Adams XTD fwy vs. i20 fwy vs. MP 650 UPDATE

FairwayFred · May 11, 2012

I have both right now and they are both excellent clubs. The i20 is the best looking fwy wood out right now imo. It also performs great. It is plenty long and easy to hit. However, performance wise I have found the Adams to simply be a better club. It is noticeably longer and imo easier to hit. I really wanted to like the Ping better but for now it looks like Adams will make the bag.

Tiptx1122 · May 15, 2012

I was real hesitate about leaving my i20 3W with Miyazaki Indigo shaft but I just couldn't believe all the wonderful reviews people were giving this club. So was it all hype or what. I had a hard time trying to find one & I finally jumped on one & my 1st impression is WOW! 260 yds. out a group on the green putting & I drove the green in 2 on a par 5. This thing is long straight & easy to hit of the deck or Tee. It give my driver a run for its money that's for sure. I'm still adjusting to the looks but the way this performs I don't care how it looks. The Fubuki shaft is a good fit for me as I would love to try a GD AD DI but I'm done ho'eing for the year. I'm mainly a Ping Guy except for my Scotty Putters but no longer as the Adams XTD Super fairway 3W found a home.

gklim22 · May 15, 2012

I've had the Adams XTD 14.5 for a few rounds now and it is a bomber for sure, easy to hit, great feel, etc. Maybe a little low launch, as some have said, but that's fine for me. The XTD hybrid, on the other hand, I'm not so sure about... I hit it great on the range, but have these strange pushes to the right on the course. Definitely not a "point and shoot" club for me, have to really concentrate when swinging it. So I'm very interested in the i20 hybrid, anyone do a direct comparison? Does the pretty finish on the sole of the i20 hold up at all?

Sniperman · May 16, 2012

I originally posted the following:

[color="#0000FF"]As I plan to retire my '07 TM Burner TP, I've been reading reviews on the latest fairways. Two that stood out in the current reviews are the Adams XTD Ti and the Ping i20. Has anyone had a chance to compare these side by side? What are your thoughts?[/color]

Then after a week of reading and listening and watching reviews, I decided to add the Mizuno MP 650 in the mix.

I've only had a chance to hit the i20 and XTD on a hitting bay with a launch monitor. I've never been one who trusted LM numbers, but for the sake of reference I will use those magical numbers to compare the two. In the aesthetics department, the i20 is a clear runaway for me - no arguments, not even close!

I tested out both clubs in the stock offerings, 3-14* w/ PX6.0 for the i20, 3-14.5* w/ Fub AX65 stiff for the XTD. Both shafts felt good, but the i20 seemed to give a better feedback on the downswing. The XTD almost felt boardy, but not quite. Even I don't understand that statement because I never felt that having owned a Fubuki Alpha in a Superdeep. According to LM numbers (sorry, only focused on distance), I was averaging 247 with the i20, and a slightly longer 255 in the XTD. However, I was more in control of my dispersion with the i20. More balls landed towards the middle while hitting the i20, versus the XTD, I was all over the monitor - military cadence, left, left, right left... At the end of my "testing," the guy at the shop took the words right out of my mouth, "I'd rather be 10 yards short and straight, than 10 yards longer and not know where the ball ends up!" I left it at that and went home to do more reading.

Unfortunately, the shop did not have ANY of the Mizuno woods so I could not compare it with the others. As I read more about the MP 650, the more it piqued my interest, especially with its all titanium construction. People talked about its feel, and no surprise there as Mizuno is well known for that in its irons. Then the sound it made, the feel of the "made for Mizzy" Fujikura Orochi shaft, open face(!) just added more to my curiosity.

So here's the update...I ended up buying the Mizuno MP 650 13.5*, 43" and D2 SW.

Ultimately, I ended up going with the Mizuno because of its "traditional" looks, open face, all titanium construction, AND its price...thanks to Discount Dan's!

Today, the club arrived...and wow! It offers a different "beauty" compared to the i20's unique matte finish. I couldn't be happier with the purchase. I can't wait to take it out tomorrow and get a "real" feel for the club. Swinging it in the garage felt better than the i20...I think the Orochi is a great "made for" shaft.

Will update again with real world results!