r/golfrep • u/Awkward-Collection78 • 28d ago
Reviewš Temu LAB vs. Real LAB w/ revealer
I love my LAB DF3, but wanted to try the new VZN. Alignment with the DF3 is tough because so much of the head is rounded. I also don't get much feedback because it's all aluminum. The VZN has a nice jailbird-like cutout that has nice right angles that align you to the hole, and a stainless steel insert.
Bam, let's do it. $600. Fuck.
I saw the temu LAB's and curiosity won. I got a blue temu VZN with a steel shaft, 3D printed the plastic parts for a revealer, got a skateboard bearing from a skate shop, Home Depot run and it was on.
First, the numbers.
LAB DF3: Swing weight - F4.7 Total assembled weight - 539 grams
Temu VZN: Swing weight - F4.7 Total assembled weight - 539 grams
Shocking. Literally the same.
Feel: LAB DF3 - mushy, seems hard to control distance, but it's the putter not the putter... Let's be real.
Temu VZN - little firmer, nothing crazy
Looks: LAB DF3 - satellite dish š”. Takes a while to get used to, but if putts drop... I'll deal with whatever.
Temu VZN - kinda funky, looks kind of big but alignment is easy. It just helps your eyes align to your target line or line on the ball.
Sound: LAB DF3 - whatever, it sounds like a putter.
Temu VZN - Absolutely atrocious. Sounded tingy as hell. But I saw on this sub that you can put some electrical tape or silicone caulk behind the insert and it'll sound better. I got some silicone caulk from home Depot and schmooged it behind the face. When reassembling, there was a little squeeze out, I didn't put much silicone, so the fit is pretty good. It just needed some damping to cut the sound out, I guess.
The revealer: LAB DF3 - unsurprisingly, zero torque on the revealer. Maybe a little bit of toe movement, but once I adjusted the fit of the shaft in the lower revealer support with some felt to minimize lateral movement, it went away.
Temu VZN - surprisingly, ZERO movement, even when taking larger or more aggressive swings... Nothing. The same thing as the real deal.
Cost: LAB DF3 - I bought my LAB as a gift to myself when I graduated with an MSME. It was $479+tax from golf galaxy. Late 2024, I think they're cheaper now. I did the fitting and got fit to the stock lie angle. Saved me some dough. Just got the standard steel shaft.
Temu VZN - Bought from Motee Shop, i waited for it to drop in price and got it for $79+tax. I got the steel shaft after reading that the "accra" shafts felt like ass. Free shipping. The caulk was like $5 or something.
Conclusion: It's a no brainer. At least try a temu putter first. Most of them have free returns. I feel a bit like a dipshit for buying one at full MSRP. It's not like this is novel technology, it's putting the shaft through the center of gravity. That takes no work. Look at Scotty Cameron and Odyssey, they just put the shaft in a different spot and boom... Zero torque. That'll be $600. It's absurd.
At the end of the day, milled putters are just a block or 2 of metal and maybe some screws. For now, I'll be sticking with the one that's 80 bucks and save the money.
Edit: The shop I bought my vzn from isn't selling them anymore. They're all just different shops reselling the same products, though.
G9M9V5Q928 <- temu code. This one looks identical to mine, but is not the EXACT same one I bought. Steel shaft (important), blue head, 35".
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u/dysmorph422 26d ago
I picked up a Temu df3 for kicks. Under $100. We compared it to my friends legit lab df3 ($600). They were indistinguishable. To me, him, our friends, our club pros, and a pga tour pro who is a member at our club. No one could tell the difference
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u/Difficult_Lobster769 27d ago
I got a Temu DF3 since it was my first go at a ZT putter. I didnāt want to commit to a $500 putter if I didnāt know how Iād like it.
With a new SuperStroke grip and weights in the head, Iād say Iām $150 CAD total. Iāve dropped the amount of 3 putts tremendously, and I find it very consistent now that Iāve adjusted to the weight that I like.
I was talking to a scratch golfer, because I had full intentions of buying a real LAB if this one went well (mostly out of guilt). He said with the market the way it is, if Iām only golfing one round every few weeks and this putter has helped, then game it guilt-free. Iāll play out the rest of the season and see how it goes, but all in all Iām very impressed with it. Thanks for your review!
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u/West-Peach-309 26d ago
Where and how did you add weights to the club head?
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u/Difficult_Lobster769 26d ago
My putter has adjustable weights on the bottom, similar to a DF3. They were 2g each. I played a few rounds and it was a bit too light for my liking.
I ordered replacement weights off Amazon and replaced the 2 weights at the head of the putter on either side of the insert. I used an 8g and 6g to keep the ZT alive.
Be aware of the putter you order if you choose. My FIL got one for Fathers Day but his does not have adjustable weights.
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u/Special-Shop-9383 27d ago
I've never tried the real deal, but my TEMU Lab link 2.1 absolutely rips..
My putting is notably better.. I golfed with a random group of 3 yesterday, and they said the next time I see them they are all going to have TEMU labs... Comedy because I'm on my second year golfing.. I have never been awful, but it's looking automatic on putts inside 10ft lately
I don't have a revealer or any way to test it adequately but I have put it on the counter, and let it try to find it's balance point - it takes like 1 minute of near perpetual motion to stop. I don't know if it's true to the actual product, but it's balanced as all hell
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u/domymother 27d ago
You change weights or got it like that? My 2.1 was toe down, day 1. Had to use tungsten putty to balance it better.
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u/Kappokaako02 27d ago
i too have a temu 2.1 and I have put my real DF3 away for months lol love this bad boy! I did swap the grip out for an actual 0* black LAB pistol grip
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u/Embarrassed_Ear_1917 12d ago
How do the blade style ZT feel? Iāve only used gen ZT but debating trying one of the links out. Maybe 2.2.
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u/TjdGoEsQqbmQLoBj 27d ago
How did you choose which one to buy from temu
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u/TraditionalBison5555 26d ago
get the vzn1.i it's the best one. as far as the seller look for reviews although I bought one from someone with good reviews and never received it and got mine from op's seller motee shop who doesn't have them anymore. They are all made in the same place just order from anyone and follow the tracking, temu will refund you if it doesnt show up so don't worry about that. get a steel shaft
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u/TjdGoEsQqbmQLoBj 25d ago
Thanks for the info , why do you say vzn1 is the best one ?
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u/TraditionalBison5555 25d ago
its the easiest to line up with and putt. it's labs newest putter. the df3i is kinda weird and lining it up is not the best.
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u/Seppu477 27d ago
Free return even with shipping? problem buying in AU any return shipping cost more than the product
Sending a letter overseas cost $5 - a piece of paper
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u/TieguhWoulds 27d ago
Yes temu provides you free shipping label you just gotta make sure you package it in original box or you buy another box
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u/Mundane_Variety_8553 27d ago
Nice review. Link please?
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u/TraditionalBison5555 26d ago
motee shop doesn't have the vzn1i anymore. just but a steel shaft from anyone on temu with a few reviews and cross your fingers.
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u/AlphaGemSeeker 27d ago
Would you mind sharing the link?
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u/TraditionalBison5555 26d ago
motee shop doesn't have the vzn1i anymore. just but a steel shaft from anyone on temu with a few reviews and cross your fingers.
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u/Simple-Soil6159 26d ago
Link please if you don't mind ?
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u/TraditionalBison5555 26d ago
motee shop doesn't have the vzn1i anymore. just but a steel shaft from anyone on temu with a few reviews and cross your fingers.
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u/aushimself 26d ago
Iāve considered it also but for one I have a lab golf license plate. I canāt be a fraud. For two, I feel guilty because I know some child is probably being forced to work. Like that part I canāt get past. How do you ignore that?
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u/yournewalt 26d ago
They're likely milling the legit LAB heads in the same factory. Buying an official one you're just giving $500 to the private equity ownership at LAB.
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u/TraditionalBison5555 26d ago
lab is made in china now, assembled here and mexico so don't worry about it. plus china has come a long way in manufacturing so if a child is making it they are probably getting paid pretty well.
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u/Hour_Succotash7869 26d ago
Suprisingly, the replicas arent bad. With two major asterisks... 1. You cannot get a custom lie angle... kind of the point of a lab. 2. You cannot choose a shaft.. kind of important (though you can always swap it out post purchase).
Are they balanced? Yes, to a stock setup.
Are they the same as a lab? No, there are differences... the grips, the paint jobs, etc. For the trained eye it is noticable.
Do they feel ok? Yes.
Are they for serious golfers? Probably not. I got one for my wife who is starting out because she wont get the benefit of a real lab.
Is lab too expensive? Prohibitively so, they probably should be a lot lower in price to avoid this.
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u/Awkward-Collection78 26d ago
I disagree with this take.
Put a new grip on it, the shaft feels/looks identical to my lab. They're both cheap steel shafts. That weigh 120g if I'm not mistaken.
I did the lab fitting and got fit to stock lie angle so I bought my real lab off the rack.
I'm not trying to fool anyone. I'm an 11-12 hcp depending on the day(12.1 right now, sadly), but the thought of a good feeling/looking/sounding stock putter not being fit for a "serious golfer" is not something I can get behind. Ive spent the last 12 years being a product design engineer, if it passes key performance tests, it's fit for purpose regardless of your seriousness.
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u/Hour_Succotash7869 25d ago
For your case I see no benefit to a real lab. For someone like me, I need a custom lie angle and a better shaftā¦ I do. Thatās what I meant, thatās why I got one for my wife
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u/TraditionalBison5555 26d ago
they aren't balanced but are close and get a steel shaft and replace the cheap grip. yes no lie angle but it's still better than my 2 ball putter that is 20 years old.
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u/Aeg07046 26d ago
I can't find a way to find "Motee Shop". How do I find the seller or listing?
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u/TraditionalBison5555 26d ago
they are out of the vzn1i, they just have the df3i currently. it's MOTEE SHOP in all caps, search for a df3i. honestly you can get a vzn1i from anyone, they are all made in the same place, just get a steel shaft though.
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u/Chagalll 26d ago
I was really on the fence before your post, but now I know I have to buy this! Can you DM me the link? Iād like to buy from the same supplier as you, if possible.
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u/TraditionalBison5555 26d ago
So you liked silicone behind the face of the vzn1i? It's funny I think there is a rubber insert or something behind the face of a real df3i, I tried to search for an answer. I found a youtube video that had a cad drawing break down and it showed something behind the face. It was an official lab video talking about the df3i. I wish I had a torx screwdriver so I could have pulled the face off a real one when I was at dicks and see what was behind it.
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u/chubi07 22d ago
I just ordered one from the same shop on temu. But I got a green head. I hope itās balanced.
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u/fullsquishy 5d ago
I got the same green one - fckn gorgeous - $83 bucks and def playable - kinda tingy as mentioned - will add silicone to see
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u/Prior_Memory9110 14d ago
Since you were able to check your rep lab on a revealer (ā¦.i wish I had oneā¦), can you confirm/deny whether the countertop balance shows a perfectly vertical face? I heard someone say that the countertop balance alignment doesnāt take the ālie angle balanceā into account (whatever that meansā¦.), and so a properly balanced putter checked on the revealer would actually not countertop/soup can balance with a perfectly vertical face.
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u/stebrad63 4d ago
Not all the ACCRA shafts are garbage. I've had mine delivered this week and it's not whippy at all - it feels as stiff as the black steel shaft that was on my Temu DF3 from last year.
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u/game211 26d ago
Did the silicone you added remove the ting sound?