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L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i HS putter review – Club Junkie Reviews

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L.A.B. Golf is one of the fastest-growing equipment manufacturers in the game. The company’s Lie Angle Balance technology has really resonated with golfers, and many have found tons of success with the putters. Lie Angle Balance is a combination of how the shaft enters the head and the weighting of the putter head to make the face point towards the target through the entire stroke.

You can listen to the full review on the Club Junkie podcast, streaming on YouTube or any podcast platform — and be sure to follow on Instagram.

L.A.B. Golf on their technology

“Lie Angle Balance (L.A.B.) Technology makes it effortless for golfers to deliver a square putter face at impact because, unlike other putters, it keeps the putter face square to the arc throughout the stroke. It makes putting as easy as picking the right line, the right speed, and making your natural stroke.”

I was able to visit L.A.B.’s headquarters in Eugene, Oregon, to see the new heel-shafted L.A.B. OZ.1i HS putter in person and get a peek behind the curtains there. Sam Hahn, L.A.B. CEO, explained that so many golfers love the technology but not everyone likes the look of a center-shafted putter. Both professional golfers and amateur players gave feedback about the look, so Sam and his team worked on creating something that looked a little more traditional but still performed just like every other L.A.B. putter.

The first key to the OZ.1i HS putter’s heel-shafted design was to create a lightweight hosel from aluminum that didn’t throw off the balance of the putter but was strong enough for everyday use. L.A.B. is all in on custom fitting and found that you can’t make a single hosel and bend it to the lie angle required for each golfer without throwing the balance off, so the team came up with a system of 10 hosel lengths that each work with a different lie angle but don’t change the look from address.

During my visit to L.A.B.’s headquarters, I got put into a custom-fit OZ.1i HS putter. We started off talking about my Mezz.1 Max putter that is my current favorite L.A.B. putter in my collection and then grabbed an HS with similar spec. I am a shorter guy, 5’9″, and like to get over the ball a little more when I putt, so we settled on my usual 33-inch length, and that felt very comfortable. I think my Mezz.1 Max has a 67-degree lie angle from when I did L.A.B.’s video fitting years ago, but the putter was the most level at 69 degrees with the HS. L.A.B. has a ton of alignment options, and I love that with the heel shafted design you can see more of the head and alignment markings you choose.

I went with a design that was a little busier than usual, but I couldn’t deny that I was lining it up better than the simpler options. I think my alignment option was Z on the front and 17 on the back. Cappuccino was the head color I have always preferred, and on the HS it seems to be a touch more copper-colored.

L.A.B. offers a lot of shaft options, and it was wild to hear how demanding their specs and quality control are for shaft manufacturers. They talked about how a lot of shafts aren’t straight or round and have had to work with these companies to get shafts with tighter tolerances in order to ensure they can get the Lie Angle Balance weighting correct. L.A.B. looks at shafts more about feel and sound than true performance, like you would see in a driver shaft fitting. I was a little skeptical, but after trying all of the shafts, side-by-side, you could really feel and hear a difference between them. The firmest to me was the TPT shaft, followed very closely by the Mitsubishi Diamana, and then the Accra was one of the softer-feeling. I struggled between the TPT and the Diamana but in the end liked the slightly firmer feel of the TPT.

L.A.B. built our putters for us while we had lunch, so they were ready for our round of golf in the afternoon, and that was a nice touch. Out on the course, the new HS putter does have a slightly different look from address. You will still see the face in front of the shaft but you don’t get as much of the center shaft look as you address the ball. As I stated before, I love being able to see the alignment lines and it was my one complaint with the DF3 and OZ.1i putters. I never felt comfortable lining them up to my target and the Oz.1i HS helped make me more confident lining up my putt. On the front 9, I putted very well, making some longer putts as well as never missing any of the shorter putts for par or bogey. I made fewer putts on the back 9, but I think the 103-degree heat had more to do with it than the putter. I like the looks from address on the new HS and feel like more people will give L.A.B. a try with this putter as an option.

Sound and feel are very good and similar to my OZ.1i that I have as well. The steel face not only produces a touch more speed off the face, something that golfers asked for, but also gave a more solid feel. The HS is more crisp than the aluminum-faced Mezz.1 Max or DF3 putters with a touch of click at impact that I like to hear. With the fly mill steel face, you don’t remember that the head is aluminum, as it feels very much like a traditional steel putter. When the first OZ.1i came out and I tried it, I claimed it was the best feeling L.A.B. they make, and I feel like the OZ.1i HS goes down the same path.

For me, the original OZ.1i felt more neutral through the stroke, and I didn’t feel like the face of the putter was pulling the head through impact like I feel with the DF3 or the Mezz.1 Max. I have spoken with people who have more arc in their putting stroke and prefer the OZ.1i feel as it works more naturally with their stroke. L.A.B.’s OZ.1i HS feels more stable than the original OZ.1i putter and I like that it has a more stable, mallet feel, that is like the Mezz.1 Max through the stroke. It isn’t as stable feeling as the DF3 but there are different feels and looks for different golfers out there. I like where LAB situated the OZ.1i HS in the lineup and again think it will fit a wide range of golfers when it comes to the feel through the stroke.

Overall, I think L.A.B. did a great job with the new OZ.1i HS putter in being innovative and solving a golfer need. The new heel-shafted design not only brings a different look to the putter but also changes some of the feel and performance that will again resonate with different golfers out there. If the looks of L.A.B. putters have kept you away from really giving them a try, it might be worth taking a few putts with this new flatstick to see if this fits your eye.

I have been an employee at GolfWRX since 2016. In that time I have been helping create content on GolfWRX Radio, GolfWRX YouTube, as well as writing for the front page. Self-proclaimed gear junkie who loves all sorts of golf equipment as well as building golf clubs!

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Josh

    Aug 30, 2025 at 10:04 am

    ‘The steel face not only produces a touch more speed off the face, something that golfers asked for’

    The Oz.1i was already a rocket ship, I don’t know how many players were jonsing for something even *faster* in a Mallet.

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Equipment

Bettinardi The Antidote SB3 and SB5 putter review – Club Junkie Reviews

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Bettinardi launched The Antidote putters at the end of 2024 with the SB1 & SB2 models. It was their first jump into zero-torque putters and brought that solid Bettinardi feel to the hottest trend in putters. So at the end of 2025, Bettinardi expanded the line with two more models, the SB3 and SB5 putters, in order to appeal to more golfers. I have gotten to roll both models and think they are great in their own ways.

You can listen to the full review on the Club Junkie podcast, streaming on YouTube or any podcast platform — and be sure to follow on Instagram.

Both Antidote putters have faces milled from 303 stainless steel for a soft, solid feel. The faces feature Bettinardi’s signature F.I.T. Face milling, which removes 55 percent of the face material for a soft, responsive feel. Bettinardi then uses its Diamond Blast to finish the face, reducing glare and creating a durable, great-looking finish. The shafts are installed into the center of gravity of the putter head and feature a small amount of forward shaft lean. This gives each Antidote putter Simply Balanced Zero Torque to keep the face square to the target during the stroke.

The Antidote SB3

When I got the box with both putters, this was the one I was most excited for. Being a long-time fan of “fang” style putters, this one just jumped out to me as the one I need to try. Personally, the silver face and Sapphire Blue as the contrast between the two is another way to make sure the putter is aligned towards the target. This putter frames the ball really well between the fangs, or wings, on the back of the putter and the twin white sight lines that run down them. Getting this SB3 lined up to your target is easy and quick, so you can feel more confident as you are about to get that putt rolling.

The feel of the F.I.T. Face is nice and soft with just enough click to let you know the quality of your contact. While it isn’t something Bettinardi claims, I feel like the F.I.T. Face puts a nice roll on the ball, and you don’t ever encounter hopping or skipping as the ball starts out. My favorite way of explaining the feel of a zero torque putter going through the stroke is the feeling of the face pulling itself through impact. To me, the SB3 has a really stable feel, and it doesn’t want to be manipulated through the stroke. The SB1 might be the most stable feeling, to me, out of all The Antidote putters but the SB3 would be a very close 2nd place. If, and when, you strike the ball out on the toe or in the heel, you will have a feeling of the SB3 not wanting to twist and keeping the ball on line. If you are looking for a zero torque, high-MOI mallet, with great feel and sound, then The Antidote SB3 could be a great option to try.

The Antidote SB5

There are a lot of golfers who would love to try a ZT putter but just don’t love mallet putters. Thankfully, there are some really cool options out there, like The Antidote SB5 putter. To me, this is a really classic-looking putter from address with clean lines and a familiar look that should appeal to the more traditional golfer. Just like the SB3, you get a phenomenal-feeling putter, with both pieces precisely milled from 303 stainless steel. The triple site lines, one on the topline and two on the flange, again work better than I expected with this head shape, and I got comfortable with them fairly quickly.

I typically like ZT putters that feel super stable, but this SB5 seemed to fit my stroke right out of the gate. Players with more arc in their stroke might find the SB5 as something that feels more natural to them, as it will allow you to rotate it just a little more than you can with a traditional blade putter. Even with that, I feel the SB5 was really easy to square up, and I was never searching to find consistency in that. Miss hits with the SB5 were also pretty good. Shots off the heel stayed very straight and had a good, soft feel, while shots struck on the toe felt a little more vibration. Interestingly, when I did miss putts, I noticed that I missed more putts left with the SB3 and more right with the SB5. As I have spent more time with each putter, I have fallen more in love with the SB5, which is a little surprising to me. It has just become a comfortable option to use after a few years of gaming.

Bettinardi continues to excel in its ability to engineer and mill some of the finest putters you can get your hands on. With the SB3 & SB5 additions to the zero torque line, I think they have really widened who can and will play these style putters. If you have tried ZT putters in the past but haven’t found the right one due to the fact that they don’t live up to expectations, then maybe one of these Bettinardi putters can be The Antodote!

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Equipment

SeeMore SBx & SKx zero-torque putter review – Club Junkie Reviews

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SeeMore has had a long history of making precision putters. The company gained worldwide fame after Payne Stewart won the 1999 U.S. Open with one. SeeMore’s most famous putter is the FGP Blade, which Zach Johnson used to win the Masters and the Open Championship.

SeeMore is also the creator of a unique, simple, and very effective alignment aid in their Rifle Scope Technology. RST is the use of a red oval and two white lines on the heel of the putter. When the putter shaft, or hosel, covers the red dot and you can only see the white lines on either side of the shaft, then you know the putter is lined up square. SeeMore is now adding another technology to its putter lineup, zero torque.

You can listen to the full review on the Club Junkie podcast, streaming on YouTube or any podcast platform — and be sure to follow on Instagram.

The SBx and SKx putters are the latest additions to SeeMore’s lineup. Zero-torque putters are probably the most significant and hottest segment in golf right now. The design is based on installing the shaft into the putter head’s center of gravity so the toe points up when you set the putter on a table to hold it without restriction. That balance keeps the face square to the target throughout the entire stroke, eliminating the need to square the putter face like you have to do with traditional putters. Now, this isn’t going to turn you into a tour pro, but for many golfers, it can help them consistently get the ball started on the intended line.

SeeMore did a great job with the putter’s looks, keeping it simple without straying from what they do best. The platinum color face is milled from stainless steel for a solid feel and feedback to the golfer, while the body is precision-milled from a block of aluminum. I like the contrast of silver and black as that divide gives my eye an additional alignment aid to make sure I am putting the ball at the hole, or target.

The SBx is going to have a boxier, more straight and sharp look from address with straight wings that extend back from the body. Some golfers will like that look for framing the ball in combination with the single white sight line on the flange. If you like a little softer and more rounded look, then the SKx fits the bill with more rounded fangs that taper inward to give a more compact look at address.

SKx also uses a single alignment line on the stainless topline, and if you look closely, there are two milled sight lines on the back flange that aren’t painted. If you want a little more to look down at, then you could probably fill them in with white paint pretty easily.

Both putters use SeeMore’s RST alignment, and I do have to say it is a simple yet effective way to ensure the putter is lined up correctly. Usually, if I am testing out two zero-torque putters at the same time, one of them stands out as easier to line up or get rolling on the right start line, but these two were equally matched. Lining up putts and starting them on the intended line are easy and repeatable.

Sound and feel are very important when it comes to finding the putter, as it is the voice that speaks to you. I was really impressed, and so was another WRX staff member, by how soft both the SBx and SKx putters are. The first putts were right out of the box on the office carpet, and we both looked at each other with big smiles! The horizontal milling lines on the face provide a soft feel at impact, and the sound is excellent and low-pitched. Not clicky at all, but you still get a good sound with it that is easy to recognize where you hit it on the face.

Being zero torque, the putters have a good feeling of the face staying square through the stroke. They both are a good mix of highly stable feeling and have the ability to move with an arching putting stroke, also. While they may not have the strongest feeling of the face pulling the head through impact, they should be more versatile, as many golfers find success with them.

I still feel very confident when putting with these that the ball is going to come out on its intended line. I have found that with some zero-torque putters, I tend to have a ball that misses left of the hole or target, and I didn’t find that the case with either the SBx or SKx models. I was really impressed with how consistently I was rolling the ball at the target, and I think the heavy focus on the RST allowed me to avoid overthinking other putting thoughts and swing freely.

 

Overall the SeeMore SBx and SKx are just solid zero torque putters with a more classic shape to them for players who find zero torque hard to look at. The milling and finish work from SeeMore are fantastic and it shows through the performance.

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Equipment

Sugarloaf Social Club x Makino Tour 3 putter review – Club Junkie Reviews

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Most of us know Sugarloaf Social Club (SSC) as a clothing and accessory brand that has been leading the way in golf fashion and lifestyle since 2011. Ian Gilley is the founder of the brand and has created some amazing products, primarily in the soft goods category. While clubs have not been the focus of SSC, there have been some limited collabs in the space before working on the Tour 3 putter with Makino.

Makino is a Japanese golf brand founded by Shohei Nomura, an industrial designer based in Tokyo. All Makino’s products are made in small batches where precision and craftsmanship are the most important factors.

To be completely honest, I saw the putter on the Sugarloaf website and wasn’t blown away. When taking the putter out of the box, my mind changed, as the quality of the putter and classic look don’t come through with online pictures.

At first glance, the putter appears a little chunky, with larger shoulders that are very defined near the back cavity area. The bumpers are clean and a good blend of rectangular with softened edges. The topline is definitely on the thicker side, but for some golfers, like myself, it can be used as an additional alignment aid to ensure the face is square to the target.

A single sightline is machined into the flange and filled with white paint, creating a simple and traditional look. A shallow milling pattern is used on the face, featuring the model name and the “S” of Sugarloaf on the heel. The little details like the “Play or Perish” motto on the L-neck are excellent touches that let you know this isn’t a mass-produced putter. 

On the grip wrapping, I was surprised to see there is a sticker that says this is an un-plated putter and could rust…but the putter is made from stainless steel? Now I am not a metallurgist, but a search on the old Google machine told me that SUS303 stainless steel uses materials in the alloy, like sulphur, that make it a little more susceptible to corrosion if you aren’t careful. No rust has shown up yet, but I guess that explains it.

On the green, this putter offers a much softer feel than I and a coworker expected from the face milling. SUS303 and the thick face create a really nice feel and sound! The putter is still responsive, however, and you will get good feedback on putts that you don’t hit on the center of the face.

The putter’s sound is also softer, with not really a click but a more gentle knock as the ball leaves the face, even with a firmer ball like the Pro V1x. Ball speed is consistent and repeatable, and while there is no real high-tech engineering in this head, it performs well enough on mishits. Distance drop off from putts off the toe and heel aren’t massive, and there is still a decent chance you get that ball to the hole.

At the end of the day, this putter is much more than I thought it was going to be. The shaping and quality of the finish are phenomenal, showcasing the skill of Makino and the creativity of Sugarloaf. Traditionalists will love the classic look, while feel players will be impressed by the softness and responsiveness the Sugarloaf Social Club x Makino Tour 3 provides.

See more in-hand photos and read what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.

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