WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: The Tour Edge Exotics 723 line of fairway woods and hybrids comes in two distinctly divided categories, the game-improvement E723 and the better-player C723. The E723 fairway woods and hybrids are larger models stressing forgiveness, while the C723 fairway woods and hybrids feature compact sizing, low-forward centers of gravity and faster speeds off the face.
PRICE: E723 fairway wood, $280 (15, 16.5, 18, 21 degrees); C723 fairway wood, $350 (13, 15, 18). E723 hybrid, $250 (17, 19, 22, 25); C723 hybrid, $270 (17, 19, 21). Available for pre-sale on Feb. 8, at retail March 1.
Built for speed and low spin (and the elite players who benefit most from those characteristics), this head uses a lightweight titanium face and body and a lighter carbon-composite crown to set up the structure for a lower center of gravity. Completing that mission is a central, keel-shaped ridge on the sole that has a 75-gram steel plate and a 15-gram adjustable weight. Combined, these features push the CG low and forward for optimal launch and maximum distance. The angled shape of the sole ridge also improves turf interaction.
1. These are fraternal twins. There is much the E723 and C723 fairway woods and hybrids share as core technologies. The sole design and face technologies are two clear areas we’ll discuss, and while both selectively use lightweight carbon composite crowns to help redistribute weight within their respective heads, these clubs are aimed at different players. You can tell by their varying approaches to shape, materials and centers of gravity (CG).
Like on the just introduced driver family, the E723 fairway woods occupy a larger footprint and a shallower face for an easier launch and more forgiveness, while the C723 fairway wood is deeper faced and perhaps most notably features a titanium face and body. Meanwhile, on the hybrids side, the E723 models are essentially downsized versions of the fairway wood geared to more of a sweeping type of swing, while the C723 is an ultra-compact almost iron-like hybrid that encourages a downward attack angle. Matt Neeley, Tour Edge’s vice president of product development, puts it in even more relatable terms.
“The C fairway was targeted as this super low-spin bomber with a smaller head, which for a lot of the consumers is challenging to hit,” he said, noting that the new E versions have reduced spin this year, as well. “The E uses a super shallow face with a CG that’s really low and far back that makes it as easy to hit as possible. This is the first fairway wood that I've given my dad that he's been able to hit reliably well.”
The C723 fairway wood uses lightweight titanium to create more opportunities for a low-forward CG, including a 15-gram adjustable weight in the front of the sole that can be interchanged with a 5-gram weight in the rear to toggle between lower spin (with the heavy weight in the front) and higher forgiveness (with the heavy weight in the rear). The C723 hybrid has a front 10-gram weight to help lower the CG, as well, for less spin.
When designing a hybrid for better players, the challenge is to provide just the right amount of game-enhancement. If a hybrid exists on a spectrum between a fairway wood and a long iron, this entry is closer to the iron side. The C723 is designed with a more forward center of gravity for players who hit down on the ball like they do with an iron. A 10-gram weight in the front part of the sole keeps shots from launching with too much spin. Its flatter lie angles help to produce a less draw-biased, neutral iron-like flight, too.
“By swapping the weights on the C, we’re able to create this third fairway wood that's a little bit more in the middle between our C and our E because last year, we just had such a big spread between the two,” Neeley said.
The E723 fairway woods and hybrids concentrate their saved weight in the rear to increase stability on mis-hits. There’s a 10-gram weight in the rear of the fairway woods, which combined with their larger frame yields a five percent increase in moment of inertia (forgiveness on off-center hits) compared to last year’s model. The E723 hybrid also has a 10-gram rear weight for extra forgiveness.
2. Bottom’s up. All the 723 metalwoods continue the turf-gliding, CG lowering sole design known as “Ryzersole.” The keel shaped rail provides heel and toe relief and also helps lower the CG for easier launch and lower spin. That’s extremely so on the C723 titanium fairway woods, where that sole design includes 75-gram external tungsten weight. That makes the C723 an especially functional option as a backup driver for better players, especially since with the adjustable hosel the loft gets as low 11.5 degrees on the 3-wood.
Meanwhile, the E723 fairway woods and hybrids use that sole feature to not only lower the CG but smooth turf interaction, especially helpful with the lofts extending to 21 degrees on the fairway woods and 25 degrees on the hybrids.
Think of a hybrid as a “fixer” or “crisis manager.” The E723 is for average golfers who get into above-average trouble. That’s why the E723 is oversized for extra forgiveness. The wide, angled and versatile sole with heel, toe and rear relief can navigate the nastiest lies. The carbon-composite crown takes weight off the top to place it low and deep, including a 10-gram weight at the trailing edge for higher dynamic loft and more off-center-hit stability.
3. Hidden diamonds. The faces on all the 723 metalwoods all include the latest versions of a variable thickness pattern that features interconnected diamond shapes on the back of the face. That pattern includes some 61 indentations on the fairway woods with five different thicknesses and 41 on the hybrids with three different thicknesses. The updated pattern extends farther toward the heel and toe, where it gets progressively thinner for better effect on improving the ball speed for off-center hits.
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