tour edge xcg5 iron specs

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• Home > Tour Edge Exotics XCG Iron Set

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Tour Edge Exotics XCG Iron Set

• Sale Price $399.95 (33% off)
• MSRP $599.95
• Product Code: TE-XCGI
• Manufacturer: Tour Edge
• Availability: Discontinued
• RH or LH: Right Hand
• Ste: 3-PW 4-PW, SW 5-PW, AW, SW 4-PW, AW
• Shaft/Flex: True Temper Dymanic Gold (Regular Flex) True Temper Dymanic Gold (Stiff Flex) Graphite YS Exotics (L) (+$100) Graphite Design X Quad (A) (+$100) Graphite Design X Quad (R) (+$100) Graphite Design X Quad (S) (+$100) Project X 5.5 (R) (+$100) Project X 6.0 (S) (+$100) Project X 6.5 (X) (+$100)
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The Sand Trap

Golf News, Reviews, and Commentary

Tour Edge Exotics XCG5 Fairway Wood Review

Tour Edge continues its legacy of advanced, well engineered Exotics products. Let’s take a look at the latest in fairway wood technology with the Exotics XCG5.

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Tour Edge does things a little differently than the rest of the golf equipment world. They want golfers to utilize the very best materials that are available. That combined with some great engineering gives us some products that have a ton of technology and pleasing aesthetics. Or as they put it “Superior Materials. Superior Design. Superior Construction.”

Technology What has helped Tour Edge fairway woods stand out from the competition is that they incorporate titanium faces into the club. So, the hot titanium face you have in your driver can now be found in your fairway wood. The Exotics XCG5 fairway woods are no different. They are constructed using a beta titanium cup face with a heavy tungsten sole brazed onto a titanium body.

Brazing is an important technique used in the Exotics line that allows two pieces of metal to be joined without the use of traditional welding, saving weight that can be repositioned for improved playability and forgiveness. Extremely expensive, combo-brazing is utilized when only the highest-quality joint is needed. The parts must be fitted to 1/1000 of an inch and the base metals must be exceptionally clean and free of oxides. The process is expensive because it is performed inside a vacuum chamber over several hours. The end result is exceptional because it greatly reduces residual part stresses by using slow heating and cooling cycles. This,in turn, significantly improves the thermal and mechanical properties of the material for longer, better feeling shots.

The heavy tungsten sole plate provides 68% of the club head’s total weight. At the PGA Show I got to hold a 15° head where the crown and sole were separated to examine the construction of the head. I can verify that the crown is light as a feather and the sole is heavy. Tour Edge is proud to say that “the XCG5 is the only fairway wood on the market that uses a titanium cupped face and tungsten sole.” The titanium offers exceptional distance while the tungsten allows for a smaller more traditional-sized head with a low center of gravity. This gives the golfer increased ball speed and forgiveness from the increased MOI.

Also included is the Boomerang face design that, As Tour Edge says, “super-charged design offers multiple levels of variable face thickness that make the most of the rebound effect from more points on the face. The V-shaped boomerangs allow for thinner and thicker areas on the face that produce a hotter launch and superlative feel even on off center hits.” The idea being that even mis-hits will go a long way.

Esthetics The crown of the fairway wood is an elegant deep black that works well against the grayish beta titanium insert. The alignment mark is the Exotics “X” and works well to center the ball. The size of the head is moderate, not small and not large. The heavy radius of the sole works to make the club perform on a variety of lies. I was testing the Exotics with the Graphite Design Tour AD shaft, which is mostly white with some orange script and thought that contrast worked well. To me, it makes the black head stand out more and focuses your attention. The face angle is nice and square which is rare to find in a non-pro or “tour” model club. Most fairway woods tend to be left biased but the Exotics is very neutral at address.

My current fairway wood is a Bobby Jones, which has a similar head shape but is smaller and the face is much shallower. The Exotics XCG5’s face is deeper than my 3-wood, which makes it more useful off the tee but took me a few rounds to get used to from the fairway. Compared to other 3-woods on the market, the face depth is right in the middle, some are deeper, some are slightly shallower. The heavy tungsten sole allows these shots to come off with ease but could intimidate a few golfers that might be used to seeing more loft or different face profiles.

Playability and Feel I’ve been playing with a 15° stiff in the Graphite Design Tour AD 40 at the stock length of 43.5″. This Exotics XCG5 is one of the best sounding fairway woods I have ever hit. When you hit it, you notice right away that there is something different about this club, the ball comes off the club faster and with authority. I wanted to film a couple shots to give you an idea of how solid it sounds.

It took me a couple rounds to get used to the deeper face because of how it framed the ball differently. I noticed that at first I had a tendency to hit shots thin. Caused by an effort to get the ball airborne and tipping my upper center back. Even thin hits were pretty good and went about as far as a good shot with my “gamer” 15° 3-wood. I also wasn’t used to the longer shaft, at 43.5″, it’s 0.75″ longer than my 3-wood. The overall weight of the club felt heavier and I was further away from the ball. As I started to practice more with the longer shaft and stay more centered I was able to launch some balls high that went a long ways. Ball flight is extremely consistent across the face, with a slight draw curve for toe hits and slight fade curve for heel hits.

The ball really does explode off this face and makes you look like a better player than you actually are. I enjoyed trying to rip it with the Graphite Design Tour AD shaft because it is a higher torque shaft and felt lively. I’ve never like the boardy, super stiff shafts like an Aldila RIP. I think the Graphite Design is a great fit for this head because it gives it a little extra kick to engage this hot face.

From these pictures you can see the heavy radius of the sole, almost “V” like when viewed from looking at the face, that allows for great turf interaction from rough, sand or just your ordinary lie from the fairway. This design makes the Exotics a versatile tool for attacking par 5’s. I especially noticed this feature when I played a course that had very thin grass, almost hardpan, on most fairways. Even on shots that were a little behind the ball, the radius sole along with the low COG allowed me to hit some well struck shots.

I wanted to do some testing and compare my current 3-wood, a Bobby Jones, to the Exotics. Thanks to instructor Andrew Marr, I was able to hit 10 shots each on his Flightscope. Again, my 3-wood is 0.75″ shorter, with the same loft and a Graphite Design YSQ 75 gram stiff shaft. The face of the 3-wood is a maraging steel which hotter than most on the market. I was curious to see what the actual numbers were because I had definitely noticed an increase in distance, but sometimes your mind can play tricks on you during a new club’s “honeymoon” period.

I hit the Tour Edge first. I hit mostly good shots and for the Exotics XCG5 my average swing speed was 98 MPH, with a ball speed of 143.73 MPH (1.47 smash factor). On average I carried the ball 232.74 yards resulting in a total distance of 248.88 yards.

I then hit 10 shots with the Bobby Jones and my average swing speed of 95.2 MPH with a ball speed of 137.5 MPH (1.44 smash factor). On average I carried the ball 220.32 yards with a total distance of 240.42 yards.

I also hit the Exotics straighter, an average side spin of -670 (right to left curve) with the Bobby Jones compared to the Exotics with a side spin average of -288. The launch angles were almost exact for both 3-woods, around 15°, but the peak height (the point in the sky at which your shots stop rising and start falling) for the Exotics was six yards higher than the Bobby Jones.

It was good to see the actual data backs up what I was seeing on the course but had no idea it was 12 yards longer in the air. That is a huge distance increase and has been a lot of fun to bring out to the course. This past month, not only have I been testing the new Exotics but I also participated in match play competitions where my club competes against another club. One of the best fairway wood shots I’ve ever hit occurred in the 3rd match of the season. It was on a par 5 and I pulled my tee shot left but still had a chance to go for the green, unfortunately my hybrid shot hit a branch and ricocheted behind me about 50 yards. Very embarrassing and not exactly the situation I wanted when I was one up with 2 to play. I think being a little mad helped but I drilled my 3rd shot, Exotics XCG5 from 260 yards downhill into a breeze, over water, onto the green and salvaged par to halve the hole. It was a big shot at the right time to eventually win the match. I normally wouldn’t have attempted that kind of shot but the situation dictated that I had nothing to lose. No way I could have hit that shot with my other 3-wood. For me, it’s longer due to the shaft being lighter, which gives me some extra speed, the titanium face and the tungsten sole, which gave me a higher peak height.

Specs The Exotics is available in a multitude of lofts and shafts. I was able to hit the 11.5° at the media day in Florida and was surprised how easy it was to hit off the fairway. The Tour Edge rep I played with that day announced he is using the 11.5° as his driver this year and routinely hit it longer than I was hitting my driver. The club is for those that want a super charged 3-wood, a 2-wood, or for players that struggle with hitting drivers and prefer to hit fairway woods off the tee.

There are three stock shafts available, the Graphite Design Tour AD 40 gram, Exotics Fujikura BLUR 65, and the Aldila RIP SIGMA 70. The Graphite Design and Fujikura are “made for” shafts. The GD is the lightest and has the most torque, so it’s great for players that need some extra speed. The Fujikura is heavier and feels more stiff while the Aldila is for a higher swing speed player that doesn’t need help launching the ball and wants to keep the dispersion at a minimum. For more information on specs for the BLUR and RIP go Here

Standard grip with Fujikura Blur and Aldila RIP shaft is the Golf Pride Exotics New Decade Cord. Standard grip with Graphite Design Tour AD shaft is the Exotics Winn Lite. X-flex is not available in Fujikura Blur shaft.

I was fortunate to do this review at the right time. I was in the market for a new 3-wood and I think I found it. The use of technology mixed in with the sleek, pearl shaped design is a winner. Already known for their fairway woods, Tour Edge continues to impress and I would encourage you to try one out if you get the chance. Just take some time and appreciate the sound at impact. At $299 it costs as much as some drivers but compared to other well known fairway woods on the market, the price is within $50-$70. But those brands are using steel in their fairway woods, not titanium. For more information on the new Exotics line, go Here

5 thoughts on “Tour Edge Exotics XCG5 Fairway Wood Review”

Great comments and write up. For the later part of last year, I started using my XCGV 15 degree as my driver. I typically got about 245 off the tee, but, rarely missed a fairway. I have difficulty using a driver, so, when I saw this 11.5 degree, I thought, “yep, I know what’s up.” Being one of thos ‘Exotics’ followers, I didn’t even test it. I bought the 11.5 deg stiff with Graphite Design Shaft from Edwin Watts golf. I was not disappointed. I now am getting conservatively 265+ off the box, and, very little dispersion. The reponse is good. It feels good. It has replaced my driver. $300. Not the greatest price, but, if you are old school and don’t like the huge heads, but, would like to blow it past your buddies. Do not hesitate. This is the real deal. Tour players would be hitting it if TE paid pros.

Great review of a great club. I was in the market recently for a 3 wood as well and like everyone thought it would be the RBZ. Went to my local fitter to try it out and he suggetsted I try the TE as well. Tried both the XCG5 and the CB4. Both clubs blew the RBZ, the Callaway Razr X Black and the Titleist 910F out of the water. The numbers on the CB4 came out slightly better than the XCG5. Tried both with the RIP Sigma shaft. (Didn’t get on with the GD shaft at all in the XCG5 , my side spin was through the roof just like on the RBZ. Too light a shaft, maybe I don’t know). It was a marginal call on choosing the CB4 over the XCG5 – it just looked better for me at address. The 1 degree open face just looked good. Best 3 wood ever who knows, but to me it’s just crazy long and straight.

Clubhead speed 108. Ball speed 157 Smash Factor 1.46 Carry 241 Total distance 259 Side spin 234. At least that’s what the launch monitor was saying.

In real play it’s great off the tee and easier to hit from the deck than I thought it may be. All in all I can see why Tour Edge don’t need to pay pro’s to game their clubs.

Another great review on The Sand Trap. There are no better reviews on any other site, period.

I traded in my XCG3 woods because the swing weight was heavier than I like. A heavy swing weight forces me to swing harder and that results in not catching the sweet spot consistently . I am not sure if the XCG5’s are any different. However for stronger guys these are great clubs. I am using Callaway’s Big Bertha Diablo woods and they are lighter swing weights and I like them a lot.

Wow- picked up the 15 degree 3 wood yesterday. I hit a dozen balls with it into field in a friends back yard. Felt like I was crushing it, and the ball flight was straighter than anything in my bag (except the putter!). It has a fantastic sound at impact and a real good feel. I think the 45 gram shaft makes a difference. Will have to get use to the white grip and the white shaft. Cannot wait to hit this on Tuesday night in my league play, where I will be able to get a much better feel for distance. Tour Edge fan here.

I enjoyed reading this review and in my experience, you were absolutely right in your comments.

After 8 years, I still have the XCG5 3W 15° in my bag and got another as spare. I have tried lots of 3W in these years including Exotics EXS but nothing like my old XCG5, the club I trust the most in my bag for all kind of shots.

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Zurich Classic of New Orleans

TPC Louisiana

Tour Edge's new Exotics iron line: What you need to know

BRIAN MACDONALD

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Tour Edge’s latest Exotics iron line features the C723 for a more accomplished player and uses a hollow-body design and L-face to create speed, while the E723 uses weighting out on the toe to, in effect, expand the sweet spot. Two other irons inspired by the company’s tour staff—the Pro 723 Forged and BL Proto—are aimed at players who find face center more frequently than most.

PRICE/AVAILABILITY: Cost for the C723 irons is $130 per iron in steel and $145 per iron in graphite. The E723 is $100 per iron in steel and $115 per iron in graphite. The Pro 723 Forged goes for $170 per iron and is available in steel only. All will be available at retail March 1. No price or release date has been set for the BL Proto irons at this time.

This is a lot of club for the money. At a time when many irons are going for $200 a stick, these are half that. Thermoplastic urethane is inserted behind the lower portion of the face. That saves weight that is used for a toe-weight pocket to assist shots hit out in that area—a place many middle-handicappers routinely find. The variable-thickness face is complex, with more than 100 diamond shapes in three thicknesses. Why the different shapes and thicknesses? Because shots hit on the heel and toe behave differently than center strikes, but you want the result to be as consistent as possible across the entire face.

More on this club

3 Cool Things

1. An iron for competition. As it is aimed at better players, the C723 received a makeover with a clubhead shape that is 5 percent smaller through a shorter blade length and thinner topline. The compact shape, however, belies the fact there is serious horsepower as this iron features a maraging-steel L-face cup where part of the face wraps around the sole of the club to generate added face flex on shots struck low on the face.

That face, which also uses a diamond-face variable thickness pattern, also is thinner on the heel and toe areas (just 2.1 millimeters). “That helped reduce the face weight by 2.5 grams due to thinning some of the diamond shapes,” said Matt Neely, Tour Edge’s vice president of product development. The face is plasma welded to the 17-4 stainless-steel body creating a hollow-body design where the face has room to flex.

The use of the “Vibrcor” thermoplastic urethane inside the head helps damp the sound and eliminate the slight “click” sound that was found on the C722 model.

2. E is for everyone. The E723 builds upon its predecessor with many of the same base technologies yet several significant enhancements. Chief among them was a change to a one-piece casting that is akin to a hollow-body iron. That allowed for more of the thermoplastic urethane to be injected inside the clubhead in the lower portion of the face.

Dual toe weighting moves weight in a manner that has the effect of expanding the sweet spot and boosting the moment of inertia, helping to mitigate the loss of ball speed on shots struck out on the toe.

For the face, Tour Edge continues with its diamond-face variable-thickness design in which different-sized diamond shapes act as mini-trampolines to foster higher ball speeds across a wider portion of the face, including reduced thickness in the heel and toe areas to mitigate the loss of ball speed on off-center strikes.

3. Pros only (including Bernhard). In addition to the two mainstream irons, Tour Edge has two additional irons borne out of feedback from its tour staff, with one relying almost exclusively on the desires of its flagship player, Bernhard Langer.

More on that iron in a bit. First, the Exotics Pro 723 Forged is a slightly larger forged cavity-back with a shape better players could appreciate.

After forging, each iron in the set takes more than an hour to go through the CNC milling process to ensure tight tolerances on the face and grooves. The heel and toe pockets in the cavity are also CNC milled to offer the thinnest face possible without sacrificing feel.

Helping that feel is a thick pad of steel in the center of the cavity behind the face. The added weight in this location allows for more flex on center hits while producing the kind of pleasing feel better players require.

As for the Exotics BL Proto iron, Tour Edge chief designer David Glod worked directly with Langer to refine a set the two-time Masters champion first put in play at Augusta National in 2022. That includes the use of a pair of tungsten plugs directly behind the face in the long irons to put more mass in the hitting area. The irons, which will extremely limited (about 100 sets) also feature a fair amount of offset despite being a blade-style iron—a trait Langer has log preferred.

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Driver Reviews

Review: tour edge exotics xcg5 driver.

Tour Edge Exotics XCG5 Driver Review

Tested: Tour Edge Exotics XCG5 Driver Loft tested (degrees): 10.5 Shaft: Matrix RUL 60

From Tour Edge: Truly unique, the XCG5 features Tour Edge’s one-of-a-kind, combo-brazing to join the titanium face and body to an ultra-thin beta titanium crown.  In fact, no other driver sold in the United States uses brazing. It’s too expensive and time consuming. Instead, most companies weld face plates to the body.  This method doesn’t allow for full face flexion and maximum forgiveness like brazing…Its beta titanium crown material is ultra-thin and lighter than the previous carbon crown found in the XCG4.  This material dramatically improves sound while allowing more weight to be added to the rear of the sole through our new Six-Point Perimeter Weighting System.  This system features six weight pads that lower the center of gravity and move it deeper and further back in the sole for a lower center of gravity and greater accuracy.

Pros: Easy to hit and long. Near off-the-charts forgiveness.  Solid hits produce a generally straight flight with just a touch of ‘country club draw.’ Dependable, repeatable results.

Cons: Not the most ‘workable’ driver. Lack of alignment mark might turn off more. Long stock shaft may be a turn-off to some. Loud impact sound.  Higher price than some in its class, especially lacking adjustability.

Bottom Line: A sleeper in the ultra-light driver category, the Exotics XCG5 driver is another quality offering from Tour Edge.  It’s loud, long and a heck of a lot of fun to play.

Look: Let’s be honest.  There are many entries in the ultra-light, forgiving, distance-first, workabililty-second driver category.  Some are prettier than others, and the XCG5 certainly is on the attractive side.  The plain, classic shiny black finish with small alignment aid will appear to most.  Somehow the head looks a tad bigger than 460cc, but it is not.  It looks forgiving at address (and is), and sits nice and square.  If it was pear-shaped, you’d swear it was a true ‘players’ driver.

Despite the square clubface, the club works best with a draw. That’s not to say you can’t work it, but the club knows its roots. Want to hit a 5 yard draw all day?  This driver is your best friend.

What’s really nice is that generally terrible swings produce better-than-average results.  Slices tend to be under-exaggerated.  The toe of the club is VERY forgiving.

Feel/Sound: “What’s that?”  That may be the guy next to you on the range after you smoke one with the XCG5.  Yes, it’s pretty loud.  No, not the loudest I’ve heard, but it has volume to it.  It’s not distracting though (I’m not a sound snob, but I know some are out there, so take it for what you will).

For a driver this light and forgiving, you can definitely tell when you’ve hit the center of the clubface.  Toe hits are more than feel (and distance).  Heel shots have that ‘sting’ but are not harsh by any means.  All in all, very solid.

Big hits feel powerful. You know when you’ve tagged it for sure! It’s one of the best feelings in golf.

Bottom Line: Tour Edge Exotics has a bit of a cult following and it’s easy to understand why. The Exotics XCG5 driver is typical Tour Edge: a handsome, forgiving cannon on the tee box.  It’s designed to pound the ball, and it does it well.  While it may be priced higher than some in this price point, there is a lot of advanced design packed into the clubhead.  If you’re looking for an ultra-light driver and big distance, don’t overlook the XCG5.

Have an opinion?  Want to hear what others are saying? Please click here to go to the forums

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22 Comments

Jun 8, 2014 at 1:49 pm

I tested exotic w Bassara today.it’s awesome…. Don buy matrix…shaft….

Oct 17, 2013 at 11:09 pm

I am 65 years young with a 88 mph swing. 8.4 index I hit my XCG-5 driver avg carry 260 with roll out to 275-290 GPS measured. I hit my XCG-4 4 wood 230 carry with roll out 245-255 GPS measured. I work at a golf course and have hit just about everybody’s Top Name Stuff. The only club that out performs my TEE is the Callaway Deep 3 3 wood. But I can not control it, it is however very long. You would be very surprised at how many Tour Pros use TEE clubs. And true they do not sponsor any Pro.

Aug 29, 2013 at 1:25 pm

I have had the first generation TE exotics (driver 10.5 through 7 wood) in the bag for years. And I like them to bits. I have had drivers from Titleist (905R), Callaway and Wishon and even though these were good too I would not change my TE driver for anything else. Long, straight and easy to hit. The week before last I unfortunately broke the shaft of the driver during hitting the ball. One email to TE was enough to have my driver repaired (new shaft to my specifications) free of charge under the life time warranty. Name me another brand that does this!! P.s. I am a 8 handicapper.

Joe carroll

May 29, 2013 at 7:02 pm

Shockingly (at least to me) the tour edge has added 30’yards to my drive. I always thought all these drivers were all alike, because i have hit a lot of them and they all seemed to go just about the same distance, With an unimpressive swing speed I now out drive my regular foursome and they aren’t happy, but I am!

Dennis Rasinski

Apr 7, 2013 at 8:02 am

I must be in the minority but I have played TEE forever. I am happy with them. Irons are forgiving, fairway woods are fantastic and I have never had any complaints about the drivers. I had the XCG V and switched to the XCG 5 and do not see any major difference in distance but my shots in the fairway have increased. I agree that the longer shaft feels a little odd but will work through it. My complaint was TE used to be a great club at a reasonable price. A lot cheaper than the major brands and just as capable. They have raised their prices where it gets me looking at other brands because of the cost factor. When they were $100 cheaper than others and would out do them, it was never a doubt what I bought. JMHO

Jason Warlond

Apr 11, 2013 at 4:37 am

Tour edge woods in particular are excellent. I’ve had a couple of their driver at various times and also good. Very accurate. Some of the tour boys use their woods and do so by choice .. no ‘cos they are paid. That’s a pretty big tick in my book.

Apr 3, 2013 at 6:43 pm

Tour Edge doesn’t pay pros to play them. B Snedeker was playing the CB4 3 wood when he won earlier this year. On a recent trip to Florida I was at the Eagle Creek driving range and there was three collage age players with Tour Edge drivers and woods in their bags One was hitting the driver and he was bombing it straight down the middle. I’m sure we will see more out their. as I said previously my XCG5 3 wood is the best feeling club I ever hit. I also picked up theXCG 5 hybrid and am looking for a 5 WD. I demo. A lot of clubs and TE make some of the best.

Apr 1, 2013 at 6:10 pm

If these clubs are so good why don’t any Touring Pros use them? I have never tried them so I can’t comment but I can say none of the people I play with plays these clubs. I got roped into buying the F2 Face Forward Wedges because they were suppose to be the best thing that has ever happened in Golf and no touring pros used them either.

Oct 1, 2012 at 3:59 pm

I own the XCG5 driver and 3 wood and i have to say that i am very pleased with both. Prior to playing tour edge exotics i was using taylormade products. The Tour edge exotics line has outperformed anything else that i have played. Great products.

Sep 28, 2012 at 1:16 am

Guess I’ll throw my 2 cents in here… I tech for a major manufacturer, play their irons loyally, but love the Tour Edge woods and have for years. Have the xcg5 driver and 3 wood in my bag now and they excellent performers!

And I have to say…@Chris…re: spin, balloon, and that twang sound thing…..usually, the better players whose opinion I would trust don’t seem have those issues. Perhaps you sould try working on your swing eh?

Sep 4, 2012 at 8:45 pm

FYI Never hit the TE driver but, Just started playing LH xcg5 3 wood 15 degree with fujikura blur shaft Sweetest feeling club I ever hit . Almost as long as my D2 9.5 with aldila 60 red eyes. First time poster here, been playing since 1973 ,7 HC , tried lots of clubs, never heard of TE till two years ago . Their fairway wood is a winner!

Aug 20, 2012 at 6:05 pm

I took out the xcg5 3wood this weekend along with the RBZ and Adams XTD all considered the best by the golf shop. Therre was no comparison. For me the xcg5 was as long or longer and more consistent and forgiving thean the other two. I will be buying one.

Aug 19, 2012 at 3:38 pm

I recently hit the CB4 fairway wood. My Titleist 910f 15 degree is just as long. They have some balls saying I would get 20 extra yards out of their 3 wood. OK product at best, totally overated in my opinion.

Aug 17, 2012 at 10:55 am

Chris: so you didn’ t hit it on 7 Aug when you first posted your dismissive comment? If you did, why would you hit again on the 16th? Not sure what ‘pumping’ is. I posted my comment based on my experience with it as I thought it might be worth something to someone looking for a new driver. :Worthless’ – ‘rather hit just about anything else…’? Overstating you’r dislike of the club surely. You made your point in your first comment and I made mine in mine. Let it go at that.

Aug 16, 2012 at 4:52 pm

@john, Let the pumping begin.

I hit it today and it was worthless , I spin, balloon flight and God awful twang sound. I’d rather hit just about anything than this.

Aug 14, 2012 at 11:18 am

I agree with the reviewer remarks. Works for me and is worth every cent. Not fussy about the sound – a bit ‘tinny’ to my ear but the results more than compensate for that. Well crafted and delivers on its attributes.

Jun 8, 2014 at 1:52 pm

Try Bassara for it. It works.!

Aug 12, 2012 at 10:14 pm

Certain TEE products are awesome…xcg4 fairways, xcg hybrids, original cb1 fairways and driver. The TEE xcg5 doesn’t make the list. I hope TE will someday make a driver that is as good as their fairway clubs.

Jun 8, 2014 at 1:51 pm

Aug 10, 2012 at 10:30 pm

Does anyone actually buy Tour Exotics clubs?

Aug 8, 2012 at 4:15 pm

I agree Chris, the products are grossly overpriced, seem to be pumped up by certain users on the board, yet consistently underperform. Stay away unless you want to sell it on eBay for 1/10th the price in a month.

Aug 7, 2012 at 4:49 pm

Another overrated TEE product. Tried them and they are not very good.

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GolfWRX Spotlight: Tour Edge Exotics C721 driver

Tour Edge’s Exotics line of high-end golf clubs has been known for excellent fairway wood and hybrid performance over the years. The Chicago-based company has been consistently putting out high-quality products, and golfers are really taking notice. The new line of C721 drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids take yet another big leap forward from last year’s EXS line.  

The new C721 driver takes a lot of technology from the 2020 EXS line and further refines and expands on it. I know it is a little cliche when companies say every model is their best ever, but Tour Edge is 100 percent right this time.

When unboxing the C721 the first thing I noticed was the much-improved looks and shape over the previous Tour Edge drivers. The biggest change to my eye is the added bulge, giving a more rounded and softened topline.

The overall shape of the C721 is slightly stretched from front to back, giving it just a hint of a triangular look. The Ridgeback is a titanium spine flanked by two carbon fiber wings that add stability and forgiveness to the head, but they can also work together and an additional aiming device to ensure you are lined up down the center of the fairway.  

Getting the C721 out on the course is where you really start to appreciate all the technology that went into this driver. Well-struck shots are very long, very boring, and will hang with anything out on the market today. Center contact is rewarded with a long and very low spin shot that is just fun to hit.

The sound and feel are very solid, you can really feel the ball compress on the face as it leaves at high speed. The sound is more of a muted crack and much quieter than I anticipated. If you practice on an enclosed range your ears will thank you for your choice in drivers. Shots hit away from the center of the face retain a lot of ball speed and stay online really well.

My miss is low on the heel and those misses stayed in the air fairly well and went a good ways. Shots hit down on the heel or higher on the toe side still stay online really well due to the Ridgeback spine and rear weight. The C721 is just slightly higher than mid-launch for me, but the low spinning head never allowed my shots to balloon or rise even into the wind. I do wish the face was just a touch deeper as I had to play with my tee height in order to find the optimal setup. The better players will enjoy the neutral weighting and there seems to be very minimal draw built into the driver.

Overall, the Tour Edge Exotics C721 driver is a great club that will probably be overlooked by too many golfers. If you are looking for added distance, a lot of forgiveness and want to keep some money in your pocket, then you should seriously take a look at Tour Edge.

Review: Ping’s G400 and G400 LST Drivers

I still remember the first time I hit Ping’s G30 driver. It was July 2014, and I was at Ping’s HQ in Phoenix. Super low-spin drivers were all the rage at the time. With their forward center of gravity, they were helping golfers optimize their launch conditions beyond their wildest dreams: crazy high launch, ridiculously low spin. Many in the business, including myself, had one of these drivers and spent many launch monitor sessions trying to figure out how to get more distance from these high knuckleballs. The bad news was that forward-CG drivers, by nature, were really unforgiving. Bad shots were really short and crooked.

Before I knew the G30 was a big deal,  Marty Jertson , Ping’s Director of Product Development, explained to me his vision for the perfect driver inside a conference room at Ping Headquarters. In his eyes, the perfect driver didn’t have the low, forward center of gravity (CG) that was being touted at the time. Its CG was located as low and as rearward in the driver head as possible, which he said would offer the best of both worlds: optimized launch conditions on good shots, as well as the best possible forgiveness on bad shots.

Building the perfect driver was a long way off (and still is), but Jertson was excited where Ping had landed with the G30. When it was released , the driver was a powerful testament to his vision. Its rear-CG design created great distance on good and bad shots, and it was also a very straight driver. The G30 sold incredibly well and, as a result, the industry mostly shifted away from forward-CG drivers.

It’s been nearly three years since the release of the G30, and Ping has just made another counterintuitive driver release. The company shrunk the size of its new G400 drivers in a climate where full-size drivers have become the norm. Granted, it’s only 15 cubic centimeters smaller, but it’s noticeable at address. Compared to the Ping G drivers they replace (which replaced the G30), the G400’s look like they cut carbs.

Despite their slimmer frames, however, the G400 drivers are actually more forgiving than the G drivers (which were even more forgiving than the G30). That’s why Ping representatives say smaller is actually better in the G400’s case. The drivers have the lowest, most rearward CG of any Ping drivers ever, and their smaller size is said to improve their aerodynamics so golfers can swing them fractionally faster. The other big change is a new face material made of T9S+ titanium, which is thinner and more flexible to help golfers generate more ball speed.

For this review, I wanted to put the G400 and G400 LST to the test against the G and the G LST drivers that they replace, so I took them to the  Launch Pad at Carl’s Golfland  in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. I hit five shots with each driver on Trackman IV, and to ensure as much of an apples-to-apples comparison as possible, I tested each driver head with the same shaft. Each driver head was adjusted to the same loft, or as close as possible.

Note: The G, G LST, and G400 drivers I tested were 10.5-degree heads adjusted to 9.5 degrees. The G400 LST had a loft of 10 degrees, and it was adjusted to 9.4 degrees.

In my personal driver tests, I don’t usually see a huge uptick in distance or accuracy when comparing the latest drivers to the most recent models from the same manufacturer. Improvements generally come in the form of improved head shaping, a better feel, or enhanced adjustability. That’s why I was surprised to see such a big change in my launch conditions and dispersion with the G400 drivers.

G400 Test Results: With the G400, I launched my drives an average of 1.6-degrees higher than I did with the G while dropping spin an average of 416 rpm. That led to a significant improvement in distance. With my swing speed and ball speed staying about the same, I added an average of 7.2 yards more carry distance and 8.7 yards more total distance.

G400 LST Test Results:  First, a note about the G400 LST. It has a CG that’s slightly lower and more forward than the standard G400 driver to help golfers reduce spin. Like the G30 LST and G LST, it’s still very much a rear-CG driver, but its design helps high-speed golfers who can consistently find the center of the club face maximize distance without highjacking forgiveness. When I test Ping drivers, the LST is generally the model that creates the best performance, and the G400 LST was no exception. I saw an average of a 1.2-degree higher launch angle with all other things staying about the same when I compared it to the G LST. The result was an average of 6.6 yards more carry distance and 3.1 yards more total distance. It was the longest and straightest driver I hit in the test.

Note: Ping also sells a G400 SFT (Straight Flight Technology) driver, which has added draw bias. To learn more about it, click through  to tech story on the G400, G400 LST and G400 SFT drivers. 

One way to explain the improved launch conditions is that I hit the G400 drivers more consistently. As you can see in the Trackman dispersion chart, I hit the G400 and G400 LST drivers straighter on average than the G and G LST. Is that its slightly enhanced forgiveness shining through? Maybe, maybe not.

To me, the changes Ping made to the look and feel of the driver were just as important as the performance difference I saw on Trackman. I’ve always preferred smaller driver heads, or at least 460-cubic-centimeter drivers that appear smaller than their size. For that reason, I felt more confident with the G400 drivers in my hands. I didn’t mind that I didn’t see any added swing speed or ball speed from the smaller driver head. I was sold on the looks alone.

I also preferred the sound of the G400 drivers to the G drivers. There was definitely much more of a “thwack” than a “ping” at impact, which made the G400’s feel more powerful. Looks and feel are subjective, of course, but to me the improvement was night and day. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that my fondness for the looks and feel of the G400 was at least a contributing factor to my improved performance in the test, if not the most important factor. When I like the way a club look at address, I tend to hit it better, and I know I’m not alone.

I do want readers to keep in mind that this was a one-person test and I hit a limited amount of balls. Yes, it’s a great indication that the G400 driver can be measurably better than a G driver, but it’s not a guarantee.

I also want to address the weaknesses of the G400 drivers. While they’re few, they could push golfers into another driver model in a fitting. Unlike  Callaway’s GBB Epic ,  TaylorMade’s M1 or  Titleist’s 917 drivers, the G400’s don’t have CG adjustability. That means there’s no way to fine tune ball flight outside of a shaft or loft adjustment. A bigger deal for some golfers might be the G400 crowns. Despite their smaller size, there’s still a lot to look at address, as was the case with the G drivers.

Aerodynamic features on the front of the crowns, “Turbulators,” have been thickened for the G400 release. There’s also Ping’s “DragonFly Technology,” a geometry on the back of the driver crowns that helps push CG lower and more rearward in the driver heads. I personally think the G400 crowns give the drivers an old-school, muscle car-like look, but there’s no question they won’t fly with all golfers.

Whatever your thoughts about what’s on top of the G400 drivers, there’s no question that what’s under the hood can offer something the G and G30 drivers did not. Maybe you’ll like the smaller head. Maybe you’ll prefer the quieter sound. Maybe the improved forgiveness will show up on a launch monitor or on the course. Or maybe you’ll just flat out rip a G400 farther and straighter down the middle like I did.

If that last bit happens, try not to second-guess it.

Members Choice: The Best Driver of 2017

What determines the best driver on the market; is it the opinion of professional club fitters, professional golfers or testing results from a group of amateurs?

At GolfWRX, we believe all three sources can lead golfers to an answer. Being a website founded by passionate golfers with a mission to serve passionate golfers, though, we place a special emphasis on the opinions of our GolfWRX Members — the most knowledgeable group of golfers on the planet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively as GolfWRX Members. So who better to poll to get an initial indication of the best performing drivers so far in 2017?

So we asked them,  “What’s the best driver of 2017?” They voted for the three drivers they felt most worthy of the title and provided feedback about their selections in our special forum thread . You can see the results below (as of the first three weeks of voting), as well as quotes we pulled from GolfWRX Members about the drivers from our forum.

Remember that our polls will remain open for voting throughout the year, and we’re going to keep an eye on the percentages as more and more golfers have an opportunity to test these drivers. We’re also working on another Best Driver list , which will evaluate clubs in another important way. Stay tuned!

Keep in mind that there’s no single driver on the market that is the absolute best option for every golfer: that’s why nearly every manufacturer makes at least two different models. As this list indicates, however, some drivers are working better than others this year. Happy Testing!

Note: Forum posts were minimally edited for grammar, style, spelling and clarity.

Cobra King LTD Black (3.00 percent of votes)

• The General : All-black LTD is really clean looking. I’m about to cover up the orange on my LTD with lead tape. Orange is played out
• mh7vw :  Love my LTD, but wish the black finish (or even this gray) didn’t have that subtle checkering you see in some like. Prefer plain black.
• dbleag :  I am a fan of the black/orange combo.  The performance and sound of the LTD is very appealing to me.  I also like that the standard length is 45 inches. For me, that helps it be super-accurate. With the low-spin design, I hit it longest of the current offerings and can’t remember the last time I missed a fairway. Straight, solid, low spin and nice.

Further Reading

• Cobra King LTD Black Driver: In-Hand Photos

Mizuno JPX-900 (3.20 percent)

• johnnythunders :  JPX goes straight. Best real-deal shaft and is long and very adjustable.
• KT35 :  That blue head looks awesome sitting on the ground. I hit balls off the toe and heel and didn’t see the big drop off in distance like the previous models.
• nmorton :  The JPX-900 is definitely more forgiving compared to the JPX-850, and sounds much better. Though they did sacrifice a bit by going with a little larger profile, but it’s easy to get used to. The graphics are so so, but this driver performs. I’m really digging the Evo II (shaft).
• jay65 :  I can see that Mizuno is really making a decent effort with its drivers/fairways in terms of tech and aesthetics, and they compliment the new JPX-900 line of irons really well, but if they’re going to make any inroads they really have to address this issue of their custom shafts options. It’s rubbish.
• bok006 :  The JPX-900, after being properly adjusted by the fitter, gave me an extra 20 yards just like that. My swing speed suggested I was borderline S to X (flex), but the fitter said unless I was fighting a hook I should stick with the S.
• bubbagump : …the JPX-900, when properly fit, is just as long on a consistent basis than all the new models I tried in real life situations. It looks great, sounds solid and just knows the way to keep the ball in play.  
• Chazb :  I’m 69 years old, have a swing speed of 91 mph and played nine with the JPX-900 this morning. It was in the 40s with a brisk wind hit it around 220 to 230 yards. It was a fairway finder, has great feel and is one of the easiest to control drivers I have ever hit. I can’t wait ’til it is warmer and can dial it in more. So far I have the two weights all the way forward for a lower flight and the other set with a draw bias with 10.5 degrees of loft. This driver is the real deal; it may not be the longest or the shortest, but it is a fairway finder which IMO makes it a winner.
• Mizuno JPX-900 drivers, fairway woods and hybrids

Ping G (3.80 percent)

• Wesquire : Ping G is the most forgiving so it wins.
• bopper53 : Ping G hands down. Great distance and the most forgiving.
• Dannydubbbs :  The Ping G series is just too forgiving. The distance is comparable between most models, but Ping always seems to win out with forgiveness.
• Bruin Bear :  The Ping G is going to be overlooked because it’s looked at as “game improvement,” but this driver is a beast. I liked the LS, but it requires a faster swing to get results and in the cold outdoors I just don’t have that all the time. I think the G is the perfect blend of performance and forgiveness.
• cmrl1986 :  Only reason I switched from the Ping G25 was that the G felt less harsh off the face. Same distance just about.
• Review: Ping G, G LS Tec and G SF Tec drivers

Cobra King F7+ (3.90 percent)

• EntourageLife : Ball really flies off face. Driver head controls spin well. Not one drive “ballooned” and trajectory was high and best of all… very easy to work ball right to left for a confident draw.
• Gollie :  The F7+ is another great offering from Cobra… I didn’t get the “MAN, this is gonna take my LTD out of the bag” feeling, but it has very good sound, feel and performance.
• J13 :  F7+ is a great offering from Cobra and IMO is in the top-3 drivers this year. Epic is the standout for me numbers wise, then M series and F7+ are right behind it. Love the Agera (shaft) in there!!! Such a great shaft; I can’t seem to get mine out of the bag.
• Golfer from MO :  Hit both Cobras lefty and as a lefty the LTD is the shizzle. Last year it was the LTD and Big Bertha down to the absolute wire… the F7+ is more workable than the LTD, but not longer and a little worse on mishits.
• Boognish :  I took a few swings with the F7+ at Golf Galaxy yesterday. 9.5 degrees with heaviest weight forward. The stock shaft is actually the same model I play in my GBB (albeit in smoked black instead of yellow). Ball flight and distance were similar to my GBB with good consistent sub-3000 backspin. Sound was OK, feel was harder than the GBB.
• thechief16 :  Just from the range (no LM), I didn’t see a noticeable performance improvement with the F7+ over the original King LTD. And I like the look and sound/feel of the LTD better.
• Cobra King F7 and King F7+ drivers
• What you need to know about Cobra’s King F7 and F7+ drivers

Ping G LS Tec (4.90 percent)

• drvrwdge :  I played the G LS with the Ping Tour 65X (shaft) tipped an inch for about a year. Just put the HZRDUS Yellow 75 6.5 tipped an inch and never thought it was possible, but it’s longer and straighter. Best driver shaft combo I’ve ever hit. You can feel that HZRDUS throughout the entire swing. Really gives you a solid connected feel.
• Mtngolfer1 : I am not sure that I would consider this a 2017 Driver, but my vote went to the Ping G LS Tec. The fact that my G is still holding its own against the latest 2017 releases has me very excited to see what Ping will release later this year.
• 3woodvt :  Fairway finder and plenty long.
• pitchinwedge :  I’ve found the LS to be nearly as fade biased as the M family. I get pretty good results with the LS by making a conscious effort to make more of an in-to-out swing. Any lapse in concentration and everything goes right. The M’s require even more effort, which is the reason I stayed with the LS instead.
• 3 Jack Par :  After an up and down year with the G LS, I’ve actually recently gone back to my G30 LS head. I only have a couple of rounds as a sample so far, so I can’t really draw a conclusion about whether one or the other is better, but with the same shaft it seems like my G30 head might be a little longer. Honestly, the performance differences are pretty minimal if you really compare the two generations.

Titleist 917D3 (5.30 percent)

• Gava :  The 917D3 is in my bag now, and I’ve found it incredibly long with a recently purchased Graphite Design Tour AD MJ 7TX shaft. Feel and accuracy has been a real improvement as well.
• Togatown22 :  I find my 917D3 to be just as forgiving as my 915D2 was, and man do I prefer looking down at the head shape and color versus the 915. Very confidence inspiring.
• NIxhex524 :  I would definitely give the D3 a whirl. I feel like Titleist has made great strides at making the smaller head way more hittable for us ams.
• KPH808 :  So in conclusion, I was hitting the ball about 9 yards further on average and 3-4 mph faster ball speeds with the 917D3 vs. the 915 D4. The biggest thing for me was the forgiveness between the two; the 917D3 was more forgiving on mishits.
• brushie :  The 917D3 head feels soft like the 910 and sounds great. I never had an issue with the 915 sound; it wasn’t great, but it didn’t bother me too much. This is much better, though. The 917D3 head shape is perfect to my eye as well. The area where the 917 shines is forgiveness. 
• 917 vs. 915: Results from the Ultimate Titleist 917 Driver Fitting Experience

TaylorMade M1 440 (5.35 percent)

• Tigermatt31 : The M1 440 is best driver I’ve had ever.
• TollBros : The M1   440 is definitely lower spin than the M1 460 or M2 from last year. Launch angle isn’t really any lower, but spin is lower for sure.
• specimania :  This year’s 440 is more forgiving.
• MCoz :  Yes, this 440 is more forgiving, and yet it also appears to be more workable than both of the previous M1 and M2s.
• nitram :  To save you a bunch of reading and crunching numbers, I quickly concluded there was a little more forgiveness and exactly +0.4 mph ball speed with the 440. By forgiveness I simply mean this: A 1.48 smash 440 will give you the same ball speed and distance as a 1.49/1.50 430. But if you get a 1.50 from both there is no measurable gain. Side-to-side dispersion was better by 4.7 feet with the 440. Workability was a wash between them, although the 430 seems a bit more fade biased whereas I’ll describe the 440 as a scosche more neutral.
• tj24:   I hit the M1 440 with my Aldila RIP at an 80-gram X-flex. For me, the spin numbers were around 1700 rpm which is probably to low for my swing. I did, however, like the shape of the head and I felt like I could easily work the ball both ways.
• halfsumo :  I really think they nailed it with the shape of this 440 head. Nice pear shape, no weird bulges or ridges that you have to get used to.
• GolfWRX members gain 7 yards on average with 2017 TaylorMade M1, M2 drivers
• 12 Important Changes to the 2017 TaylorMade M1, M2 Drivers

Titleist 917D2 (6.65 percent)

• tsletten : Love the sound of the 917D2.
• bladehunter : N o doubt the 917D2 is an accurate, forgiving driver that doesn’t look as big as it is and sounds fantastic .
• JStang :  Maybe it’s just me, but I find the face to be more shallow (top to bottom) with the 917D2 than other drivers that I’ve tried lately.
• LuckyLowbrow :  I was actually spinning it too low with the D4. Going up to the D2 normalized my spin rate, but led to such an improvement in consistency across the face.

TaylorMade M1 460 2017 (11.81 percent)

• Ereim :  I ended up going with the M1 460. It gave me a slightly tighter dispersion, and I liked looking down at it slightly more.
• jdenham15 : The  2017 TaylorMade M1 is a great driver, but I tend to miss wide right and struggled to turn it over.
• ZBigStick:   The   M1 460 gave me the best results. Was able to increase launch without much added spin with the (T-Track) weight. Feel is good and felt forgiving; dispersion results backing that up.
• BillMurrayGolfing :  The face is hot, receptive, thin and makes a nice sound. I like that.
• JStang :  Sound and feel were both fantastic. I couldn’t ask for much more in the sound and feel department than what this club offers. Plenty of feedback was provided based on impact as I would expect. I could easily tell where I missed based on feel.
• tnord :  Just as another tester found, moving the weight back and forward absolutely does impact how the club sounds. I’m much more a fan of the weight back.
• chickenpotpie :  Moving the slider to the draw position made the feel of the driver a little harsher. Feel was much much smoother with that weight in the middle. I didn’t see any such changes with the front/rear slider.

TaylorMade M2 2017 (11.86 percent)

• ZBigStick :  I liked the feel of the new M2 but seemed to get better results and numbers with the new M1. Could be the extra 5 grams of head weight? It was dynamite with the GD TP-6 (shaft)!
• erock9174 :  On Trackman it didn’t put up the most ball speed, but counting all shots the M2 had the longest average distance.
• gripandrip :  The M2 seems to have a little bit of a fade bias for me. And the head is HUGE. Maybe it’s a mental thing to be able to turnover a head that large.
• Bomber_11 :  M2 has very big shoes to fill, as the 2016 M2 was arguably one of the best drivers of the last 3-4 years.
• LONG&STR8 :  It’s hard to ignore the sound of the new M2. That may be TaylorMade’s biggest fail with that driver, as the sound and feel was one of the best things about the first version that I’ll have in the bag until something better comes along.
• Z1ggy16 :  The new M2 was terrible for me, not sure why. Unsure if it was the shaft I used but it spun up like a monster and ball speeds weren’t any better than previous M2.
• Peanut191 :  I don’t really think that the new M2 was much of a step backward, probably more that it doesn’t seem like a big step forward compared to last year’s model. I was hitting my 2016 M2 against a 2017 M2 indoors (which usually amplifies the louder, more obnoxious sound) and I didn’t notice that much of a difference in sound. It could have been that I might have just happened to get a hold of a head that was more muted than normal with the new one, but I just didn’t notice much difference.  Performance wise, I could tell that the 2017 was slightly more forgiving than the 2016 model, but I was basically getting the same ball speed and spin numbers, so I didn’t see the need to upgrade.
• gioguy21 : Played 54 holes this weekend. The M2 was as reliable as it could get. I hit 11/12 fairways Friday, 10/12 Saturday and 5/9 or so yesterday (windy). Controllable, just wants to go straight. The sound no longer bothers me. I think it’s when hitting indoors or in range bays that it gets unbearably loud. Makes a different sound when hit on the screws I’ve found, similar to last years M2/M1 with less high-pitched ring. The forgiveness is very obvious, as I hit a couple that were close to center of the face but either high or little out toward the toe that flew similar trajectory and distance to how a well struck shot would react. I think where this driver really shines is the ability to either tee it high and hit it with higher trajectory or the ability to hit it lower with a low tee (3/4 of the ball under the crown) and hit laser beams that don’t move left or right.
• G-Bone :  From what I’ve seen on Trackman, 2017 M1 was a big jump from 2016; however, 2016 M2 was so good, 2017 is a minor jump.

Callaway GBB Epic (14.91 percent)

• HDTVMAN : I hit both  the Callaway Big Bertha Fusion and Epic with a 44.5-inch UST Recoil F3 shaft and the results were very close. From customer testing, it appears the Epic is longer for those with higher (95+) swing speeds. I have also seen that 44.25-44.5-inch lengths promote tighter dispersion with customers, no loss of distance and better over-all drives.
• mbbrewer :  Tried them all and for me Epic was the one. Fastest ball speed, lowest spin and tightest dispersion.
• Ereim : Epic felt great, looked great and the numbers were basically 99.9 percent optimized for my swing.
• johnnylongballz72 :  There is Epic and there is the M series… then there is everyone else. The votes here show it, the PGA Tour use shows it and launch monitors everywhere show it.
• misplacedtexan83 : GBB  Epic/Sub Zero pushed the envelop in design and materials to produce increased ball speed and gains. For once a driver did what a company said it would do.
• GolfWRX members gain an average of 11 yards with the Callaway GBB Epic drivers

Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero (16.91 percent)

• jdenham15 : I tested the Epic Sub Zero and Epic against my 2016 TaylorMade M1 and the ball speed was 5 mph higher on average, which gave me about 10 yards more carry disstance. That was great, but the part that sold me was the forgiveness. I love my Epic Sub Zero. I feel like it’s easier to turn over and I can work it both ways.
• Z1ggy16 :  Sub Zero was hands down the best, including my gaming M1 (yeah, not even top-3) due to the combination of lower spin, good forgiveness and feel and looks.
• jimhaire : I had a 2016 M2 and went with the Epic Sub Zero. The look at address suited my eye and the feel off the face was better for me. And the club went straight.
• Sef : I have tested a lot of these drivers and for me the Epic Sub Zero was so much better than everything else. I wish I could just apply all three votes to it.

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Sam Burns WITB 2024 (April)

Sam Burns’ what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond S (9 degrees...

Will Zalatoris WITB 2024 (April)

Will Zalatoris’ what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage.  Driver: Titleist TSR2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)...

Scottie Scheffler’s winning WITB: 2024 RBC Heritage

Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (8 degrees @8.25) Buy here. Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X (45 inches) 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Buy...

Nelly Korda’s winning WITB: 2024 Chevron Championship

Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 Max (10.5 degrees) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana GT 60 S 3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)...

Brandel Chamblee has ‘no doubt’ who started the McIlroy/LIV rumor and why

Tour Edge Exotics Irons Reviews

Tour Edge Exotics EXd Review

RRP: £475

Tour Edge Exotics CB Better Player Irons Review

RRP: £649

The Exotics CB Xtreme forged irons are designed for the most discerning player to deliver the pure feel and workability of a blade with the forgiveness of a cavity back iron. The blade’s heel and toe perimeter-weighted cavity lowers the center of...

Tour Edge Exotics CU Game Improver Irons Review

RRP: £599

The new Exotics CU Iron is a perfect blend of classic feel and enhanced forgiveness. The CU’s thin topline, medium-sized blade width, reduced progressive offset and tour-beveled sole inspire confidence to work the ball in any direction and land it...

Tour Edge Exotics XCG5 Super-Game Improvement Iron Review

RRP: £549

The Tour Edge Exotics XCG5 iron features an extremely thin face, producing better distance on off-centre hits. The deep undercut cavity creates a large effective hitting area.

Tour Edge Exotics XCG Game Improvement Irons Review

RRP: £69

The power and performance of the Tour Edge Exotics XCG Irons are matched only by their unbelievable feel and responsiveness. The new dual-density dampening system (3DS) ensures both the long irons and short irons deliver the feel you expect from an...

Tour Edge Exotics Forged 2010 Game Improvement Irons Review

RRP: £79

The Tour Edge Exotics Forged 2010 Irons feature the Exotics muscle cavity which adds a bit of forgiveness and slightly higher launch characteristics than that of a traditional player's iron. The muscle cavity has the effect of moving the centre of...

Tour Edge XCG3 Game Improvement Irons Review

The Tour Edge XCG3 Irons are available in graphite at the cost of £650. Contact: 01753 218 913

Tour Edge Exotics EX Forged Better Player Irons Review

RRP: £632

Contact: 00353 41983 9955 Website: www.touredge.com

Tour Edge Exotics EX-3 Game Improvement Irons Review

RRP: £552

Contact: 001 630 584 4777 Website: www.touredge.com Head: Cavity Back Shaft: Steel, Graphite Ladies: Yes Left Handed: No

Tour Edge Exotics EX-1 Better Player Irons Review

RRP: £472

A traditional blade appearance with a hollow box cavity. The Tour Edge Exotics EX-1 chemically bonds a tungsten sole to a steel head, placing 38 per cent of the clubhead's weight for a low centre of gravity sole. Contact: 00 353 41983 9955 Web:...

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Tour Edge Golf E5SRSU4A Exotics XCG5 Iron Set

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Building on past successes, Tour Edge engineers improved on previous designs by adding two additional tungsten sole weights, a deeper undercut cavity and a thinner sole. Additional tungsten sole weight helps lower the CG position and the iron's stability at impact . Each iron is engineered with the ideal CG location, offset, face thickness and top line. The result is more versatility while maintaining maximum forgiveness.

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• On the cutting edge of design, the XCG5 features Tour Edge's thinnest face to date
• At only 2.2mm, the face has varying levels of thickness for exceptional feel, control and distance on off-center hits
• Deeper undercut cavity moves more weight to the outer edges, creating our overall largest effective hitting area to date in an iron
• Four tungsten sole weights help lower the iron's center of gravity to optimize trajectory and maximize stability at impact (MOI)
• Each iron in the set is engineered to maximize its specific task: everything from the CG loaction, offset, face thickness, and top line width is adjusted to produce ideal performance results from each iron

Shipping Note: Shipping to Alaska and Hawaii is not available for this item

Warranty: 1 Year Tour Edge

In the box:

(1) Tour Edge Golf E5SRSU4A Exotics XCG5 Iron Set 4AW MRH X-Lite 95 Steel includes:

• Putting Wedge
• Approach Wedge

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Inside Patrick Cantlay’s surprising switch into new irons

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For the first time this decade, Patrick Cantlay has switched irons.

Cantlay is the type of player to stick with he knows when it comes to his gear, but recently, ahead of the Masters, Cantlay finally upgraded from his Titleist 718 AP2 irons, which were first released to the public back in 2017, into a fine-tuned set of PING Blueprint S irons, released in January 2024.

Starting with his victory at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2019, Cantlay logged seven total PGA TOUR wins with his previous irons in his bag. At the end of 2023, however, with fresh backup sets dwindling and a growing desire to upgrade, Cantlay began testing other irons.

Patrick Cantlay upgraded from his Titleist 718 AP2 irons into a set of PING Blueprint S irons. (Courtesy GolfWRX)

According to PING Tour rep Spencer Rothluebber, PING first began sending Cantlay sets to test around December 2023.

At first, PING sent Cantlay a number of different iron sets with various lie angles and lengths, and then at The American Express 2024, they were able to measure the specifications of his old 718 AP2 irons in order to match up the specs in a new set of Blueprint S irons.

During the testing process, and even at the 2024 RBC Heritage following the Masters, PING and Cantlay worked on dialing in the particulars, including bounce, grinds, lie angles and lofts, to make sure no stone was left unturned.

“He’s very particular visually,” Rothluebber told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday at the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. “We worked a lot on lie angles, and making sure the lofts on his irons were right. But it’s also everything from top rail to leading edge. The numbers have to be there [spin and distance] for him, but it has to look right, too.”

Additionally, although Cantlay is still sticking with his longtime Titleist 915F 3-wood and TS2 21-degree fairway wood, he’s also upgraded into a new Titleist TSR2 9-degree driver in 2024.

Typically, throughout his career, Cantlay hasn’t been the type of player to make many upgrades, but it appears that 2024 is the year of change for the eight-time PGA TOUR winner.

Cantlay will tee it up this week at the Zurich Classic team event alongside partner Xander Schauffele; the Cantlay-Schauffele duo won the 2022 Zurich Classic, and they finished T4 last year.

• Preplanned tours
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• Themed tours
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• St. Petersburg

Theatres in Moscow

Cultural life of Moscow city is various and rich! Operas, ballets, symphonic concerts... Russian composers have created some of the most beautiful classical music. Russian classical music is very popular in Moscow. It is performed in many beautiful historical venues. Do not forget to include a visit to a concert hall in your itinerary when you are planning your stay in Moscow! And do it in advance.

There are almost no restrictions on dress code in Russian theatres. Visitors may wear jeans and sports shoes, they may have a backpack with them. Only shorts are not allowed.

A typical feature of Russian theatre – visitors are bringing a lot of flowers which they present to their favorite performers after the show.

Here are some practical advices where to go and how to buy tickets.

The Bolshoi Theatre

The Bolshoi Theatre is the oldest, the most famous and popular opera and ballet theatre in Russia. The word “Bolshoi” means “big” in Russian. You can buy a ticket online in advance, 2-3 months before the date of performance on the official website . Prices for famous ballets are high: 6-8 thousand rubles for a seat in stalls. Tickets to operas are cheaper: you can get a good seat for 4-5 thousand rubles. Tickets are cheaper for daytime performances and performances on the New Stage. The New Stage is situated in the light-green building to the left of the Bolshoi's main building. The quality of operas and ballets shown on the New Stage is excellent too. However, you should pay attention that many seats of the Bolshoi’s Old and New Stages have limited visibility . If you want to see the Bolshoi’s Old Stage but all tickets are sold out, you can order a tour of the theatre. You can book such a tour on the official website.

If you want, following Russian tradition, to give flowers to the performers at the end of the show, in the Bolshoi flowers should be presented via special staff who collects these flowers in advance.

In August the Bolshoi is closed.

The Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre

This theatre is noteworthy. On one hand, it offers brilliant classical opera and ballet performances. On the other hand, it is an experimental venue for modern artists. You can check the program and buy tickets online here http://stanmus.com/ . If you are opera lover, get a ticket to see superstar Hibla Gerzmava . The theatre has a very beautiful historic building and a stage with a good view from every seat. Tickets are twice cheaper than in the Bolshoi.

The Novaya Opera

“Novaya” means “New” in Russian. This opera house was founded in 1991 by a famous conductor Eugene Kolobov. Its repertoire has several directions: Russian and Western classics, original shows and divertissements, and operas of the 20th and 21st centuries. It is very popular with Muscovites for excellent quality of performances, a comfortable hall, a beautiful Art Nouveau building and a historic park Hermitage, which is situated right next to it. You can buy tickets online here http://www.novayaopera.ru/en .

Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Center

The Opera Center has become one of the best theatrical venues in Moscow. It was founded in 2002 by great diva Galina Vishnevskaya. Nowadays its artistic director is Olga Rostropovich, daughter of Galina Vishnevskaya and her husband Mstislav Rostropovich, great cellist and conductor. Not only best young opera singers perform here, but also world music stars do; chamber and symphonic concerts, theatrical productions and musical festivals take place here. You can see what is on the program here http://opera-centre.ru/theatre . Unfortunately “booking tickets online” is available in Russian only. If you need help, you can contact us at and we can book a ticket for you. 

Tchaikovsky Concert Hall and The Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory

These are two major concert halls for symphonic music in Moscow. Both feature excellent acoustics, impressive interior, various repertoire and best performers. You can check the program here http://meloman.ru/calendar/ . You need just to switch to English. Booking tickets online is available only for owners of Russian, Ukrainian and Belorussian phone numbers. If you need help, you can contact us and we can book a ticket for you. 

Moscow International Performing Arts Center (MIPAC)

This modern and elegant concert hall houses performances of national and foreign symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles, solo instrumentalists, opera singers, ballet dancers, theatre companies, jazz bands, variety and traditional ensembles. Actually, it has three concert halls placed on three different levels and having separate entrances. The President of MIPAC is People’s Artist of the USSR Vladimir Spivakov, conductor of “Virtuosy Moskvy” orchestra. You can see pictures of the concert halls here http://www.mmdm.ru/en/content/halls . The program is impressive in its variety but is not translated into English. You can contact us at and we can find a performance for you.

Moscow, Russia

See the official Rolling Stones web site in Russia , also having info in English!

How "the rolling stones" solve the problem of unemployment in moscow, their own uncompetence, their own openess, thanks to constantin preobrazhensky (moscow) for supplying info about the web site and the stones show in russia. also thanks to leonid ulitsky , italy, for info..

2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

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A History of Moscow in 13 Dishes

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