Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220 Fairway Wood

I’ll cut straight to the chase.  I love my Tour Edge CBX 119 fairway wood and have had it in my bag for quite some time.  Within three shots with the new Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220 fairway wood, however, I knew I was replacing my CBX 119.  Like the driver, the EXS 220 fairway wood uses the new Diamond Face and Sound Diffusion Bar, and has a higher MOI to deliver premium performance.

The Looks

At address, the Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220 fairway wood has a traditional pear shape with a moderate footprint.  The face is on the shallower side which sets up behind the ball very nicely.  The crown has a modest glossy black-sparkle finish while the sole has minimal red, white, and blue graphics along with blue carbon fiber sole inserts.  Obviously the SlipStream sole is an eye catcher, but it’s there for a functional reason as well.  Tour Edge has used the SlipStream sole before, but they made its channels wider on the EXS 220.  The idea is that the sole of club will pass through the turf smoother and help you achieve higher club speeds.

I’m told Tour Edge-staffer Tom Lehman claims that the EXS 220 is the best shape he has ever seen in a  fairway wood.  This was a major reason it immediately went into his bag for the 2020 season.

How Does it Feel?

Tour Edge used a new “Hyper-Steel” on the EXS 220 fairway wood that’s 14% lighter than the previous EXS.  This enabled Tour Edge to better control where weight was placed in the club head.  They then strategically placed that weight in the center of the sole and the rear of the club head which helps get the ball in the air while keeping spin down.  This also makes the EXS 220 fairway wood feel very balanced and smooth throughout the swing.

Tour Edge introduced a new innovation called “Diamond Face” that is being used across the whole EXS 220 metalwood lineup.  While the EXS 220 driver has 42 diamonds behind the face, Tour Edge was able to squeeze 44 into the fairway wood.  This Diamond Face technology is made up of small diamond shapes, varying in thicknesses, which enlarge the sweet spot and increase ball speed.  Think of them as little trampolines behind the face.  The end result is a sweet feeling face with a lot of jump at impact.  Between the smooth balance and the heat off the face, the EXS 220 fairway wood feels incredible.

How Does it Sound?

While the original EXS fairway wood already sounded pretty good, Tour Edge made the EXS 220 sound better with their new Sound Diffusion Bar.  The Sound Diffusion Bar allowed Tour Edge to “improve the acoustic engineering by enhancing the richness of sound upon impact.”  As a result, a decently-struck shot has a muted metallic “tick” to it.  If you have a higher swing speed, the sound has a bit more “pop.”  The more forgiving face allows for a little deviation from the center of the club without losing tone.  That is, unless you hit extreme misses barely on the face, but at that point, there’s not much you can do!

On-Course Performance

When everything is on and I’m feeling good, man…the Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220 fairway wood is a monster.  A nice piercing ball flight, low-to-medium spin, and killer distance.  Just an absolute weapon.  Unfortunately, I’m not a professional and sometimes I need all the help I can get.  When I felt like I just couldn’t rip into one “and pound it 285 yards into the green,” the EXS 220 had me covered.  I was able to effortlessly to hit a mid-launch shot with a medium spin that stuck to my target.  They key was I could take quite a bit off my swing and still get pretty good distance.  I’m chalking this up to the ever-so-lively Diamond Face.

I want to focus on the launch and control of the EXS 220 fairway wood specifically.  As mentioned previously, Tour Edge really concentrated on weight distribution for the EXS 220 woods.  This weight distribution placed the center of gravity (CG) toward the rear of the head, via a stock 6 gram weight, as well as in the center of the sole.  Placing the CG in this location helps maximized the MOI and makes it easier to launch the ball.  The weight placed in the center of the sole also helps keep spin down and prevents the launch angle from getting too high.  As a result, getting the EXS 220 fairway wood carrying in the air is automatic and the optimized spin not only gets you more distance, but makes it easier to control your shots.

In short, the maxed out MOI and precise CG location make the EXS 220 fairway wood extremely forgiving, easy to launch, and long.

Final Thoughts – Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220 Fairway Wood

I’d consider the Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220 a Swiss Army Knife of a fairway wood.  It really is a versatile club that can do everything.  You need to hit a 280-yard bomb with a tight draw?  The EXS 220 has it.  You just want something you can easily get in the air off the deck AND the tee box with a few extra yards and accuracy?  That’s easy with the EXS 220 fairway wood.  High baby fade with a soft landing from around 265 yards into the green?  Yep, that’s that automatic shot I mentioned in the Performance section.  The point is that the Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220 can easily do it all.  If that range of shots isn’t your game, that’s fine too.  The EXS 220 will be a straightforward, reliable fairway wood you can count on when you need it.

After the Review…

Just a few quick additional notes that are pretty neat.  First, Tour Edge provides a lifetime warranty on all of their clubs.  If that doesn’t add to the value of the EXS 220, I’m not sure what does.  Additionally, the EXS 220 family is now part of Tour Edge’s 48-Hour Custom Fit Delivery Program.  This means that any custom order placed through an authorized Tour Edge dealer by 2:30pm Central will be delivered within two business days anywhere in the Continental US.  That’s a pretty quick turnaround on a custom build…

Note: for swing weight and launch adjustments, Tour Edge will also make 3, 9, 11, and 14 gram weights available. Which weight is best for you will heavily depend on your swing and the shot you’re looking for out of your fairway wood.

StockTour Edge Exotics EXS 220 Fairway Wood Specs

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