Equipment

WRX Spotlight Review: Tour Edge Exotics EXS driver

Published

5 years ago

Feb 7, 2019

Product: Tour Edge Exotics EXS driver

Pitch: Per Tour Edge: “The tech-loaded EXS driver features a Flight Tuning System (FTS) that includes 9-gram and 3-gram interchangeable weights, an adjustable hosel that allows for plus two or minus two degrees in loft, RollFace Technology for an expanded sweet spot, Dual Carbon Fiber placement for ideal weight distribution and a new and improved SlipStream Sole for faster clubhead speed.” All for $299!

Our take

At the end of last year, Tour Edge introduced the Exotics EXS driver with all the latest technology but at a lower price point. I finally got some time on the range and course with this new $299 offering from Tour Edge Exotics. I went with the 9.50-degree head and stock Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei CK Blue 60g X-Stiff.

Out of the box the EXS is a good looking driver with everything you would expect like an adjustable hosel, movable weights, and a healthy amount of visible carbon fiber. Driver shape is traditional and compact, with a smaller footprint and deeper face that better players should appreciate. The crown is black near the face and then fades into carbon fiber, with a small Exotics logo as an alignment aid.

The sole of the club has two movable weights, nine and three grams, to help influence ball flight. Movable weights are great, but the issue is that neither are visibly marked. The only way to tell how heavy the weights are is to remove them. A minor complaint, but for a WRXer who likes to tinker, I don’t always remember what setting I left the driver in.

The simplicity and amount of adjustment in the hosel makes switching settings for any type of ball flight simple and fast. I could adjust the 9.5-degree head all the way down to 7.5 degrees and up to 11.5, with the lie angle ranging from 57 to 60 degrees! That is a wide range of options again to fit just about every swing. After messing around with the adjustments, I settled on the standard 9.5 degree because the higher loft options seem to visually close the face more than I liked.

First shots on the range were met by a very pleasant sound and feel. The sound at impact was a low, muted thwack sound. Not loud and high pitched like some multi material heads can sound. The feel was also very solid with very little unneeded vibration. The club head is very responsive and easy to feel those shots that aren’t struck in the center of the face. I could routinely feel my heel miss, but I wasn’t punished with excess sound or harsh vibration. I didn’t have a launch monitor out there and the ball seemed to really jump off the face with a lower, flat trajectory.

I didn’t expect the stock shaft to provide as flat as a ball flight as it did. Much lower than my gamer driver, even with a heavier, lower launching shaft. EXS shined hitting balls into the wind, where that flat trajectory pierced through the wind with ease. Mishits were right or left, providing very straight misses with very little curve. Spin looked to be low as well with zero ballooning, even into a pretty strong wind. I only noticed a slight rise in trajectory when the wind gusted at me.

On the course the EXS was fun to hit and very predictable. Good swings were met with great results, long and straight drives. I had to adjust a little bit with aim as my typical draw didn’t move as much from right to left. On truly poor swings, for me this is a snap hook, the EXS provided a little less help. I think simply going with the 10.5-degree head would help with that miss as a little higher trajectory and added backspin could straighten out that shot a touch. The EXS was a solid all day and I never lacked confidence in it, even with my limited experience hitting it.

Overall the Tour Edge Exotics EXS is going to shock a lot of people. I really hope the price doesn’t make people think it is a second-rate driver, because it isn’t. Properly fit, or just off the rack, it will perform right up there with drivers costing more than twice its price. The EXS can also offer a flatter trajectory for those of you out there who struggle with finding a driver that keeps the ball down and offers forgiveness on those mishit shots. At $299, I don’t know how you don’t give the EXS a try.

See more photos of the Tour Edge Exotics EXS, and what WRXers are saying about the club, in the forums.

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Whats in the Bag

Kris Kim WITB 2024 (May)

Published

1 day ago

May 3, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

Kris Kim what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. More photos from the event here.

Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @7)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 60 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (15 degrees @13.5)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 73 TX

Check out more in-hand photos of Kris Kim’s equipment here.

Irons: TaylorMade P770 (2, 4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120 X

Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-09SB, 56-12SB, 60-11TW)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 WV 125

Check out more in-hand photos of Kris Kim’s equipment here.

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord

Check out more in-hand photos of Kris Kim’s equipment here.

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Equipment

Welcome to the family: TaylorMade launches PUDI and PDHY utility irons

Published

1 day ago

May 3, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

TaylorMade is continuing its UDI/DHY series with the successor to the Stealth UDI and DHY utility irons: PUDI and PDHY (which the company styles as P·UDI and P·DHY). TaylorMade is folding the designs in with its P Series of irons.

TaylorMade outlined the process of developing its new utilities this way. The company started with the data on utility iron usage. Not surprisingly, better players — i.e. those who generate more clubhead speed and strike the ball more precisely — were found to gravitate toward the UDI model. DHY usage, however, covered a wider swath than the company might have expected with six-to-18 handicappers found to be bagging the club.

TaylorMade also found that the majority of golfers playing UDI or DHY utilities were playing P Series irons at the top of their iron configurations.

Can you see where this is going?

Matt Bovee, Director of Product Creation, Iron and Wedge at TaylorMade: “As we look to the future, beyond the tech and the design language, we are excited about repositioning our utility irons into the P·Series family. P·UDI is an easy pair for players that currently play P·Series product and P·DHY is an extremely forgiving option for players of all skill levels. It is a natural fit to give these players the performance in this category that they are looking for.”

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TaylorMade PUDI

TaylorMade PUDI technology cutaway (via TaylorMade)

Crafted with tour player input, TaylorMade sought to develop a confidence-inspiring utility iron that blends with the rest of the P Series irons. Also of note: Interestingly, the PUDI has a more compact head than the P790.

In comparison to past UDI products, the PUDI has a more traditional iron shape, slimmer toplines, and less offset with a little of the backbar visible at address.

TaylorMade PDHY

TaylorMade PDHY tech cutaway (via TaylorMade).

Larger in profile than the PUDI, the PDHY seeks to position center of gravity (CG) lower in the club for ease of launch. The toe height is larger and the profile is larger at address — roughly five millimeters longer than PUDI — the sole of the club is wider for improved forgiveness.

Club Junkie’s take

Golfers who feel like they are missing something at the top of the bag could find the PUDI or PDHY a great option. The look of the PUDI should fit the most discerning eye with a more compact look, less offset, and a thinner topline. If you want a little more confidence looking down the P-DHY will be slightly larger while still being a good-looking utility iron.

For being small packages both models pack a pretty good punch with fast ball speeds, even off-center. The feel is soft and you get a solid feel of the ball compressing off the face when you strike it well. Your ears are greeted with a nice heavy thud as the ball and club come together. The PDHY will launch a little higher for players who need it while the PUDI offers a more penetrating ball flight. Both utility irons could be the cure for an open spot in the top end of the bag.

PUDI, PDHY, or Rescue?

TaylorMade offers the following notes to assist golfers in filling out their bags:

PUDI has mid-CG right behind the center face to create a more penetrating mid-to-low ball flight
PDHY has a lower center of gravity to produce an easier-to-launch mid-to-high ball flight.
Both PUDI and PDHY are lower-flying than the company’s hybrid/Rescue clubs.
PUDI is more forgiving than P790.
PDHY is the most forgiving iron in the entire TaylorMade iron family

Pricing, specs, and availability

Price: $249.99

At retail: Now

Stock shafts: UST Mamiya’s Recoil DART (105 X, 90 S and 75 R – only in PDHY)

Stock grip: Golf Pride’s ZGrip (black/grey)

PUDI lofts: 2-17°, 3-20°, 4-22° in both left and right-handed

PDHY lofts: 2-18°, 3-20° and 4-22° in both left and right-handed

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Equipment

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (5/3/24): Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter

Published

1 day ago

May 3, 2024

Gianni Magliocco

At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter

From the seller: (@wwcl): “Has been gamed as pics show. 33.5 includes original h/c and grip. $575 includes shipping and PP fees.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter

This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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