Equipment

Tour Edge introduces new HL4 hybrid and iron-wood

Published

5 years ago

Jul 9, 2019

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: when it comes to technology and value Tour Edge is one of the absolute leaders in the golf industry. To complement the already announced HL4 Driver (WRX Spotted: Tour Edge HL4 Driver), Tour Edge is introducing the HL4 Hybrids and Iron-wood set. Both clubs will be available for order individually, but the Iron-wood will go all the way down to a 59-degree wedge – yes that’s NOT a typo, a 59-degree wedge, but we’ll get to that in a bit.

HL4 Hybrids

“Get ready for the ultimate launching experience.” —David Glod Tour Edge founder and lead designer.

The HL4 Hybrids when compared to previous models are designed with the more mass in the sole, and positioned to further away from the face to increase MOI (measurement of resistance to twisting = forgiveness) this newly positioned mass helps increase both launch & forgiveness numbers – who doesn’t want that from a hybrid? (go ahead I’ll wait)

The HL4 Hybrid also has a cup face designed with Variable Face Thickness technology to provide greater distance from more points on the face. This is important because as we know in golf – we can only make clubs go so fast/produce a certain ball speed before they become illegal under the rules. This point of maximum energy transfer is small but by repositioning mass and varying the thickness of the club face you can increase that area and help get more energy transfer on less than perfect strikes.

We can always talk about what’s under the hood, but there are some visual design features that offer just as many interesting points as COG. The HL4 Hybrid has a high-toe face design which improves the look from address and prevents the dreaded “this looks like it’s going left” observation. Even with the high toe design we still have a shallow face to help get the ball up from almost any lie and inspire confidence for those players that struggle with longer clubs.

HL4 Iron-wood

Yeah yeah I get it, “you” don’t need a hybrid 7 or 8-iron, but a LOT of golfers need all the help they can get, and that’s what the Hl4 Iron-woods are designed to do. Dating back almost 15 years the Tour Edge Iron-woods have been a game changer for a lot of recreational golfers looking for help with their iron game. I can recall the days of my time in golf retail and the HUGE number of original Tour Edge Bazooka J-Max iron-woods we would sell to regular golfers just looking for some assistance and to have fun.

As far as the design goes like many modern clubs built for speed there is a flexible “Power Channel” on the sole behind the face of the iron-wood. It’s wider and deeper compared to the hybrid for better weight distribution and increased flex = ball speed. Other tech features include:

Super-thin forged face allow for increase discretionary mass
Hollow hyper-steel body maximizes stability
Rear Inverted Crown lowers the CG for high launch
Progressing sole width, offset and top for playability throughout the set

Custom Fitting Promise

Here’s where it gets interesting: unlike a lot of “value” focused brands Tour Edge is 100% committed to custom fitting and building.

Once again, I’ll let Glod take it from here for a moment

“We see HL4 as being the best value available in the custom fitting market, which is why we created our 48-hour custom fitting delivery guarantee. Our message is Get Fit. Spend Less. Play Better. We want to open up custom fitting to thousands of new golfers who are looking for innovation and performance at logical prices.”

This is a mission statement I can get behind.

Availability

HL4 hybrid comes in 19, 22, 25 and 28 degree lofts. All lofts will be available in right and left-handed models. The HL4 hybrid will feature a retail price of $119.99.

The HL4 Iron-Wood is available in 18, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, 36, 40, 44, 49, 54 and 59 degree lofts. All lofts will be available in right and left-handed models. The individual HL4 Iron-Wood will carry a price of $79.99 in KBS Tour 90 steel shafts and $89.99 in graphite.

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

17 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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