Cleveland launcher sl290 driver review
Consider the extra yards you'll get with it, because you may be replacing the wrong club.įirst Impression: "It feels heavy," Loren said, when I handed him the limited-edition Never Compromise Gambler Royal.
Kua 59 (gram) shaft, the engineers at Cleveland could place a longer shaft in it for greater distance. One of the reasons for this is that the Mashie is, like the Ultralite driver series, lighter and longer. It flew with a nice boring trajectory off the deck and higher when slightly teed up. Summary: We tested the 20.5_¡ 3-iron replacement, but really, it could easily have replaced our 2-iron. The Gliderail cut like a knife, but didn't stick. Golf clubs don't swing themselves, but the Mashie certainly gave us that impression because we felt that confident standing over the ball. It takes the danger out of just about any difficult lie. That was due in part to its offset, but also to the Gliderail sole that features a dual-rail design. Technology: There was never any doubt that the ball would get airborne in a hurry and land soft. It's also easier to see the club's loft, and that made us feel like we had a 7-iron in our hands, not a "3-iron." There's just something about a little bit of offset that builds confidence. While we were surprised to see that, it was a comfort on tight lies. (Remember those metal woods from the 80s? They're baaack.) Still, the 3-iron replacement we tried may look "old school," but it's got a lot of new-school technology "under the hood."Īppearance: The first thing we noticed at address (in addition to its "rugged, bulletproof look" as Cleveland puts it) was its slight offset. The new throwback Mashie has been getting a lot of buzz because of its Retro-Raw finish. Summary: You can sum up the differences between these two clubs in a few words: The 310, however, was the perfect match for our faster swing speeds. That's why we both generated more spin with the SL290 and actually lost distance. Who They're For: The SL290 is built for someone with a medium-range swing speed who wants extra distance and forgiveness off the tee. The T元10 had a 59-gram shaft, while the SL290 tipped the scales at a mere 43 grams, all the more impressive when you remember that it measures half an inch more. Again, their design came down to weight and length. Shaft: If there's one thing that you learn from testing golf equipment, it's that a golf club is three different parts: a clubhead, a shaft and a grip (and that, sometimes, stock shafts just don't cut the mustard), From our experience hitting the new Launchers, we couldn't be happier with the Miyazaki shafts.
Still for shorter-height players, the 270, which measures a lengthy 46.25 inches, might take some getting used to. When we stood over the ball, the length difference was slight (consider that the SL290 measures only half an inch more than the T元10–45.75 inches vs. And longer clubs should yield longer drives. Try all three to find the one that feels right for you.Ĭlub Length: With more forgiving clubheads and superlight clubs comes the ability to make longer clubs. Most golfers aren't as fortunate however and will benefit from the featherweight 290 (and super-featherweight XL270). That said, we liked the 310 the most because we already swing the club pretty fast and don't need a lighter option. It's this lack of weight that makes the clubs easier to swing fast. That weight difference was evident the first time we picked up the clubs (20 grams may be equivalent to 20 paperclips, but the difference is palpable). So, obviously, the 290 weighs less than the 310.) (The club numbers correspond to their total weight in grams. Nothing too techy to look at, just good, traditional looks.Ĭlub Weight: Overall club weight is the story of the Ultralite Series. The T元10 clubhead is pear-shaped, which will appeal to better players. First, the SL290's clubhead is 20cc larger than the T元10, as evidenced by its teardrop-shaped back.
#Cleveland launcher sl290 driver review drivers
Both men play to a six-handicap and swing approximately 100 miles per hour.Ĭlubhead Size: At first, the SL290 and T元10 drivers looked pretty similar at address, but upon closer inspection, we noticed some subtle differences. One GT staff member, Charlie Schroeder, and one "regular Joe" golfer, Loren Tarquinio, spent an afternoon testing all four offerings, trying them in real playing conditions and with different ball types.
#Cleveland launcher sl290 driver review series
Kua 43 (SL290) and 59 (T元10) Series.įor this month's We Tried It section, we tested four new offerings from Cleveland Golf and Never Compromise: two drivers in Cleveland's second-generation Launcher Ultralite Series and its new "throwback" Mashie hybrid, and Never Compromise's limited-edition Gambler putter.