Tour Edge Exotic XCG5 Fairway Wood Review

Oct 2012 Fairways Test

The XCG5 split opinion. David and Mick were big fans of the distance and feel, particularly off the tee, but pro James thought the head was on the large side and didn’t feel balanced. Anthony liked the looks but struggled with control.

TG Ratings (out of 5)

Distance: 4.0
Dispersion: 4.0
Looks: 3.6
Feel: 3.5
Forgiveness: 4.0
Fairway: 3.8
Tee: 3.9

FIRST HIT – Tested by David Connor (10h’cap)

The first time I hit the XCG5 I was blown away by the ball speeds off the face and the ease with which the ball launched. Even the stronger 13˚ version delivered a towering ball flight and loads of forgiveness and it was an excellent driver alternative off the tee.

The head shape is very traditional but my one criticism is the head size – just a touch large, so I wasn’t as confident from tight fairway lies. Otherwise, this was a rocket launcher. I’d urge you to seek one out if you don’t like following the crowds.

First Impressions

Pros: Unbelievable feel and ball speeds off the face. You won’t be disappointed by its length.
Cons: It is quite expensive. The larger head means it’s not ideal off really tight fairway lies.

If 2011 was the year of the white driver, then 2012 has been the year of the fairway wood. From TaylorMade’s RocketBallz to Cobra’s 45-inch Long Tom 2W, they have been the talk of the golf equipment industry.

Yet US-based Tour Edge have been focused on fairway woods for years and are so confident of their product they offer a money-back guarantee if they're not longer than your current model.

The latest offering is the Exotics XCG5 wood. It features a titanium face and a tungsten sole for great distance but the real secret, say Tour Edge, is how the parts are fused together. They use a technique called brazing, which is more time consuming and more expensive than welding but offers superior feedback and performance.

We tested: 13° & 15° 3-woods
Other lofts: 3+ (11.5°), 4 (16.5°), 5 (18°), 7 (21°)
Shafts available: Graphite Design Tour AD 40, Exotics Fujikura Blur 65 and Aldila RIP 70 Sigma
The full range: XCG5 driver (£299); XCG5 hybrids (£179)

Website: www.touredge.com