Tag: Miyazaki

Cleveland Classic Driver

Let’s face it – these days to compete in the very competitive golf club market you need to have something unique. Companies like TaylorMade and Callaway spend lots of time and effort (and cash) in promoting their new clubs with flashy ad campaigns and PGA Tour endorsements. With every new driver model that comes out, the golf manufacturers almost always make claims to add distance and/or accuracy to your game, but let’s get real. If all these claims of more distance were true, we’d all be flying it 400 yards by now. I see lots of new club introductions every year, so when something truly unique hits the market I take note.

Cleveland Golf/Srixon made a splash last season with the Z-Star golf balls, the new XL, SL & TL series drivers (which I think are the most underrated on the market) and the re-birth of Never Compromise as a premium putter brand. Not resting on their laurels, they reintroduced one of the most popular wedges of all time in the 588 series, and this time around they are forged. Coming in 2012 is a new line of 588 forged irons in both a cavity back and blade model, and a complete line of Mashie fairway woods, hybrids and irons for the mid to high handicap players. There is also a fantastic new golf ball called the Srixon Q-Star. But the most exciting new product introduction for Cleveland in 2012 are the new Classic drivers.

With drivers becoming more and more complicated with adjustable weights and hosels, interchangeable shafts and busy graphics, Cleveland went the other way with the Classic Driver. With a unique design and color scheme inspired by the persimmon drivers of the 50s and 60s, the Classic driver is sure to turn heads. I know this for a fact, because every time I pull it out of the retro leather barrel head cover, people want to see it. The Classic driver has a traditional pear shaped profile and a large, deep club face. In fact, it's the deepest club face Cleveland has ever produced. The sweet-spot of the driver is framed in by a brass colored section, just like a brass insert from a persimmon driver of yesteryear. The paint is a nice deep reddish brown, as most wooden drivers would have been painted back in the day. The word "Classic" is written along the top as an alignment aid, but I could have done without that as I prefer a clean look with no marks on the top. Either way, this club truly is a modern representation of a persimmon driver, but how does it perform? I put the Classic up against my current gamer, which is Cleveland's awesome Launcher TL310 driver (8.5 degrees loft). When I switched to the Launcher TL310 from the Cleveland Launcher DST, I went from a 43 gram shaft at 46 inches long to a 56 gram shaft at 45 inches, and picked up 10 yards in the process. Not only was I hitting the sweet-spot a bit more with a shorter shaft, but the head and shaft combo on the TL310 worked better for my swing. For this test, Cleveland Golf sent me a Classic 290 driver (7.5 degrees loft) along with a custom Miyazaki C.Kua 56x shaft. This is the same shaft that is in my Launcher TL310. My club maker then built the Classic driver to match the playability characteristics (frequency, shaft deflection & swing weight) of the TL310. As a result, both drivers feel much the same while swinging, and the shafts perform almost identically. After about two months of testing, both in practice sessions, casual play and even some competitive rounds, I can conclude that the Cleveland Classic 290 driver is going to stay in the bag. I can't say with confidence that the Classic is any longer than my Launcher TL310 driver because I've hit bombs with both clubs, and there are too many variables like ambient temperature, wind and course conditions to take into consideration. I'll have to get on a launch monitor for a while to determine which is longer, and if I do I'll be sure to update everyone on the results. What I can say is that the Classic driver spins less than the TL310 and other drivers I've hit recently. In my two months with the Classic, I've noticed that the ball flight is more penetrating and solid shots launch with less spin and seem to knuckle through the air with no ballooning, even into a strong headwind. When you catch a tee shot on the "hot area" of the driver (A shot struck just above the sweetspot), it launches high with very little spin and goes forever. Less spin means more fairways, and I've noticed that I'm hitting the ball with less movement left to right and right to left with the Classic. I've never been a very straight driver so I really notice when my tee shots don't curve as much. If I had to make an educated prediction, I would say that tee shots with the Classic driver carry less but roll more, and the Launcher TL310 hits a ball that carries more but rolls less than the Classic driver. The sound and feel of the Cleveland Classic are a little different than most titanium drivers on the market today. I have to admit I prefer the sound and feel of the TL310, which is a nice high pitch click. At impact, the TL310 feels like the face is flexing, almost like a trampoline. The Classic driver however feels a bit harder, and you can't feel the ball on the face as much at impact. Perhaps this is part of what makes the driver spin less than the TL310. It certainly doesn't feel bad, but its not as smooth as the TL310. If you hit a hard two-piece distance ball with the Classic driver, you might want to wear ear plugs. I recently played in a "glowball" night golf event and the sound of that hard glow in the dark golf ball with the Classic driver left my ears ringing. Check out the video below and you'll see what I mean. I had a chance to ask Nate Radcliffe, Cleveland Golf/Srixon's Metalwoods Development Manager, a few questions about this driver: ITG: What was the origin of the design and the retro theme of the Classic driver? NR: The design of the Classic driver was inspired by our heritage and history in creating persimmon woods decades ago. Cleveland is one of the few remaining OEMs that originally produced a Tour quality persimmon wood. ITG: Is the brass colored face insert area actually an insert, or simply painted differently? NR: The brass colored trapezoid is actually a thin metallic coating that is deposited over the titanium face and sole. The trapezoid hints at original persimmon designs but has drawn many extremely positive comments from our tour staff regarding alignment. ITG: Is the driver a one piece construction, or several pieces welded together? NR: The driver is created from several pcs using multiple, and carefully selected titanium alloys. ITG: How does the Classic driver differ in performance compared to the TL series clubs? NR: The Classic's deep face provides the potential for players with elevated tee heights to produce a high launching yet penetrating ball flight. Relative to the Launcher Ultralite, the Classic will spin slightly less for most players. As far as specs go, there will be something for just about everyone in the Cleveland Classic Driver. There are three different models to choose from: The Classic 270, 290 and Classic Tour. The number designations refer to the club's overall weight. The Classic 270 is the lightest model, with a 460cc club head and a super-light Miyazaki C.Kua 39 shaft and a 25g Golf Pride grip, making it one of the lightest drivers on the market to help slower swingers to gain a few yards by swinging the club faster. The Classic 290 is a bit heavier, with a Miyazaki C.Kua 43 shaft and 36g grip. Also 460cc in size, this one favors a wide range of golfers that want a stronger shaft and more playability. Both the 270 and 290 drivers have a square face angle at address. The Classic Tour driver has a smaller club head that measures 440cc, and sits one degree open at address. Designed for better players and strong swingers, the Tour driver is fitted with a premium Miyazaki Kusala Black 61 shaft that promotes a penetrating trajectory with a very stable feel. This model weighs in at 310 grams. Model: Classic 270 Size: 460cc Lofts Available: 9, 10.5, 12 Shaft: Miyazaki C.Kua 39 MSRP: $299 Model: Classic 290 Size: 460cc Lofts Available: 7.5, 9, 10.5, 12 Shaft: Miyazaki C.Kua 43 MSRP: $299 Model: Classic Tour Size: 440cc Lofts Available: 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 Shaft: Miyazaki Kusala Black 61 MSRP: $379 The Cleveland Classic driver will be available in retail locations on Feb 17, 2012. You can also pre-order from Cleveland at shop.clevelandgolf.com
Conclusions & Recommendations
Because the Classic driver is a low spin club, I suggest hitting this one before you buy. You may find that you'll need a bit more loft than usual, which will produce the ideal high-launch, low spin ball flight that is desireable these days for maximum distance. The Classic 290 will probably be the most popular model, with loft options from 7.5 to 12 degrees and a square clubface. With so many custom shaft options it's a good idea to get fitted by a reputable club fitter, should you choose to go with a custom shaft. For 90% of golfers out there I'll recommend the stock Miyazaki shafts. I've been playing them for a few years and they are among the best in golf for stability, consistency and light weight. Cleveland Golf keeps coming up with great clubs, and the Classic driver is no exception. I thought the Launcher XL, SL and TL series drivers were as good as anything on the market, but with the Classic driver they have managed to make a uniquely styled, high performance driver that separates itself from the pack. Not only that, but its price point is better than most of the clubs it competes with. This driver is going to make a big splash in the marketplace, and in my opinion it is worth a demo for everyone serious about their game!
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February 7, 2012
Cleveland CG Black Irons & Woods – Sneak Peak

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For golfers who have lost distance over the years or are looking for a few extra yards (Who isn’t?) with forgiveness on off-center hits, Cleveland Golf is introducing the new CB Black line of woods, irons and wedges as a solution. The CG Black line is the next logical step from Cleveland’s ultralight drivers that debuted last year with great success.

The Cleveland CG Black driver weighs in at a paltry 265 grams, making it the lightest driver on the market. Using an aerodynamic crown design called “Speed Crown Design” which is shaped like a teardrop helps to generate more swing speed by optimizing airflow around the head during the swing. Cleveland’s “MaxCOR2 Variable Face Thickness Technology” increases the trampoline effect on off-center hits, increasing distance. The CG Black driver features the ultra-light Miyazaki C. Kua 39 shaft and a Golf Pride Tour 25 grip, a combination that decreases the overall weight of the club. In my experience with several models of Miyazaki shafts, they have been very stable and consistent at weights from 39 grams all the way up to 85 grams. The minimum advertised price for the CG Black driver is $399.99

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Like the driver, the Cleveland CG Black fairways are among the lightest in golf. The teardrop crown shape increases swing speed and the weight screw at the rear of the sole plate to create a deep and low center of gravity, helping shots get airborne. As with the driver, the CG Black fairways are draw biased for greater distance and a strong trajectory. The same Miyazaki C. Kua 39 gram shaft is in the fairways. The minimum advertised price for the CG Black fairways is $229.99

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The Cleveland Golf CG Black irons and wedges feature a multi-material construction that incorporates a thin titanium face for maximum forgiveness and distance. CG Black irons and wedges have an undercut cavity that positions the center of gravity low and deep to optimize trajectory, spin and playability. The irons are available with optional Miyazaki 59 gram graphite shafts or the Nippon NS Pro 850GH lightweight steel shaft. All irons and wedges sport Cleveland’s Tour Zip Grooves and Laser Milled treatment to maximize spin. The Cleveland CG Black irons carry a minimum advertised price of $999.99 (graphite) and $899.99 (steel) for a set of 7 irons. the CG Black wedges will be $139.99 (steel) and $149.99 (graphite)

The prices are a minimum advertised price, but I suspect when the CG Black line is released on November 25, 2011 that the retail prices will be slightly lower. We’ll be getting a set of these very soon and posting our review as soon as we can so stay tuned!

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November 2, 2011
Cleveland Launcher DST Driver – Club Review

Since being purchased by SRI Sports in 2007, Cleveland Golf has been hard at work developing new clubs and products and they have seen a nice resurgence in the market and on the professional tours. Anchored by their ever-popular wedge offerings like the new CG15 Wedges and solid and playable irons like the new CG7 Black Pearl and the new HB3 Hybrid irons, Cleveland is making a comeback in the driver market in 2010. Cleveland’s previous driver offerings didn’t make a huge impact and while they were solid clubs, they were not very popular with consumers. The HiBore and HiBore Monster drivers just didn’t appeal to players visually, even though they performed well.

For 2010, Cleveland Golf has answered the call and is introducing three new driver models – the Launcher DST, DST Draw and Launcher DST Tour. Switching gears and going back to a more traditional looking club will help, and if that doesn’t get you interested, the performance of the new clubs certainly will. So, let’s see how the Launcher DST performs! (Click on the pictures for a closer look!)

Appearance

As I mentioned before, Cleveland went with a more traditional look for the DST. The new driver is a standard pear shape with a black paint job on the crown and some blue highlights around the chrome sole plate. The face area has just a few score lines arranged in a semi-circle around the sweet spot. The top line has no alignment marks or badges which makes for a nice clean look, focusing your attention on the ball that is about to be punished. This club has a very classic, simple look and to me it’s a nice departure from the odd shapes and weird materials and colors in use by some club companies these days. Some drivers look more like spaceships than golf clubs.The DST is a 460cc driver, but the black paint job and classic shape doesn’t make it look that big. The DST Draw sits three degrees closed and is draw biased via internal weighting. The DST Tour comes in at 430cc, and again it looks more compact, which is a feature some people prefer. Sitting two degrees open, it should appeal to better players and players who move the ball from right-to-left. As it is important to some, even the head cover looks nice. It’s made with a white vinyl with a dark blue sock, and a bright red Cleveland logo on the top. I’m not sure what the “E-Z Grab” handle is there for, we don’t really need that on a head cover, but I’ve seen weirder things on head covers before.

Technology
The Launcher features Cleveland's Sub 300g Technology, which makes it one of the lightest drivers in golf. The overall club weight is below 300 grams, which is 25 grams lighter than standard drivers. They achieve this in part by using a lighter grip and a new Mitsubishi Diamana Red shaft that weighs only 47 grams. This allows the shaft to be lengthened to 45.75" for more swing speed and the overall weight allows golfers to swing it faster for more distance. Cleveland's claims of increased distance are from 3 to 10 yards. The DST uses variable face thickness to create a larger C.O.R. on off center hits, so that mishits fly further. A lower and deeper center of gravity also helps get the ball in the air faster with higher MOI for straighter drives.
Specs and Options
The Diamana Red 47g is the stock shaft, but by no means is it the only shaft available for the Launcher DST and DST Tour. In fact, Cleveland has a very large selection of custom shaft options available from companies like Aldila, Fujikura, Grafalloy, Graphite Design, Mitsubishi, UST, and SRI Sports' hot new Miyazaki shafts. The Launcher DST is available in lofts of 9, 10.5 and 12 degrees. The Launcher DST Tour is available in lofts of 8.5, 9.5 and 10.5, and the stock shaft length is 45.125", rather that the stock length of 45.75" for the Launcher DST and DST Draw.
Performance
Cleveland was wise in keeping the Launcher name for these drivers, because its a great way to describe them! These clubs launch the ball. I have four demo units - a DST Tour with the stock Diamana 47g shaft, a DST Tour with the new Miyazaki Kusala Black 72x, and 2 standard DST drivers - One with the Miyazaki Kusala Black 61x, and the other with an orange colored Miyazaki C. Kua 43X. The Diamana Red is very light, and is designed for high launch conditions. It features a low torque, softer tip section to launch the ball higher with low spin. The Miyazaki Kusala Black shaft is designed with a firm tip section for lower launch and very low spin. The Miyazaki C. Kua series are extremely light, while still offering high performance for all golfers. The C. Kua series shafts have been very popular on the professional tours. [caption id="attachment_1822" align="alignright" width="300" caption="DST (Left) and DST Tour (Right)"][/caption] The DST Tour with the Diamana Red was noticeably lighter than the others, which had 61 and 72 gram shafts, compared to the 47 gram Diamana. Despite it's light weight, this is no wet noodle shaft. Diamana shafts are widely played on the PGA Tour in heavier weights like 75 and 85 grams, but several of the Cleveland Staffers were playing with the 47 gram Diamana shaft before switching to the hot new Miyazaki C. Kua shaft. A few years ago, shaft companies couldn't make a shaft that light because it couldn't stand up to the strength of a fast swinger. However, with the advances in shaft technology and materials, both the Diamana and C. Kua shafts perform very well. In fact I was quite impressed at how stable the C. Kua 43X was at impact for such a light weight shaft. My DST Tour 8.5 had no trouble getting into the air, and while the shaft could be felt working at impact, the ball didn't balloon as I would have expected. For most golfers, this shaft will be the best option, as it produces a mid to high launch with mid to low spin. The lighter weight will allow most golfers to generate more club head speed without swinging faster. For players seeking the pinnacle in shaft technology and stronger swingers who desire tour-like performance, the new Miyazaki shafts are a must hit. One of the fastest growing shafts on tour, Miyazaki already has more than 100 players using their shafts! Made in Japan and owned by SRI Sports, the parent company of Cleveland Golf/Srixon, Miyazaki shafts feature artwork from an artists by the name of Kusala and C. Kua. The Kusala series has three models, the Black series (Low launch), the Blue series (Mid launch) and Silver series (High Launch), all producing different ball flights. The C. Kua series are the ultra-light weights, and feature shafts ranging from 59 grams, to 43 grams and even a 39gram shaft! I'll go into the technology of these new shafts in a spotlight very soon. For now, all you need to know for the purposes of this review is that they are very high-end premium shafts and they perform brilliantly. The DST head and Miyazaki Black 61 shaft are a great fit together, and the result is a high launching ball that carries far without excess spin. Where my current driver (Titleist 909D2 w/ Grafalloy Epic) lands and stops, this one lands and hops forward with a bit of roll. I was testing on a wet golf course, but just the fact that balls were not backing up out of their pitch marks was a great sign. A few more drives, this time on a downwind par four with a dry fairway, and the ball shot forward from the landing spot with little discernible backspin. It was a breezy day and several holes were into the wind. Despite the high launch, my ball didn't balloon at all. (Update - I have been gaming the Cleveland Launcher DST driver with the C. Kua 43x shaft for several months now and it's easily the best driver I've hit in years.)
Feel and Forgiveness
The DST and DST Tour drivers are both about as forgiving as you would expect. Off center hits can be felt, and the gear effect helps to bring the ball back into play, but these are not game improvement drivers. If you struggle with a slice, the DST Draw will certainly help mitigate that, with a three degree closed face at address and draw-bias internal weighing placed low and towards the heel to help square the face at impact. The feedback is perfect. You know it when you miss hit them, and the loss of distance isn't too bad. The sound is a high-pitch click, but doesn't over power with the sound of shattering glass like some drivers. The video above can give you an idea of what the club sounds like at impact. The stock shaft, being designed for high launch, feels like it's kicking at the bottom, as designed. This makes it feel too weak, but the low torque prevents the club from twisting and the dispersion was very good. You can see the deflection in the shaft in the video. That's an Extra Stiff shaft too! By comparison, the Miyazaki Black shaft felt very strong and stable but not too boardy. A big swing is required to really bend these babies if you go with the Extra Stiff flex. Personally, I think the Miyazaki shafts will be a huge success.
Warning to DST Draw buyers: Be careful when selecting the proper loft for a closed face driver. The more you close the face of a club, the greater the dynamic loft at impact becomes. For example, a 10.5 degree driver with a 3 degree closed face will be more like a 12 degree driver at impact. Conversely, the DST Tour driver with a two degree open face will tend to hit the ball lower. An 8.5 degree loft at impact becomes more like a 7.5 loft. If anyone wants a better explanation of dynamic loft, just let me know and I'll write an article about it. It's a subject that hasn't been talked about much, but needs clarification since the advent of adjustable heads. Given the three different heads and lofts, combined with the multitude of custom shaft options, I would highly recommend a proper fitting to get you into the best driver for your game. Cleveland has a number of Demo Days planned throughout the country. Just check out the schedule on their website, or visit a retailer near you for a fitting. A few years ago I switched to a properly fit driver and shaft and gained 20 yards. I picked up the Launcher DST with the Miyazaki Black 61x shaft and hit it 10 yards past my current driver.
Overall Impressions
The Launcher DST drivers are very solid, long, and classic looking. Cleveland Golf has managed to pack a lot of technology into a club that doesn't look very technologically advanced. With clean lines and paint job and the great shaft options available, Cleveland has a big winner on their hands with the Launcher DST. Available now with prices in the $299 range, this is the best driver deal I've come across so far this year. If you haven't hit a Cleveland driver in a while, give this one a try. You won't be disappointed. For a second opinion (and a lefty's take) on the Cleveland Launcher DST Driver, check out the review by my friend Dave!
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February 15, 2010