Adams Speedline Fast Driver Review – Past and Present

If the thought of playing an Adams Speedline Fast driver seems intriguing, your options include the Speedline Fast 10, the Speedline Fast 12, and the remarkable Speedline Fast 12 LS. Adams Golf isn’t one of the "Big Three" in golf club manufacturing (that honor goes to PING, TaylorMade and Callaway), but its clubs are high in quality and most are priced very reasonably.

For example, the Speedline Fast 10 driver was awarded a 2010 Golf Digest "Hot List" Gold Medal. At the time, Adams billed it as "The Fastest Driver in Golf." This particular driver represented the third generation of the company’s "Speedline Technology" and was designed following some pretty serious wind tunnel and fluid dynamics testing.

You see, some club makers have been trying to squeeze more distance and forgiveness out of their drivers by using space-age materials and unusual club head shapes (I never did like the square drivers). Adams, on the other hand, took a different approach to creating longer and more forgiving drivers. In its quest for ever-increasing length and forgiveness, Adams Golf has pursued the power of aerodynamics.

The "Speedline Technology" in the 2010 version of the driver resulted in 10% less air drag, a larger face and a higher Moment of Inertia ("MOI") compared to its predecessor. It launched the ball higher and up to 15 yards farther, and it was measurably more forgiving. Those improvements are significant, and they indicate how powerful science can be when it’s used for the benefit of golfers. Of course, it’s only fair to mention that some of the distance gains seen with this driver may be due to its shaft – at 46.25 inches, it’s more than an inch longer than the average driver shaft.

The Speedline Fast 10 driver is a couple of years old now, but because of its advanced technology it’s still a great driver. I’ve found it for sale online at several venues for less than $100, which is a great price for such a recent, high quality club. It’s available in several lofts, including 8.5-, 9.5-, 10.5- and 12.5-degrees (the 8.5-degree and 12.5-degree are for right-handers only). And for those of you who care, the gorgeous aquamarine crown means this Adams Speedline Fast driver is pretty snazzy-looking, too.

Well, that’s a little information about the older version of the driver. Now, let’s talk a bit about the two latest versions. Both of them are new for 2012, and both use the power of streamlined aerodynamics to deliver length and accuracy. One of them, however, does it with a "twist."

The first new Adams Speedline Fast driver is called the Speedline Fast 12. The company claims it’s the longest and most forgiving of any Speedline driver it’s ever created. New "airfoil" design features reduce air drag by 14% and deliver club head speeds that are as much as 3 miles per hour faster than those of its predecessor. And, its high-MOI design promotes more accuracy by increasing club head stability at impact.

The stock shaft of the Adams Speedline Fast 12 driver is a 55-gram, 46-inch Graffaloy ProLaunch Blue with "Speed Coat Technology," available in the usual assortment of flexes. The standard version of the Speedline Fast 12 driver comes in 8.5-, 9.5- and 10.5-degree lofts, but a draw version is also available in 8.5-, 10.5- and 12.5-degree lofts.

The other driver that’s new for 2012 is called the Speedline Fast 12 LS. This is a top-of-the-line driver and combines Adams Golf’s focus on club head aerodynamics with terrific adjustability (the "twist" I mentioned earlier).

Adams Speedline Fast Driver And Spin

The company says the "transitional shaping" of the crown greatly reduces the amount of spin imparted to the ball. That’s good, because as a general rule, less spin translates into greater distance. But, in my mind, the low spin rates generated by this driver aren’t nearly as significant as the extensive adjustability which the company has made possible in this Adams Speedline Fast driver.

Drivers with adjustable loft and lie angles are becoming fairly commonplace. But this Adams Speedline Fast driver breaks new ground in the adjustable driver category: it’s the only driver being made (by anyone) that offers adjustable length. With this club, you can adjust the loft, the lie and the shaft length. It’s almost guaranteed to appeal to better players, but many average and higher-handicap players will also appreciate the driver’s adjustability. By dialing in the right settings you’ll create a weapon that promotes the ball flight and performance characteristics you want.

Stay tuned for more information about the Adams Speedline Fast 12 LS driver – a detailed review of this innovative club is coming shortly. In the meantime, we hope this information whets your appetite for an Adams Speedline Fast driver!

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