After playing around with the squarish geometry craze of high-MOI drivers, the folks at Adams Golf have gone back to a more conventional looking club with the release of the Speedline Drivers and Hybrid-Fairway Woods.
The Speedline drivers, while conventional looking, offer up some pretty fancy technology as they were engineered from using wind tunnel technology to come up with a driver that has better aerodynamics to give you more swing speed which in turn, gives you more distance. And you thought wind tunnels were only for cars and planes.
Already tested on Tour, the Speedline drivers have racked up several wins on the Champions Tour and the LPGA Tour. Toss in a Gold Medal in the 2009 Golf Digest Hot list and this looks to be a “must try” for 2009.
So tag along as we look at the new drivers and fairway/hybrids from the gang in Plano, Texas.
Speedline Drivers
While the high-MOI, square drivers perhaps helped straighten golfers drives out, their shape led to having more drag and lower clubhead speed, which gave you shorter drives. Adams Golf, by using data developed from the Oran W. Nicks Low Speed Wind Tunnel at Texas A&M University as well as consulting with some smart folks called “aero-physicists”, developed aerodynamic shaping of the Speedline drivers to create less drag and “airflow turbulence”, which in testing, increased clubhead speed by three to four miles per hour faster which translates up to nine yards of more distance.
The Speedline design includes “an aero-shaped crown, heel and toe scoops, and improved face-to-body transition, all of which minimize drag and improve airflow around the head.” More testing was done using some crazy thing call Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) which showed that the Speedline driver design “performed with attached and efficient air pressure on the body”, thereby increasing club head speed. My head is starting to hurt. Hopefully that will be soothed by some long drives.
The Speedline driver comes in two versions, regular and draw. Both come standard with the Grafalloy ProLaunch Axis shafts with SmartPly Technology at a length of 46 inches and with a swing weight of D2. Custom shaft options from a boatload of manufacturers are available as well.
The Speedline driver comes in lofts of 8.5°, 9.5°, and 10.5° for righties and 9.5°and 10.5° for lefties. The Draw version comes in 9.5°, 10.5°, 12.5°, and a HL version for righties and a 10.5° and HL version for lefties.
The Speedline drivers are available now and carry a MSRP of $399.99, with a street price of about $300.
Speedline Hybrid-Fairway Woods
Adams Golf certainly knows how to build a hybrid and not to be left out of the fun is the Speedline Hybrid-Fairway wood, which must feel slightly confused as it goes back and forth between, “Am I a hybrid or a fairway wood?” Thankfully, it is both? Now I’m confused.
According to Adams Golf, the “Speedline Hybrid-Fairway Woods feature the playability of a hybrid and the distance of a fairway wood.” (Liking that). The MOI was increased by utilizing internal heel-toe weighting as well as their Boxer Technology and gives you a higher launch and better feel thanks to lowering the center of gravity (by 15% to be precise). All this technology gives you a higher ball speed and lower spin per degree of launch which in turn, gives what all golfers crave; more distance.
In addition, the increased sole camber from heel to toe also makes the Speedline Hybrid-Fairway Woods easier to hit from the fairway and from a variety of lies (out-of-bounds and the cart path excluded). Rather than having one or two fairway woods plus one or two hybrids, you could just get one or two of the Speedline Hybrid-Fairway woods. Just think of the club options one would have. Two drivers? Two putters? Five wedges? The possibilities are endless.
The Speedline Hybrid-Fairway comes in two versions, regular and draw. Both come standard with the Grafalloy ProLaunch Axis shafts with SmartPly Technology with a swing weight of D2.
For righites, the regular version will come in a 3+ (13°), 3 (15°), and 5 (18°) while the draw version will come in 3 (15°), 5 (18°), and 7 (21°). For lefties, the regular and draw version comes in a 3 (15°) and 5 (18°). Both versions carry a MSRP of $229.99 with a street price of about $180 and are available right now.
Final Thoughts
These are both quite pleasing to the eye, which is a must to get me to even consider using it to start with. Toss in the potential to add a few yards to my drive as well having a club that performs like a hybrid with fairway wood distance and the Speedline lineup definately gets my attention.
Going back to a more traditional looking head (as traditional as a 460 cc head can be) and away from the “boxier, squarish” look is a great move for Adams Golf. With the attractive price point and as word gets out if their performance rings true (and if their Tour staff uses them and starts winning), these should do quite well.
Another interesting offering from Adams. Will try boy my list is getting longer lol
46″ for the drivers??!! This is getting silly; can we have something that most people can control?? I’d rather be in the fairway than miles, but in the rubbish.
Great review! Adams is definitely carving out a nice little niche for themselves, that is providing golf clubs geared specific for the recreational player.
46″ shafts are becoming standard now. I think because of the things shaftmakers can do with the other aspects of the shaft, i.e. torque, tip, etc. I personally went to a 46″ shaft last year and found that it did not adversely affect my control – and gained 10-15 yards.
Reminds me of those stupid shaped drivers that jack Hamm advertised on TV…
Uh, Misty 46″ is the new norm for drivers. Taylormade’s 09 Burner is 46.25″
and Will, Jack Hamm’s club is the exact OPPOSITE of this driver. The crown on the hammer slants straight down, and as a result, creates a ton of drag. The hammer is a joke.
I bought the Speedline early this month, and while I’ve only played with it for 3 rounds, I think it’s the best driver I’ve ever owned. And I’ve had 20+ different drivers over the last 8-10 years. Highly recommend trying it out.
Easy skip. Twas merely a joke in that the idea behind the two drivers is supposedly the same. Not like this one has the “elliptical” shaft, which I’m sure is also terrible.
I’m a huge Taylor Made guy [almost anal about it] I suffer in distance off the tee due to both slow club head and ball speed and low launch angle. I went into a driver fitting session for over an hour trying out 7 different manufactures drivers then I get to the Speedline, ahhh WOW, seriously it’s the biggest positive change I’ve ever experienced in a club for sure. I immediately increased club head & ball speed from 87mph to 95 mph in swing speed, 130 to 140 ball speeds, and 9 launce angles to 13 all resulting in 15 – 20 more yards. I took it to the range yesterday, awesome, flat out awesome, the launce and flight of the ball was amazing to watch. Great stick, no gimmick at all, sorry TM I now have to cheat on you!
I have owned Taylor Made drivers a Bang offset, several Callaway a Hammer a KZG, several Ping etc and was never really pleased with them as they felt clunky although to be fair the newer versions did improve accuracy, especially the FTi, but, I continually lost distance.
I hit the Speedline in a simulator and to my surprise ball speed, distance and accuracy all went up. I bought a 9.5 draw regular and took it to the range and was in places I had not seen before. I took this to the course and again found the ball in places in the fairway that I had not been to before.
I compared the speedline to the top 10 new 09 drivers (with shaft adjustment and multi material space technology etc.) in the simulator and the Adams just cleaned their clocks by anywhere from 10 to 20 yards.
I was set on buying the FTiQ because it was accurate but, moved up the distance scale and accuracy scale at a much better price.
Thank God I waited to test the Speedline because I began testing the FTiQ before Christmas and wanted to ensure I gave all the brands a shot….. I really wasn’t considering the Adams as a challenger at that time even though I still have an original tight lies.
I am dumbfounded that no golf club company has checked basic aerodynamics before Adams.
Certainly the golf ball divisions have used aerodynamics and last time I looked most of their parents made clubs too.
These designers have missed the boat on basic science because all this expensive metallurgic stuff combined with bigger heads just slows down your swing.
I suppose Adams will introduce configurable shaft angle options next year to complete the process but then the others should have caught up with aerodynamics
.
Whatever ….. Adams has created and brought to market a fantastic club that gets many of us back in the game at an affordable price. By the way the 3 and 5 speedline hybrid-fairway woods are excellent as well.
I am sold……… and happy……. and for once the distance has not diminished yet…….
dave, i was just at golftown, trying out 4 different woods, callaway ft wood, new mizuno, cobra, and adams, lets put it this way , i couldnt put the adams speedline club down , hitover 45 shots, all consistently 250-260 yards, all the same area, even when i tried mishiting ot , it stayed on tthe same line, $220, in canadian money , is a little expensive, but i feel like i have a wood i trust in and believe in , i cant wait to own this club…
btw; i left all the clubs there, no chance they could have duplicated the feeling i got from adams..
One word: WOW!
A friend had a demo in the bag and was raving about it. Now this guy bleeds ProV1 when you cut him so for him to even have something other than a Titleist in the bag is amazing…
Anyway I had a hit on the range and I was dumbfounded. This thing is amazing, the feel, the ballflight, the sound and the distance all had me just about speachless.
I had a hit around the course and have gained about 40yds without missing a fairway! This is without doubt the easiest club to hit a draw with that I have ever come across. I cannot believe how good this thing is. I immediatly ordered one (Axis stiff with 9.5) and the Hi-Bore XLS is going to fleabay. As a 40yo golfer trying to keep up with the young punks this is a godsend.
Do yourself and at least try one out, I really think you will not be disappointed.
I just bought a Speedline 10.5 driver with a stiff shaft. My old driver and I never got along – it was always a crap shoot, usually resulting in a slice. With the Speedline I anticipated slicing the first few balls, just because it was new to me. I was shocked. In the middle of March, 50 degree weather, having not swung a club in five months and using some old shag balls at our public driving range (which hasn’t officially opened yet) I hit the first half dozen balls straight down the middle, about 250 yards. In total I hit about 2 dozen balls, and only 3 were sliced. The club is easy to use and very forgiving. I’m looking forward to playing as soon as these northern golf courses open up.