What's the Low Down on Cleveland Hi Bore XL?

[REFLOG]

Since I am now looking at purchasing a new driver, what is the assessment of the Cleveland Hi-Bore XL and Tour XL?

What is the difference between the XL and Tour XL?

My 6 iron swing speed is about 86-90 mph. I haven't measured the driver speed yet. My driver distance is about 250 (220-230 on the fly).

What would be the recommended shaft(s) to consider that is a good match to this head? What shaft options are available with these heads?

There's a Cleveland DEMO and fitting day next week (about 2 hours away from my home) so I may go and check them out.

What I've read is that it is very straight. From what I can recall at a DEMO day about 6 months ago, it was one of the drivers that I hit pretty straight consistently and it did not appear to be any shorter on distance.

 

[warbirdlover]

They got good reviews in the Golf Digest Hot awards. The regular comes in lofts of 9º, 10º etc. and is 1º closed while the TP comes in half degree lofts of 8.5º etc and is 0.5º open face. Both hit STRAIGHT and are great drivers from what I understand. I tried last years HiBore on the launch monitor and liked it real well but this years XL is supposed to be better. PM R35 for the detailed answer...

 

[Rockford35]

The retail is actually measured at 2.5* closed, the Tour is 1* open.

Straight, straight and more straight. Better sounding than the retail hibore, and easier to work should you need to in the Tour.

My take is that the loft is truer than the original Hibore as well. An 8.5* plays like one.

R35

 

[REFLOG]

Sounds like a club I need to test. I got different answers to how to determine if I need a 2.5* closed or 1* open face, as well as 9.5* or 10* of loft. Fitters answers vary greatly, depending on where you go????

How about recommended shaft choices with the XL? Is there a XL Tour model? Roger Dunn has the XL Tour at $299 new. They seem to have 2 differetnt product #'s for the XL and Tour - correct?

 

[warbirdlover]

The retail is actually measured at 2.5* closed, the Tour is 1* open.

Straight, straight and more straight. Better sounding than the retail hibore, and easier to work should you need to in the Tour.

My take is that the loft is truer than the original Hibore as well. An 8.5* plays like one.

R35

Oops, R35 is right. I was thinking of the Callaway FT-5 in that info I posted above... They have the NVS 65 option. GREAT shaft. Also, if you swing hard enough the V2 is good. The YS-6+ is the number one shaft on tour and should be a winner.

Get on a launch monitor and find the loft and shaft combo that gives you 14º-16º launch angle and the longest carry. Simple.

 

[kiwi]

I thought the Tour was 3 degrees open?

 

[warbirdlover]

Disregard my open/closed info above. I had it mixed up with the FT-5
R35 should have it right.

 

[LyleG]

The XL tour is 3 degrees open and retail is square as per the Cleveland rep I spoke with. I will definately be trying the XL tour.

 

[emc]

3 degrees open is a lot IMO. Sounds interesting though, i might have to check it out

 

[Rockford35]

I thought the Tour was 3 degrees open?

3* open when compared to the retail. So it's more like 0.5* open from square.

R35

 

[LyleG]

The retail XL is square as per "Dave" cleveland rep I was talking to. The tour version is indeed 3 full degrees open, and will have a bendable hosel that can be bent 2* further open or closed.

 

[Rockford35]

The retail XL is square as per "Dave" cleveland rep I was talking to. The tour version is indeed 3 full degrees open, and will have a bendable hosel that can be bent 2* further open or closed.

Lyle,

From my readings and actual measuring done by shops that have the XL in, the retail is in fact closed and the Tour version is only 1* open.

I have ZERO experience, so I can't say forsure, but I have no reason to doubt the sources, as you probably don't either.

I'll have a gander when it arrives in Canada in 2009.

R35

 

[LyleG]

I held both in my hands this past weekend, along with all the other new cleveland offerings. I cant say exactly why I had this opportunity just yet, but I spent 3 hours with a Cleveland rep. The tour XL specs are 3* open, the retail is dead square (all are +/- 1*).

I do have a question though. If you were to open a small retail shop and could only afford to stock one or two brand name OEM, who would they be? Excluding Titleist and Ping as their minimum requirements are flat out rediculous.

 

[Rockford35]

I cant say exactly why I had this opportunity just yet, but I spent 3 hours with a Cleveland rep. The tour XL specs are 3* open, the retail is dead square (all are +/- 1*).

LOL. Put me down for one.

Stay away from Ping. Being Canadian, I'd say Callaway and Taylor Made. Both are HUGE names and everyone knows them. Cleveland, for some reason, doesn't sell that well up here. Well, around here anyways.

Top 3 Manufacturers (around here):

1. Callaway/Odyssey. Easily.
2. Titleist.
3. Taylor Made

Ping is close, and everyone else is a distant second, including Mizuno.

R35

 

[LyleG]

confirmed

I removed the link out of respect to this site. Basically it was measurement of the face.
Nothing to see here, move along.