L.A.B. Sold

[Burnsey]

Read the following on a Facebook page, from Bill Presse IV, the inventor of lie angle balance and majority shareholder.

No news anywhere else, so unconfirmed, but assume he’s now a very wealthy fella if confirmed.

IMPORTANT POST : I guess the cat is out of the bag so courtesy post to the group. yes we sold the majority shares of Lab.  From start to finish my dreams have all been realized. The sale probably broke all sorts of records. The new owners are incredible. Because of the Lab story and the culture I want everybody to know that I am also a shareholder in the new company and hopefully very much involved going forward with to really see this to the end. The new owners are fantastic. PLEASE, no hard feeling just because they’re PE. They’ve gone above and beyond to do the right things. Truly couldn’t be happier. You guys will all figure that out in time. I just wanted to say thank you so much and make sure everybody understands that I’m very much still involved and I think you’re gonna love what’s coming! thank you all again. I will not be responding to questions (especially duhhh one’s) for privacy and legal reasons but will enjoy reading the comments.

 

[Oddsocks]

Just because they are PE?

 

[Springveldt]

Just because they are PE?

Private Equity.

Can all but guarantee the quality of the LAB putters will be going downhill now as they will cut everything to the bone while chasing profits.

If they are anything like the PE that bought the company I work for they will soon be paying off most employees while hiring their replacements in India.

 

[Oddsocks]

@Springveldt - I still really like the oz1, had a putt with one yesterday and it started that itch again. Let’s hope the QC doesn’t crash.

With everyone jumping on the ZT wagon, I think the old owner has played a blinder here.

 

[road2ruin]

@Springveldt - I still really like the oz1, had a putt with one yesterday and it started that itch again. Let’s hope the QC doesn’t crash.

With everyone jumping on the ZT wagon, I think the old owner has played a blinder here.

Yep, agreed. I love my DF3 and I'd be disappointed if the quality of future releases suffered with this sale however, as you say, with so many other brands bringing out their version of LAB putters it's a great time to have got out with the company at a peak.

 

[Deleted member 35927]

The amount they sell for was he really short of cash

 

[Oddsocks]

The amount they sell for was he really short of cash

Convinced he could see the crazy had a short exclusivity window and the main brands were always going to jump in.

Smart business man.

 

[Burnsey]

He invented something and collaborated to get it to where it is today.

He invented/discovered the lie angle balance principle, which every major manufacturer have bought into. Does he care what happens to the actual company, when his products are effectively everywhere?

Flog it, take the money and enjoy life. Anyone who doesn't understand that is likely a civil servant, living their dull life, until they qualify for a pension.

It'll take a couple of years plus for the standards to drop, if at all, at which point there'll be a massive amount of major competition, so the golfer will have choice if LAB is their thing. I've got 4 lol, so that'll last me.

 

[KenL]

I think, in a couple of years, this “zero torque” fad will be gone.

 

[evemccc]

I think, in a couple of years, this “zero torque” fad will be gone.

What’s the consensus on here, from those who’ve used them?

Is it a gimmick or does it really work?

I *think I remember reading that long putts are somehow harder / hard, but for short putts (up to 8ft or so) it works…The guy who works now for Golf Monthly, Joe Ferguson said that, I think

 

[Arthur Wedge]

What’s the consensus on here, from those who’ve used them?

Is it a gimmick or does it really work?

I *think I remember reading that long putts are somehow harder / hard, but for short putts (up to 8ft or so) it works…The guy who works now for Golf Monthly, Joe Ferguson said that, I think

A couple of people in our swindle have swapped to the putters

One to a LAB and one to a TM

It’s improved their putting

It’s transformed the guy who has gone to the TM - he has historically swapped putters in and out regularly and struggled

Over the last two months he has been putting superbly and HC has dropped from 2.8 to 0.3 - based on sinking more putts

 

[Deleted member 35927]

I think, in a couple of years, this “zero torque” fad will be gone.

Probably, way to many other reasons to miss putts for it to really make that bigger deal. Plus they ugly
The concept isnt new, just lab make a lot of noise and hype about it. I play a faced balanced putter and id say it's helped me to be fair.
Low moi etc has been around for ages, lab have just done a good job at making it sound like some new discovery

 

[Bazz]

He invented something and collaborated to get it to where it is today.

He invented/discovered the lie angle balance principle, which every major manufacturer have bought into. Does he care what happens to the actual company, when his products are effectively everywhere?

Flog it, take the money and enjoy life. Anyone who doesn't understand that is likely a civil servant, living their dull life, until they qualify for a pension.

It'll take a couple of years plus for the standards to drop, if at all, at which point there'll be a massive amount of major competition, so the golfer will have choice if LAB is their thing. I've got 4 lol, so that'll last me.

Absolute dream to create something from nothing and sell it for a fortune, and just live out the rest of your days in luxury, stress free.

 

[Springveldt]

What’s the consensus on here, from those who’ve used them?

Is it a gimmick or does it really work?

I *think I remember reading that long putts are somehow harder / hard, but for short putts (up to 8ft or so) it works…The guy who works now for Golf Monthly, Joe Ferguson said that, I think

Sometimes I think it’s just about having confidence in your putter or “the new putter effect”.

I recently bought a new putter (AI One Jailbird Cruiser) just randomly from Callaway PreOwned and over the last 7 weeks I’ve putted better than probably any point in my life and I’m now at my lowest ever handicap of 2.2 mainly from holing way more putts.

I think maybe a lot of the guys who end up at LAB have probably struggled with putting for a while and finally have something that suits them. I know if the Cruiser didn’t work for me that was my next stop as my putting was that bad.

 

[Springveldt]

Absolute dream to create something from nothing and sell it for a fortune, and just live out the rest of your days in luxury, stress free.

Can't blame him for cashing out, especially now since all the big manufacturers have skin in the game and are massively under cutting them.

You can pay £700 for a LAB or £300 for an Odyssey, I know which one I would try first.

 

[Orikoru]

Was it just me who opened this thinking Burnsey just wanted to let us know he'd sold one of the 11 LAB putters he owns?

 

[road2ruin]

What’s the consensus on here, from those who’ve used them?

Is it a gimmick or does it really work?

I *think I remember reading that long putts are somehow harder / hard, but for short putts (up to 8ft or so) it works…The guy who works now for Golf Monthly, Joe Ferguson said that, I think

I looked at the original LAB but couldn't get over the looks but went for a fitting as soon as the DF3 was available. I've no idea whether it's the putter itself or the confidence I have in it but as someone who swaps putters on a regular basis this has been in my bag for 18 months now and won't be leaving any time soon.

 

[Bazz]

Any blame him for cashing out, especially now since all the big manufacturers have skin in the game and are massively under cutting them.

You can pay £700 for a LAB or £300 for an Odyssey, I know which one I would try first.

Stick around long enough and the payday will have gone.

 

[Springveldt]

Stick around long enough and the payday will have gone.

Yep, smart to get out while he could. I'd have done the same.

I've no idea how the PE will get their money back with the big manufacturers undercutting them. I guess it will all be made and factory assembled in China rather than the hand made in the US claim. Cheap grips, cheapest shafts then can find, cut down on any expensive metals etc. then a barrage of "influencers" to claim they are still as good as ever. Most of the US staff will be offshored to India or China instead as well.

 

[Oddsocks]

Yep, smart to get out while he could. I'd have done the same.

I've no idea how the PE will get their money back with the big manufacturers undercutting them. I guess it will all be made and factory assembled in China rather than the hand made in the US claim. Cheap grips, cheapest shafts then can find, cut down on any expensive metals etc. then a barrage of "influencers" to claim they are still as good as ever. Most of the US staff will be offshored to India or China instead as well.

I think it has a different target market as their complete custom fit. Various shafts, lies, weights, grips etc. this comes at a premium.

I picked one up recent and was told a fitting is £50 and it’s not deducted from the £600 bill if I purchase.