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A New Winner EVERY Month!

Today we are announcing the next winner of our monthly Bobby Grace Putter Giveaway. Bobby Grace is giving away (1) putter every single month exclusively to a MyGolfSpy reader. This month’s winner will receive one of his Triumph putters…a reader from MyGolfSpy actually got to name this putter. How cool is that!

• If you want to see some of Bobby Grace’s new putters from the PGA Show (Click Here)
• Bobby Grace is doing some amazing things over at his shop…you guys should go check them out. There are all kinds of great videos showing some real “Behind the Scenes” kind of stuff that I know you guys love. Go check out his website Bobby Grace Putters and have a look.

And remember…if you don’t see your name listed as the winner below…don’t worry…just make sure to get your entry in for next months drawing right now before you forget. To enter all you have to do is sign-up with the form on the right hand side of the site. It is a big blue button…you can’t miss it

THIS MONTH’S WINNER! – (SAMUEL MALDO)

MacGregor Bobby Grace M7.5K Tour Long Putter US $80.00 (0 Bid) End Date: Monday Mar-22-2010 20:38:27 PDT Add to watch list

The Adams Driver was part of our New! Ultimate Review System … from here on out at MGS you can expect to have the most thorough reviews in golf.  No need to go searching from site to site or from magazine to magazine anymore…because we have come up with a system that is not only the most un-bias and painfully honest reviews but also the most complete, comprehensive and detailed golf gear reviews PERIOD!

Adams Speedline Fast 10 “ULTIMATE” Driver Review!

by: Our New GolfSpy (aka: GolfSpy T)

Before I became a new golf spy for MGS, when I wrote for a different site, I once made the mistake of referring to Adams as one of the “little guys”.  Oh the mail I received…  Although I would still argue that Adams doesn’t have the marketing footprint of some of the big names in the industry, there isn’t a doubt in my mind (or in the minds of the legions of loyal Adams enthusiasts), that club for club, the Adams lineup stacks up quite nicely with any other manufacturer in the industry.

The Speedline Technology

For 2010 Adams has released the Speedline Fast 10 driver, the 3rd generation of Adams’s wind tunnel, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD for all you science types out there) tested Speedline Technology.  It seems that while some of the other manufacturers were trying to figure out how to build a longer, more forgiving driver, through the use of exotic materials and some fairly radical (and sometimes painfully wretched looking) head shapes, the guys at Adams we’re busy trying to figure out how to use the principles of aerodynamics to increase clubhead speed.  What’s more, they wanted to do it without sacrificing anything.

The latest results of their efforts is the Speedline Fast 10 driver, which Adams bills as “The Fastest Driver In Golf”.  They claim the high launching, mid-spinning, Fast 10 can add up to 15 yards more distance because it has 10% less drag (achieved through changes to the heel and toe curvature).  Because of increases in both MOI and face area, the Speedline Fast 10 is also 10% more forgiving.  The assumption is those percentages are a comparison to the previous model.

Speedline Fast 10 Driver Technical Specifications

• Loft: 8.5° (RH Only), 9.5°, 10.5°, 12.5° (RH Only)
• Length: 46.125″
• Volume: 460cc
• Swing Weight: D2
• Stock Shafts: Aldila Wasabi (60g), Matrix HD (60g)

What We Tested, and How We Tested It

Adams sent us a Speedline Fast 10 for testing.  Our sample has the following specifications:

• Loft: 9.5°
• Shaft: Matrix HD 60g
• Flex: Stiff
• Grip: Adams Tour Velvet

Upon receipt of our test club, the driver was put through MyGolfSpy’s new SpecCheck system.  After SpecCheck was completed, the crown, face, and sole of the driver were covered with GhostTape.  GhostTape does an outstanding job of protecting our test clubs from scratches, sky marks, and the other nasty things that sometimes occur during the testing process.  Our in-house tests have shown that for driver and wood testing, GhostTape has no measurable impact on ball speed, launch angle, or spin rate.  We pretty much love the stuff.

All performance testing was done using PGA TOUR Simulators, powered by 3Trac, from aboutGolf.  Testing took place at Tark’s Indoor Golf Club; a state-of-the-art golf training, club fitting and repair facility located in Saratoga Springs, NY.

With our simulator’s data capture capabilities disabled so that distance and accuracy wouldn’t influence our subjective opinion polling, we asked several golfers to provide us feedback on the look, sound, and feel of the club.

A subset of testers including golfers with low, middle, and high handicaps, was asked to participate in more thorough tests where not only was data collected for the shots they hit with the Speedline Fast 10, but also for their current driver.

For full details of MyGolfSpy’s testing methodology, see our testing details page.

SpecCheck

For woods and hybrids, our current SpecCheck involves verifying length, Swing Weight, and Flex.  The Speedline Fast 10 we received measured out exactly at the 46 1/8″ that Adams lists as the standard length for this driver.

We measured the Fast 10 two full Swing Weights heavier than the published spec.  Some may prefer the slightly heavier feel, but we like it better when our measurements match the published specs.

Finally, our flex tests measured the Matrix HD shaft at 245 CPM (at 45 1/8″).  On MyGolfSpy’s flex chart the plot point lands on the leading edge of the stiff range.  While for the purposes of SpecCheck the club is “true to flex”, golfers deciding between S and X flex may be better served by going with the stiffer option.

While testing for flex, we observed a noticeable wobble in the oscillation pattern.

MGS SpecCheck Chart for the Adams Speedline Fast 10

SpecCheck Score: (20 out of 25)

Subjective Feedback

Looks

Almost to a man our testers really liked the look of the Adams Speedline Fast 10, particularly at address.  Ron, one of our testers said “It’s very traditional.  I mean that in a good way”.  Perhaps no one summed up the majority feeling about the Speedline better than one of our low handicap testers:

“This is how a driver should look” – Andy (2 Handicap)

Kent, also a low handicap golfer, mostly liked the look of the Fast 10, but said that it looked a little too square for his eye.

High handicap golfer Anthony (who also approved of the traditional look) was the only golfer surveyed who commented on the sole design of the club:

I’m not crazy about the aquamarine graphics and the scooping looks a little strange, but it’s not like I can see either when I’m trying to hit the golf ball” – Anthony (18 Handicap)

Not a single tester commented on the visual alignment aid, or in the case of the Fastline 10, the lack thereof. We take that to mean it isn’t an issue. Our experience has been that no alignment aid is always preferable to a bad one anyway.

Sound

The majority of our testers approved of the sound of the Speedline Fast 10 at impact.  All of our testers rated sound highly, although Andy and Anthony weren’t quite as impressed as most of our other testers.  Andy called the sound “somewhat muted”.  Anthony agreed adding:

“It doesn’t quite have a sound I love, but it’s not a dull thud or a smashed can sound either” – Anthony (18 Handicap)

Hear How The Adams Speedline Fast 10 Driver Sounds!

Feel

When it comes to the feel of the Adams Speedline Fast 10, feedback was mixed.  Frank, a mid-handicap golfer with mutant-sized hands, thinks the club is too light, commenting that he can’t “feel the head”.  High-handicapper, Anthony, called the feel “just ok”, but also commented that the Fast 10 feels solid when struck on the sweet spot, but that you can definitely feel a mis-hit as well.  Mid-handicaper (and long driver of the day) Dan, who initially thought the shaft felt “a bit whippy” was more impressed:

“Speedline is a great name for this club.  You can really feel the head accelerating through the impact zone.  The more I hit it, the more I like it” – Dan (11 Handicap)

We think tester Nick, a middle-handicap golfer who was anxious to try and Adams driver for the first time, summed up the majority opinion when he said:

“It looks great, it sounds great, it feels great” – Nick (17 Handicap)

Nick did follow that up by saying “of course, I’ve been swinging this thing”, as he showed us his Nike Sasquatch Sumo² driver, so perhaps, it’s all relative.

Subjective Score: (22 out of 25)

Performance

The Adams Speedline Fast 10 is the first driver we’ve tested using our new testing and scoring methodology.  Not unlike the first girl on the balance beam, our scores may be slightly skewed by the possibility we’re keeping higher scores in our back pocket in case something better comes along.  Giving a score to a golf club, especially when you haven’t done the same level of testing on any other club, is a tricky proposition (which is why we prefer head to head competition).  So with that in mind, we’re reserving the right to raise or lower the performance  score as we review more drivers.  Whether they knew what they were getting into or not, we’d like to offer a sincere thank you to Adams Golf for stepping up and going first. Now on to the results…

In every case, regardless of whether just a hit a few balls were hit, or whether we were collecting more detailed data, every golfer who tested the Adams Speedline Fast 10 increased his ball speed.  It’s worth noting that at 46 1/8″, the Adams Speedline Fast 10 is more than an inch longer than what most consider to be the standard length for a driver.  That said, it’s probably only fair to point out that, despite the increase in shaft length”, two of our testers actually increased their accuracy.

Andy (2 Handicap) who plays a highly regarded driver model he purchased two years ago, increased his average ball speed by 7 MPH (155 to 162).  Ron, whose driver is also about 2 years old, also saw increases upwards of 8 MPH with the Adams Speedline Fast 10.  In the interest of full disclosure, he did catch one ball with his current driver that matched the speed he was registering consistently with the Adams.

Of the 3 golfers we collected more detailed data for, only Dan showed a measurable decrease in accuracy.  We’re strict in our testing procedures, and we’ll stand by the results, however; it should be pointed out that Dan – a mid-handicap golfer who generally struggles with driver accuracy anyway – had a little trouble adjusting to the feel of the Adams.  While there isn’t any documented proof, the suspicion is that, if we gave him the Adams to swing for a week, his accuracy numbers would probably improve (that’s not to say they’d equal those of existing driver).

Here’s the numbers breakdown for the 3 golfers for whom we collected detailed data:

On the day we tested, Anthony claimed to be having an off day.  We’ve seen him hit balls before, and know that he is capable of consistently longer drivers.  He did agree, however, that the dispersion pattern was accurate, and that the Adams was noticeably straighter.  He also commented that although he felt he lost more distance on mis-hit balls with the Adams, he liked that fact that he had an easier time keeping the ball in play with the Fast 10.

We asked Kent, the best golfer, and most consistent shot maker of our testers, to take several more swings with a couple of other drivers we had lying around the shop.  We wanted to find out how the Adams would stack up against shorter shafted drivers.  From an accuracy perspective 46 1/8″ Adams fell right between Kent’s current driver (detailed above), and an old TaylorMade R580XD we had sitting in our workshop (9 yards offline on average).  Both of those clubs measured 45″.

Dan, who clearly lost some accuracy over his current driver, showed the largest increase in distance (yardage, not percentage).  Dan averaged 285 yards with the Adams Speedline Fast 10, and hit 3 balls which cleared the 300 yard mark; the longest reaching 307 yards.  Based on the launch data collected, Dan is the only 3 of our detailed testers who would likely benefit significantly from a higher lofted club.

The results show that Anthony and Ken both increased their accuracy with the Adams by 28% and 20% respectively.  Dan, however, actually reduced his accuracy by 28%, although, again; we do believe the results would be measurably better once Dan got a feel for the club.

While none of our testers hit the upper limit of the “up to 15 yards” that Adams claims, most of our testers picked up between 5-8 MPH, which led to overall yardage increases across the board.

Interestingly, our highest handicap golfer showed only modest gains in distance (+1.2% on average), while our middle and low handicap golfers posted gains of 3.2% and 5.4% respectively.  What we find noteworthy is that of the 3, only Anthony is playing with a current driver model.  Dan’s driver (the only off the rack driver of the 3) is from TaylorMade’s 2nd generation of 460cc heads, and is several years old.  Kent’s club, which he assembled from components, is also a couple of years old.  The conclusion we draw is that, in general year, over year raw distance gains are minimal.

Performance Score:  (43 out of 50)

Conclusion

While we’re never pleased when a club’s specs don’t line up perfectly with those stated by the manufacturer, we can’t argue with the golfers we spoke with who absolutely love the Adams Speedline Fast 10.  From looks, to feel, to sound, the club is what you might call a subjective super star.  While not everyone loved everything about the club, only one tester (Frank) had anything truly negative to say.  The overwhelming majority of the feedback received was positive, with the rest no worse than indifferent.

While we have concerns that the longer shaft of the Adams Speedline Fast 10 is one of those ball speed tricks that manufacturers play to squeeze out an extra couple of yards (at the expense of accuracy), there’s no denying that 2 of our detailed testers actually tightened their shot dispersion.  If it is a trick, it worked as every golfer we tested registered faster ball speeds when compared to his current driver.

“It’s a shame you guys don’t sell these, because I’d buy one right now” – Ron (mid-handicap golfer who loves the Adams Speedline Fast 10)

While it may not prove to be the perfect club for everyone, our tests suggest that Adams has another winner on their hands – and no doubt their loyal fans, and likely some new fans as well, will be adding the SpeedLine Fast 10 to their golf bags this season.

>> Total Score: (85 out of 100)

NEW! – The Most Complete, Comprehensive and Detailed Golf Gear Reviews PERIOD!

Ever since I started the MGS network of sites my goal has been the same for all of them.  To do my best to make something better then what was already out there or to fill a need the that the industry had not already met for the consumer.  Which brings us to our article today…and it is about product reviews.  Typically before golfers are ready to pull the trigger on a driver or iron set purchase a large majority of them look to the internet to research their future purchase.

This usually includes a trip to Google and searching for a phrase something similar to this “Taylormade R9 Driver Review” or maybe “Titleist Vokey Wedge Review”.  Well both of those you would think would give you the answer you are looking for…right…actually it will result in hundreds of thousands of results for you to sift through.  Or if you are an avid golf gear head internet guru then you already know 4 or 5 sites that have some of the better reviews of golf products out there.  Which is great…but the majority of the time you have to piece the info from all of them together to get the EXACT information YOU are looking for…which can take hours sometimes even days.

(Consumer Reports For Golf) by: MyGolfSpy

So we decided that we needed to try and fix this.  We wanted to have the ULTIMATE GOLF EQUIPMENT REVIEWS on the web for golf equipment…so what does this exactly mean…this means that we feel our new review system will be so thorough that this will be the LAST site you need to search for to get your answers to help you make a better informed decision. Kind of like the “Consumer Reports For Golf“.

So it is now our stated goal here at MGS to provide the most complete, comprehensive, and detailed golf club reviews you will find anywhere. Of course, it’s also important to us that our readers know exactly what we test and how we test it. We’ll always include the full club specifications in all of our reviews, but we also think it’s important that we’re upfront, open and honest about all of our testing methodologies. Any deviation from these, our standard testing protocols, will be disclosed in the review itself. We may be spies, but we don’t believe in keeping secrets about the equipment we review.

What We Test

The evidence suggests that the majority of golfers still buy their equipment “off the rack”. In many cases, even so-called “custom fitting” options involve little more than guessing at what the most appropriate shaft flex might be.  With that in mind, when MGS requests equipment for testing, we ask the manufacturer to send us the loft and shaft combination (from the list of available “stock” options) that best fits our pool of primary testers.   Because our new SpecCheck system is based on each manufacturer’s stated specifications, we ask for all clubs to be “standard” for length, loft, and lie.

From time to time we might find a compelling reason to request a club with a non-standard configuration, however; we fully expect these instances will be rare, and any change from stock will be fully disclosed. The overwhelming majority of our tests will be conducted on stock equipment; the same stuff you’d buy off the rack at your local sporting goods store.

How We Test

All testing for MyGolfSpy Ultimate Reviews are done using PGA TOUR Simulators, powered by 3Trac, from aboutGolf. Testing takes place at Tark’s Indoor Golf Club; a state-of-the-art golf training, club fitting and repair facility located in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Total Scores and awards are calculated based on feedback and scores in the following areas:

* SpecCheck (25%)

SpecCheck is something brand new at MyGolfSpy and something we felt other internet and magazine golf equipment review sites were missing.  While we certainly don’t think it’s our place to tell you (or the manufacturers), what the proper specifications of a golf club should be (although we will point it out when published specifications fall outside of industry norms), we do think that it’s important that the product each and every manufacturer delivers matches their own stated specifications for a given club or set of clubs.  The goal of SpecCheck is to find out if the clubs you buy are the clubs you get.

The overall SpecCheck score will be calculated based on the results of the following tests:

• Lie/Loft (irons only) - Each and every club within a set of irons is measured for loft and lie on a STEELCLUB® Plus Angle Machine from Mitchell Golf.. For each iron that measures outside of MyGolfSpy’s acceptable tolerances (.5° for both lie and loft), points are deducted on a sliding scale.

• Length – All clubs we receive will be measured for length. We’ve seen far too many off the rack clubs measure ½” or more shorter (or longer) than the manufacturer’s stated specifications. Our acceptable tolerance for club length is a fairly liberal 1/8″. Points will be deducted for any club measured 1/8″ or more longer or shorter than the stated length.

• Frequency (Flex) – While there is no industry standard for shaft flex, there are widely accepted ranges. MyGolfSpy uses a DigiFlex Frequency Meter from Mitchell golf to measure shaft frequency. For any shaft that falls more than 4 CPM outside of our frequency range for the specified flex (in most cases “stiff”), points will be deducted.

* In Depth Look – For iron sets, we will graph the frequency of each iron. Ideally each iron in a set should be 4 CPM (Cycles Per Minute) from the next.

** Super Detailed Look – Although there is no direct impact on the score, we will also make note of oscillation patterns, especially in those cases where a club (or set) performs particularly well, or particularly poorly.

• SwingWeight – Each club we test will be placed on a swingweight scale to measure the actual swingweight as compared to the published specifications. MyGolfSpy’s stated tolerance is 1 swing weight +/- the stated specs. For any club for which the actual swing weight falls outside our tolerances, points are deducted on a sliding scale.

A Word About Tolerances

MyGolfSpy understands that in most cases industry-wide and individual manufacturer tolerances are less strict than our own.  With this consideration in mind; for each spec we measure, points are deducted on a sliding scale.  As an example, a club that is 1.5° out of spec is penalized more heavily then one 1° (the industry standard) out of spec.  In this respect, even though our own tolerances are tighter, the standard is applied equally.  Indeed, our tolerances are strict, but believe that for a club to receive a perfect SpecCheck score, it should be perfect.

We think that those manufacturers who deliver their products within stricter tolerances, and as 100% as specified, should be rewarded for their higher standards and commitment to quality.

It is our belief that each and every club we test should receive 100% of the points available through SpecCheck.  Achieving a perfect score is as simple as giving the consumer exactly what you say you are giving them.

Sample SpecCheck Chart

SpecCheck Frequency Analysis

SpecCheck accounts for 25% of the total score.

* Subjective Feedback (25%)

Users will be asked to rate the club(s) in each of the following categories:

Looks - Testers will be asked to rate the aesthetics of the clubs on a scale of 1-5 (with 1 being hideously ugly, and 5 representing an exceptionally beautiful club).

Feel - Users are asked to rate the feel of the club on a scale of 1-5 (poor-excellent).

Sound – (woods and hybrids only)

Although sound and feel are closely related, we feel it’s important to separate them as much as possible. When we can, an audio sample of impact will be included in the review.

To ensure that our results are as balanced as possible, subjective testing is conducted using Bridgestone B330-RX golf balls with ball flight tracking disabled (users have no indication of how long, or how straight their shots are flying).  By using the Bridgestone B330-RX we’re able to provide sound and feel testing consistent with what the golfer would likely experience on the golf course.

Additionally, testers are not informed of the results of our SpecCheck.  We believe by isolating subjective testing from SpecCheck, as well as from our distance and accuracy testing, we can prevent other factors from influencing the outcome of our subjective ratings.

To further separate the subjective from the performance driven, MyGolfSpy uses a two survey method to collect data. Rather than wait until performance testing has been completed, golfers are required to complete an initial subjective analysis survey prior to start of performance testing.

After performance testing has been completed, users are asked to complete a second survey, which in additional to illicing more detailed thoughts and comments for inclusion in our review, asks the golfer to provide an overall value rating; based on performance as it relates to cost.

Subjective Testing accounts for 25% of the total score.

* Performance Data (50%)

While we think our subjective testing and SpecCheck are important, it’s performance that matters most when you decide what to put in your bag. For this reason,

Performance testing accounts for 50% of the overall score.

How We Test Performance

First, we think it’s important to acknowledge that no ball flight analysis system is perfect. Radar and other outdoor testing systems can be influenced by wind, temperature, humidity, and even distance above sea level.  Indoor systems are not without their quirks as well.   While we’d love to provide perfect, irrefutable data, we don’t believe that system exists today.  What we can provide is consistency.

MyGolfSpy has partnered with Tarks Indoor Golf in Saratoga Springs, NY.   All performance data collection (as well as SpecCheck) will take place at Tark’s on their state-of-the-art PGA TOUR 3Trak equipped simulators from aboutGolf.   We believe aboutGolf provides the most advanced, and accurate simulator technology available on the market today – and we’ve talked to hundreds of golfers who share this opinion.

Most importantly, the aboutGolf PGA Simulators at Tark’s Indoor Golf provide us the ability to test year round in a consistent and controlled environment, which is especially beneficial when providing the detailed “apples to apples” comparisons you’ll come to expect from our future reviews.

Simulator Configuration - During our tests, the following simulator options are configured:

• Windspeed: calm
• Fairways: dry.

Testing Procedures - Our procedures vary slightly depending on the type of review we’re doing. In each case a small number of golfers representing low, mid, and high handicap golfers is selected from our general pool of testers and asked to participate in more detailed peformance testing.  When possible we try and find golfers who generate a wide range of ball speeds.

For individual club reviews, testers are asked to hit a series of shots with both their current club(s), as well as the club we’re reviewing.  The results are compared side by side.  Scores are based largely on whether the test club(s) meets, under, or outperforms the users current club(s).

For head to head competitions, users are asked to hit a series of shots with each of the clubs being tested.  Data is collected for side by side comparisons and points are awarded accordingly.

To make the tests as fair and reliable as possible (and to account for the occasional simulator mis-reads) a shot will ocassionally be removed from the dataset.  These shots include:

Obvious mis-reads

• Shots with missing data
• Shots with negative spin rates (indicative of a mis-read)
• Well struck balls where the result exceeds the realistic capabilities of our golfer
  • For example: a well struck shot 30 yards longer/shorter than any other

Grossly mis-hit balls

• Anything hit off the crown (sky balls)
• Balls struck with the extreme bottom of the clubface
• Severe slices or hooks that land in the wooded areas of the virtual driving range

Although not included specifically in the ratings, forgiveness at either end of the spectrum will be discussed in the review.

All valid shots will be included on a per-golfer basis to calculate averages for:

• Carry Distance
• Total Distance
• Ball Speed
• Launch Angle
• Spin Rate
• Deviation from the target line

For every review the results will be posted in table form.

Performance Table for MGS SuperComp5 Driver (*example)

Finally, each review will include a summary detailing what we liked, didn’t like, as well as our overall thoughts on the club(s), including. For individual club reviews a final score will be awarded. For head to head reviews, we’ll include ranking information from our surveys and Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals will be awarded. Unlike some other publications, advertising dollars will have no impact on our rankings, and we promise that, failing an absolute tie in the overall score, only one gold medal will be awarded.