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March 23, 2009

Driver Quest III:
Buying a Brand New Big Dog

Goal: Buy a 2009 driver
Why? Callaway Hawkeye ain't cutting it anymore (buy for $9.95)
Plan: Before purchasing, test drivers from Adams, Callaway, Cleveland, Cobra, Nike, Ping (reviewed), TaylorMade and Titleist (reviewed)

Today: Cleveland Hibore Monster XLS ($300)

• Give props to the name. You envision monster drives, especially when the first 2 1/3 letters of MONSTER on the sole spell MOI. Fitting because wide shape increases MOI, while scooped-out crown lowers CG.
• "Does that thing come with earplugs?" The sound turns heads.
• Large face area of 45.75 sq. cm.

Cleveland Launcher ($300)

• Huge face area of 46.8 sq. cm. is 21 percent larger than original Launcher. BTW, Brian Johnson of Golfsmith in Richfield, MN, says original "was nothing fancy, but guys who owned it loved it; there were few trade-ins."
• Horseshoe-shape weight pad at rear of sole decreases CG and increases perimeter weighting.

Choice of Gary Legwold (Web Editor): Launcher performs better, and the nothing-fancy-great-results history is appealing. However, my results aren't appealing—slicing and pushing, often because I couldn't get monster clubheads back to square at impact. The Launcher's not eliminated, but the Ping Rapture V2 remains the frontrunner.

Video review of Launcher.

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