Cleveland Launcher XL2 Draw Driver Review

Research has found that over 60 per cent of golfers regularly hit a slice with their driver – so could the Cleveland Golf Launcher XL 2 Draw driver help you find more fairways? Let’s find out.

With so many right-handed golfer often looking for their ball in the right rough or trees, Cleveland’s Launcher XL 2 driver – like versions of the 2024 Paradym Ai Smoke drivers from Callaway, Qi10 drivers from TaylorMade and Ping’s G340 Max 10K driver – also comes in a Draw model, specifically designed to curb a slice.

More significantly, the Launcher XL’s RRP of $449.99 means it will cost around $150 less than those models, too – but we feel it will still be among the best drivers of the year.

The Launcher XL2 Draw and its sibling, Cleveland’s Launcher XL2, headline a range of new Cleveland woods – two drivers, plus HALO XL fairway woods and hybrids, and the brand new Hy-Wood family, which combines the best features of a hybrid and a wood.

Built-in slice help

A draw driver has built-in technology to promote a right-to-left ball flight (for right-handed golfers).

Many of the best draw drivers are adjustable, allowing you to customize the amount of draw-bias you want.

This can be particularly helpful if the severity of your slice reduces over time as the result of golf lessons and/or practice.

The Draw version of the Cleveland Launcher XL 2 features a reworked chassis to help golfers square the clubface at impact.

There’s also a lighter stock shaft.

Designed for club golfers

Though Cleveland’s brilliant RTX6 wedges are firmly among our best w

edges of 2023 the new drivers are squarely aimed at club golfers, rather than tour pros.

“From top to bottom, the Launcher XL 2 was designed with the avid golfer in mind,” said Joe Miller, European Product Manager, Cleveland Golf Europe.

“We want players to feel confident off the tee and know they’re going to get the most out of their round with the best club in the bag.

“Across the board players are going to see a noticeable difference in distance, feel, and consistency.”

‘MainFrame’ Face tech

The secret to the Launcher XL 2’s performance lies within its MainFrame XL Face technology.

This new AI-driven design process creates a variable thickness face design which reshapes and enlarges the sweet spot, improves energy transfer, and delivers powerful ball speeds for maximum distance.

It also repositions weight low and deep in the clubhead for added forgiveness and consistency.

XL head design

Another key feature of the Launcher XL 2 is its XL Head Design and weighting setup that delivers even more MOI than its predecessor, offering a 2% increase in heel/toe MOI and 12% increase in high/low MOI – the highest levels ever in a Cleveland driver ever.

To further enhance playability, the Launcher XL 2 has an adjustable hosel, so you can fine-tune launch angle, distance and shot shape.

Other key features in the Launcher XL 2 driver are Cleveland Golf’s Rebound Frame technology, which increases the amount of energy directed into the ball, and Action Mass CB, an 8-gram counterbalance weight that’s placed into the end of the shaft for a more balanced, stable feel and more control without extra effort.

What Cleveland Golf say about the Launcher XL 2

“The Launcher XL 2 line combines maximum distance and forgiveness, while introducing all-new performance features to take golfers’ long game to new heights,” says Joe Miller, European Product Manager, Cleveland Golf Europe.

“From top to bottom, the Launcher XL 2 was designed with the avid golfer in mind. We want players to feel confident off the tee and know they’re going to get the most out of their round with the best club in the bag.

“The Launcher XL 2’s optimal performance lies within its MainFrame XL Face technology. A new AI-driven process helped create a variable thickness face design that reshapes and enlarges the sweet spot, improves energy transfer, and delivers powerful ball speeds for maximum distance.”

Video: How does the Cleveland Launcher XL 2 compare to other draw drivers?

Verdict: Cleveland Launcher XL 2 driver

It’s astonishing that Cleveland, a brand that changed direction not so long ago to solely look after club golfers with their woods and irons have revealed their latest driver with a price tag of £426. It wasn’t long ago this level just about bought a premium driver, sadly those days are no more.

To be clear this is a full-on titanium head, there’s no carbon crown, carbon sole sections, or carbon face and there’s certainly no movable sole weight. There is though an adjustable hosel which allows you just enough versatility to dial in loft, face angle and lie. I’m absolutely not saying the XL 2 draw isn’t value for money in the current climate, it just feels like you don’t want to pay the full RRP for it.        

The XL 2 Draw is very much a traditional draw driver. It has a lightweight and lively feel and at address you should expect a face angle that points left of the target. The head is extremely wide from front to back, but it’s very aerodynamically optimized with a tall face height that slopes steeply to a slither of material at the back of the head.

All in as far as draw drivers go the XL 2 did a job for me, it powered shots down the left side of the range at similar levels to the most draw-biased driver I’ve ever hit  – the Ping G430 SFT. It also produced a ball speed and carry distance just above my test average.

So long as a left tendency is the shot shape your game requires the XL 2 absolutely does what it says on the tin. Just be aware it felt like shots were driven forward a little lower and less flighted than I would typically expect. And the right-to-left ball flight could be a bit one-dimensional on the golf course, should you encounter a left-to-right dogleg.

Data Comparison: How does the Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Draw driver compare to competitor models?

I put the Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Draw driver up against leading competitor models at Woodhall Spa Golf Club. My test data below shows how the nine models compare.

Driver	Ball Speed	Launch Angle	Backspin	Height	Descent Angle	Carry Distance	Shot Area
PXG 0311 GEN6 XF	120 MPH	12º	2563 RPM	21 YDS	30.9º	211 YDS	196.4 SQ YDS (3)
TaylorMade Qi10 Max (9º)	121 MPH	12º	2650 RPM	19 YDS	34.4º	210 YDS	325.7 SQ YDS
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max D	119.9 MPH	14.9º	2517 RPM	25 YDS	37.1º	210 YDS	143 SQ YDS (1)
Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Draw	119.5 MPH	12.7º	2495 RPM	21 YDS	32.4º	208 YDS	564 SQ YDS
Ping G430 SFT	118.9 MPH	14.9º	2760 RPM	24 YDS	36.4º	206 YDS	278.4 SQ YDS
Cobra Darkspeed Max	119.1 MPH	11.8º	2579 RPM	26 YDS	36.8º	205 YDS	299.6 SQ YDS
Inesis 500 HL	117 MPH	16.3º	2849 RPM	28 YDS	40.6º	203 YDS	515.2 SQ YDS
Yonex Ezone Elite 4	117.9 MPH	13.9º	3026 RPM	24 YDS	37.8º	202 YDS	342 SQ YDS
Cobra Air X	118.9 MPH	14.4º	2507 RPM	26 YDS	38.6º	201 YDS	645.3 SQ YDS
AVERAGE	119.2 MPH	13.5º	2657 RPM	23.4 YDS	36.1º	206.4 YDS	347.7 SQ YDS

*All lofts at 10.5º unless otherwise stated.

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About the author

Simon Daddow – Today’s Golfer Equipment Editor

Having tested and played more than 10,000 clubs in his life, what Simon doesn’t know about golf clubs isn’t worth knowing.

He’s a specialist in all things metal having spent a large part of his career as a golf club maker and product development manager, and has worked in the golf industry for more than 30 years.

He joined EMAP Active (now Bauer Media) as Equipment Editor in 2006 and has made todays-golfer.com the most reliable source for golf club testing.

You can contact Simon via email and follow him on Twitter for loads more golf equipment insight.

Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Draw driver

RRP: $449.99 / £429

Lofts: 9° / 10.5° / 12°

Adjustable hosel: Yes (12 different positions)

Stock shaft: Aldila Ascent PL 40

Stock grip: Lamkin Crossline 360

Visit the Cleveland Golf website here