Cleveland 588 Altitude Driver Preview

[Nate]

I lopped 1-1/4 inches off it, so it had to be done. My X-Hot is frankentaped too.

So hitting it at just over 44 inches? That's a lot to chop off! I wonder if the shaft will get more stiff on you?

Now if I can find some time to actually hit the damn thing again.

I'd be happy to help out if you want to fly down to Dallas for the weekend! 14 degree launch is pretty good Hawk. I like that you are getting it high! That would be high for me!

My Optiforce is at 46 inches. I believe the Custom standard is at 45.5? This will be real close in what I've been slinging the last year or so.

 

[Hawk]

Have you found yourself getting "whippy" with it at all? My limited experiences with lighter driver shafts had that as my major hiccup when swinging.

Cant wait to see what this driver does for my knuckleballs

I don't think it's super whippy, especially compared to Cleveland Black, but I think those that don't like a really light setup will need to make some adjustments for sure.

14-15* range stock is pretty dang solid dude, the cross face forgiveness factor is what I'm most intrigued about and it def seems like that is a plus in this one.

As a golfer who usually benefits the most from a more mid-spin head by nature this is the one out of their 2014 line I want to hit the most, I'm not sure it would be the best fit, but I'd damn sure like to find out.

Come to IL! Weather is beautiful this time of year

So hitting it at just over 44 inches? That's a lot to chop off! I wonder if the shaft will get more stiff on you?



I'd be happy to help out if you want to fly down to Dallas for the weekend! 14 degree launch is pretty good Hawk. I like that you are getting it high! That would be high for me!

My Optiforce is at 46 inches. I believe the Custom standard is at 45.5? This will be real close in what I've been slinging the last year or so.

44.5 I think is what I ended up with. Yep, Custom is 45.5.

14° isn't bad for me, but I can do fine with higher than that even since I'm not a big spinner. With your swing you'd hit it much higher than I do.

 

[Nate]

14° isn't bad for me, but I can do fine with higher than that even since I'm not a big spinner. With your swing you'd hit it much higher than I do.

I'm pretty steep with my driver Hawk. I tend to hit down with my driver swing and have always played a low to mid ball flight. The Optiforce/Oban I have now is the highest I've ever hit a driver. I should go get numbers on it to see what it really is. If I'm in the 13-14 launch range with the Custom I'll be pretty happy I think.

 

[Hawk]

I think you'd be able to get something worked out with it since you can tweak the loft on the 588. Your love of the Opti does have me wondering what you could get out of this with the right shaft though. I just think the fact that it's a bonded driver will make it tough to test different shafts. When I was at the store a couple weeks ago they just had this one in the stock config with a couple different flexes, whereas the XL Custom had a full fitting cart of shafts.

 

[Nate]

I think you'd be able to get something worked out with it since you can tweak the loft on the 588. Your love of the Opti does have me wondering what you could get out of this with the right shaft though. I just think the fact that it's a bonded driver will make it tough to test different shafts. When I was at the store a couple weeks ago they just had this one in the stock config with a couple different flexes, whereas the XL Custom had a full fitting cart of shafts.

No doubt. I'll be testing the 10.5 and maybe lofting up from there. I'm starting to fall in line with the lofting up theories out there if the spin #'s are right.

 

[Hawk]

Best description I keep coming up with for this one is to compare it to the X-Hot, though there are some key differences. If you like a forgiving head that's going to put the ball up in the air pretty well, I think it's a good one to look at.

It's light - I want to say 270g and it is noticeable in hand compared to my gamer driver. I get the reason for that based on who it's targeted for. In a perfect world it would probably me more standard for me, but it's not appearing to be an issue when it comes to performance.

Obviously is a bonded head, so no adjustments. For some that could be an issue. I'd love a simple O/C/N hosel on there just to get the face angle the way I like it, but no huge deal.

Launch for me is good - in the 14-15 range at the moment, which is not the highest I've tested in a 10.5° in the last year, but right in a comfortable spot for me. Spin is higher as well, but for me that just means it's in the mid to high 2k range and that's great. All that means is that I can get the ball elevated nicely. Distance is comparable to what I'm used to. No big gains or anything, but some decent consistency with contact off the center and that's important to me.

I'd like to put my normal gamer shaft in it eventually and probably will. I really like the way the shaft feels and how I played with it last year. I think I'll still maintain the results I'm seeing as well just based off how it works in a similar head.

Stay tuned for more. Still haven't done a ton with this one, but will devote more time soon.

Just going to quote this since my thoughts today are the same.

Will add that the face appears quite closed to me and was more noticeable today than I remembered. Maybe bc I was testing another driver that is sort of this one's polar opposite. Can't say I loved that look. Adjusted my grip a bit and that helped, but man would I love an adapter on this head. Sort of kills the lightweight thing though.

 

[Rhyno]

I noticed that as well, to me this is the first club that I noticed the face angle at rest.

Not saying other clubs didn't have more or less or whatever just that I noticed it with this driver.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

[mikedean441]

Just going to quote this since my thoughts today are the same.

Will add that the face appears quite closed to me and was more noticeable today than I remembered. Maybe bc I was testing another driver that is sort of this one's polar opposite. Can't say I loved that look. Adjusted my grip a bit and that helped, but man would I love an adapter on this head. Sort of kills the lightweight thing though.

How bad of a close are u talking? Noticeably big time?

 

[Rhyno]

Tried to take a picture of it.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

[Hawk]

Yeah it was pretty noticeable.

 

[mikedean441]

Tried to take a picture of it.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

Hmm doesn't look too bad...will have to see what the results are when I try it out and go from there. Adjustability would be awesome

 

[Wicked Cool Bearded Man]

For the, that looks stellar. Still thinking too high spin though

 

[War Eagle]

Hmm doesn't look too bad...will have to see what the results are when I try it out and go from there. Adjustability would be awesome

Why? If you find a loft and shaft that fit you, do you really need it to be adjustable?

 

[mikedean441]

Why? If you find a loft and shaft that fit you, do you really need it to be adjustable?

Flexibility. ..but I'm a stock kinda guy anyhow. Will certainly try both drivers in a fitting.

 

[Hawk]

Yea, it could have been from going back and forth. I was using the Covert Tour prior to this one and was doing some adjusting as part of testing.

For me, having the adjustable hosel would be good, even if I did find a loft and shaft that worked. Mostly because I like the look and results I get from opening up the face having played my X-Hot that way for so long. It's a comfort thing, but it also has given me very good results.

 

[Wicked Cool Bearded Man]

Yea, it could have been from going back and forth. I was using the Covert Tour prior to this one and was doing some adjusting as part of testing.

For me, having the adjustable hosel would be good, even if I did find a loft and shaft that worked. Mostly because I like the look and results I get from opening up the face having played my X-Hot that way for so long. It's a comfort thing, but it also has given me very good results.

Results tend to be the most important, but are related to feel, looks and confidence haha

 

[MPM1960]

Was at a demo day in Fairfield, OH, earlier today and hit the Altitude driver (10.5 degrees loft, regular flex). To be honest, I was really surprised at the performance of the club ... very good forgiveness across the face and pretty long compared to other drivers I hit today. I went in skeptical, and now I find myself looking on Ebay for some used Altitudes for a late-winter purchase.

BTW, the Cleveland rep was awesome to talk to today ... very knowledgeable about his equipment and anxious to help. The TM rep at the end of the range needs to go back and learn some people skills ... and the Wilson rep had a 12-month calendar at his table that he wouldn't sell (a beautiful blonde was featured throughout) ... but I digress. Cleveland has a solid offering in the Altitude driver and I'm glad I had the opportunity to hit it today.

Mike

 

[Hawk]

Hate to say it, but this one didn't do anything at all for me today. I guess I take that back. It sounds good and I hit the center of the face quite a bit. I just didn't really see anything that impressed me with the shots I was hitting, especially compared to a few others I had with me. I'd love to try it with my Tour Blue, but the super duper light head would be tough to get a reasonable SW and the shaft isn't offered as a custom option by Cleveland. Back to the drawing board.

 

[majBC]

Hate to say it, but this one didn't do anything at all for me today. I guess I take that back. It sounds good and I hit the center of the face quite a bit. I just didn't really see anything that impressed me with the shots I was hitting, especially compared to a few others I had with me. I'd love to try it with my Tour Blue, but the super duper light head would be tough to get a reasonable SW and the shaft isn't offered as a custom option by Cleveland. Back to the drawing board.

Do you think that's more the issue Hawk, the SW adjustment you had to do with cutting it down from 45.75"?
It looked like a lot of tape on that driver.

 

[Hawk]

Man, I really don't know. It's super light overall. My X-Hot, which coincidentally was still my favorite of the 5 drivers I had in the bag today, is really heavy in the head. It just feels right, flies right, and looks right. I think I'm just going to play it this year again.

 

[mikedean441]

Got a chance to hit the 10.5 today. My flat swing still wouldn't allow me to get any launch or distance. I did like the feel of the club on the well struck ones. Looking forward to trying out the 12* with a better swing.

 

[War Eagle]

Got a chance to hit the 10.5 today. My flat swing still wouldn't allow me to get any launch or distance. I did like the feel of the club on the well struck ones. Looking forward to trying out the 12* with a better swing.

Which shaft did it have in it? Stock?

 

[majBC]

Man, I really don't know. It's super light overall. My X-Hot, which coincidentally was still my favorite of the 5 drivers I had in the bag today, is really heavy in the head. It just feels right, flies right, and looks right. I think I'm just going to play it this year again.

I tend to like a shorter and a little heavier driver. I currently play my '07 Burner at 44.25" and it weighs 364 grams, but the SW is a C3, it is counterweighted. I have realized that heavier overall weight can negate for SW, at least for me. I would like to figure out which of the four factors (length, overall weight, counterweight, and SW) play the biggest role for me and how to maximize them for my swing. Another thing I have found out from hitting the Cleveland Classic is deep face drivers don't suit me very well either.

 

[majBC]

Got a chance to hit the 10.5 today. My flat swing still wouldn't allow me to get any launch or distance. I did like the feel of the club on the well struck ones. Looking forward to trying out the 12* with a better swing.

Deano is it that your swing is flat or is it the fact that you play with a shut face club?
I seem to remember from a video you posted that you seemed to play from a very shut clubface and this can cause difficulty with launch angle especially with lower lofted clubs.

 

[mikedean441]

Deano is it that your swing is flat or is it the fact that you play with a shut face club?
I seem to remember from a video you posted that you seemed to play from a very shut clubface and this can cause difficulty with launch angle especially with lower lofted clubs.

Both...1 leading to the other.

Worked on it a bit with the irons in my 2 lessons, still in the correction phase