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REVIEW: Tour Edge HL4 Driver
When They Say Hot Launch They Mean HOT!
The Hot Launch line is now on its 4th rendition and Tour Edge has taken their knowledge and innovation from this model as well as their other lines to created one HOT face. I thought the HL3 Line was a great deal, but it was a little fade bias. The HL4 however is neutral and the Cup-Face + VFT Tech creates a really HOT head. Dollar for Dollar you won’t find a better deal per yard. At 1/2 of the price of competitors drivers you will be able to save some cash and still smash drivers long and straight.
The Tour Edge HL4 is a simple driver in terms of bells and whistles. It doesn’t have adjustable weights or slots or interchangable shafts. It is a basic driver head on a shaft. It comes in regular or O/S models, with 3 lofts and 4 shaft flexes. They encourage you to get fit into the proper loft and shaft flex and they will get that order to you in 48 hours. I went with a 9.5* with the stiff flex UST Mamiya stock 60gram shaft. It comes with a nice headcover and a stock Lamkin Z5 rubber grip.
The Tour Edge HL4 driver shines on the launch monitor. I was blown away by the deep Cup Face + VFT (Variable Face Thickness) tech. I hit 1.50 smash factor on almost every drive. I’m no robot so that is pretty impressive to say the least. I was so excited to see maximum energy transfer from club to ball. It didn’t require every shot to be dead on the screws, it felt like a massive sweetspot. This makes for great ball speeds for your swing, drive after drive.
I also like that the Tour Edge HL4 driver went to a neutral bias. What I mean by that is the HL3 driver wanted to go right. Not crazy right, but straight shots would have a tendency to leak right. The HL4 driver just holds its line and goes straight. The weight in rear of the club which lowers the CG is neutral weighting so that drives go high and straight. I know that there are golfers that fight a hook or a slice, which the O/S model will solve, but I think a driver that just wants to go straight is still in most golfers best interest.
The Tour Edge HL4 driver isn’t a low spin monster, but it isn’t too high either. It fits that moderate range that many golfers need. It launches the ball on the higher side with moderate spin for Hot Launch drive after drive. If you combine those factors with such a HOT face, this driver quite possibly will out hit your current gamer. This isn’t going to replace a highend fitting that has your numbers dialed in perfectly, but for the average golfer just looking to grab a new club and not spend a lot, this driver is perfect.
Yes, I am a firm believer in getting fit for your clubs, but I know that not everyone has the time, energy, resources or care to be fitted. There is a reason big box stores exist, to get new product in golfers hands. The Tour Edge HL4 is the most wallet friendly option to get a new club that will probably make you happy when you get to the course. It is a brand new club that will smash the ball straight. You can’t ask for much more. The sound isn’t muted like composite heads, it has a good metallic whack at impact that is hollow sounding. No worries though, because it is pleasant, not aluminum bat sounding at all.
FlightScope Xi Tour Launch Monitor
Tour Edge Hot Launch HL4 Driver
- Spin: 2527 rpms
- Launch Angle: 14.7*
- Dispersion: 6.6 yds
- Club Head Speed: 104.1 mph
- Ball Speed: 156.1 mph
- Total Distance: 278.2 yds
- Carry Distance: 265.7 yds
The Tour Edge HL4 driver is HOT. The smash factor is amazing and the overall high and straight ball flight is appealing. At the $199 price point, you can’t find a better deal on a new driver. Sometimes the lure of new clubs is such a costly idea, this is an option to upgrade your driver without breaking the bank. The Cup-Face + VFT Tech is legit as this club smashes the ball. When they call it Hot Launch, the mean HOT.
For more information: www.touredge.com
Quick Hits:
+High smash factor
+Straight hitting
+Deep forgiving face
+Easy to launch
+Simple fitting options
+Off/Set option
+$199 price
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