Price
$500
L.A.B. Golf DF3i
Price
$500
1 / 3
2 / 3
matt martian photography
3 / 3
Why We Like It
- Built on the familiar platform of the company’s original Directed Force putter, this gently downsized version maintains the zero-torque technology weighting that keeps the putter square to its lie angle through the stroke.
- Each putter is balanced individually through a collection of screw weights in the sole. The intent is to coordinate the putter’s center of gravity to the lie angle so that there’s minimal manipulation of the head required during the stroke to bring the face back to square.
- Milled from select aluminum for overall softness, this new version adds a stainless-steel face insert for improved sound and roll velocity.
- Those face inserts come in different milling patterns based on a player’s preference for feel and roll.
- The loop shape in the back, including the collection of six heel and toe weights, adds off-center hit stability.
- Top 5 in Performance, low- and middle-handicaps
- Models: DF3i. Head weights: 310-420 grams. Lengths: 32-38 inches. Loft: 2-3 degrees
what our testers said
handicap
- all
- low
- mid
- high
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted exceptional stability and balance from the center-shafted, large-mallet design—zero-torque feel, a simple single-line alignment and a soft-yet-solid impact. Roll is consistently end-over-end with tight dispersion, excellent short- and mid-range performance, and forgiving mis-hits thanks to the weighted, balanced head. One caveat: players with an arcing stroke or on long putts sometimes struggled with distance control.
Summaries generated from tester comments with the assistance of AI.
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted the oversized, center-shafted mallet delivers exceptional stability and consistent roll from short to long putts once trusted. It comes off the face cleanly, offers strong pace control, superb dispersion and stays on path; many praised its heavy, well‑balanced feel, single minimal alignment line and effortless setup despite an unconventional "octopus" look. Some described impact as firmer or soft/quiet. One caveat: players with an arced stroke may feel the face sit between open and closed.
Summaries generated from tester comments with the assistance of AI.
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List panelists observed it was exceptionally balanced and center‑shafted, easy to align and produced a consistent end‑over‑end roll with tight dispersion. The soft yet responsive insert gives feedback on misses without deadening speed. Zero‑torque weighting keeps mis‑hits straighter, and toe/heel strikes remained forgiving. Lightweight feel and an oversized sweet spot inspired confidence, especially inside 10–15 feet. One caveat: several testers found distance control and feel less reliable on longer putts.
Summaries generated from tester comments with the assistance of AI.
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted a balanced, center‑shafted putter with a strong alignment aid that promotes a repeatable rock-back-and-through stroke. It feels stable heel-to-toe, surprisingly light despite large proportions, and resists twisting. Sound and contact drew praise — a satisfying click and a smooth, reliable roll — and many found it excellent on short putts. One common caveat: some players struggled with distance control.
Summaries generated from tester comments with the assistance of AI.
Robert
29, Handicap +2
2 years testing
This has a firmer feel at impact. I don't typically go for a putter with a non-traditional design like this, but it looked good at address, framed the ball nicely and came off the face the same pretty much every time.
Wei
55, Handicap 14
10+ years testing
The sound and feel of the ball coming off the face were terrific. The dispersion was tight, consistently online, but I really struggled with distance control and knowing how far to take it back. The center shaft doesn't feel natural to me.
Skylar
27, Handicap 7
3 years testing
The design is slightly jarring at first glance, but it performed well. It's pretty great in terms of weight balance. The face, the whole thing, is a sweet spot. Easy to align, and the center shaft suits my stroke.
Gary
38, Handicap 13
10+ years testing
It sits behind the ball comfortably. It's not heavy in my hands despite its large proportions. All I needed to focus on was getting it lined up to my target, then rock it back and through. Very stable from heel to toe. No twisting.
Matt
53, Handicap 11
4 years testing
This putter shined on short- and medium-length putts. Anything in the 10-foot range was stable, and the ball rolled online, but I struggled with distance control and feel on longer putts. The putter does not translate much feel into the hands.
SEE ALL (31)
Robert
29, Handicap +2
2 years testing
This has a firmer feel at impact. I don't typically go for a putter with a non-traditional design like this, but it looked good at address, framed the ball nicely and came off the face the same pretty much every time.
Wei
55, Handicap 14
10+ years testing
The sound and feel of the ball coming off the face were terrific. The dispersion was tight, consistently online, but I really struggled with distance control and knowing how far to take it back. The center shaft doesn't feel natural to me.
Skylar
27, Handicap 7
3 years testing
The design is slightly jarring at first glance, but it performed well. It's pretty great in terms of weight balance. The face, the whole thing, is a sweet spot. Easy to align, and the center shaft suits my stroke.
Gary
38, Handicap 13
10+ years testing
It sits behind the ball comfortably. It's not heavy in my hands despite its large proportions. All I needed to focus on was getting it lined up to my target, then rock it back and through. Very stable from heel to toe. No twisting.
Matt
53, Handicap 11
4 years testing
This putter shined on short- and medium-length putts. Anything in the 10-foot range was stable, and the ball rolled online, but I struggled with distance control and feel on longer putts. The putter does not translate much feel into the hands.
Jack
36, Handicap 1
3 years testing
Great weighted putter in your hands. Heavy with a soft feel. Gives you a nice balance. When making a stroke, it stays on path. Dispersion was fantastic. Great on pace putts. Also, found it easy to line up on the shorter ones.
Thomas
61, Handicap 7
10+ years testing
Fantastic technology idea, and I like how it's balanced. Almost everything rotates around the center shaft. The downside is that it didn't necessarily work for me and my stroke. I didn't make a whole lot of putts.
Paul
64, Handicap 6
10+ years testing
It's large and a bit cumbersome, but I really enjoyed how light it is, and the lightness brought a nice feel and touch to the putt.
Ryan
50, Handicap 10
8 years testing
The size and shape are certainly eye-catching. It's an acquired taste. The sound at impact is quiet, and the face imparts a pleasing end-over-end roll. For me, it performed too inconsistently on long putts, but I was lights out on the short ones.
Wesley
31, Handicap 4
3 years testing
I know the intention of the L.A.B. putters are to be extremely stable for a square-to-square stroke. However, because I have an arc in my stroke, this putter feels off balance throughout the motion, like the face is idling between open and close.
Matt
28, Handicap 7
2 years testing
Effortless to hit the ball end over end. Allows you to control speed and keep it on a straight line. A nice sweet spot despite the unusual looks.
Aaron
45, Handicap 16
1 year testing
Obviously unique looking, but it performs well. The appearance is something that takes getting used to, but I like the size of the face. Felt easy taking it back and through the ball. A nice consistent roll off the face. For me, better on short putts.
Wayne
61, Handicap 7
3 years testing
Lightweight but great energy off the face. With the zero torque, mis-hits still go fairly straight. You have to be careful not to use your hands because it's so light.
Jin
30, Handicap 10
2 years testing
I like the feel. It's soft at contact, but I can also sense when I mis-hit it. Forgiving, though, and doesn't sacrifice a lot of speed. As for the design, I don't love how it looks, how the face is really big and then tapers with this massive hole in the back. The performance, though, was almost everything I'm looking for.
Anand
43, Handicap 6
10+ years testing
It's a money club. It was so consistent and helped me square the face incredibly well. It almost became second nature.
Scott
38, Handicap 16
10+ years testing
From the grip to the head, the second you pull the putter back, it feels balanced. It does a terrific job of preventing any twisting or unwieldiness in your stroke. Through the ball, there's a satisfying click, and the roll is smooth and reliable.
Andrew
40, Handicap 8
1 year testing
Mis-hits off the toe and heel performed very well. Good distance control. All I had to do was rock my shoulders, and I knew the face was going to stay square.
Jason
49, Handicap 0
10+ years testing
I understand a large mallet that's center-shafted can have value for people with unsteady putting strokes, but if you're a good putter with a specific kind of action, then you might end up fighting the putter as opposed to letting it help.
Megan
40, Handicap 0
2 years testing
Felt really easy to putt with. Minimal effort on my part. One thing that surprised me is that the alignment is minimal. Many of these putters have way too many lines. This one had one simple line, and that made it easy to get the ball in position correctly.
Daniel
34, Handicap 11
6 years testing
Very stable. No twisting throughout the stroke. I'm not sure that non-traditional look is necessary anymore, though.
Sean
54, Handicap 6
9 years testing
Probably the best putter I tried. Easy to line up and rolls off the face so nice. It helps me because it's center-shafted, too. I just really like the way it feels. The dispersion on my putts was tight. An awesome performer.
Ryan
47, Handicap 12
3 years testing
No surprise that it looks a little odd, but if you give it a chance, you're going to hole some putts. It's the type of putter you can put a repeatable stroke on. I love the heavy weight and the shaft-grip combo. Easy swinging.
Jamie
52, Handicap 7
3 years testing
You have to pay attention to how you place it down and line it up. But once you figure that out, the head is exceptionally balanced and stays on path every time.
Peter
58, Handicap 8
10+ years testing
I would call it silently assertive. It's unassuming yet confidence-inspiring. The insert feels fantastic. It has a soft feel but not too soft. You do get feedback as you move away from the center. But, again, the ball rolls true. Distance control was terrific.
Alejandra
27, Handicap 6
5 years testing
Once you get over how it looks, it's really good fun. I don't quite understand the technology behind the shape, but something's working. It's powerful yet soft. Enough sound to let me know I'm hitting a solid stroke but muted enough to where it will never distract you. The more I used it, the more confidence I gained.
Todd
62, Handicap 13
1 year testing
Delivered on the promise of a balanced putting instrument with a center shaft and an effective alignment aid. The ball had a tendency to come off the face at slightly different angles, and that contributed to wider dispersion than expected.
Alan
31, Handicap 3
2 years testing
Looks like an octopus from above. If you're a traditionalist, this is pretty extreme visually. However, it was soft and quiet off the face, and lining it up was effortless.
Shane
37, Handicap 12
6 years testing
It's a little unnerving having this much club in front of you to try to hit a putt with. Despite that, rolled a few putts exceptionally.
Timothy
46, Handicap 17
1 year testing
The fact I hit the ball as well as I did given that the shape of the club is somewhat distracting surprised me. It's a little firm on contact, but I could still control my distance fairly well.
Ricky
47, Handicap 0
10+ years testing
As stable a putter as you can find. As effective as you would want. Great on short, mid-range and long putts—once you trust it.
BK
42, Handicap 2
10+ years testing
It comes off the face so well that you get used to the looks pretty quickly.
Wei
55, Handicap 14
10+ years testing
The sound and feel of the ball coming off the face were terrific. The dispersion was tight, consistently online, but I really struggled with distance control and knowing how far to take it back. The center shaft doesn't feel natural to me.
Gary
38, Handicap 13
10+ years testing
It sits behind the ball comfortably. It's not heavy in my hands despite its large proportions. All I needed to focus on was getting it lined up to my target, then rock it back and through. Very stable from heel to toe. No twisting.
Matt
53, Handicap 11
4 years testing
This putter shined on short- and medium-length putts. Anything in the 10-foot range was stable, and the ball rolled online, but I struggled with distance control and feel on longer putts. The putter does not translate much feel into the hands.
Ryan
50, Handicap 10
8 years testing
The size and shape are certainly eye-catching. It's an acquired taste. The sound at impact is quiet, and the face imparts a pleasing end-over-end roll. For me, it performed too inconsistently on long putts, but I was lights out on the short ones.
Aaron
45, Handicap 16
1 year testing
Obviously unique looking, but it performs well. The appearance is something that takes getting used to, but I like the size of the face. Felt easy taking it back and through the ball. A nice consistent roll off the face. For me, better on short putts.
Jin
30, Handicap 10
2 years testing
I like the feel. It's soft at contact, but I can also sense when I mis-hit it. Forgiving, though, and doesn't sacrifice a lot of speed. As for the design, I don't love how it looks, how the face is really big and then tapers with this massive hole in the back. The performance, though, was almost everything I'm looking for.
Scott
38, Handicap 16
10+ years testing
From the grip to the head, the second you pull the putter back, it feels balanced. It does a terrific job of preventing any twisting or unwieldiness in your stroke. Through the ball, there's a satisfying click, and the roll is smooth and reliable.
Daniel
34, Handicap 11
6 years testing
Very stable. No twisting throughout the stroke. I'm not sure that non-traditional look is necessary anymore, though.
Ryan
47, Handicap 12
3 years testing
No surprise that it looks a little odd, but if you give it a chance, you're going to hole some putts. It's the type of putter you can put a repeatable stroke on. I love the heavy weight and the shaft-grip combo. Easy swinging.
Todd
62, Handicap 13
1 year testing
Delivered on the promise of a balanced putting instrument with a center shaft and an effective alignment aid. The ball had a tendency to come off the face at slightly different angles, and that contributed to wider dispersion than expected.
Shane
37, Handicap 12
6 years testing
It's a little unnerving having this much club in front of you to try to hit a putt with. Despite that, rolled a few putts exceptionally.
Timothy
46, Handicap 17
1 year testing
The fact I hit the ball as well as I did given that the shape of the club is somewhat distracting surprised me. It's a little firm on contact, but I could still control my distance fairly well.
Skylar
27, Handicap 7
3 years testing
The design is slightly jarring at first glance, but it performed well. It's pretty great in terms of weight balance. The face, the whole thing, is a sweet spot. Easy to align, and the center shaft suits my stroke.
Thomas
61, Handicap 7
10+ years testing
Fantastic technology idea, and I like how it's balanced. Almost everything rotates around the center shaft. The downside is that it didn't necessarily work for me and my stroke. I didn't make a whole lot of putts.
Paul
64, Handicap 6
10+ years testing
It's large and a bit cumbersome, but I really enjoyed how light it is, and the lightness brought a nice feel and touch to the putt.
Matt
28, Handicap 7
2 years testing
Effortless to hit the ball end over end. Allows you to control speed and keep it on a straight line. A nice sweet spot despite the unusual looks.
Wayne
61, Handicap 7
3 years testing
Lightweight but great energy off the face. With the zero torque, mis-hits still go fairly straight. You have to be careful not to use your hands because it's so light.
Anand
43, Handicap 6
10+ years testing
It's a money club. It was so consistent and helped me square the face incredibly well. It almost became second nature.
Andrew
40, Handicap 8
1 year testing
Mis-hits off the toe and heel performed very well. Good distance control. All I had to do was rock my shoulders, and I knew the face was going to stay square.
Sean
54, Handicap 6
9 years testing
Probably the best putter I tried. Easy to line up and rolls off the face so nice. It helps me because it's center-shafted, too. I just really like the way it feels. The dispersion on my putts was tight. An awesome performer.
Jamie
52, Handicap 7
3 years testing
You have to pay attention to how you place it down and line it up. But once you figure that out, the head is exceptionally balanced and stays on path every time.
Peter
58, Handicap 8
10+ years testing
I would call it silently assertive. It's unassuming yet confidence-inspiring. The insert feels fantastic. It has a soft feel but not too soft. You do get feedback as you move away from the center. But, again, the ball rolls true. Distance control was terrific.
Alejandra
27, Handicap 6
5 years testing
Once you get over how it looks, it's really good fun. I don't quite understand the technology behind the shape, but something's working. It's powerful yet soft. Enough sound to let me know I'm hitting a solid stroke but muted enough to where it will never distract you. The more I used it, the more confidence I gained.
Robert
29, Handicap +2
2 years testing
This has a firmer feel at impact. I don't typically go for a putter with a non-traditional design like this, but it looked good at address, framed the ball nicely and came off the face the same pretty much every time.
Jack
36, Handicap 1
3 years testing
Great weighted putter in your hands. Heavy with a soft feel. Gives you a nice balance. When making a stroke, it stays on path. Dispersion was fantastic. Great on pace putts. Also, found it easy to line up on the shorter ones.
Wesley
31, Handicap 4
3 years testing
I know the intention of the L.A.B. putters are to be extremely stable for a square-to-square stroke. However, because I have an arc in my stroke, this putter feels off balance throughout the motion, like the face is idling between open and close.
Jason
49, Handicap 0
10+ years testing
I understand a large mallet that's center-shafted can have value for people with unsteady putting strokes, but if you're a good putter with a specific kind of action, then you might end up fighting the putter as opposed to letting it help.
Megan
40, Handicap 0
2 years testing
Felt really easy to putt with. Minimal effort on my part. One thing that surprised me is that the alignment is minimal. Many of these putters have way too many lines. This one had one simple line, and that made it easy to get the ball in position correctly.
Alan
31, Handicap 3
2 years testing
Looks like an octopus from above. If you're a traditionalist, this is pretty extreme visually. However, it was soft and quiet off the face, and lining it up was effortless.
Ricky
47, Handicap 0
10+ years testing
As stable a putter as you can find. As effective as you would want. Great on short, mid-range and long putts—once you trust it.
BK
42, Handicap 2
10+ years testing
It comes off the face so well that you get used to the looks pretty quickly.
NO REVIEWS
There are no tester reviews here.
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$260
Compared to single-piece milled versions in the company’s line, these models feature a resilient face material to provide more forgiveness.
The polymer material in the face, known as Pebax, is found in running shoes and stretches the width of the face to provide a consistent energy transfer and soft feel.
The array of models accommodates arcing strokes (Oslo 3, Prime Tyne 4) and those with a straighter move (Craz-E, DS72, Prime Tyne C).
18 / 20
PXG
Battle Ready II
$390
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$390
These high-stability models feature extra mass on the perimeter because of a hollow-body design.
A polymer like the one used in the company’s irons fills the central interior of each design, providing a weight-saving soft, responsive feel.
The hollow body is milled from 303 stainless steel.
19 / 20
PXG
ZT Series
$450
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$450
The internal weighting and distinctive hosel shaping balance the head’s center of gravity with the shaft axis to improve consistency during the stroke.
In this version of zero torque, the head’s center of gravity is just inside the shaft’s connection point, reducing the torque on the head and face angle and placing the putter in a toe-up position. The center of gravity helps the club stay square to the path with little need for the hands to rotate the face back online.
The Allan ZT and Bat Attack ZT use an S-shaped hosel that positions the shaft axis in line with the center of gravity. The angle of the hosel realigns the hands into a forward press, making the straight-back, straight-through stroke more natural.
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SBx/SKx
$425
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$425
A heavy steel face paired with a lightweight aluminum body positions the shaft almost directly over the center of gravity, creating a head that naturally returns to square with little to no extra hand action at impact.
With parallel pronged wings, the curved SKx and straighter SBx naturally sit toe-up, making it easier to align the face square to the stroke.
Each model features the company’s alignment system. By aligning the shaft and a red dot on the heel side of the flange, golfers know the putter face is aligned properly, and the sole is flat on the ground to increase the opportunity for solid contact.