Tour Edge Exotics 721 Driver

Tour Edge is no stranger to making excellent equipment that more than holds its own against premium competitors in the gear market. Often looked at as “the value brand that makes pretty impressive equipment for great prices”, many assume that because it’s more affordable than all the big names, the gear must not be as good as the higher-ticket items. Well, if the Tour Edge Exotics 721 driver doesn’t prove that they more than belong in the same conversation, I don’t know what will. Between the evolution of technologies from the EXS 220 line and some significant new design elements, the 721 driver is easily one of the best total packages Tour Edge has ever produced. This club will absolutely beat out many of the big names this season.

The Looks

This isn’t Tour Edge’s first use of carbon fiber in a driver, but the Exotics 721 has the most they’ve ever used by 19% (!). Tour Edge calls the carbon fiber “Dual Carbon Wings” and they remove a bunch of excess weight from the crown and sole of the head. This allowed Tour Edge to strategically redistribute that weight into locations that optimize the center of gravity (CG) and raise the MOI. At a high level, this means the club is easier to hit and more stable. Contrasting the carbon crown is the black Ridgeback spine which gives the 721 a cool look, but adds a lot of benefits we’ll discuss in later sections.

I think the 721 driver is right up there with the EXS Pro as the best driver profile Tour Edge has ever produced. From address, the 721 driver is a rounder pear shape with medium face depth, and sets up with an ever-so-slightly open face. The black face fading into the black topline makes for a smooth transition and an overall great look behind the ball.

How Does it Feel?

Ladies and gentleman, Tour Edge Diamond Face technology is back! In fact, the 721 driver introduces Diamond Face 2.0 which is comprised of 43 diamond shapes and 7 different levels of thickness. For reference, the original Diamond Face only had 3 different thicknesses. Additionally, the “extreme perimeters” of the face are thinner in 2.0, which means faster ball speeds on mishits. This new design not only makes the face more forgiving, but you can actually feel the ball really jump off the face. There is a lot of pop and definitely more heat at impact.

One of the new design elements Tour Edge introduced with the Exotics 721 series is the Ridgeback spine. The Ridgeback is a titanium spine that runs from the center of the face, through the crown, and connects to the sole of the club. This spine makes the club head more rigid and more forgiving on off-center hits. The result of that rigidity is a more powerful feel and a greater “kick” sensation from the face. By bracing the center of the face, the heel and toe sections are able to flex more so there is less speed being lost when you don’t strike it pure. For me, it was a noticeable difference and a perfect blend of an active, yet solid face.

How Does it Sound?

Tour Edge has made a TON of progress in the sound department for their drivers over the past few models. I was openly critical of the original EXS driver’s tone, it’s true. The follow-up driver model, the EXS 220, introduced the new Sound Diffusion Bar (SDB) which made a massive difference in sound improvement and the club sounded great. (The SDB and acoustic ribbing would be used in more Tour Edge metalwoods moving forward.) The Exotics 721 driver moved away from the SDB, but still put a lot of focus on optimizing sound. The new sound optimization comes by way of a new technology called “Sound Diffusion Panels”.

The Sound Diffusion Panels “direct and diffuse” the sound waves in the club at impact. Combining the panel design with the Diamond Face, titanium Ridgeback spine, and the Carbon Wings, the overall sound is a muted, yet solid, satisfying “crack”. Though the sound is appropriately muted, there is still a certain sense of power in the tone at impact. Due to the technologies already discussed, that sound is pretty consistent across most of the face. Personal opinion: the Exotics 721 driver will easily prove to be their best sounding driver in quite some time, if not ever.

On-Course Performance

As mentioned earlier, the use of the Dual Carbon Wings in the Tour Edge Exotics 721 driver removed a lot of weight from the crown and sole. Tour Edge was able to relocate that weight in strategic locations to increase the MOI and to optimize the CG. Most of that weight was moved low and back in the head which helps launch the ball a little higher. Not to worry, that doesn’t mean you’re hitting balloons. The flight is still comfortably medium and the real point is that it’s easier to get the ball carrying for more distance. There are additional weights available to buy to help modify launch and spin as necessary. In my case, I felt comfortable with the stock 10-gram weight to get the numbers above.

That adjustable backweight also increases MOI which means the club is less prone to twisting at impact. This will help you keep the head on its line through the strike of the ball, which means better accuracy. I can’t really comment too scientifically, but I felt general shot control was no problem and quite reliable.

I spoke about Diamond Face 2.0 quite a bit already, but I want to point out that it has a very real performance impact. The sweet spot is much more generous and it really does a good job bailing you out on mishits. Pairing the Diamond Face with the Ridgeback puts a lot more energy back into the ball at impact as opposed to being absorbed by the head. The end result is an extremely powerful ball flight with a lot of speed and easy control.

Final Thoughts – Tour Edge Exotics 721 Driver

I’ve hit the Tour Edge Exotics 721 driver quite a bit already and it just does everything well. The feel is fantastic, it sounds amazing, and the performance numbers speak for themselves. That combination of the new Diamond Face 2.0 and Ridgeback spine really delivers. I’m confident in saying that the 721 driver has a great chance to crack into the gamer spot in my bag this season. Time will tell of course, but it’s off to an excellent start in early testing.

Look, there really isn’t much else to say. I genuinely think the Tour Edge Exotics 721 driver is really good and a true testament how much this brand improves year after year. Seeing how far Tour Edge has come in the driver market while still keeping the price significantly lower than premium competitors is nothing short of impressive. If you aren’t considering them with all of the top name brands this season, you’re making a huge mistake. The Exotics 721 driver certainly belongs in the same conversation.

Stock Tour Edge Exotics 721 Driver Specs

Tour Edge used their T.E.D. swing robot to determine the best shaft option in their diverse lineup for every swing flex and speed. The below list has Tour Edge’s “SpeedTested” stock shaft offerings with suggestions based on different swing speed ranges.

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