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.
