Equipment
New for 2020: Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220 driver
Tour Edge has launched its Exotics EXS 220 Driver for the new year which features a 20% higher MOI than its predecessor as well as Diamond Face technology.
The Tour Edge EXS 220 driver contains an all-new elongated face-to-back shape and adjustable 9-gram back weight to help produce an MOI of 5440 grams per cubic centimeter – over 20% higher than the brand’s previous EXS driver.
Combined with the new elongated shape and back weight, Tour Edge implemented Triple Carbon Fiber technology on the crown and heel/toe areas of the sole driver. The result of this use of lightweight carbon fiber was the ability for substantial weight-savings which were then repositioned to the back of the clubhead for added forgiveness.
The 8-1-1 Titanium face of the new addition is also shallower than its predecessor and contains lower density, lighter Titanium for greater weight repositioning.
The adjustable 9-gram back weight in the new Exotics EXS 220 driver is complemented by additional weights of 3 grams, 6 grams, 11 grams and 14 grams to allow golfers to find their preferred swing weight and trajectory.
Speaking on the entire Exotics EXS 220 line, Tour Edge President and Master Club Designer David Glod bullishly stated
“We have taken a substantial leap forward in design innovation with the entire EXS 220 line. We set an all-time record for Exotics metalwoods sold with the original EXS line and based on the initial reaction to the performance from our partners and tour professionals, we feel we will shatter that sales record with the EXS 220.”
The new EXS 220 driver also features an enhanced sweet spot due to the addition of Diamond Face technology behind the face. Forty-two different thick and thin diamond shapes help to create the large sweet spot which aims to provide golfers with a substantially hotter face designed to result in faster ball speeds, reduction of spin and better performance on off-center hits.
The acoustics of the company’s EXS 220 driver has also been improved upon, with a Sound Diffusion Bar (S.D. Bar) having been placed inside the clubhead in a move to enhance the acoustic engineering of the club.
The new Tour Edge driver contains an adjustable hosel which allows players to alternate from 7.5-degrees to 14 degrees with three head options. With plus/minus options from 2-degrees up and down, that will enable golfers to play alternate lofts of 9.5, 10.5, and 12-degrees, while a left-handed option of the club will be available in 10.5-degrees.
The stock shaft option for the new EXS 220 driver is based in line with swing speed for optimal fitting with the driver equipped with the following shaft for golfers in each category
- 85 MPH or Below Fujikura Air Speeder: Ladies (R3) | Senior (R2) | Regular (R)
- 85-95 MPH Fujikura Ventus 4T Core: 5-Regular | 6-Stiff
- 95 MPH or Above Project X HZRDUS Smoke Yellow: 6.0 Stiff | 6.5 X-Stiff
The Tour Edge Exotic EXS 220 Driver arrives at retail on February 1, 2020, and comes with a price tag of $349.99.
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Whats in the Bag
WITB Time Machine: Billy Horschel’s winning WITB, 2017 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
The tournament bearing the name of one of golf’s all-time greats is now known as the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Back in 2017, it was still the AT&T Byron Nelson and Billy Horschel was still a full-bag PXG staffer. The Florida Gator leveraged those wares to a playoff victory over Jason Day securing his fourth PGA Tour win in the process.
Check out the clubs Horschel had in play seven years ago in Texas.
Driver: PXG 0811X (9 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Atmos Tour Spec Black 6 X
3-wood: PXG 0341X (15 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 75 6.5
5-wood: PXG 0341 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Black 75 6.5
Irons: PXG 0311T (3, 5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: PXG 0311T Milled (52-10, 56-10, 60-07)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: PXG Bat Attack
Grip: SuperStroke Flatso 1.0
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Check out more in-hand photos of Billy Horschel’s gear from 2017 here.
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Equipment
How Cleveland Golf’s wedge selector tool improves the wedge buying process
More than most golfers would care to admit, confusion often reigns when it comes to selecting a wedge — let alone configuring an entire wedge setup. Make? Model? Loft? Grind? Finish? Two wedges? Three wedges? Four? The questions abound!
While it’s easy to get off the fairway and deep into the rough quickly, the framework question for choosing wedges is the same as the entirety of the golf bag: How should I set up my golf bag to shoot the lowest score possible?
Manufacturers, in addition to, well, manufacturing golf clubs, also understand that golfers need to make informed decisions to get the most out of their equipment. It’s with this in mind, and to help golfers answer the aforementioned foundational question about their wedge setup, that Cleveland Golf has launched its wedge selector too.
To learn more, we talked with Cleveland’s Senior Product Manager, Casey Shultz.
GolfWRX: What was Cleveland seeing in the marketplace that led to the development of the wedge selector? How do golfers benefit?
Casey Shultz: Currently, there is a lot of talk about what grind players should play and what is right for their game in that aspect of selecting a wedge. But there is more to improving wedge play than finding the proper grind. We would even argue it’s one of the smaller dials for improvement. Players can find more success with wedges designed from head shape to shaft, sole width, gapping, and then the grind. Putting a system in place that makes the process of selecting the right wedge easier is something we feel can have a massive impact, especially for recreational players.
GolfWRX: Now, in breaking down Cleveland’s wedge selector tool, the point of departure is figuring out whether you’re an RTX or CBX player. Can you briefly spell out who each of these wedges is for?
CS: For lower handicappers, the RTX series is our tour-validated line of blade wedges. These are for players looking to play a lot of open-faced shots around the green, prioritize workability, and like to flight their wedges. CBX wedges are designed to make the short game easier, while still offering some level of versatility for the mid-high handicapper looking for a wedge that will reduce chunks and add forgiveness on all strikes. CBX’s are also a great option due to them blending well in weight and shaping with more cavity back iron sets.
GolfWRX: Proceeding through the RTX wedge selector, one of the first forks in the road is wedge finish. Can you break down the finish options and the considerations for a golfer in making their selection?
CS: With the RTX series we offer Tour Satin, Black Satin, and Tour Rack finishes. Tour Satin is our most popular finish and offers the most grind options. With HydraZip face blasts on the newest RTX Wedges, glare is significantly reduced at address compared to other silver finish offerings. Black Satin offers custom skin options as personalization and is one of the more durable black finishes on the market but will have some visible wear over time especially on the sole. Finally, Tour Rack is our tour authentic raw finish that will rust over time. The Tour Rack finish also comes with the option of applying any of our Tour Crafted leading edge and sole grind offerings to the Wedge for players really looking to fine-tune their performance.
GolfWRX: Can you walk us through the rest of the RTX wedge fitting process?
CS: Once players have selected their preferred finish, we gather information on their iron set and loft preferences to determine proper gapping. A properly gapped set of wedges, both with each other and transitioning from a player’s last iron, is key to ensuring their set covers a wide range of approach yardages well. We then ask specific questions about the performance the player is looking to achieve in their sand and lob wedges to determine proper grinds for each of those wedges. Lastly, we confirm a preference for traditional or Full-Face grooves at each loft. Full-Face grooves offer a new level of versatility, especially with open-face shots, but it’s up to the player if they want to transition to this groove design. Our algorithm will then take these results and determine a set of wedges best suited to the player’s game.
GolfWRX: Let’s circle back to grinds. Is there a grind configuration across their wedges you’re seeing the majority of players choose or is it pretty evenly divided?
CS: The MID grind is certainly the most popular grind across all lofts, with the blend of versatility and forgiveness in a wide range of conditions suiting many players. In sand wedge lofts, the second most popular grind is our FULL, which has a little more bounce than the MID and is especially effective out of the sand or rough. In lob wedge lofts, the popular alternative to the MID is the LOW grind, offering max versatility around the greens. We’re also seeing more amateur and tour players opt for our Full-Face models, especially in the lob wedge lofts where they are planning to open the face and get creative around the greens.
GolfWRX: Can you take us through the CBX wedge selector?
CS: In the CBX selector, we start by determining if a player is looking to play a lob wedge or not. For many recreational golfers, a lob wedge may not be necessary for the consistent short-game performance they are looking to achieve. Next, the CBX selector focuses on ensuring players end up with a set that transitions well into their irons, while also staying within the constraints of a player’s bag setup. With new players distance, game improvement, and super game improvement iron lofts becoming stronger than those of the past, creating a properly gapped set of wedges is trickier than ever for these players. The selector tool takes the guesswork out of the equation, while also considering a player’s set makeup and interest in replacing a wedge. Finally, players are given the option of when or if they would like to transition into a Full-Face design for added spin on strikes all over the face.
GolfWRX: Is there anything else you think GolfWRXers need to know about Cleveland’s wedge selector tool?
CS: Our wedge selector tool is designed to be used in concert with our set builder webpages. At completion of the selector, a player’s recommended wedge set will automatically be applied to the appropriate set builder. From there, they can easily adjust components or build specs to every Wedge all in one place. Players can also add Tour Crafted sole and leading edge grinds to refine their performance on our Tour Rack wedges, or personalize custom characters, skins, and paintfill in the same place. It’s a one-stop shop to build the perfect wedge set for any player’s game.
This article was presented in partnership with Cleveland Golf. Check out the wedge selector here.
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Equipment
Golf fans left surprised by LIV’s choice of course for its 2024 individual championship event
On Tuesday, LIV announced their individual championship will be held at Bolingbrook Golf Club just outside of Chicago. The event will take place September 13-15.
The late announcement is seemingly due to LIV looking for the right course in the Chicago area that has the infrastructure that can accommodate a professional event.
The choice of Bolingbrook Golf Club has received some feedback on social media.
Maybe Rich Harvest Farms wasn't available? RHF is 50miles from Chicago but at least it's surrounded by farm land so plenty of space to set up
— Crawf_Indiana (@captaincrawf) April 30, 2024
Awful course choice, it's a dog track!
— Rob (@piratedwight) April 30, 2024
????#LOOK: Bolingbrook GC in Illinois, site of LIV Golf’s just announced Individual Championship has tee times available around the $50 mark.
Are you teeing it up here? pic.twitter.com/b8Lgv9ZzhK
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) April 30, 2024
LIV fans were quick to point out that Bethpage Black, which is hosting the 2025 Ryder Cup, can also be played for a reasonable price, making the point the greens fees don’t always equate to the quality of the golf course.
During LIV’s first two seasons, LIV utilized Rich Harvest Farms in Chicago. It’s unclear why that course is off the rotation in favor of Bolingbrook.
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Lawrence Williams
Jan 17, 2020 at 4:04 pm
How was the sound?
Caroline
Jan 9, 2020 at 8:50 pm
Did not take long to get rid of the $299 price point they spend so much time promoting a year ago….
EB
Jan 9, 2020 at 9:51 am
This article states, “MOI of 5440 grams per cubic centimeter”
Is this the industry standard for measuring MOI? I ask because I think I remember reading the Ping G400 at a 9000 MOI and the G400 Max a MOI of 9900.
That can’t be using the same measurement can it? Or is MOI really just a number that doesn’t matter as much as the number indicates? Are they all good over a certain MOI like say 3500?
ffohcyaw
Jan 8, 2020 at 10:32 pm
Really good looking driver. I like everything from shape, contour, face, and even color scheme. Buying this. Thanks for the photos.
JP
Jan 8, 2020 at 5:03 pm
Can’t wait to demo this. A new driver for $349?!? Others start at $500 and go up from there. Plus, this one looks good and TEE CS has always been great.
Pelling
Jan 8, 2020 at 2:42 pm
Will the ball still go out of bounds on the 6th hole at the Village Links if it’s hooked?
RAAANDY
Jan 9, 2020 at 8:51 am
No, it features inflight curve technology, you should be good.
Paulo
Jan 7, 2020 at 11:48 am
Hi Gianni . Were these your in hand photos or were they sent to you by the manufacturer?
Brian Knudson
Jan 8, 2020 at 4:08 pm
These are in-hand photos we took at GolfWRX HQ.