50 Words or Less
The 2023 Adams IDEA wedge is a solid short game tool for new or seasoned players. Deep cavity provides forgiveness. Wide sole makes it almost foolproof in bunkers and soft conditions. Great value.
Introduction
In most sets designed for new or casual golfers, the wedges are an afterthought. They’re often Tour-style wedges which make no sense for their intended audience.
The 2023 Adams IDEA wedges buck this trend. With a wide, forgiving sole and a deep cavity, these wedges look ready-made to help new players find success in the short game.
Looks
At address, the 2023 Adams IDEA wedge presents a very large face with a high toe. The heel is comparatively quite short, giving it an exaggerated teardrop shape. Additionally, the leading edge is significantly rounded, almost giving it the appearance of offset.
In the bag, this wedge displays a very large cavity near the sole. There’s also a second, separate, shallower cavity across the top of the blade. “Adams” and “IDEA” branding are tucked into two small spots that are not hollowed out.
Sound & Feel
The 2023 Adams IDEA wedge produces a crisp “slap” at medium volume when struck well. As you get away from the center of the face, the impact sound gets a little louder.
Through the hands, impact feels medium soft. When you mishit a shot, the feel firms up noticeably. This combination of firmer feel and louder sound provides very effective feedback. Locating impact precisely takes some focus, but you will easily know a good strike from a poor one.
Performance
In my testing of the 2023 Adams IDEA wedge, I found slightly above average spin with impressive consistency. This wedge features a simple cavity design, but, as I’ve noted in several recent iron reviews, this classic design is very effective. Small mishits lose only a tiny fraction of their ball speed and distance.
Perhaps more important for a new player, you don’t need a pure strike to get the ball launched high into the air. For me, this wedge produced slightly higher than average launch angles. While many skilled players desire that low launch, high spin, Tour-style wedge shot, higher handicap players should be happy to see the ball flying high and landing softly.
Moving to the sole, I have to give kudos to whoever wrote this: “We should have called this wedge the foot massage for how much relief you get in the heel and toe.” That’s very funny. But in all seriousness, this wedge has a massive sole that’s largely ground down around the edges to improve versatility. The “playable” portion has high bounce, so it’s very good at resisting digging in turf or in sand. That heel and toe relief make it play thinner, so you can open the face a bit or hit shots off tight lies.
Overall, the Adams IDEA wedge is a very fine short game tool for a fairly wide array of players. It’s only offered at 54 and 58 degrees, so it’s not ideal for the gear heads trying to dial in a precise loft structure, but for most players, having these two easy to use options can help make getting up and down easier.
Conclusion
At just $99, the 2023 Adams IDEA wedge is a solid option whether you’re new to the game or not. It produces strong spin numbers and the deep cavity provides a lot of help on imperfect strikes. From both the bunker and soft turf, the wide sole can be a lifesaver, but the grind allows for a respectable level of versatility.
Visit Adams Golf HERE
2023 Adams IDEA Wedge Price & Specs
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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4 Comments
I feel the same about the massive versatility of this wedge design…. Similar to the Cleveland Full Face design !
what bounces are offered?
There’s only one sole per loft, no bounce options.
Best,
Matt
I added the new 54 degree wedge to my 5-A set I recently purchased. I always felt my short game was the strongest part of my game and I was not disappointed in the addition. I’ve had a few chip ins from close to green which gives we good feedback when this happens!