The one problem with the today’s 460cc drivers is that they’re so big the head can actually cause drag and reduce swing speed. Some companies are dropping down the head size into a sweet zone around 430cc, like Cleveland's Launcher DST Tour, while others are relying on more streamline designs to reduce resistance, like Callaway's FT-iZ.

The Adams Fast 10 rests in the latter category. Using wind-tunnel testing and “computational fluid dynamics,” engineers reshaped the sole for 10 percent less drag and airflow turbulence than previous models.  They increased the toe curvature by 100 percent and reduced the heel curvature by 300 percent for more efficient and stable airflow around the head during the swing. End result: players can swing it faster.

The increased clubhead speed results in 15 more yards of distance on average, the company says. Our testers didn’t see quite that much, but they did pick up a few more yards when compared with standard 460cc heads. Other improvements include a lower, deeper center of gravity for a higher launch.

The sound of the club was good—loud but not too loud—while a deep face and pear-shaped crown gives it a very traditional look at address. “Not sure if there’s a correlation between the aerodynamics of the clubhead and the flight of the ball, but man I launched this thing into the stratosphere,” says a 9. “I usually have trouble getting height on my tee balls, but not with this club.”

$300, four lofts (8.5-12.5 degrees), adamsgolf.com

TESTING GROUNDS: Adams Speedline Fast 10 (9.5 degrees, S flex)
BALL SPEED: 142.6 MPH
LAUNCH ANGLE: 15.6 degrees
SPIN RATE: 2604 RPM
CARRY DISTANCE: 227.1 yards