By: Scott Kramer
Any golfer who’s stepped inside a fitting bay lately knows the key to long tee shots is the driver shaft. But when it comes to the putter, a shaft can often be treated as an afterthought. Visit Scottsdale Golf’s L.A.B. Golf Centre of Excellence in Birmingham, U.K., however, and you will quickly learn just how much the proper shaft can utterly transform a putting stroke.
At the center of this revelation is George Albone, a PGA Professional and the store's Assistant Manager. Every day, Albone guides players through the intricate process of optimizing their release and alignment on the green. He doesn’t just preach the gospel of high-performance components; he lives it. In his own bag, Albone rolls the rock with a L.A.B. Golf Link 2.1 putter paired meticulously with Mitsubishi’s Diamana tour-winning graphite putter shaft.
While Scottsdale Golf prides itself on remaining strictly brand-agnostic – always focusing on an individual player’s needs rather than favoring one manufacturer – it’s become difficult to ignore the regular buzz and merits generated by the Diamana and L.A.B. combination. The companies have been working together this year to make a perfect match.
On the local level, the fittings Albone conducts daily on the gold standard SAM PuttLab system confirm that this partnership is delivering real results. Because the Diamana boasts a stiffer profile than standard options, it actively helps reduce the unwanted speed of face rotation during the stroke. Albone regularly sees players achieve a higher overall consistency score on the SAM data summary page the moment the Diamana is locked into the head.
L.A.B. Golf built its reputation on its revolutionary zero-torque technology that keeps the putter face perfectly square throughout the stroke without any human manipulation. But to maximize the effects of this design, the shaft needed to help keep the stroke smooth and reliable. So Mitsubishi hand-rolled full-length, high-strength carbon fiber plies in internal layers to create a super smooth bend profile for the best-possible feedback and feel. The result is its lowest-torque, firmest-feeling putter shaft ever that achieves stability without sacrificing feel.
According to Albone, the Diamana shaft brings a level of structural stability that perfectly complements the zero-torque nature of the L.A.B. lineup. But where it truly carves out its own space in the fitting matrix is how it balances that stiffness with an incredibly premium sensation in the hands.
"I find the shaft adds stability to the putter... as well as provides a much smoother and softer feel while giving you a high level of feedback," says Albone. "Sometimes softer feeling shafts can lack in the feedback department, especially for off-center strikes. But the Diamana shaft gives great feedback – it lets me know exactly where I’ve struck the ball and what to expect from that stroke."
For golfers accustomed to other high-end stability shafts, the transition can be eye-opening. Albone points out that competing models aiming for a similar technical result can often feel sharp or harsh at impact. The Diamana eludes this trap, offering a firm, stiff profile that minimizes head twist while delivering a soft, buttery feel through the ball.
When golfers book a putter fitting session at Scottsdale Golf, they typically test all five shaft options in the L.A.B. matrix, ranging from premium steel to ultra-custom graphite. But it’s during this progression that the Diamana consistently steals the show.
"Golfers always react well to the Diamana shaft when they try it for the first time," says Albone. "It’s often hard to move away from it to a different shaft once the player has hit a few putts with it. We often get reactions of surprise from players as they didn’t previously know or understand how much a shaft can change the feel or performance of a putter."
Putting is such a deeply personal discipline that Albone’s hesitant to pigeonhole the Diamana into any specific player profile. “There’s no one type of golfer that the Diamana does or doesn’t work for, but someone looking for the most stable option combined with great feedback often favors this shaft,” says Albone. “From studying the data, I find every golfer’s putting improves with the Diamana, granted some more than others.” He’s seen performance gains across the board, regardless of whether a golfer opts for L.A.B.’s smallest, traditional head shape like the Link 2.1, or the ultra-forgiving, oversized DF3.
However, if there’s a sweet spot for the shaft’s unique profile, it lies within the player’s natural rhythm. "Given the profile of the shaft, I feel it suits players with a smooth, medium-tempo stroke," says Albone. He cautions that lightning-fast tempo players might occasionally feel like they "lose" the head during the arc, but for the moderate-tempo player seeking absolute control, it’s a match made in heaven.
Ultimately, the best way to understand the hype is to see and feel it for yourself. If you’re ever visiting Birmingham, a few rolls in the L.A.B. Centre of Excellence alongside an expert like Albone may forever change the way you look at the putter shaft.
Click here to learn more about the Diamana Putter.
