Adams Speedline Fast 12 Fairway Woods

From Golf Magazine ClubTest 2012 (May, 2012)

Category: Game-Improvement Fairway Woods
Price: $199, graphite

WE TESTED: 3 (15°) with Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 65 graphite shaft
KEY TECHNOLOGIES: The stainless steel Fast 12 is bigger (a 7 percent larger footprint) and more forgiving (a 12 percent higher MOI) than the Speedline Fast 11. Updated “velocity slots” in the crown and sole produce, on average, 0.5 to 1 mph faster ball speeds. The shaft’s coarse texture, called “Speed Coat,” is supposed to reduce drag during the swing.

OUR TESTERS SAY: A real fairway finder for those guys who struggle hitting driver off the tee.

PROS
PLAYABILITY: Easy to produce gentle fades; balls launch in the air quickly from the fairway or tee and land softly.
ACCURACY/FORGIVENESS: A straight shooter; shots hold true to their line with minimal sidespin.
DISTANCE: Good length without putting a lot of effort into the swing; 3-wood is longer than several testers’ own club; loses little distance on off-center hits.
FEEL: Tender, weightless impact feel is often heard more than felt; a loud, powerful pop.
LOOK: Silver crown stands out against black shaft and face; the notch on the crown can be a helpful visual aid; roughcoated shaft doesn’t give off glare.

CONS
A few testers are turned off visually by the slot on the crown and the bland finish on the shaft and head; shots tend to hang to the right, and attempts to draw the ball often result in hard hooks.