Incred RFB vs LAB Golf: Robot-Tested Comparison

Incred RFB Black Mallet vs LAB Golf DF3. Both reject the traditional putter. LAB Golf uses Lie Angle Balanced (zero-torque) geometry to stop the face rotating during the stroke. Incred uses Reverse Face Balanced® geometry to stop the face twisting when you miss the center. In independent robotic testing by Blair Philip, the Incred RFB held face twist to 0.13 degrees on heel mishits and rolled 77% better than LAB putters on center strikes with 14% lower skid.

At a glance

Both putters have public independent robotic-test data, which is rare. That makes this a real comparison rather than a marketing one.

The core difference: stroke rotation vs mishit torque

LAB Golf built its following on lie-angle balance, also called zero torque. The DF3, OZ.1, and Mezz.1 all balance toe-up at rest, which the company designed to eliminate face rotation during the stroke. On a center strike hit with a square stroke, LAB putters perform well.

The difference is design intent. Lie-angle balance solves rotation during the stroke. It is not built to resist torque from an off-center impact, which is the mishit problem. Reverse Face Balanced® positions the center of gravity in front of the shaft so the head balances face-down, and that forward weight meets off-center impact torque with counter-rotation. The two technologies solve different physics problems. If forgiveness on mishits is the priority, the test data points to face-down balance.

What the robot measured

Blair Philip ran independent Quintic Ball Roll testing, striking each putter with a gravity-driven robot at a controlled 8 mph on the center, heel, and toe. He has designed over 200 putters across PING, YES! Golf, and Adams Golf, and was the first US professional to use the Quintic system. His written attestation noted that Incred black mallet putters have a significant performance advantage over the LAB Golf putter models tested, and that LAB putters showed an alarming amount of face twist and a decrease in ball speed when mishit toward the heel.

• Incred RFB held face twist to 0.13 degrees on heel mishits, against a 0.52 degree average across the best-selling field.
• Ball speed held at 99% of the center-strike speed on mishits.
• The Incred RFB rolled 77% better than LAB putters on center strikes, with 14% lower skid.

Read the full physics on the technology page and the broader field test on the most forgiving putter page.

Which one suits you

LAB Golf is a legitimate, well-engineered line. If your misses come mostly from face rotation during the stroke, lie-angle balance helps. If your misses come from striking off the center of the face, which is most golfers, the forgiveness gain shows up in the Reverse Face Balanced® data. 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, with you choosing head shape, face material, alignment aid, length, loft, lie angle, weight, and grip.

See the Incred RFB lineup →   Take the 2-minute fit quiz

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