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Cleveland CG Black Driver Forum Testing Review Thread

SuperStroke
Downloading some video now. Had a good day with the Black at the range
 
Lots of great write ups and thoughts on this club. The more you guys write the more I read and the MORE i am intrugued with this driver. Great job guys.
 
royalwulff said:
Lots of great write ups and thoughts on this club. The more you guys write the more I read and the MORE i am intrugued with this driver. Great job guys.
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It is a great club, Wulffy, definitely worth a perusal if you're thinking of any changes to your bag once the winter chill leaves Colorado. btw - is your avatar referencing The Dalmore scotch?
 
Saturday was a sunny day so I went to the range to get some practice in. Started with some short game practice and then moved on to wedges. Fully warmed up I started hitting my irons. Felt I was hitting the ball pretty well for such a cold day and I picked up the Black. As I’ve said I have been struggling with my normal shot with the Black. I can pretty much pick up any driver and start hitting draws on command. The Black has been a mystery with regards to the draw. It just won’t happen for me. A pretty consistent fade.

This had been such a mystery for me. The Black is a draw biased head so you would think I would be hitting some draws/hooks with it. It just is not happening though. I’ve been hitting a nice little fade on a good day and a big ole slice on bad days. My goal today is to work on hitting a draw.

Warmed up a little with the Black and I was hitting a little fade right off the bat. It is not a bad shot by any means. In fact I kind of like it. But I am just used to a draw. I play the draw with my irons. Heck I usually play a draw with my wedges. It would be nice to have a little consistency for my eyes on the golf course. So I started exaggerating my normal shot to try and overcook a draw. After a few shots I was really hooking the ball. Started trying for a normal shot and the fade came right back. Frustrating!

So by this time I am getting a little tired. So now my swing is beginning to slow down a little bit. I decide I am going to do my little range game of playing 18 imaginary holes. But this time I’m just going to try and hit the ball. No draw. No fade. Just hit it. No trying for shots.

First shot I hit is a beautiful little draw. Finish the hole. Second shot I hit is a beautiful draw. Finish the hole. Third shot I hit is a beautiful draw…This went on for the front 9. I pull drew a few but each shot shape was a draw. An absolute thing of beauty. Back 9 I stupidly try and ramp the swing up and the fade/slice comes back. In fact I couldn’t calm down and the entire back 9 was a mess. But there was a moment in time that I just didn’t think about anything and took a nice relaxed swing. When I did this, the draw was there.

Got home and sat down to ponder. The head is draw biased. Clevelands website says this. So why can’t I draw it on all the shots. I started thinking that maybe the shaft is a little too soft for me? This seemed to be confirmed when I was taking the easy shots and the ball was drawing. I ramp up a little and the fade is back.

So now I need to come up with a way to keep myself from trying to kill the ball. My tendency off the tee box is to take a healthy cut. So my goal for the upcoming weeks is to contain my inner beast and just take a nice easy wedge type swing and see what the results are. I have some video but I’m having some issues with it. I will post it when I can edit out the swings with too much wind.
 
Nice update Chunky! I went out and played a quick 9 this afternoon and was feeling pretty anxious, just been that type of week, and I had my worst driving 9 I have had since I got the CG. Something was just off tonight, but we all have these days. I am sure t will be better this week. The worst pat was that I am very good about self diagnosing my swing and this afternoon I really did not have an answer. Oh well, there is always the next round.
 
Chunkylover77 said:
A pretty consistent fade.

The Black is a draw biased head so you would think I would be hitting some draws/hooks with it. It just is not happening though.

Back 9 I stupidly try and ramp the swing up and the fade/slice comes back. In fact I couldn’t calm down and the entire back 9 was a mess. But there was a moment in time that I just didn’t think about anything and took a nice relaxed swing. When I did this, the draw was there.

I started thinking that maybe the shaft is a little too soft for me? This seemed to be confirmed when I was taking the easy shots and the ball was drawing. I ramp up a little and the fade is back.

So now I need to come up with a way to keep myself from trying to kill the ball. My tendency off the tee box is to take a healthy cut. So my goal for the upcoming weeks is to contain my inner beast and just take a nice easy wedge type swing and see what the results are.
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CL, before you had even come to your conclusion I knew where it was going. For me, the issue is always the top at transition. If I try to ramp up, that usually associates with being a bit quicker at the top, which is a no-no with this shaft. With a stouter/heavier shaft I can get away with more.

I have been hoping to get out to the range (with my back in good condition) and see if I can still get that extra ramp in speed but still keep my smooth transition at the top. Hopefully soon.
 
Some great updates guys. Lets keep this thing going.
 
Test Date: 12/20/11
Testing Club: Cleveland Black Driver 10.5* with C Kua 39S shaft
My Prior Club: Taylormade Tour Burner 10.5*, stiff flex
Ball Used: Range Balls
Environment: Mostly cloudy, 50*, Right ankle in brace

I got out to the range earlier in between the rain...we have a chnace of rain here through Saturday, so I need to get out when I can. I must have just been off on SUnday, because today I had zero swing issues. I was hitting the CG dead straight most of the time and a few with a slight fade, a consistent 240-250yds. I really wanted to stay longer but the rain started rolling in. I cannot wait to get my hands on a Cleveland Black 3 wood, with the success I am having with the CG Driver.



 
Chewie the 3W is a beast.
 
That driver sounds great...and is that your kid filming? Adorable "boom boom boom boom boom..." He wants to hit daddy's driver!
 
Man, Chewie. You were ripping that thing. Thats a good looking swing you're putting on that driver, and it looks like you're getting good results. I'm assuming you recruited your kid to hold the camera, made me laugh listening to him talk to himself.
 
Great videos Chewie! Looks like your killing that driver for sure.
 
Chewie great vids. You looked like you were killing that thing and I really like the sound of it. This driver still intrigues me.
 
nndosi said:
That driver sounds great...and is that your kid filming? Adorable "boom boom boom boom boom..." He wants to hit daddy's driver!
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That is my 8 yr old, Will. He actually really enjoys doing the filming, and is getting better at it everytime.
 
Nice vids Chewie.
 
Just got back from the range and going to a narrow course tomorrow. I'll post my notes after but good things so far after tonight.
 
Have some videos and comments to post tonight. I seem to be hitting the heel a lot on this driver
 
Right now this driver is leading the pack for me as I consider a new driver. Ordered one yesterday to test so we will see. Like the shaft and weight of the club which hopefully give me a bit more distance and accuracy. I typically play a 44.5 driver so I wonder how that short a.shaft will affect speed? can't wait to.swing it next week.

TapAhoy!
 
SeeMoreGuy said:
Right now this driver is leading the pack for me as I consider a new driver. Ordered one yesterday to test so we will see. Like the shaft and weight of the club which hopefully give me a bit more distance and accuracy. I typically play a 44.5 driver so I wonder how that short a.shaft will affect speed? can't wait to.swing it next week.

TapAhoy!
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You should see a nice increase in swing speed SMG. You just have to see if a decrease in accuracy results.
 
Just hit this thing today and the results were God awful... they thing is 35 grams too light. When I did connect, It wasn't all that pretty.
 
ddec said:
why do you think that is?
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IMO it's the longer shaft. Instead of hitting the sweet spot I am hitting the heel.
 
Well, it has been raining all day so I wanted to post some pics of the face to show the slight wear on the CG Black. There is a little wear on the base of the face, from wear i ever so slightly brush the ground when I swing, but nothing that is going to affect performance. I have played the equivalent of 6 or 7 18 hole rounds since I received this club on 11/15/11, and have probably had it out for 10 or 15 range sessions, so I would say it is wear as would be expected. As far as the wear in the middle of the face, the only thing I can think is small sand particles on the range balls.

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Skim question.

With this driver being so light, does anybody have problems over cooking shots and hooking them?
 
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