Which cleveland driver is right for me

The first thing I noticed when I hit this driver was the sound. It's pretty hard to ignore. We all know that golfer who can be heard from halfway across the golf course - either because they talk so loudly or because of their equipment. Well, this driver certainly falls into the latter category, it's a real head-turner.

Some golfers like the loud noise, but personally I prefer a quieter, duller sound with the driver so the performance would have to be really impressive if I was to put a driver like this in the bag.

Out on the golf course, the Launcher lives up to its name by producing a high ball flight and it felt really easy to get it up in the air. If you do struggle with this it could be especially useful in the winter months to have more carry as it means you don't have to rely on roll-out to get the distance you require. I was impressed with the overall consistency of the driver too. The Turbocharged Cup Face did a good job of maintaining performance on a couple of heel strikes, which didn't lose too much distance and remained pretty accurate.

The weight-saving did result in the driver feeling a little whippy to me, with the Miyazaki shaft weighing just 50 grams and despite being a stiff flex, I think it was probably on the lighter side of stiff. Whilst this does make you feel as if you can swing the club fast with ease, I also felt that it makes timing a little more difficult.

Having said that this driver is optimised for golfers who swing it at around 95mph and less, whereas my club head speed is usually just over mph. I could see this being a really popular and suitable option for golfers needing some help with launch, whilst the slightly closed address position will also help a little bit if you struggle with a slice. There's also a Draw option where the bias is even more pronounced, for people who really struggle with a slice!

From my testing at The Range, I found the spin rates were good at just a shade under rpm, and the consistency of the spin rates between different shots was also impressive considering there were strikes across the face. The launch angle at 15 degrees was a little higher than my own current driver due to the In terms of distance, an average carry distance of yards was around 15 yards less than my current driver, due to the lower ballspeed and the peak height of 35 yards being a little high.

However I did manage to get one up over yards carry on a centre strike which is more than enough to give me a chance of hitting into the greens with shorter irons. I also had the two shots lost to the right which I felt were due to the whippy head and shaft combination as mentioned previously, which meant that I didn't square the face up in time.

The second shot I hit with the Launcher during testing was a poor strike, from low in the heel, and the carry distance was around 10 yards less than the rest of my shots, which is a pretty reasonable drop-off.

The Callaway Rogue is arguably the most popular driver of This driver has increased forgiveness compared to the previous model, Epic. But golfers of all skill levels are playing it. So, keep that in mind. The Cobra F8 is getting recognition as being long and straight also.

Additionally, you can easily track your drives by syncing your driver to an app on your smartphone. Learn more here from our in-depth driver review. You can also visit our store here. The Launcher HB is kind of nice in a crowd of fine-tuning everything. Then they focused on their swing. This club takes me back to that time along with past Cleveland drivers. Cleveland focused on weight placement and making a light club to get the most distance and straightest drives possible.

It does appear they achieved their goal. The overall design of this driver is good. Reminiscing on Hibores of past, the newer version is not as noticeable. This driver does nothing in the realm of new tech.

Regardless, the technology they did use, Cleveland made sure to capitalize. Considering there are no adjustments this driver flat out does what it claims. It is long and forgiving. I wanted to give this club a one due to only one shaft being available. Plus, I do appreciate how the company was able to use the additional weight from not having adjustable hosel and placing it in to improve shot performance. For being a non-adjustable driver the Cleveland Launcher HB is still very competitive compared to other options.

If you don't want to tinker with different settings then this club is worth a test. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Keep reading to learn our thoughts… What to Consider Before Buying a Cleveland Launcher HB Driver Before buying a new driver, it is important that you pick a driver that fits your game the best.

Here are the different categories drivers fall under: Game Improvement drivers Max Game-Improvement drivers Better Player drivers Game Improvement drivers Game improvement drivers are ideal for golfers who might not be able to place shots in the fairway strategically but do not need to sacrifice distance, feel, or appearance for maximum forgiveness.

These drivers are the most popular, and most golfers tend to fall in this category Max Game Improvement drivers Max game improvement drivers make it easier for a golfer to stay in the fairway through design manipulation of the heads.

Better Player drivers Better player drivers give you significantly more control over where the ball travels. Things to Know Before You Buy Budget It is best that you already have a budget in mind before going shopping for a new driver. Trade-In Value Some of your older clubs may be able to be traded in to help lower the purchase price of your new driver. Fitting While you may think that you can confidently choose the right driver for your needs, working with an expert who can fit you is a smart move as this will save you time, stress, and money.

Warranty Manufacturers usually offer a warranty. Cleveland Drivers Past Names The Launcher name has been a part of Cleveland drivers through the years and has seen various variations. The stock shaft is high- Driver produces a high launch due to the weight in the rear of the sole Moves the center of gravity CG as low and far back as possible.

Cons There are no adjustable weights to make changes between shots. Lack of shaft choices pigeonholes you. There is a very loud sharp sound when hitting the ball. Design Part of the design of this cc driver is that the weight has been moved back low in the crown. Also, there are three lofts available: 9 Cleveland Golf claims this transfers energy to the ball… Or in other words, increases ball speed.

Flex-Fin Another technology in this driver includes the unique flex-fins. Weight Placement Towards the back of the sole under the CG logo a weight has been placed to move the CG back farther and lower, and a touch towards the heel. Ultra-Lightweight Hosel Cleveland is making a big deal of their ultra-lightweight hosel. But how will that help you? Source And the cup face design is by no means breakthrough.

Shaft flex and loft are essential to getting that extra oomph. It's important to choose the correct shaft flex for your driver. To do this, you need to know your swing speed and as mid handicappers, we have a wide range of swing speeds. You can easily test this at a golf shop or driving range. Most places let you hit in the nets for free because that way they can convince you to buy a driver.

I use them to test my swing speed then buy my stuff elsewhere! Loft is the 2nd most important aspect. Less loft is less forgiving which is evidenced by how much easier it is to hit a 9 iron than a 3 iron. Your slices and hooks will be even worse with a lower lofted 8 to 10 degree driver while more loft Paired with the right golf ball, modern drivers can add significant yardage to your long game.

Some guys even notice 20 yard gains. Below are the best drivers mid handicappers. While they appear to be 'more value' because you can adjust the settings to anything you like, the problem with them is this very benefit.

You're going to be wondering whether you have the right setting every time you hit a drive in the trees. I prefer making golf simple and making it fun. Removing decision paralysis by setting yourself up with a simple, moderately adjustable driver will serve you well mentally, which is all that really counts. By moderately adjustable driver.

I mean being able to change the loft setting up or down a degree or two, but not sliding weights around the sole of the club. That's where the head worms take over and crawl in your brain, making you question yourself on every tee shot. Cobra have become one of the front-runners in golf club tech especially for the forgiveness of their clubs. As with most drivers on this list, the crown is very simple without any flashy graphics or ridges. It's easy to align and it does so without putting you off while standing over the ball.

You can switch the two weight plates back and forth but honestly, it's fine out -the-box. As with most drivers now, you can adjust the loft up or down to increase height in ball flight or lower it. If you recognize that weird shape on the sole, yes, that's pretty much a copy paste of the Cobra F9 speedback design. It's far more pronounced and is apparently for aerodynamics.

The SIM is a a monster. This driver is the real deal - the aerodynamics on the bottom of the head are designed in a way to create more speed in your swing by reducing the drag in key areas of the swing.

At address, the driver looks like a boss. It covers the ball unlike even the M5 and M6 drivers of the prior generation. The crown is matte finished gray and black composite which is shaped in such a way that is looks WAY bigger than the ball. The sliding weight is much simpler now without too much tinkering needed to adjust your ball flight.

Couple the matte-finished composite with the very muted gray color of the top line of the face, and this driver is easy to line up, see the full face at address, and instill confidence just looking at it. These technologies ave proven successful in their previous models and now with the focus on aerodynamics, it shows a shift in focus away from distance and forgiveness and more toward creating more speed in your swing.

The Cleveland HB Turbo Launcher h as a very tall dominating face and setting up to the ball, it looks like a Cleveland of old. Classic shape and tall face with a massive sweet spot. Definitely in the sleeper category, not many guys will know about this driver and at this price, it's a best kept secret. That might not appeal to everyone but it can definitely help pick up an extra couple mph in your swing.