Exotics staff player Scott McCarron won the 2019 Mitsubishi Electric Classic on the PGA Tour Champions Sunday playing a Tour Edge Exotics CBX 119 hybrid; a 19-degree with a Project X Even Flow Black shaft, the same shaft that is available to consumers as a stock offering in the CBX 119 line.
The wire-to-wire win is the third victory on the PGA Tour Champions for McCarron since switching to Exotics in 2018. McCarron, who wears a Tour Edge Exotics logo on his sleeve, climbed five spots to 1st place on the official Charles Schwab Cup money list with a total of $624,118 earned so far in 2019. He earned $270,000 with the win and took the outright lead in the Charles Schwab Cup points race.
He finished 2nd overall in the final Charles Schwab Cup standings last season after winning two times with Exotics in the bag in 2018. He has finished in the Top 5 in each of the past three seasons – 2nd in 2018, 3rd in 2017 and 4th in 2016. The win was the 2nd of the 2019 PGA Tour Champions season for a player with Exotics clubs in play after seven events played. Tom Lehman won the season-opening event in Hawaii with an Exotics CBX 119 hybrid and a CBX Iron-Wood and currently ranks 5th in the Charles Schwab Cup money standings.
Photo Credit: Golfweek via Getty Images
Exotics CBX clubs have now been a part of eight victories and 11 runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour Champions since collecting the first win at the 2018 Chubb Classic. This means Exotics clubs have finished 1st or 2nd in 19 of the last 32 PGA TOUR Champions events (59%).
After seven events on the 2019 PGA Tour Champions season, Exotics metalwoods have been in play for two victories, five Top 5 finishes, nine Top 10 finishes, and 22 Top 25 finishes. Tour Edge is keeping count of these tour statistics on a tour scoreboard located on http://www.touredge.com.
The victory represents the fourth Top 5 finish in the last six events for McCarron, including a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finish. McCarron shot 7-under at the TPC Sugarloaf golf course in Duluth, Georgia with a total of 12 birdies in extremely tough conditions. The 53-year-old Californian birdied Holes 13 and 15 to secure his first victory of the season and his eighth win on the PGA Tour Champions. McCarron held a three-shot lead headed into the final round. On Saturday, he fired a 68 in the morning to finish the rain-delayed first round and shot a 70 in the afternoon to reach 6-under-par.
“It was a grind all the way. It was a tough day again,” McCarron said. “The wind was up, it was very cold, tough to get the ball close. You can see with the scores. … The golf course is playing very difficult. And 2 under, I felt like I left a couple out there, but I also made a couple really good par saves, too.” McCarron collected his ninth victory on the PGA Tour Champions. He won three times in his PGA TOUR career, including two wins the BellSouth Classic at this very same course, TPC Sugarloaf, in 1997 and 2001. He once again triumphed at TPC Sugarloaf, despite wind, rain, new 9-hole addition and all-new grass changes at the facility. “It’s a long time,” McCarron said. “But again, once you come back to a golf course you play well at, those memories start coming back to you. You start seeing lines off tees that you took, you start seeing maybe some of the putts you made coming down the stretch. Even though it’s a long time, I still have a pretty good memory of the good stuff.”
About Tour Edge
In 1986, David Glod founded Tour Edge with a focus on offering golfers with high quality and technologically advanced golf products that were as cutting edge as they were affordable. He is now considered one of the preeminent master club designers in golf club design and has led Tour Edge to be a Top 10 manufacturer in every club category.
Tour Edge products have been put in play on the PGA TOUR, PGA Tour Champions, LPGA Tour and Web.com Tour, as well as European professional tours, and have been in play in every PGA TOUR major event and in Ryder Cup competitions, leading to 20 wins for players playing Tour Edge products on the PGA Tours (10 PGA TOUR, nine PGA Tour Champions and one Web.com Tour victories.)
In 2018 alone, Tour Edge clubs earned seven wins, nine runner-up finishes, 34 Top 5 finishes and 60 Top 10 finishes on the three PGA Tours. Tour Edge, an American owned and operated company for more than 33 years, manufactures and sells golf clubs under three distinct brand names: Exotics, Hot Launch, and Bazooka.
When news started to pour out from Batavia, Illinois based golf equipment manufacturer Tour Edge about their new Exotics EXS range of products I was very excited. Premium products built from premium material. The range includes everything from their driver (which scored very well for a Top Driver Teezy Award) to a set of irons. Between the technology that’s packed into the Exotics EXS line and the attractive price point that accompany them, there is much to be excited about when looking at the EXS range of products.
One of the manufacturers that I was really excited to swing at the 2019 PGA Show Merchandise Demo Day was in fact Tour Edge. Already having had the opportunity to test and review the Tour Edge Exotics EXS 4 hybrid late in 2018 (EXS 4 Hybrid Review here) my appetite was whet in anticipation at the prospect of what the rest of the range was like. Especially, the Exotics EXS irons. The tagline that Tour Edge is using for this range (“Pound for Pound… Nothing Comes Close”) surely resonated with me. Here’s why.
The Pre-Shot Routine
The Exotics EXS irons by Tour Edge are packed with a ton of technology. One of the trends that we’re seeing in the golf industry is that of iron sets consisting of hollow-body construction. The EXS irons are no exception.
Exotics EXS irons feature a forged Cup Face with what Tour Edge refers to as “SpiderWeb VFT Technology”. The result? An expanded sweet spot that allows for more forgiveness which in turn enhances the golfer experience. Especially on strikes that are not… “Optimum”. Also noteworthy is the fact that the face construction is the thinnest that Tour Edge has ever used. The long irons 4-7 are the irons that feature the hollow body construction whilst the short irons 8-PW feature an undercut cavity design. A key point in the short irons is what Tour Edge calls “LaunchPad Technology”. LaunchPad Technology is a polymer that Tour Edge used to absorb vibration, enhance the feel and create more “trampoline effect”. This effect aids in providing a higher ball exit velocity which theoretically equates to more distance.
What good is a game-improvement iron if it doesn’t feature perimeter weighting? Perimeter weighting has become an integral part of the golf manufacturing industry when it comes to the design of irons. Once thought to be used predominantly in game-improvement irons we’ve seen the use of Tungsten perimeter weighting in what many would now describe as player’s irons. The EXS irons are no exception as Tour Edge R&D placed a 19-gram toe weight to further address forgiveness and playability. Higher M.O.I equals more resistance to twisting and “elongates the sweet spot”.
Technology points don’t simply “end” in the design of the head. Stock shafts offered in both graphite and steel. The options are none other than the Tensei CK Blue 2G Series by Mitsubishi Chemical (MCA). This shaft (also featured in the EXS Hybrid) combines the best of Kevlar, Carbon Fiber and other lightweight materials. Shaft weights vary depending on the flex of the shaft (60-80 grams). Or in the case of the steel option, the KBS Max 80 is available in either a Regular or Stiff flex and Tour Edge opted to choose the venerable Lamkin Grips UTx grip.
The Transition
(Demo Day Conditions – Sunny, Windy (left to right) and Warm. Tested with the MCA Tensei CK Blue 2G Series in Stiff flex)
Aesthetics – First things first. I just wanted to point out that in a way these irons reminded me a little bit of their EXi irons introduced a couple of product cycles ago.
That said, these irons look mean and remind me of a “Muscle Car” from the 50s-60s. Maybe like a 1957 Chevrolet Belair? When looking at them from the perspective of the golf bag view (cavity view) they look fast and they look powerful. Raw horsepower! I love the colorway of these irons with the silver and black badge on the back but the “pop” of blue just further adds to the aesthetic value of these irons (see picture below).
Tour Edge Exotics EXS irons
The looks are very attractive in the address position. The blade length is neither too long nor is it too short. At the risk of sounding like “Golfilocks” the blade length was just right. The blade length inspires confidence at address and the ball sets up great behind the head. What I really like from the address position is the top line. It is quite thin for game-improvement irons and I found the EXS irons to be very attractive overall. Personally speaking, I feel that the EXS irons may very well be the best-looking iron set in its category.
Performance– Make no bones about it. The EXS irons are premier performers. Quite honestly, it all boils down to the initial thoughts I had regarding their looks (in the address position). Looking down at them, I felt so confident that I was going to see good results that the confidence went straight to my hands and arms. Quite honestly, at that point, I hadn’t really made a ton of swings with any clubs. I was still finding my way (and my swing) post-Stroke and I really had no clue what swing was going to show up at Demo Day. My first swing resulted in a well-struck 8-iron that seemed to penetrate the left to right wind. The feel on that first strike was so crisp and more importantly, the ball flight didn’t “balloon”. The wind did not affect the ball flight. It just held up and on its intended line.
Divots were crisp and that could be contributed to the design of the sole which is called a “Ramped Sole”. The sole is designed to provide better turf interaction and heel relief. More relief means less likelihood of the club getting entangled with the turf.
Distance. Without having any sort of launch monitor data I cannot give specific numbers. That’s why I tout being the “Home of Organic Golf Reviews”. Using my senses (sight, sound, touch) has allowed me to differentiate differences from club to club. These irons are “hot” and “long”. The thin cup face sounds “mean” and you know that you’ve struck the golf ball based on the crisp “thwack” at impact. The sound and feel are very “solid” and it’s very noticeable in the hollow-bodied longer irons. The Tungsten weighting in the toe as far as I’m concerned served its purpose very well and not only did it help to prevent twisting but it seemed like squaring the face was achieved very easily. These irons are long… I need to point out that I turned myself around to hit into the wind as best as I could. I need to point out one important fact about the EXS irons.
*** The iron lofts are strong!! For comparison sake the PW is an astounding 42*. If you trap the ball as you should you’ll de-loft the club more.
While I will not go as far as suggesting that the EXS irons have a blade-like profile I will say that the minimal offset and thinner top-line nearly suggests that it is. The result is a golf club that you can control and shot-shape with ease. Cut, draw, high, and low all shots are easily achieved. Flighting the ball is a “breeze”. My typical shot shape is straight to a baby draw and it was no exception with the EXS irons. The MCA Tensei CK Blue 2G shafts were smooth and quite honestly as expected based on my previous experience using this shaft. it is Tour-proven.
What a fantastic set of irons!
The Finish
There are iron sets that have given me a great first impression. The Exotics EXS irons were consummate. A total blend of looks, power, feel, and performance. This is an iron set that will benefit golfers of all skill levels. I’m talking Scratch all the way to a 25-handicap. The Exotics EXS irons scored and impressive. Iron sets start from $499.99 USD and come in a variety of set compositions 5-PW to 7-PW/AW/GW/SW.
Tour Edge has packed a ton of technology into these irons and I have no doubt in my mind that they might be the irons that are in fact “Pound for Pound” the best. There’s a reason why these irons won their category for the Teezy Awards. The Exotics EXS irons scored 38.5 out of 40 points. I really think that these irons would warrant further testing on-course! Range time is one thing… On-course is another. If you’re in the market for new irons in 2019 these would be worth a look. For more information on these Exotics EXS irons please visit Tour Edge.
Tour Edge Golf from Batavia, Illinois has been making plenty of waves and news as of late. Not only did the brand secure a Teezy Award in the “Top Cast Irons” category but they finished with a runner-up in the “Top Fairway Metal” category as well. I also feel the need to point out that their EXS driver also finished only a half a point behind the winner and runner-up scoring 36.5/40 points.
Tour Edge Golf has also made recent signings to their TOUR staff as well. Among the signings are Champions TOUR veterans Duffy Waldorf, Tom Lehman, Tim Petrovic, and Scott Mc Carron.
For more details, please see the press releases below.
Until The Next Tee!!
#FightAndGrind #SeeUOntheNextTee
Duffy Waldorf Signs with Tour Edge Exotics to
Hat/Shirt/Bag Logo and Club Staff Deal for 2019
Tour Edge announced today that Duffy Waldorf has officially signed a deal to endorse Tour Edge Exotics and to play their metalwoods on the PGA Tour Champions in 2019. Waldorf will feature Tour Edge Exotics logos on his headwear and shirts and will carry an Exotics CBX 119 staff bag.
“I was going to continue to play the Exotics hybrid no matter what this season and
then I started hitting 300-yard bombs with their fairway wood,” said Waldorf. “I’m
excited to explore the full line of Exotics equipment since the first two clubs I have
tried are in my bag.” I am a big fan of how this is a U.S. owned and operated company that has dedicated itself to the PGA Tour Champions. They are out here every week making sure we are taken care of with ultra-high-performance clubs and that is very much appreciated. I’ll be proud to wear their hat and carry their bag this year to help spread the word on Tour Edge Exotics.”
Waldorf served as an Exotics CBX staff player in 2018. He played Tour Edge Exotics
CBX fairway woods and hybrids all year en route to a season that saw him earn
$815,559.
Waldorf finished 24th in the final Charles Schwab Cup points and money standings
in 2018. He earned four Top 10 finishes on the PGA Tour Champions but finished in
the Top 25 in 15 of the 27 events he played in 2018.
He earned a Top 5 finish at the Regions Tradition and 6th at the SENIOR PLAYERS
Championship, both major events. He also earned a 4th place finish at the PURE
Insurance Championship. He ended his season with a Top 10 finish in the Playoffs
at the Invesco QQQ Championship.
This year, Waldorf will be wearing Tour Edge Exotics logoed headwear and sporting
a Tour Edge Exotics logo on his chest and carrying a Tour Edge Exotics CBX 119
bag for the first time and will also expand his club usage to other categories with
Tour Edge Exotics clubs.
“Duffy is a grinder and a model of consistency out on the PGA Tour Champions,”
said Tour Edge President David Glod. “This is a big name in golf and a big deal for
Tour Edge to name as our 4th logo staff player. He was in play with us all year last
year and absolutely loves the clubs. I’m excited to work with him on the Exotics
CBX 119 down in Boca Raton as these clubs were designed for a golfer just like
Duffy in mind. I see a perfect marriage brewing.”
Waldorf will make his season debut February 8th at the Oasis Championship in Boca
Raton, Fl.
Waldorf will also take part in Tour Edge’s sponsorship of the PGA Tour Champions
Learning Center show on the Golf Channel. The PGA Tour Learning Center is a
popular Golf Channel television show that features professional tips and instruction
featuring the legends of golf from the PGA Tour Champions.
PGA Tour Champions Learning Center, Presented by Tour Edge, is scheduled to air
43 episodes in 2019, beginning January 22nd, with Tour Edge, prominently featured
within each episode. The series also will incorporate Tour Edge Exotics Staff Professionals like Waldorf, Tom Lehman, Scott McCarron, and Tim Petrovic among
others providing tips geared toward the amateur golfer.
“We set up on the range at every event in 2018 and over 50 different professionals
started playing Exotics,” said Glod. “The players have been very thankful for the
service we are providing them and it has led to some great relationships and great
feedback for me on club design.”
Waldorf seen here in TaylorMade is switching out for Tour Edge Exotics.
In all, over 50 players have put over 300 Exotics clubs into play since Exotics was
launched to the tour in the last year. Eight out of the Top 25 players (32%) in the
Charles Schwab Cup final standings and 16 out of the Top 50 players put Exotics
into play in 2018.
On top of the six victories and 10 runner-up finishes procured by players using
Exotics on the 2018 PGA Tour Champions, players using Tour Edge clubs also
earned 34 Top 5 finishes and 60 Top 10 finishes in the 27 events played on the PGA
Tour Champions in 2018.
The Tour Edge Exotics CBX hybrid ranked as the #1 most played hybrid model at
the 2018 Senior PGA Championship and the Charles Schwab Cup Championship
with their Exotics CBX hybrid accounting for 16% of the hybrids in play, according
to the Darrell Survey.
Tour Edge Signs Tim Petrovic to Hat/Shirt Logo and Club Staff Deal for 2019
Tour Edge announced today that Tim Petrovic has officially signed a deal to endorse
Tour Edge Exotics and to play their metalwoods on the PGA Tour Champions in 2019. Petrovic will feature Tour Edge Exotics logos on his headwear and shirts.
“I am excited to rejoin the Tour Edge team and wear the Tour Edge logo in 2019,” said Petrovic. “My success last year was largely due to the reliability and performance of my Exotics clubs. They always came through when I called upon them leading me to 5 second place finishes on the Champions Tour.”
Petrovic served as an Exotics CBX staff player in 2018. He played Tour Edge Exotics
CBX fairway woods, hybrids, and iron-woods all year en route to a career year.
Petrovic finished 9th in the final Charles Schwab Cup points and money standings in
2018 while playing two Exotics CBX fairway woods and two Exotics CBX IronWoods, as well as an Exotics CBX hybrid from time to time.
Petrovic earned six Top 10 finishes on the PGA Tour Champions, but five out of
those six Top 10’s were runner-up finishes, including high-profile 2nd place finishes
at the major KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, the major U.S. Senior Open Championship, and the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship. He
finished in the Top 25 in 12 of the 23 events he played in 2018.
This year, Petrovic will be wearing Tour Edge Exotics logoed headwear and sporting
a Tour Edge Exotics logo on his chest for the first time and will also expand his club
usage to other categories with Tour Edge Exotics clubs.
“What a year Tim Petrovic had last year on the PGA Tour Champions,” said Tour
Edge President David Glod. “He proved that he can hang with anyone out there and
that he is a force to be reckoned with. He is one of the players bringing a new competitive and fiery spirit to the PGA Tour Champions and we are proud to have
signed Tim to a deal where he can show off that he is playing our clubs while he is
out there competing. A saying we have around the office whenever he tees off is
‘Go Low Petro’ and we look forward to saying that a lot this year!”
Petrovic will make his season debut February 8th at the Oasis Championship in Boca
Raton, Fl.
Team #TourEdge. Tim Petrovic (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Petrovic will also take part in Tour Edge’s sponsorship of the PGA Tour Champions
Learning Center show on the Golf Channel. The PGA Tour Learning Center is a
popular Golf Channel television show that features professional tips and instruction
featuring the legends of golf from the PGA Tour Champions.
PGA Tour Champions Learning Center, Presented by Tour Edge, is scheduled to air
43 episodes in 2019, beginning January 22nd, with Tour Edge, prominently featured
within each episode. The series also will incorporate Tour Edge Exotics Staff Professionals like Petrovic, Tom Lehman, Scott McCarron, and Duffy Waldorf among
others providing tips geared toward the amateur golfer.
“We set up on the range at every event in 2018 and over 50 different professionals
started playing Exotics,” said Glod. “The players have been very thankful for the
service we are providing them and it has led to some great relationships and great
feedback for me on club design.”
In all, over 50 players have put over 300 Exotics clubs into play since Exotics was
launched to the tour in the last year. Eight out of the Top 25 players (32%) in the
Charles Schwab Cup final standings and 16 out of the Top 50 players put Exotics
into play in 2018.
On top of the six victories and 10 runner-up finishes procured by players using
Exotics on the 2018 PGA Tour Champions, players using Tour Edge clubs also
earned 34 Top 5 finishes and 60 Top 10 finishes in the 27 events played on the PGA
Tour Champions in 2018.
The Tour Edge Exotics CBX hybrid ranked as the #1 most played hybrid model at
the 2018 Senior PGA Championship and the Charles Schwab Cup Championship
with their Exotics CBX hybrid accounting for 16% of the hybrids in play, according
to the Darrell Survey.
Tom Lehman Played Brand New Exotics CBX
119 in Season-Opening Hawaii Victory
When Tom Lehman opened up the 2019 PGA Tour Champions season with a victory
at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, he did so with the brand new
Exotics CBX 119 hybrid by Tour Edge in the bag.
Tour Edge announced that Lehman officially signed a deal to wear a Tour Edge
Exotics logo on his chest, to carry an Exotics CBX 119 staff bag and to play their
Exotics metalwoods just a few days before the season-opening win.
“Right off the bat, we weren’t sure which CBX was in the bag for the win, the one
he played with and won with last year or the new CBX 119 we had just sent him a
few days prior to him leaving for Hawaii,” said Executive Vice President John
Craig. “We then heard from Tom this week that he instantly fell in love with the
new CBX 119 and put it right into play.”
Photo Credit; Getty Images
Lehman officially put the Exotics CBX 119 18-degree hybrid with a Project X
EvenFlow Black shaft into play for the win. He also had a #2 Exotics CBX IronWood in play.
“I put the CBX 119 directly in the bag for Hawaii and came away with the win to
start the 2019 season,” said Lehman. “The CBX 119 is way better than the original
I played last year and that one was really, really good. It’s a great step up and I hit
key shots with it.”
Lehman erased a four-stroke deficit and won the Mitsubishi Electric Championship
at Hualalai by a stroke on the final hole. Lehman finished with a 17-under 199.
“I like the fact that the wind was blowing,” Lehman said. “I always feel like when
the wind blows, my chances get better. Historically, I’ve always been a real steady
ball striker, and when the wind blows, that’s what you really have to do.”
He caught the leader with three birdies in a four-hole stretch at Hualalai Golf Club
and sealed the win with his second straight 7-under-par 65 round. The victory was
Lehman’s 12th PGA Tour Champions victory and his 2nd in the past two seasons
while playing Exotics golf clubs.
“Huge congratulations are in order to Tom Lehman on his amazing comeback win
in Hawaii,” said Tour Edge founder and President David Glod. “For Tour Edge,
Hollywood could not have scripted it any better. We had just finished our awards
dinner at our National Sales Conference to kick off PGA Show week in Orlando.
Right as dinner ended, the entire company and sales force gathered around the
hotel bar TV with two holes left. A big celebration ensued when Tom won because it
means so much to us as a company to have our logo getting that amount of air
time and for us to get our 8th victory in the last year on the PGA Tours. Our on fire
2018 just continued right on into 2019 and it couldn’t have happened at a better
time.”
In 2019, Lehman will be wearing a Tour Edge Exotics logo and carrying a Tour Edge
bag all season long. He will also expand his club usage to other categories with
Tour Edge Exotics clubs. Lehman served as an Exotics CBX hybrid staff player in 2018 and played Tour Edge Exotics CBX hybrids all year en route to a PGA Tour Champions victory and an 18th place ranking in the Charles Schwab Cup. Lehman earned nine Top 10’s including 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishes in 2018.
“I had great success all year long with the Exotics CBX hybrid and fairway woods,”
said Lehman. “I’ve tested everything out there and I found Exotics to be the best
for my game. I look forward to testing other Exotics clubs as well moving forward.”
According to the Darrell Survey, six Tour Edge Exotics clubs were in play in the
smaller and restricted Hawaii field, including the two winning clubs by Lehman.
Exotics staffer Scott McCarron finished tied for 18th playing Exotics EXS hybrid to
start the season, while another 2018 winner with Exotics on the PGA Tour
Champions finished T25 with an Exotics CBX fairway wood.
In all, over 50 players have put over 300 Exotics clubs into play since Exotics was
launched to the tour.
Eight out of the Top 25 players (32%) in the Charles Schwab Cup final standings
and 16 out of the Top 50 players put Exotics into play in 2018.
On top of the six victories and 10 runner-up finishes procured by players using
Exotics on the 2018 PGA Tour Champions, players using Tour Edge clubs also
earned 34 Top 5 finishes and 60 Top 10 finishes in the 27 events played on the PGA
Tour Champions in 2018.
The Tour Edge Exotics CBX hybrid ranked as the #1 most played hybrid model at
the 2018 Senior PGA Championship and the Charles Schwab Cup Championship
with their Exotics CBX hybrid accounting for 16% of the hybrids in play, according
to the Darrell Survey.
