- Updated: March 1, 2024
Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Driver Review
Large, Launch, Loud, and Long
Ryan Heiman
Founder and head author at Independent Golf Reviews
The Cleveland Launch XL 2 Driver was in my bag for 4 rounds this spring. It is different than most of the other drivers on the market in terms of size, construction, and sound. However, what it does is exactly what most golfers want their driver to do: go straight up the fairway with easy launch and good distance. You might just want to give this driver a try for boomin drives.
This is the definitive Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Driver Review for 2024.
XL 2
When 460cc driver first game out, everyone commented about the size of the heads compared to previous drivers. There were numerous jokes about a toaster as a driver head, a VW bug as a driver head, etc. However, in the last 20 years we’ve come to accept that size because of the massive amounts of forgiveness. However The Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Driver has one of the biggest looking heads for 2024. The 460cc volume is shaped in a long front to back distance which makes this head look huge behind the ball. This size scream forgiveness and power. If you have grown accustomed to large driver heads, this is as big as it gets.
Launcher
The Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Driver has what they call Mainframe XL Face technology paired with low and deep weight. This basically means high MOI plus lots of forgiveness for fast launch off the entire face. It is one of the easiest launching drivers of 2024. No more worm burners off the tee, even with a 9* head, you’ll get quick and easy launch. It isn’t the moon ball, spin it up, but just straight up in the air on to a quick apex. I know you can always go up in loft, but that usually means up in spin. This driver allows you to keep the spin moderate, the face loft low, but the ball climbs quickly.
LOUD
The Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Driver is the loudest driver of 2024. While most of the OEMs use lots of carbon fiber or have significantly muffled the sound of their titanium, Cleveland went LOUD. To be fair, this isn’t aluminum baseball bat from 15 years ago, but loud for 2024. There is a pleasing sensation from that loud titanium crack at impact that feels and sounds like your crushed it. Watching the ball launch and go confirms what you just heard.
2024 Long
There isn’t much distance on the table any more with center strikes, but in 2024 the talk is MOI. This means how much distance/ forgiveness can be retained by off-center hits. Remember the Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Driver is really big which means lots of MOI which translates into long from everywhere on the face. They call it Rebound Frame, but it essentially creates a huge sweet spot so that minimal to no distance is lost when the ball misses the “screws”. They have Action Mass which puts some counter balance in the Mitsubishi Tensei AV Blue shaft. This has proven to be beneficial for many golfers to help counter the feel of such a big head. I don’t seem to agree with counterbalance as I lose feel. The adjustable hosel can be set to fit your angles. You can also buy the draw version if you want to fix a slice.
Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Driver Stats
Data from Flightscope MEVO+ 2023 Launch Monitor
➜ Spin: 2459 rpms
➜ Launch Angle: 15.7*
➜ Dispersion: 6.9 yds
➜ Club Head Speed: 102.0 mph
➜ Ball Speed: 153.1 mph
➜ Total Distance: 282.5 yds
➜ Carry Distance: 267.4 yds
Summary
If you want large, launch, loud and long, the Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Driver is perfect for you. It also comes in $100 to $150 less than other drivers on the market so it is pretty good bang for the buck. It certainly compete with the other 2024 drivers with very high MOI, easy launch, tons of forgiveness, and really good distance. If you want to go big, this a perfect new driver for your bag.
For more information: Cleveland Website
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About The Author
Ryan Heiman – Founder and Head Author of Independent Golf Reviews
Ryan has over 10 years of experience testing and writing golf reviews of nearly every brand out there.
HCP: 3
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