The Exotics Hybrid irons are a combination of two different materials… a heavy tungsten sole and a lighter stainless steel body. Tour Edge uses a process called “Tungsten Fusion” to bond these two pieces together. The cool thing about using this much tungsten is that Tour Edge is able to make an iron with a very low center of gravity without making the club’s sole big and bulky. They call it a “blade-like sole”… I don’t know if I’d go that far but it is pretty thin. The box in the middle of the cavity is hollow and helps move weight away from the face. It also gives the club a look similar to the Mizuno T-Zoid irons from a few years ago. The iron features a undercut sole too… something that has become very popular in recent years. The top line is fairly thin and the club is appealing to the eye. The iron does not have a lot of offset and a better player should have no problem working the ball with these. The stock shaft options are actually pretty good… the Fujikura graphite and Nippon steel are very good shafts for the average player.
These irons confused us a bit… they are designed to hit a high ball… and they do just that. But they also have a reduced offset… meaning that they are designed more for the advanced player that keeps the ball straight. Most of these players hit the ball fairly high already and they don’t need a club with a very low center of gravity. The Exotics irons feel decent… some testers said they felt a bit clunky… and they look really nice too. Our testers had no problem getting the ball airborne and the club also performed very well out of the rough… the head stayed very stable through impact. The price might scare a few people away but it’s no secret that the Exotics clubs intended to be a premium product at a premium price. I think Tour Edge can really find a loyal following with their Exotics line… the fairway woods tested great and the irons are good but can be improved. You’ll be hearing and seeing a lot more from Tour Edge in years to come.
Overall Rating – 60%
Target Handicap – 15 and below
Ball Flight – High
Offset – Minimal
Construction – Tungsten sole, stainless steel body
Stock Shafts – Fujikura graphite, Nippon GH 950 steel