Tour Edge Hot Launch E521 Driver

In this Tour Edge Hot Launch E521 driver review, Scott Kramer takes this draw-biased, entry-level driver for a test drive

Tour Edge Hot Launch E521 Driver Review

This 460cc driver may well win you over even before you see the low price tag. Part of the longstanding Hot Launch line from Tour Edge, which includes the Hot Launch C521 driver we tested recently, it’s plenty affordable compared to other similar-style drivers on the market.

The “E” in its name stands for extreme, which refers to extreme game improvement, aiming to be one of the best drivers for high handicappers. Therefore, it has an inviting yet plain-Jane look at address that many golfers may covet: a shallow-faced clubhead with classic shaping.

The “Houdini” sole places weight low and deep in the head, so that launching the ball high and with forgiveness becomes the norm. That’s why the company bills this as the “easiest driver you will ever hit” on its website.

With the loft set at 10.5°, ball flight in our testing seemingly played at a trajectory several degrees higher.

Then there’s the strategically placed heel draw-bias weight on the sole plus the slight offset of the clubhead that work in concert to help square the clubface at impact, so that ball flight is mostly straight and avoids the right side.

But we ultimately choose a driver for the distance it gets us. And in this case, distance is very good, with shots in our testing often reaching typical landing spots without us having to step into it. Impact sounds and feels quite solid.

The other thing we look for in drivers is accuracy. This one should find the fairways on a consistent basis, for no other reason than its shaft is only 44.5 inches long - that’s about an inch shy of many driver shafts in popular models these days.

A shorter shaft is more controllable, which translates into straighter tee shots because you will hit the centre of the clubface more often at impact.

Speaking of the shaft, this driver comes standard with the Mitsubishi Fubuki and its weight will depend on the flex you select. It feels solidly soft, an encouraging nod to the mid and higher handicaps who will be attracted to this model.