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

[yungkory]

5 hours ago, G-Ram said:

I sent an email today, no reply yet. If I had to guess, another 2-3 weeks. 
Was holding out hope it would arrive by this Thursday, as I'm headed to Nova Scotia for the Canadian Team Titleist event, but no joy there

I ordered on 6/1 (technically 6/2 since I placed my order at night, Hawaii time) and got mine 7/1. The wait sucks for sure!

[MattWillGolf]

I got Nemo out this morning for 9 holes. I was very pleased with how my putting is improving. Especially distance control. My 2-putts are finishing closer to the hole after the 1st putt. I also had a 1-putt of 18-feet today. I continue to use the DF3 from off of the green. My only three putt was from a skulled wedge that left me putting downhill from over 30 feet. It didn't end well. The numbers today. One 3-putt. Six 2-putts and two one putts. My mantra with the DF3 is point and let the putter do the work. "Calm hands". 

[golfsh00ter]

Terrific thread and contributors here, been reading it for the last month or so.  I got fitted into a 32.5”/72deg Link.1 last summer with Accra shaft by Club Champion.  I had never heard of LAB, but was the most consistent with it during the fitting process so I decided to pull the trigger on a $750 putter.   They built it with my grip (GolfPride Tour SNSR 140cc - which weighs 130g).  My Link.1 experience was that it was a champ for helping me to start my putts on target and on-line consistently, almost point and shoot like.  But I struggled mightily with pace control and a lack of feel.  I went back for another fitting and the laser tool showed that I was presenting the face loft too upright (green laser dot was not even hitting the wall).  Not ideal and not a good fit for me…. And the more I researched pace control the more info I came across about putter weight, so I weighed the Link and it was 607g with my preferred grip on it.  Vs my research saying “ideal” putter weight should be in the 530-545g range.  I know the grip added ~50g but it would still weigh almost 550g.  Anyways, I ended up getting fitted into an Edel Array F3 putter and I’m much better with it.  I wanted to like the DF3 but I can’t get past the negative loft (in my case) and the hands forward press look at address.  Maybe someday I’ll give whatever the newest LAB model is a try, because I’m a believer.  But I do wonder if the heavier putter weights and relatively upright fixed 2deg putter loft that LAB’s technology currently limits you to are also negatively impacting others?  Did anyone else struggle with pace?

[Middler]

^^^ Interesting. Made me go weigh my two putters.

Clearly the Link.1 is very different than the DF3, but my 35" DF3 w Accra shaft & Press Pistol 2º grip (58g) is 497g. My 35" Evnroll ER5B with P2 Touch Tour grip (85g) is 519g.

I know I am sensitive to weight as I used to have an Evnroll EV5.3 and I increased the weights (added 30g w 2x29g weights) in the sole assuming it would help me keep the putter on path. It hurt my distance control and didn't help path, so I went back to the stock weights (2x14g).

I am sure I would never get along with a 607g putter, but there is no universal right answer - to each his/her own.

Edited yesterday at 03:47 PM by Middler

[jbern]

9 hours ago, golfsh00ter said:

Terrific thread and contributors here, been reading it for the last month or so.  I got fitted into a 32.5”/72deg Link.1 last summer with Accra shaft by Club Champion.  I had never heard of LAB, but was the most consistent with it during the fitting process so I decided to pull the trigger on a $750 putter.   They built it with my grip (GolfPride Tour SNSR 140cc - which weighs 130g).  My Link.1 experience was that it was a champ for helping me to start my putts on target and on-line consistently, almost point and shoot like.  But I struggled mightily with pace control and a lack of feel.  I went back for another fitting and the laser tool showed that I was presenting the face loft too upright (green laser dot was not even hitting the wall).  Not ideal and not a good fit for me…. And the more I researched pace control the more info I came across about putter weight, so I weighed the Link and it was 607g with my preferred grip on it.  Vs my research saying “ideal” putter weight should be in the 530-545g range.  I know the grip added ~50g but it would still weigh almost 550g.  Anyways, I ended up getting fitted into an Edel Array F3 putter and I’m much better with it.  I wanted to like the DF3 but I can’t get past the negative loft (in my case) and the hands forward press look at address.  Maybe someday I’ll give whatever the newest LAB model is a try, because I’m a believer.  But I do wonder if the heavier putter weights and relatively upright fixed 2deg putter loft that LAB’s technology currently limits you to are also negatively impacting others?  Did anyone else struggle with pace?

Thanks for the compliment and you have a very interesting putter story. Pace is not something that I struggled with throughout this test. Yes, I have hit a putt poorly that lead to leaving putts well short or long, but it was more due to incorrect reads/poor distance guessing. I do have the counterbalance option on the DF3 and right about the time the DF3 test was announced, MyGolfSpy came out with an article about counterbalance putters and indicated that for the right person, counterbalance could be something that considerably helps with pace control. I don't know if this was true for me, but I do know that it made the transition from my armlock putter to the DF3 much smoother. The counterbalance version also doesn't have the integrated shaft lean like the Press II series of grips.

All this to say, if you're interested in giving the DF3 a go again, maybe the counterbalance version would be something to toss in the hat. 

 

[yungkory]

12 hours ago, golfsh00ter said:

Terrific thread and contributors here, been reading it for the last month or so.  I got fitted into a 32.5”/72deg Link.1 last summer with Accra shaft by Club Champion.  I had never heard of LAB, but was the most consistent with it during the fitting process so I decided to pull the trigger on a $750 putter.   They built it with my grip (GolfPride Tour SNSR 140cc - which weighs 130g).  My Link.1 experience was that it was a champ for helping me to start my putts on target and on-line consistently, almost point and shoot like.  But I struggled mightily with pace control and a lack of feel.  I went back for another fitting and the laser tool showed that I was presenting the face loft too upright (green laser dot was not even hitting the wall).  Not ideal and not a good fit for me…. And the more I researched pace control the more info I came across about putter weight, so I weighed the Link and it was 607g with my preferred grip on it.  Vs my research saying “ideal” putter weight should be in the 530-545g range.  I know the grip added ~50g but it would still weigh almost 550g.  Anyways, I ended up getting fitted into an Edel Array F3 putter and I’m much better with it.  I wanted to like the DF3 but I can’t get past the negative loft (in my case) and the hands forward press look at address.  Maybe someday I’ll give whatever the newest LAB model is a try, because I’m a believer.  But I do wonder if the heavier putter weights and relatively upright fixed 2deg putter loft that LAB’s technology currently limits you to are also negatively impacting others?  Did anyone else struggle with pace?

Not an official tester but I've had issues in the past with my DF 2.1 and speed control, specifically having a hard time getting the ball to the cup. Not sure if it was the face being soft, or the stability tour shaft, but it was a struggle and I would always need to make a conscious effort to hit it hard.

The DF3 feels firmer off the face, and overall the putter feels more solid with the Accra shaft in practice. Still waiting for my maiden voyage round since getting my DF3 earlier this week.

[Cfhandyman]

The Lab rat continues to impress and is slowly turning into a long range bombing threat from anywhere on the green.  Yesterday, a 35 footer for birdie.  In almost 25 rounds of play with the L.A.B. DF3, a number of 20+ foot putts made.  My longest to date, a 68 footer.  Other side of the green, it felt like I was putting from a different area code and all I was trying to do, is get it somewhere close to the hole.  In all honesty, I knew I was looking at at least a three putt.  To my utter shock and amazement, the closer it got to the hole, I thought hey this looks pretty good and it kept rolling and rolling straight into the cup.  Still can't believe that one.  Overall, although make percentage from 20 plus feet is low (< 2%), its not zero.  But it does show that if you get the read, the line and the speed right, it has a chance.