Tour Edge Exotics XCG5 Fairway Wood Review – Is It the Real Deal?

Does the Tour Edge Exotics XCG5 fairway wood live up to the high standards set by other clubs in the Exotics line? Tour Edge’s Exotics line is known for its advanced techniques and technology, and many of the clubs have developed a strong following. So, does the this club justify its place among this long line of excellent clubs? Is it the real deal?

Read this review to see what I think of the Tour Edge Exotics XCG5 fairway wood. My opinions are based on my experiences on the course as well as information provided by the company itself.

The top-shelf club manufacturers are coming out with some pretty innovative fairway woods for 2012. TaylorMade claims its new Rocketballz fairway woods provide substantial distance gains. Some woods are now adjustable, just like their driver big brothers. Others have channels on the sole or slots on the crown to make them more aerodynamic, enabling golfers to swing them faster without needing to swing harder. And many of today’s fairway woods are lighter in weight than ever before - again to promote faster swings and more distance.

So, what type of technology does the Tour Edge Exotics XCG5 fairway wood use to enhance its performance? Let’s take a quick look...

As it turns out, the club is getting an awful lot of buzz. People in the industry are saying the Tour Edge Exotics XCG5 fairway wood is one of the most innovative woods on today’s market. And Tour Edge itself is hyping the clubs as being 20 yards longer. As soon as I heard that, I knew it was time to test a 3-wood.

Tour Edge is a fairly small company and it doesn’t spend much on marketing. It doesn’t even pay any tour pros to play its clubs. But I really like the sound of its motto: “Superior Materials, Superior Design, Superior Construction.”

The company’s main goal for this club is to provide top-shelf performance through advanced technology, sophisticated materials, cutting-edge design and quality construction techniques. But it also wants to deliver a club that’s aesthetically pleasing, because Tour Edge understands that a golfer will feel more confident if he or she is standing over a good-looking club.

Most woods have a stainless steel face and body, but the Tour Edge Exotics XCG5 fairway wood is different – it has a beta titanium cup face and a heavy tungsten sole combo-brazed onto a titanium body. Brazing is an expensive technique that joins two pieces of metal without welding them. Tour Edge uses it because it allows weight to be moved elsewhere in the head for increased forgiveness, feel, distance and playability.

The heavy tungsten sole plate represents two-thirds of the head’s total weight, and it gives the club an exceptionally low center of gravity and high Moment of Inertia (MOI). Ball speed comes from the titanium face; high launches are promoted by the low center of gravity; and forgiveness is provided by the high MOI.

A “Boomerang” face design uses variable face thickness to promote maximum rebound and enlarge the sweet zone. The idea is to give you hotter launches and better feel on mishit balls as well as great distance on purely struck shots.

In short, the Tour Edge Exotics XCG5 fairway wood is designed to give you the kitchen sink as far as technology and high-quality materials are concerned. But these clubs look good, too, with a deep black, pear-shaped crown. The face angle is neutral (fairly unusual in a club not designed for the pros) and the club sits up nicely to the ball. The sole has a heavy radius design which enables you to hit it from various types of lies.

The Tour Edge Exotics XCG5 fairway wood is nicely balanced and I never lost track of the head during my swings. The sound and feel were superb, and the ball explodes off the face with authority. One thing to note: the stock ultra-light Graphite Design Tour AD shaft is a bit longer than the shafts that come with most fairway woods (the extra length may have a little to do with the long shots I was hitting). The ball flight was down the middle on my well-struck shots; off-center hits gave me a slight draw or a slight fade. Overall, the club’s accuracy was great.

The Bottom Line: The Tour Edge Exotics XCG5 fairway wood is available in several lofts and with several shafts, but I was more than happy with the 15-degree 3-wood I tested. I’ve heard that because of the club’s accuracy and length, some people are using the Exotics 11.5-degree wood (how unusual!) as a driver replacement. This club is the real deal.

From the Tour Edge Exotics XCG5 Fairway Wood to Tour Edge Exotics golf clubs.