Tour Edge is rapidly becoming the go-to brand for me outside of the ‘major’ manufacturers. It has been consistently producing high-quality products at sensible prices for a good few years now, so when I heard that the new Hot Launch drivers were en route to my house, I was eagerly anticipating the delivery. Let's see if the Tour Edge Hot Launch E525, priced at $249.99/£193 can rival some of the best drivers in the game…
From a technology standpoint, the story here is all about offering ultimate playability while keeping the price point as accessible as possible. The 460cc titanium head houses a hefty, MOI boosting rear weight, and also Tour Edge’s Ridgeback technology that is featured on every 525 metal. Essentially, it is a bar that sits along the crown, which is primarily to provide structural stability, but also acts as a handy alignment aid. Furthermore, we have Diamond Face VFT technology, which is a face technology that features 37 different thick and thin diamond shapes or “mini-trampolines” behind the face. Diamond Face VFT has been designed to produce a hotter face with faster ball speeds and better performance on off-center hits, as well as reduced spin.
Looks-wise, I was very impressed. I absolutely love the matt black and gold colorway, and the overall shaping at address is seriously good, offering my favoured more rounded driver profile. As I mentioned in the technology section, the Ridgeback feature on the crown is very useful for helping to centre the ball at address and also for face alignment. The finish is as good as anything else in the Tour Edge range, such as the Exotics C725 or E725, giving no indication that this is a ‘budget’ product. So far, so good…
The performance did not let me down either here. Ball speeds were comparable to drivers twice this price, but the real star of the show is the sheer playability of this model. Off-centre strikes were severely flattered both in terms of heel-to-toe and top-to-bottom, and the ease of launch is staggering. Be warned, however, that ease of launch does come with some fairly high spin numbers, so if you are a higher speed or spin player, this will certainly limit your distance output, but it is absolutely perfect for more moderate swingers.
The impact noise of the all-titanium head is a little more robust and ‘clangy’ than many multi-material drivers on the market, so that should be noted, but it is not loud enough to turn heads on the driving range. For reference, it is somewhat comparable to the Srixon ZXi drivers in terms of sound.
Overall, for a price tag of $249.99/£193, this is an exceptional driver. Incredibly user-friendly, great-looking, and with some useful tech features, this is another top job from Tour Edge.
The Hot Launch E525 is available in 9˚, 10.5˚, and 12˚ lofts, and with A, R, and S-flex shaft options. Tour Edge also allows you to specify grip size, additional wraps, and customise shaft length.
