Sweet Stuff
With a number of new fairway woods hitting the market in 2017, one that is getting a lot of attention for its performance is the newly-released XJ1 by Tour Edge. Containing many of the technological advances earlier released in the company’s driver of the same name, the Tour Edge XJ1 Fairway is one of the lightest of its kind ever produced at 286 grams (270 grams for the ladies’ version).
Hitting this club from off the fairway or teeing it up as a more accurate driver, it delivers exceptional distance and driver-like distances in a more compact package.
Tests show that with the ultra-light 45-gram Fujikura AIR SPEEDER shaft—which is 25-30 grams lighter than the typical fairway wood shaft— coupled with the lighter head, produce a notable increase in swing speed and ball speed for greater distances than some drivers produce.
The XJ1 fairway wood’s lightweight body allows most of the weight in the club to be in the sole for improved trajectory. The heavy Tungsten sole holds 124-grams, two-thirds of the entire mass of the clubhead. The added weight generates high launch angels and produces a low center of gravity for extremely easy to hit shots from any lie with optimal results. The Tour Edge R&D team utilized combo brazing in the XJ1 fairway woods to adhere the titanium body to the tungsten sole. Experience dictated that combo brazing was the most effective method to combine the two materials and maintain the Tour Edge level of quality control.
The XJ1 face technology features SP 700 Beta Titanium to create super high C.O.R., all over the face for impressive distance gains. The face is laser bonded to the body for consistent weighting along the seams and allowing for a larger face. Double V variable face thickness (VFT) technology offers multiple levels of thickness that maximizes the spring like effect from more points on the face. By thinning and thickening the face, the V-shapes produce a powerful launch for explosive distance, even on off-center hits.
Like its driver big brother, the XJ1 fairways are designed for the average player with an easy feel and the light weight. This is a club that you don’t have to hit hard to get good results from. The new ultralightweight 9-1-1 titanium body and a heavy tungsten sole combine to give performance and an explosive sound at impact. The fairway wood body is constructed entirely of the brand new 9-1-1 titanium which is remarkably light, 10 percent lighter than 6A4v titanium, allowing engineers to save significant weight in the body. The unprecedented strength of 9-1-1 enables it to be thinner and more reactive, even at lower swing speeds.
According to David Glod, the founder of Tour Edge Golf, the XJ1 fairways were intended to use the most advanced technologies for these new clubs.
“I am thrilled that the XJ1 fairway woods perform better for all golfers, but especially for low to mid swing speed players,” he noted. “Finally, an advanced technological club, with the Exotics stamp of approval, that improves the game for those who need it most.”
Technicians of the XJ1 fairway woods also included a 12-gram tungsten screw in the heel positioned strategically for draw enhancement and faster release of the club head through impact. Additional weights are available in a kit; 10, 14, 16 grams.
The XJ1 fairway wood is available in 3-wood (15 degree), 4-wood (17 degree), 5-wood (18 degree), and 7-wood (21 degree), right hand only.
For more information on the Tour Edge XJ1 fairway woods: www.touredge.com