantation.  So, I stayed in transplant, interacted with all the people I worked with for many years, although now in a different capacity.  If you’re going to go to industry, it’s the best way to go.  Over time, bleeding disorders (hemophilia) and growth disorders were added to my portfolio but the same guiding principle of doing what’s best for the patient and what does the data actually show, guided me.  Career 4, presented itself during the pandemic and the opportunity to take early retirement with no more Zoom calls and the opportunity to be a full time golf aficionado and pickleball player was too irresistible to pass up.  My other passions are building, home renovation and cooking. When I was young, I bought a water access shell of a cottage as my first property.  Not being handy at the time, I proceeded to take courses in construction, carpentry, electrical and plumbing. I then proceeded to completely wire the cottage, plumb it, insulate it, drywall, install flooring, build the kitchen, bathroom, etc. I’ve built and rebuilt docks, decks, so hence the handyman moniker. There’s not much I can’t do, although with age comes wisdom.
   
Golf: I have been playing golf on and off for 40 plus years.  After not playing golf for 10+ years, I got back into golf at the age of 60.  I was inspired by a friend who once said, golf is the only game you can play for 30 years and never improve.  When I thought about it, it is rather true, so I was determined to do it right the second time around.   At the time I was about a 25ish handicap.  Hence lessons, fitted equipment and diligent practice. I was inspired again when I went to Tour Experience Golf (TXG) 5+ years ago and came out not only with expertly fitted and built clubs, but many new friends.  I now go at least twice a year to tweak my setup.  My current handicap is 6.3, but I have been as low as 4 or high as 8.5.  Most of my rounds are in the 78 - 82 range.  My home course is TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley featuring 3 courses all ranked within the top 60 courses in Canada and all 3 in the top 20 public courses in Canada.
      
TPC Sawgrass, I’m the guy in the middle in the blue and black. 
I love scenic, challenging courses, especially mountain or coastal courses. What drives me is hitting good shots and being consistent.  My philosophy is if you hit good shots the score will “usually” take care of itself.  If you don’t like the score, play better. I am competitive, however, I play more for the joy of the game.  I strive to improve each year and keep father time at bay.   Now, my day job is golf, pickleball and my two huskies.
  Myah (front) and Hazel (rear)
Thank you for your patience and understanding in reading my introduction.

Unboxing and Initial impressions of the L.A.B. DF3, aka the Lab Rat
 The L.A.B. DF3 putter has arrived and the blue Lab Rat is in the house.  
Overall:  An excellent opening start to testing of the L.A.B. DF3.  This is one seriously good putter.  Great weight, feel and balance.  Alignment and distance control were outstanding. Precision and accuracy are the two words that keep coming up when I think of this putter and the results convey that. Very similar putting stats versus my historical 50 round average, although with subtle and slight differences.  Where I have already seen a  difference is a slight positive trend in strokes gained as well as an slight increase in one putts and decrease in three putts.  Only one three putt after three rounds.  Two things stand out so far, how good it is inside 10 feet and its distance control.  Is it ready to replace my Evnroll in the bag?  Ah, not so fast. We’re still a long way, many more rounds and much testing from there.  However, an intriguing and impressive opening start with the L.A.B. DF3        Score 15/15
Initial impressions. This is a premium, very high quality and very well built putter. Great balance, weight and feel. It sits beautifully and feels very smooth.  The TPT shaft is premium and gorgeous.  Love the pistol grip. Overall, this putter is stunning and gorgeous. Very impressed with L.A.B. and this putter.  The looks of this putter are intoxicating. To get a custom hand built and balanced putter from the west coast in a week is insanely crazy and fast. 
Unboxing link 
 
First round and initial impressions link 
And without further ado a live unboxing of the L.A.B. Putter and initial reaction.  It’s short and only 90 seconds.

Looks:  the DF3 is noticeably sleeker and significantly smaller than the DF2.1  In person, the putter, while still unique looking, is gorgeous.  You grow to love its unique and intoxicating looks.  However, the DF3 is still a large putter.     It didn’t take long (first hole) for someone to say, what the hell is that. It’s a L.A.B.  A what?  But of course, they had to try it.  
Sound: Soft, but firm muted feel little higher in pitch than the Evnroll.  
Alignment: Exceptional alignment, very easy to align with line on my ball, Callaway Chrome soft X LS triple track 

Feel, weight and balance:  Great feel, weight and balance. Love how it’s sits and lies. The stroke is very smooth.  It provided great feedback and was very consistent, precise
Shaft/grip: Impressed by the feedback provided by LAB / TPT shaft. Very stable and instant feedback. Pistol grip felt super comfortable and felt great in my hands
Distance control:  excellent, almost made a 60’ missed by 3 inch phenomenal feel and control. Impressed from long distance.  It was very consistent, no 3 putts, 5 one putts in a round where I had 4 putts of 50’ or more  longish putts.
Stats:   Puttings stats (Arccos data) for round. Played TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley on the newly and extensively renovated North course.  In short, this is now a championship level course.  Overall, 31 putts, 5 single putts and 13 two putts.  No 3 putts.


VERSUS  (Evnroll/Stability/Gravity grip combination) - Historical Control
My putting statistics from Arccos over the last 50 rounds compared to a 0 handicap

Comments:   inside 5’ felt almost automatic,  within 10’ also very good.  As the round progressed, I felt more and more confident I could consistently make putts 10’ and less.  I made several long putts.  Another nice little touch, the hole in the putter makes it easy to pick up the ball, also known as the gimme getter.
The first few holes, I left putts uncharacteristically short by 3-4’. At this point, my wife commented you putt better with the Evnroll. Well the LAB heard that and then began to show its mettle.  I felt that once you get the proper read, set your alignment and then all you need to do is just get the ball rolling along its intended line.  Basically, take it back with your usual stroke and then let the putter do its thing.  Nice start to the testing of the DF3.
 
 

Totally agree. Bad timing to make an arrest during a tragic event. Communication between the cops should’ve been better in my opinion with the way it sounds. Prayers and RIP to the family of the tragic morning!

Totally agree. Bad timing to make an arrest during a tragic event. Communication between the cops should’ve been better in my opinion with the way it sounds. Prayers and RIP to the family of the tragic morning!

Totally agree. Bad timing to make an arrest during a tragic event. Communication between the cops should’ve been better in my opinion with the way it sounds. Prayers and RIP to the family of the tragic morning!

Totally agree. Bad timing to make an arrest during a tragic event. Communication between the cops should’ve been better in my opinion with the way it sounds. Prayers and RIP to the family of the tragic morning!

Congrats everyone! Seems like a cool gadget for getting yardages. I’m jealous!

I just changed to Chrome Tours right now from Callaway and they fit the play style of me pretty well. Not super long off the tee compared to a TP5x but great spin around the greens and approach. I like them so far!

I just changed to Chrome Tours right now from Callaway and they fit the play style of me pretty well. Not super long off the tee compared to a TP5x but great spin around the greens and approach. I like them so far!