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HiBore XL Tour 9.5º Adila VS Proto

mddubya

Hybrid convert
Nov 6, 2007
6,029
2
Played 18 with my newest driver yesterday. The Cleveland HiBore XL Tour 9.5º with a Aldila VS Proto by You 65g Stiff. I had been having a lot of trouble keeping the ball out of the left rough with the standard XL and it's closed face so I wanted to try the Tour version. I was initially worried about the 3º open face, but at address you can't really tell it. I like the slightly smaller sized head, it doesn't look like you're swinging a man-hole cover around. I didn't take the time to switch the grip over to my usual mid-sized grips so the grip felt pretty foreign to me as soon as I grabbed the club. Oh yeah, it came with the magnetic head cover which I like a lot better than the pull on type with the sock.

So how does this combo match up with the non tour edition with the Matrix Ozik code 6? I'll have to play more rounds with it to decide which shaft I like better, but I already like the fact that I've pretty much taken the left rough out of play. The one swing I put on it where I felt like I came OTT and my contact was near the hosel, the ball came to rest in the fairway up against the 1st cut of rough and still traveled over 250 yards. When I put a really good swing on it I was not disappointed. Nice mid trajectory with enough roll out and going by the markers on the course I was averaging 280ish on distance and my swing was a touch off. I have no doubt on the days my I'm feeling my swing I'll be able to reach out there to 300 yards plus, and keep the left rough out of play. So anyone having trouble hitting closed face drivers, give the Tour XL a shot, it doesn't play like it's 3º open to me, certainly doesn't look like it, but it will take the left side out unless you put a horrendous swing on it. And the Aldila VS Proto by You is a great feeling shaft. Will it hold up against the Matrix Ozik Code 6? Only time will tell on that one, but it is a good shaft and almost half the price.
HiBore XL tour 001.jpg
HiBore XL tour 002.jpg
HiBore XL tour 003.jpg
 

Youngun5

Beware of the Phog!
Aug 26, 2004
2,734
11
good stuff.

i had a pretty close matching combo to that when I had an 80g VS Proto in my Tour Issue original Hibore..liked that combo a lot until the shaft cracked on me...second best combo to the Bimatrx that I have in there now.

I've put serious thought into upgrading to the XL Tour...but what i've got now just works so well...hard to try and mess with something that performs..plus I doubt there's a huge difference between the two.

i too battled the left side of the fairway..can't say enough about an open faced driver.
 

Clugnut

Gimme some roombas!
Aug 13, 2006
3,423
1
The 3 degrees open scared me, as well, but it looks very correct to my eyes. I tend to hit mine straight at the beginning of the round, and start cutting it in the middle. My last drive or 2 tend to be big cuts. I tire out, I guess. Still, one of the longest drivers I've hit, and really straight.
 

Eracer

No more triple bogies!!
Oct 31, 2005
12,405
8
I've put serious thought into upgrading to the XL Tour...but what i've got now just works so well...hard to try and mess with something that performs..plus I doubt there's a huge difference between the two.
I want Rock's opinion here. I've heard the XL was a significant upgrade to the original HiBore. I can tell you that I hated my friend's HiBore, but I love my XL.

That means about as much to you as balls on an oak tree.
 
OP
mddubya

mddubya

Hybrid convert
Nov 6, 2007
6,029
2
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #5
Played 27 holes this morning with my oldest Step-Son. I hit the driver decent today. Nothing to write home about. When I put a good swing on it it performs almost as well as my old combo. I think before long I'll be swapping the Matrix over to the Tour. I like the Proto VS by You, but I don't think it's quite as long as the Matrix. I'm leaning towards bagging the Tour XL though. Like I said, you can pretty much forget the hazards on the left side of the fairway.
 

Youngun5

Beware of the Phog!
Aug 26, 2004
2,734
11
i hit the XL Tour quite a bit when I worked at DSG, and I thought it was pretty good. definitely longer, but I need accuracy, not more distance, and my HiBore owns that department.

i think i'm gonna start keeping my eyes open for an 8.5* XL Tour.
 

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