Incred RFB vs LAB Golf
Both putters reject traditional design. They solve two different physics problems, and which problem you have decides which putter fits.
Face rotation during the stroke
LAB Golf builds on lie-angle balance, also called zero torque. The DF3, OZ.1 and Mezz.1 all rest toe-up. The geometry is designed to hold the face square as the putter travels back and through.
Face twist at off-center impact
Reverse Face Balanced® puts the center of gravity in front of the shaft, so the head rests face-down. That forward weight meets off-center impact torque with counter-rotation.
Most golfers miss the center of the face. That is the second problem.
Face twist on a heel mishit
heel mishit, robot-struck
The published test does not put a number on it. Blair Philip recorded it in words: “an alarming amount of face twist and a decrease in ball speed when mis-hit towards the heel.”
Method: gravity-driven robot, controlled 8 mph, struck on the center, heel and toe. Quintic Ball Roll capture. Testing by Blair Philip.
Half an inch off center, measured against the center-strike speed.
Center strikes. Same robot, same stroke, same conditions.
The ball starts rolling sooner after it leaves the face.
Side by side
Both putters have public independent robot-test data, which is rare. LAB pricing as listed at the time of writing.
Two problems, two geometries
Lie-angle balance answers what happens between takeaway and impact. Face-down balance answers what happens in the millisecond after it.
Rotation during the stroke
Balance the shaft on a finger and a LAB putter sits toe-up. That geometry works against the face opening and closing as the putter swings. On a center strike with a square stroke, it performs well.
Torque at impact
A strike away from the sweet spot twists the head. Reverse Face Balanced® sets the center of gravity in front of the shaft, and that forward mass answers the twist with counter-rotation. The robot measured the result at 0.13°.
Blair Philip
- Over 200 putters designed across PING, YES! Golf and Adams Golf
- First US professional to use the Quintic Ball Roll system
- Testing commissioned independently, results published in full
“Incred black mallet putters have a significant performance advantage over the lab golf putter models tested. 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.”
Blair Philip, written attestation
Read the full physics on the technology page, or the wider field test on the most forgiving putter.
Start with your miss
Face rotation through the stroke
Lie-angle balance targets exactly that. LAB Golf is a well-engineered line and belongs on your shortlist.
Striking off the center of the face
This is where the robot data separates the two. Face-down balance held twist to 0.13° and kept 99% of ball speed.
There is also a build difference. LAB putters are made in production runs and shipped from inventory. Every Incred putter is hand-milled to order in the United States, and you choose the head shape, face material, alignment aid, length, loft, lie angle, weight and grip.
Find your fit
Two minutes of questions, or browse the lineup and build from there.
Frequently asked
Is Incred or LAB more forgiving?
On the published independent robot data, the Incred RFB Black Mallet held face twist to 0.13 degrees on heel mishits with 99% ball speed retention, and rolled 77% better than LAB putters on center strikes. LAB putters showed alarming face twist and ball speed loss on heel mishits in the same test.
What is the difference between zero torque and Reverse Face Balanced?
Zero torque, also called lie angle balanced, rests the putter toe-up to stop the face rotating during the stroke. Reverse Face Balanced® rests the putter face-down so the head resists twisting on off-center impact. One targets the stroke, the other targets the mishit.
Is the Incred RFB a good LAB Golf alternative?
If LAB appeals to you for forgiveness and a non-traditional design, the Incred RFB is the closest alternative with public robot-test data behind it, plus a fully hand-milled, made-to-order build in the USA.