Barney Adams

Bryon (Barney) H. Adams is an entrepreneur, the founder of Adams Golf, Inc. NASDAQ|ADGF, inventor of the Tight Lies fairway wood, holder of several patents on golf products, and author of "The WOW Factor". Born March 24 1939 in Syracuse, New York, Adams began golf at 14, caddying at Onondaga Country Club in Fayetteville, New York. Adams attended Clarkson University (then Clarkson College)on an athletic scholarship, graduating in 1962 with a Business Management (BBA) degree. He is a notable alumnus of Clarkson University. After graduation, Adams worked for Corning Glass in various engineering positions, entered the supermarket industry in Southern California as an independent sales representative, then lead a Silicon Valley startup making microprocessors to reduce retail energy usage. In 1983 Adams joined Dave Pelz Golf in Abilene, Texas. When the company closed, Adams bought the assets and started Adams Golf. He moved the company to Dallas, Texas in 1991.

Adams Golf began as a small company specializing in custom fitted golf clubs and later became associated with Hank Haney setting up a club fitting and repair shop at the Hank Haney Golf Ranch. Adams Tight Lies fairway wood became a commercial success as the result of television infomercial, with sportscaster Jack Whittaker as the host and narrator; Hank Haney, former PGA Player of the Year and Tiger Woods' coach; Bill Rogers, British Open winner and PGA Player of the Year in 1981; and LPGA Hall of Famer Carol Mann, as spokespersons.

In 1998 Adams Golf went public on Wall Street with Lehman Brothers, achieving the largest initial public offering (IPO) in the history of the golf industry ^{[5] [6] [7]} . Adams was selected as Manufacturing Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young ^[3] in 1999. Although semi-retired since 2000, Barney Adams retains the title Chairman of the Board.

Adams book, "The Wow Factor", is an insiders look at the golf industry and offers business advice to entrepreneurs.

Barney Adams continues to be an avid golfer but now pursues his hobby, salt water fly fishing.

External links

* [http://www.adamsgolf.com]
* [http://www.thegolfcourses.net/golfcourses/NY/10291.htm]
* [http://eoyhof.ey.com/SearchHallofFame.aspx]
* [http://www.skyhorsepublishing.com/details.php?TitleID=203]
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE1DA123EF933A1575AC0A965958260&sec=&spon=]
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE4DE123EF935A35754C0A96E958260&sec=&spon=]
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE7D61F3FF937A15751C0A964958260&scp=12&sq=callaway+golf&st=nyt]