The Best Cleveland Golf Clubs
Photo courtesy of Cleveland Golf
Tl;dr: Learn how Cleveland golf clubs can help you off the tee, from the fairway (or rough), and improve your short game. They’re some of the most forgiving, easy-to-hit clubs that are also some of the most affordable.
If you’re looking for the best Cleveland golf clubs I’m here to help. Cleveland has been around for decades, but it’s an overlooked brand at times compared to other big names.
But that doesn’t mean they don’t make stellar equipment that I know can help your game. I used to play Cleveland drivers and fairway woods (including my favorite trusty 7-wood) and absolutely loved them.
Keep reading about this iconic brand to learn how they might be just what you need to get confidence in any area of your game.
About Cleveland Golf
Cleveland Golf began in the late 1970s, originally making ski equipment before shifting to golf. They might not have brand awareness like Titleist, Ping, or Callaway, but they make extremely forgiving equipment, ideal for casual golfers. They don’t have a ton of PGA Tour players using them, as they specialize more in clubs for the everyday golfer. However, I’ve used their wedges several times in my career and can say they’re some of the best-performing wedges for your short game.
Not only does their equipment make golf a lot easier, but they're also some of the most affordable clubs in the sport, often 30%-50% cheaper than other brands like Cobra, Titleist, or TaylorMade for the same clubs. If you’re on a tight budget but love golf, Cleveland is a top brand.
Best Cleveland Golf Clubs
If you need a forgiving, easy-to-hit, complete set, driver, woods, irons, or putter, Cleveland has some fantastic gear. Here are some of my favorite picks to help you enjoy the game more and hopefully hit it better than ever.
Cleveland Launcher XL Drivers
The Cleveland Launcher XL drivers are some of the lightest, most easy to hit drivers in the world. The new XL head design has the highest moment of inertia (MOI) of any Cleveland driver ever. Paired with the high-launch design and low/deep weighting, this club makes it easier than ever to hit high bombs off the tee.
What’s awesome about these clubs is that they are available in several models to fit all types of mid- to higher handicappers. Let’s review each one to find the club that will help your confidence off the tee.
Cleveland Launcher XL
If you’re a mid-handicap golfer or a high handicap but trending down this is the best choice for you. It’s lighter than most drivers (like Titleist, Ping, TaylorMade) and extremely forgiving thanks to a massive sweet spot.
Despite its incredibly lightweight design, it does still have an adjustable hosel. You can adjust the loft from 9 to 12 degrees, moving up or down in 0.5 increments. This makes it easier than ever to fine-tune the club to your specifications and ideal launch angle.
The Launcher XL also comes with a Project X Cypher 50 shaft, which continues the lightweight design. Most drivers have 60- to 70-gram shafts, so this lighter option can help improve launch and max out total distance even if you have a slower swing speed.
Cleveland Launcher XL Lite
The Lite version of the Launcher XL is even lighter thanks to its stripped-down design. If you need effortless distance above adjustability, this is likely the best option.
The bonded hosel makes this driver 12 grams lighter than the XL so it’s easier to swing faster. Paired with a 0.25-inch longer shaft, this club is fast and should add distance to your tee shots.
Another difference is the stock shaft, which is a Project X Cypher 40. This is even lighter than the XL shaft and has a higher launch for longer carry distances.
Cleveland Launcher XL Lite Draw
The final model that has been a big hit with amateur golfers is the XL Lite Draw. It has all the same features as the XL Lite (including a longer shaft and lighter clubhead) with one exception — a built-in draw bias.
Cleveland reworked the design of the driver to make it incredibly easy to straighten out your slice without spending thousands on golf lessons. If you’re a higher-handicap golfer and/or someone who has fought a slice for too long, this is the best Cleveland driver for your game.
Cleveland Launcher XL Halo Irons
Cleveland also makes some of the most easy-to-hit irons and combo sets, including their new XL Halo irons. These iron sets are known as game improvement clubs, as they’re designed for maximum launch and distance, even with a slower swing speed.
The XL head design (which makes them look like part iron, part hybrid) should inspire a ton of confidence from any lie on the golf course. The rail-to-V-shaped sole design also helps improve turf interaction, making mid- and long irons easier than ever to hit.
The design shifts from short irons and wedges to a three-tiered sole to help with shots from short range and from the bunkers. The face of these irons is hot, which ensures maximum ball speed, distance, and forgiveness even on mishits.
These easy-to-hit irons are offered in graphite or steel shafts to help optimize distance and spin based on your swing speed. If your iron game is holding you back and you want to have more birdie putts these are a solid choice.
Cleveland Launcher XL Irons
If you want an easy-to-hit set of irons but don’t want an overwhelmingly large, hybrid-like design the Launcher XL set is a fantastic choice. These clubs are still very good with mishits but offer a much smaller design and are a better fit for mid-handicappers.
The design of these clubs changes from long to short irons, giving you more forgiveness where you need it most. The V-shaped sole changes based on the club to improve turf interaction and maintain speed through the golf ball, which should result in more consistent iron shots and, hopefully, more birdie putts.
Another thing to note with these forgiving, oversized irons is the two shaft choices. The graphite shafts are lightweight and ideal for slower-swinging golfers, while the True Temper Elevate 95 steel shaft is heavier and better for faster-swinging golfers.
If you aren’t sure which type of iron suits you best, make sure to read our guide on blades versus cavity-back irons.
Cleveland Golf CBX Zipcore Wedges
Cleveland has been known for their wedges more than woods, hybrids, or irons for decades. What I love about Cleveland is that they offer a more forgiving option than other brands like TaylorMade or Titleist. The Zipcore wedges replaced the popular Cleveland CBX wedges.
The CBX Zipcore wedges are much easier to hit than a standard blade-type wedge. The cavity-back design helps you hit it more consistently on full shots and ones around the green.
As their catchy slogan says, “All you wanna do is chunk a little less. Skull a little less. Duff a little less.” There’s no doubt these wedges can help and easy to see why they’ve won awards like the Golf Digest Gold List and My Golf Spy Members Choice.
These wedges come in a variety of lofts and sole grinds and, unlike most brands, offer graphite or steel shafts. The spinner shafts and UltiZip grooves will give you more backspin than ever around the greens.
Whether you need a gap wedge, sand wedge, or lob wedge, I'm confident these will help you save strokes every round.
They’ll make wedge shots easier, give you a huge confidence boost, and hopefully save tons of shots around the greens.
Cleveland Putters
The final piece of equipment that had to make the best Cleveland Golf clubs list is their putters. They’re some of the most popular among amateur golfers, as they’re affordable and a solid option for beginners with a less consistent stroke. I’ve rolled several different models myself and been impressed with their look, feel, and overall design. Here are two of the best choices.
Cleveland Huntington Beach SOFT Premier
If you’re the type of golfer who wants a simple blade putter, it’s hard to beat the Huntington Beach models. The Speed Optimized Face Technology (SOFT) helps improve ball speed even on mishits for better speed control (and hopefully fewer than three putts). Because let’s get real, nothing kills a round like a costly three jack after hitting the green in regulation.
The CG and high-MOI design make these extremely forgiving, so if you do hit it on the toe or the heel, it’s not the end of the world. They’re also easy to line up and should inspire a ton of consistency on short putts where alignment is a premium.
Cleveland Frontline Elite Rho
If you’re like me and prefer a mallet design instead of a blade putter, the Frontline is a top pick. This club looks clean at address, which makes it easier than ever to align and get started on the proper line.
Aside from its good looks, this putter has an adjustable weighting system. This makes it easier to add or remove weight to help offset your tendencies and hit it in the center of the face more often. This putter is perfect if you have a minimal arc or are more of a straight-back, straight-through type of putter.
Honestly, you can't go wrong with any of the Huntington or Frontline putters.
Find the Best Cleveland Golf Clubs for You
Cleveland Golf is a top brand for golfers who want easy-to-hit equipment. Whether you need a driver, fairway woods, irons, wedges, or a putter, they have clubs for you.
Not only do they have a wide range of clubs, but this manufacturer has some of the best prices in the game. You won’t drop $600 on a driver or $1,000 on a set of irons like with other brands. If you’re not sure which Cleveland Golf clubs are right for you, make sure to reach out to a Curated Golf Expert today for free, personalized input.