Pitchmarks Verdict
The L.A.B. Golf DF3 Putter maintains the forgiveness and performance qualities of the DF2.1 but in a much sleeker design. It boasts great stability and forgiveness with the Lie Angle Balanced technology. Any golfers turned off by the looks of the DF2.1 should pay attention to the DF3.
Check Price at Golf GalaxyL.A.B. Golf is on a mission to bring “Lie Angle Balanced” putters to all golfers.
And they aren’t just for the everyday golfer. Recently, the brand has exploded in popularity thanks to several endorsements on the PGA Tour. Namely, Adam Scott, Lucas Glover, and Will Zalatoris all have the L.A.B. MEZZ.1 MAX in the bag.
The journey began with the Directed Force putter, which was the epitome of form over function. Even L.A.B. themselves plainly stated the “ugliness” of the design.
Now, L.A.B. Golf has released the third iteration of the model — called DF3. This new design refines the look with a smaller, sleeker head shape.
In this review, we put the L.A.B. Golf DF3 Putter through its paces.
Looks
At address, the DF3 Putter looks very appealing.
Of course, the design won’t be for everyone. Scotty Cameron blade purists might struggle with the transition, but L.A.B. putters are all about performance.
With this latest iteration, L.A.B. has done a fantastic job of retaining the distinctive look of the Directed Force putter — but in an overall sleeker footprint.
In L.A.B. Golf’s words: “We took a chisel to the original Lie Angle Balanced putter to make DF3 smaller and sleeker while honoring the shape that started it all.”
Overall, the head is slightly smaller. The new shape feels more familiar, which will make it easier to switch to DF3 from a traditional mallet or blade putter.
The new design also features a circular cutout. Conveniently, this hole is golf ball-sized to allow you to effortlessly pick up the ball on gimme putts.
On the sole of the putter, eight weighted screws are inserted into the CNC Milled aluminum head. This allows L.A.B. to fine-tune the head weight of each putter to a wide range of custom length and lie angle options.
Custom Options
When ordering a custom DF3 from L.A.B. Golf, you can send over a quick video of your putting stroke, and they will dial in your precise shaft length and lie angle.
By going the custom route, you can choose from several grip and shaft upgrades.
You can also choose from 32 different alignment mark options. I opted for one that indicates the ball’s width, along with a simple line to point at the target.
Sound & Feel
The ball comes off the face of the DF3 with a soft feel and very muted sound.
It sounds and feels very similar to the MEZZ.1 MAX we recently tested, since both are 100% milled from 6061 aluminum. On top of that, both putters have grooves cut directly into the face of the putter, resulting in very similar feels.
Having said that, the feel isn’t excessively soft or unresponsive. There is audible feedback when you don’t strike it dead center, even if the roll is good.
Performance
On the putting surface, you can noticeably see how the L.A.B. technology works to keep the putter head square throughout the entire stroke. Point it at the target, and it stays there during the stroke without any manipulation.
Greens in the UK are far from smooth in winter. With the DF3, I felt confident that the ball would start on my target line, despite the bobbly putting surface.
Although it has a noticeably smaller footprint than its DF2.1 predecessor, the DF3 maintains its low-torque forgiveness to reduce twisting on heel or toe strikes.
The face of the DF3 is slightly shallower than the MEZZ.1 MAX. This felt like it helped me strike up on the ball to apply a smooth end-over-end roll.
I opted for the standard head weight, which feels slightly on the heavier side.
At first, this caused me to leave a few putts short, but I soon adjusted to the slow pendulum-like motion by slightly extending the length of my stroke. I should also note that I was testing the putter on notoriously slow winter greens.
Picking the ball up with the DF3 is so easy, it almost feels magnetic. With almost zero pressure, the ball sticks to the putter and you can effortlessly pick it up.
Final Thoughts
The L.A.B. Golf DF3 is an excellent putter that maintains all the performance qualities of the original DF2.1 while fine-tuning the appearance.
It has a premium metal feel, is highly forgiving, and starts putts on line. Plus if you go the custom route, it comes with a myriad of personalization options.
From a personal standpoint, the design of the DF2.1 was slightly too outlandish for me to consider adding one to the bag. The DF3 however, is a beauty.
