L.A.B. DF3 Putters - 2024 Forum Review

[Owengeorge13]

Online fitting/virtual (video) is back: length:34. Loft:70

There is a Link and a DF2.1 available from the outlet store with those specs.   After trying all of them at the PGA superstore over the past 6 months, I think i may wait until a DF3 is available.  I’m in no rush.  I believe stock is 34/69 that’s always a very close option.

[jbern]

12 minutes ago, Owengeorge13 said:

Online fitting/virtual (video) is back: length:34. Loft:70

There is a Link and a DF2.1 available from the outlet store with those specs.   After trying all of them at the PGA superstore over the past 6 months, I think i may wait until a DF3 is available.  I’m in no rush.  I believe stock is 34/69 that’s always a very close option.

I do not think you'll have a problem seeing the DF3 in those specs pop up on the outlet site. Those are my specs, so I can keep a lookout for you also. The other variable to consider is the grip choice. Did they recommend one based on your fitting video or do you have a preference?

[Owengeorge13]

4 minutes ago, jbern said:

I do not think you'll have a problem seeing the DF3 in those specs pop up on the outlet site. Those are my specs, so I can keep a lookout for you also. The other variable to consider is the grip choice. Did they recommend one based on your fitting video or do you have a preference?

I’m a big fan of the press pistol.  

[Cfhandyman]

Look what just showed up at my door. None other than Lab rat with Pimento and cheese head cover. It looks so much better in person  

[jbern]

30 minutes ago, Cfhandyman said:

Look what just showed up at my door. None other than Lab rat with Pimento and cheese head cover. It looks so much better in person  

Wow! Looks so great! Glad the LAB Rat has a LAB Rat head cover! 

I'm impressed with the shipping speed to Toronto area!

[Cfhandyman]

30 rounds with the L.A.B. DF3 - How do I compare to a tour level player. i.e. How bad will this be?

Just a quick update.  I am now past the 30 round mark with the L.A.B. DF3.  Arccos now features tour level data as a comparison point, so I had to ask myself, how do I as a 6 handicap, compare to tour level. i.e. how bad or ugly can this be?  So compared to a tour player, I give up 12 strokes per round, primarily on approach play (7.1 strokes) and driving (3.1 stokes).  What I was pleased to see that for short game it was only 1.2 strokes and for putting 0.6 strokes. 

Caveat: I am not even close or ever will be close to a tour player, but thought this would be a fun exercise.  To no one's surprise, the tour player makes almost 3 times the birdie I do, more pars and way less bogies or doubles.

Compared to a tour player

Compared to a tour player, after 30 rounds, I make 6.1 one putts and slightly more two putts (11.2) per round, compared to their 6.3 and the same in three putts or more.   Overall, I have seen a 1.1 stroke improvement over 30 rounds with the L.A.B. DF3, which now puts me on the level of a +2 handicap with respect to putting.  Needless to say I am very pleased with that.

Now back to reality, compared to a 0 handicap

[Steve F]

Last four rounds from essentially this week. Putting is coming along nicely: The Mamba is a performer, and more so the more I get used to it's crispness and lively feel! Man, it feels SO good to be playing again! This morning was a personal best for 9 shooting the 42. My Sunday regulars were .... surprised? It was a round where almost everything seemed right, and again with the Mamba: no dreaded three putts! This club continues to impress: I do love the feel! 16 putts for 9 holes... we're getting there! 

[jbern]

1 hour ago, Steve F said:

Last four rounds from essentially this week. Putting is coming along nicely: The Mamba is a performer, and more so the more I get used to it's crispness and lively feel! Man, it feels SO good to be playing again! This morning was a personal best for 9 shooting the 42. My Sunday regulars were .... surprised? It was a round where almost everything seemed right, and again with the Mamba: no dreaded three putts! This club continues to impress: I do love the feel! 16 putts for 9 holes... we're getting there! 

Great work on the PB and 16 putt round with no 3-putts!

I continue to be impressed with Dory and am excited at the putting progress I’ve made since the testing began! Dory performed admirably yesterday during the scramble I was in and made several long distance putts and had several very long putt lip-outs! 

[Steve F]

18 minutes ago, jbern said:

Great work on the PB and 16 putt round with no 3-putts!

I continue to be impressed with Dory and am excited at the putting progress I’ve made since the testing began! Dory performed admirably yesterday during the scramble I was in and made several long distance putts and had several very long putt lip-outs! 

Thank you @jbern!The DF3 does continue to impress, doesn't it! 

[curtdusoleil]

Question for everyone, and in particular any LAB reps...

I did the online fitting and it said I'd be best with a 70* lie angle. That is what I currently use with my SC Futura x7, which I love and putt very well with.

I tried out a stock DF3 at the PGA Superstore and really liked it and have been considering trying it out to see if it might help me with 3-4 footers in particular. 

Would it make a huge difference if I went with the stock 69* on the LAB?

I hate that it's an extra $110 just to change the lie angle 1 degree and that you can't do it yourself. 

NOTE: I would be getting it from a PGA Superstore as I have a few hundred in credit with them.

[CFreddie]

6 hours ago, curtdusoleil said:

Question for everyone, and in particular any LAB reps...

I did the online fitting and it said I'd be best with a 70* lie angle. That is what I currently use with my SC Futura x7, which I love and putt very well with.

I tried out a stock DF3 at the PGA Superstore and really liked it and have been considering trying it out to see if it might help me with 3-4 footers in particular. 

Would it make a huge difference if I went with the stock 69* on the LAB?

I hate that it's an extra $110 just to change the lie angle 1 degree and that you can't do it yourself. 

NOTE: I would be getting it from a PGA Superstore as I have a few hundred in credit with them.

Really good question - I’d say jump on one and worse comes to worse, you can always have it adjusted later. One call-out, try to hit one with an upgraded shaft (my PGASS always has a couple with Accras) and see if you like the difference. I really enjoyed the feel of the Accra in a friends Mezz, so def give it a go if you can.  Good luck and send updates if you pull the trigger! 

[CFreddie]

Quick weekend update - averaging 33 putts a round in my last 5 rounds, which is by far the best in my golfing lifetime.

Funny story, yesterday during my round, one of the people I was paired with started asking questions about my putter pretty early on. By the end of the round, he was sold on the DF3, planning to submit a fitting a video fitting that evening.

It’s always fun to talk about this incredible product with random strangers you get paired with - the on-course results do speak for themselves!

[Cfhandyman]

In this weeks feature of the "Best of the Best" L.A.B. DF3 testing.  What were some of the best insights, did the performance match L.A.B.'s marketing and promotion, did it result in more one putts, less three putts and overall less putts per round, did the L.A.B. DF3 go in and is still in the bag, etc.  This is also your opportunity to ask us questions based on our two months of testing.  In part 3 of the series we are starting with a summation of the Numbers, worth 40% of the testing total.

 

The Numbers
Introduction: At the start of this test, L.A.B. had a request of MGS and the testers.  They wanted to see lots of numbers, data and testing.  So the team decided this putter, the L.A.B.DF3,  will face a gauntlet of testing led by our fearless Minister of Data and Technology, @GolfSpy MPR ably helped by our crack photo and video team of @jbern, @CFreddie and @GolfSpy SAM.  @Cfhandyman volunteered (Foolish man) to keep things organized and summarize the proceedings.  @MattWillGolf and @Steve F performed exceptional duty and effort in keeping the project moving forward.  So, it was exputted, blasted, exposed to the perfect mat, as well as hacked and stacked.  Arccos , Shotscope and strokes gained data were recruited to help. Any flaws were exposed by the dynamic duo of Mr. Quintic and Mrs. SAM.  There was even talk at one point, that it might even be Captoed.  So today, we will present a summary of the numbers

Exputt testing ( @jbern )
@jbern  The Numbers (35 out of 40): 

Exputt “Analysis” mode is a series of 18 putts of random distance between 5 to 50 feet in length on a perfectly straight, flat putt. At the end of the 18 putts, the software provides your average and standard deviation data for distance, face impact angle and path angle. Below is the screenshot of my scores for all of my Exputt “Analysis” sessions.

Hack, Blast and Exputt testing ( @GolfSpy MPR )

@GolfSpy MPR The Numbers (37 out of 40)

 For comparing the putters in a controlled, indoor setting, my process has been:

·         Collect data for three putters: the L.A.B. DF3 counterbalance (37"), the Evnroll Midlock ER11v (40"), and the Edel EAS 4.0 (34").

·         Attach Blast Motion sensor to the putter; strap the HackMotion wrist sensor to my lead wrist. Set up the ExPutt for random putts from 5–50'.

·         Roll 10–12 putts with the putter as a warmup, without collecting any data, giving each putter a fair shot with feel, etc., and also being used to putting with the HackMotion/Blast.

·         Turn on HackMotion/Blast data collection, and set the ExPutt on "Analysis." This creates a sequence of 18 straight putts of random distances (10–50').

·         When the 18 putts are done, save the session data for Blast and HackMotion, and take screen shots of the ExPutt distance, face angle, and path summary screens.

·         Input all that data in a spreadsheet (you can see all the data here)

·         Complete 8 of these sessions with each of the 3 putters, randomizing the order.

432 putts of data collection later, here are the final standings:

So this chart combines the distance control and face angle scores, but by distance:

Overall, the numbers being what they are, I have to declare the Evnroll the objective winner of this portion of my testing. But if I look at that last chart, especially, I think there's a good case there for me to do what I plan to do: keep using my DF3. This data would indicate that I'll be nearly as good from medium and long-ranges with the L.A.B. as I would be with the Evnroll, but then as I get closer to the hole, I would expect to make more putts with the DF3.

https://content.invisioncic.com/m331004/monthly_2024_07/Untitledvideo(1).mp4.807179444232b592928bdb85c66baf04.mp4 

And that's exactly what I want to do.

On-course Numbers: (Arccos, Shotscope, Strokes gained)

@jbern From the Ongoing On-course Updates section above, you can see that I logged 10 rounds, most of which were 9 hole rounds. I kept track of the distance, break and if I made the putt or where my miss was. All of this data gathering led to a more simple display of my putting stats with Dory the DF3 in the graphics below:

@jbern , "Why are you making so many in the cup this time daddy?"

Impact on putting stats

 An impressive improvement seen by the testers with respect to a significant decrease in total putts per round with a subsequent increase in one putts and decrease in three putts.  Equally impressive was the make percentage with @jbern seeing a 96.5% from 0 to 5 feet and 40.9% from 5 to 10 feet.  CF saw 95.3% from 0 to 5 feet and 57.0% from 5 to 10 feet.
 

@jbern Comparing the data from the “Current Putter” section above, my average putts per 18 holes decreased from 34.1 to 31.54. This puts me closely matching a 0 hdcp golfer according to Arccos! I significantly increased the number of one putts per 18 holes from 4.26 to 6.34, which is also in-line with a scratch hdcp. My number of three putts per 18 holes decreased from 2.28 to 1.89.  My make percentages of putts inside of 5ft (96.5%) and 10-15 ft (37.5%) are in-line with tour averages! My make percentage from 5-10 ft of 41% is far less than tour average, which is 51-56% depending on the source. I have also yet to make an on-course “bomb” putt (any putt over 20 ft). I don’t have data from before the DF3 regarding lag putting, but with the DF3 my average leave distance on putts over 20 ft was 3.9 ft. Tour average is 2.8ft according to Golf Digest.

@Cfhandyman also saw a reduction in total putts and an increase in one putts.  Looking at one putt versus two putts versus three putts broken down by distance over 25 rounds (Arccos)

He also looked at his first putt make percentage broken down by distance of putt (25 round Arccos data with L.A.B. DF3).  The L.A.B. DF3 did exceptionally well from six feet and in.

Stroke Gains testing - Mattwill The Numbers (39 out of 40)

The Strokes Gained test was conducted using three different putters versus the DF3. The test consisted of 430 putts to 240 holes. The DF3 outperformed two of the three putters. My gamer, the ER11v and the Anser. The ER7 performed slightly bettered than DF3 by .02 strokes.

 

Quintic testing

@Cfhandyman with the help, guidance and expertise of his friends at TXG (Club Champion Canada), extensively tested the L.A.B. DF3 on Quintic and compared them to his reference Evnroll, Scotty Cameron and Odyssey putters.  The DF3 put on an impressive performance and demonstrated exceptional face control.  On testing it averaged an outstanding 0.03 degrees (min -0.98, max +0.75)  We know from the Quintic data that face control accounts for 83 – 92% of the start direction of the ball and a reading of <0.5 degrees is elite. (Quintic Part 2 – The importance of face angle https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1075673), that face control is critically important

Putter fitting/testing on Quintic at TXG Putter fitting/testing On Quintic at TXG  https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1078131 Mike Martysiewicz’s (Director of Club building/fitting, TXG) recommendation: “Chris after watching you, seeing and evaluating the results, it is very clear and as a friend just put the L.A.B. in the bag and leave it there. It is so good for you.”

SAM testing

@Steve F, @MattWillGolf and @CFreddie all underwent putter testing with SAM with varying degrees of success.

@MattWillGolfMy session with John Kagel, Master Fitter/ Builder with Club Champion in Victor, NY was a great experience. The session showed that my aim was 1.8° closed with the DF3 and I was not finding the middle of the putter face with contact more towards the toe. I think that this will improve over time as I get more familiar with using the putt and the style of putting that works best with the DF3.

@CFreddie The Numbers (35/40)

For this test, I used a combination of three different sources to collect data on Chewie: 

1) Arccos - tried & true; useful for capturing SG performance (before / after transition to DF3)

 

Stack Testing

2) The Stack Putting - from the makers of the Stack swing trainer, Stack Putting allows a user to create scenarios that test distance control, aim bias, and ability to read a green 

 

Perfect Putting Mat testing

  

since I have a mat at home, I was able to supplement my live rounds / putting green practice with simulated ladder drills on a mat. 

All-in-all, Chewie has definitely outclassed the Scotty, although it did take a bit of time for me to warm up to him.  As other testers have noted, there is a very real learning curve with a LAB - in many ways, we've all learned to incorporate some wrist flexion into the putting strokes - whether intended or not.  I believe this learning curve may have contributed to some poor rounds / results up front (including LOSING meaningful strokes gained based on one horrible round earlier in testing).  Regardless, focused practice on setup & stroke have paid dividends lately - in recent rounds, I've gained strokes (compared to my current handicap) and played multiple rounds with ZERO 3-putts (which has never happened to me).  At the start went from 38.3 putts per round with Chewie to 34 putts per round at the end.  At 8 feet, I almost doubled my make percentage with the DF3. In conclusion - these results speak for themselves.  My only (small) knock is the time needed to "relearn" putting - quite frankly, it was pretty frustrating at first, but I'm glad I stuck with it and Chewie & I were able to turn a corner (and hopefully never look back).

@Cfhandyman  The Numbers (39.3/40)

I compared, contrasted and scored the L.A.B. DF3 against my gamer, the Evnroll Tourstroke with BGT stability shaft and Evnroll gravity grip.  The performance of both, both on and off the course were very good.  However, the L.A.B. was slightly better in almost all categories.  Biggest difference was in face control.  The Evnroll was excellent as measured by Quintic, the L.A.B. was exceptional with even better face control. Putts tracked along there intended line like a heat seeking missile.  It is truly a potential long range bomber in that I’ve nearly holed out 40, 50 and 60 footers leaving a tap in for a two putt which given the length of those putts are prime three putt territory.  The longest putt I have made with the L.A.B. DF3 was a 68 footer.  On testing on Quintic, what the LAB did exceptionally well was face angle control giving elite tour level readings. Also launch, roll and spin were all very good. It consistently resulted in an almost square face at impact, highlighted by the following with the DF3 demonstrating a tour level face angle of 0.17.  This would equate to me making a 30 foot putt.

    

@Steve F  The Numbers: 38/40

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/uploads/monthly_2024_06/Indoorputtingwtools.mp4.aafdbb2def707a54c0960391ac640d9b.mp4 

I utilize the Golf Pad app for keeping on course statistics and pencil and paper when on the practice green and the indoor practice mat. The Golf Pad app is a wonderful aid overall for keeping stats but can sometimes get a little dicey around the pin when reception is spotty. It will always count the putts, but sometimes the distances aren’t as accurate as they could be: I have had a putt of clearly over 10’ that the app is saying is a 2’ putt. This is why I also kept pencil and paper stats on the practice green and the putting mat at clearly measured distances. As of this writing, The Mamba and the Spider are a statistical dead heat. I am averaging 2.2 pph with the Spider and 2.1 pph with the Mamba. I'm still getting used to him! 

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/uploads/monthly_2024_06/10ftDF3in.mp4.8ae3506cf7e09c99977b080d143ab377.mp4 

 

Edited July 31 by Cfhandyman

[Cfhandyman]

On the course, Best of the Best summary

In this weeks feature of the "Best of the Best" L.A.B. DF3 testing.  What were some of the best insights, did the performance match L.A.B.'s marketing and promotion, did it result in more one putts, less three putts and overall less putts per round, did the L.A.B. DF3 go in and is still in the bag, etc.  This is also your opportunity to ask us questions based on our two months plus of testing.  In part 4 of the series we are starting with a summation of the On the course, worth 10% of the testing total.

Overall:  Our esteemed group of experienced testers when asked about their one word descriptors of the L.A.B. DF3 on course impressions.  Words such as  Hype, Increased Confidence, performance, precision, accuracy, exceptional face control, instant feedback on tempo and contact, great balance, no twisting all came up.  Overall, putting has improved for all and the misses are a lot smaller.    

 

@jbern On the Course (10 out of 10):

The best word to describe taking the DF3 to the course is “hype.” Everyone that saw me using it on the practice green came up to chat with me about it and most knew the L.A.B. popularity has been booming! I have never interacted with more strangers on a golf course than I have since receiving the DF3 for this test.

Another on-course point of interest is confidence. The first two rounds with the DF3, I was really struggling and almost got to the point where I figured the DF3 was not going to work for me. I ended up changing my stance, ball position, putting stroke and putting stroke tempo and things started to fall in place. Once I started to get better Exputt scores I started to notice that in several of my individual on-course recap posts that I may have severely missed a putt, but it wasn’t due to lack of confidence! Once you start rolling the putter well, the confidence over every putt goes up quickly. Out of all putts, I would say I struggled (and have always struggled) with confidence most in the 5-10 ft range. This putting distance is unique because in your head you’re thinking EVERY putt from 5-10ft should be made. In reality that’s not the case, but it still gets into my head. On putts from all other distances, my confidence did not waver after getting used to the DF3.

As for course conditions, I found the DF3 to work best on faster greens. I found myself coming up significantly short or long on slower greens. My best two putting performances were at courses with notably faster green speeds.

I took off 1 point for having to justify the price tag during discussions with strangers and 1 point for the Garsen grip deterioration.

I don’t often like to use my putter as a “Texas wedge,” but I did quite frequently for this test. I would say it performed admirably and was not a highlight or lowlight of performance for me. I had the best Texas wedge performance for shots where there was more fairway than green (e.g. if I was 30ft from the hole and 20ft was fairway, 10ft was green).

Below are two videos of my on-course putts for an entire 9 hole round:

@MattWillGolfl On the Course (10/10)

On the course I counted my putts per round with the DF3. The biggest adjustment for me was getting a handle on distance control.

●      The DF3 seemed to perform better on slower greens for me but that could have more to do with me than with the putter. At first, I was having a more difficult time with my distance control. This improved as I adjusted to the putter.

●      I began using the DF3 as a “Texas Wedge” and it performed exceptionally well. I was more often in position to have a makeable putt when compared to chipping from similar lies. I believe in this circumstance the heavier head I went with at build paid dividends.

●      The more I use the putter on course the more I am seeing longer putts are now becoming a reality. It took some time for me to adjust but I am starting to really see improvements.

@CFreddie On the Course (10/10)

Outside of performance, I think the second most occurrence has been curious onlookers / playing partners - while most have heard of LAB, seeing the putter in person for the first time can be a bit jarring.  For example, once most people setup behind the ball, I almost always get a question on the shaft orientation (including one older player that thought the putter was broken / bent ).    

One of the biggest positives so far is the DF3 with distance control - I've generally been pretty weak with lag putting, particularly with speed & distance control.  With Chewie, I have A LOT more confidence on longer putts - getting instant feedback on tempo & contact thanks to the TPT shaft (I definitely feel that stiffness coming through when I have to put a bit more mustard on my putts).  Furthermore, I believe due to the head being aluminum, you also get a very distinct "ting", especially if its not hit square.

@Cfhandyman  On course performance (9.7 / 10)

 On course Impressions:  Increased confidence.    Sits perfectly and very easy to align with the ball.  Great balance, weight, and feels very smooth.  The ball rolls beautifully along its intended line owing to its exceptional face control. Where it’s been lights out is from 10 feet and in as 3-6 footers are almost routine.  It has given me huge confidence that I can make that 10 footer or even a 20 footer provided I get the line and speed right.  It’s a potential long range threat from anywhere on the green.  Overall, it resulted in a +0.8 strokes gained over a very good Evnroll putter over 20 rounds of play.   After 20 rounds of play with the L.A.B. DF3 and compared to a 0 handicap, I give up 5.9 strokes per round (-2.1 from driving, -4.4 from approach, but make it up in short game +0.2 and putting +0.4).   20 round data with L.A.B. DF3 – Strokes gained data compared to a 0 handicap (Arccos)

One putts increased by almost one stroke to an average of 6.1 one putts per round. Three puts remained low and fairly consistent at 0.7 per round and most were when the original putt was 40 feet or more.  Overall, I’ve gained 0.8 strokes in putting over 20 rounds compared to my Evnroll.

@GolfSpy MPR On The Course (9 out of 10)

But for the on-course numbers so far: I began this test with the Arccos equivalent of a 13-handicap for putting. Right now, using my most recent 10 rounds of Arccos data, I’m currently…a 12-handicap putting.

Here, unfortunately, the data is a little noisy. Arccos, much to my frustration, does not have a “compare this date range to that date range” function. The closest comparison I can get is comparing my most recent 15 rounds to the previous 15, which should be very close “with DF3/vs. without.”

 

 @Steve F On The Course: 10/10

On course all putts were counted since receiving the Mamba. Everything about the Mamba is different from the Spider: from the moment you pick up the Mamba the balancing is apparent. You feel no twist or tug from the putter at all. Several take aways from the Mamba on course: My misses are a lot smaller. Putting from distance is now not a “hit and a prayer”, but I’m finding that I’m actually getting the ball either in the hole or placing it at a decent range from the hole which affords the opportunity for keeping away from the dreaded “3 putt.” These from 20'. This is a LOT better than before. 

And I’m now finding that my in close misses are more heartbreaking as they aren’t just out and out misses, but I’m finding that I’m lipping quite a few more putts than I used to. The misses are that close now. Before misses were near the hole but not of the lip out type. While the overall numbers between the Mamba and the Spider are essentially a dead heat, I am seeing and feeling improvement in my putting game with the Mamba. The Mamba has a crispness, a tighter feel at impact than the Spider. I feel that you get a truer feel of the ball and thus a better opportunity to make adjustments while on course.

[jbern]

20 minutes ago, Cfhandyman said:

On the course, Best of the Best summary

In this weeks feature of the "Best of the Best" L.A.B. DF3 testing.  What were some of the best insights, did the performance match L.A.B.'s marketing and promotion, did it result in more one putts, less three putts and overall less putts per round, did the L.A.B. DF3 go in and is still in the bag, etc.  This is also your opportunity to ask us questions based on our two months plus of testing.  In part 4 of the series we are starting with a summation of the On the course, worth 10% of the testing total.

Overall:  Our esteemed group of experienced testers when asked about their one word descriptors of the L.A.B. DF3 on course impressions.  Words such as  Hype, Increased Confidence, performance, precision, accuracy, exceptional face control, instant feedback on tempo and contact, great balance, no twisting all came up.  Overall, putting has improved for all and the misses are a lot smaller.    

 

@jbern On the Course (10 out of 10):

The best word to describe taking the DF3 to the course is “hype.” Everyone that saw me using it on the practice green came up to chat with me about it and most knew the L.A.B. popularity has been booming! I have never interacted with more strangers on a golf course than I have since receiving the DF3 for this test.

 

Another on-course point of interest is confidence. The first two rounds with the DF3, I was really struggling and almost got to the point where I figured the DF3 was not going to work for me. I ended up changing my stance, ball position, putting stroke and putting stroke tempo and things started to fall in place. Once I started to get better Exputt scores I started to notice that in several of my individual on-course recap posts that I may have severely missed a putt, but it wasn’t due to lack of confidence! Once you start rolling the putter well, the confidence over every putt goes up quickly. Out of all putts, I would say I struggled (and have always struggled) with confidence most in the 5-10 ft range. This putting distance is unique because in your head you’re thinking EVERY putt from 5-10ft should be made. In reality that’s not the case, but it still gets into my head. On putts from all other distances, my confidence did not waver after getting used to the DF3.

As for course conditions, I found the DF3 to work best on faster greens. I found myself coming up significantly short or long on slower greens. My best two putting performances were at courses with notably faster green speeds.

I took off 1 point for having to justify the price tag during discussions with strangers and 1 point for the Garsen grip deterioration.

I don’t often like to use my putter as a “Texas wedge,” but I did quite frequently for this test. I would say it performed admirably and was not a highlight or lowlight of performance for me. I had the best Texas wedge performance for shots where there was more fairway than green (e.g. if I was 30ft from the hole and 20ft was fairway, 10ft was green).

Below are two videos of my on-course putts for an entire 9 hole round:

@MattWillGolfl On the Course (10/10)

On the course I counted my putts per round with the DF3. The biggest adjustment for me was getting a handle on distance control.

●      The DF3 seemed to perform better on slower greens for me but that could have more to do with me than with the putter. At first, I was having a more difficult time with my distance control. This improved as I adjusted to the putter.

●      I began using the DF3 as a “Texas Wedge” and it performed exceptionally well. I was more often in position to have a makeable putt when compared to chipping from similar lies. I believe in this circumstance the heavier head I went with at build paid dividends.

●      The more I use the putter on course the more I am seeing longer putts are now becoming a reality. It took some time for me to adjust but I am starting to really see improvements.

@CFreddie On the Course (10/10)

Outside of performance, I think the second most occurrence has been curious onlookers / playing partners - while most have heard of LAB, seeing the putter in person for the first time can be a bit jarring.  For example, once most people setup behind the ball, I almost always get a question on the shaft orientation (including one older player that thought the putter was broken / bent ).    

One of the biggest positives so far is the DF3 with distance control - I've generally been pretty weak with lag putting, particularly with speed & distance control.  With Chewie, I have A LOT more confidence on longer putts - getting instant feedback on tempo & contact thanks to the TPT shaft (I definitely feel that stiffness coming through when I have to put a bit more mustard on my putts).  Furthermore, I believe due to the head being aluminum, you also get a very distinct "ting", especially if its not hit square.

@Cfhandyman  On course performance (9.7 / 10)

 On course Impressions:  Increased confidence.    Sits perfectly and very easy to align with the ball.  Great balance, weight, and feels very smooth.  The ball rolls beautifully along its intended line owing to its exceptional face control. Where it’s been lights out is from 10 feet and in as 3-6 footers are almost routine.  It has given me huge confidence that I can make that 10 footer or even a 20 footer provided I get the line and speed right.  It’s a potential long range threat from anywhere on the green.  Overall, it resulted in a +0.8 strokes gained over a very good Evnroll putter over 20 rounds of play.   After 20 rounds of play with the L.A.B. DF3 and compared to a 0 handicap, I give up 5.9 strokes per round (-2.1 from driving, -4.4 from approach, but make it up in short game +0.2 and putting +0.4).   20 round data with L.A.B. DF3 – Strokes gained data compared to a 0 handicap (Arccos)

One putts increased by almost one stroke to an average of 6.1 one putts per round. Three puts remained low and fairly consistent at 0.7 per round and most were when the original putt was 40 feet or more.  Overall, I’ve gained 0.8 strokes in putting over 20 rounds compared to my Evnroll.

@GolfSpy MPR On The Course (9 out of 10)

But for the on-course numbers so far: I began this test with the Arccos equivalent of a 13-handicap for putting. Right now, using my most recent 10 rounds of Arccos data, I’m currently…a 12-handicap putting.

Here, unfortunately, the data is a little noisy. Arccos, much to my frustration, does not have a “compare this date range to that date range” function. The closest comparison I can get is comparing my most recent 15 rounds to the previous 15, which should be very close “with DF3/vs. without.”

 

 @Steve F On The Course: 10/10

On course all putts were counted since receiving the Mamba. Everything about the Mamba is different from the Spider: from the moment you pick up the Mamba the balancing is apparent. You feel no twist or tug from the putter at all. Several take aways from the Mamba on course: My misses are a lot smaller. Putting from distance is now not a “hit and a prayer”, but I’m finding that I’m actually getting the ball either in the hole or placing it at a decent range from the hole which affords the opportunity for keeping away from the dreaded “3 putt.” These from 20'. This is a LOT better than before. 

And I’m now finding that my in close misses are more heartbreaking as they aren’t just out and out misses, but I’m finding that I’m lipping quite a few more putts than I used to. The misses are that close now. Before misses were near the hole but not of the lip out type. While the overall numbers between the Mamba and the Spider are essentially a dead heat, I am seeing and feeling improvement in my putting game with the Mamba. The Mamba has a crispness, a tighter feel at impact than the Spider. I feel that you get a truer feel of the ball and thus a better opportunity to make adjustments while on course.

Another great overview @Cfhandyman!

I had a strange round with the DF3 last week that's probably worth putting on the thread.

Over the 9 hole round, I had 18 putts, which is tied for my 2nd most putts since starting the DF3 test (20 putts was my highest at the beginning of the test). The reason this particular round was interesting was because my putting was so good and the numbers didn't reflect it. I had 0 three-putts, 9 two-putts and 0 one-putts. I had 4 lip outs (where my ball changed direction as a result of the edge of the hole) and I had another 4 putts where the ball stopped within 1 foot of the hole. The other missed putt was a bad read on a 35 ft putt and I missed it by about 6 ft and then made the 6 ft putt.

The putts will start actually falling in the hole eventually, won't they? 

[Jim Shaw]

On 7/31/2024 at 7:37 AM, Cfhandyman said:

In this weeks feature of the "Best of the Best" L.A.B. DF3 testing.  What were some of the best insights, did the performance match L.A.B.'s marketing and promotion, did it result in more one putts, less three putts and overall less putts per round, did the L.A.B. DF3 go in and is still in the bag, etc.  This is also your opportunity to ask us questions based on our two months of testing.  In part 3 of the series we are starting with a summation of the Numbers, worth 40% of the testing total.

 

The Numbers
Introduction: At the start of this test, L.A.B. had a request of MGS and the testers.  They wanted to see lots of numbers, data and testing.  So the team decided this putter, the L.A.B.DF3,  will face a gauntlet of testing led by our fearless Minister of Data and Technology, @GolfSpy MPR ably helped by our crack photo and video team of @jbern, @CFreddie and @GolfSpy SAM.  @Cfhandyman volunteered (Foolish man) to keep things organized and summarize the proceedings.  @MattWillGolf and @Steve F performed exceptional duty and effort in keeping the project moving forward.  So, it was exputted, blasted, exposed to the perfect mat, as well as hacked and stacked.  Arccos , Shotscope and strokes gained data were recruited to help. Any flaws were exposed by the dynamic duo of Mr. Quintic and Mrs. SAM.  There was even talk at one point, that it might even be Captoed.  So today, we will present a summary of the numbers

Exputt testing ( @jbern )
@jbern  The Numbers (35 out of 40): 

Exputt “Analysis” mode is a series of 18 putts of random distance between 5 to 50 feet in length on a perfectly straight, flat putt. At the end of the 18 putts, the software provides your average and standard deviation data for distance, face impact angle and path angle. Below is the screenshot of my scores for all of my Exputt “Analysis” sessions.

Hack, Blast and Exputt testing ( @GolfSpy MPR )

@GolfSpy MPR The Numbers (37 out of 40)

 For comparing the putters in a controlled, indoor setting, my process has been:

·         Collect data for three putters: the L.A.B. DF3 counterbalance (37"), the Evnroll Midlock ER11v (40"), and the Edel EAS 4.0 (34").

·         Attach Blast Motion sensor to the putter; strap the HackMotion wrist sensor to my lead wrist. Set up the ExPutt for random putts from 5–50'.

·         Roll 10–12 putts with the putter as a warmup, without collecting any data, giving each putter a fair shot with feel, etc., and also being used to putting with the HackMotion/Blast.

·         Turn on HackMotion/Blast data collection, and set the ExPutt on "Analysis." This creates a sequence of 18 straight putts of random distances (10–50').

·         When the 18 putts are done, save the session data for Blast and HackMotion, and take screen shots of the ExPutt distance, face angle, and path summary screens.

·         Input all that data in a spreadsheet (you can see all the data here)

·         Complete 8 of these sessions with each of the 3 putters, randomizing the order.

432 putts of data collection later, here are the final standings:

So this chart combines the distance control and face angle scores, but by distance:

Overall, the numbers being what they are, I have to declare the Evnroll the objective winner of this portion of my testing. But if I look at that last chart, especially, I think there's a good case there for me to do what I plan to do: keep using my DF3. This data would indicate that I'll be nearly as good from medium and long-ranges with the L.A.B. as I would be with the Evnroll, but then as I get closer to the hole, I would expect to make more putts with the DF3.

https://content.invisioncic.com/m331004/monthly_2024_07/Untitledvideo(1).mp4.807179444232b592928bdb85c66baf04.mp4 

And that's exactly what I want to do.

On-course Numbers: (Arccos, Shotscope, Strokes gained)

@jbern From the Ongoing On-course Updates section above, you can see that I logged 10 rounds, most of which were 9 hole rounds. I kept track of the distance, break and if I made the putt or where my miss was. All of this data gathering led to a more simple display of my putting stats with Dory the DF3 in the graphics below:

@jbern , "Why are you making so many in the cup this time daddy?"

Impact on putting stats

 An impressive improvement seen by the testers with respect to a significant decrease in total putts per round with a subsequent increase in one putts and decrease in three putts.  Equally impressive was the make percentage with @jbern seeing a 96.5% from 0 to 5 feet and 40.9% from 5 to 10 feet.  CF saw 95.3% from 0 to 5 feet and 57.0% from 5 to 10 feet.
 

@jbern Comparing the data from the “Current Putter” section above, my average putts per 18 holes decreased from 34.1 to 31.54. This puts me closely matching a 0 hdcp golfer according to Arccos! I significantly increased the number of one putts per 18 holes from 4.26 to 6.34, which is also in-line with a scratch hdcp. My number of three putts per 18 holes decreased from 2.28 to 1.89.  My make percentages of putts inside of 5ft (96.5%) and 10-15 ft (37.5%) are in-line with tour averages! My make percentage from 5-10 ft of 41% is far less than tour average, which is 51-56% depending on the source. I have also yet to make an on-course “bomb” putt (any putt over 20 ft). I don’t have data from before the DF3 regarding lag putting, but with the DF3 my average leave distance on putts over 20 ft was 3.9 ft. Tour average is 2.8ft according to Golf Digest.

@Cfhandyman also saw a reduction in total putts and an increase in one putts.  Looking at one putt versus two putts versus three putts broken down by distance over 25 rounds (Arccos)

He also looked at his first putt make percentage broken down by distance of putt (25 round Arccos data with L.A.B. DF3).  The L.A.B. DF3 did exceptionally well from six feet and in.

Stroke Gains testing - Mattwill The Numbers (39 out of 40)

The Strokes Gained test was conducted using three different putters versus the DF3. The test consisted of 430 putts to 240 holes. The DF3 outperformed two of the three putters. My gamer, the ER11v and the Anser. The ER7 performed slightly bettered than DF3 by .02 strokes.

 

Quintic testing

@Cfhandyman with the help, guidance and expertise of his friends at TXG (Club Champion Canada), extensively tested the L.A.B. DF3 on Quintic and compared them to his reference Evnroll, Scotty Cameron and Odyssey putters.  The DF3 put on an impressive performance and demonstrated exceptional face control.  On testing it averaged an outstanding 0.03 degrees (min -0.98, max +0.75)  We know from the Quintic data that face control accounts for 83 – 92% of the start direction of the ball and a reading of <0.5 degrees is elite. (Quintic Part 2 – The importance of face angle https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1075673), that face control is critically important

Putter fitting/testing on Quintic at TXG Putter fitting/testing On Quintic at TXG  https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1078131 Mike Martysiewicz’s (Director of Club building/fitting, TXG) recommendation: “Chris after watching you, seeing and evaluating the results, it is very clear and as a friend just put the L.A.B. in the bag and leave it there. It is so good for you.”

SAM testing

@Steve F, @MattWillGolf and @CFreddie all underwent putter testing with SAM with varying degrees of success.

@MattWillGolfMy session with John Kagel, Master Fitter/ Builder with Club Champion in Victor, NY was a great experience. The session showed that my aim was 1.8° closed with the DF3 and I was not finding the middle of the putter face with contact more towards the toe. I think that this will improve over time as I get more familiar with using the putt and the style of putting that works best with the DF3.

@CFreddie The Numbers (35/40)

For this test, I used a combination of three different sources to collect data on Chewie: 

1) Arccos - tried & true; useful for capturing SG performance (before / after transition to DF3)

 

Stack Testing

2) The Stack Putting - from the makers of the Stack swing trainer, Stack Putting allows a user to create scenarios that test distance control, aim bias, and ability to read a green 

 

Perfect Putting Mat testing

  

since I have a mat at home, I was able to supplement my live rounds / putting green practice with simulated ladder drills on a mat. 

All-in-all, Chewie has definitely outclassed the Scotty, although it did take a bit of time for me to warm up to him.  As other testers have noted, there is a very real learning curve with a LAB - in many ways, we've all learned to incorporate some wrist flexion into the putting strokes - whether intended or not.  I believe this learning curve may have contributed to some poor rounds / results up front (including LOSING meaningful strokes gained based on one horrible round earlier in testing).  Regardless, focused practice on setup & stroke have paid dividends lately - in recent rounds, I've gained strokes (compared to my current handicap) and played multiple rounds with ZERO 3-putts (which has never happened to me).  At the start went from 38.3 putts per round with Chewie to 34 putts per round at the end.  At 8 feet, I almost doubled my make percentage with the DF3. In conclusion - these results speak for themselves.  My only (small) knock is the time needed to "relearn" putting - quite frankly, it was pretty frustrating at first, but I'm glad I stuck with it and Chewie & I were able to turn a corner (and hopefully never look back).

@Cfhandyman  The Numbers (39.3/40)

I compared, contrasted and scored the L.A.B. DF3 against my gamer, the Evnroll Tourstroke with BGT stability shaft and Evnroll gravity grip.  The performance of both, both on and off the course were very good.  However, the L.A.B. was slightly better in almost all categories.  Biggest difference was in face control.  The Evnroll was excellent as measured by Quintic, the L.A.B. was exceptional with even better face control. Putts tracked along there intended line like a heat seeking missile.  It is truly a potential long range bomber in that I’ve nearly holed out 40, 50 and 60 footers leaving a tap in for a two putt which given the length of those putts are prime three putt territory.  The longest putt I have made with the L.A.B. DF3 was a 68 footer.  On testing on Quintic, what the LAB did exceptionally well was face angle control giving elite tour level readings. Also launch, roll and spin were all very good. It consistently resulted in an almost square face at impact, highlighted by the following with the DF3 demonstrating a tour level face angle of 0.17.  This would equate to me making a 30 foot putt.

    

@Steve F  The Numbers: 38/40

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/uploads/monthly_2024_06/Indoorputtingwtools.mp4.aafdbb2def707a54c0960391ac640d9b.mp4 

I utilize the Golf Pad app for keeping on course statistics and pencil and paper when on the practice green and the indoor practice mat. The Golf Pad app is a wonderful aid overall for keeping stats but can sometimes get a little dicey around the pin when reception is spotty. It will always count the putts, but sometimes the distances aren’t as accurate as they could be: I have had a putt of clearly over 10’ that the app is saying is a 2’ putt. This is why I also kept pencil and paper stats on the practice green and the putting mat at clearly measured distances. As of this writing, The Mamba and the Spider are a statistical dead heat. I am averaging 2.2 pph with the Spider and 2.1 pph with the Mamba. I'm still getting used to him! 

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/uploads/monthly_2024_06/10ftDF3in.mp4.8ae3506cf7e09c99977b080d143ab377.mp4 

 

The Stroke Lab putter has been an interesting testing opportunity for all of you, and in my opinion you nailed the numbers, great stuff... accessibility to test these putters is still a challenge in my neck of the woods and the price point makes it hard to pull the trigger until I can feel confident under tournament conditions. Whenever I see one at a tournament I go over and start up a conversation with the player to see how long they have been gaming it what is it's biggest takeaway and it's area of opportunity, some broom some not but mostly broom. 

Keep up the good work and the testing going forward, I hope this is a secret weapon for all of you...

[mpatrickriley]

Due to family travel, I think I ended up playing only four rounds of golf the entire month of July, which is (for me) incredibly few. Because of the travel, my putting practice has also not been regular, and it's shown in some of my recent round results. Notice how the orange line dips quite a bit over the most recent scores:

With a little over two months left in our golf season here, it's time for me to get back on the horse. Did some ExPutt/HackMotion practice on Saturday, and I'm aiming to get in a bit more work each day. I'd love to see my Strokes Lost putting move much closer to 2.0 by the end of the season.

[Cfhandyman]

On 8/5/2024 at 7:31 PM, Jim Shaw said:

The Lab putter has been an interesting testing opportunity for all of you, and in my opinion you nailed the numbers, great stuff... accessibility to test these putters is still a challenge in my neck of the woods and the price point makes it hard to pull the trigger until I can feel confident under tournament conditions. Whenever I see one at a tournament I go over and start up a conversation with the player to see how long they have been gaming it what is it's biggest takeaway and it's area of opportunity, some broom some not but mostly broom. 

Keep up the good work and the testing going forward, I hope this is a secret weapon for all of you...

@Jim Shaw thank you. It has been a great opportunity to test the L.A.B. DF3 putter and a blessing as well. It is an exceptionally good putter, however, you definitely want to try and test them to see if they are right for you and your game. You are correct, accessibility is still an issue as not everyone carries them, typically only the higher end stores or fitters.  The test turned out to be a blessing as well, in that it allowed me to focus exclusively on my putting and various drills short for a couple of months. Something that was long overdue.  

[Hacker60521]

I’m very intrigued by the L.A.B. Putter concept of eliminating torque from the putter. But don’t think I can get comfortable staring at a DF3.

Any thoughts on the Link.1? I’m assuming it’s the same concept and technology. 
 

Thanks in advance 

[GolfSpy_BEN]

3 minutes ago, Hacker60521 said:

I’m very intrigued by the L.A.B. Putter concept of eliminating torque from the putter. But don’t think I can get comfortable staring at a DF3.

Any thoughts on the Link.1? I’m assuming it’s the same concept and technology. 
 

Thanks in advance 

I have one. I prefer a blade shaped putter, so the link fits the bill. Like all the LAB’s, it goes exactly where you aim it and the feel is very good.

[Knight017]

I got my lab DF3 on Tuesday and rolled it at the club on Wednesday. Wow it's so forgiving and drained 2 downhill 30ft puts. Getting use yo the ball position is is the hardest thing to get used to. Looking forward to the weekend. Have a good one 

[jbern]

3 hours ago, Hacker60521 said:

I’m very intrigued by the L.A.B. Putter concept of eliminating torque from the putter. But don’t think I can get comfortable staring at a DF3.

Any thoughts on the Link.1? I’m assuming it’s the same concept and technology. 
 

Thanks in advance 

Check this video out starting at the 5 minute mark and going to the 8 minute mark. The Club Champion guys, Ian and Mike, talk with Sam Hahn (CEO of L.A.B. Golf) about your exact question. 

To summarize, Sam says that the smaller the footprint of the putter, the less obvious the tech feels and easier it is to manipulate the club head. However, the traditional shape and traditional grip make it an easier transition for some folks.

In my opinion, the DF3 is their flagship putter, where LAB golf packed as much no-torque tech into as small of package as possible. It's worth a test run, even if it's just at a store. If you don't like the look, then give the Link a go.

[Hacker60521]

1 hour ago, jbern said:

In my opinion, the DF3 is their flagship putter, where LAB golf packed as much no-torque tech into as small of package as possible. It's worth a test run, even if it's just at a store. If you don't like the look, then give the Link a go.

Thanks @jbern much appreciated 

[Rearviewmirror]

13 hours ago, Hacker60521 said:

I’m very intrigued by the L.A.B. Putter concept of eliminating torque from the putter. But don’t think I can get comfortable staring at a DF3.

Any thoughts on the Link.1? I’m assuming it’s the same concept and technology. 
 

Thanks in advance 

I gamed the Link for 3-4 months and loved it for lag putts, but struggled inside 8ft with pushes and pulls. As others have said, due to the small form factor it is a lower expression of the LAB tech. I would say compared to DF3 (which I would say is a 9/10 in LAB-ness) and Mezz.1 (6.5/10), the Link felt like about a 4/10 in terms of level of assistance. I've only rolled a DF2.1 in store, but it felt like a 9.5+.

It's a gorgeous looking club, but when I rolled the DF I definitely felt a big difference and figured if I was going to play a LAB, I might as well go for the truest expression of the tech.

[Cfhandyman]

The Good, The Bad and The In Between, Best of the Best summary

In this weeks feature of the "Best of the Best" L.A.B. DF3 testing.  What were some of the best insights, did the performance match L.A.B.'s marketing and promotion, did it result in more one putts, less three putts and overall less putts per round, did the L.A.B. DF3 go in and is still in the bag, etc.  This is also your opportunity to ask us questions based on our two months plus of testing.  In part 5 of the series we are starting with a summation of the The Good, The Bad and the In Between, worth 20% of the testing total.

Overall:   Our esteemed group of testers found the learning curve to using the L.A.B. DF3 to be real and it takes some time and practice to “Untorque yourself”.  It has great balance, weight, and feels very smooth.  The ball rolls beautifully along its intended line owing to its exceptional face control.  It is confidence inspiring. The TPT shaft is the hidden star of this combination.  The primary bad comment and the elephant in the room, was the price, but you are getting an exceptionally good putter that delivers on its promise.  Speaking of "worth" - I believe this is the biggest hurdle for most consumers.  Most of the testers believe many who could almost instantly benefit from the L.A.B. technology.

 

The Good, The Bad and The In between.  There is no Ugly.

@jbern The Good, the bad, the in-between (18 out of 20):

I think I’ve made it clear throughout my posting history on this thread that it took me quite some time and practice to get used to going from an armlock putter to the DF3. Everything about my putting changed from the start of the testing period. I don’t know that most consumers would take the time and effort to make the changes necessary for the DF3 to improve their performance.

I also mentioned that a lot of strangers approached me wanting to talk about the DF3 and L.A.B. One thing that always came up was the price. When I told them the retail price for my DF3 build and the price of a stock DF3 the responses were mostly “are you kidding me?” I would, of course, bring up all the technology and my putting performance improvements, but it seems like most people that talked with me could not get over the high price tag . I encouraged them to send in a fitting video to get their L.A.B. fitting specs and then they could look on the used market to save some money. I do believe there is a large subset of golfers, specifically those who don’t put a lot of time into putting practice, who could almost instantly benefit from the L.A.B. technology. Once people held it in their hands, EVERY SINGLE PERSON said something close to “wow, that has a great feel to it!”

As far as durability is concerned, I have no concerns. It should be noted that I treated the putter like a 4th child and ensured it was in the putter cover AT ALL TIMES when it was not in use. I also already applied oil to the putter to keep the shine up. I had a few bits of sand get stuck in the face, but thankfully they have all wiped out with a towel. The Garsen grip is loosing its color around the very tip of the putter from going in and out of my bag. This could probably be avoided with a 14-way full length divider bag.

Not to mention, it passed the pontoon putt test on the first try:

One thing I haven’t mentioned much is the TPT shaft. The TPT shaft could be an unsung hero for DF3 putting performance. I’m not an expert on putter shafts, but during the testing period I rented a set of clubs and the putter that was part of the rental set was a Scotty Cameron Futura 5CB with a stock steel shaft. It seriously felt like I was trying to hit nail with a spaghetti noodle instead of a hammer. I could feel the shaft flexing and torquing, especially on the long putts!

I took off 1 point for having to justify the price tag during discussions with strangers and 1 point for the Garsen grip deterioration.

@MattWillGolf The Good, the bad, the in-between (20 out of 20)

The Good:  Feel, feel, feel. Simply put this is best feeling putter I have ever gamed. The combination of the heavier aluminum putter head and BGT Stability ONE delivers by every measure when it comes to feel. This putter will put the ball where you point it. While it can’t read the green for you at will simplify things when comes to putting.

The In-Between: There is an adjustment needed to achieve proficiency with this design of putter but once it clicks, improvement will come. I’ve seen referred to as “Un-torquing yourself”. I have more to do in this area as really clicking was recent. Look to this space for updates on this front.

The Bad:  The bad is relative, you cannot escape the price of my putter configuration. Is it worth it? That depends on the individual. I based my build on feedback from my fitter. I wanted a putter that offered stability with a moderately soft feel. So that is what I built. L.A.B. Golf touts the stability of using a graphite shaft. So, I added a graphite shaft to my build requirements. In my dialog with my fitter, I wanted to know the ranking of shaft feel. My fitter told me that from softest to stiffest feel the ranking was the ACCRA x L.A.B., steel, BGT Stability ONE, L.A.B. Golf x TPT. I went with the BGT Stability ONE. I also decided to go with the heavier putter head as well, as I have been using a heavier mallet for many years. My fitter mentioned that as far as mallets go the DF3 was on the lighter side. I would also recommend using the L.A.B. Golf remote fitting option even if you plan on buying a stock putter just for peace of mind. But if you think you will want to go with a premium shaft then I would recommend paying for an in person fitting. The premium shaft significantly adds to the cost of the putter, and I think it would be worth the time and money to dial it in right. When I had my SAM PuttLab session, my fitter said he would have slightly altered my build with a slight change in putter length and loft from what was suggested by the remote fitting. In short, I believe in the technology offered by L.A.B. Golf to make putting easier.

 

I "Spy" a DF3 in my bag.

@CFreddie The Good, The Bad, and The In-Between (15/20)

The Good:  First off, lets start with the good - I think this technology truly "works".  Since the start of the test, its been eye-opening watching the roll come off the putter - always end over end with little to no "wobble". 

The In Between: And yes, it does take some time to get use to (at least for me), but I think if you are able to put in some work up front, the transition to a LAB is well worth it. 

The Bad:  Speaking of "worth" - I believe this is the biggest hurdle for most consumers (besides the looks to some).  At a price of ~$1000 (with upgraded shaft), this is easily the most expensive club in my bag (by far).  And while I do think the technology does have merit, that’s a high hurdle for many golfers.  My advice - get fit (online works great!) and watch the LAB outlet site (https://labgolfoutlet.com/) for deals, especially during the holidays (I believe they were running a 20% off during Black Friday).  Additionally, while there is an upcharge, I do believe the shaft upgrades are important - before this test, I've hit numerous LABs with the Accra and was impressed with the feel (albeit very different from the TPT) and think this is needed.  IMO - the stock steel shaft doesn't feel great, regardless of putter head.  If I were Sam (for a day), I'd probably just use the Accra shaft as the "stock" option - but hey, what do I know? 

My only other (small) knock - the headcover.  Its super premium and I love the dual magnets - but the light blue color doesn't match anything remotely close on Chewie.  Easiest solution - offer the headcover in different color options (maybe ones that match each head color?).  Regardless, I'm still waiting for the Seamus x LAB collab - I'm a huge fan of their wares and would love to put one of my DF3 one day...

@Cfhandyman  The Good, The Bad, and The In-Between (19/20)

The Good: High quality putter with excellent build quality.  Service and support from L.A.B. has been exemplary.  Sits perfectly and very easy to align with the ball.  Great balance, weight, and feels very smooth.  The ball rolls beautifully along its intended line owing to its exceptional face control. Where it’s been lights out is from 10 feet and in as 3-6 footers are almost routine.  It has given me huge confidence that I can make that 10 footer or even a 20 footer provided I get the line and speed right.  It’s a potential long range threat from anywhere on the green.  Overall, it resulted in a +0.8 strokes gained over a very good Evnroll putter over 20 rounds of play.  Below are on course first putt make percentages by distance with the L.A.B. DF3 (25 rounds of data, Arccos).  It performed exceptionally well from 6-7 feet and in, dropped to about 40% at 8 feet and approximately 30% at 10 feet.  If I missed the initial putt, all were two putts, with the second usually a tap in.

The In between: There is a learning curve associated with the putter.  Essentially light pressure grip, ball slightly forward of center in stance, keep the hands quiet with a pendulum like stroke for best results.   Use gravity, with a smooth long stroke and let the putter do its thing and use gravity to manage rather than acceleration.  Where it lost a mark was in long distance putting/off the green in that initially came up well short until I adjusted the length of backswing and didn’t try to force the ball or get too handsy. Works better on faster greens as putts tended to come up short on slower greens.

The Bad: They are pricey and at the upper end of the price spectrum of putters.  Customization can get expensive, however, you are getting a high quality premium putter that performs very well. It is advisable to try them either in a fitting or store.   For me, the other “ bad” is that the new headcovers (Lab rat) sold out within hours, so I patiently wait for them to be restocked in the future.  Patience was rewarded and I finally got the Lab rat and pimento cheese headcover.   

@GolfSpy MPR The Good, the Bad, the Inbetween (20 out of 20)

The Good:  For my test, I should comment on the options I choose on my custom DF3.

Color: I choose the red head for my DF3, simply because it matches the color scheme of many of my clubs and of my bag and pushcart. While there are some others that would appeal to me (mostly, the other muted options), I love this red and would definitely pick it again.

Alignment: I wouldn’t change a thing with the custom alignment I chose. For my part, I don’t love the versions of DF3 alignment with any marks on the tiny middle section where the shaft attaches. But I love having the tiny line in the back of mine. Some of my best putting, especially on shorter putts, come when I intend to keep that back mark on my line through the stroke; that thought helps me let the putter come through impact without me interfering and torquing the face closed.

The Grip: The counterbalanced version of the DF3 (more on which in a moment) has three grip options (though, if I recall correctly, there were only two when we placed our orders): the Garsen Quad Tour 17”, the SuperStroke 3.0 17”, and the Jumbomax 21” Pistol (which I suspect was added with the armlock DF3 went live).

I chose the Garsen, because I already had the standard-length Quad Tour on my Edel and liked its shape a lot. For my part, I prefer the textured finish of the standard Quad Tour over the smooth finish of the 17” version, but I would make the same grip choice if I were rebuilding this putter today. Until I took this picture, I didn't fully realize that that quadrilateral shape on the 17" version is taller than the more squat standard edition on my Edel.

The Shaft: Here’s my biggest liability as a reviewer: given our remote home, there is nowhere close to me that I could go test/roll some of the other L.A.B. putters to make comparisons. Evaluating a $400 shaft upgrade option without being able to compare it to alternatives is next to impossible.  For the counterbalanced DF3, there are essentially three options: an ACCRA, a BGT, and the TPT. Here, I can only report 1) my experience with the TPT and 2) the consensus of what I’ve read online about the ACCRA.  For my part, I think the TPT shaft in this counterbalanced setup is about perfect. There seem to be two aspects of this putter that are significantly influenced by the shaft choice: 1) sound and 2) lag putter feel.

Most of those who have compared both concur that the ACCRA shaft gives the entire putter a softer feel—not just the flex of the shaft, but the sound of impact. Many compare using the ACCRA in the DF3 to having a putter with an insert.

By comparison, the TPT shaft gives impact a very crisp, but not at all harsh, sound/feel. The best thing that I can say about the feel is that, at least for me, it is unnoticeable. It simply doesn’t draw my attention. With the TPT shaft, for instance, I’ve not noticed any pingy sounds at impact, unless I were to hit a putt way to the outer edges of the face.

As for lag putting feel: I’ve never had a putter that has been as intuitive as this for long putts. I simply don’t have a disconnect between my expected speed and the actual speed of the putts. This has been borne out in 3-putt avoidance.  I would have a hard time telling someone that they ought to spend $400 upgrading the shaft of their putter. But I would have no problem telling someone that, if they have a clear opportunity to, they will likely like the result.

Side note: the textured black of the TPT is perfect. Just enough to feel premium without coming anywhere within the neighborhood of being distracting.

Counterbalancing: No regrets on this at all. As noted with the indoor numbers above, the counterbalanced L.A.B. gives me most of the performance benefits that I see in the armlock Evnroll, but (perhaps?) does better at lag putting because it isn’t armlocked.

If we started again, I might consider ordering the armlock version of the DF3. Considering the good numbers that the Evnroll Midlock produced for me, I’m wondering if maybe an armlock DF3 might be my perfect match. But I’m pretty convinced that, for me, counterbalance > standard.

@Steve F The Good, The In Between, and The Bad: 17/20

The good:  As stated above, the feel. Everything about this putter reeks of technology and confidence. I can definitely feel the difference between the Mamba and the Spider at impact: the Mamba feels cleaner, crisper at impact which gives, in my opinion, much better feedback, which in turn leads to more confidence and better putting.  L.A.B. has delivers on everything they promise: from the online video fitting, corresponding to questions, and offering advice when asked for it. As a company, they could not have been any more accommodating and helpful.

The in between:  As I have seen stated by others in the group, getting used to the style of putting by “un-torquing” yourself takes some time, but once it starts to click, you’ll see improvements little by little.

The bad: This is all relative: The Mamba as I have it configured is not inexpensive: it is far and away the most expensive club in my bag. Is it worth it to you is the question. This is one of my biggest pieces of advice: have an in person fitting done FIRST. Because you’re contemplating spending a good deal of your hard earned money on this club, I’d take the additional time to get the in person fitting done so all of your alignments and your address can be factored into the numbers that you will present to L.A.B. This, in addition to the online video you send to L.A.B. should yield you the perfect club for your style and form of putting!

Edited August 9 by Cfhandyman

[ole gray]

@Cfhandyman  "If we started again, I might consider ordering the armlock version of the DF3. Considering the good numbers that the Evnroll Midlock produced for me, I’m wondering if maybe an armlock DF3 might be my perfect match. "

I have a DF3 armlock and LOVE it!    I'm so excited about how it rolls the rock that I start slobbering like old Lucas Armstud eyeballing Miss Ethel's hawt buttered corn! 

[Cfhandyman]

Saw this in an email from L.A.B. and thought I would share this and the link below. 

 Editors' Choice Awards 2024 | MyGolfSpy   https://mygolfspy.com/news-opinion/editors-choice-awards-2024/?utm_source=klaviyo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20240809_mgseditorschoice_engaged180 (01J4J3XS2KAS0TMT8DVPJ2C2DR)&_kx=VMMb1_BUON_nc2Ohwf-cm-lr-bSIVCVyOeQ3SMBpVk4.WtQZpN

[Cfhandyman]

Play it or Trade it, Best of the Best summary

In this weeks feature of the "Best of the Best" L.A.B. DF3 testing.  What were some of the best insights, did the performance match L.A.B.'s marketing and promotion, did it result in more one putts, less three putts and overall less putts per round, did the L.A.B. DF3 go in and is still in the bag, etc.  This is also your opportunity to ask us questions based on our two months plus of testing.  In part 6 of the series we are starting with a summation of the Play it or Trade it worth 10% of the testing total.

Overall:   Our esteemed group of testers had great success with the L.A.B. DF3 as it was a “no brainer” and went into all the bags of the testers, without question in a clean sweep.  Putting performance increased for all testers.  The biggest take away's, performance, consistency and increased confidence.

@jbern Play it or Trade it (10 out of 10)

It safe to say that Dory, the DF3 is going straight into the bag without question. The blue color, custom alignment lines, premium feel/build quality, TPT shaft and Garsen grip are just fire! Not to mention my putting performance, consistency and confidence have all improved during this testing period and I’m looking forward to more great rounds with the DF3! I will not hesitate to play with it in tournaments and every round for the foreseeable future!

@MattWillGolf Play it or Trade it (10 out of 10)

 

Definitely “Play it!” This putter will stay in my bag. It is built to my spec and for feel alone this is a winner for me. It also checks the boxes in terms of aesthetics. My stokes gained testing showed that this putter was better than my gamer. It did statistically “lose” to my ER7 but for me the .02 strokes difference wasn’t significant enough to take it out of my bag. The technology works. If I had to buy the putter, I would honestly have to consider a stock offering over the custom offering. We are talking $958 vs. $449. Which is black DF3 with a black steel shaft and Press pistol grip. If I want to go slightly custom and get the lie angle suggested, custom colored head, heavier head weight and an alignment aid more to eye then that is an additional $110. This putter can fit any golfer looking to simplify their putting. Given that a golfer with Phil Michelson’s putting ability opted to put a DF3 in his bag for the Masters says a lot to me about putter. He can play any putter he’d like. I used to “window shop” Scotty’s all the time. I am on their email list for new releases, MOTO Mondays, follow their posts the offer a chance to buy a Circle T. I have been to the Gallery in Encinitas, CA. Since taking delivery of my custom DF3 and playing with it, I have stopped perusing Scotty Cameron. The DF3 checks all the boxes for me.

I "Spy" a DF3 in my bag.

 

@CFreddie Play It or Trade It (10/10)

This was an incredibly easy decision (even during some of the low points of this test) - Chewie is FIRMLY in the bag.  Sorry Scotty, you never really had a chance 

@Cfhandyman Play it or trade it. (10/10)  This was an easy one, play it and the L.A.B. went into the bag early and its going to be staying there for a long time.  This was based on initial 10 round data, testing on Quintic, head to head comparison with comparators and my fitters strong recommendation to put it in the bag and leave it there.  After 30 rounds of data I have seen a 1.1 stroke improvement in putting by strokes gained which strongly supports this as well.

@GolfSpy MPR Play it or Trade it? (9.5 out of 10)

 

My L.A.B. now owns the putter slot in my bag.

https://content.invisioncic.com/m331004/monthly_2024_07/Untitledvideo(1).mp4.807179444232b592928bdb85c66baf04.mp4 

@Steve F Play it or trade it? 10/10

This is a no brainer at this point for me. It stays in the bag: a definite “Play it!” On course while comparing two years’ worth of numbers for the Spider to the several months of numbers for The Mamba, statistically they were essentially a dead heat. The “Play it” comes from the overall performance of the club in such a short period of time. I and my group of friends on Sunday have all seen a definite improvement in my putting performance since obtaining The Mamba. Personally, I feel a clear difference in the feedback the putter provides vs the Spider: it is a cleaner, crisper and truer feel of the ball at impact compared to the Spider. I have also seen a marked improvement in my distance putting: the dreaded three putt, while not a thing of the past, are becoming less and less frequent, and that in just a short time.

Links to Best of the Summaries:

Initial Impressions: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1101833

The Numbers:  https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1104357

On the Course:  https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1106258

The Good, the Bad and The In Between: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1108514

Play it or Trade it:

Conclusions:  https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1101361

 

[CFreddie]

Another quick update - Chewie continues to outclass my previous gamer.  In my last three rounds, I've only had one 3 putt (across 54 holes).  

Given I've struggled with distance control in the past, I'm convinced the feel of the TPT shaft (on top of lots of practice) has turned around this part of my putting game.  

My next big test is a 3 day Ryder Cup style tournament next week - I'm going in with a ton of confidence on the putting green (not so much off the tee though ).  

[EnderinAZ]

Thanks to this testing thread I now have an Armlock DF3. I used the online fitting process, and I have to say I have NEVER put a putter in my hands before that instantly fits!

This one did!

I use an Armlock because I have a rebuilt shoulder and a regular putter in my hands is unsteady to say the least.

I like the Srixon half and half balls because when I practice chipping and pitching I can see the direction of the spin. Then when I bought an Odyssey Armlock Two Ball Ten putter I used the color change line as an alignment line.  Traditionally I have been a look and feel putter. The Two Ball Ten was not a feel putter in my hands so I learned to use the alignment markings. 

NOT ANY MORE!!!!!

This DF3 has me feel putting again and I am SOOOOOOO much better at feel putting than alignment putting. 

Spending the high side  of seven hundred bucks for a putter was daunting to say the least. 

It was worth every penny!

Edited August 12 by EnderinAZ
edited for content