Gear: Tour Edge Exotics Wingman 700 Series putters
Price: $199.99 with KBS CT Tour shaft and Lamkin Jumbo Sink Fit Pistol grip
Specs: Mallet putters with interchangeable sole weights, carbon fiber sole plate and grooved, thermoplastic polyurethane face insert
Available: August 1
Who it’s For: Golfers who prefer the look and forgiveness of a high-MOI mallet that want to improve their alignment and increase consistency on the greens.
The Skinny: The three new Wingman 700 Series putters have a softer face insert than the original Wingman for enhanced sound and feel, but still offer a lot of forgiveness thanks to extreme perimeter weighting and a multi-material design.
The Deep Dive: The first Tour Edge Exotics Wingman putter was released in 2020, and now the company is looking to expand the popularity of the mallet by offering it in three different head shapes, each coming with two hosel options. The key technologies, however, carry across all three clubs.
Each of the 700 Series putters has an angular shape, and the first thing most golfers will notice when they set one down and address it is the Lock-On Alignment technology. It’s a pair of black areas on the top of the club, and each has a single white alignment line in the center. The idea is that when your eyes are in the proper position over the ball, the lines will appear joined, but if you are standing with your eyes either too far to the inside or the outside, the white stripes will not appear to touch. It can be a helpful, easy way to ensure that you are set up to the ball, and in a good position, before every putt.
Each of the three 700 Series mallets is cast from stainless steel, but a large portion of the sole is covered by a carbon fiber plate that reduces the amount of stainless that would be used by 34 percent. That does two important things. First, it takes weight out of the middle of the club and creates perimeter weighting. Second, it allowed designers to take the discretionary weight saved by using the carbon fiber and repurpose it in the form of interchangeable sole weights in the back heel and toe areas. The 700 Series putters come with 3-gram weights, but 8- and 15-gram weights are available in separately-sold kits. The weights further boost the moment of inertia (MOI) to help the clubs resist twisting on off-center hits.
Finally, the MicroGroove face is designed to encourage the ball to start rolling instead of skidding for better speed control, but Tour Edge opted to use a softer thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) to create a softer feel.
The Exotics Wingman 701 and 702 have the same head that features a pair of extensions on the heel and toe wings that hold the sole weights. They have the highest MOI and most stability, with the 701 having 30 degrees of toe hang thanks to a short slant neck hosel. It should be ideal for players with a slightly-arched putting stroke, while the 702’s double-bend hosel makes it face balanced for golfers with a straight back, straight through stroke.
The Exotics Wingman 703 and 704 have a slightly-smaller head that lacks the extensions on the back of the heel and toe wings that the 701 and 702 have. The sole weights are also forward in the head. The 703 has a short slant neck hosel, while the 704 has a double-bend hosel.
Finally, the 705 and 706 are the most compact, with sole weights in the front. The 705 is designed for golfers with an arced putting stroke, while the 706 is face-balanced.
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