LAB Golf LINK1 Putter

Where the old meets the new. A constant struggle throughout the history of golf. Classic designs take hold of players’ hearts, and regardless of the advantages and improvements new technologies bring to the table, moving on from their favored styles can be really tough. LAB Golf, known for making some wild and futuristic putters, was well aware of this and aimed to bring their advanced modern technology to a classic putter design beloved by golfers for decades. They did this with the creation of the new LAB Golf LINK1 putter – a very familiar blade profile featuring Lie Angle Balance technology to keep the face square at impact.

The Looks

Standing over the ball, the LAB Golf LINK1 putter has the familiar profile of an Anser blade. Of course, it doesn’t take long for the LINK1 to take on its own unique look. First, the plumber’s neck is more toward the center of the head so the LINK1 plays more like a center-shaft blade. Then there are the weights in the shoulders that can’t be missed. These weights are crucial to the balance of the putter and keeping it square. Last but not least from the address position are the alignment aid options. I went with the basic dot, but there are seven other options depending on your preference.

Flip the putter over and you’ll find a pretty clean “tri sole” with more weights. In the cavity of the putter, there are dancing LAB logos of varying sizes for a nice little touch of character. At the time of writing this review, the LINK1 is only available in this satin stainless finish pictured here. There are multiple custom shaft options, including black or white ACCRA shafts made specifically for LAB Golf.

How Does it Feel?

As with all LAB Golf putters, the LINK1 has an extremely smooth and balanced feel. The concept behind Lie Angle Balance technology is that putters naturally want to twist during a putting stroke, but the design of all LAB’s putters makes it so they don’t want to make that motion. From my experience, this makes the putter feel smoother and takes a lot of noise out of the stroke. The LINK.1 blade putter is no exception. Add in extra stability from the graphite ACCRA shaft (or BGT Stability should you choose) and the LINK1 has a really nice balance and quiet feel throughout the stroke.

The feel from the ball striking the face is firm, yet muted. Horizontal lines milled into sweet spot area of the face definitely dampen the impact, but there’s still enough face response so you know where you hit the ball. That response will help in your distance control while still feeling clean in your hands.

How Does it Sound?

I always hesitate to throw this one around when describing putter sounds, but it really does describe the LAB Golf LINK1 well. “Tock”. That muted, yet responsive feel mentioned above really reflects well in its sound. As you move further away from the center of the face on mishits, the tone “clicks” up a bit more. I’m not an expert in acoustic engineering, but I imagine a lot of the dampening is a result of the bolted spud adding some extra mass behind the face. In my opinion, the LINK1 has a really good sound for a blade putter of this style.

On-Course Performance

Most of the LAB LINK1’s performance benefits come from the areas we’ve already discussed. The Lie Angle Balance technology keeps the putter extremely well balanced so it’s easy to keep the face square at impact. This in turn makes it easy to hit your spots and be more accurate on a consistent basis. I did find that it took me a little time to adjust to the putter for two major reasons. First, the shaft position. I’m not used to a center-shafted blade so I had to adjust both visually and with my hands. Second, how quiet the head is during the stroke. I guess I never realized how much energy I spend “controlling” the putter head with a blade. In this case, I didn’t have to and I had to account for that “lack of activity” during the putting stroke.

That also brings me to another point about the grip. LAB Golf wanted the LINK1 to be an easy switch for blade users. Rather than offer their Press grips which promote forward press to accommodate their mallet models, LAB Golf recommends NOT using a Press grip and sticking with a traditional style. I went with the “Simple Rubber” grip and found it to accommodate the design of the LINK1 just fine.

Final Thoughts – LAB Golf LINK1 Putter

LAB Golf designed the LINK1 putter “for every golfer that loves the idea of using this timeless putter shape but doesn’t make enough putts with it”. I like that idea. Does that mean everyone needs it? Of course not, but it’s definitely a compelling option. Players that are really particular about using blade putters, but could definitely use some help with their consistency and accuracy may find the LINK1 does the trick. I felt that the LINK1 putter really helped in those areas once I got adjusted to it, and  it’s much easier on the eyes. At the end of the day, the LAB Golf LINK1 will provide a more appealing option for traditionalists seeking the benefits of Lie Angle Balance technology on the greens.

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