Tour Edge Exotics XCG7 Beta Fairway – click for more
It has been a month since I broke the seal on the Tour Edge Exotics XCG7 Beta Fairway Metal-wood and hit it for the first time. I could have written this review sooner, but I feel an obligation to my readers and my conscience to post reviews of gear I’ve actually played on a golf course, and not just hit on the range for 10 minutes. One month’s worth of rounds for May/June comes out to about 20 rounds plus many range sessions. Included in those 20 rounds is my best finish (2nd place) in my city amateur, a satisfying accomplishment. The XCG7 was a solid part of that success, and of my enjoyment of the past month’s rounds. Let’s take a look.
XCG7 Beta Fairway Overview
The $299 XCG7 Beta fairway metal-wood features a slightly smaller head than the massive ones we have seen over the last few years, at 185cc’s for the 3-metal. Full specs are listed below. Along with the smaller cc’s, the club features a deeper face.
Speaking of the face, this club has a beta titanium “cup face” design. The face is shaped like a bowl or cup, the bottom of the cup being the area which impacts the ball. The sides of the cup wrap around and attach to the body of the head. This design produces a high launch speed and low, penetrating ball flight.
Weighting in the head is via “hexahedron” sole weighting. The weight is distributed in “pads” (yes, what marketing company makes this stuff up?) positioned back and in the perimeter to increase moment of inertia (MOI) and keep the club stable on off-center shots.
Looks
The crown (top) of the club is finished in a semi-porous flat black color. No goofy white paint or other colors. The look from the top is all class, with a bit of a rock & roll attitude. No funky lines, markings, patterns, or tetris-looking graphic designs on the top of the club either. The club simply says, “swing away.”
Classy and clean topline – Tour Edge Exotics XCG7 Beta Fairway Wood – click for more
Feedback
Feedback is important from a club. Feedback comes from the club to the player in the form of sound and feel. The feel of this fairway is more sweet than your high school prom date and sounds better than a Les Paul guitar through a Marshall stack.
Humor aside, the club tells the player exactly where the contact on the clubface is, allowing the player to accurately adjust and hit even better shots. When a shot hits the sweet spot, the player can enjoy the perfect sound and feel of a “golf shot.”
On The Course
What matters most is what a club does for the player when it counts, on the course and under pressure. 3-fairways for me can be a very personal club and one I depend on in a few critical situations. I need a fairway metal which I can count on when I choose not to hit driver off the tee and distance control with high accuracy are important. I need a fairway metal I can confidently hit off the ground. Most of the time if I’m hitting it off the ground, I’m going for a long par-5 in two shots.
I still remember the first few shots I hit with the XCG7 Beta, on the range at Sand Hollow Resort. My dad was hitting balls next to me and thought I was hitting drivers. He was quite impressed that I was hitting a 3-metal that far. The first shots I hit it in actual play were just as sweet, long and controlled.
I’ve enjoyed the XCG7 immensely since putting it in the gamer bag. It has become a go-to club which I can count on. On the courses I typically play I don’t hit 3-metal too often, one to three times per round. But those are critical shots on those holes, and the 3-metal is the only club which can do the job in those situations.
A funny thing happened last week. I hit a bad shot with the XCG7. That’s going to happen, even with the best clubs and the best players (especially those not-so-great players like myself). My long time golf buddy saw the bad shot and asked, “was that your 3-wood? That’s the first time I’ve seen you miss it.” My playing partner is actually surprised if I don’t hit a good shot with the XCG7. Enough said.
Specs and Shafts (courtesy of Tour Edge)
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HEAD VOLUME
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LOFT
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LIE
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FACE ANGLE
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MATRIX EXOTICS
GRAPHITE LENGTH
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FLEX
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3 WOOD
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185cc
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11.5°
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57°
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SQUARE
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43″
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L,A,R,S,X
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3 WOOD
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185cc
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13°
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57°
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SQUARE
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43″
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L,A,R,S,X
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3 WOOD
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185cc
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15°
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57°
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SQUARE
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43″
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L,A,R,S,X
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4 WOOD
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175cc
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16.5°
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58°
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SQUARE
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42.5″
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L,A,R,S,X
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5 WOOD
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175cc
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18°
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58°
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SQUARE
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42″
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L,A,R,S,X
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Available in men’s and women’s right hand. Lengths listed are men’s standard. Ladies standard lengths are -1″ from men’s standard. Standard grip is Lamkin Exotics R.E.L. grip.
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MODEL
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FLEX
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WEIGHT
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LAUNCH
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TORQUE
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TIP DIAM.
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MATRIX EXOTICS WHITE TIE 5X3.1
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L
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42g
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HIGH
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5.5
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.335
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MATRIX EXOTICS WHITE TIE 5X3.1
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A
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48g
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HIGH
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5.0
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.335
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MATRIX EXOTICS WHITE TIE 5X3.1
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R
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53g
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MID/HIGH
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4.5
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.335
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MATRIX EXOTICS WHITE TIE 5X3.1
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S
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55g
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MID/HIGH
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4.0
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.335
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MATRIX EXOTICS RED TIE 6Q3.1
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R
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60g
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MID/HIGH
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4.5
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.335
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MATRIX EXOTICS RED TIE 6Q3.1
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S
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63g
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MID/HIGH
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4.0
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.335
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MATRIX EXOTICS RED TIE 6Q3.1
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X
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66g
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MID/HIGH
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3.5
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.335
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MATRIX EXOTICS BLACK TIE 7M3.1
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S
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72g
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MID/HIGH
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3.5
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.335
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MATRIX EXOTICS BLACK TIE 7M3.1
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X
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75g
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MID/HIGH
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3.0
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.335
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Caution
This may not be the perfect club for all golfers. The launch angle and ball flight is a little lower on this club than a more standard 3-metal. The club may be a little better suited for lower handicap players. If getting the ball airborne is a concern and you often don’t hit high shots, perhaps the Tour Edge XCG7 (non beta) is a better solution.
Tour Edge Exotics SCG7 Beta Fairway
Cover
Most golf club reviewers neglect coverage on a very important part of the hybrid/fairway/driver/putter “package.” Most reviewers forget about the head cover which is a big omission since the player interacts with it so often. I am critical of head covers, because golf companies seem to spend more time trying to make them look cool than designing a cover which protects the club and is convenient to put on and take off.
Exotics fairway head cover – click to zoom
The XCG7 Beta head cover is a breeze to take off, with a perfect loop to grab at the right place. It is easy to put on as well. The cover is attractive and yes, most importantly does a great job protecting this beautiful piece of art in a golf club.
Conclusion
It takes quite a club to earn a place in my starting lineup. Some clubs in my bag have been there since the early 2000’s! The XCG7 has earned a spot, replacing a 3-metal which was in the bag since 2012.
The Tour Edge Exotics XCG7 Beta Fairway performs as great as it looks. The ball comes off the face hot and straight. The feel and looks are superb. Best of all, it is a club I can depend on in crucial situations.
Related Links
More Tour Edge Exotics XCG7 photos.
Tour Edge website.
HOGWire – Golf Industry News
Love it TK. Great enthusiasm for a club that proved itself in serious competition and my congratulations with your fantastic result in the Salt Lake Amateur.