Don’t call it a comeback: Why Adams Golf’s latest return is different

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before, but Adams Golf is returning to the golf equipment landscape. For those keeping track at home, Adams has been resuscitated a few times since it was acquired by TaylorMade, in 2012, for roughly $70 million.

Over the next decade, the brand closed its headquarters in Plano, Texas, and attempted to remain relevant with several product launches, including an updated version of the popular Tight Lies fairway wood in 2021. But nothing seemed to stick.

Over the last two years, Adams has been working on a business plan that it believes has staying power. In other words, the latest re-launch of the Adams Golf brand is designed to (hopefully) make the equipment manufacturer a major player in the gear space once again, especially for new golfers who’ve shifted their graze towards direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands.

While there’s no substitute for a set of custom-fit golf clubs, Adams started to notice that not every golfer wanted to spring for a pricey set of sticks. But at the same time, they weren’t interested in scouring the bargain for used options.

“This golfer is looking for a menu with options, and that’s what we’re trying to give them,” said Chandler Carr, Adams Golf’s product creation manager. “More golfers have entered the space since COVID. They’re playing the game more than ever. But if you put yourself in their shoes, most still aren’t quite sure where they want to begin their search for equipment. It’s pretty overwhelming and complicated. Our findings and research showed that this golfer is still heavily invested in quality and craftsmanship. But at the same time, going the DTC route allows them to make their own educated purchases that are self-selected. They want what they want based on the content they’re consuming.”

Going the DTC route this time around allows Adams Golf to keep costs down with its new Idea club line and C-Groove putters, which might make some golfers roll their eyes and assume quality takes a hit. But Adams isn’t simply churning out old, tired designs for the sake of padding the bottom line.

While the Idea name — one that Carr noted still has “brand equity” — remains, the overall look and feel of the 2023 Idea line has been reimagined to give it a clean, premium feel.

For example, the 460cc Idea driver ($299; 9, 10.5 and 12 degrees) is designed around a multi-material construction that features a carbon fiber crown and toe (sole) sections. Saving weight in both areas allowed for the addition of a weight port in the sole that pushes the center of gravity (CG) deep within the head for a higher launch and added forgiveness.

Adams is also bringing back its Velocity Slot technology with Idea in an attempt to capture more ball speed. The slot is situated just behind the face, in the sole, and allows the face to flex more efficiently at impact, leading to faster ball speeds. A four-degree loft sleeve also allows the golfer to adjust launch characteristics as needed with the turn of a wrench.

“We aren’t making a product for the anti-slice golfer,” Carr said. “It has a hint of a draw, but this is designed to fit a larger group of golfers — from your sub-10 handicap to a higher handicap golfer. This golfer knows they don’t just want a basic titanium driver.”

The shallow face and carbon crown on the Idea fairway wood ($199; 15, 18, 21 degrees) are designed to induce a high launch for a club that’s built to be used from the tee and turf. Adams’ Velocity slot can be found in the fairway wood as well to help increase ball speed numbers on shots that catch the lower half of the face.

With a deep history in the hybrid category, Adams knew it needed to nail the long-iron replacement. The Idea hybrid ($179; 20, 23, 26, 30 degrees) is built around a compact shaping Adams has used in the past with previous Idea hybrids and also includes a few other successful technologies, including Velocity Slot, tri-sole, and a carbon fiber crown (a first for an Adams hybrid).

“Knowing that Adams has such a lineage and heritage with the hybrid, we knew the shaping needed to be just right,” Carr said. “That why we wanted to stay with the iconic profile. It sits squarely at address and has a face height you’re familiar with from previous Adams products.”

The goal with the Idea iron ($599/7-piece steel set; $699/7-piece graphite set) was to create an iron that offered plenty of forgiveness without making the overall profile offputting. The end result is an iron that features plenty of technology in a sleek shape. A hollow body construction and 360-degree undercut deliver plenty of ball speed and work in unison with a low CG design to increase launch and improve overall stability. While ball speed is usually the name of the game with hollow irons, the internal geometry made it possible to mitigate sound and heighten feel at impact.

Progressive offset, slightly weaker lofts (for a higher launch) and a unique sole design for turf interaction purposes are just a few of the smart wrinkles Adams added to the iron package. Each iron also features a variable hosel length — the hosel gets progressively longer going from the long to the short irons — to precisely place the CG for an optimized launch.

With a high CG location, the Idea wedge ($99/steel; $119/graphite) is made for flight control, thanks to a pronounced milled undercut in the lower portion of the head that allowed mass to be pushed into the toe section. A versatile C-grind sole with heel and toe relief is equipped to handle a variety of turf conditions. Turf interaction was also improved via a wide, high-bounce sole design. A milled face and grooves round out the scoring tool to provide ample spin and a premium feel at impact. (And with only two lofts offered (54-14 and 58-12), golfers don’t have to worry about shifting through multiple options to build their wedge set.)

The final puzzle piece is a C-Groove putter ($149; 34 and 35 inches) that’s sure to have gearheads talking. Built around the wildly popular Yes! C-Groove face design — Matt Fitzpatrick still swears by C-Groove — the Prospect blade (mid-slant hosel) and Mission mallet (single bend hosel) are made from 303 stainless steel and come standard with a Lamkin Deep Etched grip.

Along with a full complement of clubs, Adams Golf also plans to launch a golf ball, bags, accessories, headwear and apparel through its official website (adamsgolf.com). In Adams’ eyes, the goal is to make the brand a one-stop shop for every equipment need.

For golfers who are interested in giving Adams a shot (there’s a 60-day money-back guarantee), there are currently two options: you can purchase individual clubs or select from one of three set offerings — “full bag” (14 clubs), “short set” (driver, fairway, hybrid, 6-LW, putter and bag) and “muni set” (driver, hybrid, 6-SW, putter and bag) on its website. (Adams also plans to offer custom options later this spring.)

Want to overhaul your bag for 2023? Find a fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

Jonathan Wall

Golf.com Editor

Jonathan Wall is GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com’s Managing Editor for Equipment. Prior to joining the staff at the end of 2018, he spent 6 years covering equipment for the PGA Tour.