Cleveland monster xls draw driver

The HiBORE is not a bad looking driver, provided you can get over the scooped-out look of the head, presumably inspired by the old Halo hybrid. The head is a little stretched out, but not grossly so at least to my eyes. The charcoal finish helps minimize any shock to the senses that the size of the head and its shape might cause. When it comes to auditory impressions, the XLS makes one in a big way.

It sounded like something had exploded at the bottom of the swing. And you could always wear an ear plug to keep the hearing in your clubside ear. The head cover for the XLS is also loud, but that seems to be a trend with most of the manufacturers. It also provides a feature that at first seems silly, but is actually pretty nice to use.

Though the standard XLS is supposed to have a square clubface, it feels closed. My swing closed the face even more, delofting the 9. Suffice it to say that, at first, all I could hit were right-to-left-moving bullets that reached a maximum height of about 20 feet. So I temporarily changed my swing to fit what the driver seemed to want to do. I purposely came over the top and held off my finish a bit. The ball started going straight and gaining the typical height of my drives.

Distance was average, with the rare zinger mixed in there. It was difficult to tell center contact, because every hit felt pretty much the same. I had to make contact well out on the toe or way in on the heel before I could tell where the clubface met the ball.

I felt like my average distance was hurt by not being able to freely release the club for fear of the hook. Your mileage may vary. Next, I handed the driver to a few friends who struggle with slices. Every one of them started smacking straighter drives immediately. And remember, this was not the XLS Draw. I quickly concluded that Cleveland did not have anything like a draw swing in mind when they created the XLS the XLS Tour may be a better match for those who currently hit draws or straight drives with a square or open-faced driver.

Once I started setting up for a big cut but lining it up to go straight , I began to hit fairways pretty consistently. My misses generally came when I did not hold off the finish and drew it into the left rough. Overall, the XLS only wants to go straight via a cut swing. Any other shot seemed to make the XLS irritable. Trying to hit a draw resulted in a duck hook often enough to make it a very uncomfortable undertaking on the course. Fades became straight shots, and only when I really emphasized the cut swing could I get it to move appreciably to the right.

If finding fairways is your primary goal, the XLS does a good job of it once you find the groove. The Red is the heavier weight, lower torque version with a higher kick point than the Gold. Cleveland also offers an impressive selection of custom shaft options, including additional models from Fujikura as well as offerings from Aldila, UST, Mitsubishi, and Graphite Design.

Conclusion Players who struggle with over-the-top swings that result in slices may find some measure of salvation in the XLS driver.

It minimizes cut sidespin substantially. Those who naturally draw the ball or who want to work the ball off the tee should look to the XLS Tour or elsewhere entirely. Even though feel is distinctly dampened in this model, compared to the original this is practically a forged muscleback. Your review is absolutely correct! I play a draw and could not deal with this club at all. Seems to sit very closed unless you open it up to sit on the back sole of the head.

Turned mine back in to the shop. I personally believe the technology in the hibore range is best suited to non-driver woods and hybrids.

Even a hard practicing pro like Vijay Singh had trouble with his driving once he switched over to the hibore from the launcher range. The XL corrected many of the deficiencies found in the original. I got the XLS Draw 9 degree with the stiff red shaft. The yardage increase from the straight and draw never have had before this club is huge. Cleveland also offers the Draw and Tour version for golfers on the opposite side of the spectrum.

Loudness is the common theme. Once you get past the sound of the driver, you have yourself a potential winner. I purchased the standard Monster XLS model today. Right off the bat I was hitting ball after ball straight, and if the ball took off to the right it was something that I DID that I could feel.

If I did remotely close to a good swing — the ball went straight and long. This club is awesome. No way!! Clubs that are stamped or engraved will be automatically receive the "Below Average" value. Please provide us the information below to help expedite your quote: Please provide dates you need sets delivered to you. Clubs that do not qualify: Clubs with cracked or dented heads, heads that rattle and clubs with broken shafts. Fitting irons. Counterfeit clubs. What happens if there are any discrepancies?

Do I need to include a headcover? Why are there no values for my used golf clubs? Golf Club Condition Guide At 2nd Swing Golf, we work very hard to accurately rate our clubs according to our condition guide. Brand New The golf club is in brand new condition and has never been used on a golf course. Mint Shows virtually no traces of wear and has been hit times total.

Above Average Golf club has been played less than 10 rounds and is in top of the line used condition. Average This club has seen normal usage for an extended period of time, at least one season, has been well cared for, and is still in good used condition. Below Average This golf club has been well used, but not abused. Poor This golf club shows considerable wear but is usable. Video Review.

Related Information. However on the negative side, my XLS appears to have lost paint off the bottom of the club. The noise at impact is like a big bang and the ball feels that it has just been shot from a cannon. Great penetrating flight and the ball zooms out there. Very impressed. Sign in or Register with Golfalot. By Martin Hopley. Jan 18,