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L.A.B. Golf has introduced the DF3i, a new iteration on its best-selling DF3 putter that adds a stainless steel insert to the face. The release marks the first modification to the DF3 since its launch in January 2024 and reflects a growing demand from golfers who prefer a more solid feel at impact.

The stainless steel insert technology is not entirely new for L.A.B. Golf. The medium fly-milled stainless steel insert first debuted in late 2024 with the OZ.1i and was later expanded to the heel-shafted OZ.1i HS. With the DF3i, that same insert makes its way into L.A.B.’s most popular head shape, producing a firmer feel and approximately two percent faster ball speed compared to the standard aluminum face.

The DF3 was designed as a “less weird” looking evolution of L.A.B.’s original DF 2.1 mallet, offering lie angle balance technology in a more compact shape that appealed to a broader audience. That combination along with its stability and forgiveness across the face proved wildly successful, quickly turning the DF3 into the brand’s top-selling model.

To make the DF3 lie angle balanced with a stainless steel insert that is heavier than the lightweight CNC-milled 6061 aluminum body, the head had to be reengineered. L.A.B. engineers took inspiration from how the insert was engineered into the OZ.1i.

“Trying to go back and add an insert to a head that was not designed for it can present its own challenges,” explained Ryan Dearman, Senior Mechanical Engineer at L.A.B. Golf. One of the biggest hurdles was insert thickness. “If we had gone with the same thickness [as the OZ.1i], it would have added far too much weight too far forward on the face. We had to determine how much weight we could remove without sacrificing performance or sound.”

To solve this, engineers cut a pocket into the DF3 face, allowing weight to be redistributed rearward and the head to remain properly balanced with a thinner stainless steel insert. The result is a lie angle balanced DF3 that delivers the faster ball speeds golfers have come to expect from the OZ.1i and OZ.1i HS.

Those faster ball speeds aren’t just about feel. In L.A.B.’s testing, the stainless steel insert produced approximately two percent faster ball speeds, which can make a meaningful difference on lag putts or quick downhill putts where a smaller stroke achieves the same distance.

Ultimately, it comes down to feel. Golfers who prefer a softer, more buttery feel may still gravitate toward the DF3. For players who want a firmer, more responsive pop off the face, the DF3i is a compelling addition to the lineup.

The DF3i is available as a custom order starting at $599, $40 more than the standard DF3.

To celebrate the release, L.A.B. also dropped a limited collection featuring a DF3i hat, DF3i ball marker and DF3i towel, available only until January 26, 2026.