50 Words or Less
The L.A.B. Golf MEZZ.1 MAX Broomstick putter is unbelievable at controlling starting line. Tremendous forgiveness. Mastering technique and distance control may take some time. Critical to be fit.
Introduction
Lucas Glover finished the 2023 season in style with wins at the Wyndham and FedEx St. Judes Championships. The most noticeable piece of gear powering those wins was a L.A.B. Golf MEZZ.1 MAX Broomstick putter. Glover’s suddenly sensational putting spurred a flock of imitators, and L.A.B.’s long putters became a common sight on Tour.
Having experienced the effects of lie angle balancing in the standard length MEZZ.1 MAX putter [review HERE], I was excited to see how it paired with the driver-length shaft. Will my putting be totally changed in 2024? Let’s find out.
Looks
At address, the head of the L.A.B. Golf MEZZ.1 MAX Broomstick putter is identical to the standard length MEZZ.1 MAX. It looks like a sideways U, or perhaps an E or W. While it’s definitely not conventional – particularly the shaft placement – I’ve been looking at L.A.B. putters for long enough that they’re no longer jarring. And in a world of Spiders and Fangs, beauty is really in the eye of the beholder.
For anyone who has used the MEZZ.1 putter [review HERE], the MEZZ.1 MAX is about 20% larger, primarily seen in the heel-to-toe length.
Where there is a visual difference between the MEZZ.1 MAX Broomstick and the standard length is on the sole. As you can see above, the Broomstick (right) has two rows of weights on each “wing” where the standard version has just one. This elevates the head weight to somewhere between 485 and 515 grams, depending on your preference.
Finally, there are many customization options for the MEZZ.1 MAX. There are seven head colors – black, cappuccino, blue (shown here), orange, platinum, red, and pink. Additionally, L.A.B. Golf offers eleven alignment options on the silver portion of the head, from blank to lines to a heart.
Sound & Feel
The most standout thing about the L.A.B. Golf MEZZ.1 MAX Broomstick putter is how soft it feels. On center, this putter feels so gentle; a response that’s at odds with its size. The feel is complemented by a quiet, round “tock.”
This putter delivers feedback that is clear but subtle. Mishits become more firm as you move farther from the center of the face. Similarly, the sound transforms from a dull “tock” to a clearer, more pronounced “tock.” Though these signals are direct, they can be overlooked because no strike ever feels harsh or unpleasant.
I tested the L.A.B. Golf MEZZ.1 MAX Broomstick with the LA Golf P-Series 180 shaft. I’ve reviewed several LA Golf putter shafts [TPZ review HERE] and have found that they deliver some of the softest feel.
L.A.B. Golf gives golfers three options for their broomstick putter shafts. The stock option is an Accra graphite shaft in either white or black. They also offer a TPT shaft at an up-charge of $399. The LA Golf P-Series 180 comes with a $400 up-charge.
Performance
In an industry full of companies claiming unique technology, L.A.B. Golf’s truly is. If you’re unfamiliar with L.A.B. Golf, you can get the full story on their tech HERE. The one sentence version is that their putters have no torque, so they square themselves to your arc, making putting easier. This also makes them a natural choice for the broomstick style.
Outside of a couple reviews, I’ve never spent any time with a long putter. I felt like this made me an ideal test case for the benefits of the L.A.B. Golf MEZZ.1 MAX Broomstick. If it’s genuinely a better way to putt, that should be immediately apparent.
I started my testing by pitting the MEZZ.1 MAX Broomstick against the standard length MEZZ.1 MAX and a couple of my gamers. I set up my Foresight GCQuad so that the start line could be measured precisely. The results immediately made me question what will be in my bag this year. On a series of ten putts, the MEZZ.1 MAX Broomstick started every putt within 1.0 degree of the intended line and the majority were within 0.5 degrees. The other putters were good – most putts were within 1 degree – but they each had one or two outside that range, and they spent more time in the higher end of it.
Liam Bedford from L.A.B. Golf’s Tour Department offered an explanation for this performance during our podcast [listen HERE]. He stated that broomstick putters are more upright than normal putters (see above), meaning the stroke has less arc to it. This “straighter” stroke makes it even easier for the L.A.B. putter to do what it wants to – stay square to the path.
The next thing I tested was the forgiveness. With the immense head weight, I expected the MEZZ.1 MAX Broomstick to maintain ball speed better than most, and Liam had noted that L.A.B.’s shaft placement further enhanced smash factor consistency. My testing bore this out. I couldn’t get the smash factor on the MEZZ.1 MAX Broomstick to vary by more than 0.06 unless I aimed for the extreme toe or heel. With traditional putters, smash factor variance over 0.1 was not uncommon. This translates to more putts – including mishits – getting all the way to the hole.
After seeing superior start lines and consistency, I wanted to test the MEZZ.1 MAX Broomstick’s ability to roll longer putts. On medium length putts – fifteen to twenty feet – the technology in the L.A.B. continued to override my lack of established technique. The forgiveness kept all the putts in a tight range, in terms of both distance and direction.
Moving to putts over twenty or thirty feet is where my inexperience with the long putter showed. I didn’t have the confidence in the feel of my right hand the way I do with a conventional putter. That said, my results were not dramatically worse than they were with my gamer – and that’s a putting style I’ve used for over twenty years! Even in its weakest area, the L.A.B. Golf MEZZ.1 MAX Broomstick putter held its own.
Broomstick Putting Technique
After recording my podcast with Liam Bedford, we did a virtual fitting for my L.A.B. Golf MEZZ.1 MAX Broomstick where he gave me some insight into technique.
According to Liam, there are two types of broomstick players. The first types keeps their body and the top of the putter shaft still, using their right hand to power the stroke. The other type locks their arms in place and rocks their shoulders. This is probably more of a continuum rather than a stark “A or B” choice, but I found it a useful way to think about technique. Personally, I found it easier to use only my right hand. With this technique, my head felt very steady, and everything was smooth.
Conclusion
I don’t like to think of myself as a bandwagon jumper, but it’s entirely possible that I’ll have this L.A.B. Golf MEZZ.1 MAX Broomstick putter in my bag when the season starts. The forgiveness is elite, and I’ve never seen a putter this good at controlling start line out of the box. Whether you’re looking to remake your putting or not, giving one of these a try is a must for any gear head.
Visit L.A.B. Golf HERE
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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31 Comments
Boom goes the broomstick. Love the lab tech and thought about getting one of these as well but the price point always got to me. Glad you found success. I may need to rethink this. How did your specs change from the traditional Mezz max you have? I presume you either went to CC or did a remote fitting?
Randy,
I did a remote fitting with LAB. The Broomstick is more upright, and Liam fit my length based on how I planned to swing the putter.
Best,
Matt
Thanks Matt
Yea I don’t care how good they are I’m not paying this much for any club!
One of your best and most in-depth reviews. Thank you and Congratulations on being a way better putter now! LAB Broomsticks ARE the real deal. Been loving the DF 2.1 for over a year. Changed my whole golf game. Can’t wait for the DF 3 Broomstick version. Hope you stick with it and see those putts go in from everywhere!
Thanks, James. I also hope that I make everything!
-Matt
A disgusting piece of equipment … you grubs should get jailed!
Hahahahahahaha.
awesome read, really want to try a broomstick and lab is my first choice. Just need to find a fitter close to me in Australia.
Great review. I have this L.A.B. broomstick putter, 46 inch, 79.5 degree. It works great with the sidesaddle style as well as traditional style broomstick. Very forgiving.
Clearly a very good putter. However, many of my golf friends are not convinced that the broomstick should be allowed as the shaft, although not anchored to the body is anchored via the left forearm
If you are 5’5″ inches tall what length would be appropriate also arc when putting.
Mike,
I’m not any type of expert on fitting long putters; I would recommend contacting LAB or trying their online fitting tool.
Best,
Matt
Broomsticks and unconventional putting sure has been hot on tour! Should help out those who never practice putting even more! Can’t wait to see a comparison with this against the new Odyssey AI Broomstick!
Too bloody ugly and expensive to even consider. I suspect this fade putter will fade away sooner than later. I’m surprised Matt appeared to buy into it.
Rich,
There’s no “buying in” – the data is the data. I don’t know if I’ll make the switch full time, but the early results are outstanding.
-Matt
Have you tried or thought of trying the armlock style. Your thoughts on this please. I currently use a SIK armlock and like it very much
George,
I’ve messed around with it a bit but never made any serious attempts at it. I think it’s perfectly fine if it works for you. It’s made a lot of money for Matt Kuchar.
Best,
Matt
It seems there would be a ton of tweeking before you settle on what you think is the best setup. 16 weight plugs is overly complex in my mind. I’m not sure what the two set screws are for? More complexity. Looking down on the putter I see simplicity but ugly. Ugly simplicity! I play with a centered shafted putter but having the shaft engage the head so far behind the face is an unstable position to start with, but possibly stabilized by the very heavy head.
All my negative comments are based on the photos. I have not tried this putter and probably never will. I like my Ping.
On a positive note, I like the review. All your reviews are entertaining, Matt.
Dan,
The weights are set at the factory. The user is not meant to touch them, as that may ruin the lie angle balancing.
-Matt
Matt
Very good review. I was wondering, considering the very hefty price tag, if I should travel to get fitted. Otherwise, how can a guy determine which shaft feels better, etc.. If I understand correctly, an upgrade would boost the cost to $800 for one club. I hate to make that investment based on a guess.
Don,
I think that’s wise. I’m always in favor of fitting.
Best,
Matt
Bought a Mezz max from LAB golf and absolutely love it. Taken off at least 2 strokes per round. Regular size not the Broomstick. It just fit my eye so good and sets you up right. Was always struggling with off center shafts to keep face square. With this you don’t have to.
Did you ever compare the broomstick version to the standard length version of the Mezz.1 Max? Your review left me wondering if the benefit of the LAB broomstick was mostly due to it’s lie balanced tech or to the “broomstick” style.
Matt, I have the same question(s)…compared? Thanks.
Dan,
The benefits of the lie angle balancing work in any configuration, but I do think they’re enhanced by the broomstick’s more upright lie angle.
Best,
Matt
Matt: Are you sticking with the Mezz .1 Max Broomstick? Do you have an update?
Don,
No updates, it’s not really golf season here.
-Matt
I just went to their headquarters and got fitted for a 46 inch MexxMax Broomstick, 79.5 lie, TPT shaft. Switching from an armlock DF2.1. Love LAB technology and super excited. I definitely think broomstick will taken advantage of the tech more than my armlock. Still gotta wait 3 more weeks! Did you end up putting it in the bag? How’s it going? Thanks for the review!
Caleb,
The broomstick is not in the bag, but I have been thinking more about putting the traditional length LAB in the bag lately.
Best,
Matt
I get a kick out of these people complaining about the price, but yet spend $600 on a driver they can’t hit and use 14 times max per round. The putter is the most used club in the bag and most people don’t even get fit for it.