In creating the Adams XTD Ti fairway wood, Adams wanted to use all the time, money and materials it took to build the best fairway wood they could create.
Known as a second-shot company, Adams know that the fairway wood can be asked to play some of the longest, toughest second shots on a golf course. They spared no expense in building the XTD Ti.
With a mixture of technologies and materials, and the first progressive face thickness in an Adams fairway wood, they believe the new XTD Ti produces 29% more face speed on off-centre hits compared to their SUPER LS fairway.
In fact, the first prototypes of the XTD Ti were tested and proved to be illegal based on R&A and USGA CT (Characteristic Time). The limit for this trampoline-effect is 238. Early prototypes measured at over 300.
So how have they produced that extra speed?
With a lot of research time and money. XTD itself refers to the eXtra Time and Dollars Adams spend on producing the range. To golfers, the XTD stands for eXTra Distance.
“The best way to describe this club is that it truly is the very best. It's built with the very best materials, using the most technology available, and manufactured with the tightest tolerances. The XTD Ti Fairway Wood is true breakthrough in golf club design that we're very proud of.” said Adams' Justin Honea.
Adams have packed the XTD fairway wood with all the performance and adjustability needed to produce longer, higher shots from the tee and the fairway. New cut-thru slots on both the sole and crown of the XTD Ti help to produce faster balls speeds by allowing the face of the fairway wood to flex at impact.
Furthermore, Adams have added a progressive face thickness to a fairway wood for the first time. By varying the depth of the face, Adams R&D team were able to save weight and re-distribute that mass. Making the face thicker in the middle and thinner away from the centre makes the club far more forgiving, hence the 29% improvement on face speeds.
Interestingly, the XTD Ti is constructed in large part from titanium. As we all know from driver design, titanium is one of the strongest, fastest possible materials that can be used in a golf club. Often, it is too expensive to be included in a fairway wood. As we said, Adams spared no expensive and they believe the addition of this titanium brazing gives the XTD Ti fairway that extra speed and distance.
By adding a high-density steel plate on the sole, Adams were able to drag the centre of gravity lower and further from the face.
Whilst the 8-gram weight screw in the sole can not be adjusted, Adams have added their most advanced adjustable hosel. Golfers will be able to adjust the XTD Ti fairway's face angle and the loft by up to 1.5 degrees.
We told you Adams spared no expense, and that message extends to the grip and shaft as well. The Matrix Ozik Red Tie 7Q3 premium shaft comes as standard and is paired with an Iomic Black Armor Stick Evolution 2.3 grip.