L.A.B. Golf undoubtedly produce some of the best putters on the market right now. They are overlooked in some quarters because of how they look and the lofty price tag they usually carry, but if you can get past the uniquely shaped, oversize heads, these putters could really help your game.
L.A.B. gets its name from the Lie Angle Balance technology used, which eliminates torque and makes putting easier. The brand claims that torque is the enemy of consistent putting, but by eliminating torque and keeping the putter face square to the arc of the stroke, L.A.B. putters allow the golfer to repeat their stroke and gain more consistency on the greens.
To achieve this, the head shapes are often quite funky in design and may take some getting used to for golfers who are used to a standard blade putter or who prefer to use one of the best mallet putters. The design is all about ensuring as much resistance to twisting in the path of your stroke, keeping the face square and making it easier for you to maintain the correct line and speed. And from our testing it is clear that these are some of the best putters in the game.
The brand is represented on Tour by Will Zalatoris and Adam Scott amongst others, while Phil Mickelson has occasionally dabbled with the DF3, which is probably the most recognizable of the L.A.B. family
Such has been the impact of zero torque, other brands have attempted to create their own version of it, or at least very low torque putters, such as Odyssey with the Square 2 Square range as well as Evnroll and Bettinardi.
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Thanks to a stunning head design and the addition of a stainless steel milled insert, the OZ looks great and provides sublime feel and acoustics.
The DF3 is a pleasure to use as its face really does square up through impact, making it easy to recommend to every ability of player.
L.A.B. Golf MEZZ.1 MAX Putter
The L.A.B. Golf MEZZ.1 MAX putter is one of the most innovative and stable putters on the market. The looks take some getting used to but patience with this putter will likely reap the rewards.
Best L.A.B. Golf Putters
Top pick
(Image credit: Future)
While the tech behind L.A.B. Golf can definitely help golfers, many struggle to buy into them because of how they look. However, thanks to the introduction of the compact mid-mallet OZ.1i putter, designed in collaboration with Adam Scott, that could be about to change and you can expect to see more L.A.B. Golf putters on golf courses than ever before.
While the OZ.1i model is a completely different head shape from anything the brand has created before, it’s also the first time a fly-milled, medium-depth stainless steel insert has been incorporated into the lineup. This enhances the impact experience for golfers like me who prefer that firmer feel at impact, but there will still be the option of the standard full aluminum face for those who prefer a slightly softer feel.
I tested this putter with my current ball of choice – the 2025 Titleist Pro V1x and loved the clicky acoustics and feel this club and ball combination produced. It reminded me of the likes of a Scotty Cameron Phantom or Odyssey Ai-One Milled putter – widely considered some of the best putters on the market.
It’s not just the face and beautiful half-moon, solid body construction that is new with the L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i putter but also the fact it will be available in a new 0° shaft lean option that helps give golfers a vertical view of the shaft at address. The same 2° shaft lean option with forward press grip that has been available in previous L.A.B. Golf designs remains, but those who are new to the low torque putter game may find the 0° option a little more comfortable on the eye.
The OZ.1i putter feels extremely well balanced, which is to be expected given that every L.A.B. Golf putter is meticulously hand-balanced at its HQ in Oregon. This does create a slightly longer lead time than when ordering a stock putter from anywhere else but the precise craftsmanship is worth the wait.
Most forgiving
(Image credit: Scott Kramer)
The most familiar of the L.A.B. putters is probably the alien shaped DF3 which has been used in the past by numerous leading golf YouTubers including Rick Shiels and Peter Finch.
The L.A.B. Golf DF3 mallet is extremely forgiving and stable, but it is also “fully automatic”, which means it is designed to feel as though it’s almost guiding itself on the correct path on the way back and through. The golfer doesn’t have to do a great deal and is almost along the ride really. That can be attributed to “Lie Angle Balance” technology, which creates true zero-torque putters, which stay square by themselves.
The DF3 is a center-shafted, flat-bottom model in which the shaft connects right behind the front flange and directly into an oddly shaped ring that’s hollow in the middle. It is far from being the best looking putter out there but there are few that more effective. The DF3 is available in a stock or custom model. Customized options include standard-length or counterbalanced models in eight different colors, with a wide range of grip and upgraded shaft options.
In our testing, we saw for ourselves that the brand’s claims are justified, as it felt like the DF3 actually had a mind of its own. Throughout the testing, we held the putter lightly, lined up the putt, started the stroke and let gravity take over. While the head is huge and takes some getting used to (especially for those who typically use blades), the head was not a visual distraction in any way. In fact, we were extremely impressed with how easy it was to control putt speed and the forgiveness on offer. Putts within three feet felt like near-automatic, which really enhanced our confidence.
Best alignment
(Image credit: Future)
Everything about this putter is designed around the concept of returning the putter square at impact. In fact, L.A.B. Golf putters never actually move away from square. The MEZZ.1 MAX and all the other L.A.B. Golf putters are designed with the shaft entering the head in a way that removes torque and neutralizes gravity in order to have the putter head remain square to the path of the putter throughout the stroke.
The main body of the MEZZ.1 MAX is fully CNC Milled from 6061 aircraft aluminum with the face CNC machined from 303 stainless steel for maximum feel. The shaft is angled with a slight shaft lean which is then counteracted by the on-set of the head as well as a grip that has a built-in forward press so you don’t have to manipulate your hands at address.
As someone who has traditionally always played a blade style putter I wasn’t expecting to like the MEZZ.1 MAX putter at all, but it was the patented Lie Angle Balance technology and a lot of persuasion from my colleague Joe ‘The Pro’ Ferguson, who often sings the praises of L.A.B. putters on the Kick Point golf gear show, to give this putter a whirl. Joe has recently switched to this putter and swears by it. It took me a practice session and a few holes on the course to get used to it, but I’d fallen in love with this putter by the time I hit the turn. It’s basically a cheat-code and I described it to my playing partners as being as easy as ‘point and shoot’.
Of course, good putting mechanics, gauging pace and reading greens also play a part in sinking putts, but Lie Angle Balance technology really works. The stability and forgiveness of the MEZZ.1 MAX is seriously impressive, as is the alignment of the head. It feels somewhat soft and slightly hollow due to the grooves on the face but this provided exceptional roll on the ball and really helps with consistency when putting from range.
The heightened levels of stability and natural urge to stay square to the target throughout the stroke will certainly help you start the ball on line more often with the MEZZ.1 MAX putter. Yes it comes with a premium price tag, but total confidence from short range on the greens is a near priceless commodity.
How we test
We take product testing very seriously here at Golf Monthly, and all of our reviews and buyers’ guides are built upon a rigorous testing procedure as well as the knowledge and experience of the test team.
The putter section is headed up by Sam De’Ath, while other members of the Golf Monthly team contribute to the putter tests as well. Between all of our writers we are able to efficiently test the vast majority of the biggest product releases and convey the pros and cons eloquently. We test the putters outdoors on real greens with a variety of premium golf balls to get a full understanding of design features, feel, sound and looks.
Ultimately, we aim to be as insightful and honest as possible in our reviews and we can categorically state here that no manufacturer can buy a good review from us. Our team tells it exactly how it is, good or bad.
How to choose your putter
The putter is arguably the most important golf club in the bag, as during the course of a round we use it more than any other. Therefore you need to think about what you want and what you like to use when it comes to the putter. A confidence-inspiring design that suits your eye and suits your stroke can save countless shots on the greens and a good flatstick is often a quick way of bringing the handicap down.
So then what are the things you need to mull over before purchasing? Here’s what you need to consider when choosing a new putter, and specifically if you are thinking about going with a L.A.B. putter.
Feel & Sound
The feel and sound the ball makes coming off the face is important, but so is how the putter feels in your hands. If you don’t like how it feels you won’t feel good using it, so that is something to consider straight away.
A quieter sound contributes to a softer feel, whereas a louder sound usually translates into a firmer feel. There is no right or wrong here, it’s about personal preference so try a variety of putters and see what you like. A firmer feel is often the product of shallow grooves or no grooves at all on the face, where sound can’t be dissipated as effectively. They work better with softer feeling golf balls, whereas soft-feeling putters work best with firmer golf balls. The customisation options with L.A.B. offer some options in terms of face inserts and milling.
Weighting
L.A.B. putters come with adjustable weights in the sole that will alter the feel of the putter. This can be useful, providing you understand the purpose of the weighting. If your stroke is quite smooth and slow, a heavier putter will suit that more. Jerky putters may prefer a lighter putter, although opting for more weight may reduce it, depending on what your goals are. The speed of the greens you play on is important too. Slower greens might require more weight, while faster greens require less.
Grip
The putter grip plays a huge roll in the confidence you feel with a putter. Get one that feels right and sits in your hands comfortably while allowing you to return the putter back to the ball squarely and consistently. Generally speaking, strokes with a lot of arc will require a thinner grip (which is why you tend to see thinner grips on blades and thicker ones on mallets), but this is very much down to personal preference. With L.A.B. putters the grips that come as standard are best as all of the components on each puttter have been designed specifically to work together.
Looks
Ideally you should get a putter that you like the look of as the aesthetics can play a role in inspiring or diminishing confidence on the greens. However, when it comes to L.A.B. putters they obviously aren’t the most pleasing on the eye so you may have to make some compromise there and prioritise performance above all else, because that’s what really matters, surely?
Value
If you are looking for value then L.A.B. putters are not going to suit your requirements. They are among the more premium priced putters on the market but there’s a reason for that. The individual design, technology and craftsmanship that goes into making L.A.B. putters and the assistance you get from them on the greens make that extra cost worthwhile.
FAQs
Do any pros use L.A.B. putters?
Yes, L.A.B. putters are represented on the professional circuits, although it is mostly the armlock and broomstick models you will see. Will Zalatoris, Adam Scott, Charles Howell III, Lucas Glover and Byeong Hun An have all played and won tournaments using L.A.B. Golf putters.
What are the downsides of L.A.B. putters?
The downsides have nothing to do with performance, as L.A.B. putters can hold their own against any top brand on the market. However, they aren’t particularly pleasing on the eye and some golfers might not be able to get past that. The DF3 is especially ugly, yet it delivers fantastic results.
Another downside is the cost. You can pick up some excellent putters from brands such as Ping, TaylorMade and Odyssey for considerably less than you will pay for a L.A.B. putter, so if you are on a budget L.A.B. putters are not going to be for you.
