LAB DF3 - who fitted Phil Mickelson?

[Braehead]

I didn't see a lot of Phil on TV yesterday but I did see the down the line shot of him putting on 18.  His DF3 was really toe up.  Is that a bad fit or a bad user??

[cnosil]

4 hours ago, Braehead said:

I didn't see a lot of Phil on TV yesterday but I did see the down the line shot of him putting on 18.  His DF3 was really toe up.  Is that a bad fit or a bad user??

How about it’s fine.  There are players that play toe up and there are players that play heel up and there are players that play flat.  Will Zalatoris is heel up with his MEZZ max.   While flat would be “ideal”, I’d say it is more important to maintain that lie angle throughout the stroke.   This could be a visual preference and how he prefers to see the top line 

[StrokerAce]

39 minutes ago, cnosil said:

How about it’s fine.  There are players that play toe up and there are players that play heel up and there are players that play flat.  Will Zalatoris is heel up with his MEZZ max.   While flat would be “ideal”, I’d say it is more important to maintain that lie angle throughout the stroke.   This could be a visual preference and how he prefers to see the top line 

Steve Stricker agrees with this take...

[Braehead]

So, amuse me, what's the point in having a Lie Angle Balanced putter if you then manipulate the lie?  Why pay an upcharge for custom fitting to the correct lie angle for you, if you then manipulate the lie?  
 

I don't remember Phil being toe up with his 8802.  I know Zalatoris putted "heal up" with his Scotty too though.  
 

I don't have an axe to grind here - I actually own a DF3

Edited April 12 by Braehead

[cnosil]

11 minutes ago, Braehead said:

So, amuse me, what's the point in having a Lie Angle Balanced putter if you then manipulate the lie?  Why pay an upcharge for custom fitting to the correct lie angle for you, if you then manipulate the lie?  

 The putters are balanced to a specific lie angle.  Most are done with the putter flat.  The putters can also be balanced with the toe or heel in the air; that is the purpose of all the weights in the head..  The players are not manipulating the lie, they  could and probably are  maintaining the same lie throughout the stroke.  Pretty sure I have read that LAB has even said a degree or so off isn’t that big of a deal.   
 

the other aspect is that players generally don’t understand equipment and don’t necessarily play the best equipment for their game.  They almost always get their equipment for free so there is no upcharge.  
 

f you want my personal opinion, I don’t think L.A.B. putters are all that and the human based skills are significantly more important and can easily overcome the little bit of torque that the LAB putter is eliminating.  

[StrokerAce]

fwiw I wouldn't want to get into a putting contest with Phil; no matter how he soles his putter.

[Braehead]

The more I see comments from LAB like "a degree or so off isn't a big deal" makes me wonder why they charge so much for making adjustments to lie angle.....could I have saved £100 and just bought the standard product?

[cnosil]

27 minutes ago, Braehead said:

The more I see comments from LAB like "a degree or so off isn't a big deal" makes me wonder why they charge so much for making adjustments to lie angle.....could I have saved £100 and just bought the standard product?

My opinion:  
 

Same reason they charge $100 to add or subtract an inch from their stock putter.   Right or wrong, true or false,  their goal as a company is to make money and convince people their product is special, unique, and worth the extra cost.   They have shown up on the PGA tour and gotten some  players crediting their LAB putter for getting the win.  They have also gotten good reviews in golf forums.   All of this translates to capitalize on the attention.  
 

I have tried every lab model and the putters are fine but for me they aren’t any better than other putter

[StrokerAce]

my suggestion: ask @GolfSpy SAM for his thoughts on what a LAB putter did for his game....

[Just_the_Chip]

They aren't showing Phil all that much but from what I've seen, I thought his putter was pretty level.  He had some excruciating missed putts. Some that were just left or just right, but I didn't notice the toe at all. Could it have been the undulations of the greens?