Adams Golf has built a reputation over the past decade for innovative, game-improvement technology.
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| Adams' Idea set of clubs is made up of two "long iron" i-woods plus six standard irons.(Provided to SportsLine) |
Last year, Adams Golf developed -- with the assistance of True Temper -- a unique multi-material shaft featuring graphite and steel sections. The positioning of the materials is varied between woods and irons, with steel at the tip for woods and graphite at the tip for irons. Several rival manufacturers have praised the dual-material shaft concept, which has been slow in popular acceptance.
Now, Adams Golf has a new idea.
In fact, that’s the name of the newest set of Adams clubs being introduced for next season: Idea.
Unique in its composition, Adams Golf’s Idea set of clubs is made up of two "long iron" i-woods plus six traditionally numbered irons. Each club is based on the latest in research and game-improving technology.
"The golf industry has invested over $20 million a yard in the last few years trying for more distance off the tee," said Adams, the company chairman. "Idea starts at that distance and then improves shots to the green for all levels of players."
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Information: • Check out the specs on Adams |
Along with its new Idea set, Adams Golf plans to continue selling its hot-faced, USGA non-conforming GT363R driver, just introduced in late summer, until domestic inventory has been cleared. The biggest emphasis, going forward, will be focused on the Adams GT363 titanium and GT303 steel drivers, both of which are conforming clubs and have received strong praise in independent testing.
Among the TOUR ranks, pros who play Adams clubs include Tom Watson, Bruce Lietzke, Larry Nelson, Jose Maria Canizares, Walter Hall and Sammy Rachels.
Here’s a look at the latest offerings from Adams Golf.
IDEA
Three distinct club designs are used in the new Idea set of clubs, which will begin shipping to retail locations next month and then roll out fully in early 2003.
The long iron i-woods, featuring Adams’ patented upside-down head design, are hybrid clubs designed to be easier to hit than traditional long irons. They have a higher moment of inertia (MOI) for more forgiveness and a low center of gravity to help get the ball airborne.
The oversize hollow mid irons are distinctive with a hollow-back design that strategically places weight low and to the rear, along with delivering a higher MOI than traditional irons.
Idea’s oversize cavity-back short irons, more traditional in appearance, have a wide sole and low center of gravity.
"This is a very unique set of (clubs) that’s never really been done before," said Barney Adams. "They have visible innovation that shows up in the golf shot."
For men, Adams is packaging i-woods with 17 and 21 degrees of loft along with 5-PW irons. For women, the set comprises i-woods with 21 and 25 degrees of loft along with 6-SW in the irons.
Shaft options include all-graphite, all-steel or the multi-material GT shaft, which stands for graphite tip.
Suggested retail price for either men’s or women’s Idea clubs is $599.95 per set. Matching gap, sand and lob wedges are available, list-priced at $75 each.
Adams also plans to continue offering its Tight Lies GT series of irons, which feature the graphite tip shaft. The three models in the series are Ultimate, Performance and Tour. List prices for the GT irons start at $599.95 per set.
DRIVERS
Earlier this year, Adams introduced the GT363 driver, followed by the GT363R driver, which exceeds the USGA clubface limit for spring-like effect.
The thought was that the USGA was going to adopt a proposal to increase the spring-like maximum, but the rules-making body eventually decided to hold firm.
"To the USGA’s credit, the ruling avoids dual standards and therefore is probably better for the game of golf," said Chip Brewer, president of Adams Golf. "On the other hand, it’s somewhat disappointing from a product innovation and overall business perspective."
Both Adams drivers, conforming and non-conforming, feature thin titanium clubfaces in a variety of lofts, 363cc heads, Grafalloy graphite or GT multi-material shafts, and heel-weighting to help square the club for consistent accuracy.
The GT303 driver, at 303cc, represents one of the larger steel clubheads available and is based on the same technology as Adams’ GT363 titanium drivers, including a thin, responsive face and heel-weighting.
Suggested retail price for the GT363 and GT363R drivers is $299.95 each. List price for the GT303 driver is $229.95.
In recent tests conducted by GolfWeb among a variety of amateur players, the Adams Golf titanium drivers received a consensus of robust praise for their high trajectories, ease of control and distances achieved.
Meanwhile, Adams is discontinuing its Tight Lies ST series of drivers.
Editor's note: Look for Chuck Stogel's equipment columns each week on GolfWeb and PGATOUR.COM.
