LAB Golf OZ.1 Putter
If there’s been one brand to burst onto the golf scene and turn more heads in a short period of time in the modern era than LAB Golf, I’m not sure who it is. One might even say LAB Golf has stormed onto the golf scene like a tornado, leaving everyone wondering, “who the hell are these guys and what’s with these weird putters?!” Well, the rapid adoption of the weird and forgiving shapes at all levels of play has certainly validated that the brand is onto something more than just some quirky ideas. Following this rapid success, LAB Golf has been working alongside Adam Scott since early 2023 to develop something more in line with the preferences of world class golfers while retaining the performance benefits of Lie Angle Balance technology. The end result is the “half moon” mallet LAB Golf OZ.1 putter.
The LAB OZ.1 is being offered in both a single-body aluminum option and a stainless steel insert option called the OZ.1i. Featuring a “mechanically bonded to a fly-milled, medium-depth stainless steel insert”, the OZ.1i offers a firmer feel. Those that prefer the softer feel of LAB’s one-piece aluminum bodies will find the “regular” OZ.1 quite familiar. Additionally, both OZ.1 putters are available with LAB’s 2º shaft lean as well as a new 0º vertical lean option. Of course, the OZ.1 will be widely customizable in different colors, alignment aids, weights, shafts, and grips as usual.
The Looks
Being LAB Golf is widely known for their super weird looking putters, the OZ.1 comes across fairly tame. Though it’s a more traditional half-moon mallet shape, there are still some sharper lines giving it a more “geometric” modern appearance. It almost reminds me of some sort of instrument that might be used to detect something on the moon. But I digress, the OZ.1 is far and away the easiest LAB mallet to look at behind the ball and is much more appealing to the eye.
I found the difference at address between the 0º and 2º lean is quite significant as well. If you struggled previously with the shaft going into the head in an almost “rear shafted” position like I did, the 0º option really addresses this well. It’s early days, but I could see myself getting along with the 0º shaft lean much better in the long term.
Not counting the limited edition Adam Scott version, the OZ.1 putter will be available in eight different colors. Those are black, red, blue, orange, green, pink, grey, and cappuccino. You will also be able to select from a wide range of different alignment aids. I’m not sure what the total number is as of writing this, but the DF3 offered over thirty different options so I imagine it will be similar. To top it all off, you can also choose between white and black shafts in all non-steel options.
How Does it Feel?
First and foremost is the balance of the LAB Golf OZ.1 putter(s). When you have the right specs on these putters, they really feel like they do most of the stability/control work themselves. You’re just on the hook for reading the lines and speed. This is where I implore you to make sure you get a fitting so you get the correct specs to realize all of the balance benefits. If a local fitting isn’t an option, you can use LAB’s remote fitting process here. I will vouch for this process, so no excuses!
Both the 2º and 0º shaft lean configurations feel really stable. That said, I thought the 2º seemed to have more of that “lie angle balance magic” that you’ve heard so much about. The combination of the shaft angle and Press grip, to me, is so much of what makes LAB putters special. That’s not to say that 0º shaft lean doesn’t have any of the magic. In a lot of ways, the more familiar visual down to the putter head and feel in your hands makes up for that difference. Like I mentioned in the Looks section, the 0º option is really clicking with me and my putting confidence.
Then, of course, we need to discuss the stainless steel insert of the OZ.1. This is new to LAB Golf and a very different “feel” experience from previous models. While I can’t vouch for the non-insert OZ.1, I would assume the feel at impact is similar to previous one-piece aluminum bodies like the DF3. I’ve always found those to feel nice, but now that I’ve felt the stainless steel in the OZ.1, I very much prefer this. Admittedly, feel is pretty subjective. The stainless steel is more responsive and gives better feedback in the hands.
How Does it Sound?
Getting the right sound was a major focus in the development of the LAB Golf OZ.1 with Adam Scott. The combination of the stainless steel mid-depth fly milling makes the sound a bit more “present”, but nowhere near “clicky”. The term “tock” in reference to putter sound gets thrown around pretty loosely, but it truly is the best descriptor here. It’s moderately muted, but there’s enough there to give you a pleasant awareness of where you struck the putter face. Should you venture away from the sweet spot, the sound does get a bit more clicky.
Though I can’t speak for the non-insert OZ.1, I would assume it’s similar to the DF3 for the most part. The softer aluminum results in a muted “tick” at impact. A big difference with the OZ.1, however, is that it has a more “solid” body. As such, you should experience less vibration on a miss at impact. I noted on the DF3 review that misses toward the ends could get a little tuning fork-ish. I don’t imagine that will be the case with the all aluminum OZ.1 putter.
On-Course Performance
The common theme I’ve realized in LAB Golf putters is their ability to do the work for you. (Again, I can’t stress enough how important it is to have it fit your specs to fully benefit…) LAB has identified that getting the right combination of weighting and lie angle greatly reduces the putter’s natural inclination to twist during the putting stroke. This makes the putter much easier to keep square, but it also helps produce a tight and true end-over-end roll on the the ball. That’s exactly the experience I had with the OZ.1. In fact, I would even say that the OZ.1 produced one of the better rolls I’ve seen from a putter. Certainly in my top 5. Maybe it’s the new milled stainless steel face?
Now, I’ll be honest. I felt the lie angle balance benefits were more noticeable with the 2º shaft lean and Press grip combo. I could get overly handsy and the putter seemed to always return back to square and produce a tight roll. While both putters were impressively stable, the 2º was definitely the more forgiving of the two for me.
Final Thoughts – LAB Golf OZ.1 Putter
The LAB Golf OZ.1 is a significant step forward for the brand, blending more traditional aesthetics with their innovative approach to putting stability. Its balanced design and customizable approach offer golfers a personalized putting experience that could improve their scores quite a bit. Whether you prefer the feel of the aluminum or the enhanced feedback of the stainless steel insert, the OZ.1 delivers exceptional performance and a refined look. LAB has certainly won over a lot of golfers with their unique putters, but the OZ.1 is poised to expand the brand’s fan base significantly.
