50 Words or Less
The LAB Golf VZN.1i putter is arguably LAB’s best looking putter yet. Easy alignment paired with zero torque performance. Very forgiving. Produces excellent roll.
Introduction
The promise of zero torque putters is that they make it easier to hit your intended start line, but that only matters if you’re actually aimed in the right spot. That’s where the newest putter from L.A.B. Golf comes in. The LAB Golf VZN.1i putter was “designed to show where the face is pointed and intentionally positioned to help lock in on the target line.” I got to put one to the test to see if it could live up to its promise.
Looks
From the moment I got it out of its headcover, I loved the look of the LAB Golf VZN.1i putter. To me, this is LAB showing their evolution, making their putters both high performance and beautiful. This is still a big, modern mallet, but there’s a flow to it, a smoothness to all the edges, that’s absent in the MEZZ.1 [review HERE] and the OZ [review HERE]. Overall, the shape is unique without being too busy, sitting confidently behind the ball.
Above, you can see the LAB Golf VZN.1i putter next to the DF3i [review HERE]. Both are very large, but, to me, the VZN.1i doesn’t appear quite as hulking as the DF3, and it is roughly 1/2″ shorter from front to back. The face of the DF3i is a bit wider, but the putters are almost equally wide at their largest point.
One common feature that I like in both putters is that the face is not the widest portion of the putter. For me, this makes the face look like an arrow pointing at the hole. In the VZN, that’s enhanced by the way the putter also tapers toward the rear.
The sole of the LAB Golf VZN.1i putter features all the weights you expect from a LAB putter. Four sit on either edge, surrounding the moderately sized “VZN.1i” branding. My VZN.1i came with a white head cover that I had not seen before. I found that I could interchange covers with the VZN and the DF3.
As with all recent L.A.B. Golf putters, the VZN.1i can be ordered stock or custom. If you go the custom route, you have access to all the different head colors and alignment aids, in addition to the performance specs like lie angle and shaft length. The stock models retail for $499, customs start at $599. [See Price / Buy]
Sound & Feel
The “i” in the name of the LAB Golf VZN.1i putter refers to the stainless steel insert in the face. This is an increasingly common feature in L.A.B. Golf’s putters, first seen in the OZ.1i [review HERE] but now also featured on the DF3i. However, eagle-eyed readers will notice something different about the insert on the VZN.1i: the milling. Where the OZ.1i and DF3i have a tighter, shallower milling pattern, the milling here is deeper and wider.
In testing the LAB Golf VZN.1i putter head to head with the DF3i, I found a noticeable difference from this new milling pattern. The VZN.1i feels softer. There’s still some pop to it, enough firmness to have a sense of speed, but it’s a gentler impact sensation.
The sound of the VZN.1i is duller, too. It’s not a full “thud”, but it’s 80/20 more thud than tock. It’s also quiet and low pitched, traits that enhance the soft sound and feel.
For a large, forgiving putter, the VZN.1i has surprisingly good feedback. Through the hands, there’s a clear distinction between poor, good, and perfect strikes. The sound of impact doesn’t change much until you get to the edges of the face where it turns into a muted piano “plink.”
Performance
Alignment is a personal thing – different people like big putters, small putters, lots of lines, no lines, and everything in between – so I don’t know that any single putter is going to be universally easier to aim. What I can report is that I found the LAB Golf VZN.1i putter very easy to align. Importantly, my aim was not only accurate, I was confident in my aim. Those two things don’t always go together. Even with the abundance of lines on this configuration of the VZN.1i, I felt like the putter’s shape allowed for natural, intuitive aim as opposed to trying to meticulously strive toward unattainable perfection.
As with all L.A.B. Golf putters, I also found it easy to hit my start line consistently. Admittedly, the LAB Golf VZN.1i putter had the advantage of all my experience with previous LABs. Nonetheless, the performance was impressive. When my read and pace were good, a gimme was the worst possible result.
Strong forgiveness is the expectation with a mallet this big, and the VZN.1i doesn’t disappoint. Having all the weights at the very edge of the head make this putter very stable on mishits. In launch monitor testing, its smash factor consistency rivaled that of the DF3i. The VZN.1i also does a good job keeping the ball online, twisting only slight even on intentionally extreme mishits.
One unexpected feature of the LAB Golf VZN.1i putter that I found in my launch monitor testing is the outstanding forward roll. In a test group that included the DF3i and other putters, both traditional and not, the VZN.1i stood alone at the top, producing more forward roll off the face. More forward roll can mean less skidding which leads to more reliable reads.
A fun benefit built into the LAB Golf VZN.1i putter is its ability to pick up the ball in two ways. The cut out is perfectly sized so you can stab a gimme or scoop it up via the flange.
Finally, there are a lot of options available if you choose to design a custom LAB Golf VZN.1i putter. You can choose a zero degree or 1.5 degree shaft lean, which will influence your choice of grip. If you opt for shaft lean, you’ll likely want one of L.A.B. Golf’s Press grips. You can also customize the headweight – light, heavy, or standard – lie angle, length, and shaft. L.A.B. Golf offers several shafts including black stainless steel and graphite from TPT, Accra, and GEARS. [See Price / Buy]
Conclusion
Its hard to point to a putter company that’s had a better two years than L.A.B. Golf. Not only are they winning at the highest levels – JJ Spaun at the US Open – they’re also releasing one great putter after another. The LAB Golf VZN.1i putter is, to me, their best looking putter so far, and it makes alignment easy. Paired with forgiveness and zero torque performance, it makes a strong case to be your gamer in 2026 and beyond. [See Price / Buy]
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Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.