50 Words or Less
The Tour Edge HL4 driver offers golfers huge value. Great forgiveness. Light and easy to hit. Low spin. Custom fitting options at $200.
Introduction
As other companies push the prices of their drivers well past the $500 threshold, Tour Edge is going the other way. Their HL4 line includes a driver that retails for $199…with custom fitting!
It’s natural to be skeptical of the performance at a price like that, so we tested it to see where it stands among today’s best drivers.
Looks
Setting the Tour Edge HL4 driver down, the first thing I noticed was how long the head is. It’s like a mini torpedo setting up to nuke the golf ball. The shape skews slightly toward the heel, but the alignment aid is small and centered.
When I looked at the driver face on, I was struck by the asymmetry of the hitting surface. The heel is very full, where the toe side gets slimmer and favors the crown. My guess is that this design is meant to accommodate the most common misses: high toe and low heel.
Finally, I really like the sole design. Often, lower priced clubs look like lower priced clubs. This sole has a premium finish and clean branding, no garish colors or design. Kudos to Tour Edge.
Sound & Feel
The Hot Launch 4 makes a big impression with its impact sound. You’ll hear a loud metallic “crack” as the ball rockets away. Substantial misses will be met with a quieter sound, but shots near the center sound quite similar.
Despite being a large, stable head, there is good feedback through the hands. After just a short time, I was able to easily locate all my shots.
Performance
After my recent experience with the HL4 fairway wood (review HERE), my expectations for the HL4 driver were quite high. This club did not disappoint.
From the first range session, I could see that the Hot Launch 4 was consistent. The stock UST Mamiya was not a great fit for me, but that gave the head’s forgiveness a chance to shine. My ball speed was steady from shot to shot even when I wasn’t hitting it flush. This is the result of the HL4’s Variable Face Thickness and Titanium Cup Face.
The other thing that was very consistent was the high launch and low spin. This head has a very deep center of gravity, so it wants to put the ball onto high trajectories. With the low spin, drives tend to flatten out after initial launch, carry, and then run out. Being a low spin player, I even saw a few range balls knuckle from lack of spin when I hit a draw.
The Tour Edge HL4 driver comes in two varieties. The straight neck, seen here, comes in lofts of 9.5, 10.5, and 12 degrees. For those that need help fighting a slice, there is an offset model available in 10.5, 12, and 13.5 degrees.
Conclusion
Tour Edge had already set a very high bar for value with their Exotics EXS driver (review HERE), but they may have raised it even higher with the HL4 driver. With a number of custom fitting options and a price of $199, this is a must try for any golfer who wants to get the most yards per dollar.
Tour Edge HL4 Driver Price & Specs
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
- OnCore Elixr 2022 Golf Ball Review - December 7, 2023
- Titleist U505 Utility Iron Review - December 6, 2023
- Podcast Episode 205 – Learning Golf from Chess - December 6, 2023
Thanks for the review, Matt. It’s nice to see a Driver can perform without having to fork over what is now approaching and exceeding $ 500 per club. You chose your words carefully. While complimenting the Driver’s performance (consistency and “runout”) , you fell short of saying it was as long as your gamer or other “premium” Drivers in the category. Generally speaking, how did it stack up length-wise?
Steve,
The shaft in the HL4 driver is not an ideal fit for me, so it was short of my PING. With a better fit shaft, I think it could go head to head with more expensive drivers.
Best,
Matt
Tour Edge is on a roll. The HL driver is a good looking club and the line’s pricing and fitting options should give other club makers something to think about.
interested in tour edge hl4 driver. price to australia.
10.5, regular flex,
David,
I would suggest contacting Tour Edge or a Tour Edge distributor.
Best,
Matt
How does one determine if they are a low spin or high spin player? When I’m in a shaft that fits me, my driver spin is between 2000-2300 with club head speed around 110 and ball speed around 160. If I have a shaft that is too soft it’s around 4000. Is there a stock flex you should hit and get numbers with to figure out if you are low, high, medium?
Brandon,
I would work with a fitter to try a variety of shafts and see where my average spin is. Seems like you’re mid/high spin based on what you said here.
Best,
Matt
Hi, do they offer any other shafts?
Mike,
To my knowledge, there’s only one stock shaft option.
Best,
Matt
Hi Matt
Would you recommend the HL4 or the EXS driver for a mid handicapper. Right now there is only about a $49 difference in price. How do they compare as far as forgiveness
Bob,
For a $49 difference, I would go for the EXS primarily on the quality of the shaft in the EXS. Forgiveness is pretty close, both are very good.
Best,
Matt