RoverRick

Who is RoverRick? 
I’m 58 (for a few more days), married, former military, former Boy Scout Leader, former business owner and engineer. Now a manager for largest contractor for the largest trucking operation in the US. 
How did I become “RoverRick”?
My first online forum was a Land Rover chat. I absolutely loved my Range Rover, when it would start, and tired of the mechanical issues, and having an engineering degree, I rebuilt the engine one time. However, there came a point where I needed reliable transportation so I left that phase of my life.
How did my golfing life evolve?
I started golf in high school, but was never serious about it and played 3-4 times a year. I took golf as my P.E. (it was still called P.E. back then) courses in college. Didn’t play during my Army years and moved to Dallas in 1992 and joined the corporate world. In 1996, I moved back to East Texas and started playing more golf. In 1997, I joined my current country club and began playing with the same guys I play with now, although there were originally 4 of us and now 26 players are in our tee time group. It was a glorified cow pasture back then, but has been rebuilt and is one of the nicest in East Texas now.
In 2002, I became self-employed, and played Wednesdays and weekends, when I was in town. I traveled a lot around the US and decided I wanted to play in every state. I’ve played in 49 states, never been to Maine, 8 countries and 4 continents. At this point it was never about score. Pure enjoyment. 
Then in 2008, my business changed to where I was primarily focusing on Europe. At 2pm everyday it was 10pm for the people I was dealing with, so I was able to play golf every afternoon. In 2009, at age 45 I decided to try to become a scratch golfer by age 50. I joined MGS around in 2011. My official handicap was 0.2 on my 50th birthday in May of 2014, but after that I hovered between a 2-4 until 2017. On my 49th birthday, I also noticed I was one if the few men in my family with hair so I decided I wanted to have a ponytail on my 50th birthday also. I hated it and cut it the day after my birthday. 
I left golf for about a year in 2018. I decided to come back to golf in 2019 but within a couple of months, I was in an accident just as I was regaining my swing. I went to work in a different industry for the benefits, and it was a great opportunity at a great company where I speak to my bosses once every two weeks, and we primarily talk about golf and what I need from them. The last 5 years have not been kind physically. I developed osteoarthritis in both knees and right ankle. And physically it seems as every time I make gains with my swing another physical limitation comes up. It’s been a struggle, which I have documented some here on MGS. 
However, I am a golf nut. I will never be a long hitter and have always relied on my short game and putter. Most of the last couple of years has been trying to retool my long game swing and overcome my knee issues and keep the ball in play but to the detriment of my short game. I realize this is stupid because when I was “scratch” for that brief period, it was not because of my long game. It was because from 120 yards in, I averaged 8-10 feet and I made the majority of my putts from inside 10’. 
My goals in golf now is to put it in the fairway, give me a shot at the green, and and give me a shot at par. These are goals. Obviously, I’m not doing that right now. 

What are my plans for golf in the future?
I recently discovered something about wedges. While they may not be the best in every category Vokey wedges give me confidence. Just something about knowing I have that wedge that allows me to hit a good shot. I have Taylormade, Mizuno, Callaway that on the range and practice are do better. But not on the course. 

How do I plan to test this putter?

Honestly, I could go get on same putting wizard like machine and compare which has the better roll, etc. I can make putts with any putter with some practice. But putting to me is all about feel. I feel the break, I feel the speed. I feel the confidence that the ball is going to go where I want it. 
To me, the purpose of putting is to get the ball in the hole to win or tie the hole. When I have to focus on my putting stroke verses getting the ball in the hole, I lose confidence. The putter I’m using right now, I have to return my attention to the putter before contact to ensure a center strike and true distance. 
 
I have 4 stroke play matches per week and I have 3 match play matches scheduled this month and I have 2 tournaments I’m playing in. Will this putter allow me to preform under pressure and actually reduce the pressure by instilling trust and confidence? That’s the true test of a putter verses purity of roll or any tangible or measurable metric. 
 
L.A.B. Directed Force DF2.1 Putter Introduction and First Impressions (17 of 20) Added on June 2  
 
Why did I sign up for this test?
When the LAB Putter signup first came out, I did not sign up. I am a really good putter and don’t go in for the latest gimmicks. On April 12, 2023, I had 21 putts in 18 hole stroke play money match, then played in a 9 hole scramble where I made every putt for my team, I made every putt last year to set the record at -11 on the Men’s Monthly 9 Hole Scramble. I also made 17 putts in 2015 to win a 6 person scramble. I am a very good putter. However, on January 15, 2023, I had 42 putts and that included 10 tap ins from close wedge shots. So I while I am generally a good putter, I can be a bad putter some days. 
 
Last year, I watched several videos where Peter Finch gamed a LAB DF2.1. Honestly, I didn’t see that this putter was a dramatic improvement to his putting. I prefer the looks of a blade over any mallet. Besides, I have 6 very good putters in my arsenal. 
 

1.      Scotty Cameron Studio Styles Newport 1.5 GSS 
2.     Scotty Cameron Coronado (Blacked Out)
3.     Scotty Cameron Big Sur (Oil Can) 39”

 
4.     Odyssey Mid 
5.     Odyssey Stroke Labs White Hot Double Wide Triple Track 

6.     Evnroll ER5B
These are mostly blades, but there are toe flow putters and face balanced, heavy and light, from 34” to 39”. 
I had been watching some BustaJack videos and noticed Mason draining putt after putt with an orange DF2.1, but Cole was also making lots of putts with, what I later discovered was the LINK1. Last year, Mason used the MEZZ1 and Cole had a new Scotty.  I noticed a dramatic increase in putts made by 2 guys that were already pretty good putters. My interest was piqued. 
I decided to watch an online review. The first time I saw someone demonstrate what a normal putter does in the “Revealer” I said “Exactly! That’s been my problem. I have felt that!” The very reason I have spent money on more than the 6 expensive putters I still own is because sometimes I feel like I am arm wrestling the putter more than swinging it. 
After seeing scores of these reviews, I signed up for the review test. 
I do not think this is a bandaid for crappy putters. I think this is a superiorly engineered product that will make all golfers better. 
So I signed up for this test to answer these questions:
1.     Can the size and shape of the DF2.1 reduce my mishits?
2.     Have I been fighting with my putter all this time? 
3.     Can Lie Angle Balanced Putters take my putting to the next level? 
After being selected, I went to Dallas Golf and PGA Superstore and looked their selection of LAB putter over. I wanted to look at these in person to decide if the more traditional LINK1 that appealed to my more conservative side was best, or the Directed Force DF2.1 that appealed to my “function over aesthetics” and engineering side was better.
 
In person, I was not offended by the larger head. As a matter of fact it is not significantly larger than a TM Spider or many other mallets. The very first time I saw one, it was an arm lock mixed in with the other arm locks. I didn’t even recognize it by its shape but by ”L.A.B. GOLF” printed on the grip. The head was not noticeable larger than the other mallet putters. Also the long blade length, center shaft, and press grip made the back of the club irrelevant. I barely even notice it.
Traditional in person fitting. 
Dallas Golf had a number of stock length and lie DF2.1. They also had a professional putter fitter there. We went through the process, and once I found the correct loft and lie at Dallas Golf, I made 8 of 8 12’ putts with it. 35” 70° was what worked best for me in the live fitting. 
Online Fitting. 
As part of this test, we had online fittings. It was a simple process of setting up with your gamer putter in front of a door frame and having someone video you at hands level and directly down the line. The interesting thing was I did not tell Sam from LAB the specs that were given at Dallas Golf. He replied back with 35” and 70° lie angle.
 
I happened to be the first one to order my putter, and it shipped surprisingly quickly. I had seen a review with the red putter with white shaft. The color looked more maroon than red. Since I graduated from Texas A&M, a maroon and white putter would be perfect. 
There were no official “Unboxing” pics for a very good reason. My putter was supposed to arrive on Friday. By the following Tuesday it had sat in UPS purgatory for 4 days with no movement. I had a tee time at 12:04 Wednesday afternoon, and I could see that it was on a truck but not headed to my house. I went and parked on a road that their app said the truck was on and waited. When the UPS truck drove by I pulled out behind him and followed him to his next stop. I was waiting for him when he came back out and explained that I had a new putter on his truck and a tee time in 45 minutes and could he give me my package? He said, “As long as you show me your putter I’ll give it to you.” So he gave it to me and I opened it in the Dollar General parking lot. 
 



.
Upon opening the box with the UPS driver, the first thing I saw was the Head Cover. Absolutely beautiful and nicely constructed. The white shaft was gleaming, and it looked incredible. When I removed the cover it was not the maroon I had seen in the two year old video, but a heart-stopping “Kiss My @$$” red. My only disappointment was because I was hoping it was more maroon for nostalgia. However, the “KMA” red looks great. It definitely grabs people’s attention. You be the judge. Does this stand out?


 
I got to the course and found my group was preparing to go off early to beat the approaching storm, so I had to by pass the practice green and go to the first tee box. Since I had visited Dallas Golf the week before I knew what to expect. What I didn’t expect was the reaction from the other players. The very first comment was a total surprise. “That’s a bad @$$ putter! Can I try it? “ I have yet to hear anything but good comments. Especially after they putt with it. 
 
My only disappointment was that the sound when putting with Chrome Soft X LS Triple Track balls. It sounds a little tingy. The first day I had 18 putts in 11 holes. The distance control and set up were easy. The putts simply did not break the same as with a conventional putter. Although at the time it could have been the weather. We only got 11 holes in before the deluge began. 
 
This is as far as I am going for now. This is a long term review and I have only had it for a few rounds. I will say that I am having some adjustment period with this putter. It’s more of a comfort factor on important short breaking putts. 
I’ll update as soon as I can.

Added July 4th  Happy Birthday America  


I thought another pic of the head cover would be appropriate for July 4th , and yes, the shaft does gleam in the sun. 
Aesthetics 
General Shape:The general shape of the head is appealing to me as an engineer. It looks like a very balanced and forgiving design with an extremely wide “sweet spot”. Since I look at the hole instead of the ball, I am susceptible to not striking the center of the club face. This can cause severe distance control issues. But this head allows me to not even think about that. The sound of off centered hits is noticeable, but the performance is not really affected. 
Graphics/Badging LAB has 36 different alignment graphics options. I happen to see a putter face square or perpendicular to the putting line better than just a continuation of the line. So I went with the stock line behind the face.      
How does the overall look come together? The over all looks of this putter are simply stunning. Not only does it look good, it inspires confidence. The ball goes exactly where I am aiming. Which is often the problem. 
How does the appearance compare to other clubs in the same category?TaylorMade has made Spyder putters in various colors for several years. Some of the novelty of colored putter is gone. Had this actually been maroon, it would perhaps be more appealing to me, but it wouldn’t have the same “wow factor”. The shaft and head color contrast makes it stand out well above anything I have ever seen. I actually have had to doctor some of the photos because the shaft gleams in the sun sometimes  
Are they flashy? Do other players notice them in your bag without being prompted? The first time anyone sees it, they start a conversation about it. So much so that guys I don’t even know have approached me in the bar and said they saw me with it and ask questions about it. In the bag that huge head cover with the red and white stripes really stands out. 
Describe how the club sounds and feels  Does it sound: loud, quiet, harsh, smooth, or other? The sound is very dependent on the ball that is used. The firmer balls sound pingy or tinny. They sound like I didn’t strike them well. I purchased a lot of Callaway Chrome Soft X LS Triple Tracks back in February when I was going through a bad putting spell, thinking that I could use the alignment aid. That turned out to not help. But I liked the ball. The Titleist ProV1 and the newer model of the AVX do not sound that way at all. They are much duller sounding, smoother, more solid. I haven’t really tried the Taylormade balls. I will try the TP5X. I need a lower spinning ball for my driver, but I have a new shaft coming tomorrow so we will see. My only deduction in this review so far is the sound. If there was a softer insert like the original Odyssey White Hot face, then I’d probably give it 10/10.
Compare the sound to something non-golf. A firm ball sounds like a lightweight horseshoe hitting the top of the steak. While the softer ball sounds more like it is hitting the ground. 
Does it feel soft, crisp, dull, clicky? The X LS feels like it was not struck firmly, while the AVX feels like more of a solid strike. What I meant by that is balls hit low on the face have a tingy sound  The harder more clicky off other putter balls sound tingy  
Does it feel consistent across the face, or are mis-hits noticeably pronounced? The reason I went with the DF2.1 was because when I was testing these at Dallas Golf, I intentionally lined up with the ball 1/2” from the toe. This startled the fitter and he stopped me before I hit to tell me. I said I knew and was testing something. The putt still went the same distance and I sank the putt. I did the same with the heel and I think that one lipped out, but still went the proper distance. Because of the  shape and balance there is no discernible difference in the feel or performance across the face. There is a difference in sound but not really feel on really low on the face hits  
Compare to your best/worst feel and sound experiences. Even the worst sound off the putter face is acceptable if it is followed shortly after by the ball rattling in the cup of clicking off the flag stick. 
Does the sound/feel affect your performance? I would say that the softer sound off the softer ball makes me feel as if I struck the ball better. The tinnier sound makes me think I mishit it. 

 
This is during a ball test (TP5, TP5X, AVX). It’s about 50’ with 4’ left to right break downhill but goes back up at the end. This was typical of my grouping.  More random pics and close ups later.
The Numbers (39 of 40)
Accuracy - Can you repeatedly putt over the same spot or through a gate? Absolutely! From the very start this putter hit exactly where I aimed. My biggest issue was my setup and grip initially were flawed, and I was not actually aiming the putter where I thought I was.  After spending some time with drills and focusing on my setup, I would say the putter is much more accurate than the user. 
Distance Control - Is it easy to gauge distance? Because of my putting style, distance control is rarely an issue for me. I wanted this putter because I stand about 10 feet behind the ball, see my line, move left or right so I’m looking down the line, walk up and set my putter and make minuet adjustments all the while looking at the hole. When that feels right right I look at the spot the ball must enter the hole and hit it to that spot. Three-putts generally happen because you were 5-8 feet short or long, not because you mis-read the break by 5-8’. I either make the putt or have a tap in. 
Stability of Stroke - Does it say on path during the stroke or does it have a tendency to waiver? I have never experienced any putter more stable than this one. The biggest adjustment I am having is how the ball rolls more true than what I was used to. 
Forgiveness - Compare impacts on all 6 segments of the head. As stated, I intentionally hit off the toe and heel and found this to be awesome. During the 2 months and perhaps 32 rounds I have missed putts because of misreads and improper aim, but I have not pulled the ball or pushed it or hit it on the face that caused it to stray off line. This blade is 4 3/4” wide. This morning I intentionally hit the call 1/4” from the toe and again from the heel. There was no discernible difference in line or distance. I was hitting 3 balls on a relatively straight 20’ putt. There was no pattern to the misses and actually sank some off the toe and heel and center. 
Playability - Green vs Fringe vs Rough vs Slopes of all angles This has been the biggest surprise of all. I am more likely to putt from the fairway, fringe, or rough than chip now. I am a great chipper. The real reason I have fewer putts than most people is because I hit wedges or chip closer to the hole. This is so solid all I have to do is nothing different than if I were on the green. Just hit it harder. I putt more from off the green rather than chip because it is so controllable. 
 
On-Course (9 of 10)
Pressure – When you step up to a difficult shot with something on the line (money, best score, water water water) can you execute for success? I play money matches 4 days a week. There are 4 parts to a putt. Reading the green, setting up to the proper line, making a good stroke, and hitting it the proper distance. In the past, I have always had to be concerned with making a bad stroke. That worry is gone. Knowing that I have the right putter means knowing I can make the short putts without fear the club will twist. That means even on the tee my stress is lower. 
What factors were you pleased with? The fact that I don’t have to worry about striking the center of the face, or the putter wanting to twist is so comforting. 
What factors did you find lacking? I do not like the tinny sound with the firmer balls. 

Final Performance Comments:
Overall, how did it perform? This is not the final review but so far, as I told Sam from LAB, I can only see replacing this club with another one with an insert to make it feel and sound a little better.
Did it help improve your scores? By how much? This is the interesting part. My number of putts may actually be up while my scores were lower. New diet and drugs have reduced my knees and ankle issues to the point where I am hitting the driver and irons better. Swing changes, ball changes, and even the starting line up in the bag have changed, all of which have contributed to my handicap index dropping 3.6 strokes since I put this club in the bag. While I cannot definitively say that this club has shaved # strokes off my score, I can say that I have never felt that I brought the wrong putter to the course. 
How, if at all, did this product change your overall impression of the OEM? I had seen these putters in videos, Peter Finch and Adam Scott, and I thought they were a gimmick. Similar to the Stand Alone Putter that you could stand up behind the ball and go back and check the alignment, or the Pyramid Putter. I had zero interest in them. It wasn’t until I watched a number of BustaJack videos where they were both using them and making a lot of putts I decided to check them out. Those videos made me think this wasn’t a gimmick. 2 months into this, and I absolutely believe it is a putter that can help everybody.  
What feature would you change or eliminate from the next generation of this model? I would change something to change the sound, perhaps an insert. But if the ting is followed by the ball rattling in the cup, it is easy to get used to. 
What features do you really like, and would most like to see continued or evolved in future models? The anti-torque design or Lie Angle Balance is really an awesome feature. This putter really works best with a very light grip. Unlike other putters that want to twist, this does not. I’m finding more and more that a very light grip allows the club to flow through the putt better. 
 
The Good, the bad, the in-between (18 out of 20)
The good is that does everything it is advertised to do. The bad is that it could sound better and it takes up a lot of space in the bag. These are the only drawbacks that I have with this putter  
 
Play it or Trade it? (10 of 10)
100% Play it. I may even sell all my other putters, and I’ve only sold 1 putter in my life. If I do sell my other putters and some excess clubs, I will likely buy a LAB Golf LINK1. 
 
Conclusion
In conclusion, I asked 3 questions before I got this putter. 
1.     Can the size and shape of the DF2.1 reduce my mishits? Yes, I have not had a putt come up short because I didn’t hit the center of the putter face. 
2.     Have I been fighting with my putter all this time? Yes. During this short period, the Lie Angle Balanced putter has totally eradicated my pulled and pushed putts caused, I now believe, by the putter arc not coinciding with my swing. I have not experienced this putter not conforming to my swing that day. 
3.     Can Lie Angle Balanced Putters take my putting to the next level? This is yet to be seen. As I stated, I am actually having more putts now, but that’s because I’m having fewer other shots. It’s only a matter of time before I get everything working at once. My last 5 rounds I was very close to making 5 or 6 birdies per round. 
 
Final Score (93 out of 100)
While is is a long term review, and I will add comments in this thread through the next couple of years, after 20 or so rounds, I know enough to say that it is everything I hoped it would be. It has pointed out that I had setup issues that affect my aiming. I’ve altered my pre-round routine to fix this problem.  

Similar putt as before, but this time the opposite direction up the hill. 

Back down the hill again on a slightly different line.

Just a view back to the hole, but zoomed in a little. The point of these 4 pics is to show the repeatability with this putter. 
Today is July 4th. At my club, they have 3 meals, a 6-person family scramble, and fireworks. I opted to not play in the 5 hour 6-person scramble and went to the practice area to do some ball testing. 50 yards and in and putting with my gamer ball, the AVX, against TP5 and TP5X. I usually only use one ball on the practice greens, but today I had 3. I decided to include the following pictures because they are indicative how I have been doing on long putts. I was practicing 50-60’ breaking putts both uphill and downhill. This is just some random pics, but the grouping is what I was doing all day and is my normal leave. I have unrealistic goals and often leave the green disappointed because I lip out or just miss from that range. 
I’m also very upset with myself because last week I played Trinity Forest with the 2 owners of my company. I was expecting to wow them with my LAB DF2.1 putter. However, the one that lives in Utah had a blue DF2.1 Arm Lock in the bag, and the one from Kansas City had a black standard DF2.1 in his bag. Yes, all three of us had LAB putters. I said I wanted a pic of us with the putters and only thought about it 18 times that day and 18 times the next day at Cowboy’s GC, but I never thought to take my camera to the green. They both loved their putters. We are playing in Florida next month, and MAYBE I can remember. 
 
I should also point out that the guy with the black DF2.1 was putting better than I have ever seen him putt. Our caddie remarked that he had never seen the entire group with basically the same putters putt as well as we did as a group. I made over 200’  of putts at Trinity Forest. Okay, truth time, I missed probably 400’ of putts and 7 times I made 12-15’ come-backers because I “blew” it passed the hole. I mostly 2 putted, but I did have a 4 putt double on a 220 yard par 3. I “hit the green in regulation” but since I had a 120’ putt, I’m not sure it should count as such. I “won” the hole with a double bogey. 
 
Appendix 1 of Conclusion. 


Look what showed up on the putting green before my regular Wednesday afternoon match. A couple of weeks ago I told him the same thing I told my bosses on the phone. Every year or two, thousands of golfers spend $500 on a driver that they will use perhaps 14 times in an effort to gain 2-3 more yards and perhaps hit a fairway or two more. Neither will have a drastic effect on their scores. Or perhaps spend $400 for a newer. shinier version of a 1960’s technology putter. Why not spend $400-500 on a totally different technology? One that changes the way we think about putters and that may actually save strokes?
Terry said that inside 5’ the MEZZ was awesome. 

Who is RoverRick? 
I’m 58 (for a few more days), married, former military, former Boy Scout Leader, former business owner and engineer. Now a manager for largest contractor for the largest trucking operation in the US. 
How did I become “RoverRick”?
My first online forum was a Land Rover chat. I absolutely loved my Range Rover, when it would start, and tired of the mechanical issues, and having an engineering degree, I rebuilt the engine one time. However, there came a point where I needed reliable transportation so I left that phase of my life.
How did my golfing life evolve?
I started golf in high school, but was never serious about it and played 3-4 times a year. I took golf as my P.E. (it was still called P.E. back then) courses in college. Didn’t play during my Army years and moved to Dallas in 1992 and joined the corporate world. In 1996, I moved back to East Texas and started playing more golf. In 1997, I joined my current country club and began playing with the same guys I play with now, although there were originally 4 of us and now 26 players are in our tee time group. It was a glorified cow pasture back then, but has been rebuilt and is one of the nicest in East Texas now.
In 2002, I became self-employed, and played Wednesdays and weekends, when I was in town. I traveled a lot around the US and decided I wanted to play in every state. I’ve played in 49 states, never been to Maine, 8 countries and 4 continents. At this point it was never about score. Pure enjoyment. 
Then in 2008, my business changed to where I was primarily focusing on Europe. At 2pm everyday it was 10pm for the people I was dealing with, so I was able to play golf every afternoon. In 2009, at age 45 I decided to try to become a scratch golfer by age 50. I joined MGS around in 2011. My official handicap was 0.2 on my 50th birthday in May of 2014, but after that I hovered between a 2-4 until 2017. On my 49th birthday, I also noticed I was one if the few men in my family with hair so I decided I wanted to have a ponytail on my 50th birthday also. I hated it and cut it the day after my birthday. 
I left golf for about a year in 2018. I decided to come back to golf in 2019 but within a couple of months, I was in an accident just as I was regaining my swing. I went to work in a different industry for the benefits, and it was a great opportunity at a great company where I speak to my bosses once every two weeks, and we primarily talk about golf and what I need from them. The last 5 years have not been kind physically. I developed osteoarthritis in both knees and right ankle. And physically it seems as every time I make gains with my swing another physical limitation comes up. It’s been a struggle, which I have documented some here on MGS. 
However, I am a golf nut. I will never be a long hitter and have always relied on my short game and putter. Most of the last couple of years has been trying to retool my long game swing and overcome my knee issues and keep the ball in play but to the detriment of my short game. I realize this is stupid because when I was “scratch” for that brief period, it was not because of my long game. It was because from 120 yards in, I averaged 8-10 feet and I made the majority of my putts from inside 10’. 
My goals in golf now is to put it in the fairway, give me a shot at the green, and and give me a shot at par. These are goals. Obviously, I’m not doing that right now. 

What are my plans for golf in the future?
I recently discovered something about wedges. While they may not be the best in every category Vokey wedges give me confidence. Just something about knowing I have that wedge that allows me to hit a good shot. I have Taylormade, Mizuno, Callaway that on the range and practice are do better. But not on the course. 

How do I plan to test this putter?

Honestly, I could go get on same putting wizard like machine and compare which has the better roll, etc. I can make putts with any putter with some practice. But putting to me is all about feel. I feel the break, I feel the speed. I feel the confidence that the ball is going to go where I want it. 
To me, the purpose of putting is to get the ball in the hole to win or tie the hole. When I have to focus on my putting stroke verses getting the ball in the hole, I lose confidence. The putter I’m using right now, I have to return my attention to the putter before contact to ensure a center strike and true distance. 
 
I have 4 stroke play matches per week and I have 3 match play matches scheduled this month and I have 2 tournaments I’m playing in. Will this putter allow me to preform under pressure and actually reduce the pressure by instilling trust and confidence? That’s the true test of a putter verses purity of roll or any tangible or measurable metric. 
 
L.A.B. Directed Force DF2.1 Putter Introduction and First Impressions (17 of 20) Added on June 2  
 
Why did I sign up for this test?
When the LAB Putter signup first came out, I did not sign up. I am a really good putter and don’t go in for the latest gimmicks. On April 12, 2023, I had 21 putts in 18 hole stroke play money match, then played in a 9 hole scramble where I made every putt for my team, I made every putt last year to set the record at -11 on the Men’s Monthly 9 Hole Scramble. I also made 17 putts in 2015 to win a 6 person scramble. I am a very good putter. However, on January 15, 2023, I had 42 putts and that included 10 tap ins from close wedge shots. So I while I am generally a good putter, I can be a bad putter some days. 
 
Last year, I watched several videos where Peter Finch gamed a LAB DF2.1. Honestly, I didn’t see that this putter was a dramatic improvement to his putting. I prefer the looks of a blade over any mallet. Besides, I have 6 very good putters in my arsenal. 
 

1.      Scotty Cameron Studio Styles Newport 1.5 GSS 
2.     Scotty Cameron Coronado (Blacked Out)
3.     Scotty Cameron Big Sur (Oil Can) 39”

 
4.     Odyssey Mid 
5.     Odyssey Stroke Labs White Hot Double Wide Triple Track 

6.     Evnroll ER5B
These are mostly blades, but there are toe flow putters and face balanced, heavy and light, from 34” to 39”. 
I had been watching some BustaJack videos and noticed Mason draining putt after putt with an orange DF2.1, but Cole was also making lots of putts with, what I later discovered was the LINK1. Last year, Mason used the MEZZ1 and Cole had a new Scotty.  I noticed a dramatic increase in putts made by 2 guys that were already pretty good putters. My interest was piqued. 
I decided to watch an online review. The first time I saw someone demonstrate what a normal putter does in the “Revealer” I said “Exactly! That’s been my problem. I have felt that!” The very reason I have spent money on more than the 6 expensive putters I still own is because sometimes I feel like I am arm wrestling the putter more than swinging it. 
After seeing scores of these reviews, I signed up for the review test. 
I do not think this is a bandaid for crappy putters. I think this is a superiorly engineered product that will make all golfers better. 
So I signed up for this test to answer these questions:
1.     Can the size and shape of the DF2.1 reduce my mishits?
2.     Have I been fighting with my putter all this time? 
3.     Can Lie Angle Balanced Putters take my putting to the next level? 
After being selected, I went to Dallas Golf and PGA Superstore and looked their selection of LAB putter over. I wanted to look at these in person to decide if the more traditional LINK1 that appealed to my more conservative side was best, or the Directed Force DF2.1 that appealed to my “function over aesthetics” and engineering side was better.
 
In person, I was not offended by the larger head. As a matter of fact it is not significantly larger than a TM Spider or many other mallets. The very first time I saw one, it was an arm lock mixed in with the other arm locks. I didn’t even recognize it by its shape but by ”L.A.B. GOLF” printed on the grip. The head was not noticeable larger than the other mallet putters. Also the long blade length, center shaft, and press grip made the back of the club irrelevant. I barely even notice it.
Traditional in person fitting. 
Dallas Golf had a number of stock length and lie DF2.1. They also had a professional putter fitter there. We went through the process, and once I found the correct loft and lie at Dallas Golf, I made 8 of 8 12’ putts with it. 35” 70° was what worked best for me in the live fitting. 
Online Fitting. 
As part of this test, we had online fittings. It was a simple process of setting up with your gamer putter in front of a door frame and having someone video you at hands level and directly down the line. The interesting thing was I did not tell Sam from LAB the specs that were given at Dallas Golf. He replied back with 35” and 70° lie angle.
 
I happened to be the first one to order my putter, and it shipped surprisingly quickly. I had seen a review with the red putter with white shaft. The color looked more maroon than red. Since I graduated from Texas A&M, a maroon and white putter would be perfect. 
There were no official “Unboxing” pics for a very good reason. My putter was supposed to arrive on Friday. By the following Tuesday it had sat in UPS purgatory for 4 days with no movement. I had a tee time at 12:04 Wednesday afternoon, and I could see that it was on a truck but not headed to my house. I went and parked on a road that their app said the truck was on and waited. When the UPS truck drove by I pulled out behind him and followed him to his next stop. I was waiting for him when he came back out and explained that I had a new putter on his truck and a tee time in 45 minutes and could he give me my package? He said, “As long as you show me your putter I’ll give it to you.” So he gave it to me and I opened it in the Dollar General parking lot. 
 



.
Upon opening the box with the UPS driver, the first thing I saw was the Head Cover. Absolutely beautiful and nicely constructed. The white shaft was gleaming, and it looked incredible. When I removed the cover it was not the maroon I had seen in the two year old video, but a heart-stopping “Kiss My @$$” red. My only disappointment was because I was hoping it was more maroon for nostalgia. However, the “KMA” red looks great. It definitely grabs people’s attention. You be the judge. Does this stand out?


 
I got to the course and found my group was preparing to go off early to beat the approaching storm, so I had to by pass the practice green and go to the first tee box. Since I had visited Dallas Golf the week before I knew what to expect. What I didn’t expect was the reaction from the other players. The very first comment was a total surprise. “That’s a bad @$$ putter! Can I try it? “ I have yet to hear anything but good comments. Especially after they putt with it. 
 
My only disappointment was that the sound when putting with Chrome Soft X LS Triple Track balls. It sounds a little tingy. The first day I had 18 putts in 11 holes. The distance control and set up were easy. The putts simply did not break the same as with a conventional putter. Although at the time it could have been the weather. We only got 11 holes in before the deluge began. 
 
This is as far as I am going for now. This is a long term review and I have only had it for a few rounds. I will say that I am having some adjustment period with this putter. It’s more of a comfort factor on important short breaking putts. 
I’ll update as soon as I can.

Added July 4th  Happy Birthday America  


I thought another pic of the head cover would be appropriate for July 4th , and yes, the shaft does gleam in the sun. 
Aesthetics 
General Shape:The general shape of the head is appealing to me as an engineer. It looks like a very balanced and forgiving design with an extremely wide “sweet spot”. Since I look at the hole instead of the ball, I am susceptible to not striking the center of the club face. This can cause severe distance control issues. But this head allows me to not even think about that. The sound of off centered hits is noticeable, but the performance is not really affected. 
Graphics/Badging LAB has 36 different alignment graphics options. I happen to see a putter face square or perpendicular to the putting line better than just a continuation of the line. So I went with the stock line behind the face.      
How does the overall look come together? The over all looks of this putter are simply stunning. Not only does it look good, it inspires confidence. The ball goes exactly where I am aiming. Which is often the problem. 
How does the appearance compare to other clubs in the same category?TaylorMade has made Spyder putters in various colors for several years. Some of the novelty of colored putter is gone. Had this actually been maroon, it would perhaps be more appealing to me, but it wouldn’t have the same “wow factor”. The shaft and head color contrast makes it stand out well above anything I have ever seen. I actually have had to doctor some of the photos because the shaft gleams in the sun sometimes  
Are they flashy? Do other players notice them in your bag without being prompted? The first time anyone sees it, they start a conversation about it. So much so that guys I don’t even know have approached me in the bar and said they saw me with it and ask questions about it. In the bag that huge head cover with the red and white stripes really stands out. 
Describe how the club sounds and feels  Does it sound: loud, quiet, harsh, smooth, or other? The sound is very dependent on the ball that is used. The firmer balls sound pingy or tinny. They sound like I didn’t strike them well. I purchased a lot of Callaway Chrome Soft X LS Triple Tracks back in February when I was going through a bad putting spell, thinking that I could use the alignment aid. That turned out to not help. But I liked the ball. The Titleist ProV1 and the newer model of the AVX do not sound that way at all. They are much duller sounding, smoother, more solid. I haven’t really tried the Taylormade balls. I will try the TP5X. I need a lower spinning ball for my driver, but I have a new shaft coming tomorrow so we will see. My only deduction in this review so far is the sound. If there was a softer insert like the original Odyssey White Hot face, then I’d probably give it 10/10.
Compare the sound to something non-golf. A firm ball sounds like a lightweight horseshoe hitting the top of the steak. While the softer ball sounds more like it is hitting the ground. 
Does it feel soft, crisp, dull, clicky? The X LS feels like it was not struck firmly, while the AVX feels like more of a solid strike. What I meant by that is balls hit low on the face have a tingy sound  The harder more clicky off other putter balls sound tingy  
Does it feel consistent across the face, or are mis-hits noticeably pronounced? The reason I went with the DF2.1 was because when I was testing these at Dallas Golf, I intentionally lined up with the ball 1/2” from the toe. This startled the fitter and he stopped me before I hit to tell me. I said I knew and was testing something. The putt still went the same distance and I sank the putt. I did the same with the heel and I think that one lipped out, but still went the proper distance. Because of the  shape and balance there is no discernible difference in the feel or performance across the face. There is a difference in sound but not really feel on really low on the face hits  
Compare to your best/worst feel and sound experiences. Even the worst sound off the putter face is acceptable if it is followed shortly after by the ball rattling in the cup of clicking off the flag stick. 
Does the sound/feel affect your performance? I would say that the softer sound off the softer ball makes me feel as if I struck the ball better. The tinnier sound makes me think I mishit it. 

 
This is during a ball test (TP5, TP5X, AVX). It’s about 50’ with 4’ left to right break downhill but goes back up at the end. This was typical of my grouping.  More random pics and close ups later.
The Numbers (39 of 40)
Accuracy - Can you repeatedly putt over the same spot or through a gate? Absolutely! From the very start this putter hit exactly where I aimed. My biggest issue was my setup and grip initially were flawed, and I was not actually aiming the putter where I thought I was.  After spending some time with drills and focusing on my setup, I would say the putter is much more accurate than the user. 
Distance Control - Is it easy to gauge distance? Because of my putting style, distance control is rarely an issue for me. I wanted this putter because I stand about 10 feet behind the ball, see my line, move left or right so I’m looking down the line, walk up and set my putter and make minuet adjustments all the while looking at the hole. When that feels right right I look at the spot the ball must enter the hole and hit it to that spot. Three-putts generally happen because you were 5-8 feet short or long, not because you mis-read the break by 5-8’. I either make the putt or have a tap in. 
Stability of Stroke - Does it say on path during the stroke or does it have a tendency to waiver? I have never experienced any putter more stable than this one. The biggest adjustment I am having is how the ball rolls more true than what I was used to. 
Forgiveness - Compare impacts on all 6 segments of the head. As stated, I intentionally hit off the toe and heel and found this to be awesome. During the 2 months and perhaps 32 rounds I have missed putts because of misreads and improper aim, but I have not pulled the ball or pushed it or hit it on the face that caused it to stray off line. This blade is 4 3/4” wide. This morning I intentionally hit the call 1/4” from the toe and again from the heel. There was no discernible difference in line or distance. I was hitting 3 balls on a relatively straight 20’ putt. There was no pattern to the misses and actually sank some off the toe and heel and center. 
Playability - Green vs Fringe vs Rough vs Slopes of all angles This has been the biggest surprise of all. I am more likely to putt from the fairway, fringe, or rough than chip now. I am a great chipper. The real reason I have fewer putts than most people is because I hit wedges or chip closer to the hole. This is so solid all I have to do is nothing different than if I were on the green. Just hit it harder. I putt more from off the green rather than chip because it is so controllable. 
 
On-Course (9 of 10)
Pressure – When you step up to a difficult shot with something on the line (money, best score, water water water) can you execute for success? I play money matches 4 days a week. There are 4 parts to a putt. Reading the green, setting up to the proper line, making a good stroke, and hitting it the proper distance. In the past, I have always had to be concerned with making a bad stroke. That worry is gone. Knowing that I have the right putter means knowing I can make the short putts without fear the club will twist. That means even on the tee my stress is lower. 
What factors were you pleased with? The fact that I don’t have to worry about striking the center of the face, or the putter wanting to twist is so comforting. 
What factors did you find lacking? I do not like the tinny sound with the firmer balls. 

Final Performance Comments:
Overall, how did it perform? This is not the final review but so far, as I told Sam from LAB, I can only see replacing this club with another one with an insert to make it feel and sound a little better.
Did it help improve your scores? By how much? This is the interesting part. My number of putts may actually be up while my scores were lower. New diet and drugs have reduced my knees and ankle issues to the point where I am hitting the driver and irons better. Swing changes, ball changes, and even the starting line up in the bag have changed, all of which have contributed to my handicap index dropping 3.6 strokes since I put this club in the bag. While I cannot definitively say that this club has shaved # strokes off my score, I can say that I have never felt that I brought the wrong putter to the course. 
How, if at all, did this product change your overall impression of the OEM? I had seen these putters in videos, Peter Finch and Adam Scott, and I thought they were a gimmick. Similar to the Stand Alone Putter that you could stand up behind the ball and go back and check the alignment, or the Pyramid Putter. I had zero interest in them. It wasn’t until I watched a number of BustaJack videos where they were both using them and making a lot of putts I decided to check them out. Those videos made me think this wasn’t a gimmick. 2 months into this, and I absolutely believe it is a putter that can help everybody.  
What feature would you change or eliminate from the next generation of this model? I would change something to change the sound, perhaps an insert. But if the ting is followed by the ball rattling in the cup, it is easy to get used to. 
What features do you really like, and would most like to see continued or evolved in future models? The anti-torque design or Lie Angle Balance is really an awesome feature. This putter really works best with a very light grip. Unlike other putters that want to twist, this does not. I’m finding more and more that a very light grip allows the club to flow through the putt better. 
 
The Good, the bad, the in-between (18 out of 20)
The good is that does everything it is advertised to do. The bad is that it could sound better and it takes up a lot of space in the bag. These are the only drawbacks that I have with this putter  
 
Play it or Trade it? (10 of 10)
100% Play it. I may even sell all my other putters, and I’ve only sold 1 putter in my life. If I do sell my other putters and some excess clubs, I will likely buy a LAB Golf LINK1. 
 
Conclusion
In conclusion, I asked 3 questions before I got this putter. 
1.     Can the size and shape of the DF2.1 reduce my mishits? Yes, I have not had a putt come up short because I didn’t hit the center of the putter face. 
2.     Have I been fighting with my putter all this time? Yes. During this short period, the Lie Angle Balanced putter has totally eradicated my pulled and pushed putts caused, I now believe, by the putter arc not coinciding with my swing. I have not experienced this putter not conforming to my swing that day. 
3.     Can Lie Angle Balanced Putters take my putting to the next level? This is yet to be seen. As I stated, I am actually having more putts now, but that’s because I’m having fewer other shots. It’s only a matter of time before I get everything working at once. My last 5 rounds I was very close to making 5 or 6 birdies per round. 
 
Final Score (93 out of 100)
While is is a long term review, and I will add comments in this thread through the next couple of years, after 20 or so rounds, I know enough to say that it is everything I hoped it would be. It has pointed out that I had setup issues that affect my aiming. I’ve altered my pre-round routine to fix this problem.  

Similar putt as before, but this time the opposite direction up the hill. 

Back down the hill again on a slightly different line.

Just a view back to the hole, but zoomed in a little. The point of these 4 pics is to show the repeatability with this putter. 
Today is July 4th. At my club, they have 3 meals, a 6-person family scramble, and fireworks. I opted to not play in the 5 hour 6-person scramble and went to the practice area to do some ball testing. 50 yards and in and putting with my gamer ball, the AVX, against TP5 and TP5X. I usually only use one ball on the practice greens, but today I had 3. I decided to include the following pictures because they are indicative how I have been doing on long putts. I was practicing 50-60’ breaking putts both uphill and downhill. This is just some random pics, but the grouping is what I was doing all day and is my normal leave. I have unrealistic goals and often leave the green disappointed because I lip out or just miss from that range. 
I’m also very upset with myself because last week I played Trinity Forest with the 2 owners of my company. I was expecting to wow them with my LAB DF2.1 putter. However, the one that lives in Utah had a blue DF2.1 Arm Lock in the bag, and the one from Kansas City had a black standard DF2.1 in his bag. Yes, all three of us had LAB putters. I said I wanted a pic of us with the putters and only thought about it 18 times that day and 18 times the next day at Cowboy’s GC, but I never thought to take my camera to the green. They both loved their putters. We are playing in Florida next month, and MAYBE I can remember. 
 
I should also point out that the guy with the black DF2.1 was putting better than I have ever seen him putt. Our caddie remarked that he had never seen the entire group with basically the same putters putt as well as we did as a group. I made over 200’  of putts at Trinity Forest. Okay, truth time, I missed probably 400’ of putts and 7 times I made 12-15’ come-backers because I “blew” it passed the hole. I mostly 2 putted, but I did have a 4 putt double on a 220 yard par 3. I “hit the green in regulation” but since I had a 120’ putt, I’m not sure it should count as such. I “won” the hole with a double bogey. 
 
Appendix 1 of Conclusion. 


Look what showed up on the putting green before my regular Wednesday afternoon match. A couple of weeks ago I told him the same thing I told my bosses on the phone. Every year or two, thousands of golfers spend $500 on a driver that they will use perhaps 14 times in an effort to gain 2-3 more yards and perhaps hit a fairway or two more. Neither will have a drastic effect on their scores. Or perhaps spend $400 for a newer. shinier version of a 1960’s technology putter. Why not spend $400-500 on a totally different technology? One that changes the way we think about putters and that may actually save strokes?
Terry said that inside 5’ the MEZZ was awesome. 

The LAB Golf DF2.1 is safe unless I spring for the LINK1. The only problem I have with the DF2.1 is the space in the bag. I don’t expect the LINK1 to outperform the Directed Force which is why nothing has been done about it. 
 
I have no real loyalty to any other club in the bag. Just the shafts.

Date 11/29/2023 Course Name Sulphur Springs Country Club Gross Score 79 Course Handicap 7 Gross Strokes over/under par 7 Net Score to Par 0 Net Score 72 Net Birdies or better 5 Longest Drive 237 SIM Round? We started the round as 5 foursomes, but we were behind a very slow group, and the 3 faster groups reorganized into 2 sixsomes so we didn’t have to wait every shot. Instead we just had to wait occasionally. I moved up a tee so my handicap was a 7 not a 9, but I had already set my handicap in the app. 

I played a pretty solid round except for misjudging the wind on 7 blowing over the green and then not focusing and made a double from 122 in the fairway. I also went for 18 in two and hitting into the water. Them dropped 66 yards out and hit the wedge to 1 foot. 

Date 11/29/2023 Course Name Sulphur Springs Country Club Gross Score 79 Course Handicap 7 Gross Strokes over/under par 7 Net Score to Par 0 Net Score 72 Net Birdies or better 5 Longest Drive 237 SIM Round? We started the round as 5 foursomes, but we were behind a very slow group, and the 3 faster groups reorganized into 2 sixsomes so we didn’t have to wait every shot. Instead we just had to wait occasionally. I moved up a tee so my handicap was a 7 not a 9, but I had already set my handicap in the app. 

I played a pretty solid round except for misjudging the wind on 7 blowing over the green and then not focusing and made a double from 122 in the fairway. I also went for 18 in two and hitting into the water. Them dropped 66 yards out and hit the wedge to 1 foot. 

The LAB Golf DF2.1 is safe unless I spring for the LINK1. The only problem I have with the DF2.1 is the space in the bag. I don’t expect the LINK1 to outperform the Directed Force which is why nothing has been done about it. 
 
I have no real loyalty to any other club in the bag. Just the shafts.

LAB has sold 4 putters to people I play with regularly since I have been gaming mine. More and more talk is being generated by these guys playing with them also. 

I normally play the AVX. When I played these balls side-by-side, I couldn’t see any real world difference in them. However, the Test Ball felt softer off the putter. I loved the feel of this ball and the performance was a few feet either way. My strike could account for the difference. 
I could definitely see and feel a difference in the performance between the Test ball and the ProV1, ProV1x, and the left dash ProV1X, but as I said, this felt like perhaps a new version of the AVX. 
One thing I absolutely loved about this, aside from the feel off the putter, was the durability of this ball. 
 

The ball on the left has been played for 45 holes. Granted I didn’t bang it off trees or down cart paths, but I took this picture and then played another 18 holes and it still looked fine. Sadly, it doesn’t float any better than any other ball. 

All-in-all, I like this ball a lot. 

LAB has sold 4 putters to people I play with regularly since I have been gaming mine. More and more talk is being generated by these guys playing with them also. 

I normally play the AVX. When I played these balls side-by-side, I couldn’t see any real world difference in them. However, the Test Ball felt softer off the putter. I loved the feel of this ball and the performance was a few feet either way. My strike could account for the difference. 
I could definitely see and feel a difference in the performance between the Test ball and the ProV1, ProV1x, and the left dash ProV1X, but as I said, this felt like perhaps a new version of the AVX. 
One thing I absolutely loved about this, aside from the feel off the putter, was the durability of this ball. 
 

The ball on the left has been played for 45 holes. Granted I didn’t bang it off trees or down cart paths, but I took this picture and then played another 18 holes and it still looked fine. Sadly, it doesn’t float any better than any other ball. 

All-in-all, I like this ball a lot. 

I have not. I have the Accra in my DF2.1. I’m on record as saying that I didn’t think I would spend the extra money for the upgraded shaft. Now 90+ days later, I may have been wrong. I can’t say that on one single putt I could feel that it made any difference. However, when I think about all my putts in total this shaft just feels so stable and a stock Scotty putter now feels wimpy by comparison. So would I have done it at the time? No. Would I have been wrong? Probably. 
 
So 3 months later, I would say I would not be disappointed to have spent $100 more for the Accra shaft. Now the question becomes is the LA Golf shaft worth $200 more dollars than the Accra and $300 more than stock? 
 
There are two feels in a golf club. The first is how it feels in your hands. Accra vs LA. I seriously doubt you could feel $200 difference on a putt. The second is how does it make you feel. When you pull that putter out of the bag and you think “I have the most bad @$$ putter in the world. A thousand dollars worth of LAB Golf DF2.1 with a LA Golf TPT shaft, and I’m the best putter in the whole world.” So if that putter makes you feel more confident or just better about life then it’s worth it. 
 
I’ve struggled with my driver for the past couple of years. I traded a Stealth Plus and G425 for a G430 and some cash. Is the G430 really worth more than those 2 combined? It doesn’t matter. It give me confidence. It has way more to do with the swing than the club, but in the one week I have had it, I won twice as much money as I spent on the driver. I know I’m going to play well with my it. Keep in mind, this is a driver that I use 12 times in a round. If a putter makes you feel confident, and the money doesn’t matter, than it’s worth it. 

I normally play the AVX. When I played these balls side-by-side, I couldn’t see any real world difference in them. However, the Test Ball felt softer off the putter. I loved the feel of this ball and the performance was a few feet either way. My strike could account for the difference. 
I could definitely see and feel a difference in the performance between the Test ball and the ProV1, ProV1x, and the left dash ProV1X, but as I said, this felt like perhaps a new version of the AVX. 
One thing I absolutely loved about this, aside from the feel off the putter, was the durability of this ball. 
 

The ball on the left has been played for 45 holes. Granted I didn’t bang it off trees or down cart paths, but I took this picture and then played another 18 holes and it still looked fine. Sadly, it doesn’t float any better than any other ball. 

All-in-all, I like this ball a lot. 

I normally play the AVX. When I played these balls side-by-side, I couldn’t see any real world difference in them. However, the Test Ball felt softer off the putter. I loved the feel of this ball and the performance was a few feet either way. My strike could account for the difference. 
I could definitely see and feel a difference in the performance between the Test ball and the ProV1, ProV1x, and the left dash ProV1X, but as I said, this felt like perhaps a new version of the AVX. 
One thing I absolutely loved about this, aside from the feel off the putter, was the durability of this ball. 
 

The ball on the left has been played for 45 holes. Granted I didn’t bang it off trees or down cart paths, but I took this picture and then played another 18 holes and it still looked fine. Sadly, it doesn’t float any better than any other ball. 

All-in-all, I like this ball a lot. 

I certainly didn’t expect it. Wednesday, I shot 47-35, which was my best round of the week. That day my wedges heated up on the back 9. Today my whole philosophy was different. I knew there would be no roll to speak of, that a high ball would blow all over the course, so take more club but play for the “safe miss” and wedge it close. 
My 2 bogies were from 8’ par putts that the wind blew just enough to miss the hole. 

I was far from perfect ball striking but my mishits were in good places. 

I think it was course management and coming to the realization that this is not 2017, and I can’t move the same way I did when I was a 0.2 handicap. What I can do is putt and pitch as well as I did then. So I spent time on that yesterday after the round. I’m also switching from the “clock-method” to using different body parts as a reference. I also went to wedges with more bounce and a wider sole for the softer conditions. 

I normally play the AVX. When I played these balls side-by-side, I couldn’t see any real world difference in them. However, the Test Ball felt softer off the putter. I loved the feel of this ball and the performance was a few feet either way. My strike could account for the difference. 
I could definitely see and feel a difference in the performance between the Test ball and the ProV1, ProV1x, and the left dash ProV1X, but as I said, this felt like perhaps a new version of the AVX. 
One thing I absolutely loved about this, aside from the feel off the putter, was the durability of this ball. 
 

The ball on the left has been played for 45 holes. Granted I didn’t bang it off trees or down cart paths, but I took this picture and then played another 18 holes and it still looked fine. Sadly, it doesn’t float any better than any other ball. 

All-in-all, I like this ball a lot. 

LAB has sold 4 putters to people I play with regularly since I have been gaming mine. More and more talk is being generated by these guys playing with them also. 

Date 11/26/2023 Course Name Sulphur Springs Country Club Gross Score 72 Course Handicap 9 Gross Strokes over/under par 0 Net Score to Par -9 Net Score 63 Net Birdies or better 10 Longest Drive 223 SIM Round Wow. I didn’t expect to post a good round this week. Today was the fifth time I played this week, alternated between mildly embarrassing to absolutely sucked. I had a good back 9 (37) once this week but all others have been mid to hig 40’s. 
 
The weather has been perfect all week, but today it was low 40’s and 27 mph wind and rained last night. I did work on my 10-50 yard wedges before the round. This came in handy 10 times and I had all but 2 inside 5’ par putts and all of them were inside 10’.

Our hole 9 is an island similar to TPC Sawgrass 17. Except the tee shot is on the dam and very exposed to the wind. Today it was playing 127 and I had to remove my hat to keep it from blowing off. I crushed an 8 iron (2 more clubs) that went directly over the flag and rolled back to about a foot. It missed the hole by 4-6”. It was very exciting. 
I kept waiting for the wheels to fall off my great round but it never happened. I was certain disaster would strike on 18 which is another island green into the wind. I was 40 yards shorter than yesterday and instead of a 7 or 8 iron, I hit a hybrid. It miraculously found the green and a 2 putt par for a 72. That’s 25 strokes better than my worst round this week. 

I parred 14 hitting Driver, Driver, Hybrid and 52’ putt and 2’ tap in. 

I normally play the AVX. When I played these balls side-by-side, I couldn’t see any real world difference in them. However, the Test Ball felt softer off the putter. I loved the feel of this ball and the performance was a few feet either way. My strike could account for the difference. 
I could definitely see and feel a difference in the performance between the Test ball and the ProV1, ProV1x, and the left dash ProV1X, but as I said, this felt like perhaps a new version of the AVX. 
One thing I absolutely loved about this, aside from the feel off the putter, was the durability of this ball. 
 

The ball on the left has been played for 45 holes. Granted I didn’t bang it off trees or down cart paths, but I took this picture and then played another 18 holes and it still looked fine. Sadly, it doesn’t float any better than any other ball. 

All-in-all, I like this ball a lot. 

LAB has sold 4 putters to people I play with regularly since I have been gaming mine. More and more talk is being generated by these guys playing with them also. 

I normally play the AVX. When I played these balls side-by-side, I couldn’t see any real world difference in them. However, the Test Ball felt softer off the putter. I loved the feel of this ball and the performance was a few feet either way. My strike could account for the difference. 
I could definitely see and feel a difference in the performance between the Test ball and the ProV1, ProV1x, and the left dash ProV1X, but as I said, this felt like perhaps a new version of the AVX. 
One thing I absolutely loved about this, aside from the feel off the putter, was the durability of this ball. 
 

The ball on the left has been played for 45 holes. Granted I didn’t bang it off trees or down cart paths, but I took this picture and then played another 18 holes and it still looked fine. Sadly, it doesn’t float any better than any other ball. 

All-in-all, I like this ball a lot. 

LAB has sold 4 putters to people I play with regularly since I have been gaming mine. More and more talk is being generated by these guys playing with them also. 

I normally play the AVX. When I played these balls side-by-side, I couldn’t see any real world difference in them. However, the Test Ball felt softer off the putter. I loved the feel of this ball and the performance was a few feet either way. My strike could account for the difference. 
I could definitely see and feel a difference in the performance between the Test ball and the ProV1, ProV1x, and the left dash ProV1X, but as I said, this felt like perhaps a new version of the AVX. 
One thing I absolutely loved about this, aside from the feel off the putter, was the durability of this ball. 
 

The ball on the left has been played for 45 holes. Granted I didn’t bang it off trees or down cart paths, but I took this picture and then played another 18 holes and it still looked fine. Sadly, it doesn’t float any better than any other ball. 

All-in-all, I like this ball a lot. 

I think it was course management and coming to the realization that this is not 2017, and I can’t move the same way I did when I was a 0.2 handicap. What I can do is putt and pitch as well as I did then. So I spent time on that yesterday after the round. I’m also switching from the “clock-method” to using different body parts as a reference. I also went to wedges with more bounce and a wider sole for the softer conditions. 

Date 11/26/2023 Course Name Sulphur Springs Country Club Gross Score 72 Course Handicap 9 Gross Strokes over/under par 0 Net Score to Par -9 Net Score 63 Net Birdies or better 10 Longest Drive 223 SIM Round Wow. I didn’t expect to post a good round this week. Today was the fifth time I played this week, alternated between mildly embarrassing to absolutely sucked. I had a good back 9 (37) once this week but all others have been mid to hig 40’s. 
 
The weather has been perfect all week, but today it was low 40’s and 27 mph wind and rained last night. I did work on my 10-50 yard wedges before the round. This came in handy 10 times and I had all but 2 inside 5’ par putts and all of them were inside 10’.

Our hole 9 is an island similar to TPC Sawgrass 17. Except the tee shot is on the dam and very exposed to the wind. Today it was playing 127 and I had to remove my hat to keep it from blowing off. I crushed an 8 iron (2 more clubs) that went directly over the flag and rolled back to about a foot. It missed the hole by 4-6”. It was very exciting. 
I kept waiting for the wheels to fall off my great round but it never happened. I was certain disaster would strike on 18 which is another island green into the wind. I was 40 yards shorter than yesterday and instead of a 7 or 8 iron, I hit a hybrid. It miraculously found the green and a 2 putt par for a 72. That’s 25 strokes better than my worst round this week. 

I parred 14 hitting Driver, Driver, Hybrid and 52’ putt and 2’ tap in.