Hibore XL 9.5* UST V2 HL

[bames]

I have a Cleveland Hibore XL 9.5* driver coupled with a UST Proforce V2 HL shaft that has been spine aligned, swing weighted to a D-2, and trimmed to play to a firm flex (between stiff and regular) all done by a professional. I have scarcely even swung this club. It has been to the range only - I just have become too busy to play and have no need for 3 drivers!
Asking price is $130 shipped.

[Rockford35]

Cripes, where was this 4 days ago!

Good deal here, guys. Someone's gonna get a bomber.

R35

[bames]

Originally Posted by Rockford35

Cripes, where was this 4 days ago!

Good deal here, guys. Someone's gonna get a bomber.

R35

Sitting on my armoire! Should have been around more and I could have helped you out. Awesome stick, I've just had some recent additions to the collection (you know who you are) and just need to cut ties with a few extras.

[tristy]

I wish I could help you out, but that is the same club/shaft combo I am trying to sell right now; LOL, same grip too. Great club, I just hit it too high. Someone needs to buy this!

[mddubya]

Whewwwwwwwwwww, thank God it's not a tour version or I'd be in the dog house for sure.

[Eracer]

I ended up buying this club (just because I am a ho) and I thought I'd give a quick report after its one range session.

Great clubhead with a good shaft.

I currently play a Renegade 12º head on an R-flex Proforce V2 67g shaft, and I really like it. The only issue is that I tend to deloft the club at impact (to compensate for my persistent OTT move) resulting in reasonably straight shots on a fairly low trajectory (my miss is a pull.) Why then would I want to try a 9.5º head? Because I am a ho. And I thought the HL shaft in the HiBore might help.

What I found was the ballflight of these two clubs is practically identical. Same yardage, same trajectory. The HiBore XL seemed to have a bit more left-leaning dispersion. Can't say why - especially after only one range session - but I was not disappointed in the HiBore AT ALL. In fact, I really like it. Just not in a 9.5º head. I am very strongly considering buying an 11.5º HiBore XL head and installing the same Proforce V2 shaft I have in my Renegade. Why not the V2 HL shaft? Well, that brings me to the next part of this report.

One of the issues I had (and still have) with the Proforce V2 shaft I have in my Renegade is the low ballflight, even with its 12º head. It's not really low, and I get good yardage, but it seems a bit low (gotta' get my Renegade to a launch monitor, but as Lyle says, who do you trust?) I know the Renegade plays to a lower loft, but the exact same V2 shaft in my Mizuno MX500 (at 10.5º) played even lower. One of the reasons I bought the HiBore XL - other than the fact that I am a ho - was to get a feel for the Proforce V2 HL shaft. I have mixed feelings. If I put a smooth swing on it, the ball went straight and far, with the great feel I've come to expect from the V2. If I tried to swing hard, the shaft would do some weird things; I could feel it getting very loose, and the clubhead would droop and strike the ground before the ball. I never sky my Renegade, no matter how hard I swing, and skying the ball is simply not a problem for me, but I skyed several shots (thank goodness I put some tape on the crown to protect it.) So there was something different in the way the HL shaft was working. My current V2 (in the Renegade) feels very linear, and its R-flex seems perfect for me. The V2 HL shaft, according to bames, is an R-flex tipped to Firm, and when I swung smoothly that's exactly how it felt. It was just, how can I say it, less predictable than the regular V2.

I know that flex and feel are two completely different animals; I can only report that the R-flex (tipped-to-firm) V2 HL felt more flexible than the non-tipped V2 (or maybe it is tipped?)

The HiBore XL is a great head. I really really liked it. Very forgiving and powerful. I'm still uncertain about the V2 HL shaft.

I'm going to let one of my playing partners use it this weekend. If he likes it, he'll buy it. If not, I'll put it back up for sale at the same great price bames sold it for.

Oh, and I can tell you that when bames sells you a club, you will get a club in better condition than you expect. This thing is pristine!

[bames]

Originally Posted by Eracer

I ended up buying this club (just because I am a ho) and I thought I'd give a quick report after its one range session.

Great clubhead with a good shaft.

I currently play a Renegade 12º head on an R-flex Proforce V2 67g shaft, and I really like it. The only issue is that I tend to deloft the club at impact (to compensate for my persistent OTT move) resulting in reasonably straight shots on a fairly low trajectory (my miss is a pull.) Why then would I want to try a 9.5º head? Because I am a ho. And I thought the HL shaft in the HiBore might help.

What I found was the ballflight of these two clubs is practically identical. Same yardage, same trajectory. The HiBore XL seemed to have a bit more left-leaning dispersion. Can't say why - especially after only one range session - but I was not disappointed in the HiBore AT ALL. In fact, I really like it. Just not in a 9.5º head. I am very strongly considering buying an 11.5º HiBore XL head and installing the same Proforce V2 shaft I have in my Renegade. Why not the V2 HL shaft? Well, that brings me to the next part of this report.

One of the issues I had (and still have) with the Proforce V2 shaft I have in my Renegade is the low ballflight, even with its 12º head. It's not really low, and I get good yardage, but it seems a bit low (gotta' get my Renegade to a launch monitor, but as Lyle says, who do you trust?) I know the Renegade plays to a lower loft, but the exact same V2 shaft in my Mizuno MX500 (at 10.5º) played even lower. One of the reasons I bought the HiBore XL - other than the fact that I am a ho - was to get a feel for the Proforce V2 HL shaft. I have mixed feelings. If I put a smooth swing on it, the ball went straight and far, with the great feel I've come to expect from the V2. If I tried to swing hard, the shaft would do some weird things; I could feel it getting very loose, and the clubhead would droop and strike the ground before the ball. I never sky my Renegade, no matter how hard I swing, and skying the ball is simply not a problem for me, but I skyed several shots (thank goodness I put some tape on the crown to protect it.) So there was something different in the way the HL shaft was working. My current V2 (in the Renegade) feels very linear, and its R-flex seems perfect for me. The V2 HL shaft, according to bames, is an R-flex tipped to Firm, and when I swung smoothly that's exactly how it felt. It was just, how can I say it, less predictable than the regular V2.

I know that flex and feel are two completely different animals; I can only report that the R-flex (tipped-to-firm) V2 HL felt more flexible than the non-tipped V2 (or maybe it is tipped?)

The HiBore XL is a great head. I really really liked it. Very forgiving and powerful. I'm still uncertain about the V2 HL shaft.

I'm going to let one of my playing partners use it this weekend. If he likes it, he'll buy it. If not, I'll put it back up for sale at the same great price bames sold it for.

Oh, and I can tell you that when bames sells you a club, you will get a club in better condition than you expect. This thing is pristine!

Glad you liked the head - too bad about the shaft. I think that if someone were willing to put a smooth swing on that club everytime he would be very pleased with the combo. The XL head is a bomber. Thanks for the review. Let me know if I should advise the others who were waiting to buy the club.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by bames

Glad you liked the head - too bad about the shaft. I think that if someone were willing to put a smooth swing on that club everytime he would be very pleased with the combo. The XL head is a bomber. Thanks for the review. Let me know if I should advise the others who were waiting to buy the club.

I totally agree. Smooth swings produced really nice shots. I just don't have the swing speed to use a 9.5º head properly. I think anyone who unloads the shaft really smoothly and doesn't swing over about 95mph would love this club. I really am a believer in the HiBore XL. At the price you can get them at now, anyone looking for a long, forgiving head should grab one.

I have the feeling my buddy will love this club. He has a 10.5º HiBore now and hits it very straight, but very high. I'm guessing this combo will be pefect for him. If not, I'll let you know.