Popular Post GolfSpy_APH Posted April 15 Popular Post Share Posted April 15 It is no secret that L.A.B. Golf has taken off because of multiple wins on the PGA Tour and a greater professional presence overall. Its success in MyGolfSpy testing and the hype around the newly released L.A.B. DF3 has only increased its notoriety. What Is L.A.B.? 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! @jbern @MattWillGolf @CFreddie @Cfhandyman @GolfSpy MPR @Steve F ChiefMikeOfficer, ejgaudette, HikingMike and 44 others 23 3 5 15 1 Quote as of Oct 5, 2024 (Past WITB) Driver: GT2 with Graphite Design AD CQ - check out the Driver Shootout! Wood: GT2 with Graphite Design AD CQ shaft (still love my Cobra F7's) Irons: T Series - T200 5 Iron T150 6-9 Iron Wedge: Toura Golf - A Spec 53,57 or SM10 45,49,53,57 degree wedges Putter: LINK! Full putter shootout incoming Balls: Vice Pro Plus Drip (Blue/Orange) Golf Bag: Ghost Anyday 5.0 Golf bag - Maverick colorway with MGS Logo Other: Vortex Anarch Rangefinder, searching for electric cart, Red Rooster The Root Glove and more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post jbern Posted April 15 Popular Post Share Posted April 15 (edited) Introduction Thank you to L.A.B. Golf and the MGS Forum for this unbelievable opportunity to test the new L.A.B. DF3 putter! As a husband and father of 3 young children (Ages are 6, 4 and 1.5 years old) my main job is reading children’s books in funny voices and expertly applying superglue and packaging tape to broken toys! I have a side gig in building creative (and mostly safe) obstacle courses for the kids to jump around on. As a family, we also like going on hikes and bike rides. The photo below is from a local hike that has a viewing/learning area about farms and crops and their various growth stages (my wife and I decided not to put our kids on any social media, so you’ll just get the backs of their heads ) We live in an area of Southern Michigan that is known for having a lot of lakes, so we try to spend a lot of time in and around the water (in the summertime) in this beautiful area. It's also a great area for golf and there are at least 12 golf courses within 20 minutes. My day job is working as an electrical protection engineer for generating facilities throughout the state of Michigan, protecting the people and equipment within the facilities. It’s an incredibly interesting job and I’ve enjoyed it for the last 10 years! As far as golfing goes, I started golf when I was 14 and played on the H.S. golf team. My peak handicap was 5 during that time. After high school I almost never golfed, playing 7 times over 15 years. I got hooked again in the fall of 2021 and haven’t looked back. I got my first ever fitting in the fall of ’22. I’m a proud member of the pushcart mafia and walk every chance I get (check out the Clicgear 4.0 review thread; in ‘23, I had lower scores when walking)! I’ve put in quite a bit of practice to get my HCP from 17 in ’21 to my current HCP of 7.4. Putting has improved, but my golf game has traditionally gone as my driver goes and putting has always been my biggest weakness. Being a weak putter, L.A.B. golf putters have been of obvious interest to me, and there seems to be excitement around these putters in everyone from professionals to weekend warriors. I love that they're using technology and engineering to try to make putting easier. I’ve had about 100 different combinations of L.A.B. putters in my cart over the past year or so! That being said, I have never rolled a single putt with a L.A.B. putter… yet! I did a putter fitting in '22 and it was based on my static measurements and my putting stroke style. My putting stroke is straight-back straight-through so they recommended a mallet, face-balanced putter that is 33.25" long putter with a lie angle of 69*. We'll see what LAB recommends via their online fitting! My current gamer putter is a Sub70 AL-6 armlock putter that is 39.5" long with a lie angle of 72*. I did an unofficial review last year of the putter and switching to armlock. You can see the review here. I had significant improvement switching to armlock! VS. Over the course of this test, I plan on putting the LAB DF3 through it’s paces in 3 main ways: The key testing method is going to be on the course. Before switching to the AL-6 armlock, my average putts per round was 38.7 putts. With the armlock putter over the last 9 months my average putts per round is 34.1. Will the LAB DF3 improve my putts per round? I’m going to keep more detailed records on my putting than ever before (e.g. length of putt, make/miss, long/short, left/right, confidence over putt). Tempo has been something that I’ve struggled with, so it’s what I practice most at home and so far that has consisted of rolling putts in my living room using a ruler to gauge my takeaway length and a mirror to keep setup consistent. This setup is easy, has worked and I’d like to see how quickly I establish a good tempo with the DF3. I will also be using the EXputt putting simulator, which should be arriving any day now, to compare my armlock putter stroke to the DF3 and get data on face, path, and speed control. As a side test, I’m hoping to go to a true putter fitting experience and get their thoughts on the DF3 vs. my gamer armlock AL-6 putter. I also want to answer the following questions: How long does it take to get used to the L.A.B. style of putting? Is going from armlock style to L.A.B. style more difficult than my transition from normal to armlock? Do I like the looks/feel/sound of the putter? How was the fitting and ordering process? Thanks again to the MGS Forum staff and L.A.B. Golf! Let us know if you have any questions that you’d like answered throughout this test! Fitting Experience In order to be fit properly for a L.A.B. putter, length and lie angle are critical. LAB has a system on their website (with detailed instructions) to submit videos of a single putting stroke online (video should be 3-5 seconds). From there, they analyze the video and provide fitting results via email. Our fitting results were delayed because of a hiccup in the computer system where they lost all video submittals. My fitting results took 12 days to receive. Below is the video I submitted: My fitting results came back with a length of 32.5" and a lie of 70*. At this point, I was able to respond back to the fitters at LAB with all of my questions. I had questions about the counterbalance option, alignment aids, shaft options, grip options, and the fact that 32.5" length is unusually short for someone 5'9". Their responses were quick and thorough! To sum up the replies, because my gamer putter is an armlock that has a putter head weight of 400g, they recommended the heavy head and the counterbalance option. The TPT shaft was recommended because it's the best at removing inconsistencies most golfers struggle with. For alignment lines, LAB replied that they are personal preference and can be combined if they don't overlap. I knew that I wanted lines from front to back, but also wanted something unique. See the final result below. Unboxing/Initial Photos The counterbalance option with the TPT shaft and Garsen Quad Tour 17 grip I spec’d out at 36.5" long and 70* lie angle. I decided on the blue DF3 color, with alignment lines: I (two lines), X (LAB logo), & G (line all the way to the back). This thing looks !!! Below is the unboxing video I recorded as fast as possible after receiving the DF3 from FedEx! All of the testers decided to name their DF3 putters and I landed on 'Dory' because she's blue (like my DF3), has short term memory loss (necessary attribute for putting), and always finds a way to get things accomplished! Here are the initial photos of Dory right after the Unboxing! I cannot wait to get this thing out on the course and put it to the test! First Impressions Write-up (16 out of 20): As you can see from the unboxing video and the photos, this putter looks fantastic! The quality of the putter head manufacturing, color, alignment lines is top notch. From the first time swinging the putter, you can tell that there is something unique about the weighting compared to traditional putters. At address, other than the looks of the putter, my favorite thing is the bottom pad that is manufactured into the putter. This pad allows you to set the putter down and ensure perfect lie angle every time. For me, coming from an armlock putter, EVERYTHING about my putting stroke has had to change. The setup (ball forward, tighter stance, arm position), grip (armlock claw to weak traditional), tempo, and follow through all had to change. Because of this, it’s been taking me quite a while to gain confidence, and it’s shown through the first three 9 hole rounds I’ve played so far. My putting stats have been slightly below average and I’m not making putts around 4-7 feet that I usually confidently make. I deducted 4 points since I've had to change my entire putting stroke and I haven't been confident with on course putting. Lag putting, partly because of the Exputt putting simulator practice and partly because of the nice weighting and feel to the DF3, has been and easy transition and I’m finding long putts to be closer than ever. I'm very excited to get this putter out to the course more frequently over the coming weeks and really start to put Dory to work! Current Putter As mentioned in my intro, my current putter is the Sub70 AL-6 armlock that is 39.5" long with a lie angle of 72*. My average putts per round with the AL-6 is 34.1 (34.08 actually). This puts me directly in between the 5 hdcp and 10 hdcp stats provided by @Cfhandyman from Arccos. Since my hdcp is 7.4, this makes sense. 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. Ongoing on-course updates: LLHGC: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1070252 HHOTL video and IW https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1079253 HHOTL: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1081291 DR: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1081809 CLGC video and post https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1084305 BOGC: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1086102 DLGC and HHOTL post and gif: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1090941 HHGC: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1091250 The Numbers (35 out of 40): Even though this section could get very complicated very quickly, I’m going to try to keep it as simple as possible. So far, main sources of data are from Exputt “Analysis” sessions, Exputt practice sessions and on-course putting stat keeping. 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. As you can see, with the exception of a scary score of 63.7, the general trend line is WAY up and eventually got to my personal best score of 79.2! During that PB session, my face impact angle average was less than 0.25 degrees and a standard deviation of less than 0.7 for all putts. This just means that my face angle at impact was impressively close to zero. I also did a detailed Exputt Random distance (5’ to 50’) test, which I copied from @cnosil test of the Sacks Parente putters. Below is a link to the post of the session. I would like to do one or two more of these detailed sessions when I have time (they take a lot of time to log each putt into excel) and I will add a summary of the data from multiple sessions here. https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1078090 On-course Numbers: 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: 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. It’s not lost on me that I do not have thousands of putts of data and some of the good and poor numbers could be blips in putting performance. I have also practiced my putting more than ever and in the offseason, I practiced my chipping more than ever. Both of these, I would assume, would lead to better putting statistics. That being said, the numbers are the numbers and there’s no denying that my putting is better now, with the DF3, than before using the DF3. I deducted 2 points for the 2-3 poor Exputt performances, 2 points for making 0 putts over 20 ft (so far), and 1 point because my recent overall short game practice likely contributed to better putting statistics. 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 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: 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. 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. 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! Conclusion (TL;DR) [89 out of 100]: Facts: Putter per 18 holes went from 34.1 to 31.54. One putts per 18 holes went from 4.26 to 6.34. Three putts per 18 holes went down from 2.28 to 1.89. My overall handicap decreased from 7.4 to 6.9. Confidence is up. Swagger is up (well hopefully, there’s not real data around that one! ). It’s not lost on me that these numbers could be from the fact that I’ve put a significant focus on putting during this testing period and a multitude of other factors can contribute to better putting statistics. The looks, feel, design and build quality are all top notch (so is the ball picker upper)! The general golfing population that talked to me about the putter gawked at the price, but praised the easy, smooth feel once they got it in their hands. It took me a lot of putting changes and practice to get used to the DF3 and L.A.B. putting style. I would encourage anyone to give the DF3 a try, and if you’re struggling with it, reach out to LAB for assistance and questions. Their responses were concise and helpful when we were going through the fitting process and they have a desire to help you perform at your best. Not to mention, it passed the pontoon putt test on the first try : Edited June 30 by jbern Added FINAL REVIEW! SDunne, Cfhandyman, Timberwolfmadcat and 51 others 23 2 1 27 1 Quote WITB (link to detailed post here): Driver: LTDx 9* (ProjectX BlueSmoke Stiff) Fairway metals: 3W TSR2 14.25* (ProjectX BlueSmoke Stiff) | 5W Gen4 0341XF (Mitsubishi Tensei Blue 75 S) Hybrid: 4H Gen4 0317XF (Mitsubishi Tensei Blue 75HY S) Irons: 659 CB 5-AW (Project X Rifle 6.0) Wedges: 286 54* & 58* (KBS Tour 120 S) Putter: DF3 OFFICIAL MEMBER REVIEW HERE ‘24 Ball: pro drip: red & blue | Tour S Pushcart: 4.0 | '23 MGS Clicgear 4.0 Pushcart Tester | Link here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post MattWillGolf Posted April 15 Popular Post Share Posted April 15 (edited) I would like to thank the My Golf Spy Forum and L.A.B. Golf for the opportunity to be a tester for the DF3 putter. This is my fourth testing opportunity for the Forum. I previously tested Paradym X Irons, Evnroll ER11v putter and the Shot Scope Pro LX+. I have been an off and on golfer since my mid-20s, after getting out of the Army in the late 80s. I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and grew up across the street from Sharp Park Golf Course (an Alister MacKenzie design) in Pacifica, CA but I never played the game as a kid. The first course I ever played a full 18 holes on though was Harding Park, host to the 2020 PGA Championship. I attended the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, NY. I had Saturday tickets and got absolutely soaked. I live in Central New York with my wife of over 32 years. We bike, she swims (She swam the Alcatraz Race in 2016), and I now run. I never thought I’d start running again. Let alone doing so at age 59. I ran my first 5k shortly after turning 60. In the winter my wife and I like to snowshoe. (This winter was not cooperative in that regard.) I tried my hand at biathlon this past winter, but lack of snow slowed that as well. My professional life started in the U.S. Army where I was trained to maintain and repair medical equipment. Upon my discharge from the U.S. Army, I joined a medical imaging equipment manufacturer where I worked for 31 years specializing in Cardiovascular X-Ray. That company had moved me all over the U.S. My first move took me from California to Connecticut. Work then moved back across the country to the Seattle area. In 2018, my wife and I moved across the country once again to be closer to family, this time to Central New York, just outside of Syracuse. In April of last year, I joined the ranks of the fully retired. We have one son, a former Navy FMF Corpsman who is now a nurse working in Southern California. We were also excited to have a daughter in law join our family in February of this year. I was the officiant who performed the ceremony. It was a very proud day for me. My current home course is Radisson Greens in Baldwinsville, NY. It is an 18-hole par 72 course measuring 6360 yards from the white tees. The course was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. I have a Monday through Thursday membership there and I get out a couple of times a week. The course is very challenging, but I love the layout. It is tree lined and tight in spots with water that I have a real skill in finding. I play golf because I enjoy being out walking the course and if good scores come then it is a bonus. I am also an equipment junkie. Not that I have the budget to truly act upon this addiction, but I do enjoy the design and aesthetics of golf equipment. And if I ever won the lottery, I’d become a putter collector. On the equipment front, my first set of clubs was a Wilson box set with wooden woods. A lot has changed in the equipment world since then. My 2024 bag has been gone through a bit of change in the last year. I was fitted for a PXG 0311 Black Ops driver last month and that is now at the top of my bag. It is an 8° driver set to 9° with a Mitsubishi Diamana S+ 60 regular flex. My 3 wood is a Gen 5 PXG 0311XF 16° set to 17° with a Mitsubishi Tensei Blue AV Raw regular flex, the hybrid is a PXG 0211 19° set to 20° with a Project X Even Flow Riptide regular flex. These clubs were "tweaked" at my PXG Long Game fitting. I have my “get out of trouble club” which is a Ping G410 Crossover 4 with a Mitsubishi Tensei Blue regular flex shaft. My irons are Callaway Paradym X 6 - 51° wedge. I put new wedges in the bag last year. Both are Vokey SM9 wedges. A 54°/12° D grind with a KBS Tour regular flex shaft and a 58°/12° D grind with a KBS Tour regular flex shaft. My putter is a 34” Evnroll ER11v. I use a Shot Scope H4 and all my clubs are tagged. (The H4 seems to have issues with my home course. It is easily confused around the greens. Which makes for spotty putt tracking.) I am also a member of the “Pushcart Mafia” with a Clicgear 3.5+ pushcart. This is probably the single best golf accessory item I have ever owned. The Grooveit Brush ranks a very close second. This will be my first experience with L.A.B. Golf putters. I have followed them and was considering a Mezz 1 Max before this opportunity arose. The number of L.A.B. Golf putters at The Masters is quite impressive. I will be comparing the L.A.B. Golf DF3 putter to the Evnroll ER11v I tested in 2021. During that test as with this test there will be a number of Strokes Gained putting sessions from 5, 10 and 20 feet. This test will also include a session at putting facility that offers either SAM PuttLab or Quintec putting analysis to compare the two putters. The Test Match Vs. The Fitting L.A.B. Golf through their website offers a Remote Fitting opportunity. The process is very straightforward. You simply take a video recording of your putting stroke. They ask that you wear your golf shows and that you have a vertical reference behind you in line with the putter head. The other piece of information that they need to perform the remote fitting is the length of the putter you used in the video submission. They are specific that the measurement be made from the bottom of the center of the putter face to the end of the grip. The measurement of the Evnroll ER11v putter I used was 34". On the L.A.B. Golf website I uploaded my video and filled out the online form with the needed information and clicked submit. I had my recommended specs the following day from a L.A.B Golf fitter. The Unboxing/First Impressions I received my orange DF3 with alignment mark configuration I which is two alignment lines on the top front of the putter. Based on dialog I had with my fitter I also chose to go with the "Heavier" putter version which adds 15 grams of weight to the putter head. I game a mallet and my fitter stated that L.A.B. Golf putters are a bit lighter and that if I was used to heavier than go with that option. For the shaft I knew I want graphite. In doing research on the L.A.B. Golf website it became clear to me that graphite offered greater stability. The next point to consider was feel. My fitter highlighted the order of feel on their shaft options from softer to firmer as follows: ACCRA x L.A.B., Steel, BGT Stability ONE and L.A.B. Golf x TPT. I chose the graphite shaft will the feel in middle range of the options which was the BGT Stability ONE shaft. I had tried the various grip options at Golf Galaxy and chose the pistol grip with 2 degrees of forward press. FedEx did not treat my shipment to kindly. But thankfully L.A.B. Golf packs their putters with ample protection. I took the DF3 out onto the practice green and the feel was amazing to me. The putter feels so smooth, and I really prefer the feel and sound to the Evnroll ER11v which took some getting used to for me. The two putters do share a feature that I absolutely love. The putter has the ability to pick up a ball. It's so satisfying when a playing partner says, "That's good!" June 30, 2024 L.A.B. Golf DF3 – Official MGS Forum Review by @MattWillGolf First Impressions (20 out of 20) The L.A.B. Golf DF3, dubbed Nemo by the good folks of the forum is a custom-built putter to my spec. The build was determined by a L.A.B. Golf fitter from the video submitted as part of their remote fitting process. The looks were determined by me. The DF3 putter checks all the marks in terms of looks as far as I am concerned. The color looks even better in person. The head shape is the best in L.A.B. Golf’s innovative lineup. Prior to the release of the DF3 I was strongly in the MEZZ camp. No longer. Because L.A.B. Golf offers a wonderful variety of customization options, this putter is squarely mine. I went with an orange putter head, two simple alignment lines at the front, a black BGT Stability ONE shaft and 2° Press Pistol Grip. After using the putter, I would only change one thing. I would add a single alignment line along the center of rear of the putter to aid in my alignment as it was found during my SAM PuttLab putter session at Club Champion that my aim was slightly off. I tested this putter on the course, on a PuttOUT mat in my basement and on the practice green. On the practice green I used the Strokes Gained Putting system developed by Columbia Business School professor, Mark Broadie. I did this over several sessions on the green to compare the DF3 with an Evnroll ER11v, an Evnroll ER7 and Bronz Ping Anser with a sound slot. All putters vs. the DF3 are 34-inches and both mallets have a high MOI. The ER11v head weighs 365 grams and the ER7 is 370 grams. The DF3 is the heavier version 34.5 inches. The Evnroll ER11v is my gamer. It measures 34” and has a lie angle of 69°. I do like the alignment markings on it. My only complaint is the “feel”. This test reminded me of one thing. I do like the feel of the ER7 much better. It measures 34” and has a lie angle of 70°. The Ping was an impulse buy on eBay. I always liked the look, feel and sound of the bronze putter with a sound slot. L.A.B. Golf introduced the concept of Lie Ange Balance in their putter design. I was curious as to how this take on putting compared with Evnroll’s “SweetFace” technology. In looking at the putter landscape, most putters are derivatives of others with many of them finding new ways to build from Karsten Solheim’s Anser design. L.A.B. Golf certainly did not fall prey to that idea when introducing their version of a putter but the Link.1 does offer their take on the Anser. The L.A.B. Golf design is built around returning the putter face to “square” at impact, or perpendicular to the target line. They cite research showing that 83% of a putt’s starting direction is influenced by the direction of the putter face at impact. The other 17% is influenced by the path of the putter head. Lie Angle Balance (L.A.B.) Technology simplifies the putting stroke to deliver a square putter face at impact through keeping the putter face square to the arc throughout the stroke. “It makes putting as easy as picking the right line, the right speed, and making your natural stroke.” It took some time to adjust to this idea but once I became more comfortable with this style of putting and embraced it I could see the results on the course. My last round before this writing really bore this out. The icing on the cake was sinking a bendy 20-footer for birdie in a scramble. My partner was most pleased. The Numbers (39 out of 40) While I have Shot Scope for shot tracking, it simply is not dependable on my home course. It gets lost when I am around the green so I cannot really rely on it for accurate data. Which is why I relied upon using the practice green and tabulated data using the Strokes Gained process. I also had a SAM PuttLab session at Club Champion. 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. Strokes Gained DF3 vs. All putters Strokes Gained DF3 vs. ER7 Club Champion SAM PuttLab Session My 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. On The Course (10 out of 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. 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. 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. Conclusion The L.A.B. Golf DF3 is solidly performing putter. It should be considered when searching for a new putter. It offers the best-looking putter in the L.A.B Golf lineup. The feel is exceptional. There is a bit of learning curve to embrace the let the putter do the work approach to putting. This is good performing mallet. The stock version of the DF3 is right in the price range of mallets of this quality from any other manufacturer in the market. But those putters don’t offer this level of performance and feel. Take advantage of the remote fitting service L.A.B. Golf offers. Should you want to go custom then I would highly recommend doing an in-person fitting to really dial in your build and truly get the most out of putter purchase. Club Champion has L.A.B. Golf in their putter lineup. Final Score (99 out of 100) Edited June 30 by MattWillGolf arodrig29, ShaunieBoy652, TylorJudd and 29 others 10 2 1 18 1 Quote Anyday Maverick Black Ops 7-way 0311 Black Ops 8° w/Mitsubishi Diamana S+ 60 0311 XF 3 wood 16° w/Fujikura Motore X F3 0211 Hybrid 3 19° w/Project X Even Flow Riptide G410 Crossover 4 w/Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro Blue 70 Paradym X 6 - AW w/True Temper Elevate MPH Official Forum Test SM10 50°/12° F w/KBS Tour Lite, SM9 54°/12° D and 58°/12° D w/KBS Tour 110 DF3 w/BGT Stability ONE Forum Test Shot Scope Pro LX+ Pro LX+ Official Forum Test Pro V1 3.5+ Tests No Longer in the Bag ER11v 34” Evnroll ER11v Official Forum Test Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CFreddie Posted April 15 Popular Post Share Posted April 15 (edited) The Introduction First off, massive thanks to MGS and L.A.B. Golf for this incredible opportunity - if you’ve been following me since the introduction of the DF3, I’ve had my eye on the DF3 for sometime! My name is Chris, and I currently reside in Atlanta, Georgia, with my wife (of 9 years) and 2 children (5 and 1.5 years). And while we do get (mostly) year-round golf, the busyness of my personal & professional life afford me those precious few rounds of golf during a typical month. However, I hope that's changing in the coming years, as both my wife and oldest are picking up the sport I’ve known & loved for many years. Crossing fingers it sticks! Living in Atlanta, we have a number of “ok” options - mostly munis or semi-private tracks that aren’t maintained that well and / or way too busy. If you get outside, you have better options, but you are looking at a full day of golf / travel, which isn’t the most conducive to having a young family. Regardless, I make it work, and usually focus on planning my next golf trip (these are Tobacco Road & Bandon Dunes, respectively). The Game If you have followed a previous testing thread of mine (Cobra 50th Challenge & Member Test), I’ve been playing golf “most” of my life (most meaning once / year), but didn’t really take it seriously until the world shutdown in 2020 and it was basically the only thing you could do outside. Since then, I’ve gotten the bug, and thrown myself headfirst into the game - first playing with hand me downs from my dad, then getting to build a fully fitted bag from Cobra (thanks again MGS - forever grateful). Currently, I carry a 13.1 handicap, thanks in large part to my recent performance at the end-of-season VCT Tournament (shoutout to my awesome partner @Javs). I’ve been going through some distinct swing changes through an online swing coach / program, and have seen massive gains in my driver down to short irons (shoutout my most excellent collaborator @Preeway). And for the most part, my putter has held its ground (although that’s pretty shaky ground at most times). My current gamer is a Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5.5 (similar head shape to JT / Homa / Cantlay’s putters), which I selected off the rack a couple years ago. The Setup As an engineer (Go Jackets), I’ve been drawn to the L.A.B. concept for some time, and have been a huge fan of Sam / the business he’s built to this point. Prior to being selected, I obsessed over the idea of gaming the DF3 - a putter which I believe combines some of the best aspects of their other models, particularly the stated forgiveness of the DF2.1. And with the ability to create your own “virtual” putter on LAB’s website, I took many liberties in creating a multitude of designs - different color / shaft combinations, grips, and 33 (yes, 33) different alignment options. Is this the one? Stay tuned and see... As I think about this test, I’m planning to breakdown this process in a couple distinctive sections: 1) The Fitting - LAB offers a unique fitting experience that seems to have its fans (and detractors). Lets see what works well, what doesn’t, and how it could be a good option for others considering a LAB in their future. 2) The Numbers - In order to capture the requisite data points, I’m planning to utilize Arccos as my on-course data capture tool, augmenting it with some old-school data capture techniques on my Perfect Practice mat at home and some LM time at a local Club Champion. In addition, I’ll plan to sprinkle in some additional “mini-competitions” on a local putting green, and heck, maybe even another surprise or two (hint - anyone remember a certain Cobra test with flat-sticks last year? ). 3) The Course - Most importantly, the DF3 will be put through its paces on the course - comparing to previously captured results from my Scotty and doing a couple head to head matches with friends of various putting prowess (maybe even a fellow MGS member perhaps?). And with that… The Fitting A unique part of LAB’s model is a remote fitting process, which asks the player to create a short (3-5 second) video, using a door jamb as a reference point, and submit through their website. Yes, its that simple - in a couple days, you get a response from your fitter who can then walk you through your measurements and answer any questions you may have. And boy, did I have questions… The Fitting (Part 2) Unfortunately (or fortunately?), I had to wait a couple more days to get my measurements back from LAB. It seems that my gamer was a bad fit (at least in the eyes of Calvin, LAB’s head fitter) for my height (6’4” gaming a 34” putter), so he asked if I could resend a video with a slightly longer putter. Luckily, being in Atlanta, I have a number of big-box retailers close by - I headed over to my local Golf Galaxy to reshoot my video. After finding a 35.5” Bettinardi to try, I awkwardly got a store associate to shoot a new fitting video (little did he know I would not be purchasing said Betti). Regardless, Calvin was able to use this video to properly spec out my new putter - 35” length with a 68° lie angle (right below “stock”). Speaking of Calvin, as part of this fitting process, I asked if he would be open to conducting a short video on the fitting process, which should hopefully give prospective buyers a (small) look the LAB magic. More importantly, we were able to confirm final specifications for the build, including head color, headweight, shaft, and others. Unboxing & Initial Impressions (20/20) “RRWWWGG” - Chewie After a couple start & stops with FedEx, Chewie finally arrived this past week - notice me thanking the FedEx driver from afar. As others have noted, LAB definitely goes a long way in protecting their putters - the box was heavily fortified with packing protection, including the actual putter, which shipped with the headcover ON (unfortunately, not every OEM does this, which is still baffling to me). Moving onto the club itself, the headcover has a very premium feel - thick & plush liner with two very strong magnets that enclose on both sides of the shaft. And while the cover is quite tight, I’d imagine it will loosen up a bit over time & use. Here's a comparison to my gamer's headcover - it may be hard to tell but the DF3s inside is much thicker (plus no horrible velcro enclosure). One bummer, my favorite headcover (Seamus from Bandon) won't fit the DF3, which I suspected - given LAB & Seamus are Oregon companies, we need that collaboration to happen STAT. The two pieces of my selection that I went back and forth on was color and alignment aid. And after seeing the putter outside the headcover, I immediately knew I made the right choice on both. First off, the cappuccino color has a very unique finish - semi-matte but with a small bit of reflection and a deep brown color that I’m very drawn to. Here me when I say this - the pictures on the LAB website do not do this color justice - just look at this finish! Second, on the alignment aide - I know most / all of the other testers went with a line, multiple lines, or a combination of multiple aides, but I took a slightly different approach. After conversing with Calvin, my left eye dominance led me to wanting a profile that had little to no distraction, hence ending up with a simple three-dot alignment aide. At the end of the day, I realize these are VERY personal, and I’m super-stoked with my choice (along with the other testers it seems!). And a quick comparison to my gamer at address: While I’m planning to get some course time this weekend, I was able to roll a couple putts on my putting mat. As others have noted, there may be a bit of relearning the putting stroke with the DF3 - the first couple of putts were all pushed right as I was gripping the club in my typical strong grip. However, upon lighting the grip (especially in my thumbs) and “letting the gravity do its thing”, I immediately saw a transition to a true roll from any distance. Maybe the transition won’t take as long as I initially expected… 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) 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 3) Perfect Putting Mat - 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. In addition, I also visited a local Club Champion to test out both putters on a SAM fitting machine (whose results were quite interesting to say the least ). 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). To the results... My Arccos results - first set is the start of testing (ooooof)... And when I started to rebound with Chewie... These results seem to be backed up with the Stack - I was able to complete 10 rounds with each putter, and there was an obvious winner between the two. One call-out - my aim bias stats were pretty staggering between the two putters. I think I can attribute this to the alignment aid choice (less is better...at least for me). Finally, results from my Perfect Putting mat also clearly dictate a winner between the two (20 rounds each): 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). 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. The Good, The Bad, and The In-Between (15/20) 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". 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. 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, thats 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... 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 Conclusion (90/100 - thats an "A" in my book) All-in-all, I still feel incredibly honored to be a part of this fantastic test - serious hats off to both MGS & LAB for their trust & support for myself & the rest of the testing group. Chewie performed admirably during this test and I can't wait to continue seeing incredible performance gains with him on the green. And for those that are interested, please please please utilize their remote fitting services - the team at LAB was SUPER helpful and knowledgable about their products & technology. Until we meet again... Edited July 1 by CFreddie TSauer, vamosjackets, MattWillGolf and 37 others 11 3 25 1 Quote Driver: Paradym with Ventus TR Blue 60 Stiff Fairways: Aerojet Max 3W & 7W with Hzrdus Smoke Blue RDX 70 Stiff Hybrid: King TEC 5H with KBS PGI 95 Stiff Irons: Forged TEC 5-PW with KBS Tour Lite Stiff Wedges: Haywood Signature Raw Wedges (50 / 54 / 58) Putter: L.A.B. DF3 (aka "Chewie") Ball: 2023 Maxfli Tour Reviews: L.A.B. DF3 Cobra 50th Anniversary Member Testing Callaway Paradym Titleist White Box Testing (2023) Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5.5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Cfhandyman Posted April 15 Popular Post Share Posted April 15 (edited) Who I am – MGS Tester Introduction My name is Chris and welcome. I am a 65 year old male and I live with my artist wife Sue and two huskies in Oakville, in the greater Toronto area in Ontario, Canada. To put things into perspective the province of Ontario is 1.5 times larger than the state of Texas and 4 times the size of the U.K. Why I am testing: I am very grateful to MGS and L.A.B. and excited by this opportunity. I am keen to see if the L.A.B. DF3 and its lie angle balance approach to putter design works as claimed. It was designed to eliminate torque and produce a repeatable swing. The DF3 is the smaller, sleeker version of its bigger brother, the directed force, DF2, but does it deliver the goods? It has gained significant traction on tour and begs the question of how it stacks up to my fitted reference putter(s). VERSUS But this is no ordinary Evnroll. It has been fitted and modified with a stability tour shaft and an Evnroll gravity grip. For more information on this and my putting statistics, see, What am I looking for in the L.A.B. DF3: I gave a lot of thought on how I would test this if given the opportunity before applying. I am a fairly decent putter averaging 31 to 32 putts per round based on my Arccos data. If it proves to deliver the putter more consistently to the ball and results in more one putts, less three putts and overall, less putts per round, it will be a candidate to go in the bag permanently. I am particularly interested in how it performs from 10’ feet and in. Does it offer good value for the money? My putter testing protocol including testing on Quintic to follow in a separate post. Moreover, thorough testing of the L.A.B. DF3 will focus me on improving my putting and working on my putting drills. So thankyou MyGolfSpy. Making those short putts is critical. Who I am: I am driven by challenges and the constant need to learn and improve and I’m passionate in what I do. I am also data driven and analytical in nature. Needless to say, I am a golf, data and equipment junkie. I have had many careers. After graduate school, I did medical research looking at factors involved in preterm labour. I then moved onto organ donation and transplantation, eventually running the organ donation program based out of Toronto General Hospital. Toronto General hospital (TGH) is one of the premier transplant centres and hospitals in the world. They pioneered both successful single and double lung transplantation in the eighties. I had the distinct pleasure of working in multi organ transplant in the early days (80’s/90’s) and worked with many brilliant and incredibly smart people. Where the driving principle was you do what’s best for the patient and what does the data show. What is the source of that data, is it evidence based, is it fair, balanced, and non promotional in nature. You had to know your stuff and be prepared for anything. Back then it was routine to work 24-36 hours straight procuring and transplanting organs. Think of the guy getting off the Lear jet in OR greens with a cooler. I was that guy. I’ve been in every teaching hospital and most ICU’s (intensive care units) across Canada and many in the US. No frequent flyer miles I’m driven by the need to learn, push myself and enjoy what I do. I then transitioned to career 3, moving to the “dark side” starting with Wyeth and then Pfizer in their Rare Disease group and the launch of Rapamycin for organ transplantation. So, I stayed in transplant, interacted with all the people I worked with for many years, although now in a different capacity. If you’re going to go to industry, it’s the best way to go. Over time, bleeding disorders (hemophilia) and growth disorders were added to my portfolio but the same guiding principle of doing what’s best for the patient and what does the data actually show, guided me. Career 4, presented itself during the pandemic and the opportunity to take early retirement with no more Zoom calls and the opportunity to be a full time golf aficionado and pickleball player was too irresistible to pass up. My other passions are building, home renovation and cooking. When I was young, I bought a water access shell of a cottage as my first property. Not being handy at the time, I proceeded to take courses in construction, carpentry, electrical and plumbing. I then proceeded to completely wire the cottage, plumb it, insulate it, drywall, install flooring, build the kitchen, bathroom, etc. I’ve built and rebuilt docks, decks, so hence the handyman moniker. There’s not much I can’t do, although with age comes wisdom. Golf: I have been playing golf on and off for 40 plus years. After not playing golf for 10+ years, I got back into golf at the age of 60. I was inspired by a friend who once said, golf is the only game you can play for 30 years and never improve. When I thought about it, it is rather true, so I was determined to do it right the second time around. At the time I was about a 25ish handicap. Hence lessons, fitted equipment and diligent practice. I was inspired again when I went to Tour Experience Golf (TXG) 5+ years ago and came out not only with expertly fitted and built clubs, but many new friends. I now go at least twice a year to tweak my setup. My current handicap is 6.3, but I have been as low as 4 or high as 8.5. Most of my rounds are in the 78 - 82 range. My home course is TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley featuring 3 courses all ranked within the top 60 courses in Canada and all 3 in the top 20 public courses in Canada. TPC Sawgrass, I’m the guy in the middle in the blue and black. I love scenic, challenging courses, especially mountain or coastal courses. What drives me is hitting good shots and being consistent. My philosophy is if you hit good shots the score will “usually” take care of itself. If you don’t like the score, play better. I am competitive, however, I play more for the joy of the game. I strive to improve each year and keep father time at bay. Now, my day job is golf, pickleball and my two huskies. Myah (front) and Hazel (rear) Thank you for your patience and understanding in reading my introduction. Unboxing and Initial impressions of the L.A.B. DF3, aka the Lab Rat The L.A.B. DF3 putter has arrived and the blue Lab Rat is in the house. Overall: An excellent opening start to testing of the L.A.B. DF3. This is one seriously good putter. Great weight, feel and balance. Alignment and distance control were outstanding. Precision and accuracy are the two words that keep coming up when I think of this putter and the results convey that. Very similar putting stats versus my historical 50 round average, although with subtle and slight differences. Where I have already seen a difference is a slight positive trend in strokes gained as well as a slight increase in one putts and decrease in three putts. Only one three putt after three rounds. Two things stand out so far, how good it is inside 10 feet and its distance control. Is it ready to replace my Evnroll in the bag? Ah, not so fast. We’re still a long way, many more rounds and much testing from there. However, an intriguing and impressive opening start with the L.A.B. DF3 Score 20/20 Initial impressions. This is a premium, very high quality and very well built putter. Great balance, weight and feel. It sits beautifully and feels very smooth. The TPT shaft is premium and gorgeous. Love the pistol grip. Overall, this putter is stunning and gorgeous. Very impressed with L.A.B. and this putter. The looks of this putter are intoxicating. To get a custom hand built and balanced putter from the west coast in a week is insanely crazy and fast. Unboxing link First round and initial impressions link And without further ado a live unboxing of the L.A.B. Putter and initial reaction. It’s short and only 90 seconds. Looks: the DF3 is noticeably sleeker and significantly smaller than the DF2.1 In person, the putter, while still unique looking, is gorgeous. You grow to love its unique and intoxicating looks. However, the DF3 is still a large putter. It didn’t take long (first hole) for someone to say, what the hell is that. It’s a L.A.B. A what? But of course, they had to try it. Sound: Soft, but firm muted feel little higher in pitch than the Evnroll. Alignment: Exceptional alignment, very easy to align with line on my ball, Callaway Chrome soft X LS triple track Feel, weight and balance: Great feel, weight and balance. Love how it’s sits and lies. The stroke is very smooth. It provided great feedback and was very consistent, precise Shaft/grip: Impressed by the feedback provided by LAB / TPT shaft. Very stable and instant feedback. Pistol grip felt super comfortable and felt great in my hands Distance control: excellent, almost made a 60’ missed by 3 inch phenomenal feel and control. Impressed from long distance. It was very consistent, no 3 putts, 5 one putts in a round where I had 4 putts of 50’ or more longish putts. Stats: Puttings stats (Arccos data) for round. Played TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley on the newly and extensively renovated North course. In short, this is now a championship level course. Overall, 31 putts, 5 single putts and 13 two putts. No 3 putts. VERSUS (Evnroll/Stability/Gravity grip combination) - Historical Control My putting statistics from Arccos over the last 50 rounds compared to a 0 handicap Comments: inside 5’ felt almost automatic, within 10’ also very good. As the round progressed, I felt more and more confident I could consistently make putts 10’ and less. I made several long putts. Another nice little touch, the hole in the putter makes it easy to pick up the ball, also known as the gimme getter. The first few holes, I left putts uncharacteristically short by 3-4’. At this point, my wife commented you putt better with the Evnroll. Well the LAB heard that and then began to show its mettle. I felt that once you get the proper read, set your alignment and then all you need to do is just get the ball rolling along its intended line. Basically, take it back with your usual stroke and then let the putter do its thing. Nice start to the testing of the DF3. L.A.B. DF3 - Final review (Executive summary) This is the final review and executive summary for the L.A.B. DF3, aka Lab Rat. It will be evaluated and scored as follows: 1. Initial Impressions (out of 20) 2. Mid term results (no points) 3. The numbers (out of 40) 4. On the Course (out of 10) 5. The Good, the Bad, the in between (out of 20) 6. Play it or trade it (out of 10) Total score: (out of 100) Executive Summary: The L.A.B. DF3, aka the Lab Rat, is an exceptional and seriously good putter. It’s a very clever design all designed to minimize twisting/torque and return the putter face to square at impact. With its center shaft design, the center of gravity is located directly beneath the shaft, keeping the club face square to the target line throughout the stroke. L.A.B. as a company has been exceptional to deal with. They expedited the build process and all putters were shipped within a week of order. Phenomenal performance by L.A.B. This is a premium, very high quality and very well built putter with great balance, weight and feel. It sits beautifully and feels very smooth. Face control as measured by Quintic was elite and seen on course is excellent. As a result, putts track on their intended line. For this reason, short putts (0 to 5 feet) are now almost routine. However, its in the 10 foot and under where the L.A.B. DF3 truly shines. Distance control is very very good. The superb TPT shaft and pistol grip are a great combination. After putter fitting/testing at TXG, the fitter highly recommended it go in the bag. The biggest transformation has come in my confidence level in knowing now that I can make those 3-7 footers routinely. To date, it is the best putter I have ever owned and my putting strokes gained increased by 0.8 strokes over 20 rounds over an excellent Evnroll. Overall, an exceptional putter, it has gone in the bag, it's good value for the money and is highly recommended. Score 98/100 Initial impressions: (20 / 20) This is a premium, very high quality and very well built putter. Great balance, weight and feel. It sits beautifully and feels very smooth. The TPT shaft is premium and gorgeous. Love the pistol grip. Overall, this putter is stunning and gorgeous. Very impressed with L.A.B. and this putter. The looks of this putter are intoxicating. To get a custom hand built and balanced putter from the west coast in a week is insanely crazy and fast. Unboxing video : https://youtu.be/nCm3L3IGF-k?si=ahRYKtoJpxSFFa1y First round and highlightshttps://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1065661 Mid term resultshttps://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1077648 Numbers (39.3 / 40) L.A.B. DF3/TPT/pistol grip versus Evnroll Tourstroke/Stability/Gravity grip 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. 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. 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.” On course performance (9.7 / 10) Performance metrics 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) 20 round data with L.A.B. DF3 - Average putts per round compared to a 0 handicap (Arccos) On course testing at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley – North course, site of 2025 Canadian Open 20 round data with L.A.B. DF3 – Scoring breakdown / round compared to a 0 handicap (Arccos) Strokes gained, 20 rounds with L.A.B. DF3 versus 20 previous rounds with Evnroll all compared to a 0 handicap golfer (Arccos) 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 (20 rounds of data, Arccos). 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. 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 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 10 round data, testing on Quintic, head to head comparison with comparators and my fitters strong recommendation to put it int the bag and leave it there. After 20 rounds of data strongly supports this as well. Overall Evaluation scoring and comments Pro tip: Get fit for your putter, at the very least do the online fitting video with L.A.B. to get your correct measurements. If the stock lengths of 34 and 35” with a lie angle of 69 degrees work for you and you like black, the standard model offers very good value for the money. For the more budget conscious, consider either the L.A.B. DF2.1 ($50 cheaper) or go to their outlet store (www.labgolfoutlet.com) There are several discount codes available (Use WELCOME10, COGORNO or BUSTAJACK10 to take 10% off your putter order, but only orders through L.A.B.). Customization takes the price to $559, but allows you to really get the right length and lie putter with a choice of 4 shafts , 7 grip options and head weights (heavier, standard and lighter). You can select from standard, counterbalanced, armlock and broomstick options with a choice of 8 colours and over 45 different alignment aids. You can even combine alignment aid options for the ultimate in customization so for the extra $110 you’re getting a lot. Summary: In my mind and hands, the L.A.B. DF3 is an exceptional putter. Its high quality with a very smooth feel, weight and balance. It provides excellent face control allowing the ball to track on its intended line. It performs exceedingly well on the golf course, especially from 10 feet and in and this was backed up by test results on Quintic, the gold standard for putter testing/fitting. Distance control is very very good. The superb TPT shaft and pistol grip are a great combination. The biggest transformation has come in my confidence level in knowing now that I can make those 3-7 footers routinely. To date, it is the best putter I have ever owned and my putting strokes gained increased by 0.8 strokes over 20 rounds. Overall, an exceptional putter, it has gone in the bag, it is good value for the money and is highly recommended. Score 98/100 Additional information and links Which L.A.B. should I get? The most obvious choice is to get fit or at least try the models before purchasing. I had the opportunity to test all of them at TXG (Club Champion Canada). I personally liked the DF3 the best with respect to weight, balance, feel and ball roll as I kept coming back to this one after trying the other models. The DF2.1 is very similar in performance to its sibling, but it’s a huge putter and its looks are not for everyone, but it does perform well. I also liked the Mezz and Mezz Max and then finally the Link.1. I did not have the opportunity to try counterbalanced, armlock or broomstick styles. For more information MGS testing reviews were done with the DF2.1 as well as Mezz/Mezz Max/Link.1 (see the links at the below). L.A.B. Mezz, Mezz Max, Link.1 MGS testing L.A.B. Putters - 2023 Forum Review - Forum Testing Reviews - MyGolfSpy Forum https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/59030-lab-putters-2023-forum-review/ L.A.B. DF2.1 MGS testing L.A.B. DF2.1 Putter - MyGolfSpy Forum https://forum.mygolfspy.com/tests/40-lab-df21=putter/ Mini Reviews 1. Putter testing protocolhttps://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1070340 2. L.A.B. DF3, Is there a learning curve to using ithttps://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1077089 3. Quintic ball roll system Part 1 – overview https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1074492 Quintic Part 2 – The importance of face anglehttps://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1075673 Quintic, Part 3 – https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1076101 4. Putter fitting/testing On Quintic at TXG https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1078131 Mike’s (TXG fitter) 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.” 5. Mid term group report cardhttps://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1083705 6. SAM Puttlabhttps://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1085355 SAM Puttlab Vs. Quintichttps://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1089023 7. Does the L.A.B. DF3 represent good valuehttps://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1090355 8. Shaft options for the L.A.B. DF3 – Which one should I choose. https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1097124 9. Long term follow up - 25 rounds with L.A.B. DF3https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1098911 10. L.A.B. DF3 long term review (50 round data): How and why did it knock the Evnroll out of the bag and is it still there? Part 1 - On course first putt make percentage by distance https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1130250 11. L.A.B. DF3 long term review (50 round data): How and why did it knock the Evnroll out of the bag and is it still there? Part 2 – Impact on game data and does the fitting data corroborate the on course results https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1131498 12. Pros and Cons of the L.A.B. DF3 as well as Who it’s for and Who it’s not for https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/64035-lab-df3-putters-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1114041 13. TPT putter shaft for L.A.B. – Is it the crème de la crème or simply just a very good and expensive putter shaft? ? https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/65536-tpt-putter-shaft-for-lab- –-is-it-the-crème-de-la-crème-or-simply-just-a-very-good-and-expensive-putter-shaft/ Edited October 4 by Cfhandyman Introduction frazzman80, Indy_Oz, TylorJudd and 59 others 19 4 1 38 Quote Driver: Taylormade Stealth 2 plus, LA golf DJ shaft, 55S 3 wood - TM Stealth plus, Mitsubishi Kai’li. Blue, 5 wood - TM Stealth plus, Hzrdus red, 3 hybrid Mizuno CLK, Fuji pro Irons (5-PW) - Mizuno 921 HMP, Accra IS 80 Wedges, TM MG4 SB 48*/09*, HB 54*/13*, TW 60*/11*, Accra ICWT 95 M4 Putter: L.A.B. DF3, TPT shaft, pistol grip Bag: Vessel Cobra tour stand bag Balls: Titleist ProV1x, Callaway Chrome soft X LS, Bridgestone Tour B XS or Srixon Z star Diamond Tech: Arccos, Bushnell Pro XE rangefinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mpatrickriley Posted April 15 Popular Post Share Posted April 15 L.A.B. DF3 Counterbalanced at 37" Heavy head TPT Long shaft Garsen Quad Tour 17" grip Introduction: I’m Michael. I like putters. My love of putters is almost certainly higher than my actual skill of putting. Putters are like quarterbacks: if your team has two, it probably doesn't have one. And if a golfer doesn’t have one putter, he’s likely not a great putter. And that’s true in my case: I have a rack of putters, a few of which typically see the course each season. This will be my second putter review for the MyGolfSpy Forum. A couple of years ago, when I was still an active moderator, I participated in the Edel EAS review. My EAS 4.0 was, as I began this test, still my main putter. I am not just an average golfer; I might be the average golfer. I finished last season with an Arccos handicap of 9.8; that number has crept up a bit so far this season. In Arccos, if I tweak the comparison benchmark until it gets to 0.0 SG:Putting, I putt at the level of 13 handicap. So I’m just slightly worse than average at putting for my current overall handicap index. But given that my goal as a golfer is to get to a solid single-figure index, I must improve my putting. What has been a lingering weakness for at least 5 years of stat tracking is my performance with “makeable” putts: those within 8’ (the 50/50 breakpoint for Tour players). First Impressions (8 out of 10) The fit and finish of the L.A.B. is mostly what you’d expect of a very high-end putter. Let’s start with the good. The overall shape of the putter is as polarizing as you might expect. I do not have a DF2.1 to which to compare it; compared to just about anything else, the DF3 is an unusual-looking putter. For my part, howerer, I never had a moment in which I found the look of the putter to be distracting. The finish on the head is beautiful. While some in the L.A.B. Facebook group will point out the challenges of having a relatively delicate aluminum head, with its susceptibility to dings, mine has so far escaped any noticeable damage at all. As others have noted: the headcover is astonishingly nice. It’s strikingly thick and plush, it fits perfectly, and the magnets are up to their job. My only critique: given that L.A.B. will sell you a DF3 in eight different colors, none of which are bright teal, offering only a headcover with the accent color being teal seems odd. I suspect it’s at least a marketing move; that logo pops on George Bryan’s headcover on YouTube. But that teal and my red exist in unhappy opposition. Other nitpicks: when I received my putter, the white elements of the shaft graphics on the TPT shaft were ever so slightly marred. As a reviewer, I’m not going to be upset; if I had spent $1,000 of this putter, I likely would be. Even nitpickier, and something for which L.A.B. bears no blame: Garsen’s graphics people need to choose fewer fonts. The top grip is from my Edel; the bottom is the longer version on my DF3. But I’m nitpicking. The DF3 comes out of the box and, for something that’s clearly a tool and not a wallhanger, it sparkles. 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: Pretty early on, and consistently throughout the test, this became a two-horse race between the Evnroll and the L.A.B. Despite the Edel being my primary gamer since I tested it for the Forum back in 2021, it was just not keeping up with the others. And that's even true when excluding the HackMotion from the numbers: the Edel was last by a decent gap in every category. Meanwhile, although the top 2 putters were very close, the Evnroll Midlock was the clear winner in every category. It should surprise no one that an armlock putter does really well with wrist stability measurements. But it also does well in the putter measurements and in the putting outcomes. I decided to create another summary chart. This one includes only ExPutt data, and actually excludes the path number. When ExPutt itself summaries the Analysis session, it does so in categories of short, medium, and long putts. Because the Analysis features random putts from 10–50', none are truly short in the way we'd normally think. But I think there's still some relative value in the breakdown. So this chart combines the distance control and face angle scores, but by distance: This, I think, is enlightening. While the Evnroll still has the highest total score (an average of 73.6), the DF3 is only factionally behind (73.4). More importantly for me, though: the gap on short putts between the Evnroll and the L.A.B. is quite large. 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. And that's exactly what I want to do. On The Course (9 out of 10) This section will receive at least two updates in the days ahead. At the end of the season, I’ll report back on my final putting handicap with the DF3. Also, circumstances have conspired against my doing one more piece of intended data collection: I wanted to capture at least three Stack putting sessions with each of the Edel, Evnroll, and L.A.B. putters. Through a combination of relentless rain and unsuitable pin positions, I’ve been unable to do that. 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.” On a strokes gained basis, I've seen both 1) improvement and 2) consistency in my putting. And although a missed putt is a missed putt, my last two rounds with the DF3, I ended up with a 2-3' putt on our 18th hole, downhill sliding right. I missed both, one high and one low. It's a tough putt, and I did miss it, but missed putts from that range really put a hurt on SG. In terms of total number of putts, I'm thrilled. The big takeaway here is three-putt avoidance. I've never in my life felt so confident that I'm going to get my first putt close. Now, I just need more of those mid- to mid-long range putts to fall in: The Good, the Bad, the Inbetween (20 out of 20) 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. Play it or Trade it? (19 out of 20) My L.A.B. now owns the putter slot in my bag. Untitled video (1).mp4 Conclusion Fortunately, there are no magic putters—otherwise, putting wouldn’t matter. I think that all of us get a putter, put it in play, and then, when it inevitably misses for the first time (because it is the putter that misses, not the putter), sigh in the realization that we still haven’t managed to buy perpetual one-putts. But here’s the bottom line: the L.A.B. technology 1) does what it says and 2) is not the same as every other putter. You do not have to have the hands of Ben Crenshaw to feel what the Revealer reveals: the DF3 does not want to twist. The performance differences claimed of this putter are real; I don’t see how that can be disputed. The questions any prospective buyer has to ask: 1) Does the L.A.B. difference, which is real, make me a better putter? and 2) If so, what is that worth to me? When I started this review, I had two people in mind. The first is the person who is willing and able to consider buying a L.A.B. putter. Right now, that market is scorchingly hot. During this review, L.A.B.’s CEO literally had to take to the Facebook fan group to apologize for their customer service, admitting that they’re overwhelmed with demand right now. (Props to him for doing so.) If you have the means to purchase this putter, and you want your equipment to give you every possible edge on the course, you are going to want to test and get fitted (in person or remotely) for a L.A.B. But perhaps you’ve stumbled upon this thread a few years after it was first published. Maybe you’ve seen a secondhand L.A.B. for sale on eBay, and you’re wondering if you should take the leap. My advice: untorque yourself. Final Score (93 out of 100) Yorkie07, jbern, MattWillGolf and 33 others 15 1 19 1 Quote TS3 9.5°, Tensei Blue CBX E722 16.5°, Tensei AV RAW Blue 65 S Epic Super Hybrid 19°, Aerotech Steel Fiber FC HYB S C722 22°, Ventus Blue 8S CBX Iron-Wood 25°, Project X HZRDUS Black 6.0 Epic Forged 7 27° 639 CB, Aldila NV 95 Graphite, 7–PW Diamond Tour Inazone 3.0 50°, 54°, 58°, Aldila NV 95 Graphite DF3, Counterbalanced 37", TPT shaft, Garsen Quad Tour 17" Full WITB with pictures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Steve F Posted April 15 Popular Post Share Posted April 15 (edited) Introduction: First I have to say thank you to MGS and L.A.B. golf for being selected for this incredible opportunity to test the new DF3 putter! My name is Steve Fradkin, I am a husband of 37 beautiful years to my wife Patti, father to three wonderful children and two grandchildren and one more on the way! My sons are both engineers and my daughter is in media sales. My children don't like their pictures on social media, so I unfortunately can's share that although I'd love to! The picture below is Patti and I enjoying a small crab feast, which is something we in Maryland love to do during the summer months! We've recently taken up Pickleball as well which is another great source of exercise! Oh, did I mention that Patti was also an extra in the film "Day of the Dead"? Yep... that's her with the wide open eyes! We live in Glyndon Maryland, a small town northwest of Baltimore. We love to get out and hike the local parks, visit the grandchildren New Jersey and just spend quality time with each other. My work is as an estimator at a local body shop. I owned and operated my own small body shop for 26 years, and it was a mutual decision for us to close it down when COVID hit. I am getting to "old" to be tearing cars apart and putting them back together, and COVID presented the opportunity to disengage! Now any body repairs I do are as a hobby only! As far as golf goes, I am clearly the newbie and honored to be included in this incredible group! This is the start of my third season golfing, and how I got in to it is a strange story. When Patti and I met, we went on a trip for American Honda to South Carolina. I was working then as a service manager, and it was one of those gatherings for obtaining information on new products and services. I was asked to golf, but had never done it before. I got talked into buying an inexpensive set of clubs, Pal Joey's. I used them once, in South Carolina. Don't ask me what I shot, it couldn't have been any good! Fast forward to 2022. My youngest son had come to stay with us, and he was looking for someone to golf with. I volunteered. I KNEW I had a set of really, really old clubs somewhere... and I found them. Pal Joey's! We got to the course, and I was hitting the ball everywhere. On a par 3, I pulled out my 7i, and proceeded to swing the head right off into the creek! Regardless, for some reason, I was hooked. I asked Patti if I could get a proper set of clubs, and I did at Second Swing, my (now) cherished Speedblades! Since that day with my son, I've been completely hooked. I try to get out at least twice a week on a course, I don't care what time or weather. As long as it's not lightning, I'll golf! Crack of dawn? Golf! Daylight after work? Golf. For the most part, Patti doesn't mind. As @jbern mentioned, I too am a proud member of the "pushcart mafia", I love walking the course! My current gamer is a Taylormade Spider tour. I have a group that I have played almost every Sunday with, and one of them has the L.A.B. DF2, and he raves about it. When the opportunity came up to test, I had to throw my name in the hat. I have never been fit for a putter, so this is completely new to me. I've already started to do a baseline on with my Spider to compare with the L.A.B. DF3. Once the L.A.B. arrives, I am setting up time at Club Champion to get on their putting monitor to compare the two. Again, this is all new to me, and I'm ecstatic to be learning on the go! The L.A.B. recommendations came back last night, I'm going to go with their recommendations and build from there. My key testing is going to be on course and on the practice green. I can't say that putting is a strong suit, I averaged 2.4 putts/hole Wednesday night on 9 holes. I am curious to see the difference in the L.A.B. style of putting, and am anxious to see if it does help in lowering the average putts/hole. I currently use the GolfPad app and sensors to track my game and will be sharing that information as well. The questions I will be answering: How easy was the fitting and ordering process through L.A.B.? How does the DF3 feel/look/sound compared to the Spider? Like @jbern mentioned, How long will it take to get used to the L.A.B. style of putting? Again, I am honored to be included with this fantastic group and thank MGS and L.A.B. for this incredible opportunity! Please let me know if you have any questions that I can answer throughout this test! Unboxing and initial photos: We have some serious videographers in this group, so I will apologize in advance for my unease in front of a camera! It's especially difficult when you're filming yourself! Packaging and protection of the putter were flawless and we can also thank FedEx for their obvious careful handling of the package! Little did they know they were transporting a Black Mamba: a striker with deadly accuracy! Unveiling.mp4 At first blush, the DF3 wreaks of "tech". It gives the impression of simplicity and effectiveness in a straightforward package: it's clear that a lot of thought went into the discovery, design and implementation of that design in this putter. Picking it up and comparing the feel/weight to my current gamer, TaylorMade Spider Tour, it immediately felt perceptibly lighter to me, so I of course had to go and weigh them. TaylorMade Spider Tour: 572g L.A.B Golf DF3, aka "The Black Mamba": 561g I knew that the Spider Tour felt heavy to me on the putter end in comparison to other putters I had tried, and I like that feel, so as per the recommendation of Calvin at L.A.B., I went with the heavier build on the DF3. While I have only had the opportunity as of this writing to swing the DF3 indoors on my carpet, I can safely say that the feel is completely different from the Spider: you can feel the Spider trying to twist in your hands and you don't get that sensation with the DF3. More will be revealed once I have the opportunity to get the Mamba out on course. Stay tuned! And apparently, there IS voodoo in these clubs! Even L.A.B. says so! Don't mess with the voodoo! The weather has been cruddy here in Maryland of late, just received a putting matt that I ordered a few days ago, so the festivities are about to begin! I have compiled putting data through my GolfPad app that I use for scoring. I acquired the app when I decided that this was for real: I had become one of the proud addicted golfers in a relatively short time! I will upload all the data with a summary shortly for the time I've utilized the Spider. If you have any questions that I can answer, please fire away! The combatants: The competition to stay in the bag Let the competition begin! Building some indoor data for the L.A.B. DF3 First "official" round with the Black Mamba While I'm finding the Mamba is taking some getting used to, I have found that lightening the grip with this club is proving helpful: I now understand what they mean by the "thumbless" feel. Loosen the grip and let the club help you work! May 16th practice session: May 18th data on TM Spider link: First impressions: 20/20 First, and again, let me say thank you to My Golf Spy and L.A.B. Golf for affording me the opportunity to participate in this testing. I come into this testing being the “newbie” golfer in this incredible group of golfers, so my perspective comes from the angle of a golfer in the midst of his third season playing. My DF3, dubbed “The Mamba”, comes into the testing paired against my current gamer of a TaylorMade Spider Tour. The Mamba was set up to it’s current specs by submitting a video to L.A.B. Golf. Everything about dealing with L.A.B. was and is top notch: the correspondence between L.A.B. and myself was seamless and very informative. The setup of the alignment aid is mine: I used the L.A.B. logo for the impact point and added a line at the back of the putter head to enhance the alignment aid tool. I find having that rear aid is very helpful in lieu of having just the tool at the impact point alone. I chose the 2” Press Pistol Grip with the TPT shaft and the black putter head. If I were to change anything that I had done during the process, I would only have added one step: again, this coming from the perspective of a new golfer. Get an in person fitting done first. I had not done a putter fitting and scheduled one at Club Champion after I had received the Mamba. I learned a lot about my putting setup and address at the fitting which would have changed the specs I had sent to L.A.B. for the building of the Mamba. This is no fault of L.A.B.: they are using YOUR information that you send to build your putter, so my advice from a newbie is to get an in person fitting done prior to sending in your video and comments. I tested the putter on the practice green, on course and on an indoor putting mat. I utilize an app called Golf Pad for statistics and present those numbers a little later in the review. The concept of the L.A.B. system is portrayed in a video called “The Revealer” which I have attached a link to here: The Numbers: 38/40 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! 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. 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! 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. Conclusion: Coming from a golfer into his third season of golf I have to say the DF3 is a performer of the highest standard. L.A.B. makes a bold statement of what they are delivering and they actually do deliver. It does take a little time to get used to the feel of the putter compared to others, but I feel the time spent is well worth it. I’ve seen small gains in a short period of time and the only changes made were the putter itself. Is the putter worth it? L.A.B. offers many different configurations of the DF3, and the more stock offerings are more in line with other current mallets on the market right now as far as pricing goes. I must reiterate that I recommend very highly getting the in person fitting done, especially if you’re considering upgrading the shaft, which can become quite pricy. Our local Club Champion has L.A.B. Golf in their lineup, and that’s where I went to get my in person fitting done. They too are very professional and knowledgeable. Final score: 95/100 Edited July 11 by Steve F Add information frazzman80, sirchunksalot, TSauer and 22 others 9 1 14 1 Quote Driver: Aerojet LS 10.5 Kai Li 60R 3 wood: M2 Irons: Speedblades 4i-PW Wedge: CBX Sand: Wilson Pro Staff Putter: DF3 Ball: Pro shade Cart: Quad XL Other: Golf Pad "The more I work and practice, the luckier I seem to get.” -Gary Player “The proper score for a businessman golfer is 90. If he is better than that he is neglecting his business. If he’s worse, he’s neglecting his golf.” -St Andrews Rotary Club Member Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post GolfSpy_APH Posted April 16 Author Popular Post Share Posted April 16 Let the chaos and craziness begin! Congrats all! Swood1994, bens197, sirchunksalot and 13 others 13 1 2 Quote as of Oct 5, 2024 (Past WITB) Driver: GT2 with Graphite Design AD CQ - check out the Driver Shootout! Wood: GT2 with Graphite Design AD CQ shaft (still love my Cobra F7's) Irons: T Series - T200 5 Iron T150 6-9 Iron Wedge: Toura Golf - A Spec 53,57 or SM10 45,49,53,57 degree wedges Putter: LINK! Full putter shootout incoming Balls: Vice Pro Plus Drip (Blue/Orange) Golf Bag: Ghost Anyday 5.0 Golf bag - Maverick colorway with MGS Logo Other: Vortex Anarch Rangefinder, searching for electric cart, Red Rooster The Root Glove and more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight017 Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 What an opportunity have fun guys jbern, Cfhandyman, arodrig29 and 5 others 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethlow Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 Congrats to all the selected testers! Look forward to see some nice review for this exciting putter! sirchunksalot, jbern, William P and 3 others 6 Quote G430 SFT HL , Driver , 10.5 G430 SFT HL , 3W , 16 G430 MAX HL , 5W , 18 G430 MAX HL , 5H , 26 JPX923 HOT METAL HL, 6-P VOKEY SM4 , 52-08 VOKEY SM9 , 56-12 , 60-12 SUPER SELECT NEWPORT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Monkey Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 Congrats guys, looking forward to this one William P, jbern, Cfhandyman and 4 others 7 Quote Driver: G430 Max Fairway: LTDx Max 3 wood Hybrid: King Tec 3 hybrid Irons: Forged Tec 4-PW + GW Wedges: Jaws 56 SM9 52 Putter: Mallet Ball: Chrome Soft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirchunksalot Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 Congratulations everyone! It looks like we have a great group of testers and I can't wait to hear how you all get along with these beauties. Rob Person, Swood1994, Steve F and 4 others 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post IndyBonzo Posted April 16 Popular Post Share Posted April 16 (edited) Big congratulations @jbern, @MattWillGolf, @CFreddie, @Cfhandyman, @GolfSpy MPR and @Steve F! This is a great group, and a very intriguing test. Best of luck. Lots of eyes on this one! Edited April 16 by IndyBonzo William P, MissionMan, NotScratchYet and 8 others 8 1 1 1 Quote Working at getting better ... and very slowly getting there. Paradym Max 8* ( Shogun Blue M0 Otto-Phlex) Brnr Mini driver 13.5* ( FX 3.0 140 M1 Otto-Phlex) Paradym X 4 and 5 Hybrids Maltby TS1 (shafts: Tour 120S) RTX6 Zipcore 53*, and 58* mid wedges ( wedge shafts 6.5) Frontline Elite 1.0 Gloves My Official 2024 TaylorMade Qi10 Review: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/62804-taylormade-qi10-drivers-2024-forum-member-review/?do=findComment&comment=1014200 My Official 2023 Red Rooster Sussex Glove Review: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/58614-2023-mgs-forum-member-test-red-rooster-sussex-golf-glove/#comment-911042 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDunne Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 Big congratulations @jbern @MattWillGolf @CFreddie @Cfhandyman @GolfSpy MPR @Steve F - very intrigued by anything and everything LAB are doing so will be watching this one closely! Cfhandyman, William P, sirchunksalot and 6 others 9 Quote Callaway X 416 Hybrid 19° - JPX850 Baffler 23° Hybrid Irons - MPH4 5-PW SM7 54° RTX Zipcore Full-Face 50° & 58° RUNNER Mallet putter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StripeyGreenTV Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 Congrats to all the testers. I’m really interested to see the results having just recently joined the LAB Golf world when I bought a 2.1 a couple of weeks ago. I tried the 3 at the same time but it didn’t give me as good results as the 2.1. I’ve already been asked how my wife does the ironing while I have this in my bag . William P, Rob Person, sirchunksalot and 3 others 4 2 Quote WITB: Ping G430 Driver, G410 3-Wood, G410 5-Wood, G410 Hybrid, G410 Irons, Vokey SM8 Wedges & LAB Golf 2.1 Putter. HCAP 12.5 - Member at Flixton Golf Club - Manchester, UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnSmalls Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 Congrats fellas. After last year, this one will be a fun one to follow Cfhandyman, jbern, sirchunksalot and 3 others 6 Quote Gameday Vessel Sunday 2.0/ Ogio Silencer Dynapwr Carbon | Hzrdus Smoke Black Mavrik 3w | Evenflow Riptide FG Tour F5 Hybrid(20,23) | MCA Fubuki Apex Ai200 5-PW | DG 115 Mid Vokey SM7 (50, 54, 58) | DG 120 ER2 -ProV1x (left dash) Romans 10:9 Classic Bag Jones Collegiate Clemson Stand Bag Eye 2 Laminate 1973 Staff Dynapower 4-PW Anser DUO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleezemartin Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 Congratulations! William P, Rob Person, jbern and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiskeynick Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 Congrats, I game a DF 2.1 and it’s the best thing Ive ever done for my golf game. Rob Person, Steve F, William P and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3Putt4Double Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 Congrats men..m curious about this one! Rob Person, William P, Cfhandyman and 2 others 5 Quote Bubba Ivy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejgaudette Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 Congrats everyone and looking forward to seeing how the testing goes! Also awesome intro @Cfhandyman and sounds like some fascinating working! Steve F, sirchunksalot, Rob Person and 4 others 6 1 Quote Epic Max LS 9° Ventus Blue 6X (2021 Official Review) | Epic Speed 18° Evenflow Riptide 70g 6.0 816 H1 21° Diamana S+ Blue 70 S | SMS 4-5/SMS Pro 6-PW Steelfiber i95 S (2023 Official Review) Glide 4.0 50°.12°S/54°.14°W/58°.6°T PING Z-Z115 Wedge Flex | SOFT 11S Super Stroke Mid-Slim 2.0 Hoofer Bag | Pro V1 | Right Handed | Tracked by V3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Person Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 Congratulations all on the testing opportunity!!! Crazy looking, but will their be crazy results? Good luck!!! Steve F, ejgaudette, William P and 4 others 7 Quote WITB- Driver -Titleist 910D, 3w- Titleist 910F, 5hy/7hy- Titleist 910H, 6-PW - Stix , 52⁰, 56⁰, 60⁰ - Stix , Putter- AI-ONE DB / Lombardi Tour 34 custom Just an old newbie golfer, trying to learn and improve 1 club at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Parker Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 Great group of testers! Can't wait to see what everyone thinks! Congrats! William P, jbern, ejgaudette and 4 others 7 Quote Titleist GT3 11* Tensei 1k blue Titleist TSR2 4w 16* Titleist TSR2 5w 18.75* MKII ZX 5's (4-6) w/ KBS Tour V MKII ZX 7's (7-PW) w/ KBS Tour V Vokey SM9 Wedges 50* 54* 58* DF2.1 Putter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Golfer Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 Congratulations Testers!!! Looking forward to reading about how your putting performance improves with your new LAB putter. jbern, ejgaudette, Cfhandyman and 3 others 6 Quote Mixed bag of goodies: Taylormade M2 driver, Titleist F15 3 wood, Nike 5 wood, Mizuno 923 Hmp irons, Cleveland zipcore wedges and Odyssey 3 ball putter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bens197 Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 Have fun!!!! Congrats Steve F, William P, ejgaudette and 3 others 6 Quote PING G400 LST Mitsubishi Tensei White 60X TaylorMade SIM2 3 wood Fujilkura Ventus Blue 7-X Titleist U505 2 Tensei 1K Black 85 X Titleist T100 4-P Nippon Modus 3 120X PING S159 50-S 55-H 59-T DG X100 L.A.B. MEZZ Max Broom Accra 47" 79.5* Srixon Z-Star XV Currently testing the 2024 PING S159 wedges… https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/63483-testers-announced-ping-s159-wedges/ Was testing, still loving the 2023 Titleist T100 Irons 4-P https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/60456-titleist-t-series-irons-2023-forum-review/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swood1994 Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 What a group of testers! Congrats to you all, I am looking forward to your reviews! Let’s hope the DF3 ends those pesky 3 putts for all you! jbern, sirchunksalot, Steve F and 3 others 6 Quote Current WITB: Driver: Paradym 10.5 Ventus Black 6S (currently Testing AI Smoke) Fairway: ST-Z 230 3-Wood (15°) HZRDUS Smoke Black 6.0 60 Official Test Hybrid: ST-Z 230 Hybrid (19°) Ventus Blue HB-8 Official Test Irons: MP-18 MMC (4-9) Wedges: Vokey SM8 (46.10F, 50.12F, 54.14F, 58.12D) Putter: Select Squareback 2 34.5 Ping Corded 88G PP58 grip double taped Ball: Pro-V1 Reviews: 2023 Red Rooster Sussex Glove Official Forum Test 2023 Mizuno Long Game Official Forum Test 2024 Skytrak+ Official Forum Test Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParFore74x Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 Congratulations testers! That’s a great group right there, already looking forward to your testing. Cfhandyman, William P, sirchunksalot and 3 others 6 Quote TSi3 10° w/ Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Black 65g TS2 15° 3W w/ Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 6.0 70g 818 H1 21° Hybrid w/ Mitsubishi Tensei CK Blue 70g MP-18 MMC 2 iron w/ KBS Tour C-Taper S 120g JPX 921 HM 5-GW w/ Project X LZ 5.5 115g JB Forged 54° & 58° w/ Project X LZ 6.0 120g EV5.3 Black Official Tester Review Nitron push cart Unofficial review Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajnord Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 Congrats jbern, William P, Steve F and 1 other 4 Quote Callaway Paradym TD: Driver, 3W Srixon 3 Hybrid Srixon ZX5ii 4-6 iron (+1 deg) Srixon ZX7ii 7-P Vokey SM9 52, 56 Cleveland RTX FF2 58 Odyssee AI1 Milled T2 Blade Bridgestone RXS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Preeway Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 What a great looking group of testers and congrats to all of you. Awesome intro post @Cfhandyman! jbern, William P, sirchunksalot and 3 others 6 Quote Driver: Aerojet LS, Ventus Velocore+ Blue Shaft - 6S 4 Wood: Rogue ST Max 16.5, Tensei White Shaft - 7S Utility Iron: Fli Hi 3-iron, HAZARDOUS Smoke Black Shaft - S Irons: JPX 921 Tour 4-P, Project X Shafts - Stiff 125g Wedges: 52º, 56º, 60º Putter: Ai-One 7 T CH, 34" Preferred Ball: Z-Star Diamond Pushcart: Nitron Rangefinder: Pro X3+ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UNCRoss Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 Congratulations those who were chosen. Look forward to reading your reviews ejgaudette, jbern, Cfhandyman and 3 others 6 Quote Jnr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy_BEN Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 This is a fantastic group of testers! I, and the entire forum, will be following along. Without further ado… Now the fun begins Cfhandyman, jbern, Swood1994 and 5 others 8 Quote WITB: D: GT-2 10° w/ GD Tour AD-UB 6s 3W: GT-3 15 Tensei Black 75 X 5W: G430 18° Tour 2.0/Stiff 4i-PW: 0317t Project X LZ 6.0 50°,54° & 58°: SM-10 P: Super Select Newport 2+ Ball: ProV1x Bag: Ghost MGS Anyday 14 way "And so, we beat on, boats against the current, borne ceaselessly into the past." - Fitzgerald ” The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.” - Frost "That you are here—that life exists and identity, That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse." - Whitman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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