Cleveland Launcher XL Halo Irons

[Grand Stranded]

When I had my Halos (sold them) and play my 588 altitudes (from time to time) I go:
10.5 driver set to 11.5
19* 5w
26* hybrid
6-PW,
Smart Sole GW
Full Face 56 / 60*
Sure Out 64*
Smart Sole C
Putter

That’s a cool setup, it really is, but I think you’re more than a club longer than me, which is a big advantage going 5W, 26*. If I do that, I’d have an iffy club as my 180 5w and then the 26* would be about 155-160? That’s pretty weak right after driver.
I would a club that’s longer than the 175 -180 I get with my 3H. That’s why I keep trying to make a 3w work.
Trust me, if I could find a way to even go GW, 54*, Smart Sole 58*, Smart Sole C, I’d do it in a second. (In fact I have both those Smart Soles sitting in a cart for two weeks now)
interestingly, out of nowhere I had a very good day today with both the MaxD 3w, and the Hy-wood. 3 out of 4 nice 3w‘s and 2 for 2 with the HW with the second being a 190 tee shot onto a par 3.

 

[Grand Stranded]

I tried the hy-wood at their demo day. Just wasn’t for me. Low to mid flight. Their normal 5w flew higher and longer for me. Fun club though if it can work for the person. To me it just looked like an oversized hybrid head on a long shaft.

I agree about the look.
IMO most people are comfortable with either FWs or hybs. Very few are with both.
I can see you getting more out of a 5w for sure (I think most people would) but it’s surprising to me you hit the Hy-wood low. It’s the opposite for me, and I’m not a high ball hitter per se.

 

[erock9174]

That’s a cool setup, it really is, but I think you’re more than a club longer than me, which is a big advantage going 5W, 26*. If I do that, I’d have an iffy club as my 180 5w and then the 26* would be about 155-160? That’s pretty weak right after driver.

5w is usually my 180 carry club. I tend to hit a baby draw with it so it rolls out around 200. If I need a high soft one I’ll try to hit a cut which takes some off.
5h is 170-175 at full shaft length. Or I choke down an inch to cover 160-165”.
Then use my 6i for 150-155.

 

[Grand Stranded]

5w is usually my 180 carry club. I tend to hit a baby draw with it so it rolls out around 200. If I need a high soft one I’ll try to hit a cut which takes some off.
5h is 170-175 at full shaft length. Or I choke down an inch to cover 160-165”.
Then use my 6i for 150-155.

You’re making me jealous,
If I could get 190-200 with my Hy-wood, 3h or a 5w I’d never bag a 3w. That extra club in distance you have over me is exactly what’s making the top of my bag such an issue.
Being LH doesn’t help either. I’m considering a 4W but the only OEM that makes one for lefties is Titleist, and I never really got along with their woods. It might make sense though in spreading out the top a little more like you do. I could drop the 3w, and probably the 3h also which opens that spot to play around with the bottom of the bag

 

[Shepx13]

.
Trust me, if I could find a way to even go GW, 54*, Smart Sole 58*, Smart Sole C, I’d do it in a second.

I'm seriously considering going Halo GW, Smart Sole 58, Smart Sole C, and skipping the 54 altogether. Am I really going to miss that club? Can't make up my mind. My swing speed is a little faster than many others that use these clubs, so maybe have an extra club at the top would be worth it for me?
I'm planning on going to PXG for a new driver fitting, find a 4 Hybrid, and see if they have an option that's better than my current 5W Mizuno (that's turned down to about a 4w). Was going to pick up a Hy-wood somewhere that I can do a trial with it as well. If I could drop my old Cobra one-length 3 Hybrid then I could slip in the 54. But that club is my sh***y-lie but far-from-green rescue club and I rarely hit it poorly. Maybe the Hy-wood can be a replacement for it, as many here at THP seem to use it as such.

 

[erock9174]

You’re making me jealous,
If I could get 190-200 with my Hy-wood, 3h or a 5w I’d never bag a 3w. That extra club in distance you have over me is exactly what’s making the top of my bag such an issue.
Being LH doesn’t help either. I’m considering a 4W but the only OEM that makes one for lefties is Titleist, and I never really got along with their woods. It might make sense though in spreading out the top a little more like you do. I could drop the 3w, and probably the 3h also which opens that spot to play around with the bottom of the bag

With adjustable fairways (TM, Ping, cobra) you can loft up a 3w or deloft a 5w to get that 4w type loft (17*ish). My 5w is weaker than most at 19*. But I need Launch so I tend to look for weaker clubs. Matter of fact I have g425 irons coming in retro lofts (2* weak) making the 6i 28*

 

[Grand Stranded]

With adjustable fairways (TM, Ping, cobra) you can loft up a 3w or deloft a 5w to get that 4w type loft (17*ish). My 5w is weaker than most at 19*. But I need Launch so I tend to look for weaker clubs. Matter of fact I have g425 irons coming in retro lofts (2* weak) making the 6i 28*

the issue with me and FWs is the longer shaft makes it harder for me to make good contact consistently, and I wouldn’t like adjusting loft if it’s going to open the face when I do.
At this point both the st Draw 3 wood and the Hy-wood are working pretty well for me. What I need to see is how much distance there is between the two. It doesn’t seem to be very much after a small sample size, and if that turns out to be the case I’ll keep the one that is more forgiving. (the fact that the D 3w is even in that conversation says a lot for how good a club it is).

I'm seriously considering going Halo GW, Smart Sole 58, Smart Sole C, and skipping the 54 altogether. Am I really going to miss that club? Can't make up my mind. My swing speed is a little faster than many others that use these clubs, so maybe have an extra club at the top would be worth it for me?
I'm planning on going to PXG for a new driver fitting, find a 4 Hybrid, and see if they have an option that's better than my current 5W Mizuno (that's turned down to about a 4w). Was going to pick up a Hy-wood somewhere that I can do a trial with it as well. If I could drop my old Cobra one-length 3 Hybrid then I could slip in the 54. But that club is my sh***y-lie but far-from-green rescue club and I rarely hit it poorly. Maybe the Hy-wood can be a replacement for it, as many here at THP seem to use it as such.

that’s an interesting idea, especially since I see guys hitting the C pretty well with full swings. (My buddy gets about 90 yards with his) If we could get that club to approximate the yardage we get with a 54*, it sounds like it could be a winner, no?

 

[Grand Stranded]

Reading these last few posts again, I’m struck by how personal each of our setups are, and what we’re looking to try to change.
You have @erock9174 who seems to have the top and bottom of of his bag pretty well figured out, but isn’t able to find a set of irons he likes enough to keep in his bag very long. I’m trying to get the spots between driver and 5-6 iron figured out, and @Shepx13 is trying to sort out the bottom of his bag.
Sometimes I wonder if we’re just overthinking everything, but let’s face it, we’re not going to change. I think for some of us the quest for that “perfect bag” is never going to leave us. We’re always going to be tinkering with something…

 

[shantis]

Love the rails on these. I have received much better results than I should have because of them.

 

[TxAggie2018]

I had a lesson with a pro Thursday, and he taught me to get my hands forward more when I hit. I have a habit of flipping, and forward shaft lean for me was like vertical at impact at best.

Played a round Friday with the HB Launchers, and by the back nine I was hitting shots with compression.




The height on my short irons was just STUUUUUPID. Easily the highest I have ever put an iron shot in my life.

I hit the driving range to practice more today, cause I figured I was on to something, and I stole some of my brother's P790s to hit in comparison. The Clevelands weren't any shorter and their apex was probably 10 feet higher.

I know that pros and "good" players like to drive their short irons and keep them low. But that's just not as fun as launching ROCKETS into space with an 8 iron. These SGI irons just fly different.

 

[Grand Stranded]

I just picked up a brand new Smart Sole 58* on the Bay for $84 (I‘ve gone all in on the forgiveness thing I guess).
I took it out to the 8th hole beside my home, and this thing is perfect in soft, wet conditions around the green. I’m not sure how well it will play off firm turf, but it looks like this thing is a keeper. Every shot from the bunker was effortless, and I was hitting moon balls right at the flag from up to 65-70 yards out.
It took a little bit of time to figure out how to drive one in on a lower(?) trajectory, but I guess that’s not what this club was really designed to do? It’s not the longest wedge you’ll ever play, but it might be the easiest.
Give one a try if you haven’t already. It’s a fun club, and can come in handy under certain course conditions. You really have to put a horrible move on it to get a bad result.

 

[Carolina Golfer]

I just picked up a brand new Smart Sole 58* on the Bay for $84 (I‘ve gone all in on the forgiveness thing I guess).
I took it out to the 8th hole beside my home, and this thing is perfect in soft, wet conditions around the green. I’m not sure how well it will play off firm turf, but it looks like this thing is a keeper. Every shot from the bunker was effortless, and I was hitting moon balls right at the flag from up to 65-70 yards out.
It took a little bit of time to figure out how to drive one in on a lower(?) trajectory, but I guess that’s not what his club was really designed to do? It’s not the longest wedge you’ll ever play, but it might be the easiest.
Give one a try if you haven’t already. It’s a fun club, and can come in handy under certain course conditions. You really have to put a horrible move on it to get a bad result.

Good luck with the club. I am curious how it performs compared to a Halo XL club. I guess the best comparison would be the D club. I haven't heard much about the D club. I suspect it would be a great gap wedge for the high capper or sr golfer. How about the sand?

 

[Grand Stranded]

Good luck with the club. I am curious how it performs compared to a Halo XL club. I guess the best comparison would be the D club. I haven't heard much about the D club. I suspect it would be a great gap wedge for the high capper or sr golfer. How about the sand?

I tried the G in the PGASS it’s a good club, but I’m already playing the halo irons. I really didn’t see anything in it that’s much different from my set DW. In fact I much preferred my own club with the lighter graphite shaft.
I know it’s a personal choice, but I think the G isn‘t necessary if you’re already playing hybrid style irons. The SS 58* however fits in very nicely below the DW and a CBX 54*.
That said, I‘m not sure whether or not it will replace my 58* CBX in firm conditions. We’ll see….

 

[Thrillbilly Jim]

When you hit these well, it’s just fun! The distance and trajectory really progresses nicely from the bottom to the top of the bag. One thing that doesn’t get mentioned enough is feel. These irons feel soft when you middle it. Gets clicky on the ends, but the middle is nice.

 

[Just a hack]

Update on my XL HALO IRONS: WOW
Everything you all have said about these clubs is true. They are fabulous.
What not to love... can only get about a 5 yard cut
What to love... Handicap falling like a rock. 79 yesterday and with 2 penalty strokes. Not the clubs fault. Since playing these, been hovering around 80-85. Mainly because of putting.
High, long and just enough spin for stopping power. I like working the ball, so low, medium, high trajectories, 5 yard draw to a 90 degree hook is not a problem. The best I can get for a cut thought is only about yards and always high. Still a work in progress.
As was mentioned by Mr. Cobb in a previous post, these clubs are a challenge out of thick Bermuda ruff if the ball is nestled down in there. If sitting up a little, not to bad.
Thinking about adding the 5 iron to the 6-dw set.

 

[Grand Stranded]

Update on my XL HALO IRONS: WOW
Everything you all have said about these clubs is true. They are fabulous.
What not to love... can only get about a 5 yard cut
What to love... Handicap falling like a rock. 79 yesterday and with 2 penalty strokes. Not the clubs fault. Since playing these, been hovering around 80-85. Mainly because of putting.
High, long and just enough spin for stopping power. I like working the ball, so low, medium, high trajectories, 5 yard draw to a 90 degree hook is not a problem. The best I can get for a cut thought is only about yards and always high. Still a work in progress.
As was mentioned by Mr. Cobb in a previous post, these clubs are a challenge out of thick Bermuda ruff if the ball is nestled down in there. If sitting up a little, not to bad.
Thinking about adding the 5 iron to the 6-dw set.

I added the 5 iron and love it (it’s actually my favorite club in the set). I later added the 4iron, which was a disaster (I play my set 2* strong and the 18* just wouldn’t elevate for me). Lesson learned though, so I traded it in for a Halo Launcher XL 4 hybrid which is arriving tomorrow.

 

[Grand Stranded]

With adjustable fairways (TM, Ping, cobra) you can loft up a 3w or deloft a 5w to get that 4w type loft (17*ish). My 5w is weaker than most at 19*. But I need Launch so I tend to look for weaker clubs. Matter of fact I have g425 irons coming in retro lofts (2* weak) making the 6i 28*

Have your G425’s arrived yet? I’m curious what you think about them after playing the Cleveland and the i210’s?
I’m hoping they work out for you… the 425’s would seem to be the perfect medium between those two!

 

[cuonthe1t]

love my XL Halo irons too (7 thru D wedge) but I retired the 5 and 6 irons for a 24* 9 wood and a 27* 11 wood which I find more consistent once your swing speed slows down as you age as I am 70 - still get 170 carry with 11 wood and 180 carry with the 9 wood

 

[erock9174]

Have your G425’s arrived yet? I’m curious what you think about them after playing the Cleveland and the i210’s?
I’m hoping they work out for you… the 425’s would seem to be the perfect medium between those two!

Yes sir...I'll PM you vs derailing this thread

 

[Grand Stranded]

love my XL Halo irons too (7 thru D wedge) but I retired the 5 and 6 irons for a 24* 9 wood and a 27* 11 wood which I find more consistent once your swing speed slows down as you age as I am 70 - still get 170 carry with 11 wood and 180 carry with the 9 wood

That’s impressive distance with the 9&11…

 

[Carolina Golfer]

Update on my XL HALO IRONS: WOW
Everything you all have said about these clubs is true. They are fabulous.
What not to love... can only get about a 5 yard cut
What to love... Handicap falling like a rock. 79 yesterday and with 2 penalty strokes. Not the clubs fault. Since playing these, been hovering around 80-85. Mainly because of putting.
High, long and just enough spin for stopping power. I like working the ball, so low, medium, high trajectories, 5 yard draw to a 90 degree hook is not a problem. The best I can get for a cut thought is only about yards and always high. Still a work in progress.
As was mentioned by Mr. Cobb in a previous post, these clubs are a challenge out of thick Bermuda ruff if the ball is nestled down in there. If sitting up a little, not to bad.
Thinking about adding the 5 iron to the 6-dw set.

As they say, welcome to the club, lol. You might think about a 5 halo xl hybrid. I think the 6-DW is where these clubs shine, not as much with the 4 and 5, in my opinion.

 

[Grand Stranded]

As they say, welcome to the club, lol. You might think about a 5 halo xl hybrid. I think the 6-DW is where these clubs shine, not as much with the 4 and 5, in my opinion.

Did you struggle with the 4 iron also?

 

[Just a hack]

love my XL Halo irons too (7 thru D wedge) but I retired the 5 and 6 irons for a 24* 9 wood and a 27* 11 wood which I find more consistent once your swing speed slows down as you age as I am 70 - still get 170 carry with 11 wood and 180 carry with the 9 wood

I'm 71, but can still crank it a little. I play with Callaway Epic Max driver, 3 & 7 wood. I'm averaging 179 yards with 7 wood. I do have a Epic Max 9 wood, but for some reason (10" between my ears probably) I just can't hit the dang thing. My wife uses it and crushes it. I like the versatility of my 6 iron, that's why I'm considering the 5. My concern is the gap. Would there be enough to make it worth while.

 

[Just a hack]

As they say, welcome to the club, lol. You might think about a 5 halo xl hybrid. I think the 6-DW is where these clubs shine, not as much with the 4 and 5, in my opinion.

My current gamers are 4,5 and 6 Callaway Steelhead xr hybrids. Lately though I have been struggling with them. Every shot is a massive hook. I may have to demo the hybrid.

 

[Quadman]

79.5 years old. Just revisited my Altitude 588’s. 4i-9i followed by four 588 raw wedges(45*, 51*, 56*, 60*). The older I get the more I enjoy this set. Shot a fairly honest 42 for 9 holes from senior tees yesterday. But I am still curious if senior golfers who have played the Altitudes and Halo Xl have seen a noticeable difference. Thank you.