Tour Edge just launched the latest Exotics driver line with three new models. I got my hands on both the Exotics LS and Exotics Max models to test them out and see how they stack up against other drivers out there. Personally, I have been a big fan of what Tour Edge has done with the Exotics line over the past few generations, as the updates on design and performance have been very noticeable.
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Tour Edge Exotics Exotics LS
Being a long-time GolfWRX forum member, this was the club I was most excited to hit when the new line was launched. This new Exotics LS replaces the previous C725, which was an underrated driver aimed at players looking for a lower-spinning and launching driver.
For me, the updated look with additional carbon fiber on the sole is nice without shifting away from what it is. The movable weight in the rear of the head loses the ability to be set for neutral, draw, or fade settings, and for some tinkerers, that could be a little bit of a bummer. I still think the setup is more than functional and will allow you and your fitting to dial in the driver to your swing needs.
From address, I would not guess that the LS is only 440cc, as it does look compact but not small. Tour Edge made the face angle very square to my eye, and I think the overall shape is classic and looks good.
On the course and range, the LS performs like advertised with fast ball speed, controlled spin, and flatter flight. While the numbers don’t show a massive launch difference, you could see a lower window outdoors when hitting the LS compared to the Max head. Ball flight was boring and flat with no rise in trajectory, even on windy days.
The Exotics LS was pretty neutral when it comes to flight bias and got the ball started on a very straight line, very little draw bias for my swing. Ball speed on center strikes was very good, and I saw a lot of 1.48 and 1.49 smash factor numbers on solid shots, but the nice thing is that slight misses didn’t see a big drop in that speed.
For a smaller driver, the LS plays a little bigger in terms of maintaining speed when you move away from the center of the face. Stability on misses is also pretty darn good for a driver that is 20cc smaller than usual. The ball stays online well from heel shots, but you will see some more curve to the shot compared to the Max model. Toe shots for me could get a little low in the spin department but they didn’t drop off the planet. One thing I liked is that the LS keeps spin down on that low heel shot, so you don’t have a ball that just spins up and falls out of the sky.
Tour Edge Exotics Max
Tour Edge’s Exotics E725 was a very good driver that most people didn’t notice, so I think this Exotics Max has some pretty decent shoes to fill. Tour Edge gave the club a little cleaner look on the sole and thankfully kept the movable weights in the rear for maximum adjustability.
The Max is a 10K driver, so the stability on toe, heel, low, and high strikes should be really good. From address, the face angle is a little more shut compared to the LS, and the footprint is larger, stretched out a little from face to back. Now that isn’t a bad thing, as I think Tour Edge did a nice job of making a very forgiving driver look good when you put it behind the ball.
The first thing I noticed when hitting the Exotics Max was that the ball flight was higher than the LS on center and mishits. While the launch monitor averages only show 1.2 degrees, in person you could tell that the Max was higher initially and had a little sharper apex.
As a player who naturally doesn’t hit the ball high, it was nice to see Max effortlessly get the ball in the air. Misses out on the toe retained more height and spin, but really had less left in the end result due to the stability of the head. Those heel shots kept some height, but again didn’t go as far offline and had a straighter path compared to LS. Ball speed is fast, and like the LS, saw a lot of high 1.4 numbers on solid shots, with the misses not dropping off too far.
To be fair, I typically don’t hit 10k drivers as well as others, and when struck well, this was very close to the LS in speed. The spin was a little higher with the Max, and for players who typically need this driver, some added spin can help keep the ball in the air longer and provide more control.
Tour Edge has been doing some noteworthy things recently by pushing the technology boundaries and offering great clubs at very reasonable prices. The latest Exotics LS and Max drivers prove the company continues to bring high performance to golfers of all abilities and needs.
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