FIRST LOOK: Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220 drivers, fairway woods and hybrids

In November 2018, Tour Edge released a line of EXS metalwoods that would become the company’s best-selling line ever. Flash forward to 2020, and Tour Edge is back with a new line of EXS 220 metalwoods – including drivers, fairway woods and hybrids — to replace the previous clubs, and they’re jam-packed with new technologies and improvements on the original, record-breaking designs.

“We have taken a substantial leap forward in design innovation with the entire EXS 220 line,” said Tour Edge president and master club designer David Glod in a release. “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 most immediately recognizable design change is the new elongated front-to-back head shape of the drivers that combines with an adjustable 9-gram weight in the rear portion of the sole. By placing so much weight away from the face, Tour Edge reports that it was able to increase MOI — moment of inertia, a measure of energy transfer — by 20 percent. For golfers, that means more forgiveness and straighter shots. To help free up weight to be placed low and rearward in the heads, Tour Edge also added lightweight carbon material on the crown and in toe and heel sections of the sole.

Tour Edge also introduced a new Diamond Face technology behind the 8-1-1 titanium faces to raise ball speeds and reduce spin. By strategically placing 42 different thick and thin diamond patterns, or “mini trampolines,” Tour Edge says it was able to raise ball speeds and reduce spin on shots hit off-center. To help fine-tune acoustics of the EXS 220 heads, Tour Edge added what it calls an S.D. Bar (Sound Diffusion Bar) inside the head.

The driver is available in right-handed lofts of 9.5, 10.5 and 12 degrees, and each of those heads come with a +/- 2-degree adjustable hosel sleeve. There is also a left-handed option at 10.5 degrees. The EXS 220 drivers will sell for $349.99 each.

EXS 220 Fairway Woods

The new EXS 220 fairway woods are made of a hyper-steel material that Tour Edge says is 14 percent lighter than the material used in the original EXS fairway wood heads. With the weight savings, Tour Edge was able to add weight to the sole and rear of the club heads in order to raise launch and decrease spin.

To help position weight and CG (center of gravity) strategically in the head to add distance and forgiveness, Tour Edge has a Dual Carbon Sole. This means that lightweight carbon has been added to the toe and heel portions of the sole, and there’s a six-gram weight in the rear of the club head.

Like the drivers, the fairway woods also have a Diamond Cup Face by way of 44 diamond patterns behind the face to effectively increase the sweet spot. For additional speed and better turf interaction, the fairway woods have a SlipStream sole with wider speed channels.

The EXS 220 fairway woods will be available in 13.5-, 15-, 16-, 18- and 21-degree lofts for right-handers, and in a 15-degree model for left-handers. They will sell for $249.99 each.

EXS 220 hybrids

Compared to the original EXS hybrids, the new EXS 220 hybrids, which are made from 450 hyper-steel, were constructed larger in order to better replicate fairway wood performance. To help further increase distance and forgiveness, Tour Edge added a four-gram weight in the rear of the head, and it has 44 of the thick-and-thin diamond patterns behind the face, as seen throughout the EXS 220 line.

Indents on the toe and heel portions of the hybrid soles act to raise CG to reduce spin, and to reduce the amount of turf interaction at impact for more of a gliding action. The reengineered SlipStream sole also now has wider channels and allows the leading edge to engage more with the turf for solid contact, according to Tour Edge.

The EXS 220 hybrids will be available in 17-, 19-, 22-, 25- and 28-degree models, each selling for $199.99.