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

 

3 hours ago, EasyPutter said:

The technique you so well explain is what I have been working on for years so I can assure you it is possible to keep waist to toes steady and planted like a foundation without clenching.  I would try it without a ball standing on a carpet with a line or the carpet edge and just get used to the setup and move the putter with your arms not locked but also not moving between shoulders and fingertips.  Back and forth swing without stopping to get used to a smooth flow and arrow straight clubhead path is the goal.  What follows is what I do so feel free to make it yours or ignore as everything golf is yours to choose.

My focus is on the top of the putter alignment to ensure the path is straight without twist, and for that reason alone I will probably never try the heads-up putting as my head also moves with my putter so eyes can see that the putter flies true from vertical rest to top of backswing to top of fore swing.  I note where the ball would be at contact on the clubface which, when everything goes right, is in the middle where it should be.  I say the putter flies because that image looking down on the putter clubhead is like watching an airplane in flight and seeing it flying true means my grip is not interfering with the putt.  Just as an airplane should not yaw and slip sideways or twist in flight, neither should the putter as it travels on its pendular arc.  The only contact I want is with the putter face perpendicular to the chosen initial ball path so that is the entire purpose for this technique of ensuring true putter clubhead in flight.

It was the virtual fitting video that was my wakeup call for 2022 why putting was off this year compared to last.  If there is any hip motion, that's doing it wrong.  That also does not require clenching of any kind.  It does require practice to ensure hips down stays quiet while shoulders turn about the spine axis and arms also remain quiet.  Remember, the ball is not the focus in this technique, it is simply a point on the swing where a sound is heard and a slight sensation is felt as momentum is transferred from putter to ball.  Only after that happens should the eyes break from the putter head to follow the ball and even that is not necessary.

Last thought has to do with practice and an example of what to think while putting: a child learning to walk is a mess of jerkiness, fear and falling as long as they are trying to walk.  Distract them while they're learning and their attention elsewhere they start walking naturally, only to fall down as soon as they realize they're walking.  Practice what to do when there is no ball to build muscle memory and practice the routine.  In my short video posted yesterday you can seen my routine that was done for only the first putt of the 3 in the short video and how that one actually rolled true while the other 2 while close ended up short with slightly different line.  I made the video brief due to social pressure of others moving onto the putting green and I think it nicely shows the difference due to each ball about 6" different line where I dropped them.  With no time pressure I would go through that whole routine for each ball as it is what I developed years ago and been practiced countless times, and it works for me.  Time over the putt should be as brief as possible to get rid of thinking that always gets in the way.  Sight the line, move to the ball, set the club and hands, relax with a cleansing breath, and swing.  Nothing else is needed.

Absolutely love this. Thanks. 

Happy Fourth of July everyone!

Two rounds in with the DF2.1 and so far so good. If I’m going to quibble about anything, it would be the sound/feel off the face compared to my White Hot OG DW. While the OG has that soft feel the white hot insert is known for, the DF2.1 has a bit of a tinny sound imo.
Am I holing more putts though? Honestly, I felt like I made about the same as I normally would, but the big thing for me is I have ingrained in my head their mantra of setting up, aligning properly and trusting the tech to do the rest. That seems to have relieved any paralysis by analysis over anything from 10’ and in, and I’ve been happy with the outcomes. I give this putter a big, big plus for that.

One issue I’ve noticed so far is it doesn’t seem to work as well for me off the green as my old putter. It’s early days, but this could become a big concern on the courses I play, as the fairways and areas around the green are almost always very tightly shaven. If your short game technique isn’t perfect you pay a price so it’s not uncommon to see even better players putt from much further off than you normally would on most courses.
To be fair, I think this might be an issue with any change of putters, especially one to this extreme. It is something that needs to improve quickly however. Like most every player I know, I can’t afford to have a strength in my game become a weakness when the remedy is sitting in my backup bag.

We’ll see what happens today. I have another tee time this morning, and I’m going to make a point of trying to work on this issue beforehand.

To be continued…

Golf is interesting.   I was conducting my forum test for the Shot Scope and had the DF2.1 in the bag.   I thought it was an up and down kind of putting day but nothing really special and continued to feel like I wasn't getting the ball to the hole.   After my round I reviewed the strokes gained numbers from my putting and based on the data I gained half a stroke on a scratch handcap golfer.   I guess it may be more in my head than actual performance;  definitely something to keep an eye on. 

Every once in a while you have one of those days when the game feels easy. That was me today.

My club held a Fourth of July event today and I was 3 over after 12 holes. Then in a Caddyshack like moment, the skies opened up, and rain came down in buckets. Unlike the Pastor in that movie, I got while the getting was good, and headed back to the clubhouse for a couple of drinks with the guys.

The DF2.1 was great today, but in what is a very rare occurrence, my approach shots were spot on all day, so I never really put a lot of pressure on it. Two birdies, one triple on a par 5 when I drove OB by two feet, (and I killed the sucker too) and a few bogeys I won’t complain about.

Back out there again tomorrow with our Tuesday Members league. We’ll be playing a net Stableford, where net bogeys are zero points, par is 2 birdies 4 and eagles 8, so I’m going to be aggressive on the greens. Big test for this putter coming up!

12 hours ago, cnosil said:

Golf is interesting.   I was conducting my forum test for the Shot Scope and had the DF2.1 in the bag.   I thought it was an up and down kind of putting day but nothing really special and continued to feel like I wasn't getting the ball to the hole.   After my round I reviewed the strokes gained numbers from my putting and based on the data I gained half a stroke on a scratch handcap golfer.   I guess it may be more in my head than actual performance;  definitely something to keep an eye on. 

What does it say on the box your LAB came in? “You’re a better putter than you think you are!”

On 7/4/2022 at 5:21 AM, Grand Stranded said:

Happy Fourth of July everyone!

Two rounds in with the DF2.1 and so far so good. If I’m going to quibble about anything, it would be the sound/feel off the face compared to my White Hot OG DW. While the OG has that soft feel the white hot insert is known for, the DF2.1 has a bit of a tinny sound imo.
Am I holing more putts though? Honestly, I felt like I made about the same as I normally would, but the big thing for me is I have ingrained in my head their mantra of setting up, aligning properly and trusting the tech to do the rest. That seems to have relieved any paralysis by analysis over anything from 10’ and in, and I’ve been happy with the outcomes. I give this putter a big, big plus for that.

One issue I’ve noticed so far is it doesn’t seem to work as well for me off the green as my old putter. It’s early days, but this could become a big concern on the courses I play, as the fairways and areas around the green are almost always very tightly shaven. If your short game technique isn’t perfect you pay a price so it’s not uncommon to see even better players putt from much further off than you normally would on most courses.
To be fair, I think this might be an issue with any change of putters, especially one to this extreme. It is something that needs to improve quickly however. Like most every player I know, I can’t afford to have a strength in my game become a weakness when the remedy is sitting in my backup bag.

We’ll see what happens today. I have another tee time this morning, and I’m going to make a point of trying to work on this issue beforehand.

To be continued…

Curious how the round went yesterday - I haven't really played with it (yet) off the green, though to be fair, that's not usually something I do anyway currently.  I've actually been toying with the idea of putting a chipper (I know, I know) in the bag, as my technique with bump-and-runs is ... inconsistent, to be nice to myself   And after watching Crossfield put it in his bag, I feel like that's all the justification I need, lol.  Would you ever consider doing something like that?  I know chippers have been maligned since they arrived on the scene, but if you've got room, it might simplify those shots to the point of not needing to worry about it.  (If you're horrified at this question, please just skip it and move on ).

 

5 hours ago, Samsonite said:

Curious how the round went yesterday - I haven't really played with it (yet) off the green, though to be fair, that's not usually something I do anyway currently.  I've actually been toying with the idea of putting a chipper (I know, I know) in the bag, as my technique with bump-and-runs is ... inconsistent, to be nice to myself   And after watching Crossfield put it in his bag, I feel like that's all the justification I need, lol.  Would you ever consider doing something like that?  I know chippers have been maligned since they arrived on the scene, but if you've got room, it might simplify those shots to the point of not needing to worry about it.  (If you're horrified at this question, please just skip it and move on ).

 

Not only would I consider it, but a few years ago I bought a Square Stryke chipper. Here’s the problem though… I’ve seen guys who are lights out with a chipper, but I screwed up as many shots with mine as I did with my other clubs. They claim it’s chunk proof, but I debunked that theory very quickly, not to mention I bladed more than my share across the green. That said, look at my sig, I’ve become a big believer in playing the most forgiving club I can. If a chipper works for you, why wouldn’t you play it, or at least give one a try?

I’ve watched the same Crossfield chipper video you talked about. Check out the ones he has done with the Cleveland hybrid style irons the last few years. The combination of his recommendations and a guy (7 hcap) winning the net portion of our club championship last year with an older version convinced me to give them a try. Crossfield also talks about how great they are around the greens, and that’s what sold me. I’ve been using the 8 iron or DW around the greens and I couldn’t agree more, they’ve been a godsend for my short game.

I sold my PXGs and can’t imagine ever going back to a traditional iron set. When I bought them I had gone up from a 12 to a 16. I’m now back down to 11.8 after posting my score from today.

I’ve played two rounds the past two days and right now I’m torn with what to say about the DF2.1. I don’t want to come off as critical, but on the other hand I’ve yet to feel there’s anything magical about it, and there’s the rub.

If I’m going to buy a new putter, I’ve got to feel that magic right away. I’m so appreciative of the opportunity that Lab and MGS have given me, I want to keep plugging away with this and I really want it to work out. I have to be honest though and repeat what I said after my first few practice sessions. If this were a normal situation, and I was testing this against other models in a store, I would’ve put it back on the shelf, and tried something else.

The size is awkward,  there’s no getting around that. Another thing is I’m not sold on the results of my fitting. I feel like I have to manipulate it to sit flat. When I take my normal setup the heel is above the ground slightly and to correct that I’m moving my arms out more from my body than I feel I should.

In fairness the results have been pretty good, not great. I’m not fully dialed in with it, nor do I feel as confident with it as I want to, and I think that should have happened by now? I want to keep this review focused on the DF2.1, and don’t want to get into comparisons with my own putter, so I’ll leave it here for today.

 

First Impressions - Directed Force 2.1

My putter arrived the day after we left for a 2 week vacation. I was bummed. All I could think about was getting my hands on that putter. The day my neighbor picked it up, he texted me that the box looked like it had been opened. My heart sank … the thought of going thru another build process and getting pushed further down the review timeline made me sick. I asked him to take it out and send pics. So my neighbor, a non-golfer, was the first person to hold my new baby. Luckily, the putter was unscathed.

The DF 2.1 ... It was indeed huge! I knew it was going to be big ... but I wasn't prepared for how small it made my favorite putter look. I also went all out with alignment lines. I read a reviewer online who said they could align this pattern better, so I chose it as well. I get comments: "wow, that's a lot of lines." But I like them.

 Looks like an old-fashioned bottle opener to me.

The BGT - Stability Tour Fire shaft ... It's a very good looking shaft. I love the color and the taper makes it stand out as well. I chose the shaft because it was listed as having a "soft" feel while the LA Golf shaft was supposedly a "very soft" feel. I know the Accra X by L.A.B. was purposely designed to go with their line of putters, but I'm one of those people who equates price with performance, which MGS has disproven over the years. I went with my gut ... the shaft says "Tour", it's red, and it's more expensive, so it must be better??? Aside from the putter head being designed to be non-torquing, this shaft is, as well. 

Press No. II 3° grip ... It looks big and kind of funky because of the angle it sits on. Its soft and slightly tacky, and fits my hand quite comfortably. I like a grip you can take a firm hold of. I think if this had a pistol grip you wouldn't feel in control of this large head. When I hold this club, I feel in control.

Very Minor Impression: As an old club maker, I was a bit miffed that the grip was slid on with tiny kinks. I does not affect performance, it is not visible at address ... it is simply a personality flaw I have. It really can't be seen unless you sight down the grip. I have never put a grip like this on and I don't know how difficult it might be. It is not an issue, but it was an impression.

Final Minor Impression: When I first set the club down the face looked closed to me. The angle of the shaft causes an optical illusion I guess. But as soon as I began using it on the putting green, I had no trouble keeping it square.

I was one of the last in the group to receive my putter, because of issues in my fitting process.

I feel like Debbie Downer in here, .

i played in my Saturday money game today and if I’ve had a worse day putting, I honestly can’t remember it.

It might be the fact that I’m coming off a long layoff, because the rest of my game is rusty also, but let’s just say after watching me putt today none of my 3 playing partners will be looking to buy a DF2.1 anytime soon. These guys know me, we’ve all played together many times over the past 12 years and they couldn’t believe what they were watching. It was a disaster.

There very well might be magic somewhere in this club, but if I’m going to find it, it will be on the practice green, not when I’m playing for $$$. I just can’t get comfortable at setup with this thing. I’ve mentioned it before, but my grip is messed up, and  I feel like my arms need to extend out from my body to set it flat to the ground. I feel like I’m learning to putt all over again, and what was the strength of my game is now a weakness.
As soon as I came back home I grabbed my White Hot OG and went back to our putting green. Everything felt back to normal again, and it’s back in my bag. 

I’m happy to see everyone else seems to love their new putter, I really am. There’s a part of me that’s wondering why I don’t feel the same way, but it is what it is. I have my theory as to why, and I touched on it a couple times in this thread. I could be wrong though. I need to go have someone I trust has the knowledge to tell me if I am or not.

Aesthetics and Reactions from other golfers

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

I knew people had read about this putter whenever they echoed the words, “looks like a branding iron.” Looks like an old bottle opener to me. But 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. “You could dig up a row of potatoes with those.”

Then we went from persimmon to larger metal heads, and then Big Bertha appeared. “It’s huge.” Not by today’s standards though. So while the DF-2.1 is indeed larger, it means to me exactly what PING and Bertha meant back then … better performance and better 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 putter and it was named that because of the ping sound it emitted. Turns out the first ball I tried was a Topflight. The other 2 balls were Titleist & Callaway which did not ping as loudly. So the harder the ball the louder the ping. It’s a non-issue 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-2.1 configuration was until I picked up my Spider. 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-2.1 for a week. By then I didn’t care that my old favorite felt heavier. I definitely couldn’t see a difference in performance. I actually think it’s easier to hit the DF-2.1 on a 45 foot putt. I thought I wanted that weight for those long putts … I was wrong.

Is that a L.A.B. Putter - Response from a 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 heard a couple times from guys who said that they had a friend who used one.

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

As I stated before, alignment is paramount in my putter choice. I love it. I set it down, align it to my target line, and feel fully confidant that I’m right.

FEEL

How Can You Putt off the Toe if it’s Not Dead

Because I touted the benefits of the face feeling soft and that toe hits barely lost 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.

I like that I can’t feel off center hits as much as I could with my old putter. I set this putter up on the line I want, thinking of nothing else except pacing. I don’t try to hit the sweet spot. I don’t care if I miss the sweet spot. Because I know if there is a small deviation in my stroke, the ball will stay on line and not lose as much distance as toe & heel hits on my old putter. And that is a confidence builder, too.

During this test process, I've had 35’ putts with both putters that I missed by inches. In our 9 hole golf league, I had 5-1 putt rounds with both putters and I had a 15 putt round with both putters, as well. Plus I had sub-30 putt rounds in skin games with both putters too. So the only stats of substance I feel are worthy of sharing are from my Arccos data. I lost my original Arccos putter sensor and they replaced it for free … many thanks Arccos. I also purchased a second putter sensor so that I could track both putter’s stats.

“Set It and Forget It” is a trademarked phrase by marketing genius Ron Popeil that took on pop culture status in the 80s & 90s. Using the DF-2.1, his catch phrase has become my putting mantra. I set the club on line and I never think about it again.

@B_R_A_D_Y you’re killing it here with your review!  
 

I’m trying my best to give my DF2.1 every chance I can as this test winds down to it’s final few days so I took it out to the practice green again this morning.

I decided I’m just going to take my normal setup and not worry about whether it looks like it’s soled  flat on the ground to my eye. I like to feel like my elbows are connected to my rib side at address, but with the DF2.1 I’ve been extending them forward in order to make it look like it’s sitting properly.

It was only a 15 minute or so session, and after the fiasco I went through yesterday anything would be an improvement, but my results were a lot better as far as line, and consistency of stroke. The problem with that consistency of stroke thing though is I was now blowing putts past the hole. This putter, as big as it is feels very light to me, and I’ve got to somehow get a feel for how that’s affecting my distance control. It might be the oversized grip causing that, I don’t know… as you can tell I’m befuddled by this putter.

I’ve never put this much effort into trying to make a putter “work for me” before. I even scheduled a just for fun round for tomorrow with my neighbors just to put this in play again, as there is no way I’m gaming it on Tuesday in league play. I’ll fill you guys in on that adventure tomorrow evening after we’re done playing.

 

Just catching up on this thread .. Great job from the testers and the members for answering questions def good info 

2 hours ago, Grand Stranded said:

 

I decided I’m just going to take my normal setup and not worry about whether it looks like it’s soled  flat on the ground to my eye. I like to feel like my elbows are connected to my rib side at address, but with the DF2.1 I’ve been extending them forward in order to make it look like it’s sitting properly.

It was only a 15 minute or so session, and after the fiasco I went through yesterday anything would be an improvement, but my results were a lot better as far as line, and consistency of stroke. The problem with that consistency of stroke thing though is I was now blowing putts past the hole. This putter, as big as it is feels very light to me, and I’ve got to somehow get a feel for how that’s affecting my distance control. It might be the oversized grip causing that, I don’t know… as you can tell I’m befuddled by this putter.

I’ve never put this much effort into trying to make a putter “work for me” before. I even scheduled a just for fun round for tomorrow with my neighbors just to put this in play again, as there is no way I’m gaming it on Tuesday in league play. I’ll fill you guys in on that adventure tomorrow evening after we’re done playing.

 

So how much different is the DF from your current putter. Did they give you the lie angle they saw in the fitting video you sent? I have always played my ball forward so I had no issues swapping in the LAB. I will say that I was disappointed that my LAB was not as upright as I thought I was getting. The word "fitting" bothers me because it's not quite accurate. We weren't fit as clubs are today. We were "measured" ... which should have given you a similar putter to your favorite unless you wanted a drastic change. I'm including a pic. My fitter said I was too far from the ball and increasing the lie angle would get me closer. I wish I had access to a loft and lie machine so I could see what they sent, but we don't have any club repair shops anywhere near here.

This is before and after ... doesn't look like it worked to me work. Maybe it's my muscle memory causing me to revert to what's comfortable. I swear I'm over the ball but obviously I'm not. So I accept it because the alternative is similar to yours ... learning to putt all over again. Seems to be working for tho. I'm anxious to hear more about ur issue.

1 hour ago, B_R_A_D_Y said:

So how much different is the DF from your current putter. Did they give you the lie angle they saw in the fitting video you sent? I have always played my ball forward so I had no issues swapping in the LAB. I will say that I was disappointed that my LAB was not as upright as I thought I was getting. The word "fitting" bothers me because it's not quite accurate. We weren't fit as clubs are today. We were "measured" ... which should have given you a similar putter to your favorite unless you wanted a drastic change. I'm including a pic. My fitter said I was too far from the ball and increasing the lie angle would get me closer. I wish I had access to a loft and lie machine so I could see what they sent, but we don't have any club repair shops anywhere near here.

This is before and after ... doesn't look like it worked to me work. Maybe it's my muscle memory causing me to revert to what's comfortable. I swear I'm over the ball but obviously I'm not. So I accept it because the alternative is similar to yours ... learning to putt all over again. Seems to be working for tho. I'm anxious to hear more about ur issue.

So, as crazy as it sounds, I’d never thought to compare the lie angles on my Odyssey Double wide and the DF2.1.
I just looked up the specs and my old putter is 70*, my DF2.1 is 64*.  Both are 34”.
I know 6* is a huge difference with irons, I’m assuming it must be with a putter also? I’m not sure though because maybe the center shaft build on the LAB affects the way they measure lie?

Managed to get another 18 in on Friday, and despite a DISASTER hole (4 putts from 80+ feet away, lol - nightmare. Blew the first one, uphill, OFF THE GREEN past the hole, then left the 2nd hilariously short (as I was now terrified about the downhill), lipped the 3rd and knocked in the 6" leftover), still only had 32 putts, which is the lowest amount I've ever recorded through 18.  To be fair, it included a ridiculous 40-yard chip-in (so no putts on that hole), but I feel like that compensates slightly for the 4-putt, lol.

Made 2 15-footers, center cup, for par, plus three more 5-8' footers that just poured right in. 

I did, however, leave four (!) putts 6"-8" short - Dead-center for line, just...I think (and this is just a guess) that because most of my practice has been at a green complex that is WAY faster than this little muni I was playing, my pacing was just THAT much off.  But that's not the putter's fault - I think if I had had another 18 today at the same course, it would be a 20-something-putt round, which I've never had.

As we round down this testing experience, it starts to come clearly into focus for me:  as someone who's never been a confident putter, I'm astounded at how excited I am to get to the green to see what I've got left.  There's clearly still work to be done, but for the first time (maybe ever), I'm actually looking forward to the work needed to become not just average, but an excellent putter.  

I just have to figure out how to hit an 80' putt, apparently, lol. My god, guys - what a terrible hole.  I'm still laughing about it.

-Matt

For what it's worth, it was 97 degrees and I was walking, and the 4-putt was the 17th hole...so...maybe that's what caused the meltdown? I want to sneak out to the green and try that putt again...

Also for what it's worth, I parred the 18th, and missed the birdie putt by (the fourth of the day) leaving it about 4" short.  

35 minutes ago, Grand Stranded said:

So, as crazy as it sounds, I’d never thought to compare the lie angles on my Odyssey Double wide and the DF2.1.
I just looked up the specs and my old putter is 70*, my DF2.1 is 64*.  Both are 34”.

Soooo, did u send in ur fitting video using ur Odyssey? That difference is huge. If u look at my pic of my clubs side by side, that slight difference is 2° up ... they gave you 6° flatter than what u had. I think ur the perfect candidate to write about how LAB responds to a poor fitting. Call the owner. He told me to feel free to call hime with any questions. Reenact ur fitting video with the DF, and ask him if u can send it to him. 

1 hour ago, B_R_A_D_Y said:

Soooo, did u send in ur fitting video using ur Odyssey? That difference is huge. If u look at my pic of my clubs side by side, that slight difference is 2° up ... they gave you 6° flatter than what u had. I think ur the perfect candidate to write about how LAB responds to a poor fitting. Call the owner. He told me to feel free to call hime with any questions. Reenact ur fitting video with the DF, and ask him if u can send it to him. 

Yes, I used the Odyssey. I always felt something was off with my fitting, as everyone had their results before me. I got concerned about that and called their CS.

As I mentioned in our testers thread they told me Sam wanted to do my fitting himself, that’s why it was taking a bit longer than the others. Naturally I was really excited to hear that, but… the next day was a Friday, and I got an email late that afternoon by a fitter saying Sam wasn’t able to get to it that day so he did my fitting instead.

I asked him about grips, but it took him about 5 business days (said he never saw the email until then) to get a reply and he just said the 3.0 is what he used and it worked well. I placed my order right after that but again asked in the comment box if he thought another grip might be better for me. I have never gotten a reply, or a phone call since, from either the fitter or Sam. At this point, I really wouldn’t want one.
This review is supposed to be about their online fitting process as much or more as it is about the putter. To be honest I’m astounded they just looked at a 5 second video and sent me a $900 putter, then never looked at this thread and followed up with me on the issues I’m raising since I received mine.

I’ve read a very long LAB putter review on another site where Sam was heavily involved in the thread for weeks. I don’t understand why that isn’t the case here?

Played a vacation round in Florida.  Four of us played a match, scramble format.  I teamed up with with my brother in law who never plays and he putted first. Problem was, I’d tell him where to hit the putt and it was never on the line I wanted to see. So I ended up second guessing my read over and over over.  Didn’t really make many putts of significance except for one 25ft birdie.  One putt from 40ft lipped out.

I did have 6 putts that were dead center and finished one roll short.  The greens were sandy and I think I just couldn’t get used to the speed on them.

I did have a chance to tie the match and finish even with an 8ft putt on the 18th hole….  My partner pulled it (so I thought) and I played my originally thought line.  It missed low side.  I think putting second in a scramble is one of the hardest things if your partner can’t hit the line. 

19 hours ago, Grand Stranded said:

Yes, I used the Odyssey. I always felt something was off with my fitting, as everyone had their results before me. I got concerned about that and called their CS.

You can measure ur lie angle with a protractor app, BUT that doesn't mean you are holding ur club at the proper angle. I measured my LAB lie angle with this method ... 68-69°, but when I measured the angle I actually held it at address it came out to approx 66-67°. I was shocked to see that my Spider is 72° but I'm holding it in my fitting video at 67°. I can see that the toe is up a bit. All this tells me that online fitting is a guessing game. So as much as I like this DF-2.1, the question arises, would I like it more at a different lie angle? I'm going in circles over this. Can't decide what to say.

5 minutes ago, B_R_A_D_Y said:

You can measure ur lie angle with a protractor app, BUT that doesn't mean you are holding ur club at the proper angle. I measured my LAB lie angle with this method ... 68-69°, but when I measured the angle I actually held it at address it came out to approx 66-67°. I was shocked to see that my Spider is 72° but I'm holding it in my fitting video at 67°. I can see that the toe is up a bit. All this tells me that online fitting is a guessing game. So as much as I like this DF-2.1, the question arises, would I like it more at a different lie angle? I'm going in circles over this. Can't decide what to say.

Interesting.  I had an in-person fitting about 6 months ago, and I was measured to be "comfortable" at 68 degrees - but even that, I have no idea how they came to that number.  My gamer is (off the shelf at) 70 degrees, and they were using the Quintec system, so maybe that's how they measured it, but at no point was anyone trying different lie angles in that particular fitting. I would wager that the Quintec was measuring where I was and where I would be flush? The putter that I was being fitted into, interestingly, had a flat bottom (very similar to the DF) so it was easy to know when it was flush, as opposed to one with any curve to it (like my Tommy Armour) - it's never been easy to know when I have it flat behind the ball.  That being said, I watch a LOT of golf (as I'm sure we all do), and I've noticed that almost no pro ever has the putter fully flush - usually toe-up, in fact - so it could just be that whatever makes you comfortable is more important than that particular putter being flush.  With the LABs, my understanding is that when it's flush to the ground, you know you can set up the same way, pull it back the same way, etc., and it's always on-plane.  

What was the final configuration your 2.1 was sent to you in?  

I know we spoke about this (the group) at the beginning, but it would be FASCINATING to go get an in-person fitting somewhere using their adjustable neck to see what we're fitted into to see how accurate the video fitting system is. If I'm ever in Eugene, I'll be sure to make that happen

-M

1 hour ago, GolfSpy_CS said:

I think putting second in a scramble is one of the hardest things if your partner can’t hit the line. 

I played in a 4-man scramble a while back and I always like to go either first or last. I had picked a line and spot to putt to, and we all agreed on it ... a small spec of dried grass laying on the surface. First 2 guys missed the spot and the putt. Then the guy before me hit that spec of grass, dead on line, but left it short. Turned out, his damn ball picked up the blade of grass, removing it altogether. It blew my mind ... I had the line and then it was gone. It threw me off so much, I felt numb and my putt was just a stab in the dark, which missed, of course. So never choose a blade of grass as your spot.

6 minutes ago, Samsonite said:

I know we spoke about this (the group) at the beginning, but it would be FASCINATING to go get an in-person fitting somewhere using their adjustable neck to see what we're fitted into to see how accurate the video fitting system is.

They had originally suggested 67° but I wanted closer. They thought 2° would be enough so I ordered 69°. I wish I had known that my Spider was 72° ... that's what I would have gone with.

Did anyone catch what the owner said in the fitting video tutorial? Paraphrasing: Grab a putter from the garage. He didn't say to use ur favorite putter. He didn't say to use ur current putter. He implied that ANY putter would be sufficient to properly find ur perfect lie angle. That bothered me. 

And YES!!!! I want to physically try different lie angles. I wanted an in-person fitting. That also bothered me from the beginning.