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

[Josh Parker]

@Cfhandyman that was the best post this week!

[Cfhandyman]

9 hours ago, cnosil said:

Maybe I missed this, but why did you pick the shaft you selected?   Seems like most selected the TPT shaft; saw one BGT.  Did LAB provide any input on the pros/cons of each shaft?   

Great question. Originally, I was going to upgrade to the Accra, but then we got word that all shaft options were open. So for me the dilemma was do I go for the tried and true Stability shaft which I have been using for 5+ years or the TPT.  The game changer was when I had the opportunity to pre test a L.A.B. DF3 with the TPT shaft and pistol group. I was impressed with the responsive feel, and how smooth and balanced the putter felt.  I then consulted with L.A.B. and upon their testing they found the TPT to be an ultra stiff, very low torque high premium putter shaft that provides instant and clear feedback.  The Stability was also an ultra stiff, very low torque shaft, but with a slightly softer feel.  Hmmm, more thought. So based on this and pre test, I chose the TPT.  It also then provided me the ability to test the L.A.B./TPT combination against my comparator/Stability combination on putter fitting with Quintic.  I’m particularly interested on the impact on the face angle results using Quintic. Either way, I can’t really go wrong, as both are excellent putter shafts, but we will see what testing shows. 

[Cfhandyman]

9 hours ago, Josh Parker said:

@Cfhandyman that was the best post this week!

Thanks Josh.  Appreciate that coming from you. 

[Cfhandyman]

9 hours ago, CFreddie said:

Good question @cnosil - was actually about to post my quick interview with Calvin (master fitter at LAB - I believe he's done all of our fittings).  Fast forward to 10:10 for my question to him on shaft options - I prefer a firmer feel & sound, so I'm going to go with the TPT.  I believe @MattWillGolf with BGT due to wanting a more "middle of the road" option.

Hopefully I / Calvin were able to address some of the questions people may have on LAB fittings / options!
 

 

Chris, stroke of genius recording your fitting call with Calvin and addressing many of the fitting questions with the LAB that many of us have. Well done and thoroughly enjoyed this. 

[CFreddie]

13 minutes ago, Cfhandyman said:

Chris, stroke of genius recording your fitting call with Calvin and addressing many of the fitting questions with the LAB that many of us have. Well done and thoroughly enjoyed this. 

Truly my pleasure - Calvin was totally game and I appreciate him (and the rest of the LAB team) for sharing a bit of knowledge on the fitting process!

[Rob Person]

Holy cow!  What a catch up! This is a  thread to follow!

[CFreddie]

29 minutes ago, Cfhandyman said:

Great question. Originally, I was going to upgrade to the Accra, but then we got word that all shaft options were open. So for me the dilemma was do I go for the tried and true Stability shaft which I have been using for 5+ years or the TPT.  The game changer was when I had the opportunity to pre test a L.A.B. DF3 with the TPT shaft and pistol group. I was impressed with the responsive feel, and how smooth and balanced the putter felt.  I then consulted with L.A.B. and upon their testing they found the TPT to be an ultra stiff, very low torque high premium putter shaft that provides instant and clear feedback.  The Stability was also an ultra stiff, very low torque shaft, but with a slightly softer feel.  Hmmm, more thought. So based on this and pre test, I chose the TPT.  It also then provided me the ability to test the L.A.B./TPT combination against my comparator/Stability combination on putter fitting with Quintic.  I’m particularly interested on the impact on the face angle results using Quintic. Either way, I can’t really go wrong, as both are excellent putter shafts, but we will see what testing shows. 

+1 here on the TPT - I've had the chance to hit a LAB putter with each shaft option (besides the BGT), and the feedback on the TPT is second to none.  One interesting call-out with Calvin was the sound difference - since the Accra is considered the softest, the sound / audible feedback will come off more dampened (vs the ultra stiff TPT).  

I know your order is in @GolfSpy MPR , but something to test / verify when you get your DF3 in!

[CFreddie]

I know some of you have been curious about my FINAL build, so without further ado...

Specs - 35" / 68°

Headweight - Heavy (Calvin said that most heavy mallet putters prefer the heavy weight)

Color - Cappuccino (was going back and forth with green, but ultimately decided to come back to the Cap)

Alignment - U (as I've mentioned in previous posts, I wanted to try and "simplify" the view up top and Calvin thought this was a great option based on my feedback)

Shaft - TPT x LAB (best feeling shaft - at least in my hands - so this was an easy choice)

Grip - Press Pistol 2° ("best of both worlds" - Calvin)

Now...we wait....

[cnosil]

1 hour ago, CFreddie said:

Truly my pleasure - Calvin was totally game and I appreciate him (and the rest of the LAB team) for sharing a bit of knowledge on the fitting process!

It was a great video.  Some insight into how the LAB guys think. 

[Jim Shaw]

16 hours ago, Cfhandyman said:

DF3 Weekley review  -  Highlights of week 1

Trying something new.  Welcome to the Weekly DF3 review and recap highlighting the best posts, pictures and findings for the week.  If this is helpful and you like this content, please let me know your thoughts.

What Is L.A.B.? 

@GolfSpy_APH L.A.B. stands for Lie Angle Balance. These putters, unlike other putters, are not toe-hang or face balanced. They are balanced to point at the target, meaning no twisting, no struggling to keep the face directed at the target—the putter does this naturally.  As each golfer is unique in their putting stance and stroke, the fitting process for L.A.B. is crucial. L.A.B. has made this easy by way of their online submission. A simple step-by-step process is sent to L.A.B. and they use this video to dial in your specifications. L.A.B. is best known for their big and unique-looking DF 2.1, a putter that has many nicknames and certainly does not appeal to all golfers. This is where the DF3 comes in. 

Please welcome and congratulate our testers! 

@GolfSpy_BEN This is a fantastic group of testers! I, and the entire forum, will be following along. Without further ado… Now the fun begins

@sirchunksalot  To me, this is the most intriguing test of the year and I'm looking forward to seeing what y'all think. 

@ShimmyCocoBop It would be interesting to know what the percentage of brooms vs. regular length putters are sold by LAB?

Superb and excellent introductions by all the testers.  Testers: 4 standard putters, 2 counterbalanced and the @GolfSpy SAM special

Overall impressions – a great deal of interest in the L.AB. putters, and the technology behind it,  Some scepticism regarding looks and price.

@GolfSpy_APH -  be happy you are not in the PM channel - Its Cobra challenge bad. Especially after the surprise I dropped them today. 

@Cfhandyman If we don't knock it out of the park, there will be hell to pay.  But seriously, we want to make this fun, informative and answer all questions people have.  This is a very intriguing putter and test.   Be prepared to see some great putter combinations. 

@jbern We have all submitted online fitting videos, which is the most common way for LAB to fit putters. It was also SUPER easy to make a 3-5 second video of your putting stroke with a door pane behind you.

One of the testers, @MattWillGolf, has received the fitting results back from LAB's fitter via email. 

 I have so many color/alignment options that I'm thinking through that I don't think I want to inundate the thread with all the screenshots! 

@steve2526  Does anyone else see a goldfish cracker when looking at the DF 3 in orange?  I'm a huge Df 2.1 fan.  Best putter ever...

@TJ Hall Anyone feeling overwhelmed by the shear number of possibilities here???

@GolfSpy SAM Two years in, my 2.1 is still kicking ass - THRILLED to see what this group experiences with the 3.0 (and yes, I'm a little jealous, but that's normal when a new kid is born into the family - the big bro gets a little jealous

@Jim Shaw "can you open a stubby with one" 

@Cfhandyman Send in your video to L.A.B. and they will use their video fitting software to analyze your stroke and calculate your ideal length and lie angle. They will then send you an email confirming your specifications.  https://labgolf.com/pages/remote-fitting 

@CFreddie Since I've never been officially fit for a putter, I focused first on determining eye dominance, and concluded that I'm left eye dominant (as a righty).  Here is a simple test if you need to determine eye dominance - https://www.diyphotography.net/a-neat-trick-to-determine-your-dominant-eye/.  

@CFreddie

What's most important to you with respect to putting?  What matters to you and what do you look for?

 

@Cfhandyman When, I look at my data for putting, the first thing I look at it the total number of putts and then how many were: a) One putt, b) Two putt, c) Three putts or worse

Below is Arccos data looking at total putts broken down by 1, 2 or 3 or more putts by handicap.  The higher handicaps 3 putt or worse far more than a scratch or low handicap golfer. Correspondingly, the low handicap golfer makes far more one putts.  So one of the key metrics for me is reducing the number of 3 putts and increase the number of one putts.  So according to Arccos, the 0 handicap makes on average 32.1 putts per round of which 5.2 holes were one putt, 11.5 holes are 2 putts and 1.3 holes were 3 putt.  See below.  Another way of looking it is for the 0 Hcp: One putts - 16.2%, Two putts - 71.6%, and three putts - 12.2%

@jbern For me, stats wise, the most important stat is # of 3 putts. If I'm 3 putting the rest of the stats fall apart also. 

When it comes to the act of putting, the most important thing to me is speed. If my speed is on, confidence goes up, green reading seems to be better and it leads to more tap-ins and made putts.

@jbern  If I want to lower my handicap, I'll need to improve my putting. This data is a good baseline and it's pretty nice to see it visually on a graph and compare to a statistical giant like Arccos. 

@Steve F Markers set at 3', 5', 7' and 10'. I didn't do 10' last time, but figure I should add that especially since the 1 putt on 12 was from 19'. You certainly wouldn't know it by the practice session beyond 7'!!

 

@CFreddie I'd agree with your ranking @Cfhandyman, (TPT>Stability>Accra>Steel) although I've never hit a Stability in a LAB.  Having hit the others though, there is definitely a distinctive "feel" characteristic across the shaft options.  For the stock steel, you get a muted but firm feel, which is the opposite of the Accra, which has a distinctive soft / almost "whip-like" feel to it (I could see how some people love the Accra, while others don't).  The TPT was the best in my eyes (hence the high $) - you get very direct feedback on the hit, while feeling incredibly stabile in your hands.  On a standard length putter, these aren't as pronounced, but I'd imagine in a Broomstick (with a much longer shaft), these are much more obvious. 

@downlowkey there’s an Easter Egg on L.A.B. Golf’s Meet DF3 page, that explains how you can even _combine_ multiple alignment aid options.

@Steve F Thanks. And here, I was thinking simple black the entire way.... We potentially can mix them? If so, you're onto something there @jbern, I'm digging the EE and Z combo! 

@MattWillGolf My mockup for today. I am also leaning towards the heavier version as my ER11v is on the heavier side. But that will be part of the discussion with the fitter. 

@GolfSpy MPR Interesting timing for us testers on this MGS blog article: https://mygolfspy.com/news-opinion/first-look/should-you-switch-to-a-counterbalanced-putter/   

I know that, unless the fitter at L.A.B. actively disuades me, my intention right now is to go counterbalanced. The Edel I'm using is, I suspect, at the extreme of weighting. I do not have (unfortunately) have a swing weight scale, but just compare these numbers of two of my putters, both 34":  Put in some practice this morning in what might be the best-equipped putter studio in Michigan's Upper Peninsula: my basement.

@TSauer I've watch a couple of videos on L.A.B.'s build process and I'm pretty sure every single putter goes through the revealer and the grip is a big part of the balancing act that the revealer... reveals.  So I think if you wanted to use a grip that isn't from L.A.B. you would have to send it to them so they can install it during their club construction and balancing process.

@Rob Person For me, the amount of time you take to learn The putters characteristics , the more benefit you will gain on the green. This goes not just in golf, but with anything. 

@cnosil Just remember,  the ball pretty much goes where the face points at impact.  You don't need to force putter rotation or a putter arc...You stand pretty close to the ball so there won't be a lot.   With the DF3, they will tell you very light grip pressure and basically just move the putter back and forward.  

Line of the Week
@ole gray This is going to be more fun watching than Uncle Rufus hunting for his upper plate after the state finals apple bobbing contest at the county fair! 

@GolfSpy MPR If we actually meet this expectation, we should all get special forum badges with an apple and a set of dentures.

@Steve F ... and the hits just keep coming! Have been messing with my Golf Pad tracking app, finally figured out how to mark the pin.... so now I should be getting some better data! Apparently a trick that I wasn't aware of that now I am! Will be able to test it tomorrow night during League Play! This is panning out AWESOME!!!

@Steve F VERY psyched! Got the email from L.A.B. golf last night, and I definitely have questions! Hopefully hear back from them today so I can discuss the options and their recommendations! 

And last but not least: @GolfSpy SAM A very happy birthday present to me - I've already told the testers, but figured I'd share here, too.  Due to some VERY unforeseen (and happy) circumstances, I'll be joining in on the fun (not as an official tester by any means, but more as a happy co-participant).   This was ordered yesterday (white Accra shaft, white pistol grip).  To say I'm excited is a VAST understatement.

 

fun idea, thanks for this

[Cfhandyman]

1 hour ago, CFreddie said:

I know some of you have been curious about my FINAL build, so without further ado...

Specs - 35" / 68°

Headweight - Heavy (Calvin said that most heavy mallet putters prefer the heavy weight)

Color - Cappuccino (was going back and forth with green, but ultimately decided to come back to the Cap)

Alignment - U (as I've mentioned in previous posts, I wanted to try and "simplify" the view up top and Calvin thought this was a great option based on my feedback)

Shaft - TPT x LAB (best feeling shaft - at least in my hands - so this was an easy choice)

Grip - Press Pistol 2° ("best of both worlds" - Calvin)

Now...we wait....

Love this combination. Cappuccino colour much better looking in person with nice simple, elegant alignment. So now the selection process is complete. We have a red, orange, black, green, cappuccino and two blues and a wide variety of alignment aids. 5 standard and 2 counterbalanced builds. 

On a separate note, the folks at L.A.B. have been simply outstanding to deal with. From Calvin and the other fitters, to their straight forward online fitting process and overall help and input have been greatly appreciated by us all. So thank you L.A.B.

[MattWillGolf]

17 hours ago, CFreddie said:

Good question @cnosil - was actually about to post my quick interview with Calvin (master fitter at LAB - I believe he's done all of our fittings).  Fast forward to 10:10 for my question to him on shaft options - I prefer a firmer feel & sound, so I'm going to go with the TPT.  I believe @MattWillGolf with BGT due to wanting a more "middle of the road" option.

Hopefully I / Calvin were able to address some of the questions people may have on LAB fittings / options!
 

 

Yes, I indeed wanted something more in the “middle of road”.

[MattWillGolf]

18 hours ago, cnosil said:

Maybe I missed this, but why did you pick the shaft you selected?   Seems like most selected the TPT shaft; saw one BGT.  Did LAB provide any input on the pros/cons of each shaft?   

I asked my fitter to rank the shafts in terms of feel. In order from softest to firmest he ranked them as follows:

Accra, steel, BGT Stability ONE, TPT. 

Based on what I found on the L.A.B. Golf website I knew I wanted graphite because of the stability graphite offered. I chose the BGT shaft because I wanted feel between soft and firm. 

[Steve F]

Back at it! Had a great morning catching up on the Morning Thread, kissed the much better half and told her I'd be back after a couple of hours of hitting the practice green. The weather in Maryland is dreary today, figured I'd try and get some more baseline data for the TaylorMade Spider prior to the arrival of the DF3. Speaking of which, very happy to say that L.A.B. has sent verification of the build going into production! I cannot wait to get this putter and start the comparisons! L.A.B. has been an absolute pleasure to work with: they are very responsive and chock full of useful information. 

So, off to my home course(s) at Diamond Ridge and The Woodlands for some practice time. 

Started out very overcast and the air was humid and heavy. Got to the practice area and started my setup as I have been: markers at 3', 5', 7' and 10'. 

Was able to get my first round of practice in before the rains came... started to pick up my markers then decided, what the heck. Let's add the variable of rain into the mix as well. So I kept the markers and did another round in the rain. Let's face it, golf is an all weather sport, right! Plus, I want to build as much baseline data as possible with the Spider to work the comparisons with as much info as I can provide. 

Despite the misses, I am very happy that all this additional time with the putter is proving oh so valuable as the misses are not leaving me with very long putts to follow up. My speed/distance judgement is definitely getting better! The groupings are much closer to the pin.... practice is making better!

After the practice and data gathering, I headed over to our local Club Champion to gather some more information. I was able to speak with Mike Kohn, Master fitter, builder and the store manager. I went to ask 1) Have they heard of MGS, and a big smile came over his face, of course! 2) Will they be able to do testing of both putters so I can do a data collection of both side by side (the answer was an emphatic YES!) and 3) How would he recommend that I proceed? His suggestion was wait until the DF3 arrives (c'mon DF3!!) and we could do the collection at the same time. It sounded like he was almost as excited as I am! So, the ball is rolling... If there are any questions I can answer from my perspective along the journey, please let me know! Oh, and Thank you @cnosil again for pointing out my turn in my stroke, been working on that too! Seems I'm working that kink out as well: much more square at impact looking at the videos after you noticed that in my stroke! 

Tomorrow, fortunate enough to being playing 18 with friends, weather looks like it's going to be awesome for an 0700 tee time: 62 degrees, light breeze, and SUNSHINE!!! Until next time, have a great weekend MGS Nation, I hope that golf is in your plans for the weekend: hit 'em straight! 🏌

 

Edited April 27 by Steve F

[Steve F]

On 4/26/2024 at 5:27 PM, Cfhandyman said:

DF3 Weekley review  -  Highlights of week 1

Trying something new.  Welcome to the Weekly DF3 review and recap highlighting the best posts, pictures and findings for the week.  If this is helpful and you like this content, please let me know your thoughts.

What Is L.A.B.? 

@GolfSpy_APH L.A.B. stands for Lie Angle Balance. These putters, unlike other putters, are not toe-hang or face balanced. They are balanced to point at the target, meaning no twisting, no struggling to keep the face directed at the target—the putter does this naturally.  As each golfer is unique in their putting stance and stroke, the fitting process for L.A.B. is crucial. L.A.B. has made this easy by way of their online submission. A simple step-by-step process is sent to L.A.B. and they use this video to dial in your specifications. L.A.B. is best known for their big and unique-looking DF 2.1, a putter that has many nicknames and certainly does not appeal to all golfers. This is where the DF3 comes in. 

Please welcome and congratulate our testers! 

@GolfSpy_BEN This is a fantastic group of testers! I, and the entire forum, will be following along. Without further ado… Now the fun begins

@sirchunksalot  To me, this is the most intriguing test of the year and I'm looking forward to seeing what y'all think. 

@ShimmyCocoBop It would be interesting to know what the percentage of brooms vs. regular length putters are sold by LAB?

Superb and excellent introductions by all the testers.  Testers: 4 standard putters, 2 counterbalanced and the @GolfSpy SAM special

Overall impressions – a great deal of interest in the L.AB. putters, and the technology behind it,  Some scepticism regarding looks and price.

@GolfSpy_APH -  be happy you are not in the PM channel - Its Cobra challenge bad. Especially after the surprise I dropped them today. 

@Cfhandyman If we don't knock it out of the park, there will be hell to pay.  But seriously, we want to make this fun, informative and answer all questions people have.  This is a very intriguing putter and test.   Be prepared to see some great putter combinations. 

@jbern We have all submitted online fitting videos, which is the most common way for LAB to fit putters. It was also SUPER easy to make a 3-5 second video of your putting stroke with a door pane behind you.

One of the testers, @MattWillGolf, has received the fitting results back from LAB's fitter via email. 

 I have so many color/alignment options that I'm thinking through that I don't think I want to inundate the thread with all the screenshots! 

@steve2526  Does anyone else see a goldfish cracker when looking at the DF 3 in orange?  I'm a huge Df 2.1 fan.  Best putter ever...

@TJ Hall Anyone feeling overwhelmed by the shear number of possibilities here???

@GolfSpy SAM Two years in, my 2.1 is still kicking ass - THRILLED to see what this group experiences with the 3.0 (and yes, I'm a little jealous, but that's normal when a new kid is born into the family - the big bro gets a little jealous

@Jim Shaw "can you open a stubby with one" 

@Cfhandyman Send in your video to L.A.B. and they will use their video fitting software to analyze your stroke and calculate your ideal length and lie angle. They will then send you an email confirming your specifications.  https://labgolf.com/pages/remote-fitting 

@CFreddie Since I've never been officially fit for a putter, I focused first on determining eye dominance, and concluded that I'm left eye dominant (as a righty).  Here is a simple test if you need to determine eye dominance - https://www.diyphotography.net/a-neat-trick-to-determine-your-dominant-eye/.  

@CFreddie

What's most important to you with respect to putting?  What matters to you and what do you look for?

 

@Cfhandyman When, I look at my data for putting, the first thing I look at it the total number of putts and then how many were: a) One putt, b) Two putt, c) Three putts or worse

Below is Arccos data looking at total putts broken down by 1, 2 or 3 or more putts by handicap.  The higher handicaps 3 putt or worse far more than a scratch or low handicap golfer. Correspondingly, the low handicap golfer makes far more one putts.  So one of the key metrics for me is reducing the number of 3 putts and increase the number of one putts.  So according to Arccos, the 0 handicap makes on average 32.1 putts per round of which 5.2 holes were one putt, 11.5 holes are 2 putts and 1.3 holes were 3 putt.  See below.  Another way of looking it is for the 0 Hcp: One putts - 16.2%, Two putts - 71.6%, and three putts - 12.2%

@jbern For me, stats wise, the most important stat is # of 3 putts. If I'm 3 putting the rest of the stats fall apart also. 

When it comes to the act of putting, the most important thing to me is speed. If my speed is on, confidence goes up, green reading seems to be better and it leads to more tap-ins and made putts.

@jbern  If I want to lower my handicap, I'll need to improve my putting. This data is a good baseline and it's pretty nice to see it visually on a graph and compare to a statistical giant like Arccos. 

@Steve F Markers set at 3', 5', 7' and 10'. I didn't do 10' last time, but figure I should add that especially since the 1 putt on 12 was from 19'. You certainly wouldn't know it by the practice session beyond 7'!!

 

@CFreddie I'd agree with your ranking @Cfhandyman, (TPT>Stability>Accra>Steel) although I've never hit a Stability in a LAB.  Having hit the others though, there is definitely a distinctive "feel" characteristic across the shaft options.  For the stock steel, you get a muted but firm feel, which is the opposite of the Accra, which has a distinctive soft / almost "whip-like" feel to it (I could see how some people love the Accra, while others don't).  The TPT was the best in my eyes (hence the high $) - you get very direct feedback on the hit, while feeling incredibly stabile in your hands.  On a standard length putter, these aren't as pronounced, but I'd imagine in a Broomstick (with a much longer shaft), these are much more obvious. 

@downlowkey there’s an Easter Egg on L.A.B. Golf’s Meet DF3 page, that explains how you can even _combine_ multiple alignment aid options.

@Steve F Thanks. And here, I was thinking simple black the entire way.... We potentially can mix them? If so, you're onto something there @jbern, I'm digging the EE and Z combo! 

@MattWillGolf My mockup for today. I am also leaning towards the heavier version as my ER11v is on the heavier side. But that will be part of the discussion with the fitter. 

@GolfSpy MPR Interesting timing for us testers on this MGS blog article: https://mygolfspy.com/news-opinion/first-look/should-you-switch-to-a-counterbalanced-putter/   

I know that, unless the fitter at L.A.B. actively disuades me, my intention right now is to go counterbalanced. The Edel I'm using is, I suspect, at the extreme of weighting. I do not have (unfortunately) have a swing weight scale, but just compare these numbers of two of my putters, both 34":  Put in some practice this morning in what might be the best-equipped putter studio in Michigan's Upper Peninsula: my basement.

@TSauer I've watch a couple of videos on L.A.B.'s build process and I'm pretty sure every single putter goes through the revealer and the grip is a big part of the balancing act that the revealer... reveals.  So I think if you wanted to use a grip that isn't from L.A.B. you would have to send it to them so they can install it during their club construction and balancing process.

@Rob Person For me, the amount of time you take to learn The putters characteristics , the more benefit you will gain on the green. This goes not just in golf, but with anything. 

@cnosil Just remember,  the ball pretty much goes where the face points at impact.  You don't need to force putter rotation or a putter arc...You stand pretty close to the ball so there won't be a lot.   With the DF3, they will tell you very light grip pressure and basically just move the putter back and forward.  

Line of the Week
@ole gray This is going to be more fun watching than Uncle Rufus hunting for his upper plate after the state finals apple bobbing contest at the county fair! 

@GolfSpy MPR If we actually meet this expectation, we should all get special forum badges with an apple and a set of dentures.

@Steve F ... and the hits just keep coming! Have been messing with my Golf Pad tracking app, finally figured out how to mark the pin.... so now I should be getting some better data! Apparently a trick that I wasn't aware of that now I am! Will be able to test it tomorrow night during League Play! This is panning out AWESOME!!!

@Steve F VERY psyched! Got the email from L.A.B. golf last night, and I definitely have questions! Hopefully hear back from them today so I can discuss the options and their recommendations! 

And last but not least: @GolfSpy SAM A very happy birthday present to me - I've already told the testers, but figured I'd share here, too.  Due to some VERY unforeseen (and happy) circumstances, I'll be joining in on the fun (not as an official tester by any means, but more as a happy co-participant).   This was ordered yesterday (white Accra shaft, white pistol grip).  To say I'm excited is a VAST understatement.W

 

.... just, incredible. This is beautiful @Cfhandyman!!! Kudos!!!

[Steve F]

... naming the putter. Well, hmmmmm. It took me a bit, but all black ... 

The Mamba, I think. 

[TSauer]

15 hours ago, CFreddie said:

I know some of you have been curious about my FINAL build, so without further ado...

Specs - 35" / 68°

Headweight - Heavy (Calvin said that most heavy mallet putters prefer the heavy weight)

Color - Cappuccino (was going back and forth with green, but ultimately decided to come back to the Cap)

Alignment - U (as I've mentioned in previous posts, I wanted to try and "simplify" the view up top and Calvin thought this was a great option based on my feedback)

Shaft - TPT x LAB (best feeling shaft - at least in my hands - so this was an easy choice)

Grip - Press Pistol 2° ("best of both worlds" - Calvin)

Now...we wait....

Yes! So glad someone with with cappuccino! This is a solid setup, can't wait to see and hear more about it! 

[CFreddie]

7 hours ago, TSauer said:

Yes! So glad someone with with cappuccino! This is a solid setup, can't wait to see and hear more about it! 

Now we just need a name…

My current leaders:

Thoughts?

Great write up @Steve F - very excited to hear your putter is already going into production! 

[Northern Monkey]

5 minutes ago, CFreddie said:

Now we just need a name…

My current leaders:

Thoughts?

Great write up @Steve F - very excited to hear your putter is already going into production! 

Chewie - cos you’re gonna chew up the course with it

[sirchunksalot]

49 minutes ago, Northern Monkey said:

Chewie - cos you’re gonna chew up the course with it

I was about to answer the same, I like Chewie. I guess it's the geek in me. 

[MattWillGolf]

1 hour ago, CFreddie said:

Now we just need a name…

My current leaders:

Thoughts?

Great write up @Steve F - very excited to hear your putter is already going into production! 

Not gonna lie, I’m partial to Chewie. 

Edited April 28 by MattWillGolf

[Cfhandyman]

15 hours ago, Steve F said:

... naming the putter. Well, hmmmmm. It took me a bit, but all black ... 

The Mamba, I think. 

Black mamba - you gotta to like that one 

2 hours ago, CFreddie said:

Now we just need a name…

My current leaders:

Thoughts?

Great write up @Steve F - very excited to hear your putter is already going into production! 

I’ve always been partial to Taz, but you never can go wrong with Chewie either.

[Steve F]

6 hours ago, CFreddie said:

Now we just need a name…

My current leaders:

Thoughts?

Great write up @Steve F - very excited to hear your putter is already going into production! 

Thanks @CFreddie!! Love the Cappuccino... I'm thinkin' "Taz", you're going to be going through those putts like the whirlwind he is!!!

Edited April 28 by Steve F

[TSauer]

On 4/28/2024 at 5:56 AM, CFreddie said:

Now we just need a name…

My current leaders:

Thoughts?

Great write up @Steve F - very excited to hear your putter is already going into production! 

Oooh, that’s tough. Chewie and Taz are both solid options! I think my vote goes to Taz.

He’s known for eating anything in sight, and what’s more fitting than Taz snatching up birdies and eagles? 

Edited April 29 by TSauer

[Swood1994]

Holy moly! Just got caught up on this thread and all I can say is… WOW!

Testers you guys are killing it and the putter are still in transport

i have to say I’m leaning towards @GolfSpy SAM & @Josh Parker ‘s configurations with that green head. I’d personally do the single dot alignment aid, it is so clean looking. Plus the hope would be that if the LAB didn’t shave enough putts off my putting game then the green would give me a little luck of the Irish!

@GolfSpy MPR I’m not sure if you saw Random Golf Clubs breaking Bandon Dunes video but Sam Hahn had an almost identical spec to yours in that video so I think you could say you have good taste!

Cant wait to see this one keep going and to be following along the whole way!

Also… this is not helping my wallet. It’s currently shaking in its boots every time I configure one of these putters.

 

[GolfSpy SAM]

I was gone camping all weekend at a spot with no cell service (I know, THE HORROR!!), but it was fantastic to feel like I was literally unplugging and just hanging out in nature with the wife and kiddos.  

BUT...literally the first thing I did while at red lights on the way home was check and see if there was somehow, some way, a shipping notice.  

There was not.  But it was an exciting few minutes while I scrolled through 2 days' worth of messages ;).

[Syks7]

20 minutes ago, GolfSpy SAM said:

I was gone camping all weekend at a spot with no cell service (I know, THE HORROR!!), but it was fantastic to feel like I was literally unplugging and just hanging out in nature with the wife and kiddos.  

We are headed to do something similar.  Not as outdoorsy, but no cell phone service and spotty wifi.  I'm looking forward to it.

Hopefully someone will have a DF3 in hand by the time we get back.

[phnx32]

I absolutely love hitting off the first tee, first thing in the morning, when there's still dew on the grass and nothing but birds chirping all around. It's when I feel at peace the most.

[jbern]

Wow! This thread is incredible! So many great things to catch up on! Expect a flurry of posts from me as I catch up, comment and then add my own thoughts!

[jbern]

On 4/26/2024 at 5:27 PM, Cfhandyman said:

DF3 Weekley review  -  Highlights of week 1

Trying something new.  Welcome to the Weekly DF3 review and recap highlighting the best posts, pictures and findings for the week.  If this is helpful and you like this content, please let me know your thoughts.

What Is L.A.B.? 

@GolfSpy_APH L.A.B. stands for Lie Angle Balance. These putters, unlike other putters, are not toe-hang or face balanced. They are balanced to point at the target, meaning no twisting, no struggling to keep the face directed at the target—the putter does this naturally.  As each golfer is unique in their putting stance and stroke, the fitting process for L.A.B. is crucial. L.A.B. has made this easy by way of their online submission. A simple step-by-step process is sent to L.A.B. and they use this video to dial in your specifications. L.A.B. is best known for their big and unique-looking DF 2.1, a putter that has many nicknames and certainly does not appeal to all golfers. This is where the DF3 comes in. 

Please welcome and congratulate our testers! 

@GolfSpy_BEN This is a fantastic group of testers! I, and the entire forum, will be following along. Without further ado… Now the fun begins

@sirchunksalot  To me, this is the most intriguing test of the year and I'm looking forward to seeing what y'all think. 

@ShimmyCocoBop It would be interesting to know what the percentage of brooms vs. regular length putters are sold by LAB?

Superb and excellent introductions by all the testers.  Testers: 4 standard putters, 2 counterbalanced and the @GolfSpy SAM special

Overall impressions – a great deal of interest in the L.AB. putters, and the technology behind it,  Some scepticism regarding looks and price.

@GolfSpy_APH -  be happy you are not in the PM channel - Its Cobra challenge bad. Especially after the surprise I dropped them today. 

@Cfhandyman If we don't knock it out of the park, there will be hell to pay.  But seriously, we want to make this fun, informative and answer all questions people have.  This is a very intriguing putter and test.   Be prepared to see some great putter combinations. 

@jbern We have all submitted online fitting videos, which is the most common way for LAB to fit putters. It was also SUPER easy to make a 3-5 second video of your putting stroke with a door pane behind you.

One of the testers, @MattWillGolf, has received the fitting results back from LAB's fitter via email. 

 I have so many color/alignment options that I'm thinking through that I don't think I want to inundate the thread with all the screenshots! 

@steve2526  Does anyone else see a goldfish cracker when looking at the DF 3 in orange?  I'm a huge Df 2.1 fan.  Best putter ever...

@TJ Hall Anyone feeling overwhelmed by the shear number of possibilities here???

@GolfSpy SAM Two years in, my 2.1 is still kicking ass - THRILLED to see what this group experiences with the 3.0 (and yes, I'm a little jealous, but that's normal when a new kid is born into the family - the big bro gets a little jealous

@Jim Shaw "can you open a stubby with one" 

@Cfhandyman Send in your video to L.A.B. and they will use their video fitting software to analyze your stroke and calculate your ideal length and lie angle. They will then send you an email confirming your specifications.  https://labgolf.com/pages/remote-fitting 

@CFreddie Since I've never been officially fit for a putter, I focused first on determining eye dominance, and concluded that I'm left eye dominant (as a righty).  Here is a simple test if you need to determine eye dominance - https://www.diyphotography.net/a-neat-trick-to-determine-your-dominant-eye/.  

@CFreddie

What's most important to you with respect to putting?  What matters to you and what do you look for?

 

@Cfhandyman When, I look at my data for putting, the first thing I look at it the total number of putts and then how many were: a) One putt, b) Two putt, c) Three putts or worse

Below is Arccos data looking at total putts broken down by 1, 2 or 3 or more putts by handicap.  The higher handicaps 3 putt or worse far more than a scratch or low handicap golfer. Correspondingly, the low handicap golfer makes far more one putts.  So one of the key metrics for me is reducing the number of 3 putts and increase the number of one putts.  So according to Arccos, the 0 handicap makes on average 32.1 putts per round of which 5.2 holes were one putt, 11.5 holes are 2 putts and 1.3 holes were 3 putt.  See below.  Another way of looking it is for the 0 Hcp: One putts - 16.2%, Two putts - 71.6%, and three putts - 12.2%

@jbern For me, stats wise, the most important stat is # of 3 putts. If I'm 3 putting the rest of the stats fall apart also. 

When it comes to the act of putting, the most important thing to me is speed. If my speed is on, confidence goes up, green reading seems to be better and it leads to more tap-ins and made putts.

@jbern  If I want to lower my handicap, I'll need to improve my putting. This data is a good baseline and it's pretty nice to see it visually on a graph and compare to a statistical giant like Arccos. 

@Steve F Markers set at 3', 5', 7' and 10'. I didn't do 10' last time, but figure I should add that especially since the 1 putt on 12 was from 19'. You certainly wouldn't know it by the practice session beyond 7'!!

 

@CFreddie I'd agree with your ranking @Cfhandyman, (TPT>Stability>Accra>Steel) although I've never hit a Stability in a LAB.  Having hit the others though, there is definitely a distinctive "feel" characteristic across the shaft options.  For the stock steel, you get a muted but firm feel, which is the opposite of the Accra, which has a distinctive soft / almost "whip-like" feel to it (I could see how some people love the Accra, while others don't).  The TPT was the best in my eyes (hence the high $) - you get very direct feedback on the hit, while feeling incredibly stabile in your hands.  On a standard length putter, these aren't as pronounced, but I'd imagine in a Broomstick (with a much longer shaft), these are much more obvious. 

@downlowkey there’s an Easter Egg on L.A.B. Golf’s Meet DF3 page, that explains how you can even _combine_ multiple alignment aid options.

@Steve F Thanks. And here, I was thinking simple black the entire way.... We potentially can mix them? If so, you're onto something there @jbern, I'm digging the EE and Z combo! 

@MattWillGolf My mockup for today. I am also leaning towards the heavier version as my ER11v is on the heavier side. But that will be part of the discussion with the fitter. 

@GolfSpy MPR Interesting timing for us testers on this MGS blog article: https://mygolfspy.com/news-opinion/first-look/should-you-switch-to-a-counterbalanced-putter/   

I know that, unless the fitter at L.A.B. actively disuades me, my intention right now is to go counterbalanced. The Edel I'm using is, I suspect, at the extreme of weighting. I do not have (unfortunately) have a swing weight scale, but just compare these numbers of two of my putters, both 34":  Put in some practice this morning in what might be the best-equipped putter studio in Michigan's Upper Peninsula: my basement.

@TSauer I've watch a couple of videos on L.A.B.'s build process and I'm pretty sure every single putter goes through the revealer and the grip is a big part of the balancing act that the revealer... reveals.  So I think if you wanted to use a grip that isn't from L.A.B. you would have to send it to them so they can install it during their club construction and balancing process.

@Rob Person For me, the amount of time you take to learn The putters characteristics , the more benefit you will gain on the green. This goes not just in golf, but with anything. 

@cnosil Just remember,  the ball pretty much goes where the face points at impact.  You don't need to force putter rotation or a putter arc...You stand pretty close to the ball so there won't be a lot.   With the DF3, they will tell you very light grip pressure and basically just move the putter back and forward.  

Line of the Week
@ole gray This is going to be more fun watching than Uncle Rufus hunting for his upper plate after the state finals apple bobbing contest at the county fair! 

@GolfSpy MPR If we actually meet this expectation, we should all get special forum badges with an apple and a set of dentures.

@Steve F ... and the hits just keep coming! Have been messing with my Golf Pad tracking app, finally figured out how to mark the pin.... so now I should be getting some better data! Apparently a trick that I wasn't aware of that now I am! Will be able to test it tomorrow night during League Play! This is panning out AWESOME!!!

@Steve F VERY psyched! Got the email from L.A.B. golf last night, and I definitely have questions! Hopefully hear back from them today so I can discuss the options and their recommendations! 

And last but not least: @GolfSpy SAM A very happy birthday present to me - I've already told the testers, but figured I'd share here, too.  Due to some VERY unforeseen (and happy) circumstances, I'll be joining in on the fun (not as an official tester by any means, but more as a happy co-participant).   This was ordered yesterday (white Accra shaft, white pistol grip).  To say I'm excited is a VAST understatement.

 

 

On 4/26/2024 at 5:51 PM, Cfhandyman said:

And the best pictures and funnies of the week

   

  

Love, love, love these recap posts! Great posts to point people to, who might be interested in the thread but don't want to follow along with every single comment! Also, just fun to relive the last week of posts! Thanks for putting it together and I would definitely like to keep seeing them in the future!