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WRX Spotlight: L.A.B. Golf BLaD Putter

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L.A.B. Golf putters have been a cult hit for quite some time now. They offer a unique fitting process designed by engineers to make sure each golfer get a putter build just for them—it’s called Lie Angle Balancing.

The company on Lie Angle Balancing:

“It’s perhaps best defined as the putter head’s ability to stay square through the ball during the putting stroke without any adjustments from your hands. The result — the body’s smaller and less reliable muscle groups relax, allowing a player’s stronger muscles to maintain control over swing speed and path. Lie-angle balancing creates a “pendulum-like” stroke with unmatched stability, ball direction and distance control.”

“Every putter we manufacture has our proprietary lie-angle balancing formula built-in, ensuring our players achieve the pure putting stroke they desire — and sink more putts!”

Their original design is the Directed Force now in version 2.1.

We all know that shape and appearance from address is almost as important as the fit itself so L.A.B. Golf has introduced its second design (now available in Stainless Steel) that offers all of the technology advances of Lie Angle Balancing but in a much smaller package.

This is the L.A.B. Golf BLàD.

Looks: When it comes to putters I’m all over the map, I’ve used everything from large mallets to traditional Anser-styles with success. Regardless of putter style one of the most important factors (for me)  is alignment and with my right eye dominance the shorter the line the better I set up. For me, the BLàD is VERY easy to line up because of if very squared-off look from address. If you prefer some onset then, this could be an even bigger winner. The sole shape is drafted in such a way that it wants to get square as soon as you set it down, and thanks to the lie angle fitting you should get with this putter is helps you get into the perfect position every time you address the ball.

Performance: Getting used to the feel of the stroke with the BLàD was interesting. It feels like the face really wants to stay online which is pretty cool. The putter also comes stock with its proprietary Press Grip that creates a forward press without having to adjust your natural setup—this also makes getting used to it a LOT easier.

Feel: This part is obviously going to be very subjective. I found that for me, even using a premium ball that it was a little firm. I think for many used to an insert putter it would take some getting used to but overall it’s by no means harsh—just SOLID. I think that if there was one thing that could be done to improve the sound, it would be the addition of traditional mill marks on the face to help damped the sound at impact.

Overall, I really like the L.A.B. BLàD design. It’s a straight forward looking putter packed with a bunch of well-engineered technology to help any golfer that goes through their fitting process the opportunity to drain more putts. If you are looking for more info on L.A.B. Golf, the BLáD putter, of the Direct Force design check out their website L.A.B. GOLF

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Ryan Barath is a club-fitter & master club builder with more than 17 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. He is the former Build Shop Manager & Social Media Coordinator for Modern Golf. He now works independently from his home shop and is a member of advisory panels to a select number of golf equipment manufacturers. You can find Ryan on Twitter and Instagram where he's always willing to chat golf, and share his passion for club building, course architecture and wedge grinding.

17 Comments

17 Comments

  1. Samuel Rainey

    Mar 27, 2020 at 1:34 pm

    Very solid putter. I have a DF 2.1 and love it but the Blad 1 is great feel look etc. doubters should watch videos on YouTube or LAB site on how this technology works

  2. HKO

    Aug 30, 2019 at 4:07 am

    grip is not installed correct

  3. JimmyRay

    Aug 28, 2019 at 6:23 pm

    I am also wondering how this technology differs from a well-fit center shaft putter like a Seemore or Edel…

  4. Samuel Rainey

    Aug 28, 2019 at 4:55 pm

    Get over the looks the Original DF 2.1 is strange but so was the Big Bertha compared to my persimmon driver but it worked so everyone flocked to it. Give it a chance the engineering is there. I haven’t tried the BLaD because I’m very happy with my 2.1 much more MOI on long putts.

  5. Milo

    Aug 28, 2019 at 4:20 pm

    Why does your comment system suck so much?

    • Tiger Noods

      Aug 28, 2019 at 6:11 pm

      Because this is a paid article, and they don’t like people saying how silly it is.

      • JP

        Aug 28, 2019 at 10:06 pm

        And the site owners/staff all get freebies from these companies…

      • Milo

        Aug 29, 2019 at 10:05 am

        I mean, kinja is better than this and that’s saying something.

  6. Eric Hutchens

    Aug 28, 2019 at 2:41 pm

    I would try it. Looks like SeeMore and Edel Brick made a baby!

    • Funkaholic

      Aug 28, 2019 at 4:06 pm

      My thoughts exactly! That’s not a bad thing.

  7. jm

    Aug 28, 2019 at 1:48 pm

    looks a lot like a seemore

  8. DB

    Aug 28, 2019 at 1:39 pm

    I like the idea of them having a blade option, but this is just too weird looking.

    Their mallet is huge but it at least has some flow to it and looks finished. The blade looks like an unfinished prototype or something. I’m not sure how to explain it.

  9. Tester

    Aug 28, 2019 at 1:17 pm

    The Lab Golf stuff is AMAZING! It nearly strokes itself. You literally have to mess it up. It would be nice for it to look a little better but THERE IS NO DOUBT IT WORKS. Quite possibly the best putter I have ever used…. and I even invented my own.

    • Frank Diaz

      Aug 28, 2019 at 5:54 pm

      What position at this company do you hold?

    • Adam

      Sep 6, 2019 at 8:20 am

      ” It nearly strokes itself.”

      Best comment by far

  10. BO BO

    Aug 28, 2019 at 12:33 pm

    $400 bucks for one of these monstrosities. The cost of golf equipment is starting to get ridiculous.

  11. JP

    Aug 28, 2019 at 11:45 am

    No thanks!

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Whats in the Bag

Rasmus Højgaard WITB 2024 (April)

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  • Rasmus Højgaard what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.

Driver: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue 60 TX

3-wood: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Prototype (16.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX

Utility: Callaway Apex UW (21 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw White 85 TX

Irons: Callaway Apex Pro (3), Callaway X Forged (4-PW)
Shafts: KBS $-Taper 130

Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw (52-10S, 56-10S, 60-06C)
Shafts: KBS Tour 130 X

Putter: Odyssey Ai One Milled Eight T DB

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

Check out more in-hand photos of Hojgaard in the forums.

 

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Whats in the Bag

Rory McIlroy WITB 2024 (April)

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  • Rory McIlroy what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. 

Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X

5-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 9 X

Irons: TaylorMade Proto (4), TaylorMade Rors Proto (5-9)
Shaft: Project X 7.0 (4-9)

Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (46-09SB, 50-09SB, 54-11SB), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks (58-K @59)
Shafts: Project X 6.5 (46-54), Project X 6.5 Wedge (60)

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X3
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Pistol Tour

Ball: 2024 TaylorMade TP5x

Grips: Golf Pride MCC

Check out more in-hand photos of Rory McIlroy’s WITB in the forums.

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Equipment

Spotted: Nate Lashley’s Ping PLD “Wolverine” putter

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Ping PLD putters have been a very common site on profesional tours. Pros seem to gravitate toward the PLD line’s custom options and precision milling. We have seen the PLD line expanded over the years, but we haven’t seen too many, if any, large mallets.

This week we spotted a PLD putter in Nate Lashley’s bag that has a similar look to the old Ping Wolverine head shape. This putter is a large mallet with the famous “claws” on the outside and oval center that housed the alignment aid.

Nick’s putter has the PLD logo on the back but also looks like it might have an insert installed on the face. It is hard to tell but at the address picture, it looks like the face is a lighter material than the rest of the putters. The putter is center-shafted and should be face-balanced with a high MOI for stability and forgiveness on mishits. The sole is completely milled and has no markings of name or technologies that might be present in the head. A single white site line is on the top of the putter for alignment.

Nick’s putter is finished off with a chrome steel shaft and a Super Stroke Zenergy Flatso 2.0 grip in black and white.

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