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

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='gocanucksfan123' timestamp='1397887460' post='9123609']
Kudos to Adams for listening to us hacks ask some questions!

Why is Taylormade's marketing scheme so much more aggressive than Adams'?

Thanks again!
[/quote]

Not quite sure what you mean by “aggressive”. If you’re talking about Taylormade’s amount of advertising in print, TV, online, etc compared to Adams – it comes down to substantial differences in budget sizes. While we are part of the same company now, we still operate on our own P&L and do not share budgets. If you’re talking about them having an “aggressive tone” in their marketing versus ours – that’s accurate. We speak in a friendly, easy to understand and inviting tone … they tend to speak more technical, high performance and Tour-domination tone. -Fox

[rbhan12]

@hipcheck when are you going to announce the 15 winners? I think the members who had their questions answered should be selected

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='bellken' timestamp='1397918589' post='9124823']
Is the pursuit of hotter faces on golf clubs hurting the average golfer? The distance dispersion from not so good shots to great shots can be as much as a 2 club difference.
[/quote]

I would say the opposite is true. The pursuit of hotter faces means the center is hotter (up to the USGA limit) but also means off-center is hotter as well. Our testing would show that average golfers benefit more from this technology because our VST design actually increases the CT more on off center shots than center. To put it simple there is more room to increase off-center CT then center because we are quickly approaching the CT limit on center impacts. -JH

[opus_mh]

I have a dhy proto with a tour blue 105 in 24* I hit it exactly 3 times before grabbing my 4 iron and litteraly throwing it on the ground. Thank you for the continued innovation and making the game easier, even and especially for better players!

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='slinger45' timestamp='1397918801' post='9124837']
With Adams being one of the trend setters with Velocity Slot technology are you guys working on any new technological innovations down the line that might have the same impact as slot technology?

Thanks
[/quote]

Absolutely. We have some really cool stuff coming the spring of 2015 that will be revolutionary for both slot design and club design. Let just say that we are working on multiple ways to increase CT and also have a cleaner looking crown so that it appeals to more golfers. I would love to hear your feedback on this topic. -JH

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='hawleywood' timestamp='1397922323' post='9125087']
I currently bag a combo set of CMB and MB2(satin) and I couldn't be happier. Is the development team responsible for these irons still intact since your acquisition by TM/Adidas? The current line of irons seems focused toward the game improvement category; will you be abandoning the player category going forward? I fear that Adams is destined to become nothing more than rebranded Taylor Made side project that focuses on Hybrids. Please tell me I'm wrong!
[/quote]

Yes our team is still intact and has not changed. Your observation is correct and we are focusing more on the game improvement category because that is the largest iron category and historically it is a category we were not a player in. Now to answer your question, no we will not abandon the player section and will continue to offer some really cool irons in this area. I have been around here for 8 years and have played a key role in the development of all the better player irons so this will continue to be a focus moving forward. You have nothing to worry about as Adams Golf will continue to have a heart beat and one that will continue to get stronger and stronger as time goes. We have a great team here that is passionate about the game and that has gotten us to where we are at today in a market that continues to contract. We have a great outlook on 2014 and an even better outlook on 2015! -JH

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='bpark1210' timestamp='1397927978' post='9125449']
How has the merger from TMag affected the R&D of Adams Golf? I felt the clubs in the latter years of Adams were top notch and pushing the envelopes of golf engineering but Adams fell off the map after the TM buyout. With the recent intro of the XTD line for 2014 I feel Adams Golf is getting back on track to where it once was. Can we expect a new direction free of TMag influence moving forward?

I picked up an XTD Ti 3W this year and noticed the adapter is a TM sleeve is this going to be the trend moving forward of integrating technologies between the two brands?
[/quote]

With any acquisition distractions exist and can sometimes take focus away from the job at hand. Those distractions are long gone and we are looking forward to a bright future as part of the Taylormade brand. I am sorry to hear that you have had doubts but I am really glad to hear that the current XTD line has rejuvenated your belief in our brand. You can expect great things moving forward and yes they are not influenced by TMaG. We share ideas, plans and strategies which is something you have to do to make sure your marketing strategies align but our product development teams operate independently and will continue to do so.

2. Great question. We will definitely share technologies that make sense and this is one of them that made perfect sense to me. If we can leverage Taylormade in any way that benefits our customers then we should definitely do that. The shaft sleeve will be one area we try and sync up on each year.

-JH

[wdwfan78]

Do you feel that social media and outreach is more beneficial to Adams and its sales then traditional advertising? It seems that more and more resources by all OEM's is being invested into non-traditional means of communication to players.

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='AdamsGolf' timestamp='1398281616' post='9153715']
[quote name='bpark1210' timestamp='1397927978' post='9125449']
How has the merger from TMag affected the R&D of Adams Golf? I felt the clubs in the latter years of Adams were top notch and pushing the envelopes of golf engineering but Adams fell off the map after the TM buyout. With the recent intro of the XTD line for 2014 I feel Adams Golf is getting back on track to where it once was. Can we expect a new direction free of TMag influence moving forward?

I picked up an XTD Ti 3W this year and noticed the adapter is a TM sleeve is this going to be the trend moving forward of integrating technologies between the two brands?
[/quote]

With any acquisition distractions exist and can sometimes take focus away from the job at hand. Those distractions are long gone and we are looking forward to a bright future as part of the Taylormade brand. I am sorry to hear that you have had doubts but I am really glad to hear that the current XTD line has rejuvenated your belief in our brand. You can expect great things moving forward and yes they are not influenced by TMaG. We share ideas, plans and strategies which is something you have to do to make sure your marketing strategies align but our product development teams operate independently and will continue to do so.

2. Great question. We will definitely share technologies that make sense and this is one of them that made perfect sense to me. If we can leverage Taylormade in any way that benefits our customers then we should definitely do that. The shaft sleeve will be one area we try and sync up on each year.

-JH
[/quote]

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='bpark1210' timestamp='1397929480' post='9125565']
One more follow up question to the engineers, what is your background and how does someone get into engineering golf clubs. I've recently decided to get back into school and am contemplating a degree in mechanical or industrial engineering.
[/quote]

To be honest we have engineers from almost every discipline with Mechanical being the most prominent. I have a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University and worked in aerospace/defense two years out of school then moved to the golf industry. The golf industry is a small industry and hard to get into but it looks like you are on the right track and to me your passion and ability to play/understand the game is just as important. Best of luck to you and keep in touch. -JH

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='opus_mh' timestamp='1398281415' post='9153691']
I have a dhy proto with a tour blue 105 in 24* I hit it exactly 3 times before grabbing my 4 iron and litteraly throwing it on the ground. Thank you for the continued innovation and making the game easier, even and especially for better players!
[/quote]
I'll one up you. I made my first Ace with my Super S 5 iron a month before the Proto DHy came out last year. I immediately put the 21* in the bag and then pulled my lucky 5 iron for a 24* DHy.
Thanks
-Fox-

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='tanner97' timestamp='1397934922' post='9125929']
Since merging with TM your products have become even better than before, what technology do you think will progress over the coming years and begin to show you in your newer products?

Keep up the good work; hit all 3 clubs today and they felt AMAZING at least 15 yards further than the competition
[/quote]

Appreciate the great comments. If anything the merger between TMaG and Adams has brought some healthy competition with it. We both operate on our own P&L and are competing for the same space in the marketplace. It has been a fun start to a long and great relationship. We will continue with our core technologies (Aerodynamics, VST, hybrid-iron sets, upside down) and keep pushing the envelope to make better product that is easier to hit for all golfers. Our goal is to own the second shot!! -JH

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='TNTlefty' timestamp='1397940536' post='9126321']
Two great companies (Adams Golf and Southwest Airlines) created a unique partnership for the 2013 season where the Tour Staff carried co-branded bags as part of the "easy million" campaign. How successful was this campaign in increasing sales of the SUPER family of clubs for Adams and are you actively pursuing any "non-traditional" partnerships for future marketing campaigns?

I'd also be interested in the "most interesting" equipment request from a tour staff pro...
[/quote]

Thanks for the compliments of our partnership with Southwest Airlines. We are thrilled with this partnership and kicked off the second year with them this month. It’s a unique partnership in the golf industry benefitting both companies in different ways. Being one of the world’s most admired companies for over a decade, Southwest has actually been very helpful as we’ve established new corporate values, initiatives, positioning and strategies for our company. We want to be the Southwest Airlines within the golf space. Look for exciting stuff to happen with this partnership over the next few days/weeks/months!
The “Easy Million” campaign was very successful in regards to our main goal of having golfers trial and demo the clubs, and in turn, purchasing. Over 20,000 trials happened very quickly and we surpassed the 1,000,000 yard mark in distance earlier than expected!

2. This one is easy! We had a tour player that requested we measure the shaft + tape in 7 different areas prior to putting on the grip. Once the grip was on (if the shaft + tape diameter met specifications in all 7 areas) we had to measure 4 additional areas in order to get the green light! -SB

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='MaydayGSXR' timestamp='1398279509' post='9153427']
[quote name='AdamsGolf' timestamp='1398277973' post='9153179']
Right, 18* would be the ideal choice for a driving iron. That is for the guy that just isn't comfortable with any of the more traditional hybrids we offer and wants something they can hit bullets with off the tee. The other lofts come in to play more as direct iron replacements...21*=3i, 24*=4i, and 27*=5i.
-Matt Neeley @mattneeley
[/quote]

Ah, thanks again for clearing it up! So as far as iron replacements go, I'm assuming the turf interaction is pretty good for shots that aren't tee'd up? I see the lengths are pretty much congruent with iron lengths, so I'd venture to guess they work fairly well as an iron replacement all over the course (and not just the tee box).


Oops, Q&A is over. Thank you very much for the interaction on here! Kudos to you guys! Got a ton of good information out and now I'm itching to go out and hit some DHy's.. Thanks for taking the time to do this, I hope it was fun for you guys to read some of our comments/questions, lol.
[/quote]
The DHy can definitely be hit from anywhere. The sole is a bit wider than most player's irons, so it is going to be easier to hit from any number of lies. I will hit my DHy from just about anywhere...it is definitely not just an 'off-the-tee' club.
-@mattneeley

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='russian7' timestamp='1397973054' post='9129193']
[quote name='HipCheck' timestamp='1397767912' post='9114093']
[attachment=2180163:golfwrx2.jpeg]

Join GolfWRX for a live chat with Adams Golf R&D and Marketing teams straight from Adams HQ in North Texas. Adams Golf is excited for the opportunity to have a no holds barred discussion regarding all things Adams Golf & owning the second shot. Ask them anything; nothing is off limits!

[b]Who Will Be Here:[/b][list]
[*]SR Director R&D: Justin Honea
[*]Engineering Manager, Hybrids & Irons: Justin Girard
[*]Design Engineer, Metalwoods: Alex Berger
[*]SVP Marketing: Scott Blevins
[*]Director Global Product Marketing: Michael Fox
[*]SR Director Marketing: Jeff Wood
[/list]
[b]Live Q&A Link:[/b]
This thread will be the live link.

[b]Giveaway:[/b]
15 GolfWRX members who have their questions answered will win brand new hybrids from Adams Pro series. Winners have the chance to choose from the Pro, Pro DHY or Pro Mini (stock shafts).

Can't make the chat? Go ahead and ask your questions below now!
[/quote]

I am a huge fan of adams, and in light of innovation I believe they have made some of the best new products on the market! Will TM continue to allow Adams engineers to use their current vision of new products, or will the TM engineers be taking over R&D? Also will Adams be marketed with TM products with similar life cycles, and will Adams have a tour department for special products and design?
[/quote]

The short answer is yes, Adams engineers will be driving our designs and Taylormade engineers will be driving their designs. There are no plans to merge the two R&D teams and to be honest that is one place that a synergy would not benefit either brand. We need to maintain our own identity and having our own team is the best way to do that. Adams and TM will be marketed separate as we both have our own Marketing Working budget to support each brand. The tour department is one area we are leveraging Taylormade on. We will continue to have a small tour department at Adams in Plano, Texas but a lot of the logistical operation for Adams tour builds has shifted to the Carlsbad facility. We will continue to have Adams specific tour reps on all major tours and we still have our own trailer on the PGA Tour and that will not change. -JH

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='tuffy' timestamp='1397944663' post='9126615']
Bring back the mb2's in raw finish and we will forgive you for the xtd irons.
[/quote]

We are going to hold you to that! Give the XTD irons a test run. Even if they aren’t for you, I think you’ll understand why a lot of people are going to snatch them up! -JG

[MadGolfer76]

Aww...it's over. And I was going to ask them which snarky/mean comment they liked the most...

[Johnny T]

[quote name='AdamsGolf' timestamp='1398277379' post='9153075'][quote name='Johnny T' timestamp='1397872225' post='9122723']
What were some of the deciding factors/driving forces behind reintroducing the Tight Lies fairways?


What design features make the Tight Lies so easy to launch? It doesn't appear too different from any other fairway (minus the flat center portion of the sole), yet it launches so much easier.
[/quote]

[i]We originally had no plans to re-launch Tight Lies, but the market “asked for it”. Meaning there was a large need in the market place the no one was meeting. In the search for extra yards the market had shifted to deep face, 43 ½”, low spin, large fairway woods which are basically off the tee clubs. The clubs don’t have enough spin to get up in the air and it made the fairway wood the hardest to hit club in the bag again. The new Tight Lies is the easiest to hit fairway ever created and now is paired with the most advanced slot ever created. The new “velocity slot” created almost driver like speeds and allows us to create a fairway wood that again is easy to hit from everywhere. [/i]

[i]When the original Tight Lies first came out in 1996 it was the only easy to hit, low profile tri-sole golf club in a market of big/deep driver like fairway woods. Tight Lies started a new wave in fairway woods, where all companies moved to low profile shapes. 20 years later the market has come almost full circle. More than ever before golfers are in need of a fairway wood that most importantly is easy to hit. If we launched Tight Lies 2 years ago it wouldn’t have worked. But when you look at the market is now a club like that was in need by golfers. -MF[/i][/quote]


Thanks for the response! I've hit the new Tight Lies and it is super easy to launch. While I don't play one, I think think it is great you all reintroduced it.

[burniemac]

Thanks for your time today. Got a lot of great information out of it.

[AdamsGolf]

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

All tour pros tend to be very picky about their equipment – they have good reason to be. While we don’t really have official rankings of picky players, the quick answer would be Bernhard Langer. The man is a model of consistency and success and very few changes are needed in his game. So, working on any equipment changes with Bernhard can be challenging and very seldom because he has very few areas of weakness. -SB

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='TNTlefty' timestamp='1397940536' post='9126321']
Two great companies (Adams Golf and Southwest Airlines) created a unique partnership for the 2013 season where the Tour Staff carried co-branded bags as part of the "easy million" campaign. How successful was this campaign in increasing sales of the SUPER family of clubs for Adams and are you actively pursuing any "non-traditional" partnerships for future marketing campaigns?

I'd also be interested in the "most interesting" equipment request from a tour staff pro...
[/quote]

[b]Thanks for the compliments of our partnership with Southwest Airlines. We are thrilled with this partnership and kicked off the second year with them this month. It’s a unique partnership in the golf industry benefitting both companies in different ways. Being one of the world’s most admired companies for over a decade, Southwest has actually been very helpful as we’ve established new corporate values, initiatives, positioning and strategies for our company. We want to be the Southwest Airlines within the golf space. Look for exciting stuff to happen with this partnership over the next few days/weeks/months![/b]
[b]The “Easy Million” campaign was very successful in regards to our main goal of having golfers trial and demo the clubs, and in turn, purchasing. Over 20,000 trials happened very quickly and we surpassed the 1,000,000 yard mark in distance earlier than expected![/b]

I'd also be interested in the "most interesting" equipment request from a tour staff pro...
[b]Answer: This one is easy! We had a tour player that requested we measure the shaft + tape in 7 different areas prior to putting on the grip. Once the grip was on (if the shaft + tape diameter met specifications in all 7 areas) we had to measure 4 additional areas in order to get the green light! -SB[/b]

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='jg1166' timestamp='1397946431' post='9126765']
Seeing I'm in a different time zone I will ask my question now. On the marketing side will Adams market their full range in Australia sometime soon. I ask because I am an Adams fan but have had to source most of my current bag from the USA. The launch lab driver which I use was never release here and the rest of my bag was either released 6-9 months after the states or in limited range. I know there is a market here as lots of my golfing friends love the look and feel of my clubs but it is just to hard for them to source them.
[/quote]

Yes. We do have some demand building in Australia – especially given our relationship with Badds. Over the last 12 months we have increased the range (for example Tight Lies, Pro Hybrids, and XTD irons are all available). -SB

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='ZAP' timestamp='1397947365' post='9126849']
How do you decide which clubs to offer to us lefties?
[/quote]

Since I am a lefty, I ask for all of it! However, since us lefties are outnumbered pretty handily by the righties, some of the products are limited to RH only. This usually affects us lefties only in peripheral products – not core products. -SB

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='Yepyukon' timestamp='1397956164' post='9127675']
Can you comment about the drop of LPGA players with Adams Golf? I would think that the extra distance and forgiveness of Adams golf clubs would be something that would strive on the LPGA, much as it has on the Champions Tour.

Thank you for taking the time to be here and answer our questions. Great video about us WRXers too!
[/quote]

As you have probably read a couple of times on this chat – Adams is on it’s own in regards to profit/loss. Therefore, since we don’t have an endless supply of $ to go around, we have to be very strategic about where those $ go. Without getting into tour stragety speciafically, I can say that if ANY tour strategy is proposed that builds on our domestic and/or international growth goals we seriously consider it. -SB

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='Yepyukon' timestamp='1397956330' post='9127693']
Follow up question: How much longer is Adams contracted to endorse Big Break and do you plan to renew the contract once it is up?
[/quote]

We can’t disclose contractual terms involving Big Break or the Golf Channel. However, we have been the equipment sponsor of the Big Break since it began and have been very happy with the results and the connection to this very popular series. -SB

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='poppman2142' timestamp='1397947688' post='9126885']
What are going to be the advantages of the new XTD tour irons coming out this summer over the XTD forged? I have the XTD forged irons with RIP shafts and love them, so I need to be convinced that the XTD tour irons will be an upgrade. Keep up the good work!
[/quote]

This is a tough one! XTD forged is a great product, one of a kind. The great feature of XTD Tour is that we worked closely with Ernie to come up with this profile and design. It’s the perfect product for those who are looking for a profile smaller than the XTD cross cavity, but a little larger with a little more forgiveness that the XTD Forged. -JG

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='BENNYSUPREME' timestamp='1397955529' post='9127609']
Having played Adams since 2006, I will say these irons (2014 XTDs) are out there in the styling category, compared to the original XTD irons. Why such a futuristic and goody look? Please don't tell me Taylor Made is trying to run off the Adams faithful. Please go back to the plain MB style with a couple different finish options for the players and OS models for the non players.

Where are the days of Adams making quality items for cheaper prices then the competitors for the same category level? Lets not start making junk to keep up with the jones and charge high prices for them.
[/quote]

Not to worry! XTD Cross Cavity has a functional purpose too! At Adams, performance and technology is our #1 focus. You can’t argue with performance!
At Adams, we work hard (industrial designers and engineers) to make sure we work together to insure an eye catching but functional cavity design. Functionally, the Cross Cavity design serves multiple purposes.
By pulling mass away from the face, you are able push the center of gravity deeper creating an improved gear effect that a traditional iron design struggles with. A deeper center of gravity, helps keep off center shots more online improving dispersion.
When creating a high CT/COR iron, it is necessary to decrease the face thickness and incorporate a cut-thru slot design. Unfortunately, the sound at impact changes when you do this. To counter this effect, we used the cross cavity design to add a rubber “pressure piston” behind the center circular badge. This rubber piston is compressed between the cross cavity and the back of the center of the face where the face deflects the most that we refer to as the oscillation apex. What the rubber plunger does is reduce the duration of the sound and improve the feel to create a hot but crisp sound at impact.
Sound is so important to club design, without the Cross Cavity design, the performance of the XTD iron wouldn’t exist! -JG

[ahbot]

Sorry if this was asked already, but will we see an updated version of the MB2 and CMB?

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='Staff_Blades' timestamp='1397956489' post='9127711']
Was the Flux Capacitor the inspiration for the design?
[/quote]

Flux Capacitor? Would you believe I have a friend that turned a Delorean into an exact replica of the back to the future car!?! (True Story) -JG

[AdamsGolf]

[quote name='Fudgegolf' timestamp='1397991950' post='9129509']
As a company do you even think your ready to go global? Experience so far with some of your newer products suggests you don't have the global infrastructure, to support these lofty ambitions. Speaking in reference to markets outside of the USA.
[/quote]

We have already gone global! We have subsidiaries servicing the following regions and countries:

Canada
Japan
Korea
UK
Europe
South Africa
Australia
Latin America

With a plan to have subsidiary setup in China by 2015. -SB