Tour Edge Hot Launch 2 Iron Woods

[Don Golfo]

Has anybody out there tried the Tour Edge Hot Launch 2 Iron Woods? Thinking of importing a set from the USA.  I'm nervous as there are no Tour Edge dealers in the UK and therefore I won't be able to see them properly before buying.  How does Tour Edge compare to other brands quality wise? I realise they are quite affordable but this is mainly because they don't have player endorsements to fund?

[Hacker James]

@Don Golfo, there are several forum members who play the Tour Edge. I am currently filling my bag with TE (see my sig), also @onthehunt526. @Shorty and others.  I had the Tour Edge HL2 Driver for a short bit. It is pretty much a SGI club, has an offset hosel, fairly easy to hit, but after awhile, the offset design may help "too much" and turn that correction into a hook. 

I like the Exotics E8 and E9 for woods and hybrids, and am currently trying out the Exi irons. I special ordered a trial of the six iron directly from Tour Edge, but for the most part, their clubs are only available from retailers. 

Quality is excellent. Price is acceptable. I can not comment what clubs are used by Tour Players, but I believe they are out there. I believe I read that the TE company does not have player endorsements as  you have surmised. 

If you are buying sight unseen, then I would recommend staying with the Exotics line. Nothing wrong with the Hot Launch mind you, but you would probably want to upgrade later.

Best of luck.

[onthehunt526]

Tour Edge now basically runs with 2 main lines, Hot Launch and Exotics. Let me give some background on each line.

Hot Launch: Tour Edge's more affordable line, somewhere in the $200 for driver, $130 for a fairway wood, $110 for a hybrid, $400 for eight steel shafted irons, $500 for graphite. Mostly a game-improvement line targeted at golfers on a tighter budget. When David Glod started Tour Edge he saw that there was a spot in the golf market for affordable quality golf clubs. These are it. Your Hot Launch 2 iron-woods would set you back $500 (whatever that converts to in quid) In a market where most game improvement irons are $800 or more drivers are $400+, Fairways are $250+, hybrids are $175+ (again apologies for the US Dollars, don't know the conversion to GBP off hand)

Exotics: Top end line of Tour Edge. However in comparison to some of the other clubs out there still cheaper than the bigger names... But the quality is excellent. The Exotics line prides itself on using Exotic materials or different methods of club manufacturing. For instance Tour Edge had cup face fairways before Callaway even thought of it. Combo brazing, lighter metals (see XJ1, which is getting closer to my price range). When I said less than some companies, I meant it, the EX10 driver is $350, fairways are $250, hybrids it think are $180, a set of irons with steel will set you back $600-$1,000, with graphite $800-$1,200 (stock shafts you can upgrade to whatever you want), wedges are $100, putters are $250 with standard grips and $270 with Super Stroke grips. The quality is excellent, their customer service is second-to-none... I called when they were busy, and was only on hold for 5 minutes... You cannot beat a lifetime warranty, and that's for all clubs, even box sets. They really stand behind their product.

I've ever hit the Hot Launch 2 ironwoods, however, their predecessor was awesome, it feels like you are cheating.

 

[Hacker James]

@onthehunt526, what can  you tell us about the Exotics E8 Beta Driver?  I do know it is 440cc vs 460. I currently have an XCG7 Beta 3 wood, and like it, but in the meantime, I spied a used driver that I might purchase that is also a Beta. If its anything like the 3w, it should work just fine.  (I am definitely a club "HO" and am always looking for the "answer":). 

Edited September 22, 2017 by Hacker James

[onthehunt526]

I don't personally play it, but it's a 440cc head with a combo brazed beta titanium face... The beta fairways also use the same technology... From what I've heard the Beta fairways are like howitzer cannons.

[WUTiger]

On 9/16/2017 at 1:17 PM, Don Golfo said:

How does Tour Edge compare to other brands quality wise?

The Tour Edge Exotics line has a cult following among amateur golfers in the central USA. TE is a smaller craft operation that does its own research and development, and has developed several innovations in combining different metal types to maximize ball flight.

Tour Edge is based near Chicago, IL, and company president David Glod still makes the rounds of the golf tournaments and demo days to promote his product. The TE equipment reps really know their golf clubs, and will help you select the best one from their overall line.

Several PGA tour pros play Tour Edge products; as you noted, TE does not give promotion money to players to use their clubs.

The TE XRail 4W and 7W served me well for four seasons; I still have them in reserve, but currently play some more aggressive Callaway FWs this season.

[Hacker James]

13 minutes ago, WUTiger said:

The Tour Edge Exotics line has a cult following among amateur golfers in the central USA. TE is a smaller craft operation that does its own research and development, and has developed several innovations in combining different metal types to maximize ball flight.

 

This was sort of pioneered by Ray Ortiz formerly of Orlimar Golf who now is at Bobby Jones. Long ago he introduced his low profile, Tri-Metal Miraged driver and fairway metals. They took a little getting used to, but really performed once you got it down. Excellent for getting of the rough.  Orlimar still exists under new owners, but no where's near the same as it was.

I am a TE convert obviously, only a few clubs to go to have a 100% set, but probably will not go with their wedges.