- Admin
- #1
Adams XTD Irons Review
DawgDaddy
Old Coot
Good stuff Ryan, I agree that the “robot eye” appearance when looking at the back of the iron would take some getting used to, but as you said Adams Golf has not hesitated to bring new ideas and technology over the past few years. The cross cavity may become another of those, time will tell.
SprayTech
New member
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2010
- Messages
- 842
- Reaction score
- 3
Nice review .
I went to an Adams Demo Days and hit everything they had and was highly impressed , and am going to go n XTD CC set up . What many don't know is you can build a set of the XTDCC set with any of the Pro Hybrid , Mini Pro Hybrid or Pro DHy hybrid for the $899. pricing .
I am going to go the Pro mini 3h, 4h , 5h (w/ Tour Green shafts ) , with the 6-SW irons ( w/ Matrix Project Q 85 shafts ) .
These minis are the only hybrids I found to knock the Adams V3 hybrids out of my bag the past 4 years !
I went to an Adams Demo Days and hit everything they had and was highly impressed , and am going to go n XTD CC set up . What many don't know is you can build a set of the XTDCC set with any of the Pro Hybrid , Mini Pro Hybrid or Pro DHy hybrid for the $899. pricing .
I am going to go the Pro mini 3h, 4h , 5h (w/ Tour Green shafts ) , with the 6-SW irons ( w/ Matrix Project Q 85 shafts ) .
These minis are the only hybrids I found to knock the Adams V3 hybrids out of my bag the past 4 years !
Good work Ryan, I really love the look of this iron set, Adams has come leaps and bounds from where there were in iron sets. I can't wait to give these a swing!
Good info here Hawk, this is an intriguing looking iron for sure. I actually like the darker finish assuming that it doesn't wear too bad.
Lots of chatter about these during the Adams event in Dallas....and CT 90's? Even more intrigue.
Lots of chatter about these during the Adams event in Dallas....and CT 90's? Even more intrigue.
Parshooter36
New member
Nice write up Hawk! I don't know why, but the eye really doesn't bother me. Normally stuff like that has to grow on me, but I was drawn to the look of these the 1st time I saw them.
Good stuff Hawk. Design wise, definitely interesting looking. Not too crazy to where it's ugly though IMO. I'm a fan of the darker finish. Haven't seen these in person yet, intrigued to see them up close.
- Staff
- #9
My feelings on this one aren't so much that it's not appealing visually or audibly, because there are lots of golf clubs like that for me. It's more that I can find similar performance in a better looking and sounding package. I like the innovation from Adams and have always been a fan of their progressive nature, but you have to balance that stuff with aesthetics, especially if you're a smaller brand.
TripleBogieTim
Long lost sheep
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2010
- Messages
- 22,240
- Reaction score
- 47
- Location
- Houston, Texas, United States
- Handicap
- my swing
Good stuff Hawk!
I agree with the looks..first time I saw it I thought "somebody made a club for the Terminator"
How different was the sound? I really like a good solid sounding iron on well struck shots.
I agree with the looks..first time I saw it I thought "somebody made a club for the Terminator"
How different was the sound? I really like a good solid sounding iron on well struck shots.
How do these compare in price to ones that perform similar for you?
- Staff
- #12
In my opinion, very different. Very hollow sound to my ears.
adamw238
New member
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2012
- Messages
- 4,316
- Reaction score
- 0
- Handicap
- 9.1
Solid review Ryan. Very honest. I hit the demo for s&g Friday and took only about 10 swings before I had heard and seen enough. Results are there, but like you said, there are visually audibly better options available.
I got to hit these at the Adams event, and they were actually pretty good clubs. But, as Hawk said, there are other clubs out there that have similar performance, and, have a better look.
tpluff
I <3 GAWLF
Like the review Hawk. I preferred the XTD forged over this offering, but that doesn't mean I didn't like these. And yet again Adams kills it in their stock offerings. 2 great shafts there. Is that Cut-Thru slot tech is similar (same?) as what's in the new SLDRs irons?
Great review Hawk! I love the look at address, and the new technology is quite interesting.
Thought I'd copy the info below that I wrote in the other XTD thread as I missed this one! Also, for information and from what I've read, I understand the C-Taper 90 is the C-Taper Lite with parallel tip.
.
.
.
.
I tried these over the weekend and compared them directly against my CB3s which may be of interest to some of you. I have a real mix of emotions following the comparison and my conclusion really isn't what I was expecting.
So, thoughts in no particular order are as follows:
- The XTD is bigger than the CB3 in every dimension. It is noticably longer heel to toe with a wider sole and marginally thicker top line. Looking down at the head from above, it's a good looking club and doesn't scream SGI in any way but it is not as compact looking as the CB3.
- The XTD irons are heavier than their CB3 counterparts. That could be down to the C-Taper Lite shafts being marginally heavier than the Tour 90s in the CB3s, but I could feel a little extra heft in the XTD which I really liked. I popped both 7 irons on the kitchen scales last night which confirmed this... the XTD measured 5g heavier than the CB3 in total weight. I wouldn't have expected to be able to feel 5g, so perhaps this is down to weight distribution or some other factor? Swingweight didn't feel noticably different, but I haven't measured that. Either way, the XTD felt heaver and is (marginally) heavier.
- The XTD cavity didn't immediately strike me as 'ugly' which has been a frequent reaction for many people; moreso, the cavity suggests there is real technology and innovation within the product. I feel the CB3s have a 'classic' design managing to offer GI within a non-GI package; however, 'classic' design the XTD is not.
- The XTD does not feel / sound like a forged iron. In fact, it's a good job the pressure piston is there to dampen the feel / sound as I imagine it woud be... er... interesting... without it. There is almost a hollow 'crack' when you strike the ball, which I must say I don't dislike, but the XTD doesn't have that forged smoothness of the CB3. Put it this way, I would be 100% certain which club I was hitting in a blindfold test.
- Distance wise, they are definitely long but not significantly longer than the CB3s from my limited testing thus far. I've only been able to eyeball distances of mid and long irons hitting down the range with range balls, but the XTDs only appeared to be a few yards longer at most. Obviously launch monitor testing would be way more helpful and scientific and hopefully I'll get the opportunity to do that at some stage. I also played 6 holes last evening, but it was very windy so difficult to judge. I don't see that I'll be able to take a 6 iron for shots I'd have previously taken a CB3 5 iron but, once I'm more familiar with the XTDs, my gut feel is that they could be up to half a club longer, although we'll have to wait and see.
- Ballflight seems 'stronger' than the CB3. Both the XTD and CB3 hit a high ball, but the XTD's ballflight seems to get up fast and flatten out removing any and all propensity to balloon. To be fair, the CB3s do not balloon on me either, but the XTD has a more penetrating flight for me and I would assume is spinning the ball less.
- Regarding overall performance, I absolutely love them! Not sure if it's a honeymoon period, the C-Taper Lite fitting me better than the Tour 90, the tech in the head, etc. nor do I care... they really do feel point and shoot and they perform really well when kissings the sweet spot. I played 7 holes yesterday evening and was hitting greens without even thinking about it. 1st hole 190yds uphill and hit the front of the green. The 2nd hole is a short par 4 with bunkers all around the driver landing area so I played 4 iron and smashed it down the centre of the fairway with a dead straight, powerful, penetrating ballflight. The third hole plays 160yds uphill and I put my three tee shots on the green. On the 6th hole from 170yds out into a two-three club wind, I played two 4 iron shots and put both on the green. The 7th hole is a long par 3 and was playing 220yds with the wind helping; I put two of my three 4 iron tee shots on the green.
So, in conclusion, they don't feel as nice as the CB3s, most people don't think they look as nice as the CB3s, my initial range session suggests they're not much longer than the CB3s... but right now I have absolute confidence in being able to hit greens from 110 - 195 yards. The dispersion is great, the ballflight is great and I'm really enjoying the results I'm seeing. Let's hope this continues beyond the honeymoon period!
.
.
.
.
I tried these over the weekend and compared them directly against my CB3s which may be of interest to some of you. I have a real mix of emotions following the comparison and my conclusion really isn't what I was expecting.
So, thoughts in no particular order are as follows:
- The XTD is bigger than the CB3 in every dimension. It is noticably longer heel to toe with a wider sole and marginally thicker top line. Looking down at the head from above, it's a good looking club and doesn't scream SGI in any way but it is not as compact looking as the CB3.
- The XTD irons are heavier than their CB3 counterparts. That could be down to the C-Taper Lite shafts being marginally heavier than the Tour 90s in the CB3s, but I could feel a little extra heft in the XTD which I really liked. I popped both 7 irons on the kitchen scales last night which confirmed this... the XTD measured 5g heavier than the CB3 in total weight. I wouldn't have expected to be able to feel 5g, so perhaps this is down to weight distribution or some other factor? Swingweight didn't feel noticably different, but I haven't measured that. Either way, the XTD felt heaver and is (marginally) heavier.
- The XTD cavity didn't immediately strike me as 'ugly' which has been a frequent reaction for many people; moreso, the cavity suggests there is real technology and innovation within the product. I feel the CB3s have a 'classic' design managing to offer GI within a non-GI package; however, 'classic' design the XTD is not.
- The XTD does not feel / sound like a forged iron. In fact, it's a good job the pressure piston is there to dampen the feel / sound as I imagine it woud be... er... interesting... without it. There is almost a hollow 'crack' when you strike the ball, which I must say I don't dislike, but the XTD doesn't have that forged smoothness of the CB3. Put it this way, I would be 100% certain which club I was hitting in a blindfold test.
- Distance wise, they are definitely long but not significantly longer than the CB3s from my limited testing thus far. I've only been able to eyeball distances of mid and long irons hitting down the range with range balls, but the XTDs only appeared to be a few yards longer at most. Obviously launch monitor testing would be way more helpful and scientific and hopefully I'll get the opportunity to do that at some stage. I also played 6 holes last evening, but it was very windy so difficult to judge. I don't see that I'll be able to take a 6 iron for shots I'd have previously taken a CB3 5 iron but, once I'm more familiar with the XTDs, my gut feel is that they could be up to half a club longer, although we'll have to wait and see.
- Ballflight seems 'stronger' than the CB3. Both the XTD and CB3 hit a high ball, but the XTD's ballflight seems to get up fast and flatten out removing any and all propensity to balloon. To be fair, the CB3s do not balloon on me either, but the XTD has a more penetrating flight for me and I would assume is spinning the ball less.
- Regarding overall performance, I absolutely love them! Not sure if it's a honeymoon period, the C-Taper Lite fitting me better than the Tour 90, the tech in the head, etc. nor do I care... they really do feel point and shoot and they perform really well when kissings the sweet spot. I played 7 holes yesterday evening and was hitting greens without even thinking about it. 1st hole 190yds uphill and hit the front of the green. The 2nd hole is a short par 4 with bunkers all around the driver landing area so I played 4 iron and smashed it down the centre of the fairway with a dead straight, powerful, penetrating ballflight. The third hole plays 160yds uphill and I put my three tee shots on the green. On the 6th hole from 170yds out into a two-three club wind, I played two 4 iron shots and put both on the green. The 7th hole is a long par 3 and was playing 220yds with the wind helping; I put two of my three 4 iron tee shots on the green.
So, in conclusion, they don't feel as nice as the CB3s, most people don't think they look as nice as the CB3s, my initial range session suggests they're not much longer than the CB3s... but right now I have absolute confidence in being able to hit greens from 110 - 195 yards. The dispersion is great, the ballflight is great and I'm really enjoying the results I'm seeing. Let's hope this continues beyond the honeymoon period!
Just tried these for the heck of it yesterday. I have to say, the ball seemed incredibly lively off the face. Control was a piece of cake. The sound did not bother me at all because it only sounded unusual when I stuck the ball well (i.e. hit it correctly), so I quickly equated the sound with a good hit. I went in to compare the Callaway Apex and X2 Hots and tried the XTDs just for the heck of it and came away greatly impressed. The Apex were obviously great but I couldn't get into the X2 Hots with the XP 6.0 shafts, so I tried another set and was surprised by how well I felt the XTDs compared to the Apex line. They performed pretty much as well (more forgiving but a bit less distance on a well hit ball) and were at LEAST as good looking at address.
Still sticking with my current irons for one more year but am enjoying doing the research so I can buy last year's model next year...going to add the XTDs to the list of potentials.
Still sticking with my current irons for one more year but am enjoying doing the research so I can buy last year's model next year...going to add the XTDs to the list of potentials.
Got a chance to hit these while I was waiting to pick up a club the other day. You get over the looks quickly - I've always been one of those people who doesn't care about what the cavity looks like, since you're not seeing it at address anyway. Good distance reasonable control for me (I do like the C taper 90 pairing). To me, I'd take a good number of clubs over this one, though - SpeedBlade, the Mizuno GI offerings, and the G25 come to mind right away.
musicmaster6921
hacking away everyday.
hmm always looking for new stuff to spend money on might have to go look at these.....
crazygolfnut
Let's have fun out there!
Any more comments on these? I was hoping to try them out this week but the demo set is on loan so I have to wait.
