Expert Review: Are Cleveland Golf Clubs Any Good?

If you think of the three major players in golf, Callaway, Titleist and TaylorMade are likely to come to your mind. Although Cleveland seems to be right outside of this mark, many golfers want the reason.

There is no debating the fact that Cleveland is a big golf brand with lots of options to offer, but it certainly doesn’t get the recognition or the Tour presence of other golf companies. We have all the information you need to find out more about Cleveland.

I’ve played Cleveland clubs on and off throughout the years, and I’ll tell you the honest truth about whether they are worth investing in.

 

Quick Facts about Cleveland Golf

Here are some essential facts about Cleveland golf.

• SRI Sports Limited is the owner of Cleveland. This brand also owns Srixon.
• The company is based out of California. It was founded in 1979 as Cleveland Classics.
• Roger Cleveland, the founder of the company, is still actively involved in the business today.
• SRI Sports Limited is Japan’s number-one golf brand. This includes the Cleveland Golf brand.
• The wedges with multiple bounce options are one of the most iconic products of the Cleveland golf brand.
• Cleveland has had sponsorship deals made with golfers like Keegan Bradley and Shane Lowry.
• Cleveland still makes everything from drivers and putters to accessories.

 

My Thoughts about Cleveland Golf Clubs

I was there when Cleveland launched the original Launcher golf clubs over 20 years ago. The Launcher driver was enormous compared to other golf clubs on the market. It had a solid feel, and blended in with fairway woods amazingly well.

Cleveland wedges were the club that Cleveland was best known for at the time. But the Launcher series showed Cleveland what it could do.

As ownership has changed over the years you will see that creating forgiving golf clubs has been the main concern and focus. Here are my thoughts on Cleveland’s good, bad and ugly.

Product Line

Before we get into the actual performance of the clubs, it’s good to understand the product line from Cleveland. This product line is subject to change each year with new releases. The Cleveland line is slightly narrower than Callaway’s.

The current offering by Cleveland includes:

• Wedges:CBX Zipcore. RTX Full Face ZIpcore. RTX Zipcore. RTX Zipcore. RTX Zipcore. RTX Zipcore. Tour Pack. Cleveland CBX Full Face. SmartSole 4
• Woods:Launcher XL Woods
• Driver:Launcher XL Drivers
• Irons:Launcher Irons XL, Launcher Halo irons
• Putters: Frontline Putters

As you can see, Cleveland is primarily focused on the wedges. The CBX Zipcore is a new product that has been introduced to the market. It is expected to be a significant improvement on the RTX wedges, which have proven popular with both pros and amateurs.

After trying out the equipment Cleveland has to offer, I can confirm that the wedges are very impressive. They spin as well as any other product on the market, and they respond well to your playing style.

Cleveland is lacking in their irons. In years past, Cleveland had some really great-looking players’ irons, but now they are making a game improvement and a super game improvement.

The Cleveland XL Halo irons make a great hybrid iron choice. The Launcher XL cavity back is more basic and the Cleveland XL Halo irons make a great hybrid iron choice. The downside is that the best player can’t choose from Cleveland, which is a bit disappointing.

Since the owners of Cleveland also own Srixon, they most likely focus their attention on the Srixon player’s irons.

Forgiveness

Cleveland is a master at forgiveness in golf clubs. They have used Halo and Launcher technology for great clubs for beginners and mid-high handicappers.

Hybrids are one of most effective options for forgiveness. The hybrids are easy to launch from rough and have a high MOI. They blend well into the fairway woods and driver, and make an excellent transition down to iron set.

The hybrid irons in the Cleveland XL Halo golf club are available for those who find Cleveland hybrids to work well for them. These hybrid irons have hollow bodies and a very impressive feel. They will make it easier to score for high handicappers.

Although the Cleveland club heads may seem a bit large, this large sweet spot makes it easier to make contact with them and improves consistency.

Pricing

Cleveland’s pricing is one of my favorite aspects. Their pricing structure and pricing model is similar to Cobra. Expect to receive a lower release price for something like a driver or fairwaywood than you would with TaylorMade, Callaway, or Callaway.

Cleveland is more likely than other cities to drop the price of a product within a short time after its release. If you don’t need the newest wedge on the market, you can find some great deals on Cleveland wedges from the last few years.

Spin and Control

The spin rates of the Cleveland drivers and fairway woods are very low. The clubs are designed to provide maximum forgiveness and distance.

However, the spin and control of these wedges are amazing.

The wedges are the best clubs for lower handicap players. Cleveland has done an excellent job in moving the center of gravity of the wedges to make it more accessible for a wide variety of players and encourage better control on the greens.

They have great control and feel. They are soft enough to feel comfortable and allow you to control the shot, but strong enough to make it possible to hit the shots you want.

While TaylorMade wedges are also made by Callaway, the two most popular wedges used by professional golfers worldwide are the Titleist and Cleveland wedges.

Adjustability

Cleveland decided not to get too involved in adjustability. The clubs were light, flexible, and high-launching, so there was not much room for adjustability.

This was, in my opinion, a little mistake. Swing changes can occur quickly in golfers with high handicaps. These changes then end up impacting the player’s ability to use the equipment they own.

When you can make a quick adjustment to a club head with a wrench and have it be the perfect club for your game, it’s a tremendous benefit. One well worth the money!

You will find more options for adjustability in Cleveland as this is such an important feature of golf.

Distance

The Cleveland clubs have a good distance. Their ball speed may not be as fast as other top brands. Some players may experience higher ball speeds from Cleveland if they take into account forgiveness.

When you hit the ball in the center of the clubface more consistently, it’s certainly easier to get the distance you are looking for. Golfers who hit the ball straighter will lose a few yards.

Additionally, the wedges are Cleveland’s best technology. This is a golf club that places more importance on distance control than total distance.

Who Should Play Cleveland

Before investing in a Cleveland club, you should consider whether the club is actually designed for your game. The Cleveland golf clubs are best for high-handicap golfers, beginners, and some middle handicappers.

The company focuses on consistent shots and players who can hit more shots with greater launch and forgiveness. This is what the Cleveland brand offers.

Many players will continue to use Cleveland’s game improvement clubs for many more years before switching to something that is more appealing to lower handicapped players.

 

My Favorite Golf Club Brand

Cleveland is not the brand I like best, but I can attest to its quality. Titleist products are my favourite. Titleist has seen its fair share of downs over the years but you can always count on Titleist to have a sharp looking iron, a high performing driver, and the best wedges in golf.

Cleveland does a great deal appealing to both the beginner and the higher handicapper. Titleist products are so extensive that even a 2 handicapper can find a solution to his game.