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The Tour Edge Hot Launch E525 hybrid offers good and aspiring players strong forgiveness and the ability to control their ball flight. The Tour Edge Hot Launch X525 hybrid launches every shot to a soaring trajectory with a healthy draw bias.
Introduction
Too often, OEMs only offer value-priced clubs to newer golfers. Tour Edge, however, knows that players across the handicap spectrum want to get more for their money. The new Hot Launch 525 family includes two hybrids, both at a price that’s even lower than last year’s 524 line [review HERE]. Read on to find out how the Tour Edge Hot Launch E525 hybrid and X525 hybrid might fit into your bag.
Looks
As you would expect, there are some visual similarities between the two Tour Edge Hot Launch hybrids and some stark differences. A key commonality is the Ridgeback Technology, one of Tour Edge’s hallmarks of the last few generations. Both also have full face score lines and matte black crowns. Flipping them over, the sole is black with gold accents. I particularly like the big gold weight on the Tour Edge Hot Launch E525 hybrid – it gives the club a focal point and makes it stand out.
The differences between the two clubs starts with their size. While the Tour Edge Hot Launch X525 hybrid is only a few cubic centimeters larger, its footprint is significantly bigger. This can be explained by the fact that the X525 has a face that’s roughly 1/8″ shorter than the E525. In addition to being larger, the X525 hybrid has offset and the alignment aid is closer to the heel rather than being centered.
Sound & Feel
Comparing all the pairs of Tour Edge Hot Launch 525 long game clubs, the hybrids have the most distinct impact sensations. The Tour Edge Hot Launch E525 hybrid is traditional. It has a solid feel through the hands which it pairs with a quiet, strong, understated impact sound. This club also has excellent feedback – strikes away from the center feel more hollow and create a ringing sound.
In contrast, the Tour Edge Hot Launch X525 hybrid sounds more like fairway wood. It has a quiet, high pitch “tink” that complements that light feel of the ball jumping off the face. This super forgiving club does not give the user much feedback. Poor strikes will ring a bit more than centered strikes, but it’s a small difference.
Performance
Like the other clubs in the E525 family, the Tour Edge Hot Launch E525 hybrid is billed as being mid launch, low spin, and high forgiveness. Tour Edge recommends it for players with medium to fast speed who want “optimal launch and spin rates.” This contrasts with the Tour Edge Hot Launch X525 hybrid which is described as high launch, mid spin, and extreme forgiveness, designed for players with “medium to slower swing speeds.”
If you’ve read my reviews of the Hot Launch 525 drivers [find it HERE] or the fairway woods [read that HERE], you’ll notice some trends that carry through to the Hot Launch 525 hybrids. Like all of those clubs, both of these hybrids use Tour Edge’s Diamond Face VFT, a face design that meant to enhance ball speed on off-center hits. The E525 and X525 hybrids are both above average at preserving speed and distance on mishits. In my opinion, the gap is not as big as “high” vs. “extreme” would indicate.
Where these two clubs diverge most is in their ball flight. The Tour Edge Hot Launch E525 hybrid launches on a mid trajectory with mid spin, and it does not strongly favor a draw or a fade. Players can use this club to create high or low trajectories and move the ball left or right. It’s still quite forgiving thanks to the aforementioned face tech and the large rear sole weight, but it’s clearly geared toward a slightly better player.
The Tour Edge Hot Launch X525 hybrid is all about getting the ball up in the air. This club lives up to its billing as high launching, and it spins measurably more than the E525. In addition to launching higher, this club wants to produce draws. The combination of offset and internal weighting will help slicers to keep their shots on line. Additionally, the Houdini Sole and shallow face do an excellent job elevating thin strikes. Shots off the bottom groove will, of course, fly lower than pure strikes, but it’s nearly impossible to hit a worm burner with the X525 hybrid.
Conclusion
Priced at just $149, the Tour Edge Hot Launch E525 hybrid and X525 hybrid are two of the best values in golf. If you need some new clubs to tackle long approaches or displace some old long irons, you won’t be able to buy more forgiveness per dollar.
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Tour Edge Hot Launch E525 Hybrid Price & Specs
Tour Edge Hot Launch X525 Hybrid Price & Specs
Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.