tour edge 220h irons review

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REVIEW – Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220/220h Irons

Many thanks go out to Jon Claffey who is the Vice President of Marketing for Tour Edge Golf. Without his generosity and willingness to collaborate with me, this review opportunity would not be possible. Jon, thank you!

When it comes to this review, I’m not going to mince any words. Having the opportunity to test and review the Exotics EXS 220/220h irons from Tour Edge Golf was something that I really looked forward to. These irons fared very well at the 2020 PGA Show Demo Day, having won the Silver Teezy Award in the Game-Improvement Iron category. These were irons that showed a ton of promise on the range at Orange County National Golf Resort and Lodge back in January.

But, let’s get real for a second. There’s a big difference between testing products on a range where the conditions are pretty sterile versus the real world of being on a golf course. While I do my best to get insights for the sake of my “First Impressions” reviews by picking out targets on the range (to simulate fairways, greens, etc) the reality is that there’s no substitution for the real thing… A golf course. A place where hazards, OB, and greens abound.

So, how do he EXS 220/220h irons perform when it matters most (on the golf course)? Did they live up to their Silver Award standing?

When looking at the Exotics EXS 220/220h irons, the first thing that you need to know is that these two sets of irons are designed to help golfers improve and shoot lower scores.

While both sets feature some similar “tech talking points” there are a couple of differences. Yes, both sets feature hollow-bodied construction but the Exotics 220h is a “Hybrid Iron”. Meaning, the 220h has a slightly larger footprint. There is a wider sole and a little more offset. In a way, think of the Exotics 220h iron as an almost “crossover” golf club, somewhere between a rescue club and an iron.

Another difference between the two iron models is that the EXS 220 irons, employs a 19-gram tungsten weight placed in the toe. This weight “stretches the sweet spot area of the face” which potentially produces more distance. Not to mention, it could contribute in the forgiveness area as well, as it could reduce twisting at impact on toe hits thus creating more MOI.

There’s a ton of technology packed into both sets of these irons, so let’s take a quick look at what makes these irons “tick”.

• Hollow-Bodied Design –  Excellent for providing perimeter weighting and face flex leading to potential longer distances.
• Cup Face Design – Typically seen in metal woods. Faster ball speeds via more face flex and forgiveness across the entire face.
• SpiderWeb VFT Tech  – Located behind the face. It enhances the sweet spot across the entire face.
• LaunchPad Tech – A TPE polymer that absorbs shock, and provides more “trampoline effect”.
• Ramped Sole – Provides heel and toe relief areas, which creates better turf interaction from all lie conditions.
• SpeedTested Shafts – Through robot testing. Tour Edge R&D determined which golf shaft works best with certain swing speeds. Bear in mind that these are baseline recommendations .

The Transition

I can’t tell you how excited I was to get these Exotics EXS 220/220h irons onto the golf course. This is the first opportunity that I’ve had to take a Teezy Award winner from the PGA Show and apply it onto the golf course. Unfortunately, testing was delayed with the lockdown that we faced due to the global pandemic. But, patience is a virtue, and eventually, the day would come to put these irons to the test.

For testing purposes, I received a 7-iron from each set. Incidentally, there would be a difference in the irons that I’d test vs the irons that won the Silver Teezy Award . The shafts . In Orlando, I made swings and passed judgment with irons that were graphite-shafted. Those shafts were the KBS TGI Tour Graphite in 80-grams. This time around, I’d be testing irons that were steel-shafted. The shaft for me this time around would be the SPEEDTESTED True Temper Elevate 95 in stiff flex.

Initially, because of the lockdown, golf courses and driving ranges were mandated to remain closed. So, my first swings took place on the “UTNT Practice Centre For Deprived Golfers” located in my backyard which consists of a net. Obviously, hitting into a net isn’t optimal but I was able to make one observation. I didn’t recollect the EXS 220 and especially the 220h feeling so solid. It felt better than I remembered and that was a bit of an eye-opener.

But eventually, golf courses and driving ranges opened and suddenly everything was right in the world. The time had come to pull up my sleeves, put on my hardhat, and get to work.

Early on, I would have a number of sessions on the driving range with the irons because while practicing in isolation I developed some swing issues. So, I had to “iron” them out (pardon the “Dad Joke”) before getting onto a golf course. To that end, let’s talk about the forgiveness of the Exotics EXS 220 and 220h irons.

Forgiveness – The Exotics EXS 220 and 220h irons are forgiving. Time and time again I was able to get results, good results, out of swings that were… “off”. Typically, my striking and direction are very good, however, some wonky things developed in my swing. Even with swings that were an abomination the Exotics EXS 220 and 220h delivered. Strikes stayed online, any strike that was a little off of the toe wasn’t severely punished, and thin shots while seeing an expected drop-off in distance still yielded a playable golf shot. Golf is a game of misses and a good miss is always a nice thing. To this day, I still haven’t hit a fat shot with either iron, and much of that could be the “Ramped Sole” technology which further bolsters the forgiveness characteristics of the Exotics EXS 220 and 220h irons respectively. These irons offer golfers a lot of playability from all lie conditions. From the tee, fairway, rough, and fairway bunkers. These irons are also accurate, but that is also dependent on the person swinging the clubs too.

Believe it or not, with the EXS 220h I felt that I actually got a little bit lazy and borderline complacent with my swing.

I put them into my son’s hands as well. He’s a new golfer. He was able to elevate the golf ball very easily and his strikes were pretty crisp. Especially when he was swinging the EXS 220h.

Aesthetics – Make no mistake about it, the EXS 220 and 220h are not your classic blade. The first day that I posted a picture of them on Instagram, I had a person state that they didn’t like the looks of them.

In the golf industry, I’ve seen a lot of ultra-modern, “techie” looking irons. The heads of these irons do not fit that mold. Yes, they are modern but the graphics are sleek. They remind me of a muscle car, like a ’57 Chevy Bel Air with their “chromed out” badging in the cavity. They look fast and sporty. Especially, when it comes to the EXS 220h irons. Personally speaking, I think Tour Edge R&D did themselves very good at going black on the 220h. In a way, it hides the “bulk” of the head.

The EXS 220 has the smaller footprint of the two irons and has a satin chrome finish. The topline is more moderate where the topline is a little “thicker” on the EXS 220h. Also, the EXS 220 features less offset than that of its brethren, the EXS 220h. That said, both irons set-up and frame the golf ball quite well in the address position.

Feel – I touched on this a little earlier when I said that I didn’t remember these irons feeling as solid as they were. These irons feel great. I think if I were to use an adjective, I would say “mean”. These irons, at impact, when it came to sweet spot strikes feel and sound like they’re all business. No, they aren’t buttery like a forging but they are just, quite simply… Mean. I guess the sound equates to a solid “thwack” and the ball jettisons off of the face. Instead of tripping over words, you can hear them for yourself with the videos below. It was a windy day on the range that day, so I apologize.

In a nutshell, I feel like “addictive” would be a good word to use when describing the feel of the Exotics EXS 220 and 220h irons at impact.

Performance – When looking at their performance, I want to look at this in two rays of light.

First, I just wanted to touch on the workability. Can you work these irons? Yes, you can, it’s just that you need to work a little harder to do it. These irons are designed to go long and straight. But, you can hit a fade or a draw. You can also flight the golf ball at will, as you can hit stingers/knockdowns at will with them. So there is a degree of workability with these irons.

The second aspect that I wanted to talk about in this part of the breakdown is the distance. These irons are long!!! If there was any one segment of this testing that I was most curious about, it was the on-course distance and to see if it matched up with my observations in Orlando. They did! A lot has happened to this body over the last several years. I have aged (not gracefully), arthritis is really kicking in during my 48th year (heck, I have gout as I write this), and of course there was my Stroke of 2018. Ponce De León might have discovered the “Fountain of Youth” but when it comes to giving golfers yardage back, I’m convinced that these Exotics EXS 220/220h irons might very well be, the “Fountain of Youth of Golfers”. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the yardages with a 7-iron that I’ve seen with these irons. Time and time again, I’ve seen an average of a consistent 180-185 yards while on the course. Some swings on the course have yielded a bit more than the average. Compared to what’s in my bag at the time of writing, they are 1.5 to 2 clubs longer. We’re talking 165-170 vs 180-185 yards .

The funny thing about where I live is that we see a fair amount of wind here. While it may not be Texas, something can be said of the winds of The Great Lakes. During one of my two rounds at the Chippawa Course at Legends on the Niagara (above), I was playing a Par 3 into the teeth of a three-club wind. The hole measured 148 yards to the centre of the green, but the pin was about 4 paces on from the back of the green. I decided to go with a full EXS 220. No knockdown or stinger like I usually would. My golf ball landed just past pin high, 6 feet away. I’m not certain that my gamer 7-iron would have made it to the middle part of the very deep green. Like I said, these irons are long. While these irons are strong-lofted (the 7-iron is 27.5º) this story is about much more than strong lofts. Much can be said of all of the technology packed into these irons.

I had a couple of quasi “Demo Days” during my sessions. People asked me about the clubs and after sanitizing them and maintaining physical distancing, I let them swing these irons as well. Time and time again golfers on the range were blown away by the performance of the EXS 220/220h irons.

The Exotics EXS 220/220h irons impressed at the PGA Show in 2020. On the course, during extended testing, these irons impressed even more. They definitely lived up to their Silver Medal Teezy Award acclaim.

These are Game-Improvement irons that could easily be lumped into that Super Game-Improvement iron category. Heck, maybe they are. They check all of the boxes as far as forgiveness and straight distance goes like you’d expect when discussing game-improvement irons. There’s a ton of technology packed into these irons and much like the company tagline states “Pound for pound… Nothing comes close”. Folks, they aren’t lying.

Oh, say you got a set and wanted to go with a different shaft or needed the lie angle adjusted. No problem, with the notch on the hosel (Notch Hosel) clubfitters can easily adjust the lie angles for you. It also helps that all Tour Edge Golf clubs come with a Lifetime Warranty.

If I were to have a set of these irons I would do one of two things. Either my set would be comprised solely of the EXS 220. Or, because the lofts match with both sets, I’d go EXS 220h (5,6) and EXS 220 (7-PW) and get the best of both worlds. Also, I’d definitely go with the KBS TGI Tour graphite shafts as well as I prefer them over the steel shafts that I tested.

These irons are worth a look. Especially with a pretty attractive price point. A set of irons 5 thru PW costs $659.94 USD or $779.94 for graphite. All clubs from Tour Edge Golf are hand-assembled in the U.S.A.

Until The Next Tee!!

#fightandgrind #seeuonthnexttee

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2 thoughts on “ review – tour edge exotics exs 220/220h irons ”.

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Great review. I test drove Tour Edge Clubs years ago and found them to okay then. However, after your review they are worth another look.

Thanks so much Jim. They have been lighting it up the last two years. The tech and their price point for that tech really sets them apart.

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That's A Gimmie

Tour Edge Exotics EXS Iron Set Review

If you’re like most golfers you don’t know too much about the cure egg brand. Luckily this Tour Edge Exotics iron set review is on hand to tell you everything you need to know about these awesome game improvement irons.

Tour Edge Exotics EXS Iron Features

Spiderweb technology.

The first feature we’re going to cover of these tour edge exotic EXO ass irons is there spiderweb technology. This technology works to act as a spiderweb behind the club face enlarging the sweet spot making it easier for golfers to make quality contact.

This increase sweet spot is incredibly helpful for beginner or high handicap golfer’s. The larger sweet spot means if you’re not hitting the ball quite in the centre of the club you can still receive a great result.

LaunchPad Technology

The second feature we’re going to cover on these irons is there launchpad technology. These irons are fit with a polymer coating that works to improve the performance of the irons face.

The irons are coded with a special performance gel. It works to increase the spring effect as well as absorb shock. This feature will increase the ball speed as it leaves your club. As well as reduce shock and vibrations you will feel in your hands if you happen to hit the ball thin.

Extreme Toe Weighing

The extreme towing is another fantastic feature of these irons that make them great for beginners. This heavy toll waiting increases the forgiveness of this club by growing the Sweet Spot.

A 19 g tungsten weight is placed on the toe of this iron. What this does is increase the forgiveness of the iron. Therefore giving you quality results even if the ball is slightly miss hit.

Hollow Body Cavity

The hollow body cavity is yet another feature that makes these two were edge irons perfect for someone looking to improve their golf game. The hollow body cavity provide perimeter waiting and face flex in order to make the club more forgiving.

By allowing the face to flex you will not feel the iron spin in your hands. This is another aspect of this club that allows you to get some solid results. Even if the ball is hit off center.

Thin Top Line

The thin top line is more of an aesthetic feature that is built into these golf clubs. Since these are irons built for game improvement they often have a much thicker build. With a thinner top line this model will look more like an iron upon address giving you more confidence when addressing the ball .

Cost And Value

One of the best benefits of these clubs is their extremely low price tag. As of writing this these irons are currently priced just under $500. Receiving a brand new iron set for under $500 is significantly lower than average.

This makes this set a fantastic option for any golfers that are seriously looking to improve their golf game without breaking the bank.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tour Edge Exotics Irons

Are there multiple flex options for these irons?

Yes one grace aspect of these irons from tour edge is that they are offered in five different flex options. Those options are snior, regular, stiff, extra stiff, and A flex.

What are the staff material options for these irons?

With these irons you were able to choose between a steel or a graphite shaft.

Are these clubs good for a beginner golfer?

Yes, these clubs are perfect for a beginner golfer. As you could see through our features portion of our view the build of this club is highly tailor towards those that are looking for more consistency.

The word forgiveness which came up a lot throughout her review is exactly what is needed for beginner golfers. This is allows them to get a more consistent result when hitting the ball and therefore makes the game much more fun.

As long as the beginner golfer is not a junior as of average height then these two were edge irons are a great option.

Would these clubs be good as a gift?

In order to determine if these clubs will be a good gift you need to determine what level of golfer you were buying for. If this person has been golfing all their life and has high-quality clubs and they likely won’t want to replace their iron set with a game improvement irons like these.

But if you are looking for the first set of clubs for a golfer that is looking to dive into the game Then these tour edge EXS irons are a fantastic option.

Conclusion Tour Edge Exotics EXS Iron Set Review

We hope you enjoyed our Tour Edge Exotics iron set Review. If you have any questions regarding the review or the iron some selves please reach out in the comments below.

If you did enjoy this review please be sure to check out some of our others such as our Cleveland Launcher HB irons review or our Callaway Maverick Max Irons Review.

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First Look: Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220 Irons

While the metalwoods will get the lion’s share of buzz and attention from Tour Edge’s EXS 220 lineup, the two accompanying iron sets might just turn some heads too if given the chance. While most think of “players” style irons when it comes to the Exotics name, they might also be forgetting that Tour Edge was on the front of the battle lines for hybrid irons since the beginning. The EXS 220 and 220h irons are very much dipping into that legacy and throwing everything into the equation to create tech heavy irons that the majority of golfers out there can benefit from with forgiveness, distance, and a very nice price.

Tour Edge EXS 220 Irons

The 220 irons are classified by Tour Edge as a “game-improvement” level set which is comprised of a split-set makeup via the combination of undercut and hollow body designs in a slick chrome finish. The hollow-bodies make up the 4-7 while the undercuts serve the 8-GW portion of the set. Both heads feature a heavy emphasis on multi-materials as well.

The hollow-body portions utilize a forged maraging steel 450 cup faced design to achieve maximum ball speed while the scoring clubs are built from 431-stainless-steel. More than the base materials though, the set also features a 19g tungsten weight in the toe of each iron as well as “SpiderWeb Variable Face Thickeness”, “LaunchPad Technology” which is an internal polymer for vibration dampening, and power lofts combined with a new notched hosel for better fitting/bending potential.

Tour Edge EXS 220h Irons

Now, the 220h, these are going to be the ones that initially turn the most heads. These are a black satin finished full hollow body set made up of 17-4 steel. These are flat out hybrid irons that are aiming to pack all the forgiveness of metalwoods into an iron design that flows progressively throughout the set.

The company classes these as an SGI (super game improvement) type iron, for what that’s worth. The center of gravity is deep, the soles are wider, and the MOI (moment of inertia) is high, and when mixing in the “SpiderWeb Variable Face Thickness” along with the Cup Face, the story here is big time forgiveness with a ton of ball speed. The 220h also utilize the same notched hosel and “LaunchPad” dampening polymer to add fitting capability and a sound/feel they believe will please many.

SpeedTested and Speed Custom

Maybe the coolest part of the Tour Edge EXS 220 offerings comes down to two things which are not necessarily about the head technology and design.

First, all the EXS 220 shaft selections is now done via what Tour Edge is calling their “SpeedTested” platform. With a heavy investment into their R&D they have acquired their very own robot system which has allowed them to test all of the clubs to optimize performance. By optimize, I mean they have tested them at all different levels of swing speeds in order to give options to help optimize performance from user to user. While it will not take the place of a fitting, it will give the biggest section of the bell curve shafts that aren’t just paired with heads because they are trendy, instead there is performance-based merit.

Options are as follows:

EXS 220 and 220h Irons SpeedTested Stock Shafts

85 MPH or Below – KBS TGI Tour Graphite – 50g Ladies, 60g A-Flex

85-95 MPH – KBS TGI Tour Graphite – 70g R, 80g S

85-95 MPH – TrueTemper XP85 R

85-95 MPH – TrueTemper Elevate 95 – R

95 MPH or Above – TrueTemper XP85 R

95 MPH or Above – TrueTemper Elevate 95 – R

95 MPH or Above – Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80g – 6.0, 6.5

Finally, Tour Edge has been well ahead of the fitting game with their “48-Hour Custom Fit Delivery” system that has been in effect with the Hot Launch lineup for a couple of iterations now. Well, it is now expanded into the EXS 220 release, and what this means is when using a Tour Edge authorized fitter, the golfer can have those custom fit clubs in their hands and ready to play in just a 48-hour turnaround. No other manufacturer is doing that.

Power Potential

The 220 irons are going to offer a decent size profile that has been mixed with everything Tour Edge has learned over the years to max out forgiveness and sheer firepower. Worth noting too is on the Power Lofts, contrary to the loft-jacking arguers out there, even Tour Edge states it’s more about balancing and maintaining launch characteristics and peak heights to match the traditionally lofted clubs. Simply put? New tech makes the ball go higher, way higher, and without increased lofts there would be diminishing returns as it pertains to distance.

The Details

Price: $109.99/club for steel, and $129.99/club for graphite

Set Makeup: 4-GW

Dexterity: RH

Available: 2/1/2020

Website:  www.touredge.com

2024 TaylorMade P-Series Utilities

Off Course – Mike Yagley from Cobra Golf

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INFORMATION

Exotics         hot launch         get in the game                                                tour         media          demo         retailers         shop.

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“WE HAVE LONG BEEN A TRAIL BLAZER

In hollow-body irons. these two gorgeous iron designs encompass every performance benefit this emerging technology provides.".

PRESIDENT, FOUNDER & MASTER CLUB DESIGNER

HOLLOW BODY TECH

Provides the ultimate in perimeter weighting and increases face flex..

SPIDERWEB VFT TECH

Located behind the face acts as a web across the face that enhances the sweet spot in every direction from the center of the face..

19-GRAM TUNGSTEN TOE WEIGHT

Stretches the sweet spot area of the face that produces the most distance..

LAUNCHPAD TECH

Consists of a tpe polymer coated with a special performance gel that absorbs shock and creates more spring effect..

RAMPED SOLE

Accentuates heel and toe relief areas for better movement through the turf..

MORE PROGRESSIVE

Offsets and blade lengths match the set from club to club..

NOTCH HOSEL

Allows for easier bending +/- 2 degrees for expert custom fitting..

85 MPH or below:   KBS TGI Tour Graphite: 50g Ladies | 60g A-flex

85-95 mph:  kbs tgi tour graphite: 70g regular | 80g stiff, true temper xp85: regular  |    true temper elevate 95: 95 regular.

95 MPH or above: True Temper XP85: 85 Stiff

Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black: 80g 6.0 Stiff | 80g 6.5 X-Stiff

True Temper Elevate 95: 95 Stiff

CLUB SPECIFICATIONS

GRIP: Lamkin Crossline 360

Lengths listed are men's standard. Ladies standard lengths are -1".

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BECAUSE I WIN WITH IT

POUND FOR POUND, NOTHING COMES CLOSE

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TaylorMade P·UDI, P·DHY utility irons: What you need to know

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: TaylorMade moves its utility irons under the “P” family, providing more of a definitive better-players look, feel and performance to the longer section of the bag. The new, sleeker P·UDI and wider-soled P·DHY aim to replace the long irons, hybrids or high-lofted fairway woods in the bag by offering a flatter, more penetrating flight, but still exhibiting the ball speed of a flexible face iron. Moreover, the use of internal tungsten weighting boosts forgiveness, and in the case of the P·DHY, the most forgiveness of any iron in the TaylorMade lineup.

PRICE: $250. P·UDI: 2 (17 degrees), 3 (20), 4 (22); P·DHY: 2 (18 degrees, 3 (20), 4 (22). UST Mamiya’s Recoil DART shaft (105X, 90S, 75R). Available May 3.

3 COOL THINGS

1. Playing the long game. While plenty of talk over the years about set makeup has focused on the short end of the bag and how many wedges one might carry to optimize the distance gaps in the scoring clubs, much less has been seriously discussed about the long game. Fact is, from a fitting perspective, there are a lot more options with the longer clubs, including game-improvement long irons, hybrids and high-lofted fairway woods. While it’s admittedly a smaller audience, the one area that’s sort of been overlooked has been the utility iron. TaylorMade has offered two options in the past, the UDI and the DHY, and its latest versions reflect a bit more a better-player focus, hence the addition of the “P” designation, as in P·UDI and P·DHY. This lines up with the company’s performance irons that target better players, running from the P·7MB and P·7MC used by elite players to the more forgiving hollow, fast-faced irons like the P·770 and the most successful iron in the line, the P·790.

“When you look at the demographics of who's playing this type of iron, they definitely skew towards better player,” said Matt Bovee, TaylorMade’s director of product creation, iron and wedge. “But when you say better player, it's a relative term. In other words, I would agree that these clubs are for someone who uses a players-distance iron. But I don’t think it's like a 'you’ve got to be able to play blades and muscle cavities only' sort of deal to have one of these or more in the bag. Still, it's definitely a better someone with the skill and/or the aspiration of getting better.”

Bovee pointed to data that showed players who’ve purchased past versions of these clubs to fill distance gaps in this part of their bags have ranged into the 20-handicap area.

While the two clubs generally produce a flatter, lower flight window than typical fairway woods or hybrids, each is designed with characteristics to make them a more effective alternative to a long iron. That includes as much as 26 grams of tungsten placed low within the head to yield better launch conditions. But that tungsten is unseen. What’s more obvious is the sole on each model, wide on the UDI (compared to a traditional long iron) and even wider on the DHY.

“That sole width is going to be their first signal to the amount of forgiveness and their brain is going to look at that and think, ‘Can I actually play this?’” Bovee said, noting that the P·UDI features more sole width than on the most forgiving “P·series” iron, the P·790. But per input from TaylorMade’s tour staff the P·UDI features a shorter blade length to make it feel easier to launch “The face height got taller in both the heel and the toe,” Bovee said. "The toe got more pronounced compared to where we've been in the past with this being a P·series product.”

Meanwhile, the P·DHY uses its extra-wide sole to keep mass low while pushing the center of gravity back for extra stability. But it still maintains a decidedly player-y look, Bovee said.

“I wanted to try to make it look a bit more traditional than it has in the past while still giving players the performance benefits that come with that shallower face and wider sole,” he said.

2. Rethinking forgiveness. The utility irons still exist in a distinct region when it comes to forgiveness. They don’t launch the ball as high as fairway woods or hybrids, and they don’t have the size and CG depth to make them as forgiving on mis-hits as wood options. But there’s another kind of forgiveness that those who are fans of utility irons prefer. Specifically, many better players feel hybrids and fairway woods with their potentially deeper CGs have more of a natural tendency to drive the ball to the hook side. That’s where the P·UDI and P·DHY come in. First, both benefit from the thin 4140 steel face that wraps around the leading edge in an L-shape. The variable thickness design interacts with TaylorMade’s proven sole slot to create more rebound, while the use of the same foam featured in the P·790 irons (called “SpeedFoam Air”) creates a forgiving, softer feel at impact.

And while these clubs are geared to better players long-game replacement clubs, the internal tungsten (as much as 26 grams) and wide sole help to make the P·DHY TaylorMade’s most forgiving long iron.

More From Golf DIgest

Just as interesting is how the internal mass is optimized for each design. The lowest loft on the P·UDI (17 degrees) actually features a slightly higher CG compared to the other P·UDI irons and the P·DHY irons. The idea is the higher CG helps produce a more of a driving trajectory that is ideal for hitting those bullet or stinger tee shots.

“That 2-iron is designed to stay low, stay out of the wind and chase,” Bovee said. “Now when you get into a 3- and 4-iron, however, that's a little bit different and we want that CG to be a little bit lower. We want the iron to be more playable. We want the spin rate to be a little bit different.

3. Which one’s right for me—or is it none? Traditionally, the fitting of utility irons has been, well, a mixed bag. The problem is players don’t always have the right options to try in a fitting scenario, and Bovee said that aspect will be rectified with this launch. In addition to more facilities providing fitting versions of the PUDI and PDHY lofts, the renewed focus on fitting includes offering a heavier X-flex shaft that resonates more with the better players who might be playing heavier steel, extra stiff shafts in their irons and looking for a smoother transition to a utility iron. Bovee believes the audience for the wider-soled P·DHY is a bit broader than for the P·UDI

“So with the CG difference here between the two of them, the DHY has a lower center of gravity, the UDI has a mid center of gravity,” he said. “Your launch angles are going to follow your center of gravity, so the UDI is going be mid to mid-low and then your DHY is going to be like mid to mid-high. The DHY is going to be easier to launch in the air than the UDI, for sure.”

One thing is a given, though. Like the “P” in the name, these clubs are targeting better players.

“I think if you're a slower swing speed player, you need to start with like a weaker-lofted fairway wood or a hybrid club like our Rescues,” Bovee said. “They're just easier to get in the air. But you need some club head speed to be able to launch something like a UDI. If you’ve tried woods or hybrids and been afraid of the left miss, then looking at the UDI and DHY is a good step because the CG is closer to the face, there’s less gear effect and there’s less concern of the left miss.”

But it’s not as simple as either of these utility irons being a permanent replacement club. It may be situational to the course. It may depend on how light the rough is (with deep rough a high-lofted fairway wood might be a better option, for example). But just as many tour players put in utility irons for the British Open, so, too, could a utility iron be a good replacement on tighter courses or for that dream golf trip to Scotland, Ireland or Bandon Dunes.

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Tour Edge Hot Launch C524 Iron Review

I had never struck a Tour Edge golf club before the Hot Launch C524 Irons arrived on my doorstep, so I was keen to see if they could perform as well as some of the best irons on the market for a fraction of the price.

Retailing for just $79.99/£65.00 per iron, the price tag certainly caught my eye as many irons in this category sell for far more than double that price. On first inspection out of the box, there were no signs of why that may be from an aesthetic point of view. Each iron was beautifully finished and looked great when I put them down in the playing position. A generous blade length and ample offset let me know that these were irons designed with playability in mind, but overall the dimensions and proportions were excellent and framed the ball nicely.

From a shelf appeal point of view, it is a case of nearly but not quite for me. I am generally someone who appreciates a minimalist approach to looks when it comes to golf equipment and the C524 irons are just a touch fussy for my tastes from the back. I don’t mind a subtle accent color but the bright blue badge just wasn’t for me, although that is just personal preference and some players may love it. I just feel that leaving that black or grey would have given the iron a slightly more premium look and feel.

In terms of the tech, there is quite a lot going on. At first glance, you could be forgiven for thinking that these were a hollow-body construction iron as there is no visual cavity, however, this is somewhat of an optical illusion. The cavity has simply been filled with Tour Edge’s VIBRCOR, which is a high-grade TPU designed to improve sound and feel. 

Additional toe weighting has been added to the set with the intention of stabilizing impact and providing additional ball speed on off-center strikes.

I tested the Tour Edge Hot Launch C524 irons at Saunton Golf Club , using my FullSwing KIT launch monitor and TaylorMade TP5 golf balls, both on the practice ground and out on the course.

Before I get into the launch monitor data, I wanted to give a special mention to the feel attributes of these irons. Impact provided a pleasant lively sensation but there was also a real depth to the strike that isn’t always present in the game-improvement iron category. For me, the Mizuno JPX 923 Hot Metal is still the gold standard in terms of feel in this genre, but quite honestly, when coupled with some excellent turf interaction, the C524 iron is not a million miles behind.

Launch monitor data was pretty strong across the board, with ball speed and distance competitive with just about anything else. With the 7-iron coming in at 29˚ it sits within the higher end of its peers loft-wise but still managed to produce a ball speed of 129.3mph for me with a mid-low launch and spin of 15.5˚ and 5412rpm respectively, which culminated in a healthy carry number of 188 yards. 

I did notice a slight right tendency in flight compared to some other game improvement irons which tend to feature more of a draw bias if anything, and I wonder whether that has anything to do with the additional toe weighting. It wasn't too severe, however, just something to note.

The Hot Launch C524 irons come with a stock steel option of the True Temper Elevate MPH95 shaft in R or S flex, and there are more weight and flex options with the Aldila Ascent PL stock graphite option. There are also three sizes of Lamkin grips to choose from.

Overall, I was very pleased with the performance and feel of the Tour Edge Hot Launch C524 irons, and when you factor in the price tag, I think there is some exceptional value for money to be had. In terms of raw performance data, I would feel comfortable putting them up against anything else in the game improvement category and be very confident they would hold their own.

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• Payware Airports and Scenery Reviews

Scenery Review : Moscow City XP by Drzewiecki Design

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By Stephen September 24, 2016 in Payware Airports and Scenery Reviews

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You fly for hours, anticipating your arrival, wanting to take in the area and the views of another country far away from your departure airport. The airport and the area you leave from is detailed and visually full, and you know you have a great airport scenery waiting for you at the other end of the flight, then when you arrive...

...  Nothing, but flat plain emptiness and the same boring standard X-Plane basic scenery, worse there is no OSM (Open Street Map) data in the tile either, so there is no road or autogen detailing in there as well, just well nothing.

When Drzewiecki Design released their UUEE Sheremetyevo Airport XP , I loved it because it was like a visitor from the Cold War past, the Soviet era, and it was also great scenery and great choice of a destination to fly to from any of the capitals of Europe...  but that was it, just this great airport in the middle of nothingness, bland....   zero ville.

Now Drzewiecki Design has released "Moscow City"  a scenery package to compliment their UUEE Sheremetyevo, and boy how much a difference this release has done to this totally boring area.

To get the full first impression effect I flew JARDesign's A320neo from EFHK Vatnaa, Helsinki to UUEE Sheremetyevo which is flight Finnair AY153 which is a daily 9.25am service.

First Impressions

I was surprised to start picking up scenery still quite away out from central Moscow, as I approached my 6000ft transition altitude. Here there was buildings and houses and the physical visual notes you were arriving somewhere.

Looking hard at the horizon through the A320's windows and you could see the iconic silhouette of Moscow city.

The scenery provides lite versions of all Moscow's Airports, this is UUWW Vnukovo, which was easily recognisable as you flew over. As you fly closer to the centre of the city the density of the objects below becomes quite heavy as the landscape fills in. You have all kinds of infrastructure including, blocks of flats, tower blocks, factories, housing, skyscrapers and almost everything that makes up an urban landscape, in all there is 2000 custom-made buildings that makes up this impressive scenery.

A note here in that you don't get that rolling as you move feeling effect where as it just suddenly appears in front of you and then quickly disappears behind as soon as you have flown out over the area. There is a slight effect of that as there has to be, but only in the far distance and as you can see from the images the views in every direction are widespread and visually it is very good to excellent.

The "Seven Sisters" or "Stalinist skyscrapers" built from 1947 to 1953 are all in the scenery with their "Wedding Cake" architecture or officially  Russian Baroque               - Gothic style. Most famous is the Moscow State University, front and centre of the image below.

Central Moscow is excellent and extremely realistic, and you really need a travel guide to pick out the landmarks and detail, but it is hard to miss the Red Kremlin complex  and St Peter's square from the air.  Both sides of the aircraft is visually full until you have crossed right over the city.

I am not a fan of the generated 3d OSM scenery, but this is very good in blending in perfectly with the X-Plane default scenery and giving you a smooth transition from country to urban and back again with great realism.

Over the city and turning north towards Sheremetyevo, another Moscow airport UUMU Chkalovsky is represented on the turn.

The city skyline is now easily visible on landing at Sheremetyevo, and that really helps in the arrival factor, more so in that the cities building infrastructure spread now comes up and around the airport to fill the gaps to the city itself, and making the original  Sheremetyevo scenery that was so open and lonely in the old X-Plane view is now a big part of the whole in this combination. No doubt it really brings this always good scenery now alive and very usable.

Sheremetyevo Airport

Before we move on to the city itself. It is important to note the area around UUEE Sheremetyevo itself.

Compare the large image above to the earlier image at the start of this review to see the amount of change there is around UUEE Sheremetyevo with the addition of this Moscow City package. The two sceneries are of course meant to be used together, and in reality it would look odd if you had Moscow City scenery installed without the Sheremetyevo scenery included to fill out the northern areas. A highlight is that both sceneries together form a single whole, as the areas between the airport and the central city area are well filled in and that gives you a huge area of coverage and the full visual aspect.

To get a closer lower look at the Moscow Center I commandeered Dreamfoil's lovely Bell 407.

There is a 4.000km² total area covered with this scenery here, and you have expect some sort of building replication to cover all that ground. There is of course but as well in the fact there is also enough variations as to not keep it all interesting and not obviously visually obvious.

The closer you go to the central area, the variations in the buildings change there in style and density as well. And then more of the iconic buildings start to appear as you get closer in again to the middle. The business district is excellent, with a lot of business towers and the more modern futuristic skyscraper architecture that stands out in every view point in eye scans across the city.

The more recent is in tune with the more older Stalinist era that makes up the Moscow skyline.

The Kremlin Complex and the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed (St Basil's) is excellently represented and so is "Red Square"

There are Orthodox churches everywhere and all the big icons in the Moscow Cathedral Mosque, Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Grand Arena of the Central Lenin Stadium, Otkrytive Arena and department stores, museums and power stations and more....

I did have issues with many buildings floating, including the Kremlin. I tried both "Runways follow terrain contours" on and off with no flattening of the objects and there is no information in the manual either on how to fix the problem.

Night lighting is very good, yes there is again a repeatable pattern to the majority of the hundreds of the apartment blocks that does stand out, but the more individual buildings do all have that personal touch and some buildings look really very good.

The highlight here is the business district which looks magnificent and is very realistic from any direction at night as is the lit Stadium.

Although away from the central area the Ostankino Tower that stands 540.1 metres (1,772 ft) tall, and is the tallest freestanding structure in Europe and it looks great at night and is a very good position indicator from the air from any direction.

Included Moscow Airports

As noted also included in the scenery are seven airports and several helipads.

UUWW Vnukovo

The futuristic Vnukovo International is very good for a lite version, with great terminals and lots of small detailing. Only thing missing is the static aircraft and a bit more ramp equipment, but otherwise it is highly usable.

UUDD Domodedovo

The oldest of Moscow's International airports is Domodedovo. Again it is quite devoid of static aircraft and I am not crazy about the blue terminal glass work, but it is still a very workable scenery to use and has a lot of well made objects.

UUBW Zhukovsky

Zhukovsky was a major aircraft testing facility since the  cold war years, with most of the major Russian Experimental Design Bureau's having facilities here. It is also now used by the Ministry of Emergency Situations! and cargo carriers. It was also used as a test site for the Soviet Buran  reusable Spacecraft because it has the world's second longest pubic runway at at 5,402 m (17,723 ft). Mostly it is a collection of very large hangars but has a lot of static aircraft in storage.

UUMO Ostafyevo International Business Airport

A former military airbase. Ostafyevo features a new modern glass terminal, and caters primarily to business aviation.

UUMU Chkalovsky

Chkalovsky is a military logistics airport that is famous for it's support for the Russian Space program and transport to Star City and the Yuri A. Gagarin State Scientific Research-and-Testing Cosmonaut Training Center. Yuri Gagarin left here on his final flight before crashing by the town of Kirzhach.

UUBM Myachkovo Airport

Myachkovo is a small General Aviation Airport that is owned by the Finpromko company. Cargo aircraft up to the size of the Ilyushin ll-76 freighter can also use the airport.

UUMB Kubinka

Kubinka has been a significant Russian military airbase and large airshows are held here to show off the Russian military might.

There is also provided UUU1 Kremlin Airport, within the Kremlin walls, but I couldn't get it to work? There are two pads in H1 and H2.

Your first thoughts after reviewing this excellent Moscow scenery is not with this actual package. You then wish that you could have this extensive scenery at London, Rome, Madrid, Berlin and the list could go on with any of your favorite European Cities, and don't count a load in the Middle East and Asia. But a London scenery like this would certainly be a godsend in our X-Plane world. Drzewiecki Design has already done Warsaw and Manhattan, so there is always hope.

It is not cheap either and you need to add in their UUEE Sheremetyevo scenery package on top of that as well. But you get an awful lot of ground covered here for your money, with the area covered here that is extensive...  huge and flying into Moscow will never be the same again.

A few areas to note in one that in my case a few of the buildings floated, the download is huge load at 1.4gb and this Russian area is not the best for navigation aids and programming FMS units as most waypoints are not recognised. Most of the airports ILS coordinates also have to checked and recalibrated (Drzewiecki Design do provide all the correct coordinates) so there is a little work to do to set up repeat services but the work is worth the results.

Not only is the actual Moscow city and all it's buildings supported, you also get seven (if lite versions) of Moscow's other airports included as well, but the framerate processing of all this huge amount of objects and scale is pretty good to excellent. Framerate does hurt more on a lower (helicopter) level and certainly you need a computer with a little extra power is in no doubt required, but overall for the size of the area the scenery is extremely efficient.

Yes I was impressed by this Moscow City Scenery, as this once very barren area of X-Plane is now a very attractive repeat destination as nothing can give you a greater fulfilment than seeing your destination appear in the distance and then give you a huge visual experience as you fly over and approach your destination.

Moscow City certainly delivers that and more...  Just more sceneries like this please!

Moscow City XP by Drzewiecki Design is NOW available! from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

• Extremely detailed model of Moscow metropolitan area in Russia
• Almost 2000 custom-made buildings and other objects, all high quality, FPS-friendly and with night textures
• Whole Moscow center done in 3D as well as all other important landmarks - museums, palaces, skyscrapers, towers, bridges, railway stations, Zara stores...
• Trains, ships, 3D people, cars, airport vehicles, static aircraft - anything you can imagine
• About 4000 sq.km of photoreal 0,5-1m/pix terrain with autogen
• Sceneries of all surrounding airports including UUWW Vnukovo, UUDD Domodedovo, UUBW Zhukovski, UUMO Ostafyevo, UUBM Myachkovo and UUMB Kubinka, with all airport buildings, detailed layouts, people, airport vehicles and more
• Very detailed Kremlin model with newly constructed heliport

Requirements

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Installation and documents:

Download for the Moscow City XP is 1.47gb and the unzipped file is deposited in the "Custom Scenery" as four files:

DDZ Moscow City XP (3.99gb) - Yes GIGABYTES!

DDZ Moscow City XP Layer 2 (30.20mb)

DDZ Moscow City XP Documents (1.0 mb)

ZZZ_DDZ Moscow City XP Terrain (20.10mb)

Installation for Windows comes with an .exe installer that deposits the files in the correct order required (however I still moved the ZZZ- folder to the bottom via the INI text install list.

Installation Instructions are provided for Mac and Linux

You need to check all airports ILS coordinates are correct, instructions are provided.

Documents: Two documents include

Moscow City XP MacLinuxinstall

Moscow City XP Manual (seven pages)

Review System Specifications:

Computer System : Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - GeForce GTX 980/SSE2 - Samsung Evo 512gb SSD 

Software :   - Windows 10 - X-Plane 10 Global ver 10.50

Addons : Saitek x52 Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose  Soundlink Mini

Plugins: JARDesign Ground Handling Deluxe US$14.95 : WorldTraffic US$29.95

Scenery or Aircraft

- Airbus A320neo by JARDesign ( X-Plane.OrgStore ) - US$59.95 : A320neo Sound Packs by Blue Sky Star Simulations ( X-Plane.OrgStore ) - US$19.95

- Bell 407 by Dreamfoil Creations ( X-Plane.OrgStore ) - US$34.95

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• 7 months later...

Thank you for this very thorough (as always) review. I just bought it (it's on sale) and have only one disappointment so far: Red Square has no ILS or any landing aids at all for that matter. And what a nightmare of an approach! Also I was hoping the package would include an add-on that gives my c172 a big cup holder for my Stoli. Otherwise the scenery is gorgeous. What a country!

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Drone attacks in Moscow’s glittering business district leave residents on edge

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The glittering towers of the Moscow City business district dominate the skyline of the Russian capital. The sleek glass-and-steel buildings — designed to attract investment amid an economic boom in the early 2000s — are a dramatic, modern contrast to the rest of the more than 800-year-old city.

Now they are a sign of its vulnerability, following a series of drone attacks that rattled some Muscovites and brought the war in Ukraine home to the seat of Russian power .

The attacks on Sunday and Tuesday aren’t the first to hit Moscow — a drone even struck the Kremlin harmlessly in May. But these latest blasts, which caused no casualties but blew out windows on a high-rise building and sent glass cascading to the streets, seemed particularly unsettling.

“It’s very frightening because you wake up at night hearing explosions,” said a woman who identified herself only as Ulfiya as she walked her dog, adding that she lived in a nearby building. Like other Muscovites interviewed by the Associated Press, she did not identify herself further out of fear of retribution or for her personal safety.

Another resident, who gave her name as Ekaterina, said Tuesday’s blast “sounded like thunder.”

“I think for the first time, I got really scared,” she said. “I don’t understand how people in a war zone can live like this every day and not go mad.”

World & Nation

Russia says Moscow and Crimea hit by Ukrainian drones while Russian forces bombard Danube port

Russian authorities accuse Ukraine of a drone attack on Moscow, while Russia continues barrage on ports, striking on the Danube River.

July 24, 2023

The Russian Defense Ministry said it shot down two Ukrainian drones outside Moscow and had electronically jammed another, sending it crashing into the IQ-Quarter skyscraper that houses government offices including the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Digital Development and Communications and the Ministry of Industry and Trade — the same building that was hit Sunday.

A cordon went up around the building and personnel from the fire department and the Russian Investigative Committee were at the scene. Hours later, residents strolled through the district along the Moscow River or sat on benches in the sunshine. By about 1 p.m. Tuesday, workers were already starting to replace damaged windows.

The business district, a 10-minute subway ride west of the Kremlin, is home to some of Moscow’s flashiest restaurants, offering far-reaching views of the capital and a menu of upscale fare like three types of caviar, shellfish from Russia’s Far East and French cuisine.

But there was no escaping the grim news.

While Russian state television has largely played down the strikes, one channel sandwiched a segment on how Moscow’s air defenses successfully intercepted the drones in between reports highlighting Russian attacks on Ukraine.

Sleepless in Kyiv: In Ukraine’s capital, the stress of war weighs on everyone. How do people cope?

How do citizens of Kyiv cope with the sleep deprivation and stress from Russia’s war on Ukraine? Some push it down, some try yoga or dancing.

July 5, 2023

Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky, said in Ukraine that Moscow “is rapidly getting used to a full-fledged war,” without confirming or denying Kyiv’s involvement in the drone attacks that in recent days have struck from the capital to the Crimean Peninsula.

After Sunday’s strike, the Kremlin said security would be ramped up.

Still, the size of the drone that hit the Moscow City district led analysts to question the effectiveness of the capital’s air defenses, suggesting it could have been launched from Ukraine.

“If this is the case, this would be rather embarrassing for Russia’s air defenses. If a drone has been in Russian airspace for hours, air defenses should have picked it up earlier and shot it down earlier,” said Ulrike Franke, an expert in drones and military technology at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

While they haven’t caused much physical damage, bringing the drone campaign to Moscow “blows holes in Russia’s narrative that the war on Ukraine is successful and that it is being prosecuted far away from any consequences for the Russian people themselves,” said Keir Giles, a Russia expert at the Chatham House think tank in London.

“That is something which is going to be harder and harder for Russia’s propaganda machine to explain away,” he said.

In Ukraine, a harvest of death as bodies of the fallen are returned to their hometowns

Even far from Ukraine’s front lines, military funerals set off waves of mourning. ‘You can’t see an end to it,’ one chaplain says as the war drags on.

June 26, 2023

A Muscovite who identified himself to the AP only as Eldar summed up the strikes this way: “We attack them, they attack us. And it’s obvious that they will succeed somewhere, and we will succeed somewhere. We should try to strengthen the defense.”

In Odintsovo, where some of the drones were downed about 18 miles southwest of the capital, some residents discussed the events on their local Telegram channel.

One woman talked about hearing noises that turned out to be a car or improperly closed trash containers, and seeing what she thought were drones but actually were a flock of birds, a plane and a wind-blown plastic bag.

“How is it possible to live like this?” she asked the group.

“Stop creating panic,” one member admonished her.

“If you hear a noise, be happy because it hasn’t hit you,” added another.

Burrows reported from Tallinn, Estonia.

More to Read

Russian drones strike Black Sea town, set hotel ablaze

April 28, 2024

Russia attacks Ukrainian psychiatric hospital, energy facilities; Kyiv launches drones at Russia

April 27, 2024

Pummeled by airstrikes, Ukrainians in Kharkiv defy Russia by getting on with daily life

April 26, 2024

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Send us Patriots: Ukraine’s battered energy plants seek air defenses against Russian attacks

May 3, 2024

NATO chief chides alliance countries slow to deliver aid to Ukraine

April 29, 2024

U.S. announces new Patriot missiles for Ukraine as part of $6-billion aid package

Ukraine pulls U.S.-provided Abrams tanks from front lines over Russian drone threats

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Moscow Travel Guide

• Guide to Russia
• Russian Destination Guide

Why travel to Moscow

Contrasts: 12th century monasteries and some of the tallest skyscrapers in Europe can be found side-by-side in this complex and captivating city. The diversity of this mega-city is astounding. Only a few steps away from the solemn red facade of the Kremlin and the sounds of righteous church bells, a buzzing night scene and alternative-fashion boutiques can be found.

Culture: In Moscow only the best goes. Be it a theatre, restaurant or gallery, the standards are certain to be world-class. The Bolshoi ballet company is reputed to be even better than the Mariinsky’s and “MMOMA” (Moscow’s museum of modern art) exhibits works of art as profound as any that could be found in the famed MOMA.

Convenience: Unlike the rest of Russia, it’s easy enough to get by with just English in Moscow and, driving excepted, it is surprisingly safe: the murder rate is lower than in some of America’s major cities.

Top Sights in Moscow

St. Basil’s

Novodevichy Convent

MORE SIGHTS

• Moscow Fact File
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• Getting Around
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Why visit Moscow

It would take more than two days to walk around the perimeter of the biggest city in Europe, Moscow. Many of its inhabitants barely know what’s beyond the few blocks around their flat and there are so many attractions that it’s almost impossible to know where to start. If there is such a thing as an antidote to boredom, Moscow City is it. The mind-boggling range and diversity of things to do, places to eat, parks, historical monuments and more means that a vacation in Moscow has a wealth of activities to offer for every type of traveler, from young families to retirees.

Reasons to Vacation in Moscow in 2022

The Bolshoi theatre is familiar to almost everyone as Russia’s grandest theatre, but what people don’t know is that there are many more bolshoi (big) sites in Moscow that are worth travelling all the way to Moscow to see. For more than 100 years, the world’s biggest bell has been hidden behind the Kremlin’s walls and inside Moscow’s main park (which is bigger than some countries!) there is the world’s largest outdoor ice-rink. Travelers that visit Moscow can stay at the Izmailovo, Europe’s biggest hotel, then eat at the largest and most historic McDonald’s in Europe and after that have fun at the largest European indoor theme park!

Ancient Past & Stunning Architecture:

As those who travel to Moscow will see, just because Moscow is a city of record-breaking, glitzy high-rises doesn’t mean that there is no history. On the famous Arbat street, time-worn, wooden storehouses and century-old churches are squashed up against grey, soviet blocks which are then towered over by 21st century office-blocks. Unlike its much younger sibling, St Petersburg, Moscow’s roots stretch way back to the 12th century. Within the walls of the Kremlin, the city’s oldest building the Cathedral of Assumption can be admired in all its 500+ years of age.

Culture & Convenience

For a foreigner who has never visited Russia, Moscow is the perfect stepping stone into this great land of mystery. From the country’s best classical ballet troupes to snow-white troikas trotting through the parks, all the highlights of Russian culture can be had in Moscow without any of the complications that would be expected in other, less developed regions of Russia.

Cheap as Caviar

In Moscow, everything is bargain when with the current foreign exchange rates being what they are. Even caviar doesn’t seem so dear when the exchange rate is at 60rub to the dollar, so go on indulge yourself! Take your 2022 vacation in Moscow and have the best of both worlds, with European luxury at very affordable prices.

Lena, our guide in Moscow was excellent. She was very knowledgable and could answer any question we had for her. We liked that she could pick up on our interests and take us places we might not have thought of to go. When we realized that one of the places we had chosen to see would probably not be that interesting to us, she was able to arrange entry to the Diamond Fund and the Armoury for us. Riding the Metro with Lena was a real adventure and a lot of fun. In Saint Petersburg we found Anna well versed in the history of the Tsars and in the Hermitage collection. Arkady in Veliky Novgorod was a very good guide and answered all of our questions with ease. Novgorod was perhaps a long way to go for a day trip, but we did enjoy it. Vasily was a great driver to have and kept us safe with good humour and skill. We enjoyed ourselves so much, my daughter says she is already planning to return. We would both have no hesistation to recommend ExpresstoRussia to anyone we know.

Just wanted to let you know that My grandson Bruno and I couldn´t have been more pleased with our week in Moscow (6/15 - 6/21). We were absolutely enchanted with the whole experience, including getting lost a couple of times in the Metro during our free time. Although both our guides (both Eleanas) were excellent, I would particularly commend the first one (she took us to the Tatiakov, the KGB tour, and to that beautiful cemetery where so many great Russian artists, authors, composers, musicians, militarists, and politicians are buried). Her knowledge is encyclopedic; and her understanding of today´s Russia as a product of its past was, for us, truly enlightening. I will be taking another tour in Russia, with my wife, within the next two or three years. I will be in touch with you when the time comes. Meanwhile, I will refer you to other potential visitors to Russia as I meet them.

We had a great time both in Moscow and St Petersburg. Your travel agency was excellent in coordinating the whole trip. Everything worked like clockwork. The guides assigned to us were very nice and friendly. They had a great knowledge of their subjects. The cars and the drivers were great. The hotels were good and the itinerary was good. All in all, it was a wonderful experience. It was nice dealing with you and your company. Thank you very much for a great Russian experience. Have a great future ahead

• 31 reviews of Express to Russia Moscow Tours in Moscow

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Tour Edge Hot Launch C524 & E524 Irons Review

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The Tour Edge Hot Launch C524 irons are strong game improvement irons with good forgiveness.  The Tour Edge Hot Launch E524 irons take consistency to the extreme, almost daring you to try to get a bad result.

Introduction

Last year, Drew examined the Hot Launch C523 and E523 irons [review HERE ] and found them worthy of Tour Edge’s slogan, “Golf’s Most Solid Investment.”  New for 2024 are the aptly named Hot Launch C524 and E524 irons.  While the name and the look have changed, the mission is the same: delivering high performance clubs at a price that’s about half what you’ll pay from other OEMs.

The “C” in Tour Edge Hot Launch C524  stands for “Competition.”  That means this is the set designed for more skilled players, at least compared to the E524.  At address, this iron set features a very thick, boxy top line and a significant amount of offset.  The blade length is about average, but the overall impression is that this is a big club meant to forgive mishits.

“E” in Tour Edge Hot Launch E524 irons stands for “Extreme Spec,” referring to extreme performance and forgiveness.  This focus on forgiveness is immediately obvious from the Iron-Wood design.  These are very big irons with huge, rounded faces which should fill golfers with confidence.  There is a great deal of offset in these irons, and the back of the club protrudes from behind the thick top lines.

Comparing the 7 irons side-by-side, you can see that the C524 (left) actually has a slightly thicker top line, but it doesn’t have any “extra” behind it.  Both irons have similar offset .  The leading edge of the E524 is more rounded – a subtle difference that, to my eye, helps to make the face look larger.

Sound & Feel

I started my testing with the Tour Edge Hot Launch E524 irons and was shocked by the sound and feel .  Given the hollow body design, I was expecting a loud, hollow sound and a feel that was quick and explosive.  Instead, I got a surprisingly soft, solid feel and a quiet impact sound that’s closer to a “thud” than the “pop” I was expecting.  The sound did get louder as I worked into the long irons, but the feel remained solid.

Check out the new Tour Edge Hot Launch C524 & E524 drivers HERE

Having had my expectations rewired by the E524, the Tour Edge Hot Launch C524 irons had a high bar to clear.  Thankfully, they delivered the same traditional impact sensations as their larger brother.  The feel is more solid and soft than quick or explosive, and the sound is quiet throughout the set.

Both sets also share the desire to make you feel good about every swing .  While you can feel the impact location through your hands, the sound of impact doesn’t change dramatically from flush shots to mishits.  Additionally, mishits don’t sting – the character of the feel is very similar across the face.

Performance

I tested these two iron sets in parallel to evaluate their similarities and differences.  I’ll dive into the specifics, but my overall takeaway is that Tour Edge did a great job creating two sets that are highly forgiving while also being clearly differentiated .

Starting with the wedges, I noticed immediately that the Tour Edge Hot Launch E524 irons spin quite a bit.  This was a pleasant surprise as I expected this set to be all about distance.  When I looked at the specs, I saw that the lofts are strong but not near the “cutting edge” of strong lofts.  The E524 irons put more emphasis on consistency rather than raw distance.

Switching to the Tour Edge Hot Launch C524 irons, I saw slightly lower launch and spin , but both were still higher than expected.  The pitching wedge is one degree weaker in the C524 – 44 degrees – which is bordering on weak by today’s standards.  Again, this points to a focus on consistency and forgiveness.  Every shot I hit with this wedge went straight and carried a similar distance.

Moving into the mid irons, the extreme forgiveness of the E524 irons really started to show.  I had a series of three shots that were flush, low heel, and on the toe, yet each one landed within a couple yards of the others.  The launch angles were extremely consistent, even when the contact wasn’t.  The mid irons is also where this set’s draw bias really started to show, pulling most shots to the left of the center line.  This anti-slice tendency will be a boon for most high handicap players.

Changing back to the Hot Launch C524 irons, the launch and spin were lower despite the weaker lofts.  The lofts on the C524 irons are three degrees weaker from 4I-8I, but this difference is balanced by the Iron-Wood design of the E524.  For me, the C524 irons were slightly longer , but the forgiveness was still very good.  My notes state, “Impact location barely matters,” reflecting the consistency of the ball speed and carry distances.

The two sets showed the most difference in the longest irons.  The E524 4I is one of the easiest-to-launch long irons I’ve ever hit .  In contrast, I found the C524 to launch lower, and it required more effort.  Looking at the big picture, the C524 4I is still fairly easy to hit, but it’s nowhere near the E524.

Overall, both the Hot Launch C524 irons and the Hot Launch E524 irons are forgiving and consistent , but the E524 takes it to a much higher level.  The E524 irons are in the “You need to try to get a bad result” class.  Players with more speed may find more distance in the C524.  As always, getting a fitting is the only sure way to find the set up that will maximize your abilities.

The Tour Edge Hot Launch family continues to be a champion for golfers seeking the most bang for their buck.  In the Hot Launch C524 irons, players will find a set that’s forgiving and consistent without fully abandoning a traditional look.  Those that want extreme forgiveness and maximum fun should look to the Hot Launch E524 irons.

Visit Tour Edge HERE

Support plugged in golf, buy here, tour edge hot launch c524 irons specs.

Tour Edge Hot Launch E524 Irons Specs

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The entire 524 lineup intrigues me this year. Will you be reviewing the fairways too at some point? I saw the C524 fairway and nearly bought it immediately. based on looks alone.

Yes, we are reviewing the entire line.

Matt, are the specs reversed? Your comments on the E524 4I say 20 degrees but chart says 23 degrees.

Thank you for the note. The specs are correct, I made an error (now corrected) in my text.

Really enjoyed and appreciate the comprehensive review of the Tour Edge 524 irons. Have been considering a purchase after my fitting At 70+, my swing is slowing down so I need some distance help

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