Final Reviews: L.A.B. DF2.1 Putter

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.

L.A.B. Directed Force 2.1 Putter – Official MGS Forum Review by GolfSpy_CS

Full Introduction - click here

First Impressions (4/5 Stars)

I don’t think anything can really prepare you for how massive the Directed Force 2.1 head truly is.  I mean there’s mallet putters and then there’s this thing.  I saw a Mezz.1 in person a week before I got the DF2.1 and it was a fine sized putter.  Very traditional fang-style size.  This DF2.1 is a jumbo jet!

 

I rolled a few putts on the carpet and it sets up and feels good.  I did not notice any issues with the forward ball position setup as I already tend towards forward ball position.  Overall, the first impressions are positive.  If you sole it correctly for the lie angle it’s built for and hold it with light grip pressure, the thing just wants to stay square for you. 

Aesthetics (3/5 Stars)

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

The size of the DF2.1, as mentioned earlier, could be a huge turnoff to some people.  I was just putting with it on TrackMan’s putting analysis and our rep told me that larger mallets sometimes interfere with the TrackMan camera accurately picking up the ball on putts! LOL.  He said, “Yeah this one might be an issue…” 

The more I’ve putted with it, the more I view the massiveness as a positive though.  It just inspires confidence.  I know I miss toe side with putters, but with this thing, it doesn’t really matter.

The Numbers (5/5 stars)

Usually I'm all about data.  I taught a graduate statistics course at my last university for crying out loud.  But I wanted to keep this review on my experience.  My stroke is not your stroke.  My woes are not your woes.  At the end of the day, you've got to like the way your club/putter looks, trust that it will perform, and what works for someone else doesn't mean it will work for you.  If it gives you more confidence, that’s a good thing right?  Here’s what I can say.  In my experience, I’ve never putted better.  My playing partners have noticed as well.  I know that if I pick the right line and speed, I’ve got nothing else to think about or focus on.  With other my other putters (of which there are many), I would miss putts low side and wonder if I pulled them (often I did).  Now I don’t think about it.  I can evaluate if I over/under read break or speed.

Totally awesome putting video:

I have made more putts from inside of 10ft and over 15ft since using the L.A.B. than ever in my golfing career.  My lag putting has improved as well.  I don’t know how else to say it, this thing just drains putts.  There were several putting practice sessions that come to mind.  I wrote about these in the comments section, but one time I literally made 10 putts in a row from 10+ feet.  Then I drained one from 25ft just for good measure.  In other sessions I’m making tour-average percentages from 4-6ft (which never happened before).  L.A.B.’s slogan of “You’re a better putter than you think” rings true for me.  They also say on the DF 2.1 page, “Every putt is now makeable.”  I truly do believe that now.

As far as the actual stats go, my 3 putts are down, my make rate from inside of 10ft is up, and my confidence (while unquantifiable) is also way up.   This thing is staying in the bag.  Here is a quick screenshot of the consistency of this putter from my short TrackMan putting session today.  You’ll notice all of these launch directions were inside of 1* (our TrackMan rep said he’s pretty sure most PGA Tour players are inside of 1* either direction consistently).  If you can do that, you'll hit your line over and over.  You'll probably ask why these putts aren't consecutively numbered 1-10 or something.  The TrackMan rep and I were taking turns so I deleted his putts. 

On-Course (5/5 stars)

This thing just makes putts.  Again, I don’t know how else to describe it.  I feel very confident over the ball.  Pick the line, speed, and just let it flow.  As I said in the ‘Numbers’ category, my 3 putts are down, my make rate inside of 10ft is up, and more importantly, my 5 footers after a missed green and a short game save chip/pitch shot are up.  These are very valuable to keeping my scores where I want them.   I’ve also made more putts over 25ft during actual rounds of golf than I ever have before.  The ball just seems to be on a string connected to the cup. 

The Good, the bad, the in-between (5/5 stars)

One thing I really appreciated during this process was Sam Han, the CEO reaching out to us as testers for a phone call.  We ended up having close to a one hour phone call about the putter, golf, and life.  Sam is very passionate about the company, the products, and the game.  That was icing on the cake for me.

People also take notice of this putter.  When you take it out to practice or for a round of golf, people are very interested.  Once they see you start rolling in putts, they really get interested!

Another thing I really like is that this is the first putter that ever sits flat for me naturally. And it should!  It’s built to my lie angle specifically.  All my other putters are always way toe up because of my low hands at address.  

I didn’t really like the idea of the online fitting at first.  But after talking with the CEO, it makes sense.  Get comfortable, they build you a awesome putter, go make more putts.  Simple. 

Play it or Trade it (5/5 stars)

This should come as no surprise, but this thing is staying in the bag for the foreseeable future (check my updated signature).  I honestly don’t think any of my current putters could hold a candle to it.  There is no reason to make putting any harder than it has to be.  L.A.B. gets my vote.

Conclusion

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

Final Score (27/30 stars)

My Introduction
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9053

First Impressions
https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21-putter/?do=findComment&comment=9647

 

 Looks like an old-fashioned bottle opener to me. 

Aesthetics and Reactions from other golfers

"It’s Big" - Response of 80% of People Who I Showed it to

I knew that someone had read about this putter whenever they echoed the words, “looks like a branding iron.”
Yes, it is big. Although, I was around when PING irons first came on the scene. When everything else was a blade, they seemed massive. One old boy used to say, “You could dig up potatoes with them things,” meaning they looked like a hoe.

And then Big Bertha appeared on the scene. “It’s huge," everyone exclaimed. Not by today’s standards though. So while the Directed Force (DF) is indeed larger, it means to me exactly what PING and Big Bertha meant back then … better performance and an increased margin of error.

"It Sounds Different" - A Youtube Reviewer Mentioned this, too

I couldn’t wait to try this club, so I grabbed 3 random balls and went to the practice green. First ball I hit, the club let out a distinctive ping. I’m old enough to remember the original PING 1A putter and it was named PING because of the ping sound it emitted. (Take a look at the L.A.B. B2 ... it resembles the original PING 1A) Turns out the first ball I tried was a Topflight. The other 2 balls were softer, a Titleist and a Callaway which did not ping near as loudly. So the harder the ball is, the louder the ping. It is a non-issue to me, because I don’t even hear it anymore.

"It’s too Light" - Immediate Response from a Golfer

I had not realized how light this DF configuration was until I picked up my Spider EX. There was a noticeable difference. I bought that Spider cuz I wanted a heavier putter head than my old PING Anser. Maybe it was lucky that I never compared the putters until after I had been using the DF for a week. By then I didn’t care that my old favorite felt heavier. I definitely can see that head weight does not make a difference in performance. I actually think it’s easier to hit the DF 2.1 on really long putts. I thought I wanted that weight for those long putts … but the DF proved me wrong.
By the way, the guy who said it was too light never even hit a putt with it. His loss.

"Is that a L.A.B. Putter" - Response from Several Golfers

While I was on the putting green a guy yelled over from the first tee, “Is that a L.A.B. putter?” Another person caught me on the chipping green, without the putter, asking if I was the guy with the L.A.B. And I also heard a few times that guys had a friend who played one. People have heard about this putter,

"That’s a Lot of Lines" - Response from Several Golfers

I love these lines. I set it down, align it to my target, and feel fully confidant that I’m right.

"The Grip is Fantastic" - Response from Several Golfers

I love this grip ... the soft tackiness and the way it fits my hand. Several other people echoed these sentiments exactly.

"How Can You Putt off the Toe if it’s Not Dead" - A Collegiate Player

As I touted the benefits of the soft feel of the ball leaving the face and the fact that toe hits don't lose momentum, a young college golfer said that he needs to have a dead hit on the toe, so he can putt a fast downhill slopping green. Sounds like something I heard when I was his age.

Off-center putts are so soft I don't really feel them ... and they definitely don't lose momentum. I set this putter up on the line I want, and then think of nothing else except pacing. I don’t care if I miss the center of the face because I know the ball maintains it's momentum wherever I strikes the face. The ball will stay on line and still not lose distance like toe & heel hits on other putters. And that is a confidence builder.

Because this putter does not torque on impact, the entire face stays square to where your hands are. That doesn't mean you can't push or pull it. As long as your hands are locked in, the face will stay square to the line on miss hits ... heel or toe.

 

The Numbers

I was one of the last in the group to receive my putter because of issues delaying my fitting process and also from being away on vacation. So I probably had 2 weeks less with my DF than most of the others. I started playing with it immediately.

I could have set up a putting trial with chalk lines and gates, but I don’t believe quantifying practice tells me anything about playability under pressure. Putting 25 balls down a chalk line with both putters on a flat putting green, doesn't help me on the course when trying to win skins. Besides, the practice green is the only flat green on our course. And at my age fatigue is an issue, too. My back is so bad it starts aching if I practice putting or chipping for more than 10 min. And that fatigue would have affected bulk testing. I have no problem trying out a club under fire. We play small $5-$20 games 3 times a week, so it was no big deal trying the DF out in a skins game. I was so happy with the club, I used it in a tournament after only playing 3 rounds with it. We tied for first, but lost on a coin toss.

I felt like I was fairly good at putting with my Spider. So, here are a few comparisons between it and the DF, so you can see my base and where the DF excelled.

• I had 9-hole rounds with 5-1 putts using both putters in our men's association ... all over 10 foot putts
• I've had 15-putt, 9-hole rounds with both putters
• I had sub 30-putt, 18-hole rounds in skin games with both putters
• I achieved a 50% reduction in 3-putts with the DF
• I feel that my lag putts land closer with the DF 

I had been tracking Distance to pin 1st putt / Number of putts / Distance missed, on my score cards, but I gave up and relied on my Arccos Caddie stats instead. So the only stats of mine that I feel are worthy of sharing are from my Arccos data.
I had lost my original Arccos putter sensor and Arccos replaced it for free … many thanks Arccos. I also purchased a second putter sensor so that I could track both putter’s stats separately.

Included in these graphics are the last 100 putts with both my Spider EX, and the last 100 putts with the Directed Force 2.1. As you can see there is a slight improvement in 1-putts. But the huge impact for me was the reduction in 3 putts. Every 3 putt eliminated is a stroke saved. 

I wish I could show y’all a graphic for distance left after the 1st putt. I tracked it manually a few rounds with each putter, but didn’t feel like I saved enough data to make it anything more than anecdotal. Which is unfortunate, because I honestly feel I am leaving my 10’-30’ putts much closer with the DF … less than a foot in a majority of cases. The fact that my 3 putts have been reduced by 50% proves that I am leaving long putts closer.

It’s difficult to quantify confidence in a putter. I had it with my old putter … I’ve got more of it with the Directed Force 2.1.

 

On The Course

“Set It and Forget It” is a trademarked phrase by marketing genius Ron Popeil that took on pop culture status in the 90s. His catch phrase has become my putting mantra for the DF 2.1. I set the club on line and I never think about it again, instead concentrating on distance and pace.

I have a random putting flaw where I occasionally pull my hands outside my swing plane. Sometimes, as I take the putter back, the head jumps off my swing path ... I’ve got a bit of nerve damage in my hands. But the point is, I see it when it happens, and that blows my concentration ... instead of focusing on pace, I am thinking about mechanics and it’s not going to be a good stroke. With the DF I don’t worry about controlling the stroke path anymore. I have complete confidence that if miss the center of the face, the ball will still travel on my intended line at the pace I wanted. That has given me freedom to focus on touch. Now when I see the putter move, I ignore it and toss the ball to the hole.

With the margin of error the DF provides me, I can ignore my hand drift when I see it. Sure, I still push an occasional putt. I still roll my hands on occasions, too. I’m not saying the DF eliminates all my problems. I’m saying that for me, it takes my mind off trying to control my swing, too precisely. My Arccos data has shown that using the DF has reduced my 3 putts by 50%, and that's the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 "also ran".

I may come off looking like an egotistical ass for this next graphic ... but I believe this putter played a huge part in my performance in a recent tournament. I had a Cinderella round ... I’ve included the scorecard ... and as you can see I played out my ass. This is an anomaly folks. Although I must say it stems from the confidence I had standing over every putt. And I am thoroughly convinced that that confidence carried over into my entire game that day. My drives were longer & straighter and I was confident I was going to chip-in a ball before I hit it. Don’t get me wrong, there was a fair amount of luck involved, especially on several approach shots. And hell, if you look close enough you can see that I got too cocky on the 14th, rushed the putt and lipped out an easy 5’ putt for par/birdie. Plus I had 2-3 putts of which I am thoroughly ashamed.

Full disclosure: the next round after that tournament was in our Tuesday, senior skins game, and I shot an 85. It consisted of 4-1 putts and 14-2 putts. Two skins and not a 3 putt in the bunch. I'm happy with that.

 

The Good, The Bad, and In Between
Good
This is an anti-torque head with an anti-torque shaft and they work perfectly together. I do not see any degradation in off center putts. 

I love the soft feel of the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft. The LA Golf shaft is listed as having an even a softer feel. The soft feel gives me the impression that my putts are effortless as opposed to throwing my heavy headed Spider at the ball on really long putts. 

Don’t confuse soft feel with weak ... soft does not equate to loss of feel ... I do not need to swing harder on long putts. When I putt now, my stroke feels far more intuitive ... like throwing darts. This configuration putts as easily on 35’ putts as it does at 10 footers. The ball comes off the face easily and rolls straight as an arrow.

The alignment lines are fantastic. I love how confident I feel that I am on target.

I can’t think of a single thing to change on this club. People say it’s ugly. I don’t care because I'm putting great with it.

The Bad ... Slightly Unhappy
I was unhappy with the remote fitting process. I screwed it up by submitting a poor fitting video. I would have preferred to try before I buy. That’s my only hang up in this process. I honestly believe that face to face interaction would have been better for me.

I sincerely feel that if it had been possible for me to try this putter out first, and experiment with different lies, maybe I could have had even better results than I got. Seems petty and doesn't mean I'm right. But there will always be that doubt in my head … could it be better? Would I have liked a blade better? 

I tried a myriad of putters before selecting the Spider EX I was using. When I ordered it, I asked for a custom bump to the standard lie by 2°, (assuming standard to be 67°). Turns out my Spider is a 70° standard; 72° as ordered. In the fitting video I sent L.A.B., I can see that I have the toe of the putter in the air. Lots of people putt with the toe in the air ... how was L.A.B. to know I didn't too? Nope, I did not pay enough attention to my setup and I regret it. They came back with a measurement off the video of a 67° lie, (which I have verified on my computer). It was my fault that I didn't get the lie I wanted.

I thought I was matching the putter I liked. I was wrong. So my unhappiness was caused by me. I regret that I did not match the Spider's lie angle, because like I said, it might have increased my success with the DF. And there's no running to a local fitter, if we had one, to have the lie adjusted ... you can't bend a composite shaft.

So if you order via the remote fitting process, do your homework. Try and determine what you are currently using before submitting your video. Do you want to match your current putter or improve on it? Talk it over with them. They will work with you. One caveat is that it took 2 days to get any of my questions answered. And with a holiday in the mix, a question on Friday didn't get addressed until the following Wednesday. It's only an issue if you are in a time crunch, as I was, needing the putter for my review.

Lie Angle Hack: Hold your putter flat against a tabletop, and using a protractor app on your phone, measure your lie angle.
Due to buttons getting in the way, you are probably going to get a measurement within ±1° ... make certain your table top is 0° too.

One minor caveat about the grip … I have a cart bag, and the extra width of the grip can interfere with other clubs when bagging or un-bagging them.  

Play it or Trade it
In My Bag - Forever
I actually GOOGLED "Will a New Putter Improve My Putting"

GOOGLE Says:
A change of putter can never compensate for a lack of skill. At best it can make poor putting slightly less bad. 

Hey GOOGLE, WRONG!
When you’ve been playing for a decade or two, you develop bad habits. And bad habits using a putter with no margin for error just makes things worse. A new Directed Force can actually compensate for some bad habits.

Case in point: I showed my Directed Force to Dan, a fellow golfer in our Saturday Morning Skins Game. He has fought an outside-in putting stroke his entire life, which is kind-of similar to my hands drifting off my intended swing path. For both of us, missing the center of the club with our old putters, means our putts will probably be off line and short. The DF does not penalize you on off-center hits, because the head doesn't torque open and you don't lose momentum at impact ... the entire face stays square to the target line. My off-center hits did not affect my putt distances. When I know my putter is square to my target line ... when I can ignore a swing path error, then I am going to be more successful with my pacing, and that means I’ll make more putts. To me the DF is a game improvement putter and it works.

Dan has been practicing specifically to control his putting swing plane … to a moderate success. It is a habit he picked up / ingrained at the beginning of his golf career, and those are near impossible to eliminate. From the first time he tried my DF was on the 9th green ... he started rolling them in from +10 feet. He was so excited he didn’t give the putter back to me for 10 minutes. Yes, he was still swinging outside in, but what was different this time, was that the putter was not penalizing him for off center hits. The face stayed square because it did not torque and the putts rolled true because the face maintained momentum along its entirety.

If you struggle with your putting swing plane, you need to give L.A.B. putters a try. It could make a big difference.

Trade It - Never
When I announced to my fellow golfers at the club, that I had been selected to review the Directed Force, some of the guys joked that I could trade it for a new driver after the review. I’ll say it right here and now, I wouldn’t trade it for an entire new set of new clubs.

To give you a better idea as to the value / price of my Directed Force configuration, consider this: My custom made Spider EX retailed for close to $500, with a standard shaft. The price for a stock Directed Force 2.1 with the fantastic Press-II 3° grip is $399. To customize it with non-standard length or lie, it starts at $549 and that is just slightly more than the Spider EX. Then there are upgraded shaft options from $100 - $380. The DF 2.1 configuration that I tested has the BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft ($275) and Alignment markings ($25) for a total of $849.00. I believe it is in the same price range as mass market putters, and worth every penny.

 

Conclusion

I said it before: “I was not in the market for a new putter.” I was curious though. I wanted to see what a torque-less putter was all about. Drive for show — putt for dough hints at a deeper concept here … confidence in your putter is far more important than confidence in your driver. You can always fall back to your 3 wood, but lack of confidence in your putter can be disastrous.

First Impressions: 
I had issues with the remote fitting process ... part of it turned out to be my fault. I believe putters are intuitive weapons, and I want to hold it in my hands before I buy it. That said however, I love this putter. Yes, I initially thought it was big and ugly, but I don't anymore.

Aesthetics:
As far as looks go … who cares. I think it must look intimidating to my opponents. Besides, I have won money with it. The grip is fantastic and instills as much confidence as the putter head does. And the shaft not only adds to the non-torque capabilities, it provides a soft, pleasant feel.

The Numbers:
My stats show that I’ve reduced 3 putts by as much as 50%, and that’s the difference between a 4/3 skin and a 5/4 no-one-cares. The reduction in 3 putts is proof that I’m leaving my putts closer … I honestly feel like I have more putts stopping within inches then I did with my old putter.

On-Course: 
Confidence. Lining a putt up is easy for me with these top lines. Fantastic grip makes me feel like my hands are locked in. Linear face momentum from the non-torque head eliminates my worries for an imperfect stroke. Soft feel off the face gives me the the sense that I’m tossing darts.

The Good, the Bad, the In-Between:
For me, this is a game changing putter. The non-torque head and shaft compensate for my occasional drifting off the swing path and off center hits still track true. And yet, even though this is simply a mental hangup for me, I can’t help but wonder whether this is the perfect L.A.B. model for me.

Someone asked me:
"Are you happy with it."
     "Absolutely."
"Then get over it and move on."
     "Yes, but ..." 

Play it or Trade it:
The Directed Force 2.1 is in my bag to stay. The guys at the club keep joking about me trading trade it for a new driver(s) … they think it’s ugly. I just laughed while they were handing me my tournament money. Enough said.

It sounds a little cheesy, but the DF 2.1 lead me to begin thinking “I can do this.” And that powerful thought is a positivity that has seeped into my game overall. I’m enjoying my game more. There's tons of room for improvement, but I'm coming home in a much better mood. My wife is really happy about that.

I'm showing this putter to everyone, whether they have doubts about their putting stroke or not. While the base model DF is about the same price as discounted big name putters out there, custom versions of the DF are priced in line with big name putter customizations. So the next time you are in a golf store, pick one up and give it a try, then think about remote fitting. It might change your game. 

 

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

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

So, here we go! First things first… my name is John, and I’m 67 years old. I moved from Long Island to N. Myrtle Beach about 12 years ago, and live in a community with 4 golf courses, two driving ranges and short game practice areas. We also have 3 practice greens.
Here’s how I would break down my game… driver is solid. I’m longer than most guys in my age group I play with, and I’m pretty accurate. FWs are a struggle. I can hit my 3 wood very well off the tee, but off the turf it’s an adventure. Hybrids on the other hand are a strength. So much so that I recently switched from a set of PXG XP irons I really liked to a set of Launcher XL Halo hybrid style irons. As much as I loved the PXGs, I want as much help as I can possibly get from my iron game, because… my wedge game is that of a +20 cap player. It’s what has always kept me from single digits. My putting on the other hand is the biggest strength of my game, imo. I have total confidence in my ability to not only putt well, but do so in pressure situations. (that might sound like a brag, but I firmly believe that in order to be a good putter, you have to convince yourself you already are… I hope that makes sense?)

I chose the DF2.1 over the Mezz my fitter suggested, because I felt I wanted to experience all the tech L.A.B. has to offer. I also wanted to try a mallet style putter, and this looks like it’s about as extreme a version as there is out there.

I’ve done a lot of research on this putter since being chosen to test it, and the tech behind it makes sense to me. I’m looking forward to not only trying something new, but answering any questions you guys have about the product. 
One last thing… I’ve said this before, and I’m sure every other tester has also, but I’m incredibly grateful to have been chosen for this test. I want to thank MGS, L.A.B., my buddy Rob, and also give a shout out to Tony for his help and patience with us in our private testers thread. 

FIRST IMPRESSION
The box was… big, and when I opened the top of it, I was staring at the biggest putter headcover I’ve ever seen, . The putter itself was packed extremely well, and after I unwrapped it and took off the headcover the head looked huge. Surprisingly though, after rolling a few balls on the carpet  it seemed normal to me.

AESTHETICS

The build of this putter is very high quality. The combination of the DF2.1 head and the BGT Stability Tour shaft is seamless, and I love the way the lettering on the shaft is shadowed in black to match the shaft itself. The one issue I had was the Press 3 grip. The half white half black combo took away from the murdered out look the putter otherwise had. It also felt awkward right from the start. (more on that later).
In summation, my first impression was very good. I purposely chose the putter that would be as far out of my comfort zone as possible, and this was certainly that. I was ready to go on my first adventure with a mallet style putter.

THE NUMBERS

I don’t feel 8 or so rounds of golf are a good base to establish any real reference point as far as seeing any real improvement. First, the style of head and the grip took some time to get used to. I’ve never played a mallet, nor used such an oversized grip. Second, throughout the roughly 3-4 week testing period, the greens I played went from very hard and fast, to aerated, then very wet and slow as we’ve now entered our rainy season.
I will say I’ve become more and more comfortable and dare I say confident after what was a very rocky start.

ON THE COURSE 

I need to preface this by saying I was unable to play for almost two months, and my very first round back, I threw the DF2.1 into the fire. Looking back now, I think that was unfair. Not only was I easing my way back from injury, I was expecting this brand new club to work magic and be the most critical scoring club in my bag right from Day One, when I hadn’t putted at all for so many weeks..
I definitely had issues taking the DF2.1 from the practice green to the course. As soon as I did, the grip went from feeling awkward to unwieldy I also struggled to set the sole flat without altering my stance. In short, I was a basket case. I went from leaving everything short, to hammering them well past the hole. 
After my third round with it, i had what was the worst day putting I can remember having. How bad? I missed the ball completely twice in a row from just off the green on a par 3. Both times I went right over the top of the ball. My playing partners thought I was making practice strokes, and when I told them I had whiffed both times and the strokes counted, they went into hysterics. That my friends, has never happened to me on a full swing, never mind a putt, so yeah, I was at my wits end.

As is often the case with golf though, things change. We can go from the highest of highs to to the lowest of lows very quickly, and never know why (at least I don’t). I wanted to give up and go back to my old putter, but I believe in the tech in this putter. I believe the head is forgiving and I believe in the idea of keeping that head square throughout the stroke, so I had a long talk with myself, and went the other direction.. instead of taking it out of my bag, I played rounds of 9, 18, 18, 9 and 9 in the 5 days after my “fiasco”. I’m starting to stack good days with it now, but most importantly, I’m trying to not over think the grip.
 Our greens roll very fast, and I had to trust the DF2.1 to get my ball to the hole with what feels like a very soft stroke. The grip is beginning to feel more natural, and Ironically, I’m finding myself fidgeting less with my hand position than I think I did with my standard size one. It still doesn’t feel perfect, but I’m starting to see results I can’t deny. I’d love to roll this putter with say, a RoseMark or Super Stroke 1.0… I think either combo would be a weapon for me.

THE GOOD THE BAD THE IN BETWEEN

The Good... I love the fact that I had a small part of designing this putter. Picking our head type, sight line, color, shaft, and even head cover make each of these feel like truly our own.
The Bad… as a lefty, I’m used to having limited selections with all types of equipment, but if I could make one suggestion to the good folks at LAB it would be to upgrade your grip game. For all the options you offer, the lack of choices here really stood out. 
The in between… I honestly can’t think of anything to put here, other than I’ve gone from a really tough start with this putter, to a gradual adjustment to it, and am only now starting to feel a sense of confidence with it. Hopefully this continues, as I really think there’s potentially something special here.

TRADE IT OR KEEP IT

Anyone who has followed this thread knows I’ve been the Debbie Downer of this review process. It frustrated me no end that I was seemingly the only one here who wasn’t immediately in love with their new L.A.B. Putter. It’s been quite the journey, but I’m starting to come around. 
If you asked me a week or two ago, my answer would’ve been Trade, but not now. I’m getting more comfortable with it every day. I have faith in the technology (although I might have to look into whether a grip change is possible and still keep the angle the same). I’m not only becoming comfortable with it, I think I’m on the verge of a breakthrough here. I’m starting to expect to make everything I look at.  
There is not a more personal club than a putter. I always felt I knew right away whether I would like one or not. In the past 15 years, I’ve used a Yes! Tracy for 14, and a Double Wide Odyssey for 1 1/2. To say going to the DF2.1 was a shock to my system is putting it mildly. Those who have read the thread know what I’m talking about…

CONCLUSION

Before I wrap this up, I want to mention the LAB Online Fitting Process, as it was a part of the review. As most of you know by now, we sent in 5 second videos of our stroke, and we were fit to length and lie angle. I’ve already beaten this horse to death in the review thread, so I will just say this… these putters aren’t cheap. I believe they go for $549 stock. You can go very close to $1,000 very easily with custom shafts and such. If I’m going to spend that kind of money on a putter, I want to see and demo each of their models in person. I want to see and be taken step by step through the fit. I want to see and feel the grip options available.
I’m sure Sam and his fitters know what they’re doing, and I’m only speaking for myself here, but I would never buy any putter blind, much less one that in their own words, is so “out of the box”. It just doesn’t make any sense to me. Go to a place where you can roll one of these. Try the shafts, and the grips, then decide. They make a great product, but you should make sure it’s the right one for you.

TOTAL SCORE

26/30

 

Their online fitting process isn't really a true fitting process. Without them telling me how they do it, back when I was selling LAB putters, i was able to basically match their online fitting specs using the videos that customers send in and using an online compass. They ask you to take your own putter and record the video with something in the background that can be used as a reference straight line. I've used the online compass to use that reference straight line to measure the lie angle of what would make the sole sit flat. I've been pretty much spot on with what LAB comes back with or within one degree. 

1 hour ago, dlow206 said:

Their online fitting process isn't really a true fitting process. Without them telling me how they do it, back when I was selling LAB putters, i was able to basically match their online fitting specs using the videos that customers send in and using an online compass. They ask you to take your own putter and record the video with something in the background that can be used as a reference straight line. I've used the online compass to use that reference straight line to measure the lie angle of what would make the sole sit flat. I've been pretty much spot on with what LAB comes back with or within one degree. 

I gathered that was pretty much the extent of it.

I just took a screenshot of my fitting video at impact and I used the ruler on my iPhone.  Came out to exactly 65*, just like they said.  Took 2 seconds.

Another successful 9 hole outing with the Mega Mind aka Mad Hatter aka Panacea.

I didn’t miss a putt inside of 8ft except for a stupid 5 footer that I didn’t even line up.  So dumb. Some good testers over 5ft that went in center cup each time.  I’m really liking it so far.  I have way more confidence in those putts!

Just got a voicemail from the CEO of L.A.B. I’ll have to give him a call back tomorrow.  Pretty cool to have someone that high up call.

One thing I find interesting about the DF2.1 I don’t get many comments about the size ir shape of the putter, but i get a fair amount of:  is that one of those LAB or directed force putters.   I guess in the age of larger mallet putters the size and shape isn’t that odd.  
 

Went to the course early before my round to get some time on the driving range but since  the range and short game areas were closed I got to spend some extra time on the putting green.   Made some more tweaks to my setup and felt like I was able to dial in the performance a little more and was able to take it to the course during my round.   No putts over about 30 feet during my round; so I didn’t have an opportunity to test the really long putts, but line and speed control are getting better.   I was talking with Harry on Tuesday; he was testing putting mats; and he has been doing some tweaking his putting setup to get the DF2.1 dialed in.    For me, this putter seems to fall into the you build a stroke around to fit the putter strategy and not the pick a putter to fit your stroke.  

Alright MGS Members.  I just had a ~30min phone call with Sam Han, CEO of L.A.B. 

Man what an awesome phone call that was!  He is very passionate about putting, helping golfers improve, and the company.  I have no doubt that they will continue to grow.

I gave him some honest feedback about our testers' thoughts on the online fitting process.  I mentioned how many of us would have rather done a face to face fitting.

He said that the rationale behind the online fitting is that golfer are much more consistent with their stroke than they think they are.  If they can get the golfer comfortable, they have a better chance of letting the putter technology do what it is supposed to do and get better.  He said that he's seen too many times with the live fitting process that people will tinker way too much.  Rather than settling in a getting comfortable, they'll start saying, "Should my hands be higher/lower?  What about this or  that? XYZ?"  At the end, they are in their heads way too much and leave with something that is far removed from what they do naturally and consistently.

I have found something similar in my own game/experience and teaching and coaching experience.  In the full swing, for example, golfers are often very very very consistent with their club path.  On TrackMan, if someone has a -5* club path at impact, they'll repeat that very consistently.  As long as it is within a functional range and not something like -14*, it is often best suited to manage the clubface better to fit that path.  Most golfers don't have hours each day to make massive swing changes to alter their path closer to zero, so depending on the goals of the player, you go a certain route.  Not saying this fits all scenarios, but I understand the logic.

As we were discussing my experience with the putter, he said over and over, "You are like the poster child for what we want to see happen with our putters!  You have approached this with an open mind and just let the putter do its thing." 

So I'll say that from my experience, at least, I have not touched my old putters since getting the L.A.B.  It was very refreshing to set the L.A.B. down at address and see it sit flat.  With all of my other putters, they want to be way toe up because of my 65* lie angle.  Now I just set it up and stroke it.

There is still more testing to be done, obviously, but all I can say is that from my experience, it has been top notch. 

I think the biggest issue I’m having right now with this putter is the grip.

I know it sounds crazy because they’re so popular, but I never liked the wide Super Stroke style grips and that’s what this Press 3.0 reminds me of. It also has a weird feel to it. The word that comes to mind is wax-y. *probably not a word, but that’s how it feels.

Just a quick(ish) update on my journey with this test. 

  The family had a multi-day camping getaway planned (Sunday-Friday), and I genuinely considered bringing "Ammon D'Eggz" with me, in the hopes of finding a putting green somewhere nearby, and also because I thought it would be funny to take pictures of the putter in the woods - alas, my better judgment (and my wife's) prevailed and I decided not to risk bringing it anywhere a bear might decide it needed a new back-scratcher.

  Anyway, we ended up coming home a day early, which was a great excuse to wake up early-ish on Friday and get out for a few hours' worth of practice at my local course's putting green complex.  

  I had missed a call from Sam Hahn (L.A.B. CEO) the night before, and used the opportunity to call him back while putting.  As previously reported, he's a genuinely easy conversationalist, and as I'm not one to ever let a good conversation go to waste, before I knew it we'd been on the phone at least a 1/2 hour.  He seemed genuinely interested in how I (bold, underlined) was doing, if I had any questions, what my general takeaways were, etc.  We discussed the art of one-handed putting (seriously - he told me a great story about a speed golfer who is using a LAB putter in his rounds and only putting with one hand so as to not have to put the bag down), ball position (I'm about 1/2 a ball in front of the face of the putter at address), getting used to trusting my line (I was a big "line it up, stand over it, distrust the line I'd picked and then readjust over the ball" putter with my previous gamer) and just letting it go, etc.

  As for the practice session, I will say that the more comfortable I get with this putter, the harder it is to imagine using my old Tommy Armour Milled (Serrano) - everything about this is just easier.  

  I started by lining up 10 balls (in a line) from about 10-ish feet (but not a flat putt - slightly right to left), and then worked my way through each ball, with the same set-up every time (putter aligned behind ball using ball alignment aid, stepping up to the putter, looking at hole one last time, then letting the putter do its thing).  I made 3, with 6 of the remaining 7 inside 18" or so, and the 10th about 3' past - I then cleaned up the misses to ensure that those were easy two-putts.  

  I then worked on a series of 6-8 footers (these were about a cup out left-to-right), as these have traditionally been my nemesis - same routine.  Set them up in a line, lined each one up based on what I was seeing, and then set up and fired at the hole.  Missed the first, made 6 in a row (which was a little crazy for me), missed the 8th and 9th (nailed my line, but had set up too far left of the hole), but made the 10th.  So, 70% from there is WAY above average for me, and encouraging.  

  It was then that I called Sam, so the next half-hour was a mix of 10-15 footers, some one-handed putts (I had to hold the phone about 1/2 way through the call as my earbud died) (where I drained a 30-footer and laughed and when I told him what just happened, he told me the story about the speed-golfer) - and just a quick aside, I think there's some real value in practicing some lag putts with one hand pre-round, as it took some of my "brain" away and I was just trying to let the putter do its thing.  

  I ended with some 60-ish foot putts, up over a ridge (slightly right to left).  For these, after hitting the first one (pin-high, but missing about 8 feet to the right), I realized it wasn't nearly as right-to-left as I though, so I adjusted the remaining balls accordingly.  Of the 10, I lipped out one, I left 3 others within 2 feet, 3 more to about 4 feet and one about 10' past (I purposefully hit it out of the toe, but didn't put the same swing on it and hit it way too hard).  However, and this is the best part (to me), I managed to make the 8-footer dead-center, all of the 4-footers, and left the 10-footer 3" short (and then had another go and drained it).

  One of the things I'm discovering, and was reinforced in the phone call with Sam, is that because I'm more and more convinced that the ball is absolutely going to keep its line when I hit it, I'm able to be a bit more aggressive than I normally would, and thus take a lot of break out of putts that I normally would be trying to finesse into the hole - I'm so much less-scared of running it 4 feet by, that I'm able to be a lot more aggressive and line up the ball 1/2 a cup outside (instead of a full cup or even 1.5 out like I used to do) and then let the ball go with pace right at the cup. Improving my green-reading is a big part of my next journey, for sure, and something that's been pretty clear I need help with, but in the meantime, being able to attack a little bit feels like an easier place to start.  Obviously, if the greens are very fast, I'll still need to be careful with this kind of mentality, but for my local muni, this feels like a great place to start and see how if i can quickly improve my putting stats.

  Alright - so, not exactly a "quick" update, but ... welcome to my brain. 

  As for the fitting experience others have touched on here, I've said a few times already (mostly on our internal message thread) that the customer-interaction part of the process could really use a little more TLC - these things are expensive and hiring a few more people to be "Customer Liaisons" (or something) would go a long way to calming the little voices in our collective heads.  Having used the putter for 3 weeks now, I can say that it's worth $500 (what a bare-bones version would ultimately run you - $680 for the one I'm testing), but had I put that money down and been waiting with limited information/contact, it would be a hard thing to just sit back and trust. 

  That being said, so far this thing has FAR outperformed my expectations, so...take that for what it's worth.  

-Samsonite

I played another 18 hole round with the DF2.1 today.  Same as the other day where we jumped out of the car and straight to the first tee box.  First hole I had about 30ft downhill.  No clue how fast the greens were and I hit it too firm.  Left a 10ft come back for par.  Drained it.  I had lots of 30ft putts all day long.  Just wasn’t hitting the ball very close.  Made one 30ft putt for birdie.  Only had one 3 putt on the day, which, for me, is historically a big issue.  Especially if I’m around 20-30ft for the birdie putt all day long. 
 

I did miss about 4 putts inside of 8ft that I just over-read the break.  I just couldn’t seem to get the read down today.  But again, I know I hit my line, they just didn’t break.  My playing partners did admit that I’m putting night and day better with this DF2.1 than prior putters. 

More putting green practice this morning (~15mins).  All I can say is this thing makes putts.  I feel like inside of 10ft I’ve got a really solid chance of draining it.  This was not the case before.  Even 3 footers gave me trouble.  
 

I am also learning more about how I read putts.  I really like left to right breaking putts, but over read break on right to left breaking putts.  I miss high side on those about 90% of the time I miss them. 
 

I almost holed two putts from 40 and 50 feet as well.  Like finished on the lip close. 
 

I seriously don’t see anything taking this out of the bag.  As of now, I’d say I’m selling my old putters.  I like the sight line I chose.  I love the matte black color scheme.  The forward press putter grip doesn’t give me any issues.  It’s all around a good fit for me.

I’ve got a tee time for Wednesday. It will be my first round of golf in 6 weeks, and my 3rd in about 10. My leg is feeling pretty close to 100% though, and I think a couple of Aleeve should get me through the day.

I’m going to hit balls for the first time since then tomorrow, and give the DF2.1 a workout before taking it on it’s maiden voyage. This grip is still annoying the hell outta me though…

I got out for a practice session this morning in between last night and now this afternoon’s rain. I hate to sound like a broken record, but as much as I like this putter, that’s how much I hate the Press 3 grip. It’s not a normal situation where I would’ve been able to switch it out either. The grip is designed so the shaft goes into it on an angle, which is unlike any other I’ve seen.

It’s not like I’m Monday Morning Quarterbacking here either. When I placed my order I asked in the comment box if they felt another grip might be better for me.
 

Another ~30min practice session.  I don’t have anything negative to report.  I’ve never enjoyed practicing putting this much in my life.  I used to hate/avoid it because I was so bad at it. 
 

I ended by making 10 putts in a row (all different breaks and distances) over 8ft.  After laughing at hearing and seeing the ball go in time after time, I rolled one in from 25ft.  Dead center.  
 

Some people even started watching because they kept hearing the ball go in over and over.  
 

I don’t know what else to say.  I probably sound like a infomercial, but it is what it is at this point. 
 

Is there a chance that I made so many because I know this putting green well.  Yes, but I’ve never done that before with any of my other putters on this green.  Is there a chance that it is due to nothing being on the line?  Yes, but again, I’ve never done that before.  Is it because I’m practicing my putting semi-regularly?  Perhaps, but again, it is making me enjoy practicing putting, so that’s overall a positive thing.

I continue to try the 2.1 and wish I had the great success that most on here seem to be having.  I can’t say there isn’t anything wrong with the putter and it rolls the ball well. I’ve done the one and two ball drills and can do those successfully.  before my league match yesterday I did a lot of practice with thumbs off and even followed that approach during the round which seemed to give me a little better control of the line as I tried to keep my hands completely out of the stroke.  The issue is still the mid length distance control with Mid length being 5-15 feet.  Inside of that distance I have a good make percentage and outside of that distance I am getting the ball around the hole for easy 2 putts.  That mid range putt is the one you really think you should be making but I am struggling to make a long enough stroke to get the ball to the hole.  

The difficulty is figuring out if the “problem” is the putter or me.  While the answer is definitely me, the caveat is would my prior putter have gotten the ball,to the hole with the same stroke.  I’m trying to make a bigger stroke but am I having a mental lapse and can’t make myself make that big of a stroke for the particular length putt?   Unfortunately, there really is no way to compare side by side with another putter as there are no do overs in a round.   I can hit the putt again with the same or different putter but because I have more knowledge it really isn’t the same.  I can’t hit putts side by side on a practice green for the exact same reason; which is why we are told to practice putting with only one ball.  

I’ll relay a comment/story I saw from Sean Toulon (Taylormade, Toulon and Callaway/Odyssey) that kind of sums up my thoughts at the moment.  Sean was on the practice green at a tour event and got Tiger to try one of the putters.   Tiger hit a couple of putts and said nice but it rolls the ball too far. The moral of the story was that players build feels into their game and when you make a stroke of X length the expectation is that the ball will go a certain distance.

For me this putter doesn’t roll the ball far enough based on my experiences and feels.  As a result, to be successful with this putter I am going to have to build a stroke to fit the putter.  This is kind of the opposite of what I think you do in a fitting where you fit the putter to your stroke.  Granted both approaches can work; there just needs to be a time investment in the former and one would need to assess the benefits if going down that road. 

Got an email from L.A.B.  Apparently they have a second hand website as well.  Might be worth it for those wanting to try one but can’t commit to the big price tag.  You could do the online fitting, get your specs, then find one here:  

https://labgolfoutlet.com/factory-second-putters/df-2-1/

15 hours ago, cnosil said:

I continue to try the 2.1 and wish I had the great success that most on here seem to be having.  I can’t say there isn’t anything wrong with the putter and it rolls the ball well. I’ve done the one and two ball drills and can do those successfully.  before my league match yesterday I did a lot of practice with thumbs off and even followed that approach during the round which seemed to give me a little better control of the line as I tried to keep my hands completely out of the stroke.  The issue is still the mid length distance control with Mid length being 5-15 feet.  Inside of that distance I have a good make percentage and outside of that distance I am getting the ball around the hole for easy 2 putts.  That mid range putt is the one you really think you should be making but I am struggling to make a long enough stroke to get the ball to the hole.  

The difficulty is figuring out if the “problem” is the putter or me.  While the answer is definitely me, the caveat is would my prior putter have gotten the ball,to the hole with the same stroke.  I’m trying to make a bigger stroke but am I having a mental lapse and can’t make myself make that big of a stroke for the particular length putt?   Unfortunately, there really is no way to compare side by side with another putter as there are no do overs in a round.   I can hit the putt again with the same or different putter but because I have more knowledge it really isn’t the same.  I can’t hit putts side by side on a practice green for the exact same reason; which is why we are told to practice putting with only one ball.  

I’ll relay a comment/story I saw from Sean Toulon (Taylormade, Toulon and Callaway/Odyssey) that kind of sums up my thoughts at the moment.  Sean was on the practice green at a tour event and got Tiger to try one of the putters.   Tiger hit a couple of putts and said nice but it rolls the ball too far. The moral of the story was that players build feels into their game and when you make a stroke of X length the expectation is that the ball will go a certain distance.

For me this putter doesn’t roll the ball far enough based on my experiences and feels.  As a result, to be successful with this putter I am going to have to build a stroke to fit the putter.  This is kind of the opposite of what I think you do in a fitting where you fit the putter to your stroke.  Granted both approaches can work; there just needs to be a time investment in the former and one would need to assess the benefits if going down that road. 

You’ve given me a lot of good advice here the last couple of years, I’m going to try to return the favor now…

 What you’re describing reminds me of when I bought an Evenroll putter a few years back. They had glowing reviews, and I bought one, only because I was bored playing a Yes! Tracy for 10+ years.

Right away it felt off to me. I was making my normal stroke, yet almost every time my putt would come up short. Naturally I tried to hit them harder. That started a downward spiral of blowing them by the hole or pulling them. Then I got caught in between and started decelling.I was overthinking or trying to over correct something with every putt I looked at, and losing any sense of confidence I had of holing out. Once you lose that confidence with a putter, and the gremlins get in your head, you’re done. 

It wasn’t very long before I realized it didn’t matter if it was me or the putter. It was a bad marriage, and there was no sense trying to make it work. Sometimes you’ve just got to know when it’s time to let go, my friend. There are plenty of other fish in the sea.

 

So I finally got back on a golf course Wednesday after 6 weeks and got to play a round with the DF2.1

First things first. I’ve been making a lot of comments about the Press 3.0 grip during practice sessions. I apparently get into a different zone while putting in a round of golf as opposed to just testing, because it wasn’t an issue at all while playing.

I expected some wtf moments on the greens after not playing for such a long time but that never happened. My distance control was really good, and I can’t think of any time the ball wasn’t going where I didn’t want. I was so successful with it that it’s hard for me to give the type review I wanted to, simply because I had only longish to very short putts today. 
I’m not a guy who will hit a lot of irons and even wedges within 10 feet of the hole. I’m happy hitting a green. I did that pretty well today, and because the DF2.1 was so good with long putts, I had very few within a 5-12 foot range, which I think is a critical one for determining how well a putter performs for a golfer. We know we’re not going to make them all, but we should make some, and come close enough on the rest to be a bit ticked for missing them.

I hole putt out on every hole whether I’m in a money or friendly game, so I can say is not only was the DF money on long putts, but the shorties from 4’ and in were point and shoot.

Saturday I’ll be playing in my money game. We play a different format every week, but usually have a few hundred available in a skin pool. You can make some nice coin if you win a hole (or two), but as most of you know, in a skins game your putter needs to perform. You need to make birdies, pars and bogeys won’t get it done. The best thing I can say about the DF2.1 is if i didn’t think I could make money with it, I wouldn’t put it in play on Saturday, the MGS testing review would be put off for another day.
It’s going in the bag.

On 6/29/2022 at 7:45 AM, cnosil said:

I continue to try the 2.1 and wish I had the great success that most on here seem to be having.  I can’t say there isn’t anything wrong with the putter and it rolls the ball well. I’ve done the one and two ball drills and can do those successfully.  before my league match yesterday I did a lot of practice with thumbs off and even followed that approach during the round which seemed to give me a little better control of the line as I tried to keep my hands completely out of the stroke.  The issue is still the mid length distance control with Mid length being 5-15 feet.  Inside of that distance I have a good make percentage and outside of that distance I am getting the ball around the hole for easy 2 putts.  That mid range putt is the one you really think you should be making but I am struggling to make a long enough stroke to get the ball to the hole.  

The difficulty is figuring out if the “problem” is the putter or me.  While the answer is definitely me, the caveat is would my prior putter have gotten the ball,to the hole with the same stroke.  I’m trying to make a bigger stroke but am I having a mental lapse and can’t make myself make that big of a stroke for the particular length putt?   Unfortunately, there really is no way to compare side by side with another putter as there are no do overs in a round.   I can hit the putt again with the same or different putter but because I have more knowledge it really isn’t the same.  I can’t hit putts side by side on a practice green for the exact same reason; which is why we are told to practice putting with only one ball.  

I’ll relay a comment/story I saw from Sean Toulon (Taylormade, Toulon and Callaway/Odyssey) that kind of sums up my thoughts at the moment.  Sean was on the practice green at a tour event and got Tiger to try one of the putters.   Tiger hit a couple of putts and said nice but it rolls the ball too far. The moral of the story was that players build feels into their game and when you make a stroke of X length the expectation is that the ball will go a certain distance.

For me this putter doesn’t roll the ball far enough based on my experiences and feels.  As a result, to be successful with this putter I am going to have to build a stroke to fit the putter.  This is kind of the opposite of what I think you do in a fitting where you fit the putter to your stroke.  Granted both approaches can work; there just needs to be a time investment in the former and one would need to assess the benefits if going down that road. 

Were you able to connect with our friend?  Curious if he'd have any particular advice about what you're experiencing - that must be super frustrating to feel like everything's working EXCEPT this one thing (and kind of an important one at that).  

This might be a dumb question, but it's worked for me in the past, so I'll give it a shot:  have you tried heads-up putting with this thing?  Lining up, picking your point, but then not looking away from the point and just firing at it?  With my gamer, that was the ONLY way for me to get into a "ohhh...it's THIS far away" mentality, as as soon as I looked away from the hole/aim point, I couldn't exactly remember how hard I needed to hit it, and would either leave it hilariously short or painfully long.  For about 3 months, all I did was heads-up, and my pace control is kind of shockingly good these days.  No idea if this would help you, mind you, but it was a really good exercise that I still use on the practice green when warming up before a round.  

And as @Grand Strandedsaid so eloquently, it ultimately might not be a match - hitting your line (new to me) isn't enough if you can't get it to the hole consistently.  Good luck! Keep letting us know how it goes!

14 minutes ago, Samsonite said:

Were you able to connect with our friend?  Curious if he'd have any particular advice about what you're experiencing - that must be super frustrating to feel like everything's working EXCEPT this one thing (and kind of an important one at that).  

This might be a dumb question, but it's worked for me in the past, so I'll give it a shot:  have you tried heads-up putting with this thing?  Lining up, picking your point, but then not looking away from the point and just firing at it?  With my gamer, that was the ONLY way for me to get into a "ohhh...it's THIS far away" mentality, as as soon as I looked away from the hole/aim point, I couldn't exactly remember how hard I needed to hit it, and would either leave it hilariously short or painfully long.  For about 3 months, all I did was heads-up, and my pace control is kind of shockingly good these days.  No idea if this would help you, mind you, but it was a really good exercise that I still use on the practice green when warming up before a round.  

And as @Grand Strandedsaid so eloquently, it ultimately might not be a match - hitting your line (new to me) isn't enough if you can't get it to the hole consistently.  Good luck! Keep letting us know how it goes!

I'm glad you brought this up.  I was thinking that the DF2.1 is the PERFECT putter for heads up style putting.  With other putters, you miss the sweet spot and the distance control almost becomes a moot point.  This one is much more forgiving on miss-hits and distance control.  It would seem to be much more freeing to do heads up putting with it than a blade or traditional mallet. 

12 minutes ago, GolfSpy_CS said:

I'm glad you brought this up.  I was thinking that the DF2.1 is the PERFECT putter for heads up style putting.  With other putters, you miss the sweet spot and the distance control almost becomes a moot point.  This one is much more forgiving on miss-hits and distance control.  It would seem to be much more freeing to do heads up putting with it than a blade or traditional mallet. 

Ironically, this is what I was most excited to test with this putter, but I've found that all the work I put in over the last few months has helped me to a fairly astonishing degree - because my set-up is so consistent with this, getting up behind the ball, looking back at the hole one last time, then back to the set-up and firing (returning shaft to center) I'm finding that my distance control is shockingly good. 

But I agree - I think more than any other putter, this would be the one to use for heads-up, since I'm experiencing next to no drop-off from toe/heel hits. 

1 hour ago, Samsonite said:

Were you able to connect with our friend?  Curious if he'd have any particular advice about what you're experiencing - that must be super frustrating to feel like everything's working EXCEPT this one thing (and kind of an important one at that).  

This might be a dumb question, but it's worked for me in the past, so I'll give it a shot:  have you tried heads-up putting with this thing?  

And as @Grand Strandedsaid so eloquently, it ultimately might not be a match - hitting your line (new to me) isn't enough if you can't get it to the hole consistently.  Good luck! Keep letting us know how it goes!

I have not had the opportunity to reach out; been busy with work, most wanted testing at MGS HQ, and actually playing golf.  Unfortunately, the one thing not working s probably the most important.

no, I haven’t tried heads up putting with the LAB but I do step off putt distances to help calibrate stroke length.  Probably more if a mental focus and having to overcome the prebuilt feelings.  
 

it could be time to give up, but I am stubborn

12 minutes ago, cnosil said:

I have not had the opportunity to reach out; been busy with work, most wanted testing at MGS HQ, and actually playing golf.  Unfortunately, the one thing not working s probably the most important.

no, I haven’t tried heads up putting with the LAB but I do step off putt distances to help calibrate stroke length.  Probably more if a mental focus and having to overcome the prebuilt feelings.  
 

it could be time to give up, but I am stubborn

Before you give up, definitely reach out. If only to know you've exhausted all avenues

Happened again on the practice green today.  I start putting, make the first two 10 footers in a row.  An seasoned man comes up to me and says, “Is that a Scotty Cameron?”  I say, “No sir.” He says, “What is that?”  I give the whole shebang. 

I tell him how the thing just makes putts.  I drain two more 10 footers in a row.  He starts laughing and says, “Well maybe in need to cancel my Scotty order.”  We had a good laugh. 

He goes back to practice on his own.  I keep draining putts.  He watches from a distance and says, “Do you ever miss one from 10 feet and in?” 

Had a pretty spectacular green-session yesterday - spent about 90 minutes practicing set-up, alignment, green-reading, and everything from 60' to 5' putts. Only stopped because I was getting light-headed from the heat, actually. I've never spent this much time working on my putting, which is probably why it's never felt like a strength, but man! This thing just makes me want to practice. I actually feel like I might be a pretty ok putter now that I can confidently say that the ball is going where I intend it to. I still need to work on my green-reading and subsequent alignment of the ball, but that feels like a lifelong journey. 

One thing I noticed yesterday, after the session (and subsequent range session), was that I'm clenching (for lack of a better word) my legs - my quads in particular, to ensure I'm not swaying at all and only using a pendulum motion. Last night and especially today, my legs feel like I worked out at the gym - which, for those of you who've not seen my doughy body out and about (praying that's most of you), is not a thing that happens all that often these days. 

Anyone else doing this? Am I WAY too tense over the ball? Is this something I should work on? Again, I've never spent this much time on my putting (shocker that I don't consider myself a great putter, right?), so it could be a thing I always do and have just never noticed it until now. 

Anyway, that's it for now. Can't say enough how amazed I am everytime I get one out of the toe to see it not lose any pace/line at all. 

-S

2 hours ago, Samsonite said:

Had a pretty spectacular green-session yesterday - spent about 90 minutes practicing set-up, alignment, green-reading, and everything from 60' to 5' putts. Only stopped because I was getting light-headed from the heat, actually. I've never spent this much time working on my putting, which is probably why it's never felt like a strength, but man! This thing just makes me want to practice. I actually feel like I might be a pretty ok putter now that I can confidently say that the ball is going where I intend it to. I still need to work on my green-reading and subsequent alignment of the ball, but that feels like a lifelong journey. 

One thing I noticed yesterday, after the session (and subsequent range session), was that I'm clenching (for lack of a better word) my legs - my quads in particular, to ensure I'm not swaying at all and only using a pendulum motion. Last night and especially today, my legs feel like I worked out at the gym - which, for those of you who've not seen my doughy body out and about (praying that's most of you), is not a thing that happens all that often these days. 

Anyone else doing this? Am I WAY too tense over the ball? Is this something I should work on? Again, I've never spent this much time on my putting (shocker that I don't consider myself a great putter, right?), so it could be a thing I always do and have just never noticed it until now. 

Anyway, that's it for now. Can't say enough how amazed I am everytime I get one out of the toe to see it not lose any pace/line at all. 

-S

Same experience I’m having.  I love practicing putting now.  Never felt that way before!