WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The new Oz.1 and Oz.1i putters from L.A.B. Golf continue the company’s stroke-enhancing technology in an almost traditional half-moon, mid-mallet shape. L.A.B. Golf is the putter company that’s drawn plenty of attention in recent years for its unconventional shapes and distinct weighting designed to facilitate the putter face staying square to the path of your stroke. The Oz.1 and Oz.1i gain inspiration from a collaboration with L.A.B. Golf putter user Adam Scott. The tandem includes an all-aluminum construction option (Oz.1) and one with the company’s first-ever stainless steel insert (Oz.1i). Both models feature the company’s proven 2-degree shaft angle lean, but each also introduces a zero-degree shaft lean option that works with conventional putter grips.

PRICE: $500, Oz.1i stock; $600 for Oz.1i custom (available in December). Oz.1 Limited Edition, $1,750. Oz.1 stock and custom models to be available in January.

3 COOL THINGS 1. Staying on message, but going off-brand. The Oz.1/Oz.1i putters continue to demonstrate the main mission of L.A.B. Golf’s putter design philosophy, namely that the putter’s weighting is balanced to the lie angle of the club. The intent of the design is that the face naturally stays square to the path of the stroke, reducing the amount of manipulating required from the hands. The Oz.1/Oz.1i models feature the same kind tungsten screw weighting on the heel and toe to provide stability, while the shaft position is the most forward with the least onset of any L.A.B. Golf mallet. As an example, the shaft is almost 1.5 inches back from the face on L.A.B. Golf’s Directed Force mallets. On the Oz.1 putters it’s barely half that distance. That’s why the Oz.1/Oz. 1i putters will offer both versions with the company’s familiar 2 degrees of forward shaft lean and with a vertical or zero-degree shaft lean.

Like all L.A.B. Golf putters, the head on the Oz.1/Oz.1i putters is weighted to stay balanced to the lie angle. On the Oz.1 putters, which will be more widely available at retail, the heads have been weighted to line up with a 69-degree lie angle, the most common lie angle determined for L.A.B. Golf putter users over the years.

2. New, old shape. The half-mallet look is designed to evoke the look of one of Adam Scott’s favorite German sports cars, particularly on the back half. Overall, though, the half-moon shape features angled milling in the flange that provides a subtle aiming feature, similar to sight lines on some historically proven mallet designs. The company calls it “the most ‘normal’ mallet putter we’ve ever created in terms of sound and feel.”

“We’ve always challenged ourselves to develop putters that resonate with world-class golfers while retaining all the performance benefits of Lie Angle Balance,” said Sam Hahn, CEO of L.A.B. Golf. “Collaborating with Adam Scott was an inspiring and rewarding process for our team, and it provided invaluable insights into the nuances of shape, feel, sound, and performance from one of the most experienced and respected players on the PGA Tour.”

3. Two real feels. The two versions feature an all-aluminum body in the Oz.1 and an aluminum body with 303 stainless steel face insert on Oz.1i. The goal is to cater to softer and firmer feels. The Oz.1i uses a fly-milled stainless steel insert that is mechanically bonded to the aluminum body to create a firmer feel with increased ball speeds. Meanwhile, the Oz.1 uses the soft feel of aluminum, similar to the feel seen most recently in the DF3 models.

This article was originally published on golfdigest.com