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
Funny you say unicorn. Typically I’ll have a great round with a driver, then an average or poor. I’ve had 3 great rounds, and one good with the C721. My good round I still hit 50% FIR. It was only good, because the course was tight, and I needed to be in different spots to set up 2nd shots. Missed spots, but still hit fairways.
Its good!!
The balance and stability of it on misses given the low spin is pretty eye opening at times for sure. I adored and lauded the EXS Pro last year, and while this isn’t as low spin as that (about 100 rpm on avg for me) it is waaaaaaay more playable on the misses for sure.
It’s similar to Tour validation I guess
I think it’s great that pretty much every major OEM (outside of maybe Wilson) is producing at least a quality driver these days.
If anything, it’s great from a fitting and budget standpoint to have a good array of options to choose from.
But agree, you’d been on the Mizzy and TEE train this year for sure and they seem to both be really good. Tried the ST-X 12* and it was a hook machine for me…I am bummed the ST-Z doesn’t come in a 12* option and as you mentioned the 721 is probably too low spin for me.
Just because Tour is in a name….
No one is making bad gear right now, hell, even the W/S driver head is decent.
if it wasn’t 6* closed
Everytime I see it in the store I think…wow that is a great looking head…very TSi looking. Then sole it and the closed appearance turns me off. Not sure why Wilson always has to have closed faces.
Because 90% of golfers need them.
Solid math..for every 1 drawer of the ball there are 9 slicers
Just for comparison sakes I decided to play the 2nd nine of the nine hole course with the B21. It is set at 9 degree with a graphite design tour ad tp stiff shaft. 4 of 7 fairways. Ball flight with this combo is lower while resulting in almost exact same distances.
The 721 is a joy to play. Guess I now have 2 unicorns. Appearance feel and sound in my opinion all favor TE.
Easier to draw the B21 with the draw bias?
Not sure it’s easier. For me and I can only speak for my experience. The B21 allows for a less than perfect swing. For me it’s a driver I can count on going straight. To say a slight pull. The 721 coupled with the rdx shaft requires me which I prefer to put a better swing on the club. The B21 can mask some swing flaws to the point that you don’t realize you have them. I prefer to have a club that requires me to put a decent swing on the ball. I can cut or hook both of them.
View attachment 9011822
Don’t mind the push pull degree, I didn’t align the monitor to target all that well
Where did you get the weight?
I got a weight kit from TE. Comes with a 5, 15, and an 18
I have looked on the website and have never seen one for the C721. Maybe I will call them.
plays nicely if you ask me.
Probably covid. Delayed everything else lol
Give them a call. I got mine a month or so ago.
It’s on the way.
It’s getting there! Put one out at 165 yesterday so for a brief moment the power leak was fixed
Careful, the internet oft says driver technology isn’t real
Maybe it’s just a placebo effect.
I don’t like you anymore.
OK, that’s a lie.
If it makes you feel better I think I broke myself on that one hahaha
I believe @Jman has.
I reviewed both, and gamed the Pro all last season after it’s release.
This one spins a touch more, a mere 100 rpm more for me on average, but it’s INSANELY more forgiving. Plus, imo, it sounds better. But, it is a larger footprint.
Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk
They will replace it, even if you are going to use a different shaft.
What changes/improvement are you getting with the added weight?
Fathers day is upon us is what I was told.
A touch higher and straighter. I put a Lighter CB Riptide in To replace the RDX Blue and the extra 5 grams in the head seems to have stabilized it even more. Hit 3 of my longest, straightest drives yesterday on a course where I know where I usually end up. The other drives I had were a little longer than usual and in play.
It just feels better to me. That is probably the biggest difference. If I feel comfortable, I’m going to perform better.
I’ll shoot them an email, might as well get it replaced just to have as a backup!
Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk
More forgiving than my Epic Flash sub zero and also longer. Will have to buy one!
View attachment 9013425
From playing that course that is an extremely narrow driving hole. Well done. I’m a fairly straight hitter of the ball and usually hit 7w there.
I had same problem when first got mime. Hitting a lot of high loopers off the crown. I started experimenting with moving ball forward in my stance and it worked for me.
I’ve always been a more ‘forward’ position guy. It seems to be more related to actual playing on course vs. the Range. If I tee it up at the same height on course as it is on the range, it goes to the ‘high face’. I’m guessing it has to do with the Range mats being "firmer", with on course conditions being ‘softer’ so the low point is just *that* much lower. Once I finally remember that, I can lower the tee a bit and I can find the middle more. Now to work on the toe/heel misses!
I think if you can get rid of the slice and put a good swing on it you will really enjoy the sound, feel and performance of the C721.
If you’re like me, the rewire needs to be “down then around.” Also shaft is key. The Alta CB shaft in my Ping GMax 400 seems to help me square the face more than the HZRDUS yellow in my C721. Which is why being aggressive with the C721 is rewarded, while it’s punished with my Max in the form of snap hooks and blocks right of Limbaugh.
It seems to be all about the shafts. I guess it is like dating woman. You can’t try them all and eventually you have to settle on one – lol
I disagree, Some folks on here change shafts and clubs like madmen!!
Its nice when you find one that works for you but the Hzrdus yellow never felt right to me. The EvenFlow Blue I had on the side felt much better and eventually replaced the Yellow until it snapped 2 weeks ago. Now I am on the hunt again.