Adams Speedline F11 Driver Review

Bottom Line: The Adams F11 Speedline driver is a higher-launch, lower-spin driver with a lower center of gravity and improved distance. Another aerodynamically designed driver from Adams, but not a breakthrough in any one area.

Pros
• 46-inch shaft add yards to drives
• Deep face more forgiving for low ball hitters
• Stock shaft choices are excellent

Cons
• Velocity Slot Technology design on crown is off-putting at address
• Less forgiveness on toe-heel misses

Details
• Aerodynamically designed driver creates less drag and higher clubhead speed
• Aldila VooDoo or Matrix XCon are stock shaft choices
• 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 and 12.5 lofts for RH 9.5 and 10.5 for LH
• The Speedline F11 Draw comes in lofts of 9.5 and 10.5, RH only
• The women's model comes in 12.5 and HL (RH only on HL)
• MSRP is $299 at time of publication

Review: Adams Speedline F11 Driver
March 3, 2011 - It's getting to the point where I need an abacus, smartphone and spreadsheet to keep track of all the improvements introduced in golf drivers over the past couple of years. Longer shaft, lower CG, aerodynamic, high-kick, low torque, titanium, wrench, screw, black, white - you get the idea.

Adams Golf - which has greatly expanded the nice niche it carved for itself originally in fairways and hybrids - has been on top of producing aerodynamically designed drivers for a few years. The claim of the F11 - that VST (Velocity Slot Technology) keeps air on the club longer reducing drag and increasing clubhead speed - is tough to prove for regular golfers. My home wind tunnel has been down for repair recently, so I can't say scientifically if that shape helps, but Adams has had success with aerodynamically shaped drivers over the past few years. Does the F11 "go with the flow"?

The head is typical of what a 460cc driver presents itself as these days. The F11 takes the liberty of introducing the aforementioned VST design and testers, among them me, disliked the concentric design on the crown and found it distracting. On the plus side is the high hosel which extends from the face and makes it appear that the face can't miss. But can it?

On the range and course, the performance of the Adams Speedline F11 was mixed in our testing. If your tee ball misses tend to be top or bottom, you're in luck – the Speedline F11 is forgiving on that axis. If you miss more heel to toe, the F11 doesn't seem as user-friendly. In other words, the F11 has a deep face that rewards those who tend to hit high or low on the face. Sway or slide in your swing and you might be looking on the left side of the fairway or in the rough. In fact, some heel-toe misses were punished with the tendency for the driver to really hook. Normal ball flight, however, is a slight draw.

On the plus side of the ledger, Adams brings it with two very strong shaft choices – the high-launch Aldila VooDoo shaft or the mid-launch Matrix XCon, available in multiple flexes. Center hits were rewarded with a nice "thwack" sound and high launch distance.

I think the golfer who would benefit most from this club is a low- to mid-handicapper trying to straighten out a slight fade. Golfers in our test group who fit that description found the Speedline F11 driver from Adams smooth and long. We didn't test the draw version of the F11, but it might help higher handicappers looking to eliminate visits to the right side of the course.