Looking for a lab putter comparison? This guide compares LAB Golf (zero torque / lie angle balanced) putters against Incred Golf's Reverse Face Balanced® design, with independent robotic testing data from a 30-year PING veteran.

L.A.B. Golf and Incred Golf are both trying to solve the same problem: traditional putters lose performance on mishits. Both companies reject the idea that face balanced and toe hang are sufficient. Both have introduced new balance categories that challenge decades of putter design convention.

But their engineering approaches are fundamentally different. L.A.B. Golf eliminates torque. Incred Golf reverses it. That distinction matters more than most golfers realize, and independent robotic testing reveals measurable performance differences between the two philosophies.

This is not a hit piece. L.A.B. Golf deserves credit for popularizing the idea that putter balance is a solvable engineering problem, not an immutable constraint. They expanded the conversation and brought serious attention to putter physics. What follows is an honest, data-driven comparison of two innovative approaches to the same problem.

Table of Contents

• The problem both companies are solving
• How L.A.B. Golf's zero torque works
• How Incred Golf's Reverse Face Balanced® works
• The fundamental design difference
• Head-to-head: independent robotic testing
• Face twist comparison
• Ball speed retention comparison
• Ball roll quality comparison
• What teaching pros say
• Price and customization comparison
• Which approach is right for you?
• FAQ

The problem both companies are solving

Traditional putters have a fundamental design limitation: the center of gravity sits behind or on the shaft axis. This means that on off-center strikes, the face twists, ball speed drops, and side spin increases. The result is putts that miss the line and come up short.

The industry's standard response has been to increase MOI (moment of inertia) by making heads bigger and pushing weight to the perimeter. This helps resist twisting, but it does not fully solve the ball speed problem, and it does nothing to generate consistent forward roll.

Both L.A.B. Golf and Incred Golf recognized that the solution lies in CG placement, not just head size. Both redesigned where the mass sits inside the putter head. Both arrived at new balance categories that had never existed before.

The approaches diverge from there.

How L.A.B. Golf's zero torque works

L.A.B. Golf (Lie Angle Balanced) putters position the center of gravity directly below the shaft axis relative to the lie angle. The practical result: when you balance the shaft on your finger, the toe points straight up at the sky. The putter does not want to rotate in any direction.

The design philosophy is elimination. L.A.B. eliminates torque entirely. No force wants to open the face. No force wants to close it. The face maintains whatever angle it has at any point during the stroke.

L.A.B. achieves this through a combination of internal weighting, counterbalancing, and head geometry. Their models (OZ.1, Mezz.1, DF3, Directed Force) use different head shapes, but all share the same balance principle.

The appeal is straightforward: if the putter does not add any rotational force, the golfer controls the face angle entirely. There is no putter-induced error. Whatever the face does is the golfer's doing, which means the golfer can correct it through practice and mechanics.

L.A.B. Golf has built a strong following, particularly among golfers frustrated with traditional putters that seem to fight their stroke. The brand has earned recognition across the equipment media landscape. GolfPass described the competitive space this way, noting that the Incred putter "deserves a place in the conversation alongside the L.A.B.s of the golf world."

How Incred Golf's Reverse Face Balanced® works

Incred Golf's Reverse Face Balanced®® (RFB®) putters position the center of gravity in front of the shaft axis, toward the face. When balanced on your finger, the face points toward the ground. This is the opposite of face balanced and distinct from both toe hang and zero torque.

The design philosophy is active correction, not elimination. Rather than removing all forces from the putter head, the RFB design introduces a specific, beneficial force: forward momentum that squares the face through impact.

Think of it as the hammer effect. A hammer naturally strikes face-first because the mass is in front of the handle. The same principle applies to an RFB putter. The weight ahead of the shaft creates a force that drives the face square through the impact zone. Learn more about the physics behind this engineering.

Incred achieves this through precision CG placement in the head design. The RFB series (Black Mallet and SK1) are mallet-style heads with the mass distribution engineered to position the CG forward of the shaft plane. The technology is patent-pending and represents the fourth balance category in putter design history.

Every Incred putter is built to order: head shape, face material (steel or copper), alignment aids, length, loft, lie angle, grip, and weight are all specified to the golfer's measurements.

The fundamental design difference

Here is the core distinction, stated as simply as possible:

L.A.B. Golf says: The putter should add zero force. Whatever you do with your stroke, the putter stays out of the way. Zero torque = zero interference.

Incred Golf says: The putter should add one specific, beneficial force. The forward CG actively squares the face through impact, corrects mishit performance, and maintains ball speed across the face. Reverse Face Balanced®® = active assistance.

Both philosophies are internally logical. The question is which one produces better results when a ball is struck by a robot under controlled conditions, eliminating all human variables.

The answer to that question exists in data.

Head-to-head: independent robotic testing

Blair Philip, a 30-year putter designer who worked at PING, YES! Golf, and Adams Golf, and co-founded BGT Stability Shafts, conducted robotic testing of both L.A.B. Golf and Incred Golf putters alongside leading models from TaylorMade, Odyssey, Scotty Cameron, and Ping.

Blair is the first US professional to use the Quintic Ball Roll System. He has designed 200+ putters and tested thousands over his career. His testing used robot-controlled, gravity-driven strokes with zero acceleration and consistent 8 mph speed. Human variability was eliminated entirely. See the full performance data.

L.A.B. models tested: OZ.1, Mezz, DF3
Incred models tested: RFB Black Mallet, RFB SK1, plus additional Incred models (CS, Legacy OS, Legacy, Blade)

Strikes were measured at center, half-inch toward the toe, and half-inch toward the heel. Ball roll analysis captured face angle, ball speed, launch angle, rotation rate, side spin, skid, and deceleration.

The data follows.

Face twist comparison

Face twist measures how many degrees the putter face rotates on an off-center strike. Less twist means the ball starts closer to the intended line.

Heel mishits (half-inch off-center):

• Incred RFB average: 0.13 degrees
• Top-seller average (TM Spider, Odyssey, Scotty, Ping): 0.52 degrees

Blair Philip's official attestation specifically addresses L.A.B. performance on this metric: "Lab putters show an alarming amount of face twist and decrease in ball speed when mis-hit towards the heel of the right-handed putters tested."

The word "alarming" is significant. Blair Philip has tested thousands of putters over 30 years. He uses measured, technical language. For him to describe L.A.B.'s heel mishit performance as alarming indicates that the face twist numbers were notably worse than expected for a brand that markets itself on stability and consistency.

The zero torque design maintains face angle during the stroke, which is its stated purpose. But maintaining face angle during the stroke is different from maintaining face stability at impact. When the ball contacts the face off-center, the impact force acts independently of the torque-free design. The putter's ability to resist that impact-driven twist depends on MOI and CG placement, not on the zero-torque balance.

The RFB design, by contrast, places the CG in front of the shaft. This forward mass position not only helps the face stay square through the stroke, but also positions the weight to resist twist on heel strikes specifically, because the mass is ahead of and closer to the heel impact point.

Ball speed retention comparison

Ball speed retention is the most underappreciated forgiveness metric. It determines whether your mishit putt reaches the hole or stops short.

The Incred RFB Black Mallet data:

• Center strikes: 2.08-2.09 mph
• Half-inch mishits: 2.05-2.07 mph
• Loss: 0.01-0.02 mph

Blair noted that traditional putters, including the L.A.B. models, showed significantly more ball speed loss on mishits. His comment: "Usually you see a fairly significant drop in ball speed. This hasn't changed much."

The attestation language is explicit: L.A.B. putters showed "decrease in ball speed when mis-hit towards the heel."

Why does the RFB retain ball speed better? The forward CG means the mass driving the ball is positioned ahead of the shaft. On a heel strike, the ball contacts a region of the face where the driving mass is still close and forward. Energy transfer remains efficient.

In a zero torque design, the CG is positioned below the shaft axis (at lie angle) to achieve the torque-free state. This position does not optimize energy transfer on heel strikes in the same way. The result: ball speed drops more on heel mishits.

On an 8-foot putt, Blair noted that the RFB maintained enough speed on mishits to reach the hole, where traditional putters fell 3+ inches short. Over 18 holes, those 3 inches determine how many one-putts become two-putts.

Ball roll quality comparison

Ball roll quality measures forward rotation rate, skid distance, and side spin. It tells you how the ball behaves after it leaves the face.

Incred RFB results:

• Forward rotation: 62-66 RPM average
• Skid: Zero
• Side spin: Less than 10 RPM
• Forward spin at high launch: Yes (44+ RPM even above 2.5 degrees). Blair: "Usually a putter launching over 2.5 has net backspin. This one has forward rotation."

Compared to L.A.B. directly:

• The Incred Black Mallet rolled 77% better than L.A.B. on center strikes
• The Incred Black Mallet showed 14% lower skid than L.A.B.

These are substantial differences. A 77% improvement in roll quality on center strikes means that even when both putters make perfect contact, the RFB produces a significantly truer roll. The 14% reduction in skid means the ball starts rolling end-over-end sooner, which improves distance control.

Blair Philip described the RFB data as: "This is very clean data just as you might expect from something that's well engineered." And: "Immediate forward rotation on all of them with an average 66 RPM. Extremely good."

The side spin difference compounds over distance. On a 15-foot putt, 25+ RPM of side spin (typical for traditional and some zero torque models) can drift the ball more than an inch offline. Less than 10 RPM keeps the ball on line.

What teaching pros say

Teaching professionals offer a real-world counterpart to robotic data. They see hundreds of strokes per week and can compare putters across students with different abilities.

Casey Barbie, teaching pro at UNF Golf Complex: "After you take about five putts with it, you're like, I don't want to putt with anything else." Barbie purchased the Incred putter after initial skepticism.

Bryan Schewitz, teaching pro at The Old Course at Broken Sound, 40 years in golf: "This is the first putter that rolls the ball end over end on its own." And: "I've made more putts in my first few rounds with the Incred putter than I've holed in years of playing golf."

Amy Carver Highley, Head Golf Professional at St Andrews Golf Club, West Palm Beach: "I've never hit more putts that felt solid. I did not have to 'make' a stroke, the putter did the work."

Mark Brown, former PGA Tour player, Head Pro at YCC Stuart FL: "The putter feels fantastic off the face. The putter swings itself. I love the technology."

Greg Harrison, co-founder of Sik Putters (a competing brand): "Puts a very consistent roll on the ball. Super confident when it's in my hands. Like I can't miss." When a competitor's co-founder describes your putter this way, the performance speaks louder than any data table.

Dan Schereicht, Head Golf Professional at Liberty National Golf Course, made 80% of all putts in his first hour, including 5 in a row from 25 feet.

The consistent theme: the putter "swings itself," the roll is immediately different, and the adjustment period is 3-5 putts before the natural pendulum motion clicks.

Price and customization comparison

L.A.B. Golf enters at a lower price point, which is a meaningful advantage for golfers who want to try a non-traditional balance type without a larger commitment.

Incred's pricing reflects the fully custom build process. Every putter is hand-milled to the golfer's specifications. Nothing is pulled from a shelf. The $799 Custom tier includes full specification control over head shape, face material, alignment aids, length, loft, lie angle, and grip.

The question is not which costs less. It is which delivers more value per dollar over the years the putter stays in your bag.

Which approach is right for you?

Both L.A.B. Golf and Incred Golf represent genuine innovation. Both are worth considering if you have been frustrated by traditional putters. Here is a framework for deciding between them.

Consider L.A.B. Golf if:

• You want to eliminate putter-induced forces from your stroke entirely
• You believe your stroke mechanics are sound and the putter should stay out of the way
• You prefer a lower entry price point to test a new balance category
• You want the widest selection of head shapes within a single balance philosophy

Consider Incred Golf if:

• You want a putter that actively helps the face square through impact
• Independent robotic testing data matters to you (500% more forgiving, 77% better roll, 14% less skid vs. L.A.B.)
• You want a fully custom-built putter specified to your exact measurements
• You value ball speed retention on mishits and consistent forward roll
• You play fast greens where roll quality and side spin control are critical
• You want face material options (steel vs. copper) tailored to your feel preference

Consider trying both if:

• You have access to demo days or fitting events for either brand
• You can putt with both on the same green and compare results
• You want to feel the difference between zero torque (no force) and Reverse Face Balanced®® (forward force) for yourself

The adjustment period matters. L.A.B. putters feel different from traditional putters because the toe-up balance is unfamiliar. Incred RFB putters feel different because the face-down balance and forward-weighted pendulum are unfamiliar. Both require an open mind and 5-10 minutes of trust.

The robotic data is clear: under controlled conditions with human variability eliminated, the Incred RFB produced better forgiveness numbers, better ball roll, better ball speed retention, and less face twist than the L.A.B. models tested. Blair Philip, with 30 years of putter design experience and no financial stake in either company, identified the Incred RFB as "the best performer" in the test field.

But data on a robot and data in your hands are different conversations. The only way to know which putter works for your stroke, your greens, and your nervous system is to roll putts with both.

To see the full robotic testing data, Blair Philip's attestation, and the complete engineering explanation of Reverse Face Balanced® technology, visit incred.golf/pages/rfb. Every Incred putter is custom built to your specifications.

FAQ

Q: Is L.A.B. Golf a good putter?
A: L.A.B. Golf makes innovative putters that have helped many golfers improve their putting. The zero torque concept is a genuine engineering achievement. Independent robotic testing by Blair Philip revealed concerns about heel mishit performance and ball speed retention, but many golfers report positive real-world results with L.A.B. putters. The brand has earned its reputation through legitimate innovation.

Q: What does "lie angle balanced" mean?
A: Lie angle balanced means the putter's center of gravity is positioned so that the head has zero torque when held at its intended lie angle. In practical terms, the putter does not want to rotate in any direction during the stroke. When balanced on your finger with the shaft horizontal, the toe points straight up. This is the design principle behind L.A.B. Golf putters.

Q: What does "Reverse Face Balanced®" mean?
A: Reverse Face Balanced®® means the putter's center of gravity is positioned in front of the shaft axis, toward the face. When balanced on your finger, the face points toward the ground (the reverse of face balanced, where the face points skyward). This forward CG creates a "hammer effect" that actively squares the face through impact. Incred Golf developed this technology, and it is patent-pending.

Q: How does the Incred putter compare to L.A.B. in robotic testing?
A: In Blair Philip's controlled robotic testing, the Incred RFB Black Mallet outperformed L.A.B. models across all forgiveness metrics: 0.13 degrees face twist on heel mishits (vs. higher values for L.A.B.), 99%+ ball speed retention on mishits, 77% better roll quality on center strikes, 14% less skid, and less than 10 RPM side spin. Blair's attestation specifically noted "alarming face twist and ball speed decrease" for L.A.B. on heel mishits. See the full performance data.

Q: Is the Incred putter worth the higher price vs. L.A.B.?
A: The Incred putter starts at $799 for a fully custom build (every spec tailored to you), compared to L.A.B.'s range of approximately $400-800. The price difference reflects the custom build process and hand-milled construction. Whether the performance advantage shown in robotic testing justifies the price depends on how much you value forgiveness data, roll quality, and custom fitting. A putter stays in your bag for years, often decades. Per-round cost over a putter's lifetime makes the price difference negligible. Check the FAQ for more details.