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The Adams Mission putter is a fang-style putter with good forgiveness.  Adams Prospect putter is an Anser-style putter with more toe hang to fit an arcing stroke.  Both putters use the proven C-Groove face design to improve roll.

Introduction

Your reaction to the first two pictures in this review will tell you something about how long you’ve been around golf.  If your first thought on seeing “C-Groove” was of Yes! Putters than you, like me, have been around the block a couple times.

Whether you’re familiar with C-Groove from its previous life or not, this Tour-winning face technology is now being used by Adams Golf in their Mission and Prospect putters.  Is it just as good the second time around?  Let’s find out.

Looks

The Adams Prospect putter is a classic Anser-style head.  Two things that set it apart, however, are the slant neck and the black finish.  I like the smooth look of the slant neck at address, and the black finish goes a long way to killing glare.  Diving into the weeds a bit, the Prospect is a blend of the Anser 1 and 2.  The bumpers are rounded like a traditional Anser 1, but they’re also quite low, more like an Anser 2.

The Adams Mission putter utilizes the popular fang shape.  Like the Prospect, the Mission does put its own spin on things.  Most notable to me is the large, boxy space between the fangs – it’s wider than the ball.  The flange is longer than average, providing a longer sight line.

Both putters have soles that are entirely black and silver.  The Mission is more visually intriguing thanks to the way it’s hollowed out.  Both have prominent “C-Groove” and “Adams” branding with the model names tucked to the side in a smaller font.

Something I like on both putters is the head cover.  The stitching gives it a quilted look which sets it apart from most covers.  I also like how Adams incorporated the look of the C-Groove into the cover.  Finally, they get high marks for using a strong magnetic closure.

Sound & Feel

At impact, the Adams Mission putter feels solid.  Perfectly struck putts get an extra touch of softness in the hands – a reward for your quality strike.  The impact sound is a quiet “thud.”  There is minimal feedback through the hands or ears, so you’ll need to pay careful attention to discern good strikes from mediocre ones.

The Adams Prospect putter offers more feedback than the Mission, but the feel is slightly firmer.  Please know that I’m definitely nitpicking here – these two putters are very similar in the grand scheme of things.  The impact sound is also a bit more lively, though equally quiet.  A well-struck putt creates a “tock” to go along with the solid feel.

Performance

The purpose of the C-Groove face is to get the ball rolling more quickly.  It’s not alone in this pursuit – virtually every putter maker is working toward this goal – but the C-Groove does have the distinction of having dozens of professional wins to its credit.

In my testing, I did see a slight reduction in skid (the distance before the ball rolls end over end) with the Prospect and Mission versus putters with flat milled faces.  While it won’t turn a 30 handicap into Ben Crenshaw, the benefit of this technology is that it makes putting more predictable.  When the ball is rolling rather than bouncing or skidding, its interaction with the green’s contours is more consistent.

Zooming out, Adams has done a good job of covering a wide range of players with a simple two putter line up.  The biggest difference between the Mission and Prospect is, of course, their size and shape.  Whether you prefer a blade or mallet, Adams has you covered.

Moving to performance, the Mission is a face balanced putter.  This will work best for players making a straighter putting stroke.  The Prospect has about 45 degrees of toe hang making it a putter choice for players with an arcing stroke.  Both putters are in the modern standard range for weight with the Mission at 360 grams and the Prospect at 355 grams.

Turning to forgiveness, the Mission has a clear advantage.  On shorter putts, the Adams Prospect putter will cover up small misses.  However, as you get into lag putting, you need to be on the center of the face to get to the hole.  The Mission gives you a little more wiggle room, but it’s not the peer of modern multi-material putters.

Finally, I want to applaud Adams for topping these putters with a premium grip.  Both comes with a Lamkin Deep Etched pistol-style putter grip.  This is one of my favorite grips, and I think it works well for a wide variety of players and putters.

Conclusion

At $150 each, the Adams Golf Mission and Prospect putters are some of the better values on the green.  Whether you’re putting together your first set of clubs or just seeking a new flat stick, both of these putters offer a Tour-proven face technology at half the price of the bigger names.

Visit Adams Golf HERE

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Matt Saternus

Founder, Editor In Chief at PluggedInGolf.com

Matt is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Plugged In Golf. He's worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking. Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.

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