Gear: L.A.B. Golf MEZZ.2i putter
Price: $499 (stock), starting at $599 (custom)
Specs: Milled 6061 aluminum chassis with milled 303 stainless-steel face insert and customized sole weights.
Available: Nov. 10 (labgolf.com), Nov. 17 (in stores)
Who it’s for: Golfers who want a fang-style, mid-mallet putter that can help to enhance consistency on the greens.
What you should know: The first MEZZ update in more than four years, the MEZZ.2i retains L.A.B.’s lie angle balance in a refined shape, while adding a stainless-steel insert designed to improve sound and feel.
The Deep Dive: In golf equipment, four years is enough time for a driver family to go through several makeovers. For L.A.B. Golf, it was how long it took the Oregon-based putter makers to revisit
and update one of its most popular shapes.
The MEZZ.2i keeps the fanged, mid-mallet look but brings changes to the head’s shape, mass distribution, sole and hitting area.
According to the company, the original MEZZ.1 has been used in more than 1,100 professional events. That doesn’t mean 1,100 pros have used it, but it gave L.A.B.’s designers a lot of feedback to draw on while they made this update.
The MEZZ.2i combines a body milled from 6061 aluminum with a 303 stainless-steel face insert that has a deep, fly-milled pattern. It’s the same insert found in the VZN.1i that was released in June. It creates a deeper, low-pitched sound than the 303 stainless steel insert found in the DF3.i and the Link 2.1 and 2.1, but a firmer feel than the brand’s aluminum-faced offerings.
Underneath the refined shaping is L.A.B.’s lie angle balance technology, the foundation of the company’s entire approach to putters.
The goal is to eliminate the putter head’s tendency to rotate open or closed in relation to your stroke path, which should make it easier for golfers to return the face back to the square position they establish at address and start putts rolling on their intended target line. It doesn’t read the green or tell you hard to hit your putt, but if you can’t get the ball to roll where you aim, those factors won’t matter too much.
The key to making L.A.B.’s lie angle balance work is to ensure the putter you use has the ideal lie angle to match your setup and stroke, so fitting is critical. L.A.B. offers remote fittings through its website, as well as in-person fitting through authorized partners.
The stock L.A.B MEZZ.2i costs $499, but the company’s custom program lets players choose the lie angle, length, weight, shaft, grip, color and alignment markings. Custom putters start at $599, but every putter (stock and custom) is hand-balanced and assembled by the company.
David Dusek is a senior Golfweek writer covering golf equipment and technology.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: L.A.B. Golf MEZZ.2i gives a familiar shape a fresh feel
