Cleveland Golf - A New Beginning!

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Formally HoosierGolfer
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So Cleveland Golf sort of dropped off the radar in recent years but have now decided to try and climb the mountain again in the world of major golf club maker.

What do you think of their new offering's and do you think they can grab a piece of the current market from the big hitters?
 
So Cleveland Golf sort of dropped off the radar in recent years but have now decided to try and climb the mountain again in the world of major golf club maker.

What do you think of their new offering's and do you think they can grab a piece of the current market from the big hitters?

I understand their rationale for the clubs they released. So far they have delivered for me regarding what they were gearing these clubs towards.

I do not see them taking a large market share from the bigger OEMs when it comes to woods and irons but I hope they do meet the sales goals that they have set internally. I am of the believe that they did not release the Launcher line to gain a large market share. All about meeting an unmet need in their eyes.


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So Cleveland Golf sort of dropped off the radar in recent years but have now decided to try and climb the mountain again in the world of major golf club maker.

What do you think of their new offering's and do you think they can grab a piece of the current market from the big hitters?

Wouldn't say dropped off the radar as much as reorganized to be a wedge company why Srixon covered irons/woods. With the addition of the CBX line I feel they are just picking up the market Srixon has mostly dropped. It's a win win for Srixon/Cleveland
 
To me the Launcher and CBX lines are basically rebranding the Srixon 355 (would be 375 this iteration I suppose) for the launcher/cbx and 155 for the HiBore irons. I think it is a good move as I have great memories of the Cleveland Launcher and hi Bore and helps to set up Cleveland as part of a 3 headed monster for the overall company.

Cleveland - GI/SGI and wedges/putters
Srixon - GI/Players and golf balls
XXIO - luxury golf brand

I don't know that it will make a huge splash in the market, but I think it gives them an opportunity to take some of the market that Nike and Adams have vacated in the last couple years. It won't be easy with the heat other OEMs are currently bringing but I think with their pricing structure, name recognition and some solid advertising that they can carve out a solid niche going forward.
 
I tried the RTX 2 and 3 but didn't get along with them as much as the mack daddy line so I went back to the MD. But the release of the new CBX line is slowly infiltrating my all Callaway bag. I've got the 48 and 52, looking to add the 56. I also just today got a CBX 7 iron to tryout against my xr 7 iron.

Also I picked up a HB #6 earlier this year and am currently reviewing the RHO.

So I would say they are bringing out some darn good products that really appeal to me and my game.
 
FWIW they never dropped off the map for Wedges and I believe have been either #1 or 2 for a long time. I believe the RTX 3 is no different, and is one of the best wedges on the market.

If they could bring irons and woods back out like the classic lines of a few years ago I’d be all about it. But they are essentially using Srixon for that.
 
I have not personally seen or hit any of their new offerings but really like the reviews I have read. I am hoping the Wardy special Launcher HB Driver that I won in the THP contest shows up soon so I can finally experience a club from their new line. I was always a huge fan of their metal woods so am excited to see them come back on the scene.
 
I think they can do OK. They haven't ever been the top of the heap but I think they put out quality products.

The CBX wedges are some good looking clubs and I could see them work their way into the bag. We have them in the pro shop and I keep checking them out whenever I am there. I need to read up more on the new driver and iron sets.
 
Hopefully these new lines are profitable. The CBX wedges are excellent, and I can only assume the irons perform similarly.
 
When you have a superb product in one market segment (wedges) and make massively underrated extremely products in another that are ridiculously reasonably priced (putters) you have a fighting chance in the other segments. I think Cleveland will be more than fine.
 
So Cleveland Golf sort of dropped off the radar in recent years...

I felt the same way, but apparently the numbers say otherwise. I think they are probably bigger in certain areas/markets than others because they certainly aren't in many bags where I play.

That being said, they do have great reviews and are on my radar to try at some point too (including the Srixon offerings).
 
To me the Launcher and CBX lines are basically rebranding the Srixon 355 (would be 375 this iteration I suppose) for the launcher/cbx and 155 for the HiBore irons. I think it is a good move as I have great memories of the Cleveland Launcher and hi Bore and helps to set up Cleveland as part of a 3 headed monster for the overall company.

Cleveland - GI/SGI and wedges/putters
Srixon - GI/Players and golf balls
XXIO - luxury golf brand

I don't know that it will make a huge splash in the market, but I think it gives them an opportunity to take some of the market that Nike and Adams have vacated in the last couple years. It won't be easy with the heat other OEMs are currently bringing but I think with their pricing structure, name recognition and some solid advertising that they can carve out a solid niche going forward.

This is a great post and how I see it as well. I also think that the Cleveland brand is strong in North America and Europe, particularly in the markets that this current play is targeting.

I don't think they want their better player Srixon line watered down by the aesthetics that the Cleveland clubs will have. The z355 was the ugly step child in the irons (and to lesser extent the FW) when compared to the other Srixons. The 5 and 7 series irons are some of the most visually attractive in golf, so the split makes a lot of sense.
 
For me the jury will be out for some time. Love their wedges, always will have a soft spot for them. I've hit the CBX irons and I think they did a great job with them. The new woods, I'm not a fan as they have a lot of left bias built into them at address, not a pleasing look. I get that Srixon is the more advanced line but since the CBX iron isn't full on SGI I thought the woods would have some more neutrality built into them.
 
For me the jury will be out for some time. Love their wedges, always will have a soft spot for them. I've hit the CBX irons and I think they did a great job with them. The new woods, I'm not a fan as they have a lot of left bias built into them at address, not a pleasing look. I get that Srixon is the more advanced line but since the CBX iron isn't full on SGI I thought the woods would have some more neutrality built into them.

I'm surprised you say there is that much left in to them, that wasn't my experience at all, and I'm a play who has no problem hitting the ball left.
 
I'm surprised you say there is that much left in to them, that wasn't my experience at all, and I'm a play who has no problem hitting the ball left.

Largely optics - at address they look to me liked they scream high and left and when I hit them they did just that - very likely I willed it to be!!
 
Largely optics - at address they look to me liked they scream high and left and when I hit them they did just that - very likely I willed it to be!!

There are worse things than high and left out of a FW. I'm far too often high and right. There's no joy in Mudville with that shot. Better off just hitting a hybrid.
 
This is a great post and how I see it as well. I also think that the Cleveland brand is strong in North America and Europe, particularly in the markets that this current play is targeting.

I don't think they want their better player Srixon line watered down by the aesthetics that the Cleveland clubs will have. The z355 was the ugly step child in the irons (and to lesser extent the FW) when compared to the other Srixons. The 5 and 7 series irons are some of the most visually attractive in golf, so the split makes a lot of sense.

Watered down aesthetics? Gotta disagree with that big time.
 
There are worse things than high and left out of a FW. I'm far too often high and right. There's no joy in Mudville with that shot. Better off just hitting a hybrid.

Not where I tend to play!
 
Watered down aesthetics? Gotta disagree with that big time.

Let me make sure I explain that. I personally thought the Z355 iron was ugly. In the racks in the store, there is a clear line linkage between the 5 series and the 7 series. The 3 series looked like it came from an entirely different OEM and looked cheap next to the 5 and the 7. It almost devalued the 5 and 7 series.

Take the exact same club, on the exact same sales rack and slap the name "Cleveland" on it, and it is fine. There's nothing against Cleveland in saying that. Right now I only have one non-Cleveland club in my bag. I think the 588 hybrids are the best looking hybrid I have ever played by any OEM. I like Cleveland. I will probably own a Launcher HB set, and a CBX iron. But that doesn't change my opinion that these same clubs are not the image that Srixon is going for in their main line.

This is the exact reason why auto-manufacturers release multiple lines. Commodities product companies (e.g. P&G) use the same strategy. It works on things far more expensive and less expensive than golf clubs, so it will work with golf clubs as well. We're consumers and these are luxury items. Tiered pricing and target audiences only make good business sense.
 
Let me make sure I explain that. I personally thought the Z355 iron was ugly. In the racks in the store, there is a clear line linkage between the 5 series and the 7 series. The 3 series looked like it came from an entirely different OEM and looked cheap next to the 5 and the 7. It almost devalued the 5 and 7 series.

Take the exact same club, on the exact same sales rack and slap the name "Cleveland" on it, and it is fine. There's nothing against Cleveland in saying that. Right now I only have one non-Cleveland club in my bag. I think the 588 hybrids are the best looking hybrid I have ever played by any OEM. I like Cleveland. I will probably own a Launcher HB set, and a CBX iron. But that doesn't change my opinion that these same clubs are not the image that Srixon is going for in their main line.

This is the exact reason why auto-manufacturers release multiple lines. Commodities product companies (e.g. P&G) use the same strategy. It works on things far more expensive and less expensive than golf clubs, so it will work with golf clubs as well. We're consumers and these are luxury items. Tiered pricing and target audiences only make good business sense.

FWIW - The only difference between CG and Srixon is the segment of player they are targeting. Nothing based on looks. This is directly what CG told us at The Shoot Out in August.
 
FWIW - The only difference between CG and Srixon is the segment of player they are targeting. Nothing based on looks. This is directly what CG told us at The Shoot Out in August.

I understand that. They've told me directly that the clubs are being designed by the same design team. These clubs are not really that much different that a Lexus from a Toyota (there's more difference in the vehicles) or Tide versus a generic (using the P&G example).

Let's also be very clear. A huge piece of targeting one market versus the other is solely the looks. A good player is going to be able play any of these sticks without issue. They're going to be drawn towards the 5 or 7, and visuals are a huge part of that. They wouldn't be caught dead playing a set of HB Launchers (or z355s), and don't want their pretty new toys to be associated in any way with them.

Make Cleveland cover the "shovels" and those who buy Cleveland aren't going to care. They could do a secondary price stratification.

The CBX irons are a bit of a puzzling one. They kind of blur the line between where Cleveland is, and the 5 series Srixon fits. I was a little surprised to see that line, but not remotely surprised to see any of the HB products.
 
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