The fitting behind Austin Smotherman’s L.A.B. VZN.1i putter

Austin Smotherman’s first PGA Tour victory has produced a useful equipment story: the fitting behind the L.A.B. VZN.1i putter in his bag. GOLF.com’s October 5 report describes a visit to the company’s headquarters in Eugene, Oregon, after the Wyndham Championship and before the Biltmore Championship.

The PGA Tour confirms that Smotherman won the Bank of Utah Championship on October 4. The putter’s presence in that win makes his setup interesting, but the result alone cannot establish what the equipment contributed.

Par for the Course’s October 5 equipment discussion covers his bag, with the putter segment beginning around 18:40. It is an independent creator discussion; the reported fitting and product specifications below are checked separately.

Jack Hirsh’s GOLF.com report identifies Smotherman’s custom VZN.1i as 34.5 inches long with a 69.5-degree lie angle, a Flymill steel insert, a L.A.B. x TPT shaft and a SuperStroke TLT grip. The report also describes the fitting as a change made before the Asheville event, making Utah his second tournament with that setup.

The distinction between that configuration and a stock purchase matters. L.A.B.’s current VZN.1i stock page lists a $499 price and a 69-degree lie angle. Its standard shaft and grip also differ from the components in the reported tour build. A golfer ordering the stock model would not automatically be getting Smotherman’s specifications.

L.A.B. describes three alignment cues in the design and promotes its lie-angle-balance technology. Those are the manufacturer’s explanations of the product. They are not a controlled test showing that changing putters would improve another player’s scores.

For a golfer considering the model, the practical starting point is a fitting that checks length, lie and alignment against the way that golfer sets up. Record the existing putter’s specifications before comparing alternatives, and test the fitted configuration rather than assuming a tour player’s numbers will transfer.

The VZN.1i itself was released in June. The fresh development is the reported fitting behind a tour winner’s current setup. That makes this a useful example of a custom equipment decision, with the details of the fit carrying more information than the name on the sole.