If at this time’s Tour Edge Sizzling Launch 525 product launch tells us something, it’s that preconceived notions are extraordinarily flammable.
Tools manner too costly? OEM pricing uncontrolled? The common golfer getting priced out of the sport? Tour Edge is taking a flamethrower to these bromides, leaving nothing however mud within the wind.
Began by David Glod in his storage in 1986, Tour Edge has gone by means of a number of completely different identities in its almost 40-year existence. It lastly discovered its area of interest in 2022 as a high-performance, value-priced model with two distinct traces. Exotics is for the extra avid golfer whereas Sizzling Launch is geared toward newcomers, leisure gamers and rising golfers.
Someplace in there, we’ll discover the “average golfer.”
The brand new Tour Edge Sizzling Launch 525 irons (and companion wedges) are for that common golfer on the lookout for easy-to-hit and loads of bang for his or her buck. If that’s you, listed here are six stuff you’ll have to know.
#1: The nomenclature is altering
What’s in a reputation, you ask? Lots, if you wish to preserve issues straight. The earlier Tour Edge Sizzling Launch lineup, the 524 collection, adopted the 723 naming conference with a C524 iron and an E524 iron. The C524 was a extra traditional-looking iron whereas the E524 was the Sizzling Launch hybrid iron. The brand new Sizzling Launch 525 collection is identical factor, solely completely different.
On this new vary, the E525 now’s the traditional-looking iron whereas the brand new X525 is the hybrid iron. It’s the identical factor with the companion wedges. What was the C524 wedge now’s the up to date E525 wedge and what was the super-forgiving E524 wedge is the X525 wedge.
For reference, the outdated Sizzling Launch 524 hybrid irons completed fourth total in MyGolfSpy’s 2024 tremendous game-improvement iron testing.
#2: They’re designed for lots of forgiveness
Forgiveness is relative. A solid cavity-back iron is comparatively extra forgiving than a blade however not in comparison with a game-improvement stick. The brand new Sizzling Launch E525 and X525 irons, nonetheless, observe the Tour Edge blueprint. As we are saying up right here in New Hampshire, they’re “wicked forgiving.”
Tour Edge describes the E525 as a “premium game-improvement” iron with a “class-leading” MOI. It’s a traditional-looking iron and straddles the road between game-improvement and tremendous game-improvement. The Sizzling Launch E525 is constituted of 431 chrome steel with a large sole and a deep undercut cavity. The only is designed for cleaner turf interplay whereas the cavity helps create extra face flex to enhance ball pace throughout a bigger portion of the face.
VIBRCOR is a regular Tour Edge function, inserting a TPU polymer in that cavity to make the iron sound and really feel extra strong whereas dampening vibrations. Whereas not distinctive, it’s attention-grabbing that Tour Edge is touting extra toe weighting within the E525 irons. Recreation-improvement irons historically are designed with loads of offset to battle slices and robust lofts to offer distance. One consequence of that’s they’ll flip into hook machines as game-improvement golfers, you already know, enhance their recreation. Additional toe weighting helps preserve the membership steady at affect, elongates the candy spot barely and, most significantly, makes the iron rather less inclined to hooks.
Low facilities of gravity and robust lofts are commonplace substances in trendy game-improvement irons. The Sizzling Launch E525 is on the sturdy aspect of sturdy, with a 27.5-degree 7-iron. In the event you’re able to howl about jacked lofts, bear in mind for whom this iron is designed. Something that helps a newbie or leisure golfer get the ball up within the air and towards the inexperienced can’t be a foul factor.
#3: The Sizzling Launch X525 is next-level forgiving
If you actually need assist, the Tour Edge Sizzling Launch X525 irons could be as forgiving as they arrive. The X525 is a hollow-body hybrid-like design with loads of perimeter weighting, a particularly low and again middle of gravity and what Tour Edge calls an “anti-slice” offset design.
Tour Edge calls this type of design an “iron-wood,” which is pretty descriptive. It incorporates a shallow face and an extra-wide sole to scale back the chance of chunking or digging. Tour Edge calls it a “Houdini Sole,” one other extension of latest Exotics know-how. The Houdini Sole is a patented design offering extra space for further mass on the trailing edge for added forgiveness and a curved vanguard for higher turf interplay.
As we’ve seen with latest tremendous game-improvement irons, the Sizzling Launch X525 irons function weaker lofts than their game-improvement counterpart. The X525 incorporates a high-launching loft matrix based mostly on a 29-degree 7-iron. The concept is the upper lofts assist slower swingers get the ball up within the air extra simply to allow them to maximize their distance by means of carry.
#4: Companion wedges for each traces
Whereas not precisely “set-matching” wedges, Tour Edge is introducing companion wedges for the X525 and E525 irons. The X525 wedges are true tremendous game-improvement wedges that includes a deep, undercut cavity, an outsized face and a large Houdini Sole.
The X525 wedges are in some methods the “anti-wedge.” Typical blade-style wedges function a excessive CG for decrease launch. The X525 goes the opposite manner with a low CG for a better launch. Loopy discuss? Probably not.
Take into account for whom these are designed: the “average” golfer who doesn’t create lots of swing pace and who isn’t utilizing a high-spinning urethane ball. For that golfer, excessive launch equals steep descent which provides that low-spinning ionomer ball a combating likelihood to carry the inexperienced. Additionally, it’s a design that helps take the fear out of greenside bunkers.
The Sizzling Launch X525 wedges additionally function a bigger face and full-face grooves and Tour Edge is taking all of the guesswork out of choosing the appropriate wedge setup. The set hole wedge is 48 levels so Tour Edge is making it easy by providing the X525 wedges in 52, 56 and 58 levels. Sole grinds? Fuggedaboudit.
The E525 wedges are somewhat extra nuanced. They function CNC-milled grooves, VIBRCOR TPU within the undercut cavity and a high-toe design for a better CG and extra spin than the X525 wedges. Tour Edge can also be giving the E525 wedges a beveled vanguard and a extra rounded sole so as to add versatility. The E525 set hole wedge is 46 levels so Tour Edge will provide the E525 wedges in 50- to 60-degree lofts in two-degree increments for righties. Lefties get 52-, 56- and 58-degree choices.
#5: Light-weight elements for righties and lefties
The restricted E525 left-handed wedge providing apart, the remainder of the Tour Edge Sizzling Launch 525 lineup shall be obtainable in full for lefties and righties. Each iron units run from 4-iron by means of hole wedge.
The 95-gram True Mood Elevate MPH 95 in common and stiff flex is the inventory metal shaft for each iron and wedge units. It’s designed to assist carry somewhat little bit of spin again to low-spinning heads. MPH stands for The MPH Most Peak Top and True Mood classifies it as a high-launching shaft.
The UST Mamiya Helium is the inventory graphite providing. It’s obtainable in L-, A-, R- and S-flex, ranging in weight from 50 grams in L-flex to 64 grams in S-flex. It’s additionally a high-launching shaft.
The usual-sized Lamkin 360 is the inventory grip for R- and S-flex choices whereas the midsize is inventory for A-flex. The undersized Lamkin Z5 is the inventory for women’ fashions.
#6: Tour Edge Sizzling Launch 525 irons: Right here’s that flamethrower
Tour Edge is pricing the Sizzling Launch X525 irons and wedges at $89.99 per membership. The Sizzling Launch E525 irons and wedges are $79.99 per membership. By my math, seven irons and three wedges will run you anyplace from $800 to $900. Irons solely (5-iron by means of hole wedge) will go from $560 to $630.
That’s direct-to-consumer-level pricing, buddies, however with three enormous variations.
First, whereas DTC firms equivalent to Sub 70 and Hogan provide unique designs, most others promote open or barely modified open molds. From Day One, Tour Edge founder David Glod has designed his personal golf equipment.
Second, a typical (and legitimate) objection to DTC choices is the shortage of retail demo or becoming. That’s a bridge too far for some golfers. Tour Edge has a long-standing retail presence and has greater than 1,500 approved becoming areas within the U.S.
Lastly, most DTC manufacturers have restricted customization choices and prolonged supply instances. Hogan, Sub 70 and a handful of others will custom-build to your specs. Tour Edge will try this, too. It additionally provides a 48-hour expedited delivery program for {custom} orders positioned within the continental U.S.
For what it’s price, Tour Edge has been an up-and-down performer in MyGolfSpy iron testing. As talked about, the Sizzling Launch E524 was final 12 months’s fourth-best tremendous game-improvement iron. In the meantime, the Exotics E723 was final 12 months’s Greatest Recreation Enchancment iron. Conversely, the Exotics C723 completed next-to-last in participant’s distance testing (Titleist T-150, an iffy selection for the class, was final).
The Tour Edge Sizzling Launch 525 irons will hit retail beginning March 1.
For extra data, go to the Tour Edge web site.
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