Am I right in thinking that Yes! Golf – which is now owned by Adams Golf – is now the distributor for Yes! and Adams Golf in the UK?
That’s right. Since acquiring Yes! Golf in January, we have been very impressed with the team at Yes! Golf UK. As a result, we have appointed Yes! Golf UK as our distributor for both Yes! and Adams Golf. We have just become part of Foremost Golf’s Elite Marketing Programme for 2012, and we will be working to broaden our distribution.
I understand the Adams Idea Pro a12 hybrid is the number one hybrid on the Nationwide, PGA & Champions Tours combined. What the actual figures of use, tour by tour?
As of October 1, year to date we have had 856 hybrids in play on the Champions Tour which is more than double the second placed company; we have had 1,533 in play on the Nationwide tour which is 740 more than the second placed company, and we have also won the count at the last 158 consecutive events. Year to date on the PGA Tour we have had 1,232 Adams Golf hybrids in play, which is approximately 100 more than the second placed brand. All of these accomplishments are remarkable since we have significantly less staff players than the brands which we out pace: on the PGA tour, in a good week we might have five staff players while the number two hybrid brand could have 20. We don’t pay tee-up money so, through good service and superior product, we have to overcome the staff player deficit. I can’t think of another product category where Tour leadership is not based on contracts or payment terms.
Players using Adams Golf hybrids have won 26 times on tour this year. In addition, on the Nationwide Tour and PGA Tour Q School our hybrid counts tend to skyrocket. There is less sponsorship at those events and when you have everything on the line and are free to choose your clubs, you choose carefully and based on performance.
What do pros seem to like about the Idea Pro a12 so much?
It is easy to work, versatile and has outstanding launch conditions. Low handicap amateurs will also enjoy it, and in addition to the Idea Pro a12, we have specific hybrid models for each of the low, mid and high handicap players as well as seniors and women.
How do you find working with a pair of golfing legends in Tom Watson and Bernhard Langer?
Tom and Bernhard are two completely different people but they share two very important traits: they are both perfectionists, and they are both consummate gentleman and the utmost professionals.
Bernhard has a preference for blades such as our MB2 irons, while Tom prefers the Idea Pro a12 forged irons which are cavity backed. They both usually play one Idea hybrid and both love their Speedline drivers which give them the distance they need to not only dominate on the Champions Tour, but to compete successfully with the young bombers they occasionally face on the main tours.
What do you expect to be the product highlights for Adams and Yes! Golf in 2012, in the UK?
We are very excited about our new range of Yes! putters, completely redone by our R&D team, which will launch later this year. We are also very excited about the Idea a12os hybrid iron sets, which have been fantastically successful for us in the US. In addition, our new hybrid and fairway wood range -which feature Velocity Slot Technology - should shake things up for UK golfers. It’s not every day that this type of innovation is introduced into a market and the performance of these products is absolutely stunning.
