LAB DF3 Putter: a Major Putting Improvement

Playing Through: By taking a new approach to zero-torque putter design, L.A.B. Golf has quickly become one of the most popular names in golf equipment. And the buzz isn’t just because of the unique designs; their Lie Angle Balanced (LAB) Technology can have a meaningful impact on your putting stroke and help you consistently find yourself closer to your intended target. And in a game where less (strokes) is more, a L.A.B. Putter can make a Major Improvement to your game. Just ask J. J. Spaun.

If you’ve been loosely following equipment developments in recent (especially following the results of the U.S. Open), there’s a very good chance you’ve heard of zero torque putters and, more specifically, L.A.B. Golf. And that’s largely because L.A.B. is a disruptor; while we’re all familiar with traditional anser and mallet head shapes, their science-backed putting design has resulted in some very unique looking putters that have the power to help you find the bottom of the cup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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L.A.B.’s history is relatively brief: the brand was founded in 2018 with the inventor, Bill Presse, searching for his own putter solution. Remarkably, Presse’s first landmark development wasn’t a putter, it was The Revealer—L.A.B.’s unique tool that helps show how the natural design characteristics of a putter influence face control during a putting stroke.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Next for Presse was what he really wanted: a new putter. Specifically, the Directed Force (DF) 2.1. It was big, very different looking, but made a splash like a cannonball. People ridiculed the oversized design, but it worked. And that’s important because, as quick as golfers are to ridicule and shame something for being different, they’ll immediately shut their traps and try almost anything that helps them play and score better. And that’s because nothing silences a golfer as fast as having to pay up a friendly bet to the guy who just whopped them with a funny-looking putter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The DF3 came next. It repackaged all the science found in the DF 2.1 into a more compact, aesthetically pleasing packaging. It has quickly become a favorite among golfers—ranging from your favorite influencer to touring professional, including 2025 U.S. Open Champion J. J. Spaun and Rickie Fowler—and OEM manufacturers alike. Indeed, click around the internet and you’ll see the DF3 has “inspired” some competitors to release some very, very similarly looking models.

That said, the LAB Technologies are unique and exclusive to L.A.B. putters, which now includes a larger range of options. L.A.B. now offers a blade-style (LINK.1) option, as well as some more traditional-looking mallets (the MEZZ and OZ Series).

 

 

 

 

 

 

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But the options don’t stop at what L.A.B. model you gravitate towards. L.A.B., indeed, offers perhaps the most robust customization program. Indeed, each of the different L.A.B. models are available in a range of custom color finishes (ranging from a conservative Black to more eccentric, vibrant colors like Pink and Orange), with different alignment marks (the DF3, for example, is available with over 47 different combinations of lines and dots) and custom shaft options (standard steel is included, but you could swap in an exotic carbon fiber shaft), all of which can be configured into a traditional, armlock, sweeper or counterbalanced setup (along with further customization for shaft length and lie angle).

While there’s a temptation to immediately hop on the L.A.B. website, find your favorite and customize it to your content using your currently putting loft, lie and length specs, I must immediately caution against that. In brief, to ensure the best L.A.B. experience, you’ll need to get fit. That’s because a L.A.B. will be fit to you, your stance and putting stroke; regardless of which model, L.A.B. drills into the head to shaft your putter at the proper lie angle, and then—to impart the LAB Technology—customizes and balances the sole weights for your loft, lie and length. In brief, if you’re not correctly fit, you could be missing out on the LAB Technology.

Using the L.A.B. Fitting Putter, which allows for length and lie customization, on Club Champion’s SAM PuttLab

Fortunately, L.A.B. has a few fitting partners (in addition to offering online, remote fittings). In this case, I would suggest finding a fitting partner, like Club Champion, who has the benefit of using L.A.B.’s fitting tool—think a DF3 head with an adjustable shaft that allows for every possible lie and length spec.

In the case of my fitting, after rolling a few putts with my gamer, Marc Ronda—my Club Champion fitter—broke out the L.A.B. fitter and SAM PuttLab. After allowing me to get comfortable and self-adjust to the differences between my (now-retired) blade and the L.A.B., I was fit into a shorter length, more upright lie angle setup that promoted a more comfortable address position and, most importantly, more consistent putting stroke. Once we identified my specs, I had the opportunity to test the whole range of models to see what best suited my eye.

Next was the hardest part of my L.A.B. ownership experience: waiting for my custom-spec and built putter to arrive.

My New Gamer: a L.A.B. DF3 with an ACCRA Shaft
and White Press Pistol 2 Degree Grip

I spec’d my DF3 in a black finish with a white T-sightline and an ACCRA carbon-fiber shaft (also in black) and white Forward-Press Grip. I’m a Star Wars fan, and this gives off serious Stormtrooper vibes.

Once it arrived, I immediately wondered how this would play on the course? Well, after ~2 months of some winter putting drills (including L.A.B.’s recommended “thumbs-off” drill) and hitting a whole range of short, medium, and long putts on greens, I am proud to say that I have never been more comfortable and confident with a putter in my hand.

This is to say that although the L.A.B. isn’t some magic bullet that guarantees every putt inside 5 feet would drop, the LAB Technology has had a clear, measurable and beneficial impact on my putting. With my previous gamer—a blade-style putter that was also custom fit—I would engage in the mental gymnastics of focusing on face control, pace and reading break and slope. Pulls and pushes would occasionally show themselves (but usually at the most inopportune moments, like shorter, “must-make” putts from 3 to 5 feet).

With the DF3, the LAB Technologies allow me to just focus more on pace and break because I can trust the face stays oriented to my intended target throughout the putting swing. As a result, I’ve had more made putts, in addition to a significant improvement in lip-ins and easy tap-ins from every range imaginable—with the most memorable, to date, being a ~40-foot birdie on the Par-4, 3rd Hole on Baltusrol’s Lower Course. In brief, I’ve been finding myself a lot more “lucky” with makable putts inside 10 feet, while also lagging myself to significantly more makable putts.

My experience doesn’t seem to be isolated, as I believe 2025 U.S. Open J. J. Spaun would echo what I just said. On Sunday, J. J. was able to raise the trophy after his DF3 helped him return to the top of the leaderboard. During the last 7 holes, he had 136 feet of made putts, including the now-famous 64-foot putt that secured the victory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It’s worth mentioning that J.J.’s Sunday performance isn’t an aberration. He had 2nd Best Putting (2.6 Strokes Gained Putting) at Oakmont, and has regularly found himself picking up strokes with his DF3 during the 2025 season.

To address the haters, I’ll include one final disclaimer: L.A.B. isn’t selling voodoo magic. If you don’t have even minimal control over your speed or the putter face, it won’t matter what putter you have in your hand—a Circle T Scotty or LAB. But if you’re someone with even some putting skills and are willing to learn and trust a properly spec’d L.A.B., there’s a very good chance that you’ll see a meaningful improvement in your putting performances. Because after converting from a blade to the DF3, I can honestly say that I finally have the 14th club that has allowed me to tap into better scoring potential.