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We often get asked about club manufacturers. One common question arises, “Are Cleveland Golf Clubs Good?”
Let’s explore further what your needs are…
Do you find clubs from premium golf brands outrageously expensive and are not willing to fork out for them?
I hear you.
I also appreciate value for money, which is where Cleveland golf clubs come in.
They are affordable, forgiving, and easy to launch, everything a senior golfer could desire.
You will not find many professionals using Cleveland woods, hybrids, and irons because of their oversized heads and extreme forgiveness.
However, we are not pros, and we need clubs that get the ball into the air, encourage straight flight, and forgive our mishits, which offers an abundance of value to the average golfer.
The Cleveland Golf Company Story
Roger Cleveland founded the brand with his name in 1980. His initial goal was to develop quality Persimmon woods, something Roger believed he could do better than Spalding, Wilson, and Macgregor.
Forty years later, Cleveland stocks a wealth of forgiving, easy-launching drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, wedges, and putters.
Their wedges are arguably the most prized asset, known for their exceptional spin, soft feel, and controlled launch. Most Cleveland-sponsored players only use the brand’s wedges.
What Pro Golfers Use Cleveland Clubs?
Some of the more well-known professional golfers that use Cleveland golf clubs include the following players:
- Brooks Koepka
- Hideki Matsuyama
- Ernie Els (PGA Tour Champions)
- Shane Lowry
- Keegan Bradley
- Graeme McDowell
- Joe Durant (PGA Tour Champions)
Players contracted to Cleveland often use woods, irons, and hybrids from Srixon or in the case of Ernie Els, XXIO.
The Roger Cleveland Legacy
After Roger sold the company to Rossignol and was ousted from his duties, he assumed a role with Callaway, where he has gained legendary status as a golf club designer.
The Rossignol Sale
Cleveland sold to ski equipment manufacturer Rossignol in 1990. It ensured a healthy bank balance, but without Roger’s vision, the brand ensured a tumultuous run through the nineties.
SRI Sports Limited
Rossignol offloaded Cleveland to Quicksilver in 2005, but in 2007, the surf behemoths sold the company to SRI Sports Limited.
SRI Sports is a subsidiary of Sumitomo Rubber Industries, a global mega-company with interests in rubber, energy, and infrastructure projects.
4 Top Reasons that Make Cleveland a Great Golf Club Manufacturer
1. Affordable Golf Clubs
Throughout my years on the golf course, Cleveland manufactures affordable, forgiving golf clubs fit for budget seekers and high handicappers.
Woods, hybrids, and irons are generally inexpensive compared to the latest equipment from Ping, Callaway, or Titleist, for example.
A seven-iron set of Cleveland Launcher Max irons is almost $200 cheaper than the Callaway Paradym AI Smoke HL irons.
2. Exceptional Forgiveness
Woods, hybrids, irons, and putters feature larger clubheads than most brands. This gives the clubs a higher degree of moment of inertia (MOI) to improve stability and increase the sweet spot.
The expanded sweet spot provides excellent forgiveness, which will keep high handicap seniors in play. If your swing speed is on the slower side, the high-launching long clubs will get you in the air with ease.
3. Outstanding Wedges
Cleveland wedges are arguably the brand’s most popular asset for their durability, spin, feel, and control.
They are the only clubs from the brand which are not heavily oversized and promote more playability than forgiveness.
4. Easy Launching Long Clubs
I find the elevated MOI levels and low and deep CG in Cleveland’s long clubs promote an easy-launching golf shot. The stability of the clubface at contact preserves ball speed, containing spin to generate a towering launch, consistent flight, and carry distance.
The Best Selling Cleveland Golf Clubs
Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Driver
Best Cleveland Driver
The latest Cleveland driver is better than the Launcher XL in every area except glare and accuracy.
My colleague at Senior Golf Source paired the new Launcher XL 2 against the original XL driver. He hit the latest model farther, and generated less spin and more ball speed. The XL 2 launched lower than the XL, which is a factor to consider if you desperately need a higher apex.
Our tester convinced me that the Halo XL 2 is a winner for senior golfers on a budget. The high launch, forgiveness, and distance are impressive for an affordable driver.
However, if you are looking at both drivers, you’ll want to read our detailed comparison of the Cleveland Launcher XL vs the XL2.
PROS
- Longer than the XL
- Faster ball speed than the previous model
- Launches lower than the XL but still high enough
- More affordable than premium brand drivers
CONS
- Shot dispersion not as consistent as the XL
- Glare was a challenge
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Best Cleveland Fairway Wood
Cleveland Halo XL Fairway Wood
Best Fairway Wood
The launcher Halo XL launches high, flies straight, and rolls a lot further than most new fairway woods. Its extra roll is a welcome feature, especially on long approach shots where you need all the yards you can get to reach the green in two.
Compared to other Cleveland clubs, the Halo XL launched relatively low during testing. The lower flight resulted in more roll, leading to a 20-yard gain on the ground.
Besides distance, we were impressed with the accuracy. Most shots produced a soft fade, in line with my colleague’s natural shot shape.
We like the Launcher Halo XL fairway wood for its distance, accuracy, and affordability. However, its low launch profile might appeal more to mid and high-handicap medium and faster swing speeds.
PROS
- Straighter ball flight
- Increased roll to boost maximum distance
- Forgiving
- Budget-friendly fairway wood
CONS
- Not the highest launching fairway wood that we tested
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Best Cleveland Hybrid
Cleveland Launcher XL Halo HW
Best Golf Hybrid
A lighter swing weight and marginal offset help senior golfers launch the Halo XL hybrid high and straight.
The forgiveness on this hybrid reaches maximum levels with its extra large clubhead and magnified sweet spot.
When testing the Halo XL Hy-Wood our testers praised its high launching profile. The elevated flight brought about a steep landing for a rapid stop on approach.
The offset profile is not for everyone, but it does square the face at contact, who is known for the odd heel and toe strike.
We like the easy launch, forgiveness, and shot-stopping on the Halo XL Hybrid. However, the offset design and forgiveness best suit mid and high-handicap veterans.
PROS
- Excellent shot stopping power
- Towering launch
- Accurate flight
- Forgiving
CONS
- If you’re looking for distance, it’s not the longest hybrid around
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Best Cleveland Irons
Cleveland Zipcore XL
Best Cleveland Irons
Long story short: these are the best Cleveland irons I’ve played in years. Sure, the heads are oversized, and lower handicappers will not appreciate them but they are optimized for low spin in the long irons and high short iron and wedge spin.
As you expect from Cleveland, the shorter clubs provided a smooth feel and outstanding spin. The ball stops quickly on short shots, allowing more skilled golfers to attack the flag from closer range.
Long irons are a different animal, with their fast, flexible clubfaces that minimize spin and increase carry distance and roll.
For a complete list of our top irons for seniors, you’ll want to read our top picks article.
PROS
- Low-spinning long irons
- High spin short irons and wedges
- Forgiving iron set
- Affordable for a set of irons
CONS
- Extra large clubheads do not appeal to traditionalists
- Not the longest irons I’ve hit
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Best Cleveland Wedge
Cleveland RTX 6 ZipCore Wedges
Best Cleveland Wedge
Golf wedges are the pride and joy of Cleveland Golf, but nothing compares to the RTX 6 ZipCore range. High-spinning, good-looking, and soft-feeling wedges serve skilled short-game players seeking more greenside control.
Will it give you Seve Ballesteros like short game powers, no. But, its stable clubface and deep, sharp grooves add consistency to each shot, even when you miss the sweet spot. Performance aside, the RTX 6 has a compact head for a Cleveland golf club and comfortably combats glare.
Our team is a fan of these wedges for their looks, spin, and consistency despite a compact profile. However, compared to legacy brands like Titleist Vokey, these wedges are not significantly cheaper.
Related Article: How Many Golf Wedges Should You Carry?
PROS
- Impressive spin levels for the average golfer
- Pleasant feel
- Glare resistant finish
- Affordable game improvement clubs
- Durable grooves
CONS
- Not the cheapest wedges
- Lower handicappers may desire increased spin revolutions
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Best Cleveland Putter
Cleveland Frontline Elite Elevado Putter
Best Putter
A stable, winged mallet design delivers exceptional forgiveness across the putter face.
The rich, black finish makes this putter so appealing to stare down on at address. Besides enhancing the appearance, the finish also lowered glare at address, a feature that will appeal to players with weaker eyes like mine.
The Elite Elevado is more than a good-looking putter. We noticed that our distance control was better on mishits than we endured on the Cleveland HB Soft milled blade putter. We like the Frontline Elite Elevado for its smooth roll, attractive cosmetics, and overall forgiveness. However, keep in mind, the alignment aid is on the smaller side.
⛳️ Related: Best Putters for Senior Golfers
PROS
- Excellent distance control on mishits
- Attractive cosmetics
- Soft feel
- Wider sweet spot
CONS
- Not the biggest alignment aid
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How does Cleveland compare against other top golf club brands?
In my experience, Cleveland punches above their weight compared to other top brands in their price point. They offer a wealth of experience, game improvement technology, and forgiveness at a fraction of the price of their peers.
I find Cleveland clubs are an affordable, reliable pick that stands the test of time alongside its competitors.
Why are Cleveland golf clubs not popular with pros?
Cleveland golf clubs are not as popular with pros because of their high MOI construction, enhanced launch, and maximum forgiveness.
These golf clubs are designed to simplify golf for the average player. However, pros like Ernie Els, Shane Lowry, Joe Durant, and Brooks Koepka use Cleveland wedges for their spin, feel, feedback, and durability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Cleveland golf clubs for Seniors?
Yes, Cleveland golf clubs are for seniors because of their easy launching, forgiving, and consistent woods, hybrids, irons, and putters.
What does D stand for on a Cleveland golf club?
D stands for “dual” wedge on a Cleveland golf club. The DW club is set at 50° and is built to cover your pitching and sand wedge needs in one club. Instead of acquiring a pitching and sand wedge, the idea is that you only require the dual wedge.
What are XL irons?
XL irons stand for “extra large” and contain maximum MOI in a cavity back design. These clubs resist twisting and feature a wider sweet spot to contain ball speed and control spin across the clubface for optimal launch and carry distance.
Are Srixon and Cleveland the same company?
Yes, Srixon and Cleveland are owned by SRI Sports Limited, a subsidiary of the Japanese multinational corporation Sumitomo. SRI Sports also owns Dunlop, XXIO, and shoe manufacturer Asics.
Who Makes Cleveland Golf Clubs?
SRI Sports is the owner of Cleveland Golf Clubs. It is a subsidiary of Sumitomo Rubber Industries, which is a global mega-company with interests in rubber, energy, and infrastructure projects. SRI Sports Limited is based out of Huntington Beach, California.
Is Cleveland a good golf brand?
Yes, Cleveland golf clubs possess over five decades of expertise in the golf industry. They offer forgiving golf clubs for the average golfer to enjoy.
Final Thoughts: Are Cleveland Golf Clubs Good?
I set out to determine, are Cleveland clubs good? The simple answer is yes, absolutely. The brand possesses over 5 decades in the industry, continuing to develop easy-launching, forgiving golf clubs for the average golfer.
Performance aside, Cleveland golf clubs offer exceptional value for money and are typically priced well below industry giants. I find Cleveland woods, hybrids, irons, and putters ideal for seniors, high and mid-handicap golfers. However, their wedges work for a wider audience of skilled golfers and beginners.
