50 Words or Less
The Tour Edge Exotics EX9 Tour fairway wood looks like some of their classic models and has the legendary ball speed, but it adds more forgiveness than ever before.
Introduction
Do you want a fairway wood that looks great or one that’s forgiving? That’s the choice that golfers are forced into by many OEMs. The latest Tour fairway wood from Tour Edge Exotics, the EX9, seeks to make that choice a thing of the past. I took one to the course to see if it’s possible to pack enough forgiveness into a smaller package.
Looks
One of the major selling points for the EX9 Tour fairway wood is the look. Better players are going to love the clean, gloss black crown and the smaller 150cc club head. The size and shape is very similar to the classic CB4 FW, but the face is a bit shallower. The ability to adjust the hosel will allow players to dial in the exact face angle they prefer at address.
Sound & Feel
The sound of the the EX9 Tour fairway wood is a bit surprising given the explosive ball speeds that it produces. At impact, the sound is very solid and fairly quiet, not at all the loud, metallic, hollow sound that many people associate with “hot” fairway woods. Again, this is going to have huge appeal to the better players who like more traditional impact sounds.
Both in the sound and the feel, the feedback on the EX9 Tour FW is very good. It’s easy to distinguish the feel of truly centered shot from one that missed just a little, even though the results aren’t that different.
Performance
As someone who is not a strong fairway wood player, I have certain negative expectations of any FW that has the word “Tour” on it, namely limited forgiveness and difficulty launching the ball high enough. The Tour Edge Exotics EX9 Tour fairway wood breaks the mold in both respects.
Though the EX9 Tour does have a smaller head, the technology in the face means that you won’t see dramatic ball speed losses when you miss the center a little. If you get way out on the toe or heel, you will see substantial dips, but the ball speed on the center is so good that your distances may end up being decent anyway.
What is more impressive to me is how easy it is to get the EX9 Tour in the air. This isn’t the highest launching fairway wood by any means – the trajectory is strong and the spin is quite low – but getting to that mid-launch is easy. Even when I was catching shots a little thin, my launch angles were around 10 degrees – not necessarily optimal, but quite good for a mishit. It’s also possible to make the EX9 Tour higher launching by adding more weight to the sole. The club comes with a 9 gram weight, but a kit with 6, 11, and 14 gram weights is available. Finally, you can add or subtract loft through the hosel adjustment to optimize your launch conditions.
Finally, I want to mention the SlipStream sole. This wavy center section of the sole is designed to minimize turf interaction and maximize speed and distance. Just as I said about the EX9 hybrid, it’s very possible I’m suffering from a placebo effect, but it does feel like the EX9 Tour FW moves through the turf more easily than other fairway woods.
Conclusion
For the players that prefer a smaller fairway wood but don’t want to sacrifice forgiveness and ease of play, the Tour Edge Exotics EX9 Tour fairway wood is a club worth checking out. It has the legendary Tour Edge Exotics ball speed while adding a lot of adjustability and the unique SlipStream sole.
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TEE Ex9 Tour LM Data
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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How would you say this thing stacks up against other top fairways? Like 915F, M1/2, Alpha 816, LTD? In terms of spin, forgiveness, ease of use from the deck?
Kurren,
I like the EX9 Tour quite a bit, but it’s all a matter of fitting the individual. For what it’s worth, I don’t think the 915F or the M1 are in the “Top FWs” category.
Best,
Matt
In your comments, you stated that the M1 and 915F are “not” top fairway woods. For 2015-2016 years, what do you consider the top fairway woods?
Dale,
I think the PING G FWs are excellent, and they cover a nice range. The Tour Edge reviewed here is quite good. Bill has spoken very highly of some of Cobra’s offerings and the new Nike Vapor Fly.
-Matt