I want a Cleveland XLS Driver, but Cleveland is working hard to make me not buy it

[deronsizemore]

So I've got a fitting scheduled with a Cleveland Golf rep this Thursday. He'll have the launch monitor and the whole fitting set up there (allegedly).

I call out to the driving range where this is happening (one of the top ranges in the US) and ask is the Cleveland rep will be brining any after market shafts to try. They told me that he would not be bringing anything but the stock Red and Golf shafts.

Is it just me, or does this seem a little dumb? According to the Cleveland rep, last year when he did fittings and brought all these after market shafts, most everyone that purchased a driver ended up getting a stock shaft anyway, so he didn't see the need to bring any after market shafts this year.

I've talked with NikeGuy about this and he confirmed that the Cleveland stock shafts are in fact pretty darn good shafts, but knowing I only have two shaft options will bug me to death. It will just leave some questions of "what if" you know?

Seems the Cleveland rep shouldn't assume that just because majority of the people end up going with the stock shaft option that EVERYONE will. I mean, maybe everyone he fitted last year were high handicappers? Maybe they all had lower swing speeds? I don't know? I do know a number of factors could have played into it.

It's like going into Foot Locker and needing a 12 but having the guy tell you that they didn't order any size 12 in that shoe because they normally only sell 9's. How dumb is that?

[Bigvivec]

I agree it is dumb...

What are your other options?

Check out the numbers...if you hit it well with one of the two shafts with good numbers across the board, your what if's will be taken care of...

[Darth Fader]

I am currently using the xls,and its getting re-shafted at the moment,upgrading to the proforce v2 (stiff) i found that the standard stiff shaft wasnt stiff enough,was hitting a high fade all the time,spent a while trying out potential shafts before settling on the proforce.

[Nikeguy07]

Originally Posted by deronsizemore

So I've got a fitting scheduled with a Cleveland Golf rep this Thursday. He'll have the launch monitor and the whole fitting set up there (allegedly).

I call out to the driving range where this is happening (one of the top ranges in the US) and ask is the Cleveland rep will be brining any after market shafts to try. They told me that he would not be bringing anything but the stock Red and Golf shafts.

Is it just me, or does this seem a little dumb? According to the Cleveland rep, last year when he did fittings and brought all these after market shafts, most everyone that purchased a driver ended up getting a stock shaft anyway, so he didn't see the need to bring any after market shafts this year.

I've talked with NikeGuy about this and he confirmed that the Cleveland stock shafts are in fact pretty darn good shafts, but knowing I only have two shaft options will bug me to death. It will just leave some questions of "what if" you know?

Seems the Cleveland rep shouldn't assume that just because majority of the people end up going with the stock shaft option that EVERYONE will. I mean, maybe everyone he fitted last year were high handicappers? Maybe they all had lower swing speeds? I don't know? I do know a number of factors could have played into it.

It's like going into Foot Locker and needing a 12 but having the guy tell you that they didn't order any size 12 in that shoe because they normally only sell 9's. How dumb is that?

I understand what you mean completely....BUT...The good thing is...Most of the time if a player doesn't fit into a stock shaft, it is because he is spinning the ball too much, and need to find a more exotic shaft to bring the spin down. The cleveland head is probably the lowest spinning "retail" club head out there, so this helps when you are fitting...I have an extremely high spin rate, and with the Hibore 8.5 XL tour and their stock RED fuji fit on M shaft X flex, my numbers where spot on...HOWEVER, I did switch out to a heavier shaft so I could have more control....So don't get TOO discouraged yet, because those Fujikura shafts with their heads are pretty lethal...BUT I do think it is fun to have about 6-8 different combos out there so you can see the difference, and KNOW you are getting the PERFECT and OPTIMAL fit!

[deronsizemore]

Originally Posted by Nikeguy07

I understand what you mean completely....BUT...The good thing is...Most of the time if a player doesn't fit into a stock shaft, it is because he is spinning the ball too much, and need to find a more exotic shaft to bring the spin down. The cleveland head is probably the lowest spinning "retail" club head out there, so this helps when you are fitting...I have an extremely high spin rate, and with the Hibore 8.5 XL tour and their stock RED fuji fit on M shaft X flex, my numbers where spot on...HOWEVER, I did switch out to a heavier shaft so I could have more control....So don't get TOO discouraged yet, because those Fujikura shafts with their heads are pretty lethal...BUT I do think it is fun to have about 6-8 different combos out there so you can see the difference, and KNOW you are getting the PERFECT and OPTIMAL fit!

Thanks for the info. Makes me feel better definitely! You swing the club faster than I do, so if you're able to find a match with your swing speed, I should be ok. But you're right, kinda takes the fun out of it not being able to hit all the different shafts. In all honesty though, if I find something that is a pretty good fit for me in one of the stock shafts, going to an exotic shaft would likely at most give me another couple yards, which probably wouldn't be worth the price tag on the shaft anyway. We'll see once I get there, but I anticipate needing around a 9.5 head, Fit on M Red X-Stiff shaft. I'll probably go with the square head non-tour head though. For some reason just looks better to me. Will everyone's optimal numbers be different depending on their swing speed or will your "spot on" numbers be pretty close to what my spot on numbers would be?

Originally Posted by Bigvivec

I agree it is dumb...

What are your other options?

Check out the numbers...if you hit it well with one of the two shafts with good numbers across the board, your what if's will be taken care of...

Well I guess technically I've got a lot of other options to choose from, but I like the looks of this driver, like what I've heard and like the price tag even more. My old Cleveland launcher was good to me too, so this one I'm hoping lives up to the hype.

Yeah, hopefully one of these two shafts will give me a good ball flight and optimal numbers and I can buy it and finally be done with it!

[Nikeguy07]

This should help....This is optimal...

[deronsizemore]

Thanks, I appreciate it!

[OnePutt]

I hit the new XLS last weekend, and the Cleveland rep was telling me I'd gain 25 to 30 yards over the XL I had with me. He looked surprised when I looked at him with a look of disbelieve on my face. I'm thinking, Right, I'm going to gain 25 to 30 yards, on top of my current 250 to260 yard carry. Do that and I'll be hitting 275 to 290 yard carry drives. Wouldn't that be nice. Of course if he was correct, I figure Vijay Singh would be gaining the same 25 to 30 yards, and he'd be leading the pro tour this year. As much as I'd love to be hitting 300 plus drives all the time. something tells me the rep was full of it. Just what golfers really need. More promises of 25 more yards off the tee, and dead straight down the middle every time. RIGHT.

[Nikeguy07]

Originally Posted by OnePutt

I hit the new XLS last weekend, and the Cleveland rep was telling me I'd gain 25 to 30 yards over the XL I had with me. He looked surprised when I looked at him with a look of disbelieve on my face. I'm thinking, Right, I'm going to gain 25 to 30 yards, on top of my current 250 to260 yard carry. Do that and I'll be hitting 275 to 290 yard carry drives. Wouldn't that be nice. Of course if he was correct, I figure Vijay Singh would be gaining the same 25 to 30 yards, and he'd be leading the pro tour this year. As much as I'd love to be hitting 300 plus drives all the time. something tells me the rep was full of it. Just what golfers really need. More promises of 25 more yards off the tee, and dead straight down the middle every time. RIGHT.

Wow...Being a former rep, that is prob the dumbest thing he could tell you...Who promises a certain yardage to someone .....Don't count on ANY yards...

[deronsizemore]

Originally Posted by Nikeguy07

Wow...Being a former rep, that is prob the dumbest thing he could tell you...Who promises a certain yardage to someone .....Don't count on ANY yards...

Yeah, not really looking to gain any yards by changing, although that would be nice to pick up 5 or 10. I'm looking for a more consistent ball flight (hit it pretty high right now) and looking for more control. It would be nice to be able to get the same distance as I am now though, only with less effort.

[Leaguegolf]

Originally Posted by OnePutt

I'm thinking, Right, I'm going to gain 25 to 30 yards, on top of my current 250 to260 yard carry. Do that and I'll be hitting 275 to 290 yard carry drives. Wouldn't that be nice.

Add a Zero Friction tee and you're certain to gain another 20 yards and go right to the head of the class!

[Nikeguy07]

Originally Posted by deronsizemore

Yeah, not really looking to gain any yards by changing, although that would be nice to pick up 5 or 10. I'm looking for a more consistent ball flight (hit it pretty high right now) and looking for more control. It would be nice to be able to get the same distance as I am now though, only with less effort.

Yup...Now you're talking...that could def be attainable especially getting fit

[deronsizemore]

Originally Posted by Nikeguy07

Yup...Now you're talking...that could def be attainable especially getting fit

Tomorrow is the big fitting day, so we'll see what happens. I'll post the results.

[GolfSavage]

If you use the right tee, the right ball, wear the right shoes, warm up with the right stick, have a magnetic pendant around your neck and matching bracelet on your wrist, and send $100 to the preacher for a vial of holy water, mathmatically you should be able to addd more yards to your drive than you were getting to begin with!

Or you can get "The Hammer"!

[deronsizemore]

Originally Posted by GolfSavage

Or you can get "The Hammer"!

Ha Ha, the Hammer! BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!

Seriously, has anyone ever saw that commercial and thought "I've just gotta have it!"?

[OnePutt]

Deron; Too bad the rep will not have any 75 gram shafts to try. Going uip to a 75 gram shaft is one way to gain some control without losing any yardage. I recently got fit and I was recommended to move up to 75 gram shaft. I did it and I'm quite pleased with the results. Swing speed didn't change, so distance didn't change.

[deronsizemore]

Originally Posted by OnePutt

Deron; Too bad the rep will not have any 75 gram shafts to try. Going uip to a 75 gram shaft is one way to gain some control without losing any yardage. I recently got fit and I was recommended to move up to 75 gram shaft. I did it and I'm quite pleased with the results. Swing speed didn't change, so distance didn't change.

Yeah, I went and got fitted today. The 9.5 standard head with the stiff gold Fit on M shaft (60g) gave me the best numbers of the clubs that he had to try. He recommended that I go to an extra stiff because it would give me a little more control and a little less spin.

I'm making a separate post about my fitting right after this...