Month: February 2020

SIK Putters Staff Professional Bryson DeChambeau captures Top 5 Finish at Genesis Invitational and WGC – Mexico Championship

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Say what you will. Love him or hate him, Bryson DeChambeau has had consecutive Top-5 finishes two weeks in a row. DeChambeau finished with a share of 5th Place at the Genesis Open and this week lost by one at the WGC-Mexico Championship. SIK Putters playing a vital role.

Thanks to Joe Wieczorek from The Media Group for sharing this release. Please read for more details on putters from SIK Golf (Study In Kinematics).

Until The Next Tee!!

#fightandgrind #seeuonthenexttee

 

PINELLAS PARK, FL) – SIK Golf, (S)TUDY (I)N (K)INEMATICS, announced today that PGA Tour Staff Professional, Bryson DeChambeau, captured a T-5th Place Finish on the PGA Tour this past weekend at The Genesis Invitational held at the Riviera Country Club in Palisades, CA.

Bryson DeChambeau, commonly referred to as “The Professor” and “The Mad Scientist”, is probably best known for his unorthodox set of irons that are all the same length, but what most people don’t know is that he’s captured all five of his PGA TOUR victories, and in excess of $14 Million Dollars in earnings, using a SIK putter!
DeChambeau fired rounds of 68, 70, 69 and 69 to finish at 8 under par for the tournament and grab his second Top 10 of the 2020 season as well as a paycheck for $318,990.00. He is currently ranked 16th in The Official World Golf Rankings.
“We’d like to congratulate Bryson on his Top 5 at The Genesis Invitational,” said, SIK Golf’s COO, Marc Cerio. “Bryson found out about SIK’s Descending Loft Technology in his rookie season on the PGA Tour. When he saw the data on the Quintic Ball Roll System with a SIK putter in his hands, he was instantly hooked. We’re very proud to have him on our Staff and we’re excited to see what the rest of the 2020 season holds for him.”
About SIK Golf’s Descending Loft Technology™
Descending Loft Technology™ is SIK Golf’s patented putter face technology. They have four flat surfaces that are milled into their putter face. Each plane descends in loft by 1° from the top of the face to the bottom of the face. When your shaft is pressed at impact the ball contact will be higher on the face, same is true in reverse. DLT delivers consistent launch angles from putt to putt which lead to more consistent and predictable rolls.
The DLT planar face is superiorly unique amongst its’ peers. Custom putters from SIK Golf not only ensure individualization, they truly “Change the Way You Roll”. It is a literal game-changer for players and duffers alike.
SIK Golf’s mission is to make you a better putter, not just sell you one.

For more information about SIK Golf, visit www.sikgolf.com.

“First Impressions” Review – Callaway Golf MAVRIK Driver

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About two weeks before the 2020 PGA Show I wrote an article that speculated about what the MAVRIK (and MAVRIK Sub Zero drivers might be like. That article can be seen here MAVRIK Speculation. In that article, it was my assertion when I had asked one simple question towards the end. It read like this…

Is MAVRIK “Rogue-like” with Flash Face Technology?

At the 2020 PGA Show, I would answer that question at Demo Day.

As far as I’m concerned, the Epic Flash (EF) was near perfection. It featured pretty good looks, a powerful sound at impact, and the ballflight was long and strong. It was a runner-up for the “Top Driver” Teezy Award in 2019. So the MAVRIK had pretty big shoes to fill.

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The Set-Up

When looking at the MAVRIK family of drivers head-to-head against the last couple of drivers that Callaway Golf has produced there are some similarities. Technologies like their long-standing “OptiFit Hosel” and “Jailbreak Technology” come to mind. Introduced in 2019 “Flash Face Technology” returns. Flash Face Technology, was the incorporation of using A.I (Artificial Intelligence) in determining the perfect face to match the rest of the design. Using A.I expedites the process of developing prototypes. In fact, A.I allowed Callaway Golf R&D to come up with 15,000 prototypes in 2019.

For 2020, Callaway Golf developed Flash Face SS20. This new face promotes higher ball speeds across a larger surface area. Callaway Golf used “FS2S titanium, an extremely strong material that’s 6 grams lighter than traditional titanium” which further aids in providing optimal speed and forgiveness. T2C Triaxial Carbon Crown is a very lightweight carbon fiber. The weight savings in employing something like a lighter carbon fiber allows engineers to place more weight in more strategic places. Like low and back, to help with forgiveness and allow for the easier launch of the golf ball. A couple of grams doesn’t sound like much. But in terms of R&D with golf equipment, It translates to a lot of weight.

The MAVRIK is offered in three heads. The MAVRIK, MAVRIK Sub Zero, and the MAVRIK MAX. The Sub Zero features two interchangeable weights to fine-tune your trajectory, whereas the MAX is their easiest to swing and is the most-forgiving of the line-up . The MAX also features two interchangeable weights, but the difference is that they are adjustable for forgiveness or to make it very draw-biased.

There are three stock shafts offered with the MAVRIK line-up.

  1. UST HELIUM BLACK – 40g
  2. PROJECT X EVEN FLOW RIPTIDE – 40g/50g/60g
  3. ALDILA ROGUE WHITE 130 MSI – 60g/70g

Shafts are very important, and choosing the right one is absolutely vital as you will see.

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The Transition

I visited the Callaway Golf booth a little bit later in the day at Demo Day. By the time that I had gotten there, it was pretty quiet and I had no issue stepping in and making swings. The wind at their booth was blowing hard from left to right.

I really liked the overall looks of MAVRIK. MAVRIK features an orange/white color scheme reminiscent of the X2 Hot. The crown looks sharp because of the carbon fiber crown and it glimmered in the Florida sunshine. The orange and white accents are tastefully done on the trailing edge and look smart. The “Chevron” alignment aid on the leading edge of the crown is typically there and gone is the white line “a third” of the way back as there was on EF (I never did understand it. Maybe to frame the golf ball?). In all, the crown is relatively clean. Flipping it over, consumers are going to notice the MAVRIK on the racks in stores. MAVRIK is bold in block lettering, while the white “pin-stripes” on the sole makes MAVRIK look fast, while it sits still.

The drivers that I tested at Demo Day were the MAVRIK and MAVRIK Sub Zero variants. At the time, I was not aware of the MAX version. I opted to go with 60-gram Stiff flex shafts in both heads using both the Aldila Rogue and the PX Even Flow RipTide. I won’t lie to you. It was a struggle.

The MAVRIK looks real nice in the address position and I noticed one thing right away on the first pass. The sound is definitely different in comparison to EF. With the EF you knew when you made square contact. There was some “sound” to it. Not overly so in my opinion but just enough to let you know that the ball was “hit”. The MAVRIK is more muted. Depending on the golfer, this might be preferred. My first several swings were a mixed bag of results. Some penetrated and went straight. Others were quite wayward (high and right) Maybe it was me getting tired, maybe it was the wind, or maybe it was a combination of both. I was perplexed. At one point, I thought that Callaway Golf made a mistake with MAVRIK.

Before walking away, I re-visited a couple of other clubs that I put swings on with and then went back to the driver. Unknowingly, I grabbed a MAVRIK Sub Zero with an X-Stiff Aldila Rogue in 70-grams. It wasn’t until afterward that I realized my “mistake”. The first swing was met with a feeling of force and power. The golf ball flew straight. It was an eye-opener. I teed up another golf ball and it was more of the same. The feel and acoustics of the head at impact was powerful, hot, and muted. Not in a “ho-hum” kind of way just sort of surprising. You know that you put a good swing on with it,  but the muted acoustics hid the fact that the golf ball was traveling a long way. Swing after swing produced the same kind of ballflight that I look for in a driver. The reality is that MAVRIK produced some fantastic results with a wind that was not complimentary.

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The Finish

It’s amazing. By accident, the MAVRIK went from “zero” to “hero”. I would love an extended on-course look at this driver. There might be a degree of truth to my assertion that it’s “Rogue-like”. But, it’s far better than Rogue.

Getting the proper shaft is vital no matter the club or manufacturer. This “First Impression” made that abundantly clear. The mistake that I made in accidentally grabbing a heavier, more stout shaft ended up being a saving grace. It took some work and a mistake to find the right combination. I’m glad that had happened.

The net result is that MAVRIK is a “stick” that provides a lot of pop, albeit in an understated way. It’s muted. Think of it as a stealthy assassin. You may not hear it but when it sneaks up on you and is unleashed it “kills”. MAVRIK is easy to launch and is a head that offers lower spin. The MAVRIK driver found its way into the Teezy Awards discussion for “Top Driver”.

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Until The Next Tee!!

#fightandgrind #seeuonthenexttee

 

 

 

Club Champion Recorded Over 100,000 Appointments in 2019

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Custom Club Fitter Hit Impressive Milestone Amid Rapid Growth

 

Willowbrook, IL — Tour-level fittings are an experience like no other — just ask the tens of thousands of custom-fit Club Champion customers who dialed their game in with the fitter last year. Over 100,000 appointments were recorded from January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019.

“We had a great year in terms of growth,” said Nick Sherburne, Club Champion founder. “We added two dozen new stores, over 70 new employees and of course, our appointment and revenue numbers grew alongside those other successes.”

Recognized as the top fitter, builder, and retailer of the best brands in golf, Club Champion stands out in a niche market. Their dynamic vision has catapulted them to be ranked as the #1 specialty fitter according to Golf Datatech, the golf industry’s market share monitor. They’ve also been ranked as a Top 100 Club Fitter by Golf Digest every year since the inception of the list, and they do more fitting volume than any other fitter in the country. The company’s thorough processes and attention to detail set them apart from the competition.

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“We offer a service that every serious golfer can benefit from,” said Sherburne. “Our business model works because the service works – we can show measurable improvements for our customers, and that translates to happy golfers and a higher demand for what we do.”

Each store conducts an average of 500-1500 fittings per year, with many stores surpassing that.  Their Tour-quality fitting experience is sought after by golfers of every skill level, and their fitting studios service nearly every major golf market in the country.

Unlike traditional retailers that carry inventory and face significant price pressure, Club Champion fits and builds unique, custom clubs for their customers. Because their product is custom, they don’t compete against web-based retailers on price. As a result, the company is one of the fastest-growing retailers in golf with 2019 overall revenue growth up almost 50%. Expanding from just eight locations six years ago, the company currently has 70 retail studios with plans to open another 12 in 2020.

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According to Club Champion CEO Joe Lee, “By 2015, we had proven our new store concept as well as the ability to open multiple locations in a market. It was time to roll out Club Champion nationally. We knew the concept worked and that there was measurable demand, so we’ve been opening new locations at an accelerated pace since.”

The typical studio footprint is approximately 3,000 square feet and includes a minimum of two fitting bays equipped with TrackMan launch monitors, a SAM PuttLab, a build shop and features an extensive equipment wall with more choices than any other retail chain. Lee says, “The shaft wall, coupled with our expert fitters, is where a lot of the magic happens.”

Club Champion’s brand-agnostic approach has helped them succeed in a market that’s heavily influenced by brand advertisements. Because they focus on the golfer and not the manufacturer, they’re able to give each customer a unique and informative experience that delivers real results on the course. A Golf Digest study found that eight out of nine Club Champion custom-fit golfers lowered their scores by as much as six strokes per round and added an average of 21 yards off the tee. A similar study by GOLF Magazine found an average of 15 yards with Club Champion-fitted irons.

Better-Results

Lee believes in the Club Champion method and the results it garners. “Other people sell golf clubs, we sell improvement,” he said. “We not only solve equipment problems, but we show and explain why each particular piece of equipment (shaft, head, and grip) works for their unique swing.”

For more information about custom club fitting and Club Champion’s process, please visit clubchampiongolf.com.

ALL 19 HOLES INTRODUCES THE ECO-POLO™, A GOLF SHIRT MADE EXCLUSIVELY FROM RECYCLED PLASTIC BOTTLES

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LOS ANGELES, CA, – February 20, 2020 – All 19 Holes, a golf and lifestyle apparel brand that celebrates the tradition of golf’s most fun hole, the nineteenth, announced today the release of its innovative ECO-Polo, a shirt made entirely from the world’s finest recycled polyester.

All 19 Holes developed the ECO-Polo to meet its goal of environmental sustainability, style, and performance. And the ECO-Polo exceeded the company’s goals. Each shirt performs at the highest level possible, looks impeccable, and helps remove a small but important portion of the plastic pollution from the environment. The ECO-Polo is up-cycled from eight to 12 plastic bottles retrieved from the ocean, a lake or a landfill, depending on the size.

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“We are excited for people to feel and wear our ECO-Polo,” said Founder and President of All 19 Holes, Tim Ready. “The first time I experienced the feel of our recycled performance fabric, I knew it would be a game-changer. What’s better than helping do something good for the planet and to wear a stylish shirt that feels like a mercerized cotton but with exceptional performance?”

The ECO-Polo’s recycled performance polyester fabric provides wicking, odor control, and is water-resistant. The flat back honeycomb mesh features MaxDri moisture management and Micoblok, an anti-microbial finish. These technologies make the ECO-Polo comfortable for golfing or any activity. Fuse these benefits with a proprietary pattern cut for fashion and help reduce plastic pollution, the company feels strongly the ECO-Polo will be a category leader in golf.

“Another key consideration when designing the ECO-Polo is that it must look good in any social setting, so we gave it a proper collar that looks perfect under a sport coat,” added Ready.

The ECO-Polo is made in the USA. Ready is committed to supporting people who work and live in his community. His designs, patterns, and manufacturing are all executed in Los Angeles, CA. His silhouettes are classic in design and are flattering to most body types. The ECO-Polo is available in S, M, L, XL, and XXL. It is available in both black and white with a variety of contrasting plackets and colors.

The ECO-Polo can be purchased for $89.00 on the company’s website at http://www.all19holes.com.

“Try an ECO-Polo. If you buy one, ‘you could save a Dolphin, and hopefully make a birdie,” added Ready.

We recommend washing the ECO-Polo in a cold and gentle cycle. Do not bleach, tumble dry, or dry clean. When ironing, use low heat.

For more information, visit the All 19 Holes website at http://www.all19holes.com.

 

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ABOUT ALL 19 HOLES

All 19 Holes is owned and managed by golf enthusiasts who embrace the sport of golf but also focus and embrace the enjoyment that circles the game on and off the course — most often in the clubhouse, coined as the 19th Hole.

Collectively, they are about going the extra distance to live life to the fullest. Their team play golf, compete and after their round, they collect their winnings, pay their bets, and have a good time on the patio at the club. They sometimes enjoy a cocktail, occasionally smoke cigars, and tell stories to pass time with friends and family. They welcome individuality yet work together to make lives better.

Though the spirited team has built a company on the merriment of the game of golf, they honor and respect the environment as most golfers should. Sustainable and eco-friendly apparel and accessories will always be at forefront of their products in development.
Whether it’s in business or pleasure, they live by the rules of golf, they try to make the world a better place, they compete in a friendly way, and they always play the extra hole — All 19 Holes.

It’s how they live!

 

“First Impressions” Review – AXIS 1 Golf Tour-S Putter

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Have you heard of AXiS1 Golf? If not, I’m really hoping that by the end of this article, you will have heard of them and you’ll give their putters a look. I’d like to extend many thanks to Phil Long for giving me the opportunity to test and review the Tour-S putter from AXiS1 Golf.

Mr. Long is the Vice President of Marketing and Sales for AXiS1 Golf.

 

The Set-Up

For golfers not familiar with AXiS1 Golf, it is a golf equipment manufacturer that produces putters that are “torque-free” and perfectly balanced. How do they achieve this feat? More on that later.

AXiS1 Golf putters are the brain-child of inventor Luis Pedraza. Launched in 2009, AXiS1 Golf was in the news in a big-time way last year when they announced that current OWGR World #10  Justin Rose had signed with them. Fun fact. Rose has been playing AXiS1 putters since 2019.

What makes AXiS1 Golf putters unique is something that I already touched on. They produce torque-free, perfectly balanced putters. Moreover, unlike most putters on the market they don’t naturally open up, instead, the face of the putter remains square through and post-impact. Thus allowing golfers to make strokes that hold their line better.

How? Luis Pedraza accomplished marvel of golf engineering by “pushing the weight forward with a patented heel counterweight that, for the very first time, places the center of gravity right on the center of the striking face and perfectly aligned with the axis of the shaft”.

When it comes specifically to the Tour-S putter here are some of the details. The head weighs 350 grams and is completely CNC-milled from 304 Stainless Steel. Each Tour-S putter is individually balanced. Lastly, there is a stainless steel weight screw in the toe for counter-balancing purposes.

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The Transition

I was really excited to receive this putter for testing as I’ve been admiring AXiS1 Golf putters for some time. The first and last time that I saw putters from AXiS1 Golf was at the PGA Show a few years ago. On that occasion, I remember walking by their booth and I noticed the putters. Honestly, it was the shape or design that caught my eye. I meant to double-back to their booth but, I ran out of time. So I was happy to receive this “mulligan”.

 

Upon receiving my parcel from AXiS1, I was like a kid, I was consumed by excitement. So next came the unboxing. When I opened the box, the first thing that I noticed was the headcover. It’s a vivid blue (Cobalt blue maybe) and the contrasting yellow stitching really stuck out. Often, when it comes to equipment, you can tell a lot about the quality just by looking at a headcover. The headcover is very-well constructed, with a very stout velcro enclosure. I really liked the “pebble-grain” finish of the leather. The deep-etched Lamkin Grip is a perfect match.

tourscover

Removing the plastic from the head I got my first look at the head of the Tour-S. The head itself is gorgeous and it is a blade-style of a putter. I love the milling of the face. It’s sharp, and it looks quite exquisite. The rear-portion of the Tour-S is pretty clean with the branding being visible on the rear-side and a simple alignment aid.

The front of the face is where all of the magic happens with putters from AXiS1. The hosel is set in front of the face which aids in placing the center of gravity exactly in the center of the face and in-line with the axis of the shaft. Coupled with the counterweight in the toe you have a putter that is balanced and has a sweet spot like no other. 

One of the concerns that I had with the aesthetics of the design was how the Tour-S would look in the address position. There is no reason to be concerned. The very first time I put it down in front of me and behind a golf ball, I didn’t see it. Thus, in my opinion, the design is not “off-putting” (for me). I found the optics of the Tour-S interesting. The head almost seems bigger than it is, and it feels like you cannot miss the sweet spot. So it also translates into building confidence.

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The Tour-S putter might be one of (if not) the best rolling putter that I’ve tried. The golf ball feels so good off of the face. There seems to be “no skid” and the distance control with the Tour-S has been very good. I’ve rolled putts in a variety of places and on different surfaces. From the day I unboxed the Tour-S on an indoor green at “The Dome” (Harris Hill, NY), on the practice green at the YMCA Par 3 in Lakeland (Florida) where I did a lot of testing with it, and during a round of golf at Southport Springs Golf Club in Zephyrhills, FL. The results were the same, a great feeling putter that provides excellent distance control.

Off-center putts. Putts struck along the periphery of the Tour-S (heel and toe) resulted in no twisting at impact. Putts remained on-line and make no mistake. This is a forgiving putter design. It’s no wonder Justin Rose has seen the best putting stats during his career since switching to AXiS1 Golf.

Rose set career bests in Total Putting (13th), Putting Avg. (5th), Overall Putting Avg. (3rd), One-Putt Pct (3rd) and 3-Putting Avoidance (8th)  – As per a press release from AXiS1 Golf

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The Finish

If you’re looking for a putter that might genuinely help you make more putts, you may want to have a look into putters from AXiS1 Golf. The Tour-S has performed great through testing. A consistent roll and a solid-feeling strike every time. The stability through impact leads to predictable distance control. No twisting on strokes off of the heel or toe whether the stroke was manipulated or not. The Tour-S putter is a winner.

The Tour-S has a retail of $399.99 USD. For more information, please visit AXiS1 Golf.

Until The Next Tee!!

#fightandgrind #seeuonthenexttee

 

 

 

 

#axis1putterreviews #golf #golfers #golfcourses #golfislife #golfnews #golfstories #golfeditorials #pgashow #pga #pgatour #lpga #lpgatour #golfclubs #golfclothes #golfapparel #golfshoes #golfcarts #golfreviews #golfequipmentreviews #fightandgrind #seeuonthenexttee #teeboxchatter #axis1golf #justinrose #putterreviews #toursputter

Thinking of Making A Switch – My Golf Swing

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Alright, so I’m thinking of making a switch. But, it may not be in the sense that you’re thinking of. It’s not a matter of making some swing mechanics changes. I’m actually putting a lot of thought into making a switch and playing golf left-handed as opposed to right-handed.

Maybe it’s boredom and me just having too much time on my hands but it’s a thought that I’m serious contemplating. As some of my readers know, I’m fighting a Diabetic Foot Ulcer on my right toe. I got home from the PGA Show in January and I was feeling fine. No signs of feeling ill. That was a Wednesday (the 29th) when I got home. By the time Friday had come, something systemically had changed. My Black Lab (Muskoka) started to hang around my right foot sort of nursing it. By Saturday and Sunday, he was pinning my foot down really going after it.

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Muskoka, always at my side.

He has a history of doing this, as he did the same thing back in January 2014. That was a year where I returned home Florida from the PGA Show and I developed an infection. In that case, I had developed the infection down there. I remember the redness, the redness spreading, the fever and chills and by the time I was on my flight home, I was really sick. I ended up fighting Gangrene and nearly lost my toe, foot, and lower leg.

So here I am, 6-years later to the day and in the words of New York Yankees legend Yogi Berra “it’s like Deja-Vous all over again”. I called the doctor’s office and told them what was going on. How Muskoka was going after my foot. So they ushered me in immediately after my phone call. The long and short of it was that Muskoka had sniffed out infection and consequently a Diabetic Foot Ulcer seemingly overnight and it was already down to the bone. Scary stuff. I was put on a massive dose of antibiotics (1800 mg of Clindamycin) and a bunch of lab tests and x-rays were ordered. Those results came back good although I’m still waiting on the x-ray results. My boy did it again. He saved me again (there’s more to this statement than I care to elaborate on). Muskoka is my hero.

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My hero “Muskoka” through the years.

This past Monday, my doctor admitted that it was looking really bleak and there was thought already that this ends in at least an amputation of the toe. There was an improvement and the antibiotics are doing their job. Fingers crossed.

So how does this tie into golf and me thinking about changing my swing? From right-handed to left-handed? Well, some time ago my coach said “You know, I like your swing better left-handed” one day during a session. I was just horsing around with my Orange Whip Trainer. Occasionally, I will putt left-handed and the results of doing that are pretty funny actually. When I do, I see the ball and the hole much better. I’m left-hand dominant (a natural southpaw) where the only thing that I do right-handed is play hockey (when I played). When it comes to putting left-handed the ball is right in the middle of my stance. When I putt right-handed the ball position is much more towards the lead heel. It’s the same in the full-swing too. The ball position is perfect (pitching and chipping included) as it stands now, I actually have to concentrate on ball position at times.

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Here we go again. A Diabetic Foot Ulcer. If you know a Diabetic please preach good foot care.

The idea of making this change actually comes after something my foot care nurse Paul said. Paul is a golfer as well and I actually know him going way back to when I first took up the game. We were members of a course. At any rate, I had an appointment on January 16th with him right before leaving for Florida this year. In a routine check-up (foot care is vital for Diabetics) he said to me “You must really torque off of that back foot and toe” to which I responded, “You’re right”. It’s always the right foot/toe that develops this problem. Never the left. Between all of the miles that I walk at the show and all of the swings that I make just maybe there’s something to the theory offered by my wife, friends, and family. So I’m thinking, do I make a switch out of necessity or stay “par for the course”?

A switch may prevent this issue from occurring again. Or it might put my left foot in harm’s way as well. All that I know is there really seems to be a difference from either side of the ball on how the game looks. Thoughts?

Until The Next Tee!!

#seeuonthenexttee #fightandgrind

“First Impressions” Review – Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220 (Driver)

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Sequels. So often they can be very disappointing. For example, Caddyshack vs Caddyshack 2 is an example of a sequel that didn’t quite live up to the original.

The biggest sequel that I was curious to see at the 2020 PGA Show Demo Day was that of Tour Edge Golf. What would the Batavia, Illinois based company do for an encore? 2019 proved to be Tour Edge Golf’s most successful year ever. A development that didn’t surprise me at all. The EXS range of products was fantastic, the CBX 119 metalwoods were played by several Champions Tour players, and these were products that offered plenty of “bang for the golfer buck”. I made the prediction here November 2018 that the Tour Edge Exotics EXS range was going to be a serious “sleeper” among golf consumers. When you have a highly successful range of products, sometimes it’s hard to repeat. Would that be the case in 2020?

When pictures and information emerged about the Tour Edge Golf Exotics EXS 220 metalwoods, I had a couple of initial thoughts.

  1. They looked fantastic.
  2. The EXS 220 metalwoods looked like a “love child” of the CBX 119 and the EXS.

So let’s have a look to see if the EXS 220 driver would live up to the pressure of being the heir to the Teezy Award Finalist EXS driver (Finished in 3rd).

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The Set-Up

When it came to the design of the EXS 220 driver the R&D team at Tour Edge Golf did their homework. The EXS of 2019 was packed full of technology for the price point and this year, the EXS 220 features even more technology. The technology incorporated into the EXS 220 driver includes.

  1. A slightly larger footprint to facilitate the use of an adjustable 9-gram back weight. This results in an extremely high MOI.
  2. Triple Carbon Fiber is featured on the crown, heel, and sole. The use of this extremely lightweight carbon allowed Tour Edge engineers to utilize extreme weight savings from these locations, and place the weight further back into the clubhead.
  3. “Diamond Face” technology features 42 different thick and thin diamond shapes which produce a generous sweet spot. The Diamond Face produces a hotter face with faster ball speeds, reduction of spin and better performance on off-center hits.
  4. Engineers added a “Sound Diffusion Bar”. The bar was developed to enhance the acoustics of the EXS 220 driver.

The EXS 220 driver is available in three lofts. The EXS 220 driver comes in lofts of 9.5*, 10.5*, and 12*. An adjustable hosel allows for changes in lofts +/- 2*. Last but not least is that the EXS 220 driver comes with “SpeedTested” shafts. Tour Edge conducted comprehensive robotic testing to see which shaft paired best for each swing speed.

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The Transition

With all of the technical jargon taken care of, the time has come to get down to business. How did the EXS 220 perform and did it live up to my expectations? The conditions were tough on Demo Day, and I was happy about it. The wind was cold and blew left to right. Perfect for knocking the ball out of the air.

First of all, from an aesthetic point of view, the Exotics EXS 220 is a great-looking driver. The carbon fiber crown really stands out (refer to the above pic) and it’s clean (other than the “E” alignment aid). Flipping the club over, the sole features the “SlipStream Sole” which helps with aerodynamics and potential increases in clubhead speed. But, I really like the combination of the blue and red accenting with the silver of the adjustable weight and the carbon fiber weave. Lastly, I like the simple branding out towards the mid-section placed between the toe and the trailing edge.

I put the SpeedTested shaft to work. In my case, I opted for the stiff flex Project X HZRDUS Smoke Yellow in 60-grams. I swing above 95 mph so that was the obvious choice. To that end, in my case, the shaft worked out really well. The shaft was able to keep up with me and there was zero evidence of a ballooning ballflight. So it was a good choice. However, I learned something about myself later during Demo Day. For some reason, heavier more stout shafts were working better for me. I didn’t think I was an X-flex any longer. Maybe, I should have tried an X-flex? Either way, my dispersion was great with EXS 220 paired with the stiff PX HZRDUS Smoke Yellow.

The ball jumps off of the face and there was one thing that I noticed in particular. The improved acoustics. If 2019s EXS had an issue it might have been the sound at impact. Tour Edge Golf engineers did great in placing the Sound Diffusion Bar in the head. The placement is set in the head, not quite halfway back. The acoustics are ear-pleasing and are what I would describe as “authoritative”. When you put a good swing on with the EXS 220 driver… You know it. You hear it, see it and feel it.

The launch with the EXS 220 was perfect in the stock 9.5* set-up. The ballflight penetrated in those conditions and the ball just seemed to carry. Remember that this was a cold, knock-down wind. Perhaps, there is stock in the “Diamond Face” technology.

The EXS 220 driver is plenty forgiving too. As it should be with the MOI numbers that are associated with it. Toe and heel strikes did not result in horrible misses or spinny, ballooning shots.

exsdr3

The Finish

The EXS 220 driver is a definite upgrade and improvement over 2019s EXS. It’s a bonafide finalist and contender for the “Top Driver” Teezy Award. Long, straight, low-spinning and forgiving. I’d recommend any golfer looking for a driver in 2020 to have a look at and make swings with the EXS 220. There is a ton of technology packed into this driver and the SpeedTested shaft pairing worked for me. Everyone is different though. What works for me or your playing partner, may not work for you. But, what a great baseline to start with.

The retail of the EXS 220 is $349.99. That’s $50 more than last year’s EXS and it’s worth it. Even at this price, it’s much lower than several competitors in the industry. You will never see me refer to EXS or EXS 220 as a “value” driver. It’s premium… Period! Tour Edge Golf is right. “Pound for pound, Nothing else comes close”.

Until The Next Tee!!

#fightandgrind #seeuonthenexttee

 

 

 

 

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