One thing I love about launch season is that there’s always a surprise release that catches you completely by surprise.
This year, that surprise is new and old-fashioned, unique yet familiar, strange and strangely comforting.
We are talking about the new one Cleveland HiBore XL 2025 Driver.
At first glance, two questions come to mind.
First: Why would Cleveland bring back an 18-year-old driver franchise?
This is easy to answer. If you’re Cleveland Golf in 2024, why the hell not? The company can afford to take risks, and the 2006-2010 HiBore is a driver that many golfers remember fondly.
Speaking of risks, this brings us to the second question:
What in the name of Vijay Singh am I looking at?
There are a lot, and I mean it a lot, to unpack here. So let’s jump right in.
Cleveland HiBore XL: Wake up the Echoes
It’s easy to forget how good Cleveland drivers were back in the 2000s. The original Launcher 460, Launcher 460 XL, and Launcher 460 Comp drivers were, well, launchers. In 2006, Cleveland broke the mold, so to speak, with the original HiBore. It was a radically different shape for the day with a back design and a wide, elongated body.
The goal was to move the CG lower to be in line with the center of the face, pushing it as far as possible to increase MOI. That sounds great in 2024, but Cleveland was coloring outside the lines for 2006.
After a series of marginal but well-intentioned drivers, Cleveland is coloring outside the lines again with the new HiBore XL.
“That was the mindset that got us into the original HiBore driver,” Cleveland Product Manager Casey Schultz tells MyGolfSpy. “Engineers tend to work within boundaries. We just threw all that out the window. If we just aimed to make the best performing driver we can, where would we end up?”
Where Cleveland ended up is with a driver that looks just as unique today as the original HiBore did 18 years ago.
Derivation of the triangle
Yes, it’s a triangle.
We have seen this form before. Remember the Titleist 907 D1? What about the Callaway FT-iZ and its successor, the Big Bertha Fusion? The COBRA LTDx and LTDx Max were also triangular.
However, none of them were as triangular as the young one Cleveland HiBore XL.
“We know some people are going to look down on him and say, ‘What the hell is that?'” Schultz admits. “How crazy is too crazy? In the end, we let performance rule the day.”
The HiBore XL’s triangular shape isn’t just for kick value. Cleveland wanted to start with as massive a face as possible. From there, the triangle came into being as the engineers, with the help of AI, worked to make the head fit into the 460cc restriction by getting the CG as low and as far back as possible.
“The triangular shape allows us to shave off some of the sides and get the weight back without having to go to a smaller chassis,” explains Shultz. “You get the massive face for forgiveness and you can still put all that weight down low and deep for maximum UK.”
I’ve shown the HiBore XL to at least a dozen people and they all had the same initial reaction of attraction. It’s a weird looking bat, like something George Jetson might play.
“It’s kind of a design for the future, and there are certainly some people who are going to be shocked by it,” Schultz says. “But everything there is functional to help you achieve better drives.”
Of course it was designed by AI
You better believe the news Cleveland HiBore XL driver it was designed by AI. I’m not entirely sure a man could or would date a driver that looks like this.
“The era of geometric drivers has come and gone, but we still believe there’s a lot of performance opportunity out there,” says Schultz. “AI basically steered us in this direction to maximize performance.”
As mentioned, the face is huge – about 19 percent larger than previous Cleveland drivers. And like most modern drivers, its variable face thickness is designed by AI to minimize loss of ball speed on off-center hits. There’s also a 12-gram weight on the back of the standard HiBore XL. It is not removable, just interchangeable to allow an assembler to optimize performance.
You’ll also notice a crown accent just off the hosel called the ActivWing.
“ActivWing is based on years of research from XXIO,” says Schultz. “It’s the aerodynamics that help you drive the club a little easier.”
Schultz admits that ActivWing is a confusing technology, but testing has shown that it helps keep the clubhead in the right position on the way down, which leads to more consistent contact.
“We’ve seen a lot more center impacts with the ActivWing, especially as players hit it a few times and get used to it,” he says. “It’s done wonders for years in XXIO and basically helps keep the club afloat.”
It looks different, but does it work?
If a driver is going to look like a Dorito, it better perform. Cleveland sent us a 10.5 degree HiBore XL with the stock Mitsubishi Tensei AV Blue axle. Our early informal testing is encouraging.
First, please understand that at age 64, I am squarely in the Harry Callahan–Magnum Force driving distance camp.
A man must know his limitations.
With a low 90s swing speed, the best I can hope it’s maybe 225 yards of carry and some good spin. My first range session with the HiBore XL was fascinating. With no idea of distance (except that it was in the ballpark of the PING G430 Max 10K), I liked the consistency and flight of the ball: nice draws that went where I pointed.
Still, the launch monitor numbers were eye-catching. The HiBore XL must be a hair lighter than my PING, because swing speeds averaged between 95 and 97 mph, with a top speed of 100. That’s gear I don’t normally have, folks. Furthermore, the ball still had a good draw.
The numbers were also strong. Spin averaged around 2,300 rpm with side spin averaging just under 400, suggesting a subtle right-to-left pull. Average ball speed was 137 mph, with carries averaging around 232 and total distance just over 250. Reasonable heel or toe stuff didn’t roll off the planet either.
For an off-the-shelf driver, I’ll take those numbers every time.
For those who remember the original HiBore, they no doubt remember it as the “LOUD” head banger on the steering wheel. We have to give the Cleveland engineers a big tip here. The new one HiBore XL driver not only does it sound much better than its predecessors, but it also sounds much better than any current driver from Cleveland or Srixon.
And, not for nothing, after a dozen similar bombs, that triangular sunuvabitch began to look sexier and sexier.
Cleveland HiBore XL: Final Thoughts
The above results should be taken for what they are: one person’s experience in a single day of testing. We’ll see how the HiBore XL performs next spring Testing MyGolfSpy but i think Cleveland there might be something interesting here. For the right golfer, the new HiBore XL is definitely worth a shot or two on the demo golf course.
Even if you can’t get past the fact, it looks like a Dorito.
Also worth noting is the HiBore XL’s 2009 price of $399.99.
“HiBore will be good for us because it reduces driver clutter with another story,” says Schultz. “It’s different from everyone else and costs $399, making it very competitive convenient option.”
Cleveland offers an impressive array of no-load axle options. This potentially makes the HiBore an attractive option compared to last year’s discounted models.
Again, if you can get past the whole Dorito thing.
Another interesting note: HiBore XL driver it will be available in nine, 10.5 and 12 degree models with an adjustable clutch. The interesting part is that they all have the same head, just placed in those attics.
“It’s a head and we pre-select the loft,” says Schultz. “It’s basically a driver that’s nine to 12 degrees adjustable.”
Loft is adjustable in half-degree increments and reach is also adjustable from standard to 2.5 degrees flat. At first glance in the standard configuration, the HiBore appears to have a slightly closed face. However, once you put it on, it stays square. Lofting up to nine degrees opens up the face a bit and the lie flattens out a degree and a half. This helps a lot if you tend to miss left. Raising the attic has the opposite effect.
Specifications and availability
of Cleveland HiBore XL Driver it will be available in nine, 10.5 and 12 degree models. As mentioned, the headers are the same, adjustable hoses are fitted for each loft. At first, the HiBore XL will only be available right-handed. We don’t know when or if Cleveland plans to introduce a left-handed model.
The Mitsubishi Tensei AV Blue 55 is the stock shaft and the Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 is the stock grip.
Cleveland is also introducing one HiBore XL Lite driver. As the name suggests, it’s a lightweight version of the standard HiBore XL, coming in at 291 to 294 grams, depending on shaft flex. That’s roughly 26 to 28 grams lighter than the standard model. It is also significantly more traction biased.
The HiBore XL Lite will be available in nine, 10.5 and 12 degree left and right hand models. Lefties will have to order theirs through Cleveland’s custom order department.
The Aldila Ascent PL40 shaft is available in S-, R-, A- and L-bends. The Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 Lite is the stock grip on the men’s models while the Lamkin ST Soft is stock on the women’s models.
Both the Cleveland HiBore XL and HiBore XL Lite will retail for $399.99. They will be in stores on December 6th.
For more information, visit Cleveland’s website.
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