About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the golf club, which I purchased with my own money in September of 2020.

My take

The Cleveland Launcher UHX Utility Iron is aimed at the mid to higher handicap golfer looking for a long iron replacement and isn’t necessarily comfortable with a “traditional” style hybrid club.

About the club I own

• Model: 2020 Cleveland Launcher UHX utility club
• Loft setting: 20 degrees, fixed
• Shaft type: Nippon 8950 GH
• Shaft flex: Stiff

About me

• Average score: 90
• Handicap: 18
• Experience: 30 years of playing golf
• Right/Left-Handed: Right-handed
• Typical ball flight: High fade
• Golf ball used: 2022 OnCore Elixr
• Club swing speed: 95 mph

Test conditions

• When I bought the club: September 2020
• Days tested: 30 days
• Where I’ve used it: Golf course
• Weather and wind conditions: Used in all normal weather conditions.

How it performs

What I was looking for

I really liked the look of the Cleveland Launcher UHX. However, since I don’t get along well with traditional hybrids, I wanted to see if this would perform better for me.

Why I chose this club

As I’m a little better with my irons than my woods, this club seemed a perfect middle ground for me. I searched for other utility irons, but this was the most affordable and suited me best.

What I love about it

• Distance: Distance is very solid with the Launcher UHX, particularly on mishits. This is likely due to the hollow design allowing the face to flex and adding spring.
• Forgiveness: This club has above-average forgiveness, due in large part to the hollow-bodied design. The beveled sole helps improve turf interaction.
• Shaft Feel: The shaft feels very smooth and launches effortlessly.
• Shaft Performance: Solid mid-high launch is standard for this shaft, as it was designed.
• Aesthetic Appeal: This is a very nice-looking club that instills confidence.
• Launch Angle: The club lives up to its name: Launcher. With a wide sole, low and deep weight distribution helps get the ball up.
• Other: I found the Launcher UHX to be better for people like me, who prefer a more “iron-like” design for their hybrid/utility club.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Feel: The club only seems to give feedback when I put a terrible swing on it.
• Sound: The sound of the club is nothing bad and nothing special.
• Workability: I could not work the Launcher much outside its intended design of a high draw.
• Adjustability: The club is a fixed hosel design and not adjustable. That’s fine for me, but some may want that feature.
• Grip Feel: The grip is a basic all-weather design. I changed it out immediately.
• Spin: Spin is not the strong suit of this club. It launches the ball high and straight.
• Other: If one doesn’t like offset in their clubhead, this design may not suit their eye. There is a generous amount of it here. It took a little getting used to for me.

Best shot with this club

I took the Launcher UHX with me to one of my favorite local courses, with two holes where I knew I would use it. On its maiden voyage, I put it to about 2 feet on a 170-yard, uphill par 3. Needless to say, I was impressed.

Value for the money vs. other options

For the money, I don’t think any name-brand offerings can compare to this club for its intended audience and purpose. But, having played the TaylorMade Ironwood, I believe this club holds its own.

Final verdict

I’m impressed with this Cleveland offering, and my friends who have hit it feel the same. It’s a perfect replacement for difficult-to-hit long irons and cumbersome “traditional” hybrid clubs.