L.A.B. Putters - 2023 Forum Review

[Josh Ross]

1 hour ago, pozzit said:

I didn't know it was available either. Thats a great resource if you know your specs. 

Has any non Tester gone through the fitting? With or without purchase?

Back when I got mine in 2020, I went to two different PGA Superstores because I was told they'd have the fitting putter that I could get my lie angle with. Both of them acted like they had no idea what I was talking about so I reached out to Sam and he had me send my remote fitting video in. 

They responded very quickly, said I had a great putting stroke and setup. He recommended to keep my 34" length and go with 67° lie angle.

The rest is history. I have always been a decent putter but I improved by a good bit once I put this in the bag. It's impossible to miss your line unless you're just trying to.

[pozzit]

Back when I got mine in 2020, I went to two different PGA Superstores because I was told they'd have the fitting putter that I could get my lie angle with. Both of them acted like they had no idea what I was talking about so I reached out to Sam and he had me send my remote fitting video in. 
They responded very quickly, said I had a great putting stroke and setup. He recommended to keep my 34" length and go with 67° lie angle.
The rest is history. I have always been a decent putter but I improved by a good bit once I put this in the bag. It's impossible to miss your line unless you're just trying to.

That's really good to hear. That you improved even being a good putter. That's so far my biggest concern and is a concern with most DTC brands is getting g product in customers hands for demos.

It seems like there is a bit of a learning curve which other testers and Sam himself mentioned (this may be why LAB has not tested the best with Most Wanted).

[Syks7]

1 hour ago, Josh Ross said:

 It's impossible to miss your line unless you're just trying to.

My very limited experience thus far is that this is correct.  It hits the ball where you point it.   If I can get myself to read slow subtle greens better, I'll be able to leverage the hell out of it to drop my scores.  Can't wait to try it at Rustic Canyon, where the greens are speedier and more heavily sloped (I'm much better at reading them)

 

[Syks7]

37 minutes ago, pozzit said:

It seems like there is a bit of a learning curve which other testers and Sam himself mentioned (this may be why LAB has not tested the best with Most Wanted).

This was something mentioned in my initial conversation with Sam -- That picking it up and hitting a stock version for xx number of shots in most wanted isn't really playing into the strengths of the putter.  Early in and I'm finding myself to be in agreement.  I don't think it's bad out of the box but you do have to acclimatize to it.  I'm working on getting comfortable with it and I'm having to adjust some feels.  One of my checkpoint feels works well for putting a good stroke on line with my Innovai, but causes a pull with the Link.   . 

Hope you get yours soon.  I want to hear if our experiences are similar.  

Side note.  I was in a Roger Dunn today to get a box of balls and broke down and bought a skinny pistol too -- which I promptly installed.  It's enough lighter that it would be worth 6 SW points!  I was setting set to just deal with that shift when I realized I had a golf works 12 gram counter weight plug lying around.  So that got installed with the grip.  So.it was only a 2.5 SW jump.  I'm just shy of F0 and the putter feels great. 

Before anyone asks I confirmed that this is okay and won't mess up the balance of the putter.

[GolfSpy_APH]

3 hours ago, pozzit said:

It seems like there is a bit of a learning curve which other testers and Sam himself mentioned (this may be why LAB has not tested the best with Most Wanted).

This was a discussion point with LAB when we agreed to the member test and why it is not a plain normal test, but intended to be a longer term test to ensure that the Testers have the time and full knowledge of how the LAB Putters work and get use to them over that period of time. 

[pozzit]

9 hours ago, Syks7 said:

This was something mentioned in my initial conversation with Sam -- That picking it up and hitting a stock version for xx number of shots in most wanted isn't really playing into the strengths of the putter.  Early in and I'm finding myself to be in agreement.  I don't think it's bad out of the box but you do have to acclimatize to it.  I'm working on getting comfortable with it and I'm having to adjust some feels.  One of my checkpoint feels works well for putting a good stroke on line with my Innovai, but causes a pull with the Link.   . 

Hope you get yours soon.  I want to hear if our experiences are similar.  

Side note.  I was in a Roger Dunn today to get a box of balls and broke down and bought a skinny pistol too -- which I promptly installed.  It's enough lighter that it would be worth 6 SW points!  I was setting set to just deal with that shift when I realized I had a golf works 12 gram counter weight plug lying around.  So that got installed with the grip.  So.it was only a 2.5 SW jump.  I'm just shy of F0 and the putter feels great. 

Before anyone asks I confirmed that this is okay and won't mess up the balance of the putter.

Glad to hear you got a grip that suits you much better and a grip plug to counteract most of the SW difference.  Mine should be in on Monday and I'm super excited to try it out I couldn't tell you how many youtube videos and articles if watched/read on LAB golf. I'm really interested to try the 1ball/ 2ball test with the DF2.1 and see where my normal stoke falls with those drills. 

6 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

This was a discussion point with LAB when we agreed to the member test and why it is not a plain normal test, but intended to be a longer term test to ensure that the Testers have the time and full knowledge of how the LAB Putters work and get use to them over that period of time. 

Yea I think I remember you mentioning it but Sam also reiterated this sentiment. The odd think I realize is that it makes it hard for LAB to get someone to hit 5 putts and make a decision. Which is how I'm sure most golfers interact with it. I also think the needing to have right specs for each user causes additional hurdles as well. Since the user isn't comfortable in the new putter. (Imagine deciding on a driver with the wrong flex shaft.) 

 

[J7Hawkins]

Congrats testers! Excited to hear their thoughts, I’ve been eyeing these putters for a few months. 

[Josh Ross]

I should've told them I was part of the testing too, haha. I've still got three weeks left until mine arrives, gonna use this thread to keep me sane.

[pozzit]

All here are my thoughts about the idea of lie angle balance. I want to put something off this in the official write up but figured those who are keeping up with it here can help me understand if this makes sense. 

Why try Lie Angle Balance?
Watching videos and discussions with Sam LAB the idea they have makes sense how it can help but why? Let's ignore the Lie Angle part of the equation for now. Most quality items we interact with are symmetric and balanced. If we think about a quality hammer, the head is usually weighted  evenly with the handle protruding from the center of mass. This allows for an easier time swinging and feeling lighter then the overall mass may be.
Symmetric or cylindrical weighted equipment is all over sports as well, any racket sport (tennis, pickleball, ping pong), and club sports (baseball, cricket, croquet). This allows for better handling and feeling like it is an "extension" of your arm.
Why does Lie Angle matter when it comes down to the balance? Since the shaft needs to be along the z-axis of the head the andor at which the shaft is on matters. It may be minor between 69 & 70* but will definitely show up across the 16.5* of loft variation they offer. Next time your in a hardware store pick up a hammer and swing it like a pendulum or pick up a tennis racket and watch how the face moves without twisting your grip.

The million dollar question is DOES IT WORK?

Stay tuned to find out

[fixyurdivot]

On 5/11/2023 at 8:14 PM, TSauer said:

 

So, if you all know me you know I like to approach the unboxing and pictures from a different angle. This is one of my favorite parts about doing reviews. I tried to keep it simple this time and a little industrial-esque, because to me, that's what the Link reminds me of. So, I hope you enjoy these closeups and some of my initial thoughts on the Link.1

 

Right out of the gate, the thing is a beautiful piece of art. Just by glancing at it, you wouldn't suspect it to be a member of the L.A.B. lineup. I think one thing that turns most people off with L.A.B. putters is their unorthodox looks. It's undeniable that appearance plays a large role in golf, and if you aren't satisfied with how your putter looks while standing over it, chances are you aren't going to have a fun time when you get to the green. Fortunately, the Link.1 closely mimics that classic Anser style that most people know and love.

 

 

As mentioned earlier in this thread, some of the areas that are laser etched do have a slight fuzziness to them, but that's something you're never going to see unless you're getting up close and personal with it. Speaking of FRIGGIN' LASERS (hopefully someone catches that reference), that is how all of the logos and sight lines are added to the putter. There are eight different options to choose between when it comes to alignment marks. I decided to be basic and go with the traditional line, as that's what I'm most accustomed to. I know some people may be turned off by the back of the putter, with all of the etchings of their logo in various sizes, but I think it's an awesome touch. I mean, it's L.A.B., they're known for standing out!

By now, those of who may not be familiar with L.A.B. are probably asking yourself "What's up with all the assortment of weights?" Well, those weights are what makes these putters what they are. They're the foundation of the lie, angle, balance tech. At first, I wasn't sure how my OCD would handle the weights while I'm looking down, readying to putt. I usually prefer a clean top line, however, it never really seemed to bother me on the few putts I've been able to roll around inside. The weights located toward the heel you don't really notice since the shaft is sorta blocking them. It kind of reminded me of an old SeeMore putter with the red dot that you had to line up.

 

 

 

I mentioned this earlier, but it's worth bringing up again. The headcover that L.A.B. includes is seriously 12/10! First off, it's magnetic. That is already a win in my book. Beyond that, it is super soft on the inside, the fit is very snug, the stitching all around is superb, and the debossing on the latch is very well done! Believe it or not, they also went a little nontraditional on it as well. There is a flap, for lack of better terms, that is sewed in just above where it latches that ensures the entire putter is protected. It is extremely well-built and very on brand for L.A.B. Other companies should definitely take note.

   

As for now, I have only been able to roll a few putts indoors with the Puttout set up, and it didn't feel too different than my normal blade putter. This could also be in my head and may change once I get out on the green. There has been a slow rain off and on for the past couple days that's really put a damper on things, but I'm going to try and make it out tomorrow after work and get some actual reps in with it. I want to try and gather as much data as I can for you fine folks. STAY TUNED!

Perhaps its just the angles of the photos but that looks quite long.  I think you captured my immediate thoughts on looks... "industrial-esque" fits well.  Pretty amazing how many various companies offer at least one Anser style putter in their lineup.  Karsten most definitely was a golf equipment change agent.  

I may have already asked but does the test plans, in addition to being longer timeframe, include a H2H strokes gained like our MGS Lab has used in recent most wanted evaluations?  I used one a modified format in my Evnrol ER5v review (link in signature if you want to have a look).

[GolfSpy SAM]

1 hour ago, fixyurdivot said:

Perhaps its just the angles of the photos but that looks quite long.  I think you captured my immediate thoughts on looks... "industrial-esque" fits well.  Pretty amazing how many various companies offer at least one Anser style putter in their lineup.  Karsten most definitely was a golf equipment change agent.  

I may have already asked but does the test plans, in addition to being longer timeframe, include a H2H strokes gained like our MGS Lab has used in recent most wanted evaluations?  I used one a modified format in my Evnrol ER5v review (link in signature if you want to have a look).

While it does not REQUIRE a H2H, that info would add a lot of data and would be (presumably) of great interest to the readers. Quantitative data is for sure one of the things LAB is hoping to see, so however that works itself into the review is perfect. 

[fixyurdivot]

10 minutes ago, GolfSpy SAM said:

While it does not REQUIRE a H2H, that info would add a lot of data and would be (presumably) of great interest to the readers. Quantitative data is for sure one of the things LAB is hoping to see, so however that works itself into the review is perfect. 

I know H2H's seem to get negative press but IMO that is one of the most interesting parts of testers reviews; the "play it or trade it" question.  With strokes gained being a fairly recent and significant way of measuring game performance, incorporating it into tests would make sense.  I found it to be a good way of gathering quantitative data.  I think @MattWillGolfused my test format as well.

[pozzit]

I know H2H's seem to get negative press but IMO that is one of the most interesting parts of testers reviews; the "play it or trade it" question.  With strokes gained being a fairly recent and significant way of measuring game performance, incorporating it into tests would make sense.  I found it to be a good way of gathering quantitative data.  I think [mention=72492]MattWillGolf[/mention]used my test format as well.

So I'm planning to do a head to head with at least my current gamer aiming for at least 200 putt each club.
I'm not sure how exactly MGS get their #/100 rating for each club. I'm not sure it really matters that its exact but just curious.

[fixyurdivot]

2 hours ago, pozzit said:

So I'm planning to do a head to head with at least my current gamer aiming for at least 200 putt each club.
I'm not sure how exactly MGS get their #/100 rating for each club. I'm not sure it really matters that its exact but just curious.

This might help.  I presume they are using the same format but don't know for sure.  Since I was a solo tester, I just modified it a whisker.  It was fun putting it together and running the numbers.  I think I still have a copy of the spreadsheet. If anyone is interested, shoot me an IM.

[cnosil]

8 hours ago, fixyurdivot said:

This might help.  I presume they are using the same format but don't know for sure.  Since I was a solo tester, I just modified it a whisker.  It was fun putting it together and running the numbers.  I think I still have a copy of the spreadsheet. If anyone is interested, shoot me an IM.

No,  different protocols now and a pretty basic evaluation.  Per the Most wanted test results article:  For Most Wanted Putter Testing, we have 20 testers hit eight putts from three different distance: five, 10 and 20 feet. The putter with the fewest total putts is crowned the best blade putter.

We as testers also rate the putters on sound, feel, looks and likelihood of purchase. Our testing pool now gives a rating on a scale of 1 to 10 for sound, feel, looks and likelihood of purchase.

I personally would test putters a bit differently and look at can I start the ball on line,  directional bias, and dispersion from a variety of distances; probably inside 8' and outside 20'.   I'd also compare against other putters of different styles to do some comparisons against other styles and configurations.  

[fixyurdivot]

14 minutes ago, cnosil said:

No,  different protocols now and a pretty basic evaluation.  Per the Most wanted test results article:  For Most Wanted Putter Testing, we have 20 testers hit eight putts from three different distance: five, 10 and 20 feet. The putter with the fewest total putts is crowned the best blade putter.

We as testers also rate the putters on sound, feel, looks and likelihood of purchase. Our testing pool now gives a rating on a scale of 1 to 10 for sound, feel, looks and likelihood of purchase.

I personally would test putters a bit differently and look at can I start the ball on line,  directional bias, and dispersion from a variety of distances; probably inside 8' and outside 20'.   I'd also compare against other putters of different styles to do some comparisons against other styles and configurations.  

Well that protocol was short lived .  I wondered how applicable the SG analysis was to the Hit Squad testers since they weren't using their own putters as baseline.  Not that it couldn't be used to assess a handful of putters against one another but it seems better suited for a H2H evaluation where the tester can spend some time comparing each with the putting prowess he/she brought that particular day. 

This would be a great topic for a NPG Podcast.

[cnosil]

28 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

Well that protocol was short lived .  I wondered how applicable the SG analysis was to the Hit Squad testers since they weren't using their own putters as baseline.  Not that it couldn't be used to assess a handful of putters against one another but it seems better suited for a H2H evaluation where the tester can spend some time comparing each with the putting prowess he/she brought that particular day. 

This would be a great topic for a NPG Podcast.

All the strokes gained were comparing the putters to the other putters in the test.  Pretty sure that is how it is done with all the other clubs as well.  

[fixyurdivot]

1 minute ago, cnosil said:

All the strokes gained were comparing the putters to the other putters in the test.  Pretty sure that is how it is done with all the other clubs as well.  

Any idea why they moved away from the SG format on putters?

[cnosil]

1 minute ago, fixyurdivot said:

Any idea why they moved away from the SG format on putters?

Nope,   I just follow the protocols and don't question how they do the calculations.   

[pozzit]

Any idea why they moved away from the SG format on putters?

I have a suspicious it was a little difficult for readers to digest SG is common but most probably don't get how to apply it to clubs. It also kind of promotes the idea of "these clubs are bad" instead of they didn't work for our testers.

[cnosil]

14 minutes ago, pozzit said:

20 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

Any idea why they moved away from the SG format on putters?

I have a suspicious it was a little difficult for readers to digest SG is common but most probably don't get how to apply it to clubs. It also kind of promotes the idea of "these clubs are bad" instead of they didn't work for our testers.

Probably the right answer here.   I hear Adam say a lot that his goal for the articles and results is to be easily digestible by non technical people. 

[TSauer]

18 hours ago, fixyurdivot said:

I may have already asked but does the test plans, in addition to being longer timeframe, include a H2H strokes gained like our MGS Lab has used in recent most wanted evaluations?  I used one a modified format in my Evnrol ER5v review (link in signature if you want to have a look).

I plan on doing a H2H, but mine will be more along the lines of what @cnosil mentioned. Dispersity, number made from X distance with several distances recorded, total feet of putts made during a round, starting line, etc. Out of the gate it will be going H2H against my Newport 2 and then if I have enough time in those 6 weeks, I plan on recording the same data with my ER2 and see what the numbers look like there. If I run out of time, I will continue to update the thread with the results.

 

[TSauer]

19 hours ago, fixyurdivot said:

Perhaps its just the angles of the photos but that looks quite long.

It is a bit longer compared to other blade style putters, so I did a few side-by-side comparisons with some of the other putters I have. The dimensions of the Link.1 are as follows: 

Toe to Heel: 4.875"

Width: 1.0625"

 

 

 

[fixyurdivot]

11 minutes ago, TSauer said:

It is a bit longer compared to other blade style putters, so I did a few side-by-side comparisons with some of the other putters I have. The dimensions of the Link.1 are as follows: 

Toe to Heel: 4.875"

Width: 1.0625"

 

 

 

Great pictures, thanks for sharing!  I thought it looked a bit long toe to heel.  Hey, the "turtle on a stick" worked wonders for drivers .  I thought perhaps you took these pictures at your local PGASS... then reread your post. Can we nominate you for President of the "Putter Club Ho" Recovery Group?  

[GolfSpy SAM]

5 hours ago, fixyurdivot said:

Great pictures, thanks for sharing!  I thought it looked a bit long toe to heel.  Hey, the "turtle on a stick" worked wonders for drivers .  I thought perhaps you took these pictures at your local PGASS... then reread your post. Can we nominate you for President of the "Putter Club Ho" Recovery Group?  

I came on here to say, “Bro: we might need to stage an intervention.” Lol. So many beautiful putters: really excited to see how the Link performs in comparing (some, not all) to them. 

[Syks7]

In efforts to be as transparent as possible during testing I'll be posting some results as I test. I'm also taking video, it's captivating stuff.  Terrible garage lighting and lots of putts in a row, but if anyone wants to visually view the data themselves they can.  I'll clean it up and post it to youtube.  It's probably going to be exceptionally helpful for falling asleep.  I had some surprising results from my first test. It is an admittedly small samples size, but is definitely worth sharing.

 

The Test

52 putts from 5' on my birdie ball mat.  The first 10 are thrown out as a warmup.  It was supposed to be 50 but I left an extra ball in the shag tube so 52 it is.  Each putter test is done on successive days so I don't get 'hot' when I get to the second or third putter.  In efforts to reduce randomness as much as possible I've marked out the distance with a tape measure, marked the starting spot for the putt, used alignment sticks for foot position and body alignment, then finally put down a leveling laser to show the exact line.    The mat and all the important parts are going to stay in place for the duration.  The plan is to repeat this test once a week throughout the test period.  The larger the sample size the less impact margin of error and randomness will have.  I'm also curious as to overall improvement during the test period.  This  one test is going to have me rolling 156 putts a week.  That's in addition to whatever I roll playing, practicing, and doing other tests.  There's got to be some improvement in there somewhere  Right!?!  

Bettinardi Innovai 6.0 CTR

42 Putts, 34 Makes, 80.95% Make.  High five.  With a LOT of assistance I matched PGA tour average.

YES Callie

42 Putts, 31 Makes, 73.81% Make.  I love the way the Callie roles and feels but I'm just not as consistent with my stroke as with it as the Innovai.

L.A.B.  Link1

42 Putts, 40 Makes, 95.24%% Make.   I made 33 in a row, got nervous, missed two then made the rest.  

Like I said it's a small sample size so it doesn't support any actual conclusions as yet though it does point in a particular direction.  Average make % is going to be interesting over time.  I'll switch it up next week and go Link 1st, Innovai 2nd, and Callie 3rd.  

 

Edited May 15, 2023 by Syks7

[TSauer]

13 minutes ago, Syks7 said:

In efforts to be as transparent as possible during testing I'll be posting some results as I test. I'm also taking video, it's captivating stuff.  Terrible garage lighting and lots of putts in a row, but if anyone wants to visually view the data themselves they can.  I'll clean it up and post it to youtube.  It's probably going to be exceptionally helpful for falling asleep.  I had some surprising results from my first test. It is an admittedly small samples size, but is definitely worth sharing.

 

The Test

52 putts from 5' on my birdie ball mat.  The first 10 are thrown out as a warmup.  It was supposed to be 50 but I left an extra ball in the shag tube so 52 it is.  Each putter test is done on successive days so I don't get 'hot' when I get to the second or third putter.  In efforts to reduce randomness as much as possible I've marked out the distance with a tape measure, marked the starting spot for the putt, used alignment sticks for foot position and body alignment, then finally put down a leveling laser to show the exact line.    The mat and all the important parts are going to stay in place for the duration.  The plan is to repeat this test once a week throughout the test period.  The larger the sample size the less impact margin of error and randomness will have.  I'm also curious as to overall improvement during the test period.  This  one test is going to have me rolling 156 putts a week.  That's in addition to whatever I roll playing, practicing, and doing other tests.  There's got to be some improvement in there somewhere  Right!?!  

Bettinardi Innovai 6.0 CTR

42 Putts, 34 Makes, 80.95% Make.  High five.  With a LOT of assistance I matched PGA tour average.

YES Callie

42 Putts, 31 Makes, 73.81% Make.  I love the way the Callie roles and feels but I'm just not as consistent with my stroke as with it as the Innovai.

L.A.B.  Link1

42 Putts, 40 Makes, 95.24%% Make.   I made 33 in a row, got nervous, missed two then made the rest.  

Like I said it's a small sample size so it doesn't support any actual conclusions as yet though it does point in a particular direction.  Average make % is going to be interesting over time.  I'll switch it up next week and go Link 1st, Innovai 2nd, and Callie 3rd.  

 

Love this! I plan on doing something pretty similar with my Birdie Ball mat and need to pick up a laser somewhere. I like the idea of changing the order of putters and also doing it on successive days, very smart!

[pozzit]

53 minutes ago, Syks7 said:

In efforts to be as transparent as possible during testing I'll be posting some results as I test. I'm also taking video, it's captivating stuff.  Terrible garage lighting and lots of putts in a row, but if anyone wants to visually view the data themselves they can.  I'll clean it up and post it to youtube.  It's probably going to be exceptionally helpful for falling asleep.  I had some surprising results from my first test. It is an admittedly small samples size, but is definitely worth sharing.

 

The Test

52 putts from 5' on my birdie ball mat.  The first 10 are thrown out as a warmup.  It was supposed to be 50 but I left an extra ball in the shag tube so 52 it is.  Each putter test is done on successive days so I don't get 'hot' when I get to the second or third putter.  In efforts to reduce randomness as much as possible I've marked out the distance with a tape measure, marked the starting spot for the putt, used alignment sticks for foot position and body alignment, then finally put down a leveling laser to show the exact line.    The mat and all the important parts are going to stay in place for the duration.  The plan is to repeat this test once a week throughout the test period.  The larger the sample size the less impact margin of error and randomness will have.  I'm also curious as to overall improvement during the test period.  This  one test is going to have me rolling 156 putts a week.  That's in addition to whatever I roll playing, practicing, and doing other tests.  There's got to be some improvement in there somewhere  Right!?!  

Bettinardi Innovai 6.0 CTR

42 Putts, 34 Makes, 80.95% Make.  High five.  With a LOT of assistance I matched PGA tour average.

YES Callie

42 Putts, 31 Makes, 73.81% Make.  I love the way the Callie roles and feels but I'm just not as consistent with my stroke as with it as the Innovai.

L.A.B.  Link1

42 Putts, 40 Makes, 95.24%% Make.   I made 33 in a row, got nervous, missed two then made the rest.  

Like I said it's a small sample size so it doesn't support any actual conclusions as yet though it does point in a particular direction.  Average make % is going to be interesting over time.  I'll switch it up next week and go Link 1st, Innovai 2nd, and Callie 3rd.  

 

This is great I love the methodical approach. I'm planning something similar on a putting green, I want some variability from break grass conditions (multiple courses). I have been to the putting green twice to benchmark and have put down 132 putts so far. I'm planning to do 5', 10', & 20' Are your putts all level and straight? Are you only planning 5'?

I have an out for delivery notification so hopefully it arrives today and I can get some pics up tonight.

[GolfSpy SAM]

1 hour ago, Syks7 said:

In efforts to be as transparent as possible during testing I'll be posting some results as I test. I'm also taking video, it's captivating stuff.  Terrible garage lighting and lots of putts in a row, but if anyone wants to visually view the data themselves they can.  I'll clean it up and post it to youtube.  It's probably going to be exceptionally helpful for falling asleep.  I had some surprising results from my first test. It is an admittedly small samples size, but is definitely worth sharing.

 

The Test

52 putts from 5' on my birdie ball mat.  The first 10 are thrown out as a warmup.  It was supposed to be 50 but I left an extra ball in the shag tube so 52 it is.  Each putter test is done on successive days so I don't get 'hot' when I get to the second or third putter.  In efforts to reduce randomness as much as possible I've marked out the distance with a tape measure, marked the starting spot for the putt, used alignment sticks for foot position and body alignment, then finally put down a leveling laser to show the exact line.    The mat and all the important parts are going to stay in place for the duration.  The plan is to repeat this test once a week throughout the test period.  The larger the sample size the less impact margin of error and randomness will have.  I'm also curious as to overall improvement during the test period.  This  one test is going to have me rolling 156 putts a week.  That's in addition to whatever I roll playing, practicing, and doing other tests.  There's got to be some improvement in there somewhere  Right!?!  

Bettinardi Innovai 6.0 CTR

42 Putts, 34 Makes, 80.95% Make.  High five.  With a LOT of assistance I matched PGA tour average.

YES Callie

42 Putts, 31 Makes, 73.81% Make.  I love the way the Callie roles and feels but I'm just not as consistent with my stroke as with it as the Innovai.

L.A.B.  Link1

42 Putts, 40 Makes, 95.24%% Make.   I made 33 in a row, got nervous, missed two then made the rest.  

Like I said it's a small sample size so it doesn't support any actual conclusions as yet though it does point in a particular direction.  Average make % is going to be interesting over time.  I'll switch it up next week and go Link 1st, Innovai 2nd, and Callie 3rd.  

 

Absolutely love it - love mixing up the order, as well.  Curious if you're lining the ball up each time, or (since you have the laser level for what the line is) just hitting it down the line - one of the things I immediately loved about the DF (and still do) is that when I line the ball up on my line, and then line the putter up behind it, that ball rolls on that line every. time, end over end.  Curious if you're seeing any wobble with either of the other putters, or if you're only concerned (with this test, anyway) with make percentage.  

Awesome stuff.

[J7Hawkins]

On 5/10/2023 at 7:43 PM, TSauer said:

A few teasers to hold you over until I get around to a little posing action. 
 

 

 

This thing is  so dang beautiful. You are right about the industrial look. It really makes the putter look like just the tool I need to get that ball in the hole. Love the LAB look!