Bay – Golfing Networks

Unreleased L.A.B. Golf blade putters spotted at Bay Hill

admin — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 01:46:31 +0000

Traditional blade shapes with 303 stainless steel and lie-angle balance hint at a new direction for L.A.B. Golf.

ORLANDO, Florida — There’s something ironic about spotting yet-to-be-released L.A.B. Golf blade-style putters in the practice area ahead of the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational. The Oregon-based company built its reputation on shapes that help golfers get more consistent results on the greens but look, to some, like potato mashers on a stick. L.A.B. has never shied away from unconventional designs.

The Link 2.1 and Link 2.2 that were leaning against a L.A.B. Golf bag next to the practice green at Bay Hill Club & Lodge on Tuesday looked refined, traditional and, dare we say, conventional while still retaining the company’s signature lie-angle balance technology.

The Link 2.1 resembles a traditional heel-toe weighted blade. It has a dark finish, clean shoulders and a compact profile. Like the OZ.1i HS, it is heel-shafted and features a riser that extends up from the head and connects to the shaft. L.A.B. debuted the riser system last summer in the OZ.1 HS series. It allows the company to offer heel-shaft putters with different lie angles while maintaining lie-angle balance. The riser progresses from being short on flatter lie-angle putters to to higher for more-upright putters.

Eight circular stainless steel weights are positioned in the Link 2.1’s sole, but what’s stamped on one of the back bumpers is particularly noteworthy. The 303 SS marking indicates the head is milled from 303 stainless steel, a material long favored by premium putter makers for its feel and machinability. Currently, L.A.B. putters are made from milled aluminum, and only two models, the OZ.1i and DF3i, feature stainless steel face inserts to provide the crisp feel and sound many players prefer.

The Link 2.2 appears to take that same fundamental shape and stretch it. The back flange is noticeably wider, which likely shifts more mass rearward and toward the perimeter to increase forgiveness. It still looks like a blade, but one that leans closer to the stability spectrum L.A.B. players have come to expect.

While the use of 303 stainless steel will be welcomed by many golfers, the bigger story may be what these shapes represent.

L.A.B. has built its identity around lie-angle balance, and that philosophy is not going anywhere. The design helps keep the putter face square to the arc of a player’s stroke on the backswing, through impact and into the follow-through. Models such as the DF 2.1 and DF 3 pushed the boundaries of geometry in pursuit of torque resistance. More recently, the OZ.1 introduced a more traditional look. Now, the Link 2.1 and Link 2.2 appear to answer a different question: What if you could get lie-angle balance in a package that looks familiar at address?

For many golfers, particularly those who grew up on blade putters, visual comfort matters. The Anser-style profile has endured for decades because it frames the ball cleanly and sits square without distraction. If L.A.B. can integrate its zero-torque principles into a traditional 303 stainless steel blade, it could open the door to players who admire the technology but have hesitated because of the shapes.

The 303 stainless steel construction is also significant. Unlike the DF3i or OZ.1i, which incorporate face inserts to fine-tune feel and sound, a fully milled 303 head would not require an insert. The material itself typically produces a softer, more responsive impact sensation than aluminum or multi-material constructions. For purists who prefer a single-piece milled head, that detail matters.

These putters have not been officially announced, and specifications, pricing and release timing remain unknown. But visually, they suggest refinement rather than reinvention.

If the DF 3 and OZ.1 proved that lie-angle balance could succeed in bold, high-MOI platforms, the Link 2.1 and Link 2.2 hint that those same principles may now be migrating into more traditional forms.

If that happens, L.A.B. may find itself doing something it has rarely done before: winning over golfers who want cutting-edge performance without giving up the look of a classic blade.

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Scottie Scheffler switches to TaylorMade Qi4D driver at Bay Hill

admin — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 01:13:29 +0000

After two seasons with the Qi10, the world’s No. 1 player begins the Arnold Palmer Invitational with a new driver.

ORLANDO, Fla. — When the world’s No. 1 player finally decides a club deserves a place in the bag, it tends to mean something.

After two seasons of sticking with his trusted TaylorMade Qi10 driver, Scottie Scheffler started the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge on Thursday using TaylorMade’s new Qi4D driver, joining a growing list of the company’s marquee players who have already made the move.

“I feel like what we have seen is more consistent spin numbers. So that will help it be a little bit more accurate off the tee,” he told members of the media after an opening-round 2-under 70 on Thursday. “Directionally, I struggled a little bit with it at the start of the year, but I got to what I thought was a really good spot last week, and I liked what I saw today.”

Scheffler used the driver Wednesday during the pro-am, and it appears to be fitted with the same Fujikura Ventus Black shaft that was in his Qi10.

For TaylorMade, the list of players already in the Qi4D includes Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood. Nelly Korda, Brooke Henderson and Charley Hull have also been playing Qi4D, but adding Scheffler to the group carries a different kind of weight because of how reluctant he has been to change.

Scheffler’s loyalty to the Qi10 has been notable over the past year. Even when TaylorMade released the Qi35 driver in 2025, Scheffler bypassed it and kept using the Qi10, a club that had already delivered wins and consistent performance for the 29-year-old Texan. While McIlroy quickly transitioned into the Qi4D earlier this season, Scheffler tested it at the Hero World Challenge and then went back to his Qi10.

His reasoning was simple.

“I can be a difficult person to get a club in the bag,” he explained after the second round of the WM Phoenix Open. “I’m a little bit adverse to change as it is, and I have a driver in my bag that’s won quite a lot of golf tournaments. I’ve had a lot of success with it.

“It’s just one of those things that is tough. I’m not going to put anything in the bag unless I feel it’s better. We are getting really close. There are some improvements I’ve for sure seen in the new driver. It just hasn’t gotten quite where it needs to be in order for me to put it in competition.”

Apparently, it has now crossed that threshold.

The timing of the move is significant. The Arnold Palmer Invitational is a PGA Tour signature event. Next week comes the Players Championship. The 2026 Masters, the season’s first major, is just 35 days away. This is typically not the time of year players experiment with equipment or create a quarterback controversy inside the world No. 1’s bag.

For TaylorMade, getting Scheffler into a Qi4D driver is significant because it creates alignment: the brand’s most prominent ambassadors are all teeing it up with the same driver. That does not always happen, especially when one of those players spent the better part of two seasons proving that he did not feel the need to change.

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Akshay Bhatia golf equioment Arnold Palmer Invitational Bay Hill WITB

admin — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 20:16:49 +0000

A complete list of the golf equipment Akshay Bhatia used to win the PGA Tour’s 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational.

A complete list of the golf equipment Akshay Bhatia used to win the PGA Tour’s 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational:

DRIVER: Callaway Rogue ST (9 degrees), with Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X shaft

FAIRWAY WOOD: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees), with Fujikura Ventus Black 8 X shaft

Save 23% on Akshay Bhatia’s fairway wood

HYBRID: Callaway Apex UW 2021 (19 degrees), with Fujikura Ventus Black 10 X shaft

IRONS: Callaway Forged UT (3), Apex TCB Irons (5-PW), with KBS $-Taper 125 S+ shafts – SHOP NOW

WEDGES: Callaway Opus SP (50, 54, 60 degrees), with KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 135 X shafts

Shop Akshay Bhatia’s Callaway wedges

PUTTER: Odyssey Jailbird 380 broomstick

BALL: Callaway Chrome Tour

Save 25% on Akshay Bhatia’s Callaway golf balls

GRIPS: Iomic

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Dressed for Success: Akshay Bhatia’s TravisMathew apparel at Bay Hill

admin — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:06:13 +0000

Akshay Bhatia stormed from behind to capture the third PGA Tour victory of his career at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday, defeating Daniel Berger in a playoff to cap off a thrilling weekend at Bay Hill.

Golfweek equipment editor David Dusek already gave us an inside look at the clubs in Bhatia’s bag. Now, let’s take a look at the TravisMathew apparel he wore during his big win. Here’s how Akshay Bhatia dressed for success.

Akshay Bhatia’s TravisMathew apparel at the Arnold Palmer Invitational

Bhatia showed everyone the importance of staying calm and collected during Sunday’s pressure-packed moments, and he was certainly cool and comfortable in the TravisMathew Featherweight Salt Breeze Polo. It’s made from the brand’s signature Featherweight Active fabric, a stretchy blend of polyester and cotton that promises a soft, breathable feel. Plus, the subtle print design adds a little extra style and flair to your golf outfit.

On the bottom half, Bhatia was sporting TravisMathew’s Wanderlust Golf Pant, complete with four-way stretch fabric that is both lightweight and durable. These pants are offered in five different colorways and feature a silicone grip lining on the waistband, ensuring your shirt never comes untucked so you can direct all your focus toward your golf game.

TravisMathew releases new collection with Akshay Bhatia

Coinciding with Bhatia’s exciting victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, TravisMathew released its new Our Favorite Time of Year Collection, which features a wide variety of fresh new apparel themed around the springtime golf calendar, which includes the Masters.

Shop the new TravisMathew x Akshay Bhatia collection

One of the items in this new Bhatia x TravisMathew collab is the AB Energy Polo, complete with bold graphics and a unique style to help you stand out. And if standing out isn’t quite your speed, check out the Clubhouse Classic polo, which is made from a cotton-based fabric and features a more subtle design.

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