Cleveland Launcher XL Iron Review

Cleveland Launcher XL Iron Review

Cleveland may specialise in wedges but it’s aiming to make headway in the affordable iron space with the Launcher XL, a game improvement iron that is the brand’s most forgiving to date with an MOI of 3,081 g-cm² in the 7-iron. 

The first thing that strikes you is how long this iron is from heel to toe - probably the longest I’ve seen during testing this year. This may not suit your eye, but to others it may provide some reassurance that there’s more club face to play with and that the strike doesn’t need to be perfect to achieve a good result. I'm not a big fan of the shape cut into the toe but I like the look of the iron overall and also approve of the loft of each iron being etched into the sole.

Speaking of the sole, this model has a V-Shaped one similar to what we’ve seen from its sister brand Srixon in its ZX5 iron. The concept is designed to elevate the leading edge so it glides through turf with less drag than a typical flat sole to maintain speed and power on heavy strikes. I think it definitely achieves this and it also encourages you to attack the ball correctly - hitting downward with the shaft leaning forwards at impact.

The feel at the point of strike is notably satisfying - the ball fizzes off on a strong trajectory. For me, this didn’t quite translate into the carry distance I was hoping for. The 7-iron loft is 29° and yet I only averaged 170 yards with this iron and other game improvement irons had faster ball speeds, in some case by 2-3 mph. Perhaps the strikes weren’t as centred as I’d have liked when testing on the Full Swing Kit launch monitor, but either way I left the driving range a little underwhelmed.

Just like the other model in the family, the Launcher XL Halo, this iron is very stable off center. Slight mishits held their line well and we were peppering flags once I was fully loosened up, such is the confidence you get from the large head at address.

It may not have the wow factor of other irons in its competitive space, but the Launcher XL certainly provides an appealing prospect at just £499/$799 for a six-piece set among other budget golf irons. It’s a very enjoyable iron to hit and through a custom fitting, you may well make the distance I failed to experience.