Gear: Cleveland drivers worth your attention

Cleveland wedges have long been the company’s specialty, but the company can also make a pretty sweet driver

By Tony Dear

For sure, news of the Cleveland Launcher XL 2 replacing 2022’s Launcher XL will get lost somewhat in the noise created by releases from the major drivers of the driver market.

But, as the XL proved beyond any doubt, Cleveland’s place in the conversation for manufacturers offering the best drivers priced $150-$200 less than those of the marketing giants is very much deserved.

The XL came with an unapologetically large footprint – 7% larger than its predecessor, the Launcher HB Turbo, with a Moment of Inertia (MoI) of 5,200g/cm² and the now-familiar Rebound Frame. It was very well-received by golfers hoping to maintain their numbers (clubhead speed, ballspeed, carry distance, total distance, et.) while saving a bit of cash.

The XL 2 has precisely the same DNA – large, powerful, forgiving, attractive and more affordable than this week’s headline makers certainly.

Being part of the Dunlop Sports stable of brands (alongside Srixon, XXIO and Dunlop Racquet Sports) enables Cleveland to benefit from tech-sharing, meaning the Launcher XL 2 gets the same AI treatment as more expensive models. The focus is on creating a larger sweetspot with a variable-thickness face. This creates what Cleveland calls the ‘Mainframe XL Face’ which, says Cleveland

Golf’s Director of Engineering Dustin Brekke, “creates more powerful ball speeds, distance, and consistency no matter where contact is made”. In fact, the AI-designed clubface creates a 2% greater MoI from heel to toe, and there’s an impressive 12% MoI increase from top to bottom.

The ’2’ in the club’s name is appropriate not only because it succeeds the original Launcher XL but also because of the second ring of flexibility that sits just behind the face and helps maximize the amount of energy imparted on the ball at impact. This is the Rebound Frame that first appeared on Srixon’s ZX drivers, introduced in 2021. Supported by extra stiffness in the rear of the clubhead, the Rebound Frame works, says Cleveland, “Like a spring within a spring”.

An extremely thin crown lets Cleveland push weight into the sole lowering the center of Gravity (CG) and giving the driver a mid-high launch with mid-spin.

The 8 gram Action CB weight in the grip-end of the club returns in the XL 2 spreading the mass and promoting a more stable, controlled backswing. That, according to players who have tried counter-balancing, leads to a better rhythm, more inside swingpath, and squarer clubface. Players with faster swingspeeds can choose the Accuracy Build which features a non-counter-balanced club with a shaft that’s half an inch shorter than standard.

As well as the standard version, the Launcher XL 2 is also available in a high-launching draw model made specifically for those who struggle with a slice. Both versions feature an adjustable hosel ranging from 9°-12° in 0.5° increments, making for 12 possible adjustments.

Purchase of the Cleveland Launcher XL 2 also gives you free access to Arccos Smart Sensors and Caddie.

$450
Lofts – 9˚, 10.5˚, 12˚
Shafts – Mitsubishi Tensei AV Series Blue 55, or extremely lightweight Aldila Ascent PL 40
Right and left-hand

Available to pre-order on the Cleveland website. In stores on January 19^th.

And they make fairway woods too!

On Monday, Cleveland also announced its new Halo XL Fairway-woods, Hy-Woods (head size and shaft length between those of a fairway-wood and hybrid), and Hybrids. Each of them features the Mainframe XL Face, Rebound Frame, Action CB weight, and Gliderails on the sole designed to move the clubhead through the turf efficiently. There are four Fairways, two Hy-Woods, and five hybrids.

Fairways
$250
Lofts – 15˚, 18˚, 21˚, 24˚
Shafts – Mitsubishi Tensei AV Series Blue 55, or extremely lightweight Aldila Ascent PL 40
Right and left-hand (21˚ and 24˚  in right-hand only)

Hy-Woods
$240
Lofts – 17˚, 20˚
Shafts – Aldila Ascent PL 40
Right and left-hand

Hybrids
$230
Lofts – 18˚, 21˚, 24˚ , 27˚, 30˚
Shafts – Mitsubishi Tensei AV Series Blue 55, or extremely lightweight Aldila Ascent PL 40
Right and left-hand (24˚ , 27˚, and 30˚  in right-hand only)

All available to pre-order on the Cleveland website. In stores on January 19^th.

 

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