REVIEW – Tour Edge Exotics E723 Driver

“Forgiving as Family”

The Address

In 2023, Tour Edge Golf announced its family of Exotics 723 golf equipment. The range featured a few models of irons and metalwoods divided into two categories. First, is the “C” or Competitve Spec which is typically targeted towards the “better player” (my recent Exotics C723 driver review can be seen here). Secondly, there’s the “E” or Extreme Spec which is a range of products that’s geared towards the player that needs a little more help. That’s the case with the subject of this review. The Exotics E723 driver.

When it comes to golf manufacturers Tour Edge Golf is a brand that has been increasingly on the rise. As far as I’m concerned it was the 2019 Exotics EXS line-up that really kick-started the upward trend for the Batavia, Illinois brand led by its Founder David Glod. They proved that you could develop golf clubs with premium components without breaking the bank accounts of golf consumers.

If there’s one aspect of Tour Edge Golf that I’ve really admired it’s that when they release a new club there’s always a marked improvement over the predecessor. Whether it’s materials, acoustics, or making a club more forgiving. The improvements are evident. The Exotics E723 is certainly no exception when compared directly to its predecessor the Exotics E722. Let’s take a look at some of the things that make the Exotics E723 tick.

The Exotics E723 driver is the maximum legal size at 460cc. Within this head is forgiveness that’s been defined as being “extreme” with many thanks given to the weight that’s been placed low and towards the trailing edge as much as the design allows. The result was very high MOI (resistance to twisting) leading to even more forgiveness.

“360° Ridgeback Technology” once again is a key technology feature. Tour Edge engineers created a thinner Ridgeback. Now with increased structural properties and 360-degree perimeter weighting. The Titanium Ridgeback now wraps around the entire perimeter to frame the entire clubhead. With more support on off-center hits to increase face deflection the MOI significantly increased. All of this culminates in the ability to produce more power across the entire face, including the perimeter. This version of the Ridgeback design is 15% thinner than the previous Exotics E722 model. Ridgeback bolsters the feel at impact.

The “Flight Tuning System” allows you to fine-tune your ideal launch and ballflight conditions. While there are the loft and lie adjustments through the hosel adapter, it’s the sliding track on the trailing edge that steals the show. You can set up for a trajectory that’s neutral, draw, or fade-biased. Sliding the weight on the adjustable track allows for a +/- 10-yard heel and toe bias in directional flight. 

Carbon is a key technological feature as well. “Quad Carbon Tech“. Replacing titanium that was previously used in the construction now sees carbon employed Tour Edge in four different areas of the clubhead. The E723 features 5% more carbon fiber than its previous iteration. The use of carbon affords the opportunity for Tour Edge engineers to both save and place weight elsewhere in the clubhead. Quad Carbon Tech + the 360-degree Ridgeback = an increase in MOI, greater face flex in the heel and toe areas so off- center hits achieve greater power.

Diamond Face VFT  is back as seen in recent previous generations. The new Diamond Face VFT consists of 61 total diamond shapes of different thicknesses. Furthermore, The interweaving design of the Diamond Face VFT, comprises of seven different thicknesses in an interweaving pattern. These diamond shapes act as mini-trampolines which creates potential faster ball speeds and an expanded sweet spot.

Rounding out the tech speak are the “SpeedTested Shafts”. Through the use of T.E.D. (Tour Edge Design) the Tour Edge Golf robot the R&D team found an array of shafts that work best for varying swings. Among these shafts are the Fujikura Air Speeder 40 for those requiring an A-Flex shaft to a Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei AV Blue with XLink in X-Stiff Flex for the “Hulks” that walk amongst us.

The Transition

Many thanks are extended to the Vice President of Marketing for Tour Edge Golf Jon Claffey who made this testing possible. Like so many reviews, this Exotics E723 driver review fell victim to my poor health. My 2023 golf season was cut short in May. Ongoing diabetic foot ulcers led in June and July amputations, sepsis, and MRSA infections. Healing was slow and difficult. Further hampering efforts to get sufficient testing in for the purposes of providing a well-informed review was another foot ulcer a year later. Almost to the day. During this period I did manage to get a few range sessions in. In August 2024, I had my second stroke since 2018.

I resumed testing yesterday and after the layoff and swinging driver for the first time in months. It was my second range session since the stroke and I was even wearing a Holter Monitor. After that range session, I felt compelled to write this review. To Mr. Claffey and the entire team at Tour Edge Golf, I’m sorry for the tardiness of this review.

The head and shaft combination that I received for testing and review was the E723 in 10.5° of loft. The shaft that was sent to me was the SpeedTested Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei Blue AV 65 in Stiff Flex. Admittedly, with everything that transpired in 2023 I’m no longer a player that can generate sufficient power for that shaft, But, I will say this as a quasi spoiler alert. The results were very good.

Starting with the Flight Tuning System of the Exotics E723 driver to say that it’s serviceable is a gross understatement. Adjustments are easy by way of the included torque wrench. While it doesn’t have “tinkerers dream” moniker like its stablemate, there is plenty enough to play with. If you’re struggling with a slice an adjustment to the sliding weight into the heel bias setting could be what the doctor ordered. While I did play with all of the settings at my disposal, ultimately I’ve decided on sticking with an additional degree of loft with the sliding track in the neutral setting.

The weight savings throughout the design of the head with the use of the carbon allowed for the weight to be placed low and back by Tour Edge’s design team. It’s said that the E723 driver offers golfers the most forgiveness ever produced in an Exotics driver. To this end, I will say that this is the most forgiving driver that I have tested and/or played, period. There were range sessions where I had no business seeing good results. The Exotics E723 driver made horrific swings look like good swings.

If you’re a golfer that suffers from a launch that’s on the low side or a ballflight that’s deemed too low I can all but guarantee that the Exotics E723 driver will cure your malaise. Not only does the weight being placed in an extremely rearward position increase the forgiveness of the head but it also benefits the golfer by providing with a high launch coupled with a high ballflight, while not increasing spin numbers where ballooning is a byproduct. This becomes of the utmost importance as golfers start to lose the ability to generate higher clubhead speeds.

Last but not least, I just wanted to touch on the acoustics. In my opinion I don’t feel that the sound is on par with its Exotics sibling, the C723. Where the “C” was muted there are a few more decibels at impact with the Exotics E723. Moving forward, I’d like to see Tour Edge Golf designers have the acoustics be a little more muted and “in tune” with the “C” in future iterations of “Exotics E” drivers.

The Finish

There are certain aspects of the Exotics C723 driver that I prefer over the Exotics E723 when putting the two models head-to-head against each other. Namely the acoustics and footprint. However, sometimes we get to a point where practicality and need both become more important. This is where I’ve gotten with my game.

If you want a driver that will provide all of the forgiveness that you ever need and still provide plenty of pop while still allowing for the optimization of your ballflight, look no further. The Exotics E723 delivers. Are there some drivers on the market that offer something a little more ear-pleasing? Yes. But is that the “be all… end all”?

Loaded with technology that works that provides “forgiveness to burn”. The Tour Edge Golf Exotics E723 is worth its weight in gold and then some.

Until The Next Tee!!

#fightandgrind #seeuonthenexttee