Yes, it’s crazy looking. And… there is a legion of golfers around the world who think the Directed Force is the Mona Lisa of mallets. But they didn’t think that until they started making putt after putt with it.
The Backstory
Our Founder is Bill Presse, a former mini-tour player who had the idea to create a putter that would allow him to drastically simplify his stroke. He wanted to be able to count on a square putter face every time, which led him to invent Lie Angle Balance.
Bill also wanted to create a putter head that would give him as much forgiveness as possible, so he developed the radical shape of the DF 2.1 as a way to maximize consistency on off-center hits. Yes, it looks like a branding iron… but it works!
The Claim
DF 2.1 can do amazing things other putters can’t because of Lie Angle Balance, or L.A.B. for short. Lie Angle Balance gives every golfer the ability to consistently repeat the putting stroke with far less effort than with other putters. And it does this by eliminating torque.
As a side note, all of our putters have Lie Angle Balance. MEZZ.1 and MEZZ.1 MAX look a lot like the most popular mallet putters. LINK.1 looks a lot like the most popular blades. And DF3 is pretty darn close to being as forgiving as DF 2.1.
If forgiveness isn’t the main concern or you prefer the enhanced feedback of a smaller putter, you might want to consider our other models, too.
Why We Hate Torque
Torque is an industry problem. Golfers have been battling torque in their putters throughout the history of the game — the majority of which never realize they’re doing it at all. Most golfers have learned to adjust for torque by adding uneven hand pressure to the putter, introducing yet another variable into their putting stroke.
Even today’s largest club manufacturers have acknowledged the issue of torque, marketing putters with a variety of balance types — different levels of toe hang, counter-balance, face-balance, etc. — yet none of these products actually solve the problem. Lie Angle Balance does.
It Does (Almost) Anything
Lie Angle Balance doesn’t read greens. It doesn’t line you up at your target. You’ll have to figure out those things on your own. But Lie Angle Balance will help with distance control because your putter won’t want to flop around during your stroke like a fish out of water. It works with your stroke, not against it.
And if you do happen to contact your putt off-center with the DF 2.1, it won’t really affect the result. That’s the benefit of playing a putter that looks like Darth Vader.
Fitting is Critical
We developed what we call a “Remote Fitting” to make sure we’re making a putter that’s perfect for you. And you can do a Remote Fitting from just about anywhere.
So go ahead and start building your putter here, and when you get to your Lie Angle selection just select “Not Sure.” After you complete your purchase, visit our Remote Fitting Page here and submit your Remote Fitting video along with your order number. Our fitting team will work with you to determine your ideal specs.
How We Build It
Our craftsmen use a formula we developed to anticipate the two main factors of Lie Angle Balance:
1. The position, angle, and depth of the CNC milled shaft hole in the putter head.
2. The precise number of grams that need to be positioned in the weight ports of our putters.
We add CNC milled weights and tungsten powder to these weight ports — a balancing process that can take up to 30 minutes or more — to achieve a putter that’s Lie Angle Balanced at a golfer’s exact requirements.
If you’re anti-fitting for whatever reason, we do offer a DF 2.1 Stock option with our most popular build configurations. Same putter. Same everything. Just a little lower price because they’re more straightforward to build.
We sell more 34-inch, 69-degree putters than anything else. This spec often works for golfers who play clubs that are fairly standard. All DF 2.1 Stock putters come with a Press II 3-Degree grip and Alignment Aid #1.
Press Grips
With DF 2.1, we absolutely recommend that golfers use a Press Grip. Press Grips work on any putter, but they’re most effective with DF 2.1 because they allow golfers to position their hands directly over the ball at address, a setup most golfers prefer.
When choosing a Press Grip for the DF 2.1, we generally recommend the Press Grip II 3 Degree. It has a flat front section that most golfers feel comfortable using.
The Press Grip 1.L (barrel-shaped) and the Press Grip OG 3 Degree (all rubber) are also great picks and are available on the DF 2.1 Custom.
If you have questions about our grip models, visit our grips page or drop us a line here.