| Gary Adams | |
| Birth Name: | Gary Vale Adams |
| Birth Date: | July 24, 1943 |
| Death Date: | [1] |
| Death Place: | Carlsbad, California, U.S. |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | Founder TaylorMade, Founder McHenry Metals, Founder Founders Club |
Gary Adams was an American salesman, founder of TaylorMade Golf, Founders Club, McHenry Metals, and nominal inventor of the modern "metal wood."
After leaving college, he started working as a golf salesman. He observed new golf balls worked well with irons, but not wood clubs, so he started tinkering to create a metal driver.[2] In 1979, Gary Adams borrowed $24,000 on his house and leased a 6,000 square foot building in McHenry, Illinois to found TaylorMade Golf. He originally had three employees and sold only one item, his newly invented 12-degree loft metalwood.[3]
He was awarded the National Golf Association man of the year in 1984. He was awarded the PGA Ernie Sabayrac award in 1995 for his contribution to golf.[4]