Tour Edge Hot Launch X525 Driver Review
PGA Professional Joe Ferguson has been spending some time with a new ‘anti-slice’ driver from Tour Edge Golf - the Hot Launch X525…
This driver delivers exactly what it claims it will - ease of use and slice combatting technology in bucket loads. The aesthetic in terms of the colorway is strong, although the heavy offset is an unusual visual to get used to. The Tour Edge Hot Launch X525 driver produces some very competitive ball speeds and strong levels of forgiveness. If you are constantly battling a slice, this is a driver well worth trying out.
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Very sensibly priced
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Strong draw bias
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Incredibly user-friendly
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The offset hosel takes some getting used to
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So many golfers are plagued by a scorecard-wrecking slice off the tee, and Tour Edge Golf believes it may be able to help you out. It has brought to market the Hot Launch X525 driver, and I took it out to see how it stacked up against some of the best drivers for slicers…
From a technology point of view, it features pretty much all the bells and whistles, such as Diamond Face VFT, and Ridgeback technology of the Hot Launch E525 driver (so I will let you wander over to that review to catch up on that), plus a bit more. On this model, the substantial MOI-enhancing back weight has been positioned more on the heel side to promote a draw bias CG, and probably most notably, Tour Edge has introduced a very heavy offset hosel. This offset design allows the clubface a fraction of a second more time to rotate and square up to the target for players who struggle with a persistent open face delivery.
Looks-wise, the Hot Launch X525 driver is very much an acquired taste, with the offset providing a very unusual look down behind the ball. Now, I am not saying this is the first time I have ever seen this because it isn’t, but it is some of the most noticeable offset I have seen on a driver. Aside from that, the overall look is strong, and I am particularly fond of the black/grey contrast that runs throughout the Hot Launch range.
In terms of the performance, I am not sure I have ever hit a driver that so easily fulfils its brief. Tour Edge tells us that the Hot Launch X525 Driver is easy to launch and that it will help mitigate your slice, and I can confirm it delivers superbly on both of those promises, so full marks there.
Some of the less quantifiable areas could maybe do with some refinement, for example, the sound and feel are a touch tinny, but this has precisely zero effect on the impressive output of the driver, and for the super low price point, you can’t have it all, I guess. The sound and feel by no means reflect build quality here, which feels pleasingly premium and robust, and as with the Hot Launch E525 driver, I am a big fan of the Ridgeback contouring on the crown to aid alignment.
The Tour Edge Hot Launch X525 Driver is available in 10.5˚, 12˚, and 15˚ lofts and in A, R, and S flex shafts, for a retail price of $249.99/£193.00.
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