For golf fanatics, The Masters counts as a holiday. Like, a MAJOR holiday (pun intended). And for golfers who live in northernly climes, it also marks the start of the golf season. Or close to it anyway, depending on how far north you live. Given this auspicious time of year, when hope for lowered handicaps,Continue reading “2025 Season Opener Gift Guide”
Tag Archives: Cleveland Golf
Cleveland HiBore XL Driver: All-in on AI
Golf equipment companies known for their drivers – like Callaway, TaylorMade, and Ping – have turned in recent years to AI applications to rethink and redesign their big sticks. Now Cleveland, a legendary equipment company traditionally known more for wedges and putters, has entered the AI arena. Released December 6, 2024, the Cleveland HiBore XLContinue reading “Cleveland HiBore XL Driver: All-in on AI”
Cleveland CBX 4 Zipcore Wedges deliver spin and confidence
I just finished playing 18 with a nice young man – 30 years old, struck his woods fairly well. But he gave away at least 12 shots around the greens – full wedges off the toe or high on the face, chunks, duffs, lack of spin. Sometimes technique was to blame. Others, though, I wouldContinue reading “Cleveland CBX 4 Zipcore Wedges deliver spin and confidence”
Cleveland Golf Launcher XL2 Driver is a Fairway-Finder
Golfers’ single-minded pursuit of distance at the expense of control reminds me of the way some people – mostly young people – drink the strongest booze possible, flavor be damned, just to “get there” faster. With age, one realizes that savoring a fine bourbon is more enjoyable than slamming shots of swill. And on theContinue reading “Cleveland Golf Launcher XL2 Driver is a Fairway-Finder”
Cleveland Golf HALO XL Hy-Woods: Blurring the lines, filling the gaps
Twenty-five years ago, I could really bomb my fairway woods. I didn’t know where they were going, but I knew they were going far in some direction. The rare occasions they went straight were the rare occasions I scored well. Then something happened. Slowly, sort of like how you gain weight. Doesn’t seem bad atContinue reading “Cleveland Golf HALO XL Hy-Woods: Blurring the lines, filling the gaps”
Cleveland Golf ZipCoreXL Irons: Make Forgiveness Sexy Again
Over 3.5 years ago, I reviewed my first set of “players distance” irons. I admitted in that review that I had reached a certain age when I needed a little assistance from club-making engineers to maintain distance and accuracy, even on mis-hits, while preserving some semblance of shot-making control. I have been playing with thoseContinue reading “Cleveland Golf ZipCoreXL Irons: Make Forgiveness Sexy Again”
Cleveland HB SOFT Milled Putters: Sink putts, not your budget
Your putter is the only club you use on every hole. This intense familiarity tends to breed a manic relationship between golfers and their flatsticks. One type of player largely ignores their putters – they’ve played the same one for 20 years, and the grip is glassy smooth, the head is dented, the shaft mightContinue reading “Cleveland HB SOFT Milled Putters: Sink putts, not your budget”
Should I play or will it snow, now? 2022 Holiday Gift Guide for golfers in all climes
Every winter, I think to myself: “Will I be able to get out to play before spring?” Despite living in central Illinois, sometimes I do – I worry about climate change while teeing it up on some random 45-degree February day. If you happen to live in a climate more conducive to year-round play, countContinue reading “Should I play or will it snow, now? 2022 Holiday Gift Guide for golfers in all climes”
Cleveland Launcher XL Driver: If you like “long and straight”
Cleveland Golf is historically known for its wedges and putters. Recent Cleveland driver offerings have also been extremely strong, however. In 2021, Cleveland’s Launcher Driver line literally expanded Cleveland’s august reputation with the Launcher XL. The Cleveland Launcher XL ($399) lives up to its moniker. The driver head is 6.7% deeper front to back, whichContinue reading “Cleveland Launcher XL Driver: If you like “long and straight””
Cleveland Golf Frontline ISO Putter: Straight back and straight into the hole
I think have played with literally every conceivable putter style: blade, Anser, half-mallet, mallet, plumber’s neck, single-bend, double-bend, straight, center-shafted, heel-shafted, face-balanced, toe-hang of all degrees, 33” to broomstick, belly-anchored, sternum-anchored, side-saddle-armpit-anchored, steel face, aluminum face, inserts from honeycombed nickel to polymer. Heck, I’ve even played with a putter whose shaft was wrapped with aContinue reading “Cleveland Golf Frontline ISO Putter: Straight back and straight into the hole”
Midwestern Golf 