Last week, Cleveland Golf unveiled their latest rendition of the Launcher lineup by introducing us to the Launcher XL Drivers. For anyone who missed that release, you can read up on it here. Like the XL driver release, the matching wood line consists of three different variants. We have Launcher XL HALO Fairway Woods, Launcher XL HALO hybrid, and the newest addition to the scene, the Launcher XL HALO Hy-Wood.
One of the big themes throughout the Launcher XL lineup is how Cleveland has increased forgiveness over previous generations. Thanks to the larger size and Rebound Frame, we see an improvement in forgiveness tech baked within the fairways. Rebound Frame is constructed by making a thinner area behind the rigid frame of the clubface. A second flex zone is created and activated simultaneously as the face flexes at impact with this design. The results are more ball speed on center strikes and more overall ball speed retention.
Cleveland’s previous hybrid was perhaps my favorite Cleveland hybrid since the Mashie. One thing those two clubs had in common was that they both featured gliderail technology. Thanks to those rails, I always felt confident pulling those clubs from the fairway, rough, and even bunkers. If you remember, after seeing success with the rails on the Mashie hybrid, Cleveland came out with a Mashie fairway that also utilized gliderails. There is a pretty similar occurrence here as now gliderails are found on the fairway woods, hybrids, and the hy-wood. While this design is not necessarily new, it has proven pretty effective when hitting the ball from various lies and could even help produce straighter shots.
According to Dustin Brekke, Director of Engineering at Cleveland Golf, “The new Launcher XL HALO Fairway Woods are the most forgiving and confidence inspiring fairway woods Cleveland Golf has ever made. With an extreme high MOI design, GlideRail technology, and Rebound Frame, the Launcher XL Fairway Woods provide distance and consistency never before seen for game improvement players.”
A design feature that we did not see in the latest driver release was the HiBore crown. However, all of the Launcher XL HALO woods feature the HiBore crown design that has become one of the signatures of Cleveland Golf. Why bring the HiBore crown out for the fairways and hybrids? Well, it is Cleveland’s way of pushing the center of gravity even lower in the clubhead, which will help increase your launch angle, something many amateurs struggle with when it comes to fairway woods or hybrids. During my brief run with the XL fairway wood, I found the face to be a little deeper than I preferred. However, I could still easily get the ball up in the air, which I tend to struggle with at times when playing deeper-faced fairway woods. I’m not naive to say that the HiBore crown is the sole reason for achieving good launch characteristics, but it’s part of the equation.
We’ve gotten to this point, and I know the question that is on everyone’s mind: What on earth is the Hy-Wood? The Hy-Wood is designed for those who prefer hitting hybrids to fairway woods. Offered at 18°, this Hy-Wood will play longer than a traditional 3-hybrid but be shorter (41.5″) than what you find in a fairway wood. Cleveland Golf mentions that it is the perfect club for those who hate their current 3-Wood.
Once again, following the lead of the Launcher XL driver family, Cleveland is going with the same Project X Cypher shaft. In the XL Fairway Woods, the stock option is a Cypher 55, while the Cypher HB weighs in around 75 grams. These shafts can be customed ordered in an “accuracy build,” which shaves half an inch from the total length and excludes the 8-gram Action Mass CB weight found in the butt end of the shaft on stock builds.
Cleveland Golf has set forth to make the Cleveland Launcher XL wood lineup more forgiving and easier to hit. The addition of the glide rails to the sole of the fairway woods should be pretty welcome and make them more player-friendly. Also, not to be overlooked is the fact that Cleveland expanded the lofts of their hybrids. With the previous model, the highest lofted hybrid was 22°, and now players can opt to go as high as 27°.
More information on the new Cleveland Launcher XL HALO wood lineup can be found at www.clevelandgolf.com.
The Details
Models/Pricing: Launcher XL Halo Fairway Woods($229), Launcher XL Halo-Hy-Wood($219), Launcher XL Halo Hybrid($199)
Lofts: Launcher XL Fairway Woods (15°, 18°, 21°) , Launcher XL Halo Hy-Wood (18°), Launcher XL Halo Hybrid (18°, 21°, 24°, 27°)
Availability: August 13, 2021
full non-internet golfer until a Kinetix goes in it haha
Ha! Maybe. But really, you saw how hard I was going after it, 150 ball speed out of it with the stock shaft and repeatable as hell. Now, it’s not a combo I’d have ever picked for me, but when something works, it works.
Still no shipping notification…
Oh I know, I saw it, heard it, felt it. All the emotions haha
You cursed it.
I always struggled with my 5 wood off the deck. A 4H was a money club. My 5 wood was relegated to tee duty only.
The Hywood gave me a big high soft draw. So was SO easy to hi. Would absolutely hit it off the deck in a heartbeat. And I as great off the tee as well.
It is making me rethink getting a Cleveland hybrid to go with it
I love the new Hy-wood. i’m thinking about getting a 4-wood to go with it. Did you test the hybrid with the same Cypher 40 shaft in the Hy-wood or the Cypher HB? I normally wouldn’t think about going so light in a hybrid….but it works so well in the Hywood, I’m wondering if that’s the right call.
Any comparisons you’d have about the shafts would be much appreciated! thanks!
It’s a cheater club! So good!
my hybrid has the HB shaft. I’ll be honest I was shocked by how well that Cypher 40 shaft held up to the swings of guys who are faster and more violent than myself. I think the stock hybrid shaft works pretty well with the head.
I just went to True Temper School to listen to Keenan Phillips talk about the Cypher Shafts. He is going to part of the Dream Foursome Experience so I plan on getting more information from him about these shafts.
I might need to demo it. Long story short, I loved a G410 4H hybrid. But the head flew off at the range. (RIP). I replaced it with a 425 hybrid. I just haven’t found the magic with it that I had with the G410. It bought it a few weeks ago at the PGA Tour SS, so it’s still under the Playability Guarantee. I hit the Hywood and G425 4H back to back at the range figuring out gapping.
It made me realize how much I don’t like the G425 hybrid compared to the G410. So I may swap it in for a G410 or Cleveland.
The shaft names are confusing to me. The Cypher 40 is a 50 gram shaft. The Cypher 60 HYB shaft is 74 grams.
It’s one of those deals where I have to get out my own head. The Hy-wood was the most shockingly good ‘out of the box’ club I’ve hit in a while.
These aren’t the only ones out there like that though, it’s the case with a LOT of shafts.
My Hywood has shipped…
Your review said you loved the Halo. How did this model compare?
Have my first round with the Hy-Wood tomorrow. Am so excited, I may be adding more Cleveland woods…
I personally preferred the Halo. The shaping to suited my eye better. Not a knock on the Launcher XL Halo because performance wise, it was pretty darn good.
So how did it perform today?
#2 is a par 5. The approach is downhill with a creek about 30 yards short of the green. I was 235 out. The smart play was to layup. But I was eager to hit the Hy-Wood. Absolutely laced it pin high just off the green. Honeymoon fully in effect.
I clipped a tree on a long par 4 #1 handicap hole. I had 220 to the green. Hit it a shot just off the left side of the green giving me a chance to save par. (which of course I botched)
#18 is a long par 4 that plays uphill and was into a slight breeze. I was 207 out. There was no way I would have gotten there with my hybrid. Hit the Hywood just off the edge. This time I got up and down for the par.
I also used it three times off the tee. Two shots were perfect. One I caught a bit heavy, but it was dead straight and the hole was short enough that it didn’t hurt me.
Bottom line is that I couldn’t ask for any more out of that club. It extends my ‘go zone’ significantly. And I find it easier to hit than my hybrid. It was a tight course with small greens, but I felt like I confident about getting it close to my target. The exact opposite of my fairway wood. Heck, if they made a 22* version of this club, I’d probably buy it as well. There is something about the bigger size that breeds confidence.
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I’m going to be trying the Hy-Wood next season. So, I will have a head to head comparison to the 5w.
Funny you should say that. I ordered a Hy-Wood among other clubs last week and own a 16* previous gen Halo hybrid too. I received my full order today but the Hy-Wood wasn’t in the box…it’s really the main club in my order with regards to wanting/needing lol. I just called their 1-800 number and they’ll ship it out ASAP so I’ll get it next week some time. I also recently purchsed a Mevo+ so once I figure that out too I can give you real data for my garbage swing lol
My biggest issue is hitting anything over 200+ yards consistnetly off of the deck. I received my XL Halo 4 hybrid and used it yesterday hitting my best 180 yards up a massive hill on our 16th hole in the low 40’s. That was easily a 200+ yard swing as it was nutted if it were the summer time and on flat ground. I track all of my clubs too with Garmin clubs sensors so I’ll have interesting data as the year goes along once we hit the playing season here next season in SE PA.
I can hit my 2H off of the tee well but wasn’t consistent enough with it off of the deck. I eventually went with a TSi3 16.5* or a 4W for an alternate to my driver when she’s acting up in which I was fit with by a Titleist fitter that came to our club. As I mentioned I recently purchased a Mevo+ and even though I’ve only used it 3 times so far I have spent a lot of time working on my hybrids and if yesterday is any sign the fact I’m going to be practicing more will help me immensely. My Halo 2H has the Miyazaki stiff shaft. Per my Garmin S62/CT10 stats I average 182 yards with a max of 226 yards. I know I’ve hit it further but I have started to delete older rounds as I like to keep my stats a bit more biased to the last 6 months so I can look for trends. As you can see that 40 yard gap is my ability to strike it well consistently.
I never get rid of clubs either, I’m slowly building quite a collection of clubs now lol. I mainly keep my older clubs as most are Cleveland and their resale value isn’t enough for me to deal with the hassle of selling on eBay. In addition to be lazy my son is now 13 and will either age out of the tallest set of junior US Kids clubs he has this or next year and I’ll give him the choice of my old clubs to play with. in addition to what I have in my signature are 2 other Cleveland putters and an iron set of Cleveland CBX irons with regular graphite shafts which I was fitted into 4 years ago when I started playing golf at 46.
Why a 3w over a 5w? I’ve read that for most amateur golfers without a high swing speed the 5w goes as far and sometimes further in the real world especially off of the deck?
I hit a 3 wood pretty well off the deck. It will gap better between my driver and the Hy-wood vs a 5 wood…probably.
Gotcha, makes sense. I parked my TSi3 4w which I can kill off of a tee for the Hy-Wood. I know I’m losing a but of distance but I figure how often do I care if it’s a 9i or PW for my next shot? I’m sure shots gained would say otherwise but whatever lol
I forget where I read that 3w vs 5w fact but just from observing my friends with 3w it’s obvious most would benefit by parking it
Yeah I’d think a 15* 3w would probably be a better option, the HW and 5w are both 18*. Different launch characteristics, but probably not enough to justify having both in the bag at the same time.
There you go !!!
That club is high on my ponder list right now based on the Hy-Wood’s amazing performance. Let us know how you make out with it!
J.B., Is there a THP discount?
Umm, I didn’t hit it great honestly. By the time I got to it, I had been on the range for 1.5 hours and I was about to die of heat stroke! It’s a 180° from my GS53 fw. It’s 30+ cc bigger and counterbalanced. The Hogan is very head heavy and this one isn’t. But, the couple I hit well showed real promise. It should gap perfectly between my driver and hy-wood. Just a fair warning it is loud. But, most Cleveland woods are.
No sir, it was a Father’s Day gift. So, free .99 to me! Budget Golf is offering free shipping this weekend though!
I don’t disagree with you on that. Solid clubs and that Hy-Wood is just silly fun. For people who complain about price, it’s pretty dang good on this one and the performance is there.
When fairways are now $300 a pop, these are such a good bargain.