L.A.B. Golf - DF 2.1 Putter – Official MGS Forum Review by Samsonite, Matt Swanson
FIRST IMPRESSIONS (5 out of 5 Stars)
Alright, boys and girls, we have lift-off.
While it's still OFFICIALLY *way* too early to name her, I managed to get out to my local putting green after the kids got ready for bed to roll a few and see how she felt.
In short: I'm pretty blown away by what's happening with this putter.
(Just relaxing a little before showing me what she's made of)
I won't bother with the "unboxing" stuff, as it was very basic and has been covered by everyone else, so no need to bore you: it came in a brown box with "Untorque Yourself" on it, it had bubble wrap (though not secured around it as it was with the Mezz that others have posted) in the box, and was secure but not crazy-shrink-wrapped or anything.
The cover material is HEAVY, and well-padded, and feels extremely well-made. It 100% feels like it will keep the head safe (and sweaty...nice and velvety-feeling inside) no matter what kind of bag-chatter might happen while in my bag.
(note the sticker - I know others have shown it, but it genuinely makes me laugh. If you can't read it, it effectively says "don't be a dummy, DO NOT TOUCH THE SCREWS")
I'm pretty much stunned at how beautiful I find the putter - I know it's part Octopus-head and part Mega-mind (look it up - animated movie with Will Ferrell as the voice), but the quality of the build is certainly not like anything I've ever owned before. It's spectacular.
(What's that? I look like your putter. Maybe your putter looks like ME!)
I went with a simple three-dot alignment aid - and I LOVE it. It's simple, clean, and effective - all while not being too "busy" to distract. In conjunction with the alignment line on the ball, it seems to really work for me. One of the reasons I'm so excited about this putter, is the fact that it sits flush on the ground behind the ball at address - and since it's fit to me specifically, at 65 degrees, it really helps me get into a proper position at address - if I see the heel/toe up off the ground, I need to adjust. This is something that I've discovered over the last 6 months - I'm not consistent at all, and my stroke definitely suffers for it. With the DF2.1, while not impossible to mess up, it's certainly harder to get into a bad position.
(Top down view - clean three-dot set-up. Note the sticker is still attached to the face here)
One of my biggest questions was LAB's patented Press Grip (I went with the recommended 3 degree Press II), but I'm pretty stunned at how well this thing just puts my hands in what feels like absolutely the right position. I'm coming from a pistol grip, but I LOVE how this feels - it's large, but not off-putting, it's easy to grip lightly while still feeling secure; it's got a tacky feel to it that is weirdly delightful, and even though I know the shaft is leaning and this is putting the putter in a "press", nothing about it feels awkward or leaning - it just feels like my hands are in the right spot.
As for how it rolls? It's still early - tonight was literally the first time I've gotten to actually roll any, but LAB isn't making things up when they say this thing nearly swings itself. The head is SO stable, it really feels like it's on rails - you get it back in place, and just kind of ... let it go. It's almost like a pinball lever - you pull it back, and it can ONLY go forward - you just determine the speed.
Now, as I said, it's still early. I found some great early success, especially in my "problem area" of 5-15 feet - drained a LOT more than I normally do, and left the ones I missed comfortably within 18".
Getting comfortable with pace will be the next step, as it's not "pull back the same amount and accelerate through at different speeds" like I'd been doing previously for different-length putts. This, and a lot of this is coming directly from LAB and Sam Hahn's (CEO of LAB) various web appearances (I've been watching everything I can find in prep for getting this thing in-hand), is basically "let gravity do its thing" - so shorter backswing for shorter putts, longer for longer, etc. Determining where on the 'clock' my hands need to go to for 10', 20', 30', etc, will take some trial and (probably lots of) error.
But I'm in. I can see this being just an absolute get-out-of-jail, go-directly-to-Samsonite's-bag card, and I can't remember ever feeling like that after one practice session with any club before.
Now, because I've read up on this, I understand this is most likely the Honeymoon phase, but I'm happy to work through the growing pains so I can see what this thing can really do for my game.
That's it for now. I'll keep updating as I get more acquainted with it, and if any particular pain-points arise, I'll add them as well.
But overall, at first blush, this thing is bit of a modern marvel. As you can clearly see - i'm a fan.
AESTHETICS (5 out of 5 Stars)
I definitely had a lot of preconceived notions of how I thought it would look based on the reactions I’d seen online from other people, from videos about it from YouTubers, etc.
But honestly, pulling it out of the box, seeing the craftsmanship (superb), and now having used it for 5 weeks – I genuinely find it to be beautiful. It’s a tool that’s built to do one thing – help you make more putts. Is it conventional-looking? Of course not – but they’re purposefully trying to defy convention, so if you expect “the same old”, you might not love it.
I went with the three-dot alignment aid, which for me is just enough to help find my line (in conjunction with the line on the ball that I use to aim), but not enough to make my eye wander too far away (which is a thing I’ve had happen with “busier” designs). The black Accra shaft blends seamlessly, and with its matte finish, there’s once again nothing to be distracted by.
(Look at that bad-boy grip)
The biggest surprise for me has been the Press Grip (3 degree, as recommended by the website and fitter) – I’ve never putted with a large grip, and this one just feels…right. My hands naturally seem to find comfort every time, thumbs aligned down the center (and I know they’re centered thanks to the bisecting black/white line down the front), and there’s no real tendency to over-grip – the large size allows me to lightly grip but still feel in control. I’m a big fan.
When I had first been chosen for this testing opportunity, one of my biggest concerns was the "built-in forward press", as I have never been one who presses forward before starting my stroke. I was also a staunch "ball should be in the middle of your stance" guy (you know, like...umm...those guys who say that kind of thing. I might be making this up.). So having the forward press built in, as well as the suggestion to play the ball toward the front of my stance seemed crazy to me - and 5 weeks later it's the most natural thing in the world. So for those of you worried about this aspect, I can firmly attest that if you're willing to take the risk, the rewards are worth it.
Also a surprise: how few people have stopped to ask about the putter. To me, it is wholly unique-looking, and I had planned on including these as interview-style inserts, but outside of a few “what’s that?” or “Is that one of them LAB putters?” over the 5 weeks, it’s mostly been unnoticed. I did, however, make sure to ask any/all of my playing partners (whether friends or strangers) what they thought of the looks, and despite every one saying it was “biiiig” (and it is), not a one was put off by the size/looks.
One thing I wanted to note, was just how balanced the club feels. I don’t actually think it’s “light”, per se, but as soon as it’s in position behind the ball, it swings nearly by itself. This could be, in all honesty, because my current mallet is considerably heavier than the aluminum head of the LAB – in a fitting I had many months ago, the fitter remarked that my putter head was definitely on the heavy side, and that I could use a lighter head given my set-up/stroke – but I find the balance of the club to be perfect.
I touched on this in my Initial Impression, and it still holds true, that mis-hits out of the toe have a distinctly aluminum sound – very similar to a baseball bat. As I like knowing if I got it “solid”, this is not a bad feature to me in the least, as it’s a clear, audible sound that I got it out of the toe – and considering that there has yet to be any real penalty (either line or pace) for hitting it out of the toe, that’s definitely not a bad thing in my book.
As for hitting it clean out of the middle, I have found the sound to be fairly muted and the feel to be pretty exceptional – a very satisfying “thud” to it, letting you know you got it dead-center. It’s not as “buttery” as, say, a Ping Insert (Ping Tyne 4 is still the softest putter I’ve ever hit), but certainly not as “clicky” as my prior gamer (which was milled) – though to be fair to that putter, I might have been hitting a lot of “toes” ☺
(Toe, Heel and Center Strikes)
THE NUMBERS(5 out of 5 Stars)
Accuracy - The simplest way to address this component is to say that hit the intended line every time. Whether the line is RIGHT or not is a different story. Quick example: my last round played, I just could NOT see that the greens were not moving nearly as much as my brain told me they were. I would see the slope, line up my ball to my spot 6" out to the right, pull it back and let it go - and the ball would tumble end-over-end...and miss three inches high. With my previous putter, I never knew if I had a) mis-read the putt, b) mis-hit the putt, or c) hit it too hard/soft. A and C are still in the mix, of course, but B has been effectively eliminated. This thing rolls it where you intend it to go.
Distance Control - With three genuinely dreadful exceptions - all on putts over 75 feet (clearly my approach game hasn't been KILLING it, ahem, but I digress), I’m genuinely shocked with how consistent my distance control has been with this putter. Yes, I’ve been putting (pronounced "puh-ting", not "putt-ing") in a LOT of practice with it, but as attested to by my regular playing partners, as well as my average 2nd putt distance (well inside 3’, with most inside 2’), I’ve never ever putted with such consistent speed.
(7 gimmes, two in the cup, from about 12 feet)
Stability of Stroke - Here’s where the LAB really does exactly what the company claims – I genuinely feel like I would have to work REALLY hard to get the face off my desired line. It’s almost uncanny – pick a line, line the ball up, line the putter behind the ball, and watch the ball roll end-over-end on the desired line. I’m a true believer in this technology.
Forgiveness - One of the reasons I chose the DF2.1 vs. the Mezz/B2 are the claims about the forgiveness. There’s a video where the CEO demonstrates hitting the ball out of the center, the toe and the heel, and all three putts roll effectively the same distance, on the same line. It felt like a magic trick of editing. But here’s the thing: it isn’t. Hit the ball out of the toe, the ball goes where you had it lined up. Hit the ball out of the heel? Same thing. Hit it dead center – ditto. For my game, this has been an incredible find, as building consistency is a huge part of what I’m attempting to do to get better, and knowing that my distance/line will be effectively the same no matter where on the face I hit it has really allowed me to focus on my stroke and not attempting to manipulate anything DURING the stroke.
Playability - One of the last rounds I played I specifically used the putter from off the green as much as I could to get a sense of its usability. Honestly, this has never been a strength of mine, but knowing that I was going to hit the line I was intending actually made my stroke considerably more confident. I won’t say it made me BETTER in any measurable way (didn’t hole any, but left myself with inside-3-feet putts 2 times and one other time with about 5’ left), since I don’t really have any stats from my previous putter when playing shots like that, unfortunately, but I can say it made me more confident IN the shot, if that helps at all.
ON-COURSE (5 out of 5 stars)
In the 13 previous rounds this year I’ve played, I averaged 35.15 putts (high of 39, low of 32). I’ve now played 5 eighteens with the LAB in play, and I’ve averaged 33.2 putts (two 32s, two 33s and a 36 (this round included TWO putts over 80 feet, both of which I 3-putted (left them so short it was nearly comical)). I can legitimately say that in my second-to-last round, that number could have very easily been in the 20s, considering that I left 4 putts a TOTAL of 20 inches short (that’s what I get for practicing on fast greens and playing on slow…). I have zero doubt that I will absolutely card my first round with sub-30 putts very soon, and I’ll be sure to comment on this review when that happens. Getting the speed down on the practice greens is an absolute must for me, as most of my practice with this putter has been at a significantly faster green complex than most of my local munis. I don't blame the putter for being short in any way, is ultimately what I'm saying.
One of the things that I wanted to test when I first got the putter was whether or not my consistency with set-up was improved with the LAB. Because the putter is built to my specs (65 degree lie-angle, 35.25” length), all I have to do is set the putter down behind the ball, on my line, and then step up to the putter. This was ALWAYS a weakness in my game previously, because I could never tell if the putter was actually flush to the ground (there was a subtle curve on the bottom of the putter head) – so sometimes the toe was up, others the heel up, etc., but I couldn't REALLY tell by looking down at the club. Now, I know I’m set up over the ball correctly almost without thinking, which – again – allows me to focus solely on the stroke. It’s freeing in a way that is genuinely exciting (nerdy, I know).
Since I don’t play in “money matches” yet (I have a lot of poor actor-friends), the only thing I can really say is that I’ve never, ever, felt more confident over a putt. I don’t ALWAYS think I’m going to make it, but I actually see the road where that’s a reality – no matter the distance, I have a chance. With every putter I’ve ever used in the past, the goal was to knock it relatively close. With the DF 2.1, I’m starting to look at long putts (for me, anything over 10’) as legit opportunities. I knocked in two fifteen-footers my last time out, and just missed another 2 from similar lengths. I know putting is often a confidence game – and nothing’s ever made me feel more like I have a real shot than this putter.
When I spoke with the CEO during a practice session, I kind of laughed and said “I’ve never tried a product that did every single thing the manufacturer said it would,” and I meant it. I still do. Do I think this product will work for EVERY. SINGLE. PERSON? No. Of course not. And as attested by a few of the testers in this very test, you can see that it's promise may not be realized by everyone. But for me, this is perfect. For the first time, I know I’m going to hit my line BEFORE I strike the ball, not just hoping I hit it. For the first time, I’m not trying to lag 15-footers, I’m actually trying to make them. For the first time, putting practice is actually fun.
The crazy part of this to me, is the knowledge (well, belief, but I have faith) that the more I practice, the more comfortable I get with this new putter, the more confident I’m going to become.
Is confidence over the ball worth the price-tag of $680 that this putter would retail for?
For me, it’s a resounding, unquestionable YES.
THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE IN-BETWEEN(4 out of 5 stars)
The good: See above for all the things I found while working with this putter.
The bad: LAB desperately needs to hire more people in their customer service department. I’ve said this from the beginning of the process, but it appears that two people handled all twelve fittings, including all back-and-forth emails. While I’m assuming there are more than just these two fitters working for the company, having a group of well-qualified service-representatives who could answer questions, return phone calls, etc. would free up the actual fitters to focus solely on the fittings.
(Methinks they need some more operators standing by)
I’m cognizant of the fact that LAB may have decided to have all of our fittings be done by these two fitters, to ensure that we all had similar experiences, but even then – we didn’t (you can see the other reviews for their individual experiences – some great, some not-so-great). With no ability to test this putter in a store nearby, it’s a supreme act of faith to put down $450+ on a putter that was fitted via a 5-second clip and with minimal follow-up. While my particular fitting went great and easily, and I’m happy to report that the putter fits me to a tee (Woof - this analogy's a bit on the nose, no?), waiting 24-48 hours for a response to an email/phone call, and not being able to get a hold of someone when you do need to talk to someone is frustrating at best. I do genuinely understand that LAB may be inundated with fitting requests (especially considering they’re free to anyone who submits a video), which is why I think a dedicated team of customer-service reps whose only job is answering emails (maybe working in conjunction with the fitter, i.e., “I spoke with Jake and he asked me to let you know that the Accra shaft is highly rated and was designed specifically for LAB putters, etc.”) and phone calls would go a HUGE distance in making the prospect of this kind of purchase much easier to swallow.
I know that actually speaking with my fitter was a HUGE relief that we got everything right (we spoke about my lie angle (it seemed pretty flat to me, but…only compared to the 70 degrees that my off-the-shelf putter was set at), my shaft selection (I was leaning Accra, which is what he said he played in his Mezz, but that the standard steel shaft was also a great shaft), grip, etc. Having an actual conversation with someone, even though I wasn’t actually paying for the putter, really calmed my nerves (I didn’t want to waste anyone’s money/time by accidentally getting something that wasn’t right for me), and really made me EXCITED about the putter being built just for me.
For this, I’m docking a point, but I can also see this being remedied quickly and relatively easily as the company continues to grow.
PLAY IT OR TRADE IT? (5 out of 5 stars)
I genuinely cannot imagine taking this thing out of my bag at this point. I’ve never felt like I was a confident putter. I’ve never felt like I could call myself a “decent” putter. I’ve never felt like putting might be a strength of my game. But I do now. My friends starting calling it "Matt's Cheat Stick", and ... it kind of feels like that's super appropriate.
CONCLUSION
If you struggle with consistent set-up, this putter could be for you. If you struggle with knowing if you’ve hit your line, this putter could be for you. If you need a putter with high forgiveness on mis-hits, this putter could be for you.
It’s definitely the putter for me, for all those reasons and more.
FINAL SCORE (29 out of 30 stars)
Just a final note here saying how genuinely thrilled I am at having to have been a part of this process. Thanks to My Golf Spy, all the moderators, Sam Hahn and everyone at L.A.B. Golf. This was a huge honor and incredible pleasure.
L.A.B. DF2.1 Putter
Posted
INTRODUCTION can be found here:
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=8987
L.A.B. Golf - DF 2.1 Putter – Official MGS Forum Review by Samsonite, Matt Swanson
FIRST IMPRESSIONS (5 out of 5 Stars)
Alright, boys and girls, we have lift-off.
While it's still OFFICIALLY *way* too early to name her, I managed to get out to my local putting green after the kids got ready for bed to roll a few and see how she felt.
In short: I'm pretty blown away by what's happening with this putter.
(Just relaxing a little before showing me what she's made of)
I won't bother with the "unboxing" stuff, as it was very basic and has been covered by everyone else, so no need to bore you: it came in a brown box with "Untorque Yourself" on it, it had bubble wrap (though not secured around it as it was with the Mezz that others have posted) in the box, and was secure but not crazy-shrink-wrapped or anything.
The cover material is HEAVY, and well-padded, and feels extremely well-made. It 100% feels like it will keep the head safe (and sweaty...nice and velvety-feeling inside) no matter what kind of bag-chatter might happen while in my bag.
(note the sticker - I know others have shown it, but it genuinely makes me laugh. If you can't read it, it effectively says "don't be a dummy, DO NOT TOUCH THE SCREWS")
I'm pretty much stunned at how beautiful I find the putter - I know it's part Octopus-head and part Mega-mind (look it up - animated movie with Will Ferrell as the voice), but the quality of the build is certainly not like anything I've ever owned before. It's spectacular.
(What's that? I look like your putter. Maybe your putter looks like ME!)
I went with a simple three-dot alignment aid - and I LOVE it. It's simple, clean, and effective - all while not being too "busy" to distract. In conjunction with the alignment line on the ball, it seems to really work for me. One of the reasons I'm so excited about this putter, is the fact that it sits flush on the ground behind the ball at address - and since it's fit to me specifically, at 65 degrees, it really helps me get into a proper position at address - if I see the heel/toe up off the ground, I need to adjust. This is something that I've discovered over the last 6 months - I'm not consistent at all, and my stroke definitely suffers for it. With the DF2.1, while not impossible to mess up, it's certainly harder to get into a bad position.
(Top down view - clean three-dot set-up. Note the sticker is still attached to the face here)
One of my biggest questions was LAB's patented Press Grip (I went with the recommended 3 degree Press II), but I'm pretty stunned at how well this thing just puts my hands in what feels like absolutely the right position. I'm coming from a pistol grip, but I LOVE how this feels - it's large, but not off-putting, it's easy to grip lightly while still feeling secure; it's got a tacky feel to it that is weirdly delightful, and even though I know the shaft is leaning and this is putting the putter in a "press", nothing about it feels awkward or leaning - it just feels like my hands are in the right spot.
As for how it rolls? It's still early - tonight was literally the first time I've gotten to actually roll any, but LAB isn't making things up when they say this thing nearly swings itself. The head is SO stable, it really feels like it's on rails - you get it back in place, and just kind of ... let it go. It's almost like a pinball lever - you pull it back, and it can ONLY go forward - you just determine the speed.
Now, as I said, it's still early. I found some great early success, especially in my "problem area" of 5-15 feet - drained a LOT more than I normally do, and left the ones I missed comfortably within 18".
Getting comfortable with pace will be the next step, as it's not "pull back the same amount and accelerate through at different speeds" like I'd been doing previously for different-length putts. This, and a lot of this is coming directly from LAB and Sam Hahn's (CEO of LAB) various web appearances (I've been watching everything I can find in prep for getting this thing in-hand), is basically "let gravity do its thing" - so shorter backswing for shorter putts, longer for longer, etc. Determining where on the 'clock' my hands need to go to for 10', 20', 30', etc, will take some trial and (probably lots of) error.
But I'm in. I can see this being just an absolute get-out-of-jail, go-directly-to-Samsonite's-bag card, and I can't remember ever feeling like that after one practice session with any club before.
Now, because I've read up on this, I understand this is most likely the Honeymoon phase, but I'm happy to work through the growing pains so I can see what this thing can really do for my game.
That's it for now. I'll keep updating as I get more acquainted with it, and if any particular pain-points arise, I'll add them as well.
But overall, at first blush, this thing is bit of a modern marvel. As you can clearly see - i'm a fan.
AESTHETICS (5 out of 5 Stars)
I definitely had a lot of preconceived notions of how I thought it would look based on the reactions I’d seen online from other people, from videos about it from YouTubers, etc.
But honestly, pulling it out of the box, seeing the craftsmanship (superb), and now having used it for 5 weeks – I genuinely find it to be beautiful. It’s a tool that’s built to do one thing – help you make more putts. Is it conventional-looking? Of course not – but they’re purposefully trying to defy convention, so if you expect “the same old”, you might not love it.
I went with the three-dot alignment aid, which for me is just enough to help find my line (in conjunction with the line on the ball that I use to aim), but not enough to make my eye wander too far away (which is a thing I’ve had happen with “busier” designs). The black Accra shaft blends seamlessly, and with its matte finish, there’s once again nothing to be distracted by.
(Look at that bad-boy grip)
The biggest surprise for me has been the Press Grip (3 degree, as recommended by the website and fitter) – I’ve never putted with a large grip, and this one just feels…right. My hands naturally seem to find comfort every time, thumbs aligned down the center (and I know they’re centered thanks to the bisecting black/white line down the front), and there’s no real tendency to over-grip – the large size allows me to lightly grip but still feel in control. I’m a big fan.
When I had first been chosen for this testing opportunity, one of my biggest concerns was the "built-in forward press", as I have never been one who presses forward before starting my stroke. I was also a staunch "ball should be in the middle of your stance" guy (you know, like...umm...those guys who say that kind of thing. I might be making this up.). So having the forward press built in, as well as the suggestion to play the ball toward the front of my stance seemed crazy to me - and 5 weeks later it's the most natural thing in the world. So for those of you worried about this aspect, I can firmly attest that if you're willing to take the risk, the rewards are worth it.
Also a surprise: how few people have stopped to ask about the putter. To me, it is wholly unique-looking, and I had planned on including these as interview-style inserts, but outside of a few “what’s that?” or “Is that one of them LAB putters?” over the 5 weeks, it’s mostly been unnoticed. I did, however, make sure to ask any/all of my playing partners (whether friends or strangers) what they thought of the looks, and despite every one saying it was “biiiig” (and it is), not a one was put off by the size/looks.
One thing I wanted to note, was just how balanced the club feels. I don’t actually think it’s “light”, per se, but as soon as it’s in position behind the ball, it swings nearly by itself. This could be, in all honesty, because my current mallet is considerably heavier than the aluminum head of the LAB – in a fitting I had many months ago, the fitter remarked that my putter head was definitely on the heavy side, and that I could use a lighter head given my set-up/stroke – but I find the balance of the club to be perfect.
I touched on this in my Initial Impression, and it still holds true, that mis-hits out of the toe have a distinctly aluminum sound – very similar to a baseball bat. As I like knowing if I got it “solid”, this is not a bad feature to me in the least, as it’s a clear, audible sound that I got it out of the toe – and considering that there has yet to be any real penalty (either line or pace) for hitting it out of the toe, that’s definitely not a bad thing in my book.
As for hitting it clean out of the middle, I have found the sound to be fairly muted and the feel to be pretty exceptional – a very satisfying “thud” to it, letting you know you got it dead-center. It’s not as “buttery” as, say, a Ping Insert (Ping Tyne 4 is still the softest putter I’ve ever hit), but certainly not as “clicky” as my prior gamer (which was milled) – though to be fair to that putter, I might have been hitting a lot of “toes” ☺
(Toe, Heel and Center Strikes)
THE NUMBERS (5 out of 5 Stars)
Accuracy - The simplest way to address this component is to say that hit the intended line every time. Whether the line is RIGHT or not is a different story. Quick example: my last round played, I just could NOT see that the greens were not moving nearly as much as my brain told me they were. I would see the slope, line up my ball to my spot 6" out to the right, pull it back and let it go - and the ball would tumble end-over-end...and miss three inches high. With my previous putter, I never knew if I had a) mis-read the putt, b) mis-hit the putt, or c) hit it too hard/soft. A and C are still in the mix, of course, but B has been effectively eliminated. This thing rolls it where you intend it to go.
Distance Control - With three genuinely dreadful exceptions - all on putts over 75 feet (clearly my approach game hasn't been KILLING it, ahem, but I digress), I’m genuinely shocked with how consistent my distance control has been with this putter. Yes, I’ve been putting (pronounced "puh-ting", not "putt-ing") in a LOT of practice with it, but as attested to by my regular playing partners, as well as my average 2nd putt distance (well inside 3’, with most inside 2’), I’ve never ever putted with such consistent speed.
(7 gimmes, two in the cup, from about 12 feet)
Stability of Stroke - Here’s where the LAB really does exactly what the company claims – I genuinely feel like I would have to work REALLY hard to get the face off my desired line. It’s almost uncanny – pick a line, line the ball up, line the putter behind the ball, and watch the ball roll end-over-end on the desired line. I’m a true believer in this technology.
Forgiveness - One of the reasons I chose the DF2.1 vs. the Mezz/B2 are the claims about the forgiveness. There’s a video where the CEO demonstrates hitting the ball out of the center, the toe and the heel, and all three putts roll effectively the same distance, on the same line. It felt like a magic trick of editing. But here’s the thing: it isn’t. Hit the ball out of the toe, the ball goes where you had it lined up. Hit the ball out of the heel? Same thing. Hit it dead center – ditto. For my game, this has been an incredible find, as building consistency is a huge part of what I’m attempting to do to get better, and knowing that my distance/line will be effectively the same no matter where on the face I hit it has really allowed me to focus on my stroke and not attempting to manipulate anything DURING the stroke.
Playability - One of the last rounds I played I specifically used the putter from off the green as much as I could to get a sense of its usability. Honestly, this has never been a strength of mine, but knowing that I was going to hit the line I was intending actually made my stroke considerably more confident. I won’t say it made me BETTER in any measurable way (didn’t hole any, but left myself with inside-3-feet putts 2 times and one other time with about 5’ left), since I don’t really have any stats from my previous putter when playing shots like that, unfortunately, but I can say it made me more confident IN the shot, if that helps at all.
ON-COURSE (5 out of 5 stars)
In the 13 previous rounds this year I’ve played, I averaged 35.15 putts (high of 39, low of 32). I’ve now played 5 eighteens with the LAB in play, and I’ve averaged 33.2 putts (two 32s, two 33s and a 36 (this round included TWO putts over 80 feet, both of which I 3-putted (left them so short it was nearly comical)). I can legitimately say that in my second-to-last round, that number could have very easily been in the 20s, considering that I left 4 putts a TOTAL of 20 inches short (that’s what I get for practicing on fast greens and playing on slow…). I have zero doubt that I will absolutely card my first round with sub-30 putts very soon, and I’ll be sure to comment on this review when that happens. Getting the speed down on the practice greens is an absolute must for me, as most of my practice with this putter has been at a significantly faster green complex than most of my local munis. I don't blame the putter for being short in any way, is ultimately what I'm saying.
One of the things that I wanted to test when I first got the putter was whether or not my consistency with set-up was improved with the LAB. Because the putter is built to my specs (65 degree lie-angle, 35.25” length), all I have to do is set the putter down behind the ball, on my line, and then step up to the putter. This was ALWAYS a weakness in my game previously, because I could never tell if the putter was actually flush to the ground (there was a subtle curve on the bottom of the putter head) – so sometimes the toe was up, others the heel up, etc., but I couldn't REALLY tell by looking down at the club. Now, I know I’m set up over the ball correctly almost without thinking, which – again – allows me to focus solely on the stroke. It’s freeing in a way that is genuinely exciting (nerdy, I know).
Since I don’t play in “money matches” yet (I have a lot of poor actor-friends), the only thing I can really say is that I’ve never, ever, felt more confident over a putt. I don’t ALWAYS think I’m going to make it, but I actually see the road where that’s a reality – no matter the distance, I have a chance. With every putter I’ve ever used in the past, the goal was to knock it relatively close. With the DF 2.1, I’m starting to look at long putts (for me, anything over 10’) as legit opportunities. I knocked in two fifteen-footers my last time out, and just missed another 2 from similar lengths. I know putting is often a confidence game – and nothing’s ever made me feel more like I have a real shot than this putter.
When I spoke with the CEO during a practice session, I kind of laughed and said “I’ve never tried a product that did every single thing the manufacturer said it would,” and I meant it. I still do. Do I think this product will work for EVERY. SINGLE. PERSON? No. Of course not. And as attested by a few of the testers in this very test, you can see that it's promise may not be realized by everyone. But for me, this is perfect. For the first time, I know I’m going to hit my line BEFORE I strike the ball, not just hoping I hit it. For the first time, I’m not trying to lag 15-footers, I’m actually trying to make them. For the first time, putting practice is actually fun.
The crazy part of this to me, is the knowledge (well, belief, but I have faith) that the more I practice, the more comfortable I get with this new putter, the more confident I’m going to become.
Is confidence over the ball worth the price-tag of $680 that this putter would retail for?
For me, it’s a resounding, unquestionable YES.
THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE IN-BETWEEN (4 out of 5 stars)
The good: See above for all the things I found while working with this putter.
The bad: LAB desperately needs to hire more people in their customer service department. I’ve said this from the beginning of the process, but it appears that two people handled all twelve fittings, including all back-and-forth emails. While I’m assuming there are more than just these two fitters working for the company, having a group of well-qualified service-representatives who could answer questions, return phone calls, etc. would free up the actual fitters to focus solely on the fittings.
(Methinks they need some more operators standing by)
I’m cognizant of the fact that LAB may have decided to have all of our fittings be done by these two fitters, to ensure that we all had similar experiences, but even then – we didn’t (you can see the other reviews for their individual experiences – some great, some not-so-great). With no ability to test this putter in a store nearby, it’s a supreme act of faith to put down $450+ on a putter that was fitted via a 5-second clip and with minimal follow-up. While my particular fitting went great and easily, and I’m happy to report that the putter fits me to a tee (Woof - this analogy's a bit on the nose, no?), waiting 24-48 hours for a response to an email/phone call, and not being able to get a hold of someone when you do need to talk to someone is frustrating at best. I do genuinely understand that LAB may be inundated with fitting requests (especially considering they’re free to anyone who submits a video), which is why I think a dedicated team of customer-service reps whose only job is answering emails (maybe working in conjunction with the fitter, i.e., “I spoke with Jake and he asked me to let you know that the Accra shaft is highly rated and was designed specifically for LAB putters, etc.”) and phone calls would go a HUGE distance in making the prospect of this kind of purchase much easier to swallow.
I know that actually speaking with my fitter was a HUGE relief that we got everything right (we spoke about my lie angle (it seemed pretty flat to me, but…only compared to the 70 degrees that my off-the-shelf putter was set at), my shaft selection (I was leaning Accra, which is what he said he played in his Mezz, but that the standard steel shaft was also a great shaft), grip, etc. Having an actual conversation with someone, even though I wasn’t actually paying for the putter, really calmed my nerves (I didn’t want to waste anyone’s money/time by accidentally getting something that wasn’t right for me), and really made me EXCITED about the putter being built just for me.
For this, I’m docking a point, but I can also see this being remedied quickly and relatively easily as the company continues to grow.
PLAY IT OR TRADE IT? (5 out of 5 stars)
I genuinely cannot imagine taking this thing out of my bag at this point. I’ve never felt like I was a confident putter. I’ve never felt like I could call myself a “decent” putter. I’ve never felt like putting might be a strength of my game. But I do now. My friends starting calling it "Matt's Cheat Stick", and ... it kind of feels like that's super appropriate.
CONCLUSION
If you struggle with consistent set-up, this putter could be for you. If you struggle with knowing if you’ve hit your line, this putter could be for you. If you need a putter with high forgiveness on mis-hits, this putter could be for you.
It’s definitely the putter for me, for all those reasons and more.
FINAL SCORE (29 out of 30 stars)
Just a final note here saying how genuinely thrilled I am at having to have been a part of this process. Thanks to My Golf Spy, all the moderators, Sam Hahn and everyone at L.A.B. Golf. This was a huge honor and incredible pleasure.