Equipment
Charl Schwartzel switches putters after a phone call with Adam Scott
It seems that Adam Scott’s recent putter switch is having a bit of a domino effect on the PGA Tour.
As recently covered on GolfWRX and PGATOUR.com, Scott switched to an L.A.B. Golf “Mezz.1” proto putter head in a broomstick-length version ahead of the 2022 WM Phoenix Open.
The recent Mezz.1 design from L.A.B. capitalizes on the company’s unique Lie Angle Balance design philosophy that helps to reduce torque throughout the stroke and keep it square to the arc of the putter. According to Scott, the new winged head shape from L.A.B. is more appealing than the company’s original Directed Force head design.
Scott’s version of the putter looks a little bit different than the new stock offerings, because he needed more weights on the sole to achieve the correct weight in his elongated putter.
Fellow PGA Tour player Charl Schwartzel, apparently, not only took notice to Scott’s switch, but he sought out his advice on it, too.
Speaking with GolfWRX on Tuesday ahead of the 2022 Honda Classic, Schwartzel said that he’s believed in L.A.B. Golf’s technology for awhile, but he spoke to Scott following the Aussie’s switch and finally decided he needed to try one for himself.
Schwartzel, who’s been struggling recently to find a putter he can play for the long-term, will be bagging the Mezz.1 putter this week at the Honda.
“Sam (Hahn, CEO of L.A.B. Golf) sent me a picture of the putter quite a while back and Adam Scott started using it, so I chatted to Adam and he liked it,” Schwartzel told GolfWRX. “So then I phoned Sam and asked him, ‘Will you make me a putter? I’m not putting very well.’ He brought me one out on Monday. This week is the first time I saw it in real life.
“I’ve always believed in Sam’s technology. He’s a perfectionist, so everything he does, it needs to be absolutely perfect. I mean the technology behind this putter’s amazing.”
Since a huge part of L.A.B. Golf’s technology is based around getting the weight correct in order to be perfectly balanced based on the lie angle, Hahn and Schwartzel worked together on Tuesday to get the weight in the sole correct. In the end, they landed on the stock eight-weight sole with a strip of lead tape added to the heel portion.
It looks a bit different than Scott’s custom raw aluminum head, but Schwartzel’s black version is meant to work the same way: reduce torque and allow the golfer to stroke the ball freely with their preferred stroke. He also opted for the dot sightline instead of Scott’s top line.
“I think it putts easier than any other putter because if you look on the arc of a stroke, it can basically stroke a ball by itself,” Schwartzel said. “No other putter can do that. So, if you’re comfortable letting it go like that, it does it basically by itself. It’s very well balanced and it feels good. It’s very sensitive to lie angle, though; you need to get the exact lie angle.”
For Schwartzel, he’ll be using a 70-degree lie angle at 35 inches and a swing weight of E9 with an LA Golf shaft and a L.A.B. Golf Press No.2.m grip this week.
We’ll keep an eye on how his performance changes on the greens.
Check out more photos of the putter, and the rest of Schwartzel’s mixed bag of clubs here.
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Whats in the Bag
Taylor Pendrith’s winning WITB: 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Driver: Ping G430 LST (9 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Accra TZ Six ST
3-wood: Ping G430 Max (15 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green 80 6.5 TX
7-wood: Ping G425 Max (20.5 degrees) Buy here.
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green 90 6.5 TX
Irons: Srixon ZX (2, 3) Buy here, Srixon ZX7 Mk II (4-9) Buy here.
Shafts: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 6.5 90, 6.5 100 (2-3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Cleveland RTX 6 Tour Rack (46-10 Mid, 52-10 Mid, 56-10 Mid, 60-9 Full) Buy here.
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Putter: Odyssey Jailbird Versa Buy here.
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Flatso 1.0
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
The winning WITB is presented by 2nd Swing Golf. 2nd Swing has more than 100,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
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Whats in the Bag
Ben Kohles WITB 2024 (May)
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X
Hybrid: Titleist TSR3 (19 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue HB 9 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (4, 5), Titleist 620 CB (6-9)
Shafts: Project X 6.0
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (46-10F, 50-12F, 54-12D, 60)
Shafts: Project X 6.0
Putter: Scotty Cameron P5 prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Check out more in-hand photos of Ben Kohles’ clubs in the forums.
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Whats in the Bag
Kris Kim WITB 2024 (May)
- Kris Kim what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. More photos from the event here.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @7)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 60 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (15 degrees @13.5)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 73 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (2, 4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120 X
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-09SB, 56-12SB, 60-11TW)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 WV 125
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Check out more in-hand photos of Kris Kim’s equipment here.
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Nick
Apr 21, 2022 at 6:56 pm
Lead tape on a LAB putter? lol
Bob
Feb 25, 2022 at 11:06 am
Doesn’t Edel and Axis make the same toe up/torque balanced type of putter?
Sam
Mar 2, 2022 at 9:03 am
Same family but we’ve taken it quite a few steps further. Search the lab website for “torque revolution” and you can see direct comparisons.
Jeff
Jul 30, 2022 at 12:10 am
Hi Sam, How many grams is the head weight on the ‘heavy’ mezz max? And will LAB sell their putters on golf galaxy anytime soon? best,J
BobbyN
Feb 24, 2022 at 5:59 pm
Great putter! I’ve used it and it works.
Garrett
Feb 23, 2022 at 7:20 pm
LAB has made the best putter out there for YEARS. Literally every other manufacturer makes an inferior product IMO. Glad they are finally getting some recognition!!
Bard
Feb 23, 2022 at 10:28 pm
Couldn’t agree more!