Recap: LIVE Q&A with Adams Golf from Wed April 23, 2014

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='Mitchell' timestamp='1397800873' post='9117195']
With the increases in ball speed evident from velocity slot technology are you seeing players having to make adjustments (such as increased loft) in order to fill specific distance gapping requirements?

Thanks in advance for the time,information, and wonderful opportunity!
[/quote]

Through velocity slot technology, the increased distance has created gapping issues. Adams is countering this effect by incorporating the velocity slot design further down into the golfer’s bag that better connects metal woods and hybrids to the irons. This still leaves a gapping issue with your wedges, so it is helpful to get fit by your local club fitting professional to make sure your wedges account for the added distance the rest of your bag is seeing via velocity slot technology. - Justin Girard

[ORUTRAVIS]

How much golf do you guys get to play and who is the best of the guys in your office?

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='Grim' timestamp='1397796452' post='9116997']
Thanks Adams Golf for taking the time to do this on GolfWRX, and thank you GolfWRX for getting this going.

Huge Adams fan here and loving what is coming out from you all.

As innovators in the hybrid club market, what is it that separates you all from the plethora of other hybrid choices on the market now from a design stand point (other than the velocity slot technology)?
[/quote]

There are a lot of hybrid choices in the market today and it can be very confusing to the consumer. Here are the top 5 points that set us apart from the rest of the industry: 1) we are the #1 hybrid on tour and most of the players are not paid to play our hybrids 2) VST technology 3) upside down technology which allows us to get the CG lower than hybrids on the market which allows us to fine tune the launch and spin characteristics better than anyone else 4) we design hybrids for every player type (better player, game improvement, super game improvement). Most companies have one or two hybrids that are very similar in design and performance but we set ourselves apart with options for every player……lower launching/lower spin (PRO 9031), mid launch/mid spin (PRO Dhy), high launch/mid spin (PRO), high launch /low spin (XTD), high launch/mid to high spin (new Idea) plus many more. 5) look – we have a decade of hybrid development under our belt and have spent countless hours fine tuning the shapes of our hybrids to fit the eye of the player. I spend a lot of time with our engineers fine tuning the shape and look of our product because I think this is just as important as everything else. - Justin Honea

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='Brianbigoats' timestamp='1398274436' post='9152541']
How does the pro design differ fron the Tour Only LSP last year other than color ?
[/quote]
The head shape for the Pro has been modified slightly from the LSP you saw last year, but as you noticed they are very similar. Additionally the LSP had a titanium face and crown. The new Pro is made entirely from stainless steel. While the Ti face and crown made for an incredibly hot ball flight it didn't offer our tour players the consistency they needed...those guys don't need a 20* hybrid that goes 300 yards (but we do!). Making it entirely from stainless steel gives us a bit higher spin and more consistent distances. If you still need that hot face you should look at the XTD Ti hybrids!-Matt Neeley

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='Kylekoz17' timestamp='1397797331' post='9117057']
Who is your pickiest tour player to fit?
[/quote]

Man, talk about putting me on the spot! I won’t name any names here (I know, bummer) but what I can tell you is most of the players I have worked with are super technical on shape (face profile, sole width, leading edge height, offset), ball flight, and grip installation and alignment. When I travel out to tour I always take the Trackman with me as a support tool because players love to have the instant feedback while working on the range. Almost always they will tweak the product during the fitting session then take it out on the course for a test drive. - Justin Honea

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='joey2aces' timestamp='1398274380' post='9152535']
I just bought a G25 hybrid 20*. What would you tell me are the advantages of switching out to the Adams?
thanks for your time
[/quote]

The G25 Hybrid is a great Hybrid. One of the differentiating factors that we have with the rest of the industry is our Velocity Slot Technology. The slots in the crown and sole near the face help increase the trampoline effect across the entire face increasing your distance!

-JG

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='j2_a2' timestamp='1397799063' post='9117117']
Will the slots on the bottom and top of the clubhead become a staple from now on, or do you have something in the works that totally eliminates the slots while still being able to improve the woods/hybrids?
[/quote]

Yes to both questions. Adams Golf is the leader in velocity slot technology and we own a lot of IP in this area. VST is here to stay because there is still a lot of untapped potential in this area. The common mis-conception is most people believe drivers and some other hollow clubs are maxed out to the USGA limit. This is true at only 1 spot on the face….center face. How many times in your round do you hit it exactly at center face? The tolerance here is only a couple of millimeters and then the CT starts to drop so you have to be pretty darn good to hit that spot every time.
While VST technology will remain in our line for as long as I can see into the future we are working on ways to conceal it. You will see some really cool VST designs in the near future! - Justin Honea

[Mustng5]

Will taylormade shafts adapters for their drivers fit in adams drivers?

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='RJD' timestamp='1397800098' post='9117167']
Do you plan to offer any more irons with a raw finish at retail? The MB2s' finish was one of the best things I've seen in golf equipment the past several years.
[/quote]

At this time we have no plans but that could change given feedback like this. That was a great finish and one that I was very excited about when we launched it. - Justin Honea

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='MaydayGSXR' timestamp='1398274069' post='9152477']
[quote name='AdamsGolf' timestamp='1398273267' post='9152303']
[quote name='MaydayGSXR' timestamp='1398272670' post='9152177']
I've read the the goal of your R&D is to get ahead of the times, and make quality tour level clubs (some of your clubs are on tour long before they ever see retail). Are you guys solely focused on getting your clubs in the bags of tour players, with the hopes that it's success will trickle down to the public for sales? Or are you starting to look more into fitting a variety of types of players (with your different options and styles in hybrids, driving irons, etc)?
[/quote]
Our strategy for hybrids is to maintain our position as the #1 hybrid on tour. To do this we need to have frequent testing with prototypes with the best players in the world to make sure the products work for there games. We also use tour as a testing ground for new technologies to ensure that we can one day get the products in play on tour. This strategy and product development plan is only the case for our tour level products and hybrids. All other products are designed through looking at market need, market opportunity and technology to help normal golfers make the game easier. Most of the products we create are for the mid-handicap and high handicap golfers, which tour product and development wont work for.
[/quote]

That makes a lot of sense, as the "general" public of golfers will look at hybrids as iron replacements (easier to launch, more forgiving, etc) so I guess it would be extremely important to ensure the public can get those clubs that will work for them (rather than having to try tour level clubs which may have poor results).

Being WRX, I'm sure you're aware that a majority of members can/will only hit tour spec items but for an average golfer such as myself, is there a general direction in your line that I should be heading? Or should the local fitter/salesman easily know what would work best for me. Specifically, I've seen someone ask for the best gap club between 4 iron and 3 wood, and they got a good response. I'm in a similar situation and I'm debating a 4 hybrid, 5 wood, or driving hybrid to fit between 3 wood, 3 hybrid, and 5 iron.

If I'm not the most confident long iron hitter, would a driving iron benefit me? Or do you need to be a decent long iron hitter to effectively use a driving iron? Thanks in advance for an opinion, the 14th club slot has been eating at me lately, heh.
[/quote]

We know you guys love Tour Spec stuff and that's part of the reason we seldom don't launch our successful tour products to retail. We want to be the hybrid of choice for the best players in the world on tour and everyday golfers. That's why we launch these products.

For your own hybrid needs, I would suggest the new Pro hybrid and the new Pro DHy. The Pro hybrid was designed to be the #1 hybrid on tour that works for everyone. The Pro Dhy was made for the gap between your hybrid and irons, which is a new need because hybrids have gotten longer (ours) and other hybrids have gotten bigger (everyone else). The reason I didn't suggest the Pro Mini is because that is a very small, very specific hybrid that if it was for you, you'd already be all over it.

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='rbhan12' timestamp='1397804368' post='9117257']
Adams,

Why did you choose to make the slot so close to the face whereas the parent company TM hasn't done so? Any distinct advantages?
[/quote]

Great question. We evaluated just about every combination of slot geometry in our advanced FEA software and what we found is the distance from the face had a lot of impact on how much the face deflected. I have a notebook full of slot designs that I wish we could share with guys like you but a quick answer is the closer the slot is to the face, more deflection or ball speed will be generated. -JH

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='Jimmy Mac' timestamp='1398271991' post='9152083']
Marketing guys! Awesome. I think the Adams logo makeover is brilliant. Well done. Watson, Els, Perry, classic choices for spokespeople.

[b]However, like so many, I find the new irons kinda hard to look at. How much feedback does the Marketing Department have in the club designs? [/b]

Granted form follows function, but it just seems there's an aesthetic disconnect. The clubs' visual traits just don't seem to flow well with your overall branding - both in the lines of the designs and the badging, font choices, etc. I'd love to see whoever designed that logo unleashed on your design department.
[/quote]

Thanks for the question and we appreciate your compliments on the new branding.

Quick answer on marketing's involvement in the aesthetics of the clubs: We are heavily involved and review concepts early in the process. Since we are still a small team in general "nothing gets past us" So, as for the XTD Irons, we absolutely love the design and visible technology of these clubs. While they may not be for everyone, we believe they appeal to a wide range of players who want distance and forgiveness and our latest technology. This is a category (game improvement) that we need to strike a nerve within, and we think XTD is and will do that.

We honestly think you'll appreciate the performance if you try them. The technology is legit. Kenny Perry, Josh Teater, Ernie Els and others are believers on Tour - we think there will be many others that fall in love with these irons.

Thanks for the question - Woody

[Brianbigoats]

[quote name='AdamsGolf' timestamp='1398274833' post='9152605']
[quote name='Brianbigoats' timestamp='1398274436' post='9152541']
How does the pro design differ fron the Tour Only LSP last year other than color ?
[/quote]
The head shape for the Pro has been modified slightly from the LSP you saw last year, but as you noticed they are very similar. Additionally the LSP had a titanium face and crown. The new Pro is made entirely from stainless steel. While the Ti face and crown made for an incredibly hot ball flight it didn't offer our tour players the consistency they needed...those guys don't need a 20* hybrid that goes 300 yards (but we do!). Making it entirely from stainless steel gives us a bit higher spin and more consistent distances. If you still need that hot face you should look at the XTD Ti hybrids!-Matt Neeley
[/quote]

I have both 20* and 24* LSP so i have the hot face i love them

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='Mustng5' timestamp='1398274972' post='9152629']
Will taylormade shafts adapters for their drivers fit in adams drivers?
[/quote]
Yes, everything from R1 and after will fit in the XTD driver.-Matt Neeley

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='mtiger10' timestamp='1397819794' post='9117581']
Justin & Alex,
What role did Ernie Els and other staff pros play in the development of new Tight Lies and the pro hybrid?
Thanks for this great opportunity
[/quote]

Tour players play an integral part in the design of our product. We typically launch prototype product on tour to get player feedback and then we will go through a couple design iterations to perfect the look or launch/spin characteristics of the product before we launch it to the market. - Justin Honea

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='Brianbigoats' timestamp='1398275080' post='9152645']
[quote name='AdamsGolf' timestamp='1398274833' post='9152605']
[quote name='Brianbigoats' timestamp='1398274436' post='9152541']
How does the pro design differ fron the Tour Only LSP last year other than color ?
[/quote]
The head shape for the Pro has been modified slightly from the LSP you saw last year, but as you noticed they are very similar. Additionally the LSP had a titanium face and crown. The new Pro is made entirely from stainless steel. While the Ti face and crown made for an incredibly hot ball flight it didn't offer our tour players the consistency they needed...those guys don't need a 20* hybrid that goes 300 yards (but we do!). Making it entirely from stainless steel gives us a bit higher spin and more consistent distances. If you still need that hot face you should look at the XTD Ti hybrids!-Matt Neeley
[/quote]

I have both 20* and 24* LSP so i have the hot face i love them
[/quote]
Good to hear! You should definitely try out the new XTD Ti, they are even more ridiculous!-Matt Neeley

[azam14]

I have a 19* Super S and i want a heavier shaft, should i just upgrade the shaft or get like a pro or dhy with a heavier shaft.

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='painicus' timestamp='1398274505' post='9152549']
Any thoughts on bringing back the Boxer Technology? Or was that just a flash in the pan for that small point in time, has your company ever regretted joining a flash in the pan craze like square-tech?
[/quote]

<Justin Honea> Good question. I do think we will be revisiting the technology aspect of this without incorporating geometric shapes. We found that geometric shapes hurt aerodynamics which was a negative tradeoff for stability or forgiveness. Slower swing speeds for more stability....hard to justify that. 5900 MOI in an aerodynamic shape....hmm!

[txaggieman]

Where do u see the Yes! putters going in the future? I have a Black Callie and love it....was not a fan of the white one.
And bring back the MB2 Blue finish!
Thx

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='billeht' timestamp='1397821486' post='9117665']
The cut-thru slot on the woods/does look very cool and seems like it can really make the ball bounce off the face, but is there a issue with the head breaking easier? It almost seems like a weakish design, what do you do to combat that?
[/quote]

Your assumption is correct! Increasing the face deflection or CT definitely comes with an increased risk of face/slot failure. Adding cut thru slots definitely adds more stress to unwanted areas because of the increased deflection. We combat this by modifying a couple key items: face thickness and material, slot geometry (size and material thickness) and location. -JH

[rtraudt]

[quote name='AdamsGolf' timestamp='1398274220' post='9152501']
[quote name='rtraudt' timestamp='1398273506' post='9152361']
Another quick question. What is the selection process like for determining stock shafts for a given club? For example, how did you decide on each of the new ATX Tour shafts for each of the new Pro hybrids?
[/quote]

<Justin Honea> We start looking at shaft options about 8 months prior to launch. We always want the shaft to compliment the head design which is why we meet with shaft supplier on a monthly basis to discuss our product plan, technology and performance expectations. We always look at “Real Deal” shafts first and the only reason we would not do a real deal shaft would be cost or bend profile. We think there is a lot of equity in having a real deal shaft in our product and we have received a lot of great feedback by offering real deal shafts in most, if not all of our programs. The decision to use the Aldila ATX series was a pretty simple one because it matched up perfectly with our hybrid story. Tour Green = PRO 9031 (lowest launching, lowest spinning), Tour Blue = PRO DHy (mid launching, mid/low spinning), Tour Red = PRO (mid/high launching, mid spin). The shaft and heads were a perfect match.
[/quote]

Thanks for the reply. I love the feel and performance of the Tour Blue in my Tight Lies Tour and can't wait to demo the new lineup of Pro hybrids (especially the DHy) and their ATX shafts.

Another question in regards to stock shafts (but only if you are allowed to release this or even have confirmation yet): what shaft will be offered in the soon to be released XTD Tour irons that Els games, and will there also be an option for the RIP Tour graphite iron shafts like the XTD Forged provide?

[hankmoody]

Guys-thanks for doing this. I'm returning to the game and you kind of blossomed in the period I was gone. I've just learned a lot in reading the responses, and during this I just went to the website and checked your products. There is a demo day at my club coming up and I am now looking forward to that.

Lot of attention here on the hybrids. Can you comment a bit on the fairways, and the categories? (I'm looking to get and stay in the mid 80s, and would love a club that does >200 with confidence).

Thanks guys!

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='warfelg21' timestamp='1397820944' post='9117631']
Your "Own the second shot" campaign is amazing, and you guys helped out a program at our courses of getting clubs into the hands of new golfers.

And my question goes as so:
Adams seems to be on the cutting edge of hybrids: what comes next? We got smaller heads, deeper for preference. some for driving. It seems as though they are so specialized anymore. So what is next in hybrid innovation? Higher launching? Softer landing? Faster face speed?
[/quote]

[i]Depending on the player the requests are different: [/i]
[i]High handicap golfers want hybrids, which are easier to hit, mid handicap golfers are looking for distance and the best player in the world are looking for higher launch and workability. In the next 12 months Adams golf has three new technologies coming that will address each of these golfer needs directly in ways the industry has never seen before. Unfortunately we can’t tell you exactly what they are now as there would still be time for the ideas to be copied. However when they come out you’ll know what we’re talking about. (Fox)[/i]

[Marks23]

[quote name='AdamsGolf' timestamp='1398273984' post='9152461']
[quote name='Marks23' timestamp='1398273473' post='9152353']
Do the stock shafts in the pro dhy and pro mini work equally well in the pro hybrid? How will they differ from the tour red?
[/quote]
We matched the stock shafts (Aldila Tour Red, Blue, and Green) with the head they will perform best in. The Green is the lowest launching...this makes it a perfect pair with the Pro Mini to give it a nice penetrating ball flight. The Blue is mid...the DHy is already a lower launching head so we wanted to give it a little help getting the ball in the air. The Red is the highest launching, making it perfect for the Pro hybrid that is the easiest to hit and give players the most help getting the ball in the air. These shafts will all perform well in each head though, just offer slightly different launch characteristics. I personally play a Tour Blue in my Pro hybrid to help keep the ball flight down a bit.-Matt Neeley
[/quote]
As it so happens, I am traveling to Dallas on Friday and wondered if there were any Adams fitting centers to mix and match the tour shafts in the different pro heads?

[opus_mh]

Your lineup is pretty great from top to bottom and if I had to play an all in 14 club deal I would look to you guys. My question is about your wedges. Do you plan to offer a more traditional wedge design to the retail market with your tour staffers influence? My main concern with previous generations was the weight. Some of the heads I play tested were very light, and that seems counter productive in the grand scheme of things.

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='zacjokier' timestamp='1397822519' post='9117737']
[center]What do you have that other golf companies don't?[/center]
[/quote]
[i]Below is a list of some of our favorite things that differentiate us from the competition. In no particular order:[/i]
· [i]Cut-thru velocity slots for more speed on and off-center hits[/i]
· [i]Crown slots for easier launch[/i]
· [i]#1 hybrid on tour [/i]
· [i]A focus on “owning the second shot”. [/i]
· [i]10 guys in R&D that play over 120 rounds of golf a year and live the game (I don’t know this for sure, but I would be surprised)[/i]
· [i]Ernie Els[/i]
· [i]Cross Cavity Technology[/i]
· [i]#1 hybrid iron sets sold[/i]
· [i]Tight Lies with its easy to hit tri-sole design[/i]
· [i]A brand focused on easy to hit product only with new idea[/i]
· [i]Wrap around slots[/i]
· [i]A group of dedicated and passionate golfers who design product to be nothing short of the best in the industry (Fox)[/i]

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='azam14' timestamp='1398275167' post='9152665']
I have a 19* Super S and i want a heavier shaft, should i just upgrade the shaft or get like a pro or dhy with a heavier shaft.
[/quote]
If you love the head (which, of course, I am sure you do) you could definitely swap it out for a heavier shaft. The DHy might be a good option for a long iron replacement (21* or 24*). If you are just getting the itch for a new club the Pro would be great to replace the Super S...should give you a bit more workability and you will be playing the #1 hybrid on tour! -Matt Neeley

[Golfingfanatic]

Are there plans to add any more high end graphite shafts to your line-up?

[AdamsGolf]

Justin Honea what's in the bag:

9* XTD Driver with Hand Crafted Project X 7.0
14* Tightlies with stock Bassara S-flex (great shaft IMO)
21* DHY with stock Aldila Blue X-flex
3-LW XTD Forged with PXi 6.5
YES Tour Callie

And yes that is more than 14 clubs!!

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='Bunker2Bunker' timestamp='1398271783' post='9152045']
Some see Adams as one of two golf companies in one company (TMAG) with the other being TaylorMade. Are there any plans to have one company focus on a market segment or a particular club(s)?

Example of clubs would be TaylorMade woods and irons, Adams hybrids and wedges. Or example of market segment: TaylorMade catering to advanced players and mid-handicaps, Adams focusing on super-game improvement and beginners?

(Of course these examples can be swapped.)
[/quote]No plans to position the two companies as suggested above. As mentioned in some other posts, we (Adams) are extremely focused on delivering the worlds best second shot products (hybrids, fairway woods, irons) to all players seeking more enjoyment in their game.