The Directed Force 2.1 is the flagship putter of L.A.B. Golf. There is a lot of chatter about this lie-angle balanced putter so we wanted to see whether it could compete against the best mallet putters of 2022.

As you will see, there is some excellent performance from this putter from 20 feet and, although we know it may not be the prettiest one out there, some bonus points are earned for functionality.

L.A.B. Golf Directed Force 2.1 Putter Details

We tested the L.A.B. Golf Directed Force 2.1 putter as part of our Best mallet putters in 2022 test. When considering ties, the Directed Force 2.1 took 10th place. The putter features the same technology that L.A.B. Golf has implemented in all of its putters: face angle technology. L.A.B. stands for “lie angle balance.” If you struggle with excess putter head rotation, the Directed Force 2.1 will help. Combining this with the alignment technology, the putter is supposed to make putting considerably easier. 

Players looking for a pendulum-style stroke with improved distance control will find the L.A.B. Golf Directed Force 2.1 a smart choice. The integrated forward-press technology promotes proper hand position. Ultimately, the larger muscles are incorporated into the stroke.

The 6061 aircraft aluminum putter head was also heat-treated to provide a consistent feel. You can choose between black, blue or red if you go the custom route. The alignment lines on the top of the golf putter look quite a bit like the Triple Track design on a Callaway golf ball.

Pros

• Integrated forward press
• Customization options
• Three alignment lines
• Lie angle balanced for very little head rotation
• Consistent distance control from 20 feet
• Good feel and consistent roll

Cons

• Hard to align on shorter putts
• Strange -looking clubhead takes time to get used to
• Some golfers feel it sets up open for the shorter putts

How We Test 

In testing the best mallet putters of 2022, we analyzed 27 putters. A total of 12,000 putts were taken and each was analyzed and recorded to collect data. We studied putters at five, 10 and 20 feet and picked a winner for each category. If you compare results from our previous mallet putter testing, you will notice that this year’s test focuses on making one-putts from 5, 10 and 20 feet. 

L.A.B. Golf Directed Force 2.1 Putter Review

The L.A.B. Golf Directed Force 2.1 was ranked 10th overall, scoring 83.10/100. As you will see from the individual scores from each distance, the L.A.B. Golf Directed Force 2.1 putter shines in the 20-foot range.

Performance From Five Feet 

From five feet, the L.A.B. Golf Directed Force 2.1 took 15th place, the worst of all the categories and one of the worst in our 2022 mallet putter testing. The problem we discovered with the five-foot range is that the putter has just too much going on. First, the design should allow for a square face throughout the stroke but the putter sets up a bit open. Secondly, the alignment lines make it hard to get the putter on track from a short distance. Ultimately, testers struggled with consistency from this range.

Performance From 10 Feet 

The 10-foot putt range reflected slightly improved performance with jump to 10th place. 

Performance From 20 Feet 

From 20 feet, the L.A.B. Golf Directed Force 2.1 finished second with impressive distance control, feel and consistency. This is a club worth considering if you struggle with consistency on longer putts.

Although the performance from five feet is not nearly as strong as others in the test, a few of the testers mentioned that they could get used to the funky alignment on the short putts.

Overall 

The results from 20 feet redeemed the L.A.B. Golf Directed Force 2.1. A second-place finish from the 20-foot mark indicates lie-angle balancing technology may help golfers struggling with the unwanted rotation of the putter head. If you have a straight-back and straight-through stroke and are looking to make your game more consistent, the L.A.B. Golf Directed Force 2.1 would be one to look at.

Tester Feedback

Here is some specific tester feedback about L.A.B. Golf Directed Force 2.1: 

• Good feel
• Alignment is helpful on long putts but not as much on short putts.
• Putter sets up open
• Couldn’t get it lined up correctly on a short putt
• Really impressive distance control
• Felt smooth considering the look and the size
• Felt a bit light to some players (custom weighting is available)
• Rolls well off the face

Bottom Line 

The L.A.B. Golf Directed Force 2.1 performs as advertised. From the 20-foot range, the putter face stays stable, has limited rotation and will help you control distance. However, the overall look is a bit funky. It took our testers some time to get used to. Undoubtedly, for a smaller brand working its way up, it competed pretty well in the 2022 mallet test. 

FAQ

Is the L.A.B. Golf Directed Force 2.1 worth it?

The best thing about the L.A.B. Golf Directed Force 2.1 is its performance from 20 feet. If you are working to keep the face angle square from long range, the putter is well worth the money.

L.A.B. Golf Directed Force 2.1 vs. Mezz.1—Which is better?

In the 2022 Mallet Putter test, the L.A.B. Golf Directed Force 2.1 had a slightly better overall finish than the Mezz.1. Interestingly, the Directed Force 2.1 is stronger on long putts and the Mezz.1 is stronger on short putts. Maybe L.A.B. Golf will figure out a way to marry the two in 2023.

Is a L.A.B. Golf Putter for high handicappers?

Any golfer can use the L.A.B. Golf putters and can order them customized to their requirements. L.A.B. Golf allows you to complete the process on their website and provides data of your putting stroke to help with the putter build-out.

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It should come as no surprise that we like “labs” here at MyGolfSpy. Having built our own golf testing lab, it’s fun to see an upstart brand like L.A.B. competes against the biggest names in the game. We put the L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 putter to the test to see how it did against the competition.

L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 Putter Details

We tested the L.A.B .Golf Mezz.1 putter as part of our Best Mallet Putters of 2022 test. It ranked 12th overall amid mixed feedback from our testers. The thing that helps all L.A.B. putters stand out is the 100-percent lie angle balanced (thus L.A.B.) design. The idea behind the lie angle balanced putter is more consistency, more forgiveness and less work on the part of the golfer. 

The club head is fully CNC machined from a 6061 aircraft aluminum body and 303 stainless steel midsection. There are 10 weights that can be customized to fit the exact needs of your putting stroke. With the Mezz.1, you will get quite a bit of feedback which is good for the golfers that want to make adjustments. The Mezz.1 allows more feedback than the Directed Force from L.A.B. Golf but less than the B.2.

Pros

• Lie angle balanced design
• Durable aircraft aluminum
• Can be custom built
• Impressive feedback
• Easy to use alignment aids

Cons

• Design is different looking and didn’t appeal to many of the testers
• Distance control on the longer putts was lacking
• Center-shafted design is not for everyone

How We Test 

The L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 was part of our 2022 Most Wanted Mallet Putter test comprising 27 putters. There were 12,000 putts taken. We analyzed putters at five, 10 and 20 feet and picked a winner for each of these categories. Slightly different than with previous golf putter tests, we did this one with the main focus on making a one-putt.

L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 Putter Review

The L.A.B. Golf Mezz. 1 was ranked 12th overall with a score of 80.66/100.. However, there is kind of an outlier in the Mezz.1 performance that is worth taking a look at. 

Performance From Five Feet 

From five feet, the L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 is solid. In fact, this was its best performance. At the five-foot mark, the Mezz.1 earned a third-place overall. Golfers felt the alignment was solid and the putter did what it needed to do from this range. For golfers who struggle with those knee-knockers, the L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 could be a game changer.

Performance From 10 Feet 

At the 10-foot mark, the L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 was tied for seventh with a score of 82.8. One of the complaints was that it looks a bit funky, like too much was done with the putter head. It makes sense that, from five feet, you can use what you need to get the ball in the hole, but at 10 feet, the look of the putter starts to feel a bit off at times. 

Performance From 20 Feet 

From 20 feet, the Mezz.1 from L.A.B. Golf struggled. It placed tied for 12th with a ranking of 58.80/100. The problem that golfers had was not necessarily alignment but more distance control. The center-shafted design helps keep the putter stable on those short putts but, from further away, the consistency really fell. 

Overall 

As you see, the L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 is a mix of the good, the bad and the ugly. From five feet, it’s excellent. From 10 feet, it’s mediocre but from 20, it got a bit ugly. If you hit the ball close to the pin all the time, this should be of no concern. The overall ranking for L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 was 12th and that is primarily because of its distance control issues. 

Tester Feedback

Here is some of the most helpful feedback from our testers about the L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1:

• Good feel on short putts
• Alignment can be a little off, not as easy to align as some other putters in this test
• The ball comes off the face of the putter nicely.
• The forward press was just enough to help with a more pure roll.
• The putter head is a bit funky and it took some time to get used to.
• A more streamlined look would have been preferred.

Bottom Line 

The L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 had some tough competition in the 2022 mallet putter test. The overall consensus here is that L.A.B. Golf is on to something from the 10-foot and under range but the overall distance control on longer putts still needs work. 

FAQ

Are L.A.B. putters any good?

L.A.B. putters are good. They are a newer brand and very into customization, fitting and player preferences. We like that L.A.B. goes out on a limb with some of their designs and models, even if they missed the mark on the long putts with this Mezz.1.

Which L.A.B. putter is best?

The best L.A.B. Golf putter, according to our 2022 Best Mallet putter test, was the Directed Force which finished two spots higher than the Mezz.1.

Do any pros use L.A.B. putters?

Adam Scott was using the Directed Force for a bit but there is not too much talk of these being widely distributed across the PGA TOUR. That may change over time.

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