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Tour Edge Exotics 9* Driver review

Augster

Rules Nerd
Supporting Member
Mar 9, 2005
1,473
23
This is my review of the Tour Edge Exotics Driver.

As you may or may not know, the Tour Edge Exotics was one of the best in the 2006 Golf Digest hotlist.

http://www.golfdigest.com/equipment/index.ssf?/equipment/gd200602hotlistdrivers.html

After reading that, I decided to check out their website. That's where I found, in independent testing, the Exotics was the LONGEST driver tested against most others. It was 20!!! yards longer than the Cleveland Launcher Comp. The Comp is longer than the TI by Cleveland's own admission on their website.

Here are the results.

http://www.exoticsgolf.com/productpages/driver.asp

This came out before the Hibore, but I was planning on buying the Comp, but just couldn't see giving up 20+ yards to another driver I knew was out there.

Then I got a great deal on Ebay, and found a TE Exotics 9* with a Prolaunch Blue 65s already in. Sweetness.

SO for the price I paid ($250 delivered) I figured I could try it out, and if it didn't live up to the hype, I could most likely resell it at cost, or for profit.

I got it 2 days ago and have had 2 range sessions of about 40 balls with it, and one today, after my round with it, of about 10 balls.

This driver has a nice, glossy, traditional, top to it. Nothing to line up with on top. Nice.

My background:

I have always been considered "long". If a 70 year old could play from where I hit the driver, they'd be scratch or plus in their first week. I'm just terrible with irons, and it's a point of emphasis in my game.

Anyway, I have hit the 983K for I think 3 years now. Before that was the 975J. Before that the Cally Biggest Big I believe.

I hit the 983K well. I have an Aldila X-stiff in there. After reading these boards here, and realizing the 983 isn't forgiving, I decided to look for a driver that is as long, or longer, but forgives.

2 days ago, I practice into about a 20mph headwind with the Exotics. That said, I didn't notice it was all that good.

The sound is cool. It's LOUD, and it sounds like a hammer striking an anvil. Very manly.

Yesterday, I hit the range, only this time it's less windy, but it's straight left to right. Again, I didn't notice much, because if you push it a little, the wind just makes it slice. Not really great practice conditions. I got a feel for the driver, which was good.

Today I got to play. Perfect conditions wind-wise. And new driver-wise. The ground is soggy, so everything plugs. You know EXACTLY how far you are hitting it that way.

I will announce at this time that this is the LONGEST, MOST FORGIVING DRIVER I HAVE EVER TRIED. Period. Granted I'm still in my honeymoon with it, but in the FIRST ROUND with it I had about my best driving day ever at my course.

On the first hole, a slightly downhill par 4 about 370, I just crush it. The Exotics hits the ball DAMN HIGH. I wasn't loose, it's soggy, and it's my first shot of the day. 310 plug.

I carried it to where, in the summer, only the longest players hit it after the roll. Had 60 in. Dead center. Actually, in all honesty, I've been playing this course for 10 years and have NEVER been in that position in 1. Ever. Wet, dry, windy, calm, summer, fall. Never.

So I figure, okay it's long when you compress it and use the .830 tramp. Aren't all drivers? Let's talk forgiveness.

For my second swing with it of the day, on #2, the tees are playing up, so it's about a 380 par 4, where it goes DOWN from the elevated tees, flat in the valley, then UP a steep hill to a well-elevated green about the last 40 yards.

I heel it. I never see it. I am watching the woods on the left as that is where the 983's misses usually ended up. A heel shot may have sliced it over toward the water on the right. Clueless and not a sound. Provisional time.

I take another terrible swing, hit it off the lower part of the clubface, and it just laces down the middle low and boring. I'll find it.

I get to my provisional. I have 110 in. A 270 miss down the middle into the breeze. Not bad for a very scared swing.

I notice another ball a bit further up, near the base of the hill. I've only made it to the base of the hill one other time, and that was from forward tees also, only it was hard, and downwind.

There's my heel-ball first, center-cut, about 20 yards short of the hill. I have 70 yards up the hill to the stick. Plugged. 310 carry, into the wind, dead center, off the heel having to hit a provisional. Nice. I am almost NEVER this close to this green during the summer, and NEVER with no roll.

#3 is a par 3.

#4 is a 504 yard dogleg right par 5 where you can cut the corner. It was a little downwind. You just have to hit it HIGH to get it over the trees on the corner. No problem. Not a terrible swing, but I felt it off the toe-side of the sweetspot. Came off nice and high with a little draw cutting the corner perfectly. Center cut, plugged, 165 to the front, 185 to the stick. 7-iron in. Nice.

I could go on, but why. It's irrelevant.

Did I hit some bad shots with it? Of course. I push sliced one into the trees on a tight hole which was all my fault. Too much fear on the one TIGHT hole on my course. With the distance of this thing, I hit it OVER the trees to the hole on the other side. With the 983, it would have been a lost ball.

Same thing on 9. I'm thinking about driving the 330yard green, but the tees were so far up, in order to take the correct line, you have to aim right at a tree about 30 yards in front of you. From the regular tees, it would be no problem, but when they are up, I got scared and toe-hooked one.

This is a shot I've hit MANY times with the 983K. When I do, it usually rolls into a pair of HUGE fir trees in the left rough about 240 out. With the Exotics, I was PAST those trees, as it didn't hook as hard as the 983 would have and into some trees that are much less prickly to punch out of.

I would say that the Exotics is 100% more forgiving than the 983K. By that I mean that each and every shot I hit with it didn't go where I expected it to. It was straighter, or less pushed, or less pulled, or was a hard draw as opposed to a hook, or a tight fade, instead of a push slice.

And it's long.

If you actually pure a ball, which isn't hard to do at all as I can usually reel off 5-10 in a row on the range, the ball flight is majestic, boring, and extremely long.

If you have a chance to hit it, do it. I bought it off ebay without ever hitting it and am extremely pleased. I had planned on getting a Hibore, but those plans are on hold indefinitely.

I can't wait to play again this weekend. If only I could hit 60 yard shots. :)
 

Slingblade61

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Aug 26, 2004
6,046
129
Nice review!

It stretched out the front page a bit but it looks real good! :)
 
OP
Augster

Augster

Rules Nerd
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Mar 9, 2005
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Thanks Sling, glad I could help!
 

ndlarry

Well-Known Member
Apr 2, 2006
6
0
Thanks, I was just starting to feel good about my Clev Comp.

Now I want to hit the Exotic.
 

Slingblade61

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Aug 26, 2004
6,046
129
Don't believe the hype Larry, Cleveland reigns supreme here by about 20 to 1. :)
 

Eracer

No more triple bogies!!
Oct 31, 2005
12,405
8
Thanks Augster. Now I get to go spend even more money on this stupid quest...
 

1BadHusker

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2006
18
0
I will chime in here to sing the praises of Tour Edge as well. I don't hit the Exotics, but the JMax Carbon 460. If the Exotics is better than the Jmax Carbon, then it has to be good.

I came from a Callaway Steelhead III driver to my Jmax, and gained a good 15-20 CONSISTENT yards over any other driver I have ever hit.

I tend to have a little slice on my drives, so I purchased the draw enhanced 10.5*. I can place the ball pretty well now and play out of the rough a lot less than with my previous driver. I also get a ton of elevation, which is good sometimes but limits the roll I get after contact with the ground.

The JMax also has the sweet "hammer striking an anvil" sound to it that Augster alluded to with the Exotics driver.

My experience with Tour Edge products is that they are top-notch and as good as anything out there. When I am tired of hitting my Tommy Armour 845's, I'll be putting a set of Tour Edge irons in my bag as well.
 
OP
Augster

Augster

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Mar 9, 2005
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Here is a follow up.

Opening weekend at my course. All of the usual suspects from my normal men's club group were there. I was happy to see none of them died in the off-season. Everyone was healthy and ready to start a new season.

They usually group us "long hitters" together so the other groups don't feel so inferior. I got to play with a pal of mine, Paul, that is usually about as long as me. Some years he's longer.

What Paul doesn't have is a shortage of money. He tries every driver out there and always has the latest and greatest. He's a great golfer and usually plays off of a 1 in the summer. He will usually give a driver a run-through for a couple of weeks, tire of it, and get another one.

He, of course, had a brand new Hi-Bore, 9.5* I think, stiff shaft fuji. We were waiting to hit and I told him I got the new Exotics and it was F'in long. Amazingly he hadn't heard of it, nor did he know it was 20 yards longer than the Cleveland Comp in independent testing. Must not be a Shottalker. :)

Anyway, he of course wants to try it out, so we both hit do a "hit-away" down the 18th fairway. He hit the TE and just KILLED it. He turns around to the group, 13 of us in 3 groups, and jokingly says we're trading drivers for the round. I then hit the HiBore. I wasn't impressed. Feels kind of light and hollow. Made good contact for the first swing of the day. We had no idea where those ended up.

So it's time to play. 370 yard par 4 into the light morning breeze. Soggy, so it's going to be plug-ball all day. Fine with me, I have the Tour Edge.

Paul just SMOKES the Hi-Bore center-cut, to the oohs and ahhs of the other folks on the box. I get up and SMOKE the TE to the oohs and ahhs also. Fun stuff.

We get down the fairway. The other two guys in our group are pretty long, and good, but not ferociously. Greg had 160 in, Jim (who was as long as me last year when he stepped up to the G2 and I had the 983) had about 120 in. Paul found his ball at 115 and was wondering where mine was, because we both just pured it. I just shook my head and smiled. He's looking around at 115, 110, 100. I can see him just scanning back and forth across the fairway looking for the plug.

I say, "Look a little further up". He just says utters the lord's name in disbelief. They all hit and I saunter up to my ball at 80 yards. 35 past Paul in CARRY. He was a bit dismayed.

So we get to the second, which is 400, a little downwind, soggy as hell and has a raised green about the last 50 yards. It's an extra club to get up there. I'm sure he's hoping that he missed it on the first hole, even though he knew he hit it well. On the second, he just smoked it again, as did I.

The other two guys had over 150 in. Paul had 135, so it was about a 8 for him with the hill. I had 90. SW.

The entire day was like that. Even my misses were outdriving him.

He's a MUCH better player than I am. If he was playing from where I was, he'd be shooting 66 or 67 because his wedge game is so good. As a 1, he just can't give up 35 yards to a guy he knows he's equally as long as. He's actually LONGER than I am most days because he hits the sweet spot so often.

I can just about guarantee he'll have the Exotics in the bag the next time I see him.

I thought the Exotics was long, just becuase of the shots I've had in at my course thus far this year. Now that I've played with some of the usual folks, I know for a fact it's crazy long.

If the "next generation" of drivers get longer than this, I really can't see the game being all that fun anymore. How many 60 and 80 yard approaches do you blow before you give up the game?

In my opinion, I think a player just gives up too much by not playing this driver. Granted, the price is a deterrent. That was the reason I didn't get one as soon as I had hoped. Bide your time on Ebay and pick one up.


(I in no way receive any compensation by endorsing Tour Edge or it's products. :) )
 

IrishGolfer

Fac ut gaudeam
Supporting Member
Sep 1, 2004
6,542
4,976
Augster

You sound like your'e pimping this pretty hard. Are you sure you are not just flushing it with a better swing this season? I have never come across this club and I am keen to find out more. It may be the Prolaunch shaft, have you tried it with any other combo before?

Here's a task for you to try.

Take your 983K and a few others along with this new wonder club. Grab a bag of balls and get a flat pice of ground. Mark off 6 balls with a 1, six with a 2, six with a 3 etc.

Have a good warm-up and hit the first batch of 6 balls with the first randomly chosen driver. Take out the worst 3 (mainly based on accuracy), then take note of the longest and the shortest of the remaining three.

Do the same for the rest of the drivers and then give us a report on how the Exotics did. Call it the AugTest if you like.
 

Rockford35

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Aug 30, 2004
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IG,

I can't speak for the Exotics driver myself, but the fairways are by far the longest I have ever hit, hands down. The ball just crushes off the face of them.

They also offer a hybrid series which is underrated as well.

Not that I had a look into the future, but:

Tour Edge Thread March 2nd

:D

R35
 
OP
Augster

Augster

Rules Nerd
Supporting Member
Mar 9, 2005
1,473
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IG,

I'd love too, but it'll be hard to find the time.

Through my comparisons with my playing partners on a course I've been playing for 10 years, you kind of know where you "usually" play from on a given hole.

I haven't shot even close to a decent score yet, despite my driving. I am absolutely not hitting the same clubs into greens from a year ago, 3 years ago, 5 years ago. Everyone I'm playing with, thus far, are hitting the same clubs from the same places as last year.

Having different clubs in, and working through early-season swing changes, hasn't helped me to score at all yet.

I told my friend, who usually buys my "old" drivers after I'm done with them, to not even bother with my 983. If he wants it, I'll give it to him cheap. I told him to save his cash and step up to the Exotics. From what I've seen and felt on the range and at the course, there is no substitute.

Now granted, anyone playing a driver that isn't a 460 head I feel is giving up too much. If I had stepped from a 460 head to the Exotics, I may have been impressed with the distance, but not the forgiveness as 460 heads are all about forgiveness. Stepping from the 983 to the Exotics, I am getting the extra distance and the forgiveness all at the same time, and it's a little mind-blowing.

The sweet spot on the 460's is something like tennis-ball sized. The sweet spot on the 983 is most likely the size of a golf ball. I am still trying to get used to the fact that my ball ISN'T going to curve as hard, either way, regardless of where I hit it on the clubface.

I hope to do a test like you suggest sometime soon. I'd like to just for the heck of it.

I currently have 4 drivers I could test with, though not the greatest comparison technology-wise. I don't think I'll be able to get out and do the testing, but I hope to.

Time to start pricing some Exotics 3-wds on Ebay.
 

Strider

Well-Known Member
Mar 16, 2005
514
0
i just ordered my exotics driver yesterday. i have been shopping for a 460 driver for a little while now and then came across this review. thank goodness because i had totally forgotten that this beast was out there.

last fall i went to play golf in wisconsin with a couple of friends. my one friend is a college guy and had the oppurtunity to work for tour edge last summer, so he was all decked out with brand new exotics irons, 3 wood, and driver.

anyways, i had heard about these clubs and how long they were and my friend was telling me the same thing except he said the irons were ok. so we go out and play. typically, we drive the ball about the same distance but not today. he was outdriving me consistenly by 10+ yards and sometimes 20.

on a short par 4 that plays about 315, i hit my drive and it rolls up to within 5 yards of the green. that bastard got up there and smashed his drive and flew his ball to the backside of the green! it was around 320 carry. after the round i told him i was convinced.

i can't believe i forgot about this club. thanks for the review and the reminder augster!
 

Eracer

No more triple bogies!!
Oct 31, 2005
12,405
8
Damn it. I just bought one on eBay for $234.00. Damn it to hell...
 

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