Tour Edge is launching their 8th iteration of their Hot Launch product line today. The 524 series is a complete lineup of clubs which includes drivers, fairways, hybrids, irons, and wedges. What’s impressive is that this release has two separate ranges of clubs: The E range, which means Extreme, and the C range, meaning Competition. In this article, we will focus on both lines of irons and wedges within the Hot Launch 524 series.
Hot Launch has been an essential line for Tour Edge as it helps them reach a much different demographic of golfers than those who play the Exotics line. With each release, Hot Launch raises the bar regarding equipment that doesn’t command top dollar. Tour Edge founder and President David Glod has discussed how this release represents a significant milestone for the Hot Launch line as they are incorporating more tech from their premium Exotics lineup. Perhaps more important to so many is that Tour Edge is bringing over some technological advances while maintaining a mid-tier price point.
Tour Edge’s Hot Launch 524 collection will be available in stores starting March 1, 2024. The best part is that Tour Edge offers these clubs as part of their 48-hour shipping program, which is considered one of the best custom order programs available. If you order a golf club directly through Tour Edge or through a Tour Edge fitter, you can expect your order to be shipped within 48 hours.
Tour Edge Hot Launch 524 Irons – E Series
Tour Edge has stated that the letter E in E524 stands for Extreme. However, after examining past E series golf clubs, the word “easy” seems to be a better fit. Tour Edge designs the Extreme Spec Super-Game-Improvement irons to offer one of the most effortless-to-use golf clubs available. E524 represents Tour Edge’s new hollow iron that has undergone some changes to ensure that it remains an iron that strongly emphasizes launch and shot shape correction, providing golfers with an iron that is easy to hit and helps them hit the ball at the target every single time.
Houdini is a name that is often associated with magic, and while the Houdini sole can’t perform any sleight of hand, it certainly has a few tricks up its sleeve. Tour Edge’s Houdini Sole design helps to reduce drag and turf interaction by 35% thanks to reducing the sole area and introducing a raised steel mass area at the back of the clubhead, along with a curved leading edge under the face. Additionally, the Houdini Sole significantly shifts the center of gravity location, pushing it lower and deeper. Pairing the Houdini Sole with improved body shaping helps make the E524 one of the highest-launching irons Tour Edge has ever produced.
Tour Edge has made several shape improvements for the E524 irons, including a thinner topline. While this type of alteration may sometimes go unnoticed when discussing this style of irons, some other changes will be more noticeable. One such change is a shallower face, which helps golfers who struggle to get the ball in the air to feel more confident. A shallower face and additional offset help golfers hit the ball higher and straighter on a more consistent basis.
As you’ve probably figured out by now, the hollow-body design is part of the equation that helps keep that center of gravity pushed back. Like the Houdini Sole, there is more to it than that. Each club features hollow-body perimeter weighting that helps generate metal wood properties in an iron body. With more weight around the outside, the face can freely flex and produce more consistent ball speeds all over the face.
Generally speaking, the golfer who gravitates towards this type of iron does not provide the same swing speed as the C series golfer. Therefore, the loft package on the E524 is weaker than what we see on the C524. Again, E524 is about providing effortless launch and accuracy.
Stock Shafts: True Temper Elevate MPH 95 and Aldila Ascent PL50/55/60
Price: $99.99 per iron
E524 Wedge
Following in the footsteps of the E524 irons, the new E524 wedges are designed to give golfers more confidence around the greens.
At first glance at the E524 wedges, one immediately notices the oversized face with grooves that cover the entire surface. The larger contact area instills confidence and maximized grooves all over the face to ensure that there will be enough spin to execute the shot effectively.
Now flip the club over, and some similar design elements from the E524 irons are present, most notably the Houdini Sole. Once again, this sole shape helps reduce drag and turf interaction and overall helps make this wedge more playable than one would think when compared to other wedges with broad flanges. For those golfers who suffer from the dreaded flubs and duffs, Tour Edge added more camber and a heavier head weight to assist in reducing those mishaps and minimize digging.
There has been a significant trend in golf where wedge companies have adjusted the center of gravity to fine-tune launch conditions. Tour Edge has incorporated a deep undercut cavity in this wedge design to maintain a consistently low center of gravity throughout the set. This E524 wedge is part of Tour Edge’s extreme-super-game-improvement category, meaning that golfers looking for a forgiving and easy-to-launch club will find this wedge appealing.
E524 wedges are available in three models, GW (52°), SW (56°), and LW (60°); all three come in both right-handed and left-handed models.
Stock Shafts: True Temper Elevate MPH 95 and Aldila Ascent PL50/55/60
Price: $99.99 per iron wedge
Tour Edge Hot Launch 524 Irons – C Series
Tour Edge has made a significant effort to incorporate some of its best technologies from the Exotics lineup into the Hot Launch series, with the C524 irons serving as a perfect example. While previous generations of this line have resembled traditional cavity back irons, the C524, with its filled-in cavity, has a familiar look that we’ve seen most recently in the Exotics C723 irons. Within this cavity, we get 10% more VIBRCOR, which helps produce a better feel and dampens sound and unwanted vibrations after contact. VIBRCOR also works to help create more perimeter weighting, helping to boost its overall forgiveness.
Hot Launch products are designed to provide a more enjoyable and easier playing experience by being more forgiving. Apart from the VIBRCOR technology, the design of these irons also includes other features that enhance these qualities. For instance, a 360° undercut cavity helps increase ball speeds across the entire face of the club. Moreover, the C524 has additional toe weighting, which provides stability when contact strays from the middle of the face. We’ve seen plenty of manufacturers increase weight near the toe in clubs, from those meant for high handicappers to those designed for the best ball strikers. It has proven effective at adding stability and stretching the sweet spot further from the heel.
Shaping-wise, they feature a wider sole to help with turf interaction. Demographically, the golfer looking at the Hot Launch lineup isn’t necessarily looking for a sole design that will cut through the turf like those who play the C723 Pro. Instead, they need something that will offer consistency and help defend against a club that will dig, and this wider sole does precisely that.
Tour Edge has categorized the lofts of their C524 irons as power-lofted. These irons have a lower and deeper center of gravity, which helps achieve optimal launch conditions, higher peak height, and more distance. Despite being strong, these clubs are comparable to other irons in the game-improvement category.
Stock Shafts: True Temper Elevate MPH 95 and Aldila Ascent PL50/55/60
Price: $79.99 per iron
C524 VIBRCOR Wedges
Golfers interested in Tour Edge’s competition line, whether Hot Launch or Exotics, typically seek a wedge that provides a good feel. Including VIBRCOR in the C524 wedge assures the Tour Edge golfer that this wedge will meet their requirements regarding feel. Additionally, VIBRCOR contributes to forgiveness because the TPU material within a deep undercut cavity creates extra perimeter weighting.
Furthermore, Tour Edge has incorporated a High Toe Pad, which redistributes some of the weight to the upper toe, enhancing the sweet spot vertically. As a result, shots that are hit higher on the face will still maintain ample control. It is worth noting that this toe pad design raises the center of gravity slightly, which ultimately leads to better launch control. Aiding in that control is the CNC Milled Grooves, which have been milled to the maximum depths the USGA allows.
Each sole features a rounded cambered sole to help resist digging and create smoother turf interaction. This rounded sole should be very playable for a wide range of golfers. Meanwhile, those who tend to get steep with their wedges will benefit from the camber present.
Tour Edge doesn’t push a lot of bounce options with these, so each wedge sits with a neutral/mid bounce. There are six lofts available ranging from 50° up to 60°, with only 52°, 56°, and 60° being available in left-handed models.
Stock Shafts: True Temper Elevate MPH 95 and Aldila Ascent PL50/55/60
Price: $79.99 per wedge
