Paul Liberatore is the founder of Golfers Authority, which reviews the world's best golf products and gear. This post contains affiliate links, where we may receive a percentage of any sale made from the links on this page. Prices and availability are accurate as of the time of publication.
L.A.B. unveiled its new OZ.1i HS Putter, and I don't say this often, but this thing really is genius. Here's what L.A.B. attempted to pull off: a perfectly balanced heel-shafted putter that looks like a traditional putter. That's quite a hook, but here's the real question: does it actually work? I recently had the opportunity to visit L.A.B.'s headquarters in Oregon to get fitted and test the new OZ.1i HS to see if it really is the best putter to buy right now.
The stock model retails for $499, and custom builds begin at $599. To build it, they take an aluminum body and mechanically fuse it to a precision fly-milled stainless steel face. That means they're combining two different metals to achieve the perfect weight balance. You'll find this exact same setup in the standard OZ.1i.
Then it gets interesting. To keep the heel-shafted putter perfectly balanced, L.A.B. uses a special aluminum riser. Think of it like a connector piece; it links the shaft to the head while maintaining that all-important Lie Angle Balance ("L.A.B.") the company is famous for. You have 10 different riser options, with lie angles ranging from 65 to 74 degrees. That means whether you're 5'2" or 6'5", you can dial in the perfect fit for your putting stance and stroke.
Here's the thing about lie angle: each degree of adjustment actually matters. It changes how the putter's sole sits on the ground when you address the ball. Get the wrong lie angle, and you'll consistently push or pull putts without even knowing why. During my fitting, we could see how different risers affected my putts. It was like watching the pieces of a puzzle click together.
The coolest part: when you order the Custom OZ.1i HS, you receive L.A.B. Golf's best-in-class fitting options. You'll choose everything, your lie angle, length, head weight, even the color scheme. Want a blue riser to match your bag? You got it. Need custom alignment markings to fit your eye, a specific shaft with your preferred lean, or a perfect grip you've been using for years? They'll build it exactly how you want it.
Whether you go stock or custom though, every single L.A.B. putter gets hand-balanced and assembled in Oregon. Your putter goes through up to 10 different production stages, with real people checking quality at each step. I've seen this process myself, and let me tell you, this putter isn't just pulled off a rack or made in an overseas factory. Each one is carefully assembled specifically for your game.
L.A.B. has become one of golf's most exciting brands over the past few years. I understand why some people are concerned about the private equity firm buying a majority stake for $200 million back in July. But Sam Hahn, L.A.B.'s CEO, told me directly that they're not changing anything about their products that matter to us golfers.
Even with the private equity backing, L.A.B. remains focused on what made them successful: building putters that help regular golfers. Their new OZ.1i heel-shafted model proves they're still innovating for players like us.
So if you're on the fence, wondering if the L.A.B. OZ.1i HS putter is worth the investment, I can tell you without a doubt that it's a great choice you want to make more putts. What golfer doesn't want that?
This article was originally published on www.si.com as L.A.B. Golf's New Putter Is Its Boldest Creation Yet.