Equipment

Adams Launch Lab/Tour Prototype Driver w/ IN HAND PICS

Published

12 years ago

Jul 3, 2012

Since Fairway Golf USA decided to post these for sale as a “retail” item, I figured I could let the cat out of the bag on this driver. I initially saw it back in January when the Champions Tour was here locally in Hawaii. My Adams Rep managed to get a Matte Black head which he shafted with a Graphite Design DI shaft and reported to me that he was amazed with the head. My club maker was equally impressed with it after testing it on the monitor and managed to put in an order for the Launch Lab heads.

Click here to see more pics and read the discussion in the forums

From what we were initially told, these Launch Labs are “tour” Prototypes that the Adams Tour Department was producing and testing. We were also told designer of the Launch Lab, Scott Burnett also designed the TaylorMade 510TP and the Adams “tour only” Classic driver. Two drivers that many feel were the longest either company made. The Launch Lab was designed much earlier then the TM buyout of Adams. To me it actually looks like the Adams Classic head evolved into the Launch Lab.

When I initially got my Launch Labs, I was specifically told not to put it up on GolfWRX until Adams gave the a-ok. I was surprised being told this as it had been up on the USGA website for quite a while but after doing several searches, the head was nowhere to be found online at any forum. I guess more people are interested in what’s been approved for TM and Titleist! I agreed and have played the Launch Lab for quite some time now…and have managed to keep it “secret”. Now the cat seems out of the bag…and this low spinning, long driving monster is available in limited quantities online.

I seriously don’t think Adams wanted the Launch Lab to be unveiled this way. I actually seriously think this thread might be asked to be taken down. If you get a chance to try or buy one of the Launch Labs, try one while you can. I think it’s easily the best driver Adams has ever made….which is easy for me to say since I’ve never been a fan of any other Adams driver made. I love the deep face and compact look of the head. To me the head is fade biased but my Adams rep told me he believed it to be neutral. All I know is I’ve never gone left with this head yet. It seems to take a ton of effort to get it to draw. It’s got a very solid sound at impact and I’ve never hit a driver that’s given me so much kick and roll like the Launch Lab.

Here are some pics of my 10.5* in the “snake” pattern. I always thought it looked more similar to carbon fiber and didn’t know it was a snake pattern till I saw the Fairway golf site. I also have a 9.5* in the “energy red” scheme. It’s currently in Japan with a friend on vacation. I wanted that scheme because I knew this was a rare head and wanted the paint to be as freaky and different as possible unlike the already seen matte silver and black heads.

Click here to see more pics and read the discussion in the forums

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Equipment

Limited-edition gear spotted at the PGA Championship

Published

4 hours ago

May 15, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

The second major of the season is here, and with it, custom gear aplenty! Taking inspiration from both Louisville, Kentucky, and host course Valhalla, the OEMs have been having some fun with the designs.

Check out PGA Championship staff bags, some custom kicks, and a very cool putter grip from SuperStroke.

2024 PGA Championship staff bags

Callaway

PGA Championship Staff Bag Giveaway ? See below how you can win the bag and headcovers being used this week by #TeamCallaway at the second major of the year:

-Follow @callawaygolf
-Tag 2 friends in the comments pic.twitter.com/8HbGdPHiFK

— Callaway Golf (@CallawayGolf) May 13, 2024

Cobra

TaylorMade

From the stables to the fairway. ?

This year’s PGA Championship staff bag and accessories pay homage to the Derby City with callouts to the run for the roses, the fastest lap in track history and more.

Dive into all the details of this beauty: https://t.co/afhEVKHWLj pic.twitter.com/8eoP6tDZq1

— TaylorMade Golf (@TaylorMadeGolf) May 13, 2024

Scotty Cameron’s putter cover features the Scotty Dog in Viking helmet

Bettinardi’s KFC-inspired putter covers

Ping’s bourbon-inspired putter cover

Rory McIlroy’s Kentucky Bourbon Trail-inspired Nike Air Zoom Victory Tour 3 shoes

FootJoy x Todd Snyder Mint Julep Premier Series

(Photo courtesy of FootJoy)

Brooks Koepka’s Kentucky Bourbon Trail-inspired Nike Air Zoom Infinity Tour shoes

(Photo courtesy of Nike)

SuperStroke’s PGA Championship grip

Check out all of our photos from Valhalla here.

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Whats in the Bag

John Daly WITB 2024 (May)

Published

7 hours ago

May 15, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

John Daly WITB accurate as of the PGA Championship. More photos from the event here.

Driver: Ping G430 LST (9 degrees)
Shaft: Newton Motion 6-Dot

3-wood: Ping G430 LST (15 degrees)
Shaft: Newton Motion 4-Dot

Hybrids: Ping G430 (17, 22, 26 degrees)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold

Check out more in-hand photos of John Daly’s clubs here.

Irons: Sub70 659-CB (6-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold S300

Wedges: Sub70 TAIII (50, 54, 60)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold S300

Check out more in-hand photos of John Daly’s clubs here.

Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Milled One T CH
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour 2.0

Grips: SuperStroke custom

More photos of John Daly’s WITB in the forums.

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Equipment

Toulon Golf collaborates with Valhalla Golf Club for latest Small Batch putter

Published

7 hours ago

May 15, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

Toulon Golf has today officially announced its latest Small Batch putter — the Valhalla.

Discussing the putter, Preston Toulon of Toulon Golf said: “This putter is a collaboration with the club at Valhalla and incorporates three of the many things that make the state of Kentucky great – horseracing, bourbon and championship golf. The head of the putter and headcover have several allusions to a jockey’s silk and there are thoroughbreds on the sole.”

Inspired by Toulon’s classic tri-sole Santa Monica design, the company sought to modernize the profile and design leveraging its 904 stainless steel and 6061 aircraft aluminium across the sole. Toulon describes the Valhalla’s profile as “slightly oversized blade whose proportions are meticulously balanced to maintain the look and feel of the Santa Monica, while increasing the putter’s inertia to create one of the most forgiving putters we have ever designed.”

Throughout numerous prototypes, Toulon paid particular attention to the L-neck, with its full shaft of offset, adding a bit of length for better blending with the slightly wider and longer blade.

On the rear of the putter are homages to horse racing in the form of jockey silk diamonds and Churchill Downs-inspired font.

The sole of the putter features a large cavity covered by a 6061 aircraft aluminum sole plate. According to Toulon, this allowed for the addition length to the putter and improved inertia as well as moving more mass to the perimeter for greater forgiveness.

In another nod to Valhalla, Toulon uses a milled watermarked limestone pattern, a reference to stone featured widely on the property.

As with all the Toulon Small Batch putters, the team paid particular attention to the topline thickness and radius to achieve a desired look. “Soft yet crisp was the design intent,” according to the company.