Tag: Adams

The Search for the Perfect 3-Wood

My golf buddies are well aware of my struggle. I’ve had a love-hate relationship with my three wood for a long time. For whatever reason – and there have been many – I have had a terrible time trying to find the right combination of loft, club head and shaft to make a three wood that is good enough for me to count on. For me, a three wood has to be versatile. I need to hit it well off the tee and off the fairway. It has to be forgiving but workable, and the ball flight cannot be too high or too low. Because of my very specific needs for this club, (bordering on obsessive compulsive) it has taken me the better part of a decade to find the perfect three wood, but I think the search is finally over.

My first three wood was a Spalding Executive with a ladies flex steel shaft. I actually hit it further than my driver, as many beginners often do. Soon after titanium drivers took the market by storm, my old Taylor Made Original One 12 degree driver became my (strong) three wood. For the last decade I have relied on an Adams Golf RPM LP Tour Prototype three wood with 13 degrees of loft and a Fujikura Rombax shaft. I got the club from a player that was on the Senior PGA Tour back in 2005 (Now called PGA Tour Champions) and it has stayed in the bag for over 10 years. When the rest of my golf game went to crap, I could always count on my three wood to produce good shots for me.

I’ve tested and played with countless fairway woods in the ten years since I got my Adams RPM, and until this summer I wasn’t able to find a three wood that performed well enough to replace the “gamer” Adams. A few came very close, but ultimately were rejected. The first was the Ping Rapture. With 13 degrees of loft, a larger club head and 43.5 inch shaft, the Rapture is more of a “2-wood” or “fairway driver,” and while I hit it a mile, it wasn’t versatile enough. The next candidate was the new Tour Edge Exotics CB Pro F2. After testing various Exotics clubs in the past like the CB3 & CB4 Tour, XCG7, EX9 and E8, I was excited to try the flagship model CB Pro F2. This club has an amazing blend of technology packed into a compact but classic looking club head, but the stock Mitsubishi Rayon KURO KAGE Silver Tini Series shaft wasn’t quite right for me. Keeping that in mind, a search for the right shaft to pair with the CB Pro F2 was underway.

When I arrived at the 2016 PGA Demo Day in Orlando, I wandered by the Aerotech Golf booth and stopped in to see owner Chris Hilleary and catch up. I have been playing the amazing Aerotech Steelfiber graphite shafts in my irons for over 5 years and discovered that he had now developed a new Steelfiber fairway wood shaft. After hitting his demo club fitted with the new Steelfiber SS85 shaft, I knew I had found the perfect match for the Exotics CB Pro.

I immediately ordered an Aerotech Steelfiber SS85 shaft and when the CB Pro F2 three wood arrived. I dropped everything off with my club maker. When I got the finished club back, I went out to test it. The results were as expected, and very exciting. The face of the CB Pro F2 is very hot and the Steelfiber SS85 shaft produces a mid launch without ballooning. The shaft is amazingly consistent as usual for the Steelfiber line, and it never feels boardy or unplayable. Going from a three wood with 13 degrees of loft to one with 14.5 degrees will obviously affect the ball flight. One would expect that increasing loft would result in a corresponding drop-off in distance, but so far in early testing with Game Golf the CB Pro F2 is actually averaging 4 yards more from all lies (255 yards vs. 251 yards) than my old Adams RPM. This very likely has to do with the advance in technology and materials since 2005 when the Adams was released to market. The Adams is made of steel, while the Exotics has a steel body and a beta titanium cup face with a much higher “spring” effect, or coefficient of restitution.

It is still early as I’ve only had it in the bag for a month or so, but so far the Exotics CB Pro F2 (14.5 loft) fitted with an Aerotech Steelfiber SS85 shaft is a big winner. This three wood can hit all the shots and has just the right amount of forgiveness, power and control. It looks awesome, sounds solid and produces consistent shots from the tee or the fairway. I’ve finally found a fairway wood worthy of replacing my old gamer for good. The CB Pro F2 is so good in fact, that I’ll be looking into getting the 17.5 degree five wood to match it!

While the Exotics CB Pro F2 may not be for everyone, Tour Edge’s Exotics line has something for everyone and I consider them some of the best performing fairways on the market. Even if you prefer another company’s fairway woods, if you are looking for the consistency of steel and the power of graphite in moderately weighted fairway wood shafts, I highly suggest looking at Aerotech’s Steelfiber SS offerings in 65, 75, and 85 gram weights. They are an amazing compliment to their game-changing iron and hybrid shafts.

Thanks to Tour Edge and Aerotech, after almost a decade of searching for and trying hundreds of fairway woods, I think I have finally found the closest thing possible to the perfect three wood.

November 2, 2016
Ping G30 Driver – Get One!

Normally when writing a review of a club, I’ll start with an introductory paragraph, then tell you a bit about the design and specs of the club before describing how it plays. This time however, I feel compelled to flip the script and tell you how the story ends first. Quite simply, the Ping G30 driver is the best club I’ve hit off the tee in over a decade. Now, let me tell you why.

In the past 10 years as a blogger and golf industry insider, I’ve had the opportunity to hit many, many drivers. It’s the club golfers change the most, which is why the golf club manufacturers dedicate most of their marketing efforts to sell them. I had to think long and hard about the best drivers I’ve hit over that time and even prior, and I’m confident in saying that the Ping G30 has had a bigger impact on my golf game than all the rest. It’s not just me either. The sales figures since being introduced last July show that golfers have noticed also.

As golf club technology has evolved over the years we’ve seen golf balls that fly further and drivers that hit those balls further still. As a result, I’m hitting the ball every bit as far at age 41 as I did at age 21, despite a swing speed that has dropped from the mid 120s to the low 110s. I may swing a golf club slower than I used to, but the launch monitor data suggests that I’m still transferring as much energy to the golf ball as I used to with a metal-headed Titleist driver and Tour Balata golf balls.

Hotter club faces and more responsive golf balls have changed the game for everyone. But the USGA and R&A rules have imposed limits on the performance of golf clubs and golf balls, and I’ve seen technology hit the wall in that regard. The equipment companies may tell you otherwise, but they can’t make a club hit the ball any further than they do now. Instead, what they are doing is tweaking launch conditions and fitting clubs to individual swings using movable weights and interchangeable shafts in an effort to squeeze every last yard out of your drives.

Technology & Specifications

When it comes to the Ping G30, there aren’t any fancy moveable weights, but there are several options for fitting the club to the player. To start, Ping makes three different G30 drivers. The standard G30, the slice-fighting G30 SF-TEC and the low-spin G30 LS-TEC. All three G30 models are assembled with a T9S Titanium face and Ti 8-1-1 body. The T9S material is light and thin and allows more face deflection for greater ball speeds, up to the USGA limit that is. All three models have built-in aerodynamic features on the crown that Ping calls “Turbulators” to (theoretically) help generate greater clubhead speed. Also included is an adjustable hosel to tune the face angle, which will change the dynamic loft of the driver, allowing for a higher or lower ball flight as wanted.

The standard G30 model is set up neutral, with the weight and balance designed to be playable for everyone. The G30 SF-TEC model is designed with the weight port shifted towards the heel and a lighter swing weight (D1 compared to D3) to help chronic slicers straighten out their tee shots. The G30 LS-TEC model is the low spin version of the standard G30, and I’m told by Ping that the LS-TEC driver reduces backspin by 400 RPM over the standard G30. This model will appeal mostly to higher swing speed players that generate too much spin. The G30 and G30 LS-TEC are available in 9 and 10.5 degree lofts. The SF-TEC version is available with 10 or 12 degrees of loft.

Ping offers a few self-branded stock shaft choices and several more brands as custom options. The standard shaft is the Ping TFC 419D. Upgrades include the Ping Tour 65 and Tour 80 shafts. Ping is one of the few companies that still sells their own shafts, and I believe this gives them an advantage because they can better control the quality and performance of their clubs if they also make the shafts that go in them. While they offer many well known brands as custom options, I would recommend choosing one of their shafts. Most players will fit into the TFC 419D shaft, and stronger players will love the Tour 65 and Tour 80 shafts.

Performance

So what does all this technology do? In the right hands, it hits golf balls far. The tester I got was a standard Ping G30 with the Tour 80x shaft and 9 degrees of loft. Some initial testing was done at the driving range on an Ernest Sports ES14 launch monitor, but most of my testing takes place on the golf course because I prefer real-world testing in real, variable conditions. To supplement my on-course testing, I used GAME GOLF to gather data about every shot hit to compare clubs. I put the G30 up against my old gamer (2013 Adams Super LS, 8.5 degrees w/ UST ProForce VTS Black 75x) for comparison.

My initial testing with the launch monitor confirmed my suspicion that the aerodynamic turbulators on the club’s crown wouldn’t do much to deliver more clubhead speed, but they look cool I guess. In 20 swings with the Adams driver I averaged 110.75 MPH of club speed. After 20 swings with the G30 I averaged 111.25 MPH. The G30 averaged 0.5 MPH more than the Adams, but I don’t think this slight improvement is statistically relevant. Similarly, ball speeds (167.5 to 165.5), launch angles (12.025 to 12.775) and spin rates (2253.5 to 2571) were also very similar. Since total distance on the ES14 launch monitor is an estimated figure derived from launch data, I didn’t include it. (See note below) Instead I used the more accurate real-world data from my rounds on GAME GOLF (more on this later) Bottom line: The Ping G30, when properly fit to the individual golfer, is about as long as any other driver on the market. In this case it’s as long as the Adams Super LS and TaylorMade SLDR 430. (The SLDR 430 and G30 were tested on-course by me and another play tester in a separate test.)

This hard data shows that even a two year old driver can deliver the same performance as a new model. It also contributes to my theory that equipment performance has hit the limit and companies can’t get any more distance out of clubs and balls. There is of course, one factor I haven’t mentioned yet – Accuracy.

Note on distance data: The ES14 launch monitor data showed my hits using Adams Super LS driver averaging 300.75 yards, compared to the Ping G30 at 296.75 yards. While this is a nice ego boost, those numbers are unrealistic because of the way the ES14 estimates distance. Meanwhile, the actual on-course, GPS-measured data from GAME GOLF shows that I really average 289 yards with the Adams and 291 yards with the Ping G30. The data from GAME GOLF also validated the launch monitor data that showed that both drivers were within 4 yards of each other in total distance. Four yards may be huge for the marketing department at company X that’s trying to sell you a driver, but in reality there are just too many factors at play to make an accurate claim on distance. The launch monitor tells me that the Adams Super LS is longer, but the real-world data proved otherwise. The data I got from playing over 30 rounds of golf with both clubs shows that the difference is much smaller. I think this helps to show that since club technology has hit legal limits, driver distance will once again mostly depend on swing speed, solid contact and course/weather conditions, not club technology.

Accuracy & Forgiveness

Launch monitors and wide open driving ranges can’t give you the whole picture about how straight you hit a club. That’s why I prefer to play as much as possible with a club before writing a review. I use the GAME GOLF platform to track my shots and club performance with their excellent built in stats. But don’t take my word for it, go check it out for yourself!

I’ve played at least 15 rounds with the Ping G30 since I got it (I put it in the bag right away as my gamer), and I had been playing with the Adams for almost a year before that. Armed with 15 rounds of actual golf data on multiple golf courses in varying weather conditions, The Ping G30 is almost 30% more accurate off the tee than my old Adams Super LS. I hit 62% of fairways with the G30 compared to 48% with the Adams. Thirty percent is a significant number!

My golf swing didn’t change during the testing period, and the difference in average distance shows that I wasn’t “taking something off” drives with the G30. The Ping G30 driver is a very accurate golf club, because it is very forgiving on off-center hits. Don’t take it from me though, take it from our friends at GolfWRX who said “Hands down… The most forgiving driver in golf.” or the equipment testers at Golf Magazine who called the G30 SF-TEC “The top-rated model in the test”.

Conclusions

When I get new clubs to test out I always try to get them into the hands of a few buddies to get their thoughts. Most of the time, they hit 10 to 15 shots and can tell me if they like it and want to hit more, or dislike and hand it back to me. With the Ping G30, my playing partner hit 5 balls on the range and half a dozen tee shots on the course and immediately ordered one for himself.

What it comes down to is simply this – I hit the Ping G30 in or around the sweet spot more often than the other drivers I’ve played in the past 10 years. Solid contact means more distance, better accuracy and greater consistency. The numbers don’t lie. I’m hitting almost 30% more fairways with the G30 – without losing any distance. That is why the G30 went right in the bag and will stay there for the foreseeable future, and that is why you should go try the Ping G30 yourself. It’s the best driver I’ve hit in the last decade.

April 20, 2015
2013 PGA Show Hits & Misses – Drivers
The 2013 PGA Merchandise Show has come and gone, and the golf world is now ready for all the new toys to come to market. I’ve been going to the PGA Show in Orlando since 1996, and every year some companies come out smelling like roses, and others – not so much. In this “hit & miss” series, we’ll explore some of the winners and losers from this year’s show broken up into categories for Drivers, fairways, irons, wedges, putters, balls, accessories and misc items. Read on, because there will surely be some surprises and upsets!

Hits
- Adams Speedline Super LS – This driver is hot. The face feels springy and responsive, and the sound is a classic click, which is refreshing compared to that “hollow can in an empty warehouse” noise many drivers make. It features Adams’ Fast Fit fitting system, which allows for extensive adjustability of face angle, length and swingweight.
- Cobra Amp Cell – Youthful and colorful are words used to describe all of Cobra/Puma’s offerings. They are available in Red, Orange, Blue or White. Adjustable for loft and face angle.
- Callaway X Hot – This driver is light and easy to swing, and combines a hot face with Callaway’s OptiFit Hosel that lets you adjust the face angle in Open, Square or Closed positions.
- Wilson D 100 – One of the lightest drivers I’ve ever swung, this one shocked many testers at the outdoor Demo Day. Don’t overlook Wilson when shopping for a driver this season, you’ll be impressed.
- Cleveland Classic XL Custom – A continuation of the throwback Classic driver from last year, Cleveland blacked out the head and adorned it with gold trim and an adjustable hosel. Still one of the hottest, lowest spinning drivers on the market.
- Nike VR_S Covert – Nike made a splash with the Covert driver and its oddball cavity back design. The unique adjustable hosel lets you adjust loft independent of the face angle, allowing them to sell a single lofted head that the user can adjust from 8.5 to 12.5 degrees.
Misses
- Taylor Made R1 – Sorry Taylor Made fans, the newest driver looks like a reboot of the previous models with a new paint job that is even more distracting. 168 different adjustable configurations virtually guarantees you’ll never stop fiddling with it. Still a good club, but didn’t steal the show.
- Taylor Made RBZ Stage 2 – The RBZ gets a new paint job and Taylor Made is promising even more distance. Ever hear that line before? The standard shafts from the RocketBallz woods continue to be some of the most inconsistent on the market. If you want this club, don’t buy it off the rack – get properly fit.
- Titleist 913 – Titleist is on a 2 year product lifecycle and as such, their clubs don’t change as much as other companies. The 913 drivers are great performers and popular with better players, but Titleist’s presence at the show was uninspired this year.
- Ping G25 and Anser – Both drivers are quality offerings, but they both look and perform very similar to one another and this will just confuse consumers. The graphics are more or less the same as last year’s models, and I don’t see any compelling reason to upgrade if you bought a G20 last year.
- Tour Edge Exotics XCG6 – Tour Edge makes one of the best clubs you’ve never heard of. Their fairways are legendary for distance and have sort of a cult following. For some reason the drivers have never been as popular, and this season’s models will not change that. Shame, because they are one of the best drivers in golf.
I want to point out that this isn’t a review, nor am I saying any of these drivers are crap, but I’m commenting on the impression I got of their launch at the PGA Show based on their performance at the outdoor demo day, media buzz at the show and after speaking with company reps. As with all trade shows and product intros, there are many factors that go into a successful product launch, and we look forward to getting our hands on these drivers for full reviews in the coming months!

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January 29, 2013
TaylorMade-Adidas Golf Company To Acquire Adams Golf

Big news in the golf business world today! TaylorMade-adidas Golf (TMAG) has announced their agreement to buy a majority interest in Adams Golf. You may recall that Adams bought putter maker Yes! golf just a few months ago. This purchase will strengthen one of the industry leaders and make life a bit tougher for the other players out there. It looks like the golf industry is starting to look a bit like the cell phone world, with companies buying each other to consolidate and increase market share. I’m not sure if this move is good or bad for the industry, but I guess we’ll soon see.

I speculated a few months ago about the Rocketballz design feature using a scooped out cavity behind the face that appeared to infringe on Adams’ design of the Fast 12 fairway woods. Now that TMAG has purchased Adams I wonder if this fairway wood design will be protected, or if others will imitate or duplicate it. I’ve reached out to both companies for more info. In the meantime, here’s the official press release:

Herzogenaurach and Carlsbad, Calif. (March 19, 2012) – The adidas Group and Adams Golf, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADGF) today announced that the TaylorMade-adidas Golf business segment has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Adams Golf for $10.80 per share in cash. The transaction value is approximately $ 70 million (approximately â‚¬ 53 million), which represents a premium of approximately 71% to the share price prior to Adams Golf’s announcement that it was examining strategic alternatives on January 4, 2012.

Through the acquisition of Adams Golf, TaylorMade-adidas Golf reinforces its position as the world’s number one player in golf. The addition of Adams Golf enables TaylorMade-adidas Golf to broaden its product range and to extend its presence across a wider array of golfers.

“This acquisition reflects our commitment to continued growth in the golf category,” said adidas Group CEO Herbert Hainer. “The proposed combination of Adams Golf and TaylorMade-adidas Golf brings together two highly complementary sets of brands, combining Adams’ focus on game-improvement as well as senior and women golfers with TaylorMade-adidas Golf’s focus on the younger and the low-to-mid handicap golfer.”

“We are very excited to team up with Adams Golf, whose management team we have respected for many years,” commented Mark King, President and CEO of TaylorMade-adidas Golf. “Our mission is to be the best golf company in the world across all geographies, products and customer demographics, and adding Adams Golf is another important step in achieving that goal.”

“This merger provides strong opportunities for our employees, suppliers and partners,” said Barney Adams, Interim CEO of Adams Golf. “The Adams Golf brand will fit nicely into TaylorMade-adidas Golf’s stable of brands, and together we will be able to increase our reach and better serve our customers by leveraging a wider set of resources. We are also excited that TaylorMade-adidas Golf has decided to maintain Adams Golf’s headquarters in Plano, Texas.”

The Board of Directors of Adams Golf has unanimously approved the transaction. Certain insiders, who include John M. Gregory, Joseph R. Gregory, SJ Strategic Investments LLC, B.H. (Barney) Adams, Russell L. Fleischer, Mark R. Mulvoy and Robert D. Rogers, collectively own approximately 35% of Adams Golf’s outstanding shares and have agreed to vote their shares in favor of the transaction. The adidas Group plans to finance the acquisition with cash on hand or through existing credit lines. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals as well as approval by Adams Golf shareholders. The transaction is expected to close mid-2012.

In connection with the transaction, Barclays is acting as financial advisor to the adidas Group, and Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP is serving as legal counsel. Morgan Stanley is acting as financial advisor to Adams Golf and Haynes & Boone, LLP is serving as legal counsel.

About the adidas Group
The adidas Group is one of the global leaders within the sporting goods industry, offering a broad range of products around the core brands: adidas, Reebok, TaylorMade, Rockport and Reebok-CCM Hockey. Headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, the Group has more than 46,000 employees and generated sales of over â‚¬ 13 billion in 2011.

About TaylorMade-adidas Golf
Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company sells golf clubs, balls clothing and accessories under the TaylorMade, adidas Golf and Ashworth brands. TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company posted 2011 sales of over â‚¬ 1.0 billion.

About Adams Golf
Adams Golf designs, assembles, markets and distributes premium quality, technologically innovative golf clubs for all skill levels. Recently launched products include the Speedline Fast 12 drivers, Fast 12 LS drivers and the Speedline Fast 12 fairway woods, along with the Idea a12 OS irons and hybrids, Idea a12 hybrids, Idea Pro a12 irons and hybrids, Idea Tech V3 irons and hybrids, Redline irons, Idea a7 and a7 OS irons and hybrids, and Speedline 9088 UL drivers. Adams Golf also develops new products under the Yes! Putters, Women’s Golf Unlimited, Lady Fairway and Square 2 brands. In 2011, net sales were approximately $ 97 million (â‚¬ 73 million).

Additional Information About the Transaction
In connection with the proposed transaction, Adams Golf will file a proxy statement and other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The definitive proxy statement and other materials filed with the SEC will contain important information regarding the merger, including, among other things, the recommendation of Adams Golf’s board of directors with respect to the merger. INVESTORS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER MATERIALS THAT ADAMS GOLF FILES WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE MERGER AND RELATED MATTERS. You will be able to obtain the proxy statement, as well as other filings containing information about Adams Golf and the merger, free of charge, at the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Copies of the proxy statement and other filings made by Adams Golf with the SEC can also be obtained, free of charge, by directing a request to Adams Golf, Inc., 2801 East Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75074, Attention: Investor Relations.

Participants in the Solicitation
The directors and executive officers of Adams Golf and other persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed transaction. Information regarding Adams Golf’s directors and executive officers is available in its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 6, 2012 (as it may be amended from time to time) and its Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on April 8, 2011. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the proxy statement and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available. Investors should read the proxy statement carefully when it becomes available before making any voting or investment decisions.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. One can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of the words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “estimate” or other similar expressions. Because such statements apply to future events, they are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially. Actual results and trends may differ materially from what is forecast in forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation: the ability to obtain regulatory approvals of the acquisition on the proposed terms and schedule; the failure of Adams Golf’s stockholders to approve the acquisition; the risk that the acquisition may not be completed in the time frame expected by the parties or at all; the parties’ ability to satisfy the closing conditions and consummate the transactions; and Adams Golf’s ability to maintain its existing relationships with its employees, customers and suppliers. Additional information regarding factors that may affect future results are described in Adams Golf’s filings with the SEC, including, without limitation, Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they were made. Neither Adams Golf, Inc. nor TaylorMade-adidas Golf undertakes any obligation to update or publicly release any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or changes in expectations after the date of the press release.

March 20, 2012
Adams Idea Pro Black CB1 Irons – First Look
Adams Golf continues to come up with impressive looking clubs that perform well. A while back the Adams Idea Pro Black irons and Hybrids came out, and now the latest in the Pro Black series is the CB1 irons. Taking design cues and feedback from their staff of touring professionals, the CB1 irons are forged from 8620 carbon steel and milled to add detail and shape the grooves to the exact 2010 USGA legal dimensions. They also sport Adams’ very popular nickel chromium plated black finish, otherwise known as the black physical vapor deposition (PVD) finish. These new irons are sure to be a hit, bridging the gap between the Idea Pro Black blades and the A7 game improvement irons. They have very classic lines and less offset, so mid to low handicap golfers should love these sticks.

“Originally developed exclusively for our professional staff players like Tom Watson, the overwhelmingly positive comments about the feel and performance of the CB1s from the tour inevitably led us to make this set an integral part of the successful Idea family of irons,” said Chip Brewer, President and CEO of Adams Golf. “This stealth-looking set has already received high marks from golf enthusiasts plugged into the online community so we look forward to bringing the CB1s to low-handicap golfers everywhere who appreciate the control and workability of this forged set of irons.”

The stock shafts for the Idea Pro Black CB1 iron set are the Rifle Project X Flighted steel shaft or the Mitsubishi Rayon Javln FX i95 graphite shaft, available in regular, stiff or extra-stiff flexes. Offered standard in a right-handed 4-GW set configuration, the Idea Pro Black CB1 iron sets begin shipping to golf shops April 15 with a suggested retail price of $899.99 for steel and $1,099.99 for graphite.

We are trying to get a set of these for review, and when we do I’ll be sure to post it! Here’s some more detail and pictures:
- Forged 8620 carbon steel construction provides exceptional feel, performance and feedback for the skilled player.
- A precision milled cavity and precisely located center of gravity deliver a penetrating ball flight
  with workability.
- Each head has milled grooves that comply with 2010 USGA competition requirements while maximizing spin from all playing conditions.
- A thin top line and beveled trailing edge reduces turf interaction, delivering the look and workability in various turf conditions.
- Constant offset throughout delivers seamless performance and control through the entire set.
- Dramatic Ni-Cr plated black finish for a sleek and hot look.
- Rifle Project X Flighted Rifle steel shaft or Mitsubishi Rayon JAVLN FX i95 graphite shaft.
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March 31, 2010
Hybrids Aren’t Always the Answer

Photo courtesy Golf.com

This article was originally published on June 29, 2009. I thought it would be a good time to update it with some new links and republish it for people to re-discover in case you had not seen it before. Enjoy!

For many, hybrids have changed the way we play golf. I have been experimenting with hybrids for several years and they have made a definite impact on my game. I am able to hit par fives in two with greater frequency now, and hitting a long shot out of tall rough is much easier. I have carried two Adams Idea Pro hybrids for a few years now – A three (20 degrees) and four (24 degrees), but I find myself swapping them out with long irons on many occasions. For one, I tend to hit them too far. While this may sound like a great problem to have, I end up with a 20 to 25 yard gap between a five iron and my four hybrid. I tend to play courses the measure 7000+ yards, so I decided to take out the overrated and hard to hit 64 degree wedge and put the four iron back in the bag. For all intents and purposes, the four hybrid is really a three iron, and the three hybrid is really more like a two iron for me. As my game evolves I find myself looking for a two hybrid to bridge the gap between my three wood and three iron, and I have taken the four iron back out of the bag to make room for it. Adams has since introduced the new Idea Pro Black hybrids which will be more playable for better players, so I’ll have to give those a try.

The other issue I have with hybrids is the inability to hit the so-called "stinger". Tiger Woods may have made this shot famous since turning pro, but I was hitting it back when Tiger was playing with Mizuno irons and wearing a goofy straw hat. The Stinger is typically a long iron shot that flies very low and rolls a long way. On a dry fairway, I am able to hit my two iron over 250 yards while never getting more than head high. It is a great shot to have in the wind, in dry conditions, or even when the pressure is on and you need to hit a fairway. Hybrids, with their much lower center of gravity and greater perimeter weighing, hit the ball much too high for an effective Stinger. This is the main reason why Tiger says he has not yet adopted hybrids. He claims they hit the ball way too high for him. Hybrids are indeed very easy to hit, and compared to my long irons they hit the ball higher and straighter, but they aren't always the answer. If you know when and where to use them you will get the biggest benefit from their technology, but don't throw away your long irons just yet! In case you want to learn it, check out my article on how to hit the stinger. Once you master the shot, it will become your go-to shot in the wind and pressure situations!
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March 1, 2010
Adams Idea Pro Black Hybrids – Sneak Peak

Adams golf has become a big player in the golf world in the last 5 years, largely due to the success of their hybrids. Widely adopted on the professional tours, Adams have built a solid stable of tour players from the Champions Tour to the LPGA and PGA Tours. Last years Idea Pro Gold hybrids however, didn’t do so well. Most of the pros stuck with the venerable Idea Pro hybrids or the tour only “peanut” hybrids. Adams needs to make a bit if a comeback, especially with Taylor Made and Titleist catching them fast in the weekly hybrid counts on the PGA Tour. I think Adams has responded very well with two new hybrid offerings – the Idea A7 and the Idea Pro Black.

While the A7 Hybrids take design elements from every generation of their clubs, they are geared a bit more towards the average player. The Idea Pro Black hybrids are designed for the better players and pros. Taking the design cues and name from their Idea Pro Black muscle back irons, they have a black nickel plating just like the irons to reduce glare and give the club a menacing look. I call them the Darth Vader of hybrids. They are designed to hit the ball with a more penetrating ball flight and for greater workability than the A7.

The Adams Idea Pro Black hybrids will be offered in lofts starting at 16 degrees, ranging up to 26 degrees, and the shaft options are plentiful. The standard shaft offerings are the Aldila VooDoo 85gm or Matrix Ozik 95gm, and several others are available via custom order. I counted over 20 custom shaft options.

Idea Pro Black hybrids begin shipping to golf shops October 1 (with Aldila Voodoo shafts) and November 15 (with Matrix Ozik shafts) with a suggested retail price of $249.99. I’m looking forward to hitting these new hybrids, as I’ve been playing the older Idea Pro hybrids for several years now. The black finish and custom shaft options should make them very popular, most likely solidifying their spot as the number one hybrid on the PGA, Nationwide and Champions tour for another year. Enjoy the photos and let us know what you think! As always, if I can get my hands on a few of these I’ll post a full review.

September 11, 2009