Many don’t realize that Tour Edge has been around for 35 years in golf, and in that time there have been some significant successes and a whole lot of industry firsts in terms of technology and designs. For most, however, it is the last few years that have more than likely brought the brand to attention, and that hinges around their PGA Tour Champions presence, yes, but also the fact that they are making clubs from top to bottom that flat our perform.
Last year was a big one for Tour Edge and the Exotics line where the company saw sales successes the likes of which the company hadn’t seen before, particularly when it comes to driver. THP reviewed both the EXS 220 and EXS Pro drivers and honestly I believed we had seen the formula of design the company would follow for the foreseeable future. Boy was I wrong.
The C721 driver turns all of that on its ear. A unique from the ground up design to follow impressively successful predecessors, and yes, it very much works.
Quick Take
No evolution here, the C721 is yet another revolution for Tour Edge and their Exotics line. This is one of the absolute lowest spinning drivers on the market for 2021, but with a playability that is unheard of for the low RPM’s it pumps out. This driver has outside the box looks, but all of the sound, feel, forgiveness, and sheer firepower we have come to expect from the Exotics lineup. This is a must try.
From the Ground Up
I’ll be honest, I really don’t believe that David Glod and Tour Edge get enough credit for their ability to design and innovate. Yes, there are multiple layers to Tour Edge as a company with options across the spectrum, but the Exotics lineup in particular has always been one that is unafraid of being different for the sake of chasing performance. That is the C721 driver in a nutshell.
The only true design carryover from the EXS 220 line is the 2.0 version of Diamond Face. With this evolution there are 7 different thicknesses and 43 diamonds on the backside of the face which create variable thickness. Worth noting is that the first version had only 3 thicknesses. Even more impressive is through material and design changes, Diamond Face 2.0 has actually reduced the perimeter thickness by 20% according to Tour Edge. Reduced thickness means more ball speed potential, and also more forgiveness particularly at the extremes of the face.
The C721 is also utilizing an Adjustable Rear Backweight which optimizes the CG to promote an easier launch and increased stability by way of an increased M.O.I. The weights will be available in 5g, 10g, 15g, and 18g options with 10g being standard in the driver.
Tour Edge is also taking carbon fiber to the limit through what the company is calling their Ridgeback Technologyand Dual Carbon Wings. Ridgeback is a titanium spine that goes down the middle of the club connecting behind the top center of the face and running all the way around the head. This is Tour Edge’s answer to creating stiffness in the right places to increase ball speed in the middle of the face while allowing the heel and toe sections to flex and maintain more power there as well. Wrapping around Ridgeback are the Dual Carbon Wings which help shift the weight internally to optimize that low/back CG for launch and stability.
Tour Edge Exotics C721 Driver
So, on to performance, yeah? I’ll put it this way, as impressed as I was by the EXS 220 and EXS Pro last year, and as shocked as I was that Tour Edge was essentially scrapping those designs, this is about as well rounded as a driver can get.
Obviously, the looks are getting the biggest share of discussion, and I was one who was admittedly pessimistic when I first got to see the release images. Even then, the same old story reigns true, it looks better in the in-hand pictures than the release images, and then when actually in-hand it’s even better. Is it different and a little abstract? Absolutely. But before the internet gets up in arms about it, think about the fact that Tour Edge is adamant that on both the PGA and PGA Tour Champions circuits who are made up of the pickiest players on earth, that the feedback on the looks has been good. I know for me, the way that the Dual Carbon Wings wrap around in hand is what stuck out as utterly unique.
Where the overall footprint goes, it’s not a small driver and it does fill out its 460cc. However, it still keeps a nice flow and curve to the rear of the head, not at all angular or pancake like. The face depth is, to my eye, quite close to the EXS 220 which is a good thing. Ironically, the sole is what took the most getting used to for me as I was so accustomed to the different iterations of the slip-stream sole that has now been retired by the company. Its on the plain side now, but it’s also clean and lets the rest of the aesthetic package do the talking.
With so much carbon fiber I was curious if we would end up with a sound more on the composite side of the spectrum, but instead it’s a pretty satisfying melding of composite and titanium with the Ridgeback design. Tour Edge has clearly continued their commitment to sound/feel and the materials combined with the use of Sound Diffusion Panels internally have created something pretty unique. The best way I can describe it is solid but crisp and while sound preference is personal, I just don’t see many coming away anything but impressed with the C721 in that department.
On the course, impressive might be selling this one short for me. The forgiveness of the Diamond Face 2.0 melded with the way the company has manipulated the CG and MOI of the head turned into a surprising level of playability. The head itself for me is very neutral overall and with that the ball flight took on the nature of the swing I put onto it without any concern. The fact that I was able to move such a forgiving head either way when I wanted to is something that I honestly didn’t expect. All that said, when I got the C721 on the Foresight GC2 things became even more interesting.
As you can see above, there is a lot to digest. First, I will put out there that the data session shown was recorded in some very cold temperatures, so while the environment for maximizing compression wasn’t at its most optimal, it does a great job of telling the story. Paired with a Project X HZRDUS RDX Black, this is one of the lowest spin drivers I have reviewed. Ever. Even outdueling the EXS Pro in that regard. One thing to mention there is that the C721 is astoundingly consistent in its spin rates with misses high and low, not jumping or dipping too far outside of solidly struck shots.
Combine the low spin with the fact that even in the 9.5° head I tested I was able to achieve solid launch angles at good ball speeds, and there is ample distance potential here. While peak speeds have not been quite where I was with the EXS Pro, it makes sense given this isn’t the same low/forward design as that head. If anything, the low/back CG nature of this design makes it that much more impressive from a distance and forgiveness blend.
Bottom line, this might be the most forgiving and easy launching low spin head on the entire market in 2021. This is a driver that wants to stay as stable and square as possible regardless of strike location on the face, which is another nod to Diamond Face and what Tour Edge has accomplished with that technology. Something in all that to keep in mind, however, is that with a head that spins as low as this is capable of, fit is going to be even more important to take advantage of it. All in all, Tour Edge has somehow managed to take the Exotics lineup to an even more impressive performance level, one that truly stands on its own against anything else out there.
Have you hit the C721 driver yet? Plan on it? Jump into the discussion below as well as on the THP community thread where golfers just like you are putting it through its paces as part of TEEm Tour Edge!
The Details
Price: $399.99
Lofts: 9.5°, 10.5°, 12°
Shafts: Fujikura Air Speeder, Fujikura Ventus Red 4T Core, Project X HZRDUS Smoke Blue RDX, Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX
I’m going to go against the grain here. He should demo the C721 but ask the fitter to put it in the Neutral Upright setting. This will increase lie angle, making it 3* more upright. Also, he will likely need to play the ball an inch or so more forward in his stance. I play mine directly off my big toe. Should deliver the face more squarely to the ball.
YES, I have always been a draw biased shot, the C721 with moving it to 11DEG with he vents red stiff, i hit it dang near straight. I do not slice the ball. I want to get a weight kit though and make it heavier to see what gains i get
Yup. That one is designed for LITERALLY that golfer Dnice is describing.
Is that a knock on this one? Hell no, this one is a beast, but it’s also not a draw biased head.
I have been running into this problem with the C721. My balls goes straight, moves right and when it lands it tumbles further right. It was suggested to move the ball forward. It didn’t help. I don’t normally slice. Playing the Red Ventus R, Which feels nice.
I actually think the c721 is better for my overall golf swing. B21 doesn’t necessarily promote good swing mechanics. It’s pretty much grip and rip. Don’t get me wrong it’s fun but and I’ll keep it around for a while.
I not a firm believer in move ball forward theory. Yes it will help launch angle but if you can’t hit it with correct path and face angle it won’t help. I find that if I get ball to far forward it will amplify my push right. Any experts want to chime in because I’m no expert
Moving the ball up allows you to swing more left…which technically promotes more fade. Usually you want to move the ball back a bit to promote a more inside path for a draw.
My thoughts and experience
I play the ball just forward of center of the stance with my driver
Thats pretty far back in my mind….
Lead foot heel is where I think we all mostly wanna be.
Front big toe is where I like to be … but I’m usually slightly back of it.
Guess that depends on how square your front foot is!! I turn my lead foot out….
Yes, or somewhere the big toe might be if straight – probably front inside heel.
Air Speeder R was very whippy. Red Ventus R as mentioned feels better.
I put a Riptide CB in to replace the RDX Blue. I always fool myself that I can the Hzrdus range, but it just doesn’t mesh with my swing.
For me, the Smoke yellow was good when I swung out of my shoes and got the face angle right. But it led to a lot if errant shots too. The RDX blue seems to fit my smooth transition a lot better, and feels less stiff than the Smoke Yellow.
If you can find a good fit shaft wise, the distance and accuracy will be there with this head. Good luck, and have fun!
The riptide fits my profile to a ”t”. I was hitting nice little baby draws and could turn it over on command yesterday.
Everyone is different for sure. It took a little while to feel comfortable with the RDX blue in mine. I know prefer it to some other shafts that I like before. The c721 head coupled to the perfect shaft through a fitting could be a beast.
It sure is fun when you find that shaft that just works!
I’ve played 6 different shafts in my review head now, the spread is about 400 RPM, not nearly what most out there would expect.
So true what you said:
Distance
Fairways
In play
Repeatable
I’ve experienced all these with the C721, and it seems to be a recurring theme for most who have.
it is spooky repeatable. Once dialed in, it’s boring. For me, slight high fade to bullet fade, but doesn’t do anything stupid unless provoked. If you let it be boring, it will be boring.
Love me a boring in play driver
You keep it down there.
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With a Tour edge sleeve, does adding loft will affect face angle ?
Ventus Red 4t stiff is the shaft.
Yes, it will alter face angle.
thank you
What shaft.
This had a Kinetixx Ballistic D40 in it.
It will most likely get a LINQ Purple.
With that said, this club is still stupid fun to hit. Just a blast!
Tour Edge has earned its spot in my bag.
Boulder ?
I went out to 7 Hills in Hartville.
I pretty much alternate by round at this point with this and my ST-X, and they’ve both closed out pretty much all of the other current releases that I’ve got here which is high praise for Tour Edge especially as it’s TWO years in a row for me that they’ve done that.
Very cool, yet to play there. If I venture out that way it’s usually to Sable.
I changed a few things about my swing and adjusted loft a but in my last range session. But my takeaway from a range session is just how easy it is to hit repeatable shots with this. Peppering the same spots on the range, which were all pretty straight, and deep.
Yup, it’s pretty wild it can be so ultra low spin, but still directionally balanced on misses. The more I think about it, the more it’s entering that “unicorn” realm.
It’s a tough but fun course, tight. I would usually play somethig other than driver a lot, but wanting to give this a hard test. Performed well, and had 50% FIR. Some wayward shots, but overall good.