50 Words or Less
The L.A.B. Golf DF3 putter is like a magic wand for starting the ball on your target line. Shockingly stable and forgiving off of mishits, it refines what was already one of the most technologically advanced and customizable putters on the market.
Introduction
L.A.B. Golf putters are catching fire. They used to be the occasional oddity seen in the bags of gearheads or golf junkies. Now they’re a staple in the bags of thousands of golfers including winning professionals like Lucas Glover, Adam Scott, and Camilo Villegas. The reason why is that they make golf simpler. The L.A.B. Golf DF3 putter – despite being so new – has already found its way into the bags of pros like Phil Mickelson and Garrick Higgo.
If you haven’t read about the Lie Angle Balance putter technology in previous reviews on this site, the short version is that they are torqueless putters. That means they square themselves to the arc of your putting stroke. It’s a particularly fantastic fit for those of you with minimal arc and face rotation for your strokes, but I have seen it improve those with other styles as well.
Looks
The aesthetic of the original Directed Force 2.1 (review HERE) was infamous. The putter was consistently reviled, mocked, and roasted for its looks. With that said, L.A.B. has always seemed to revel in the online discussions, and has been quick to respond that looks don’t matter if you make more putts. The putter’s shape is actually the logo for the company.
The L.A.B. Golf DF3 putter, the updated model, is more palatable in the looks category. While it still retains the general shape and overall branding-iron look of the original, it’s in a much smaller, more streamlined profile. With that said, the CEO of the company recently took to Instagram and said that it looks a bit like a toilet seat… so, it’s still not exactly a handsome putter.
Just like the prior model, the DF3 is one of the most customizable putters in golf. It’s offered in 8 different colors: black, blue, red, green, pink, orange, platinum, and cappuccino (pictured). Moreover, you’ll have 33 different alignment aid options to make the putter completely your own.
One last detail is their new “Gimmie Getter,” a little nickname for the golf ball-sized hole on the back of the putter. While it could be argued it’s a bit of an alignment aid, its main purpose is to pick up a golf ball, which, coincidentally, was a big critique of many fans of the MEZZ.1 and MEZZ.1 MAX (review HERE). I can happily say in my testing of the putter, I didn’t have much use for this feature, because the golf ball was going in the hole more often.
Feel & Sound
The looks of the L.A.B. Golf DF3 putter aren’t the only customizable thing – the feel and performance are customizable as well. They can be personalized with several graphite shaft options from Accra, BGT, LA Golf, and TPT. On top of the upgraded shafts, there is also the ability to make the putter counterbalanced or a broomstick.
I decided to make my L.A.B. Golf DF3 putter a counterbalanced one with an Accra shaft. That caused a different feel when compared to the MEZZ (review HERE) and Directed Force models I’ve tried in the past. While the Accra shaft makes strikes feel softer off the face, the longer and heavier counterbalanced shaft and grip give a feeling of stability and weight.
Performance
While I have had excellent experiences with both the LINK.1 (review HERE) and MEZZ.1, the L.A.B. Golf DF3 putter is unquestionably an improvement from those models. In using it for hours of practice and several rounds of golf, I have never had an easier time starting the ball on my intended target line.
Speed control was initially an issue (I tended to miss putts short), but nearly every attempt finished in the jaws of the hole. On top of that, I didn’t have any three putts. The putts from 11 feet and in felt nearly automatic. While putting is the strength of my golf game, this putter gave me even more confidence.
That added confidence came from the sheer mass of the head. The larger head presented a ton of MOI and there was almost no noticeable deflection from heel or toe misses. While L.A.B. has admitted that they weren’t able to give the DF3 model all of the stability of the Directed Force 2.1, I can’t say that I noticed a drop in forgiveness.
Conclusion
While putter technology has been at a standstill for years with some manufacturers, L.A.B. is working tirelessly to up their game. They continue to find ways to reinvent the wheel. L.A.B.’s slogan is, “You’re a better putter than you think” and it is true for many. If any new putter can earn a spot in my bag in the 2024 season, it’s the L.A.B. Golf DF3 putter.