L.A.B. Putters - 2023 Forum Review

[RoverRick]

2 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Early mornings can do that - DF3 testers once selected will be announced next Tuesday.

Also as per our agreement with LAB in the DF3 they wanted new to LAB users so for those who already listed LAB putters as their gamers were then not eligible. 

Time to see how some new ppl to LAB can do and if it makes a difference to their games!

I have absolutely no qualms about this, and even if the rules hadn’t stated that I wouldn’t have applied, thinking someone else should be chosen anyway. It was just quite a shock to be selected when I hadn’t applied. 

[Canadoc]

Well I'm doing to get to use this outdoors. First round of the season will be Sunday but I expect very slow greens.

Hit 28 in a row this evening at 8 feet in the small hole on the perfect practice mat. My record with a putter is 32 and I have only had this order since Friday!

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[TSauer]

THIS JUST IN

Limited release Masters headcovers are now available for all models. I just snagged one for my Link!

LAB Rats Headcovers

Edited April 10 by TSauer

[CFreddie]

These are amazing!!!

[Syks7]

Camilo Villegas has one on his putter in the Par 3 contest right now.

[Syks7]

Grayson Murray has one on his Link as well.  I'm going to bet that all the LAB players are rocking them.

[TG8]

1 hour ago, TSauer said:

THIS JUST IN

Limited release Masters headcovers are now available for all models. I just snagged one for my Link!

LAB Rats Headcovers

$80! Ouch!

[CFreddie]

12 minutes ago, TG8 said:

$80! Ouch!

Honestly $80 is a pretty good deal, especially for a limited edition.  I love Seamus headcovers (I have one of my Scotty with the Sheep Ranch logo) but they are pricey (I think I paid $100 in the Bandon Pro Shop).  Swag headcovers run even more (I've seen $200+)

[Syks7]

13 minutes ago, TG8 said:

$80! Ouch!

Precisely why I abstained,  I'm more than halfway home to re-shafting the DF2.1 with that.

[Canadoc]

Precisely why I abstained,  I'm more than halfway home to re-shafting the DF2.1 with that.

What length is you DF2.1?
My understanding is that outside of feel unless you have a longer putter then there is likely no performance difference.
Also are you sending it back to Lab? Because if not it might throw off the balancing

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[Jesper2712]

On 4/9/2024 at 12:13 PM, GolfSpy_APH said:

Early mornings can do that - DF3 testers once selected will be announced next Tuesday.

Also as per our agreement with LAB in the DF3 they wanted new to LAB users so for those who already listed LAB putters as their gamers were then not eligible. 

Time to see how some new ppl to LAB can do and if it makes a difference to their games!

I Hope the luck is with me and I’m one of the lucky 6 to test the LAB DF3  

[Syks7]

8 minutes ago, Canadoc said:

What length is you DF2.1?
My understanding is that outside of feel unless you have a longer putter then there is likely no performance difference.
Also are you sending it back to Lab? Because if not it might throw off the balancing

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It's more about feel for me than stability.  The Link I got during the test was built with an Accra and I love the feedback I get from it.  No knock on the standard steel shaft of the DF2.1 I picked up but it just doesn't seem to have the feedback I want.  I wouldn't re-shaft myself, I'd send it back to LAB.

[Canadoc]

It could be there is less feedback because it a a big high moi head with weight distribution that is in a much larger area then the concentrated head of the link.

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[pozzit]

Alright back into the season and actually getting some play... When it's not downpours or tornados. 

So Quick Recap. I tested the DF2.1 and well it did ok not earth-shattering or major improvement from overall putting stats. My start line absolutely improved but I struggled with Speed control. 

2024 Season

So I have played about 6 days but that totaled 144 holes... 1 day of 9, 2 days of 18, and 3 days of 36 this sums up how I golf pretty well. The DF2.1 has started off really strong, giving me some great long putts, and felt like missing inside 8-10ft was rare. this was accentuated with some great chipping but still, I have a few nines with 15 putts a 14 putt, and even an 11 putt. I have never had 9 holes with 11 putts chipping was incredible but still had some healthy putts to get close/make.

Have I done anything different? Nope, not a thing if anything I have done far less practice than I had during the testing last year. I think starting the season with only this putter has truly made a difference for me. I also think I excel on slower greens which is more common for this time of year. 

Well, wish me the best throughout the year. I'll try and get a write-up in my official post to help be more obvious for others. I also am really looking forward to the DF3 reviews in the next few months

[RoverRick]

Happy One Year Anniversary to L.A.B. Golf DF2.1 being in my bag. Strokes gained putting for the year, 200+ rounds is 3.53. I average 1.51 per hole and 1.78 putts per GIR. I’ve used it every round since I got it except for 1 where I used a Ping rental set and puttered horribly. I have had less than twenty 3-putts with this DF2.1 and two 4-putts. 

I love it as much now as I did a year ago. The only thing I will be replacing this with is perhaps a LINK1 with the TPT shaft, but I’m in no rush.

As for wear and tear, it’s held up fairly well. It’s raining so I had to take the pics inside. The color is as vibrant as a year ago, but the lighting makes it look more Orange. 

Some fraying along the edges of the cover.

The top of the head cover has a bit of fading. 

One corner of the putter itself shows a touch of bag wear but other than the white line on the top being not as white, it has no wear. 

 

[Syks7]

A little necromancy here since I didn't want to barge into the DF3 conversation. 

Had my best day ever with the Link in hand.  28 total putts.  Two one putts were cleanup from great chips and the rest were from beyond 4 feet.  I did not miss inside 6', only missed once inside 10, and either left everything else in the jaws or just off the edge.   Zero three putts including a couple of lag putts from beyond 60' that stopped inside 12" from the cup.   The only time I made a truly bad mistake -- and thought I was headed for double bogey was the time that the Link bailed me out with a 20' bogey saving putt.     

I've finally re-found my groove with the Link and its mostly because I rediscovered that Link (and LAB Putters in general) work best when you 'send it'.  By send it, I mean picking a line, owning that you've picked that line for better or worse, and taking an authoritative stroke.  That doesn't mean you have to hit it hard, it just means that you need to hit it hard enough that its going to stay on the line you want. 

[cnosil]

27 minutes ago, Syks7 said:

By send it, I mean picking a line, owning that you've picked that line for better or worse, and taking an authoritative stroke.  That doesn't mean you have to hit it hard, it just means that you need to hit it hard enough that its going to stay on the line you want. 

Isn't that what you do with any putt with any putter?

[Syks7]

45 minutes ago, cnosil said:

Isn't that what you do with any putt with any putter?

True, being tentative with any putter isn't going to go well.   To clarify, I think that the technical aspects of LAB putter are particularly effective with an authoritative stroke.  Mostly because it seems like it's much easier to put a ball on your intended line with one.   

[cnosil]

10 hours ago, Syks7 said:

True, being tentative with any putter isn't going to go well.   To clarify, I think that the technical aspects of LAB putter are particularly effective with an authoritative stroke.  Mostly because it seems like it's much easier to put a ball on your intended line with one.   

How do you define authoritative stroke?   I would say that LAB recommends more of a gravity driven stroke and not putting any effort into the stroke especially with their thumbs off recommendation.   Your description sounds like you are putting effort into the stroke to increase ball speed.   

[Syks7]

39 minutes ago, cnosil said:

How do you define authoritative stroke?   I would say that LAB recommends more of a gravity driven stroke and not putting any effort into the stroke especially with their thumbs off recommendation.   Your description sounds like you are putting effort into the stroke to increase ball speed.   

I'm thinking of it as a confident smooth stroke through the ball that is putting enough on the ball to run it between 1-3 feet past the hole rather than a stroke that's makes the ball die into the cup.  To do that I'm taking a slightly bigger back swing (rather than muscle) in the stroke with the goal of the putter head being at its top speed as it gets to the ball rather than accelerating through it.  Its relying a bit more on speed to find the cup than it is touch.