Crazy Price Crazy Speeds Cleveland XL Launcher 2 Driver Review

[@raymondm4441]

Cleveland is also offering some really nice no upcharge shafts with these as well. Also, thanks for being the only one to review the driver so far. All of the other usual suspects are all over the Dark Speed and Ping G430 10k. You're the only one who ever give Cleveland their just due.

[@RizZy28]

Amazes me that golf club makers have got us convinced that £350 for a single club is a bargain.

[@MarkCrossfield]

The price chat is defo an interesting one.

[@gregormckinney621]

Over £200 cheaper than Callaway

[@MarkCrossfield]

@@gregormckinney621 which is mad.

[@RizZy28]

Being cheaper than something else doesn't make it less expensive.

[@frankielambardo9268]

And people pay $15 for a hamburger, what's your point?

[@SolomonLi]

I always love a good Crossfield club review… Great stuff Mark! Proving once again that there is no need to break the bank completely to get a driver or other club people can get on with! Love it!!!

[@jimconway5921]

Good to see something out there, in the driver space, that is not £600! Your test review shows impressive performance and the adjustability is a great feature - many thanks

[@zb5715]

As an avid (LOL) golfer and a fan of Srixon/Cleveland this excites me a great deal! Looking forward to testing these. Cheers brah!

[@markgogos2674]

These are great drivers. I have the XL from 2022. Spent some time on the fitting sim today comparing my XL to the new XL2. Club head speed identical. Spin identical. Carry identical. Total identical. Dispersion was slightly better with the XL2. Both clubs had the exact same Tensei Blue shaft and both set to 10 degrees. Based on the numbers, I decided to stay with the older XL for now. There was no difference in the numbers, at least not enough to warrant an upgrade for now. What I did find was that there is a higher level of forgiveness in the XL2, with toe and heel shots gaining 10-15 yards over the same shots on the XL. For anyone looking for a very easy, very accurate driver and is on a budget, this is the club to get.

[@danfields3341]

One of the best in club reviews...😊

[@chase_hanna]

Cleveland has always made good clubs. I have a Cleveland Launcher Halo #3 hybrid in the bag now that is good as any hybrid that I have ever tested. My other hybrid is a #4 TS2 that goes in and out of the bag depending on course. The Halo stays in because it is that good.

[@RebeccaSkibbe]

I love how this club sounds...it barks like a big dog. My first driver was a Launcher draw driver I ordered used. Then I had a fitting a year later and he gave me a Callaway Rogue D and it sounds like I am hitting a bag of oatmeal. I need my Cleveland back again!

[@saltyolive_]

ikr haha i love the sound too.. BAM ! hahaha

[@alunpugh6301]

Thanks Mark for this review. I'm getting a new driver this season and will put this on my list. Not interested on the 20yds extra hype. Just need a driver that keeps me in play.

[@MarkCrossfield]

Let me know what driver you end up with.

[@sturrrdy]

can’t wait to give this thing a go this weekend. Might be trading in my Callaway speed for this. My father has an older model of the launcher that I absolutely adore

[@CheesyChips728]

Great review Mark. Love a Cleveland! My Hi Bore driver from years ago was an absolute bomber. Might have had something to do with being younger i guess?!? 🤔

[@chrisjohn3630]

Hi Mark, great review. Is the XL2 much better than previous model?

[@carlcampbell6827]

Great review Mark. I love your descriptive language and enthusiasm. I have tried the Launchers years back and they were great. My problem is I don't like the looks and feel of giant headed drivers. Maybe I should try to get over it. I have hit Titlists for years.

[@jonathanwhite8877]

Any updates for 2024 sponsorship or continuing with Cleveland/Srixon? Miss the New Year update! Keep up the good work, the Cleveland Classix XL (Raymondo my driver!) was and is awesome. Great clubs.

[@FredzGolf]

They could almost do with increasing the price to influence the perception of quality ....I gamed the last Launcher XL and whacked a Ventus Velocore black in it ....absolute fun stick!

[@MarkCrossfield]

Good point

[@namlocnz]

Aesthetically are they on par with the more expensive clubs though?

[@FredzGolf]

"$$ vs yards" on this one, they look different and sound different@@namlocnz

[@cobra1995xx]

the cleveland classic 290 that is like burgundy n gold that looks like and old-school driver is awesome. still one of my favorite looking..

[@TKGolfYT]

I think Srixon/Cleveland can be very generous with their pricing! The Srixon balls are a bargain! The Cleveland wedges I have were a great price as well 🤷🏼‍♂️ Good price to quality ratio from most Srixon/Cleveland product imo 😊 7:11

[@ChunkedIt]

The issue I have with clubs like this that even at the cheaper price point, they are no cheaper than last years best models and likely don’t perform better than them either. At £349 I can pick up Stealth 2, Paradym, Aerojet etc. Not only will they likely outperform the Cleveland, they will probably hold their 2nd hand value better too.

[@paulmcgee1867]

What about the price of lager?

[@mrdudelove1]

And probably crack because its cheap made pf carbon

[@mglegacy012]

That’s a short sided take, obviously last year’s model of this club is going to be way cheaper than other previous models… so now you’ve got the price benefit again

[@nicchoulman5789]

Even though it's just been shown to perform exactly the same as everything else...

[@TheHintonator]

Mark has literally just spent nearly 12 mins telling and showing you that this club performs as well an any of the more expensive clubs. Jeez.

[@robjaggs596]

Would love to see a video detailing all the drivers you have tested with an overall master table with your averages for each [price not a factor, just specific ball data eg carry and total distances]. So for this instance the Cleveland XL2 maybe sit better than the TM stealth 2 but not as good as the Ping G25. So basically how it really stacks up against the market, but to see if tech is actually moving the needle!

[@DJRyanWalker]

When I first saw this I was really impressed. With the exception of the face the head looks very much like a TaylorMade Sim driver.

[@paulhuk2748]

I believe Wilson do similar prices to Cleveland when it comes to good reliable and solid equipment, but unfortunately there are a lot of golf snobbs out there, that stick to the bigger priced brands because they think it will make them play better, money doesn't always buy success, just look at arsenal 😢

[@TheMightyJoggernaut]

I’m playing Wilson blades and wedges - love them and can recommend them to anyone. Fantastic feel, looks and performance. Go and give them a chance :-)

[@joibjalla]

I had the Launcher HB turbo and liked it but couldn't hit it consistantly because the clubface was massively closed. If it would have been neutral, I would still have it. I love the Cleveland stuff and have loved it for many years.

[@MulliganMatt]

Ive got a 2008/9 Cleveland Launcher that i still game. Looking to update to something newer for a bit more distance and forgiveness. Had a go at a few of the big name brands but none were discernably better than my 'ol launcher. May give this new one a try as i really do love my OG one

[@gordonmcshannock4610]

Looks decent think adding the adjustable neck is good. The Wilson dynapower is in same bracket and think both are underrated.

[@davemarshall2756]

I have to get out and test one. I have no problem with any club that performs.

[@JimmyMilne]

I used to love Cleveland when I first started playing. Had an entire bag of Clevelands…. However since I moved to Callaway irons and Ping driver, the performance is loads better. Not sure if this offering is enough to bring me back to Cleveland

[@AGClassicCarTuning]

If you cast your mind back 15 or 20 years ago Cleveland were one of the first makers to install slightly higher premium shafts. Everyone will remember the gold fujikura shaft in the early Launchers, from back in the days when Vijay Singh was in the world's top 5 and their main man on tour. Always have been great clubs, but other than their wedges they're just a name that's gone massively out of fashion for the average golfer.......

[@bullrambler]

I'm still gaming the Cleveland Launcher DST Tour driver with a Diamana 64 vTL S shaft. (2010). It has a 430cc head, with 2* open face, I've added some lead tape to get the kick from the shaft that's in it. I've used more modern drivers from other brands and keep going back to the DTS Tour driver, because I can swing with it and most times stay completely out of trouble. I'd like to find something very similar with a softer kicking shaft - as grandfather time has ticked on by.

[@Yanks6786]

Wonder if there would be much difference between this and my Launcher XL

Some ( not all ) club golfers think that more expensive can deliver better results. Some might not admit their faulty technique results in less than acceptable results. Hope all these fan-boy new-toy-boys keep on buying new. I like browsing their second hand castoffs. cheers

[@robinyoung5638]

Hi, Mark. I will be buying this club next month. What is the standard shaft option? I noticed the draw had a different one. The previous model had Project X Cypher. Also with the draw driver, is the face closed or does it have a weight closer to the heel Thankyou.

[@CharlotteK2008]

I picked up last years launcher for £130 on eBay and it’s one of the best drivers I’ve hit. As long as any other £500 plus driver

[@georgeharrison6193]

Hi Mark, thanks for the video, decent performing club at a reasonable price. I’m lucky enough to have access to Foresight launch monitor, can you please advise your usual machine set up for temperature, altitude & ground conditions?

[@alfredthegreat9543]

I have a Clevand Launcher HB Turbo Driver, as good as anything else. Was a third of the price of the Ping at the time with the only difference being no adjustment. Now have 3 Cleveland Hybrids (3,4 and 5) in the bag- they were half the price of the Ping hybrids. Great clubs and no difference in performance for less money. I'm a 6 hcp.

[@AfricaTwinRider]

Driver pricing from the main manufacturers is getting crazy! This looks like very cost effective option that’s got performance to match. I’d put this in my bag.

[@MarkCrossfield]

Price to performance is defo not considered by so many.

[@oldgold5848]

Still gaming my Cobra f9, not sure any marginal gains in performance is worth the money for me atm

[@MarkCrossfield]

@@oldgold5848 defo a good club you have there.

[@oldgold5848]

@@MarkCrossfield yes. Better than the numpty swinging it for sure...!

[@MarkCrossfield]

@@oldgold5848 haha

[@garyverth4887]

Looks good, not so keen on the sound but that might be because it's in the studio.

[@Chris54321]

I would love to see a swing robot compare results of exact swings. Some perfect, some off the heel, toe, high, low, etc. Maybe the 700 Dollar club goes 18 feet further than the 200 dollar club? The technology is there to do it. No way that the golf industry would want that though.

[@BeyondHollywood]

The Last year XL's had fixed and adjustable hosel versions.

[@salihalexanderesq.4084]

I'd love to see you review the Tommy Armour 845 max irons...$399.99 USD at Dick's/Golf Galaxy. 5-GW in steel and stiff.

[@coegj]

A good friend of mine who had never hit a draw or hook in his life, did just that when I put a 9.5 Cleveland launcher driver in his hand early spring last year, I believe it is/was the 2018-2019 model. He had only hit high weak fades and slices until that Cleveland launcher with the canted in toe ( hook face ) had him hitting high draws and even duck hooks which made his eyes gleam with glee. Before mid summer he was really pounding this Cleveland launcher driver, I had had to teach him a new golf term ( fu@king hook ) which he had never used before, maybe I can talk him into a new one after I send him the link to this video.

[@stephenorourke2297]

Liked the video Mark

[@jday4217]

Would love a comparison with the Halo XL Driver.

[@tomsettles6873]

Mark could you please test the smash factor of original 1991 Big Bertha driver? Its my belief that pre-1995 drivers, including older persimmon, had max smash factor of 1.40. I think the higher smash factor in post-1995 drivers accounts for 75-90% of distance increase seen by today's golfers. Thanks

[@davidleverton-ul9uh]

Smash Factor is ball speed divided by club speed.. so the only reason it would increase is down to increase in the two parameters above

[@tomsettles6873]

The trampoline effect enhances ball speed at the same clubhead speed. This is why USGA enacted a max COR limit in early 2000s. But they set the limit much higher than older clubs performed at. @@davidleverton-ul9uh

[@martgree]

Have your trousers fell out with your shoes Mark? 😂 sounds nice - I like the ti sound - spray job looks cheap on the top but you would need to see it in the flesh to gauge that

[@vicgeier3482]

Glad I only paid 300 for a new TSR2, this Cleveland looks nice

[@SpeedyPalomino]

I retired my old Nike Vapor fly pro for the XL2 draw and I couldn't be happier,,, I'm almost 60 and my club speed has dropped considerably this club just fits!!!

[@michaelwatson9500]

Mark TBH you aren't the average golfer 😊...How would this perform in average ( hc 18?) hands I wonder and whether its worth £350 compared to a premium 2 year old model for £150 for example. Might be worth a test? Great review and nice looking driver though.

[@16-bit-trip5]

In that situation the 2 year old club is a better value. The reality is performance for any driver from the last 5-6 years is going to be within a 5% performance window for any given player. Everyone has their own preference and swing characteristics that net in different clubs performing better for them but across the board there hasn't really been any groundbreaking performance developments.

[@michaelwatson9500]

Yep I agree.

[@joamkits]

Not the subject of the video perhaps, but since you are sponsored by the group that owns cleveland/srixon/xxio: how do cleveland and srixon drivers compare? Is it only price point? Or are they targeting different players?

[@MarkCrossfield]

Good question. Defo some marketing to different markets across those brands in my opinion.

[@ignorance123]

It's hilarious this is the first video I've seen of these drivers.

[@Justanoldfart]

Very impressed, looking for a driver, but all the new models are just way out of my pocket book range. I'll have Cleveland in mind now, as I save up. Thank you ❤🏌️✌️

[@MANiACmiget925]

I'm still gaming a Cleveland Hibore XL and I have not found a driver I like better yet 😂

[@killacamfoo]

These modern prices are insane. Just get a used head and get fitted for a shaft and loft combo that works.

[@Acsgolf]

I think cleveland has been making great clubs for years and this could be the best out of all of them. Only £350 for a new driver, that looks good and performs well is awesome in todays market and in the future I will try and get my hands on it for a review. But there is always the issue of buying new that you can save yourself money by getting the last year models or even before that as let’s be honest, there hasn’t been too much difference over the years from past drivers. Right now you can pick up the Aerojet for brand new under £300 and be fitted for it which will probably perform better than this regarding distance.

[@gregwayne6785]

Best driver I ever hit was the original Launcher. Something about the combination of the head and that standard gold shaft made it special. Anyone know who made the shaft? Heard it might have been Fujikura.

[@TheMightyJoggernaut]

They were magic - and the fairway woods were great as well

[@rickcudmore8156]

Did you test this club against your gamer driver? It would be interesting to see the numbers.

[@craig3775]

R&A website quote “We are guardians of the game keeping the skill of the game in the hands of the player and not in the hands of the manufacturers “ Lol 😝

[@dankiniry3618]

Excellent

[@2bNIKEt1]

This club gives me M2 vibes. A club Taylormade accidentally made better than their flagship M1 (and I think maybe 100 bucks cheaper?). Once they realized their best driver sales weren't the M1 they completely redesigned the 2. Rebranded them. Rumors are they flipped the internals of each to the other. Then upped the price to exactly the same. The M2 suffered and the M1 performed more like the previous version of M2. You can literally look at the clubs and see that the 2nd Gen M1 looks better. Theres something to the shape and how it sits. This club is no different I dont think. Cleveland just isn't trying to rob people of their money

[@bessergolfmitalex]

Does anyone knows the club head weight only? Much appreciated

[@mglegacy012]

I play a draw driver. I usually hit it pretty neutral and the club just makes those fade-y ones more straight and the straight ones more draw-y. Let the club do the work

[@mashedpotatoes5276]

Reckon these will keep up in performance with the other new releases Mark?

[@MarkCrossfield]

They do.

[@mashedpotatoes5276]

@@MarkCrossfield thanks mate looking for a fairway finder setup, shall get them fit cheers

[@MarkCrossfield]

@@mashedpotatoes5276 defo get fit and go in with an open mind. These are good but test a few different ones. 👍

[@bobbear2252]

If the Cobra was at this price point I would have already bought it.

[@RobertFlynn-i4h]

20 years back VJay played Cleveland drivers, this product is better now then back then. They are cheaper because no pros are using them therefore Cleveland not wasting money on pro's. Of course they make great drivers, woods, how good are thier wedges

[@njamesthomasl]

Reality is no matter how close it is in performance I’m not spending £350 on this. I would rather go for 2 year old model for £200 or even less. (Like play now, it was brand new. Cobra with loads of “tech” in it. I also am not spending £600 for Callaway, Taylormade etc either it’s madness unless you are playing multiple rounds a week and notice / feel the marginal gains or enjoy the fitting and buying experience as a pleasure. I can’t get my head round who is buying the massive volumes of equipment each cycle at top price to keep it going!?

[@Chris54321]

When i finally buy a new driver it will most likely be a Kirkland Signature. Perceived savings is what i like.

[@dsc-nr5zy]

Don't sleep on Callaway Pre-owned. I just bought drivers for both myself and my daughter, IN THE WRAPPER, for under $350 TOTAL. Look for "outlet" or "like new" conditions.

[@joebeem7350]

Review the new hy woods

[@Zacharydderrick]

I would conclude that the tech claims of most club manufacturers are nonsense. There's very little gain year to year or for more $$. There may be "more" in other brand's drivers, but that "more" doesn't really do anything for us. I would still hesitate to drop the $449 on this when you can get last gen or two gen previous models for under $300 (new). I've seen the previous Launcher XL at $249. My driver is about 4 generations old. I don't do nearly the testing that Mark does, but haven't found any reason to replace it.

[@Trouty5000]

Actually looks pretty good.

[@hbyrdut]

Please compare the Cleveland to QI 10 and AI Smoke

[@jordysteciuk1827]

Last year I bought a new xl driver for 280 Canadian plus tax.

[@biochem70]

Cleveland XL L2 vs Kirkland Sig vs Adams IDEA vs Takomo Ignis D1

[@simonsaunders1730]

Not a fan of the new sim screen. Is it only me that wants to see club and ball speed?

[@varment01]

Any new irons ❤

[@mattharvey968]

You want noise from a Cleveland then hit the Cleveland Hibore XLS!

[@J2K2A]

They should show you what the inside of the driver looks like. Theyll all basically look the same

[@DanB-]

Ive got no problem really using any brand that works, however I couldnt even name 1 person that is a Srixon custom fitter, they make 0 effort in the UK with marketing, getting product into pro shops, having demo days and having UK fitting studios so why would I make the effort to go out of my way to find them to test? That would be my main reason to not using one, same for srixon and xxio obviously, £350-600 its all the same, Im not spending any of those amounts without a couple of proper club tests.

[@adrianlovett3483]

The shaft options are very limited and as this is a key part of the club they won’t sell as well because you can’t really get custom fitted .

[@TheHintonator]

Which is why it’s not £600.

[@adrianlovett3483]

So its not the bargain club ....@@TheHintonator

[@alexandrahartley2099]

Maybe more practice more enjoyment rather than new clubs. ore lessons might work as well

[@hombrepaulo]

£350 is still mental for a driver

[@johnanderson6614]

Drivers SHOULD be at this price, however if youre willing to spend $450..why not $100 more for the big name brands?

[@williamchapman1538]

Price is lower now at most places. I'm seeing $449 USD.

[@peterlarsen4809]

It's all about ego and feeling like our poor shots are not our fault but the clubs.

[@andym5900]

Still too expensive !!! All golf gear has become a rip off ! They’ve always made good drivers . If I ever buy another driver I’d go for one of these

[@antoinesteeghs7313]

360 is more than enough for a driver , it is not cheap, it is enough

[@ashleyevans1255]

Where is it £350 ? £400 online !

[@bobshepherd9440]

They charge the prices because they can. If we stop buying them, they will lower prices.

[@Brickktopp]

Big fan of Cleveland usually more the wedges , i will be honest the top view crown of this driver is so plain and boring looking i would not be gaming this

[@johnford4808]

We need to get away from the idea that you pay for the best. Surely we've moved on? No its not counter intuitive, it's just brand image which has people digging deeper into their pockets.

[@cameronloveless1751]

Paying less purely because of that putrid sounding “ting”

[@ethanaderemi]

For the love of all that's holy please keep your mouth closed in the thumbnail

[@ajaytuk7416]

turkey power

[@georgemazuran3413]

If you stop doing pre swings you might hit the bloody thing longer , your stuffed before your swing,,,,stop waggling and hit it