Tour Edge Exotics 9* Driver review

[SiberianDVM]

found on harder swings i am getting a high hard draw.

I thought that was a good thing. No?

[Strider]

sometimes, but being in n. michigan with a lot of tight, wood lined courses you can get out of position pretty quick. i am drawing it too much, maybe 10-15 yds with a hard swing which have put me in less than desirable places. i am gonna try a little stiffer and heavier shaft to see if i can tighten it up a bit.

[SiberianDVM]

I'm starting to get a little pissed. 4 days and no driver, and the USPS website just says label has been printed. How the heck am I supposed to score for the USA without my new driver?

[Rockford35]

Originally Posted by SiberianDVM

I'm starting to get a little pissed. 4 days and no driver, and the USPS website just says label has been printed. How the heck am I supposed to score for the USA without my new driver?

You might as well just have BD put in a line of zeros for your scores over the summer....

R35

[SiberianDVM]

Originally Posted by Rockford35

You might as well just have BD put in a line of zeros for your scores over the summer....

R35

Ha, Ha. Bite me.

You forget that I started with 14 points, so all I can do is improve. You, on the other hand, are doomed.

[SiberianDVM]

I just got back from the range, trying out my new Tour Edge Exotics 10.5* with the stock HL55 in regular flex.

Lots easier to hit than my 9.5* 983K. 10-20 yards more distance, probably due to the higher loft. High trajectory.

Hard to hit a bad shot, but I did manage a couple of pulls.

Love the sound, definitely like a hammer hitting an anvil.

This ones a keeper, at least for a while. Looking forward to playing this weekend.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by SiberianDVM

I just got back from the range, trying out my new Tour Edge Exotics 10.5* with the stock HL55 in regular flex.

Lots easier to hit than my 9.5* 983K. 10-20 yards more distance, probably due to the higher loft. High trajectory.

Hard to hit a bad shot, but I did manage a couple of pulls.

Love the sound, definitely like a hammer hitting an anvil.

This ones a keeper, at least for a while. Looking forward to playing this weekend.

All riiight! You got it. Glad to hear your happy with your new club. I took my reshafted (Comp NT- stiff) out and it was weird. Very good dispersion pattern. Only two big misses, and those were clearly due to horrid swings. I felt that it forgave a lot of marginal swings. But...

The launch angle on my good swings was way too low. I mean wayyyyy too low, leading to a severe lack of distance. Funny, since the exact same shaft in my R5 had a good launch angle.

Anyway, being King Ho, I'm going to re-shaft it again with something else. My club-fitter is going to put a couple of different used shafts into it until I find the one I want.

The club is clearly a keeper. I've just got to dial in the shaft.

[SiberianDVM]

Played 2 rounds this weekend with the Exotics.

Hit a few really nice drives. 240-250 and straight. Nice and high, no roll because the ground is so wet.

Hit a few more that just kind of faded out there and died at 210.

Hit 2 big-ass hooks that went OB. Where they came from is anybody's guess, because I almost never hook a driver.

The sound alone is enough to buy this driver. CLANG!

I need some more range practice.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by SiberianDVM

Played 2 rounds this weekend with the Exotics.

Hit a few really nice drives. 240-250 and straight. Nice and high, no roll because the ground is so wet.

Hit a few more that just kind of faded out there and died at 210.

Hit 2 big-ass hooks that went OB. Where they came from is anybody's guess, because I almost never hook a driver.

The sound alone is enough to buy this driver. CLANG!

I need some more range practice.

Forget the range time, Doc. Either sell it, or re-shaft it. That HL55 shaft is crapola. I had the same problems with wild hooks and slices. My Exo completely changed for the better when I re-shafted it.

PS - you get to keep the cool sound...

[SiberianDVM]

Went to the range last night to try new ball placement (moving it forward for fairways, hybrids and medium irons). Seemed to help. We'll see how long it lasts.

Hit a few good shots with the Exotics driver. Hit a few sucky ones as well. I'm kinda apprehensive about reshafting it without knowing WTF I'm doing.
How do you know what to reshaft it with? Launch monitor?

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by SiberianDVM

Went to the range last night to try new ball placement (moving it forward for fairways, hybrids and medium irons). Seemed to help. We'll see how long it lasts.

Hit a few good shots with the Exotics driver. Hit a few sucky ones as well. I'm kinda apprehensive about reshafting it without knowing WTF I'm doing.
How do you know what to reshaft it with? Launch monitor?

Great question. I don't know the answer. I've always been a big believer in "if it costs more it must be better", which is obviously not the right way to pick a golf shaft. I do read a lot about what people say about different shafts, and roll the dice. People say they like the Aldila NV-65. I think it feels like a stiff noodle. People like the Accuflex Icon V2. I tried it. Felt
like a concrete post. Rock doesn't like the Grafalloy ProLaunch. I know people who absolutely swear by it. I just buy and hope.

I really don't know a better way, unless it's the Callaway shaft bin, where they have a head that snaps on to about 20 different shafts. Different head, so the combination of shaft/head may (will) react totally differently than with the Exo and the same shafts.

I know that's not much help, but I will reiterate that the 10.5-degree Exo was absolutely unplayable with the HL-55 shaft, and became quite nice with the Comp NT shaft. The low launch angle is a problem for me, but if you've had success with an 8.5 head (which I could NEVER hit) then it might be OK for you. Again, my 10.5-degree R5 doesn't launch low with the exact same shaft. Go figure.

I think that choosing the proper shaft is still a matter of money, voodoo, and pure-ass luck.

[Strider]

i'm still struggling with a shaft combination for the exotics driver. i've tried a couple different ones and still getting the same results.

i saw some posts on guys liking the grafalloy blue so i picked a tour stiff off ebay and will get give that a try. if this doesn't work out then i think it is bye-bye for the exotics.

[ManchesterGolfer]

I have never heard of Tour Edge as a brand other than on this web site. That said, I'm very intreasted in having a go with one of the Exotics drivers after reading this reveiw. Only problem is I have never seen one in the UK and I visit a LOT of pro shops and all the big chains, American golf, Direct golf, Nervada bobs. Does anybody know of a stockiest over here? It appealls to me the thought of hitting a driver past the biggest hitters at my club with a club they have never heard of. Any thoughts? May have to wait till a friend or relative goes to the US and get them to bring me one back.

[SiberianDVM]

Right now my Exotics driver and my Yes! Tracy putter are the only 2 clubs in my bag that I can hit.

[Strider]

Originally Posted by ManchesterGolfer

I have never heard of Tour Edge as a brand other than on this web site. That said, I'm very intreasted in having a go with one of the Exotics drivers after reading this reveiw. Only problem is I have never seen one in the UK and I visit a LOT of pro shops and all the big chains, American golf, Direct golf, Nervada bobs. Does anybody know of a stockiest over here? It appealls to me the thought of hitting a driver past the biggest hitters at my club with a club they have never heard of. Any thoughts? May have to wait till a friend or relative goes to the US and get them to bring me one back.

Ebay!