If you’ve ever picked up a L.A.B. putter, you probably noticed right away that it doesn’t feel like anything else. That’s the point. L.A.B. (short for Lie Angle Balance) has built a reputation around one idea — creating putters that naturally stay square through your stroke. No twisting, no compensation, no overthinking. Just a smooth, repeatable roll.
But until now, that technology mostly lived in center-shafted designs — and let’s be honest, those shapes can take a little getting used to. Some players love them, but plenty of golfers told me they wanted all the performance without the “space-age” look. That’s where the OZ.1i HS comes in.
This new model gives you everything L.A.B. is known for — the unmatched face stability and forgiveness — in a more traditional, heel-shafted setup. For a lot of golfers, that means it finally looks like what they’re used to while still performing unlike anything else.
What Makes L.A.B. Special
Here’s the big idea behind Lie Angle Balance: every L.A.B. putter is engineered so that when you swing it, the face wants to stay square all by itself. Most putters — even high-end ones — fight you. They twist open and closed during the stroke, which forces you to constantly correct with your hands.
With a L.A.B., that torque is gone. You can just let the putter swing naturally, and it’ll return to square every time. When you see someone roll a L.A.B. for the first time, you can actually see the lightbulb go off. They’re not “steering” it anymore — they’re just rolling the ball.
What’s New About the HS Model
The “HS” stands for Heel Shafted, and that’s the big change here. L.A.B. found a way to bring their zero-torque technology into a putter that sets up more like the traditional mallets golfers know and love. It sits beautifully behind the ball, frames your target line naturally, and just feels right when you look down at it.
To pull this off, the engineers added a precision-milled aluminum riser inside the heel section, which keeps that perfect lie-angle balance even though the shaft enters near the heel. The result is the same square-faced stability L.A.B. fans rave about, now in a design that appeals to golfers who prefer that classic offset and shape.
Feel and Performance
The OZ.1i HS has a slightly firmer, more responsive feel than some earlier L.A.B. models, thanks to a new 303 stainless steel face insert. That gives you better feedback off the face — and a little extra pop on longer putts.
During fittings, I’ve noticed players immediately comment on how balanced it feels. It doesn’t wobble or “hang open” like most putters. Miss a little off-center, and it still stays square. The consistency from stroke to stroke is what really wins people over — especially when they see the roll pattern on the putting mat.
A Look You’ll Love at Address
Visually, the OZ.1i HS is probably L.A.B.’s most approachable design yet. It’s compact, clean, and confidence-inspiring. The alignment aids are easy to follow, and because the shaft enters at the heel, it gives you a clear, traditional sightline from behind the ball.
If you’ve wanted to try a L.A.B. putter but couldn’t get past the looks, this is the one that’ll change your mind.
Why It’s Worth Trying
Every golfer fights inconsistency on the greens — it’s human nature. What L.A.B. does differently is remove one of the biggest variables: face rotation. When the putter isn’t twisting in your hands, you don’t have to make compensations. You can relax, trust your stroke, and just let the design do the work.
Combine that with L.A.B.’s detailed fitting options — customized lie angles, shaft lean preferences, and grip choices — and you’ve got a putter that’s built around your motion, not someone else’s idea of “standard.”
If you’re curious about what the L.A.B. experience feels like, come see us at Chris Cote’s Golf Shop for a personalized putter fitting. We’ll show you exactly how your current putter moves through the stroke, then let you feel how different the OZ.1i HS behaves.
I can promise you this — once you see that face stay square all on its own, you’ll understand why so many golfers are making the switch.
