As the band Spinal Tap would say, "HELLO CLEVELAND!"

[famousdavis]

Last week I was a tad bored so I began to peruse the driver listings at the website named 3balls.com. I gazed upon a Cleveland Classic 290 7.5 Degree driver with Miyazaki 43G Stiff Shaft and had to have it. I put forth my best bid, turned off the computer and then sat down for a night of watching Drugs, Inc. on the National Geographic Channel. My how times have changed.

Let me digress. The next day I found that I had won the Cleveland driver with a bid of $90! Hot dang.

Today, to my delight the box arrived at my doorstep. I took it out of the packaging and immediately noticed that it was barely used. I mean, the thing looks like it was hit maybe twice. One of the coolest things about this driver is the headcover. Kind of retro chic in a jammy back flash with a window plate kind of way.

Took it to the range today and Whooaaahhh! This thing is a beast! The feel is about as close to persimmon as you could get in a titanium head. In other words, not that close but still better than most.

I was friggin' crushing this thing like an orange in one of those old style hand crank juicers. We're talking smash factor of 50 to the nth power.

I cannot wait to take this monster to the course and scare all the little wussies back home. It is Halloween after all.

I will provide a follow up review early next week. Stay tuned.

[Pky6471]

Last week I was a tad bored so I began to peruse the driver listings at the website named 3balls.com. I gazed upon a Cleveland Classic 290 7.5 Degree driver with Miyazaki 43G Stiff Shaft and had to have it. I put forth my best bid, turned off the computer and then sat down for a night of watching Drugs, Inc. on the National Geographic Channel. My how times have changed.

Let me digress. The next day I found that I had won the Cleveland driver with a bid of $90! Hot dang.

Today, to my delight the box arrived at my doorstep. I took it out of the packaging and immediately noticed that it was barely used. I mean, the thing looks like it was hit maybe twice. One of the coolest things about this driver is the headcover. Kind of retro chic in a jammy back flash with a window plate kind of way.

Took it to the range today and Whooaaahhh! This thing is a beast! The feel is about as close to persimmon as you could get in a titanium head. In other words, not that close but still better than most.

I was friggin' crushing this thing like an orange in one of those old style hand crank juicers. We're talking smash factor of 50 to the nth power.

I cannot wait to take this monster to the course and scare all the little wussies back home. It is Halloween after all.

I will provide a follow up review early next week. Stay tuned.

Cleveland has some nice products, not sure how its revenue compares to Cally, Ping, TM etc... People like its wedges. My Bro just gives me his old 9.5* Cleveland Launcher 460cc which I will use this Sat. On the range it's not bad, the R-flex gold shaft is good, but I don't think it's as responsive as the NV green or YS-6+ R-flex.... For me, how well I play within 150 yds to the greens will dictate my final scores, so I don't worry much about driving, although longer is better... but 250+ yds drive is almost impossible for me now

[mongrel]

Last week I was a tad bored so I began to peruse the driver listings at the website named 3balls.com. I gazed upon a Cleveland Classic 290 7.5 Degree driver with Miyazaki 43G Stiff Shaft and had to have it. I put forth my best bid, turned off the computer and then sat down for a night of watching Drugs, Inc. on the National Geographic Channel. My how times have changed.

Let me digress. The next day I found that I had won the Cleveland driver with a bid of $90! Hot dang.

Today, to my delight the box arrived at my doorstep. I took it out of the packaging and immediately noticed that it was barely used. I mean, the thing looks like it was hit maybe twice. One of the coolest things about this driver is the headcover. Kind of retro chic in a jammy back flash with a window plate kind of way.

Took it to the range today and Whooaaahhh! This thing is a beast! The feel is about as close to persimmon as you could get in a titanium head. In other words, not that close but still better than most.

I was friggin' crushing this thing like an orange in one of those old style hand crank juicers. We're talking smash factor of 50 to the nth power.

I cannot wait to take this monster to the course and scare all the little wussies back home. It is Halloween after all.

I will provide a follow up review early next week. Stay tuned.

I'm intrigued with the Miyazaki shafts. The real ones sold by the equipment retailers like Golfworks cost hundreds of dollars so I'm sure that the Cleveland shafts are somewhat less than the real things which is the case with most all OEM woods. However, Miyazaki has developed a unique-for-shaftmakers flex description that assigns numerical flex measurements ranging from 1 to 9, ascending per stiffness, to the butt, mid butt, mid tip and tip. This gives more more info than just a flex classification. I look forward to hitting some of those whenever the slaggard Golf Galaxy gets off its lardbutt and stocks some used Clevelands. As a matter of fact, I give Cleveland kudos because it has a list of all its stock and optional shafts in its on-line catalog and the driver shafts each have the Miyazaki flex numbers for the other shaft brands.

[Kiwi Player]

I'm intrigued with the Miyazaki shafts. The real ones sold by the equipment retailers like Golfworks cost hundreds of dollars so I'm sure that the Cleveland shafts are somewhat less than the real things which is the case with most all OEM woods. However, Miyazaki has developed a unique-for-shaftmakers flex description that assigns numerical flex measurements ranging from 1 to 9, ascending per stiffness, to the butt, mid butt, mid tip and tip. This gives more more info than just a flex classification. I look forward to hitting some of those whenever the slaggard Golf Galaxy gets off its lardbutt and stocks some used Clevelands. As a matter of fact, I give Cleveland kudos because it has a list of all its stock and optional shafts in its on-line catalog and the driver shafts each have the Miyazaki flex numbers for the other shaft brands.

I've always been a Cleveland guy and generally like their gear. The guy in one of the pro shops I frequent told me that Srixon/Cleveland have acquired the Miyazaki company so are actually using genuine shafts in their standard off the shelf offerings. I have a 17° 3/4 wood with the Miyazaki shaft in it but don't really notice much difference from the old 'made for Cleveland' Fujikara shaft in my 15° 3 wood.

[mongrel]

I've always been a Cleveland guy and generally like their gear. The guy in one of the pro shops I frequent told me that Srixon/Cleveland have acquired the Miyazaki company so are actually using genuine shafts in their standard off the shelf offerings. I have a 17° 3/4 wood with the Miyazaki shaft in it but don't really notice much difference from the old 'made for Cleveland' Fujikara shaft in my 15° 3 wood.

So then FD has just purchased for $90 a clubhead, grip and $250 shaft. Pretty damn good deal. Especially considering that current Cleveland driver heads by themselves are selling on Ebay for at least $50. This could be one of those rare instances where the parts are worth more than the whole.

[Pky6471]

So then FD has just purchased for $90 a clubhead, grip and $250 shaft. Pretty damn good deal. Especially considering that current Cleveland driver heads by themselves are selling on Ebay for at least $50. This could be one of those rare instances where the parts are worth more than the whole.

I think the new Cleveland Launcher XL drivers come with the Miyazaki shafts, however the OEM could be totally different than the real Miyazaki shafts,

[famousdavis]

So then FD has just purchased for $90 a clubhead, grip and $250 shaft. Pretty damn good deal. Especially considering that current Cleveland driver heads by themselves are selling on Ebay for at least $50. This could be one of those rare instances where the parts are worth more than the whole.

I think they are the same shaft but I don't see how they could be worth $250. The one that I almost purchased was the Cleveland Classic 310 8.5 with Miyazaki Kusula Black shaft. It's a firmer shaft with the flex point distributed more along the entire shaft than, say, the high point or low point. I was concerned with going that route because the last thing I want is a shaft that is too stiff. It screws up my swing.

I chose the 7.5 degree because I had read many reviews stating that the lofts on these drivers are understated, meaning that a 9 degree launches more like a 10.5 degree.

I hit the club today and the trajectory was actually just perfect.

To anyone who hasn't tried this club you might want to give it a go. For one thing it looks great at address. Feels great too. I think it's designed more for the high ball hitter who likes a deep face driver. Several pros have them in the bag, which couldn't have been said about the latest launcher or DST series.

Make sure you pay attention to the shaft because the new Classic 270, 290 and 310 all come with a wide variety of Miyazaki shafts. There is the 39G, 43G, 56g and Kusula white & black. I have the one with the 43G shaft. It may be a tad whippy but the trajectory and ball flight seemed perfect.

[mongrel]

I think they are the same shaft but I don't see how they could be worth $250. The one that I almost purchased was the Cleveland Classic 310 8.5 with Miyazaki Kusula Black shaft. It's a firmer shaft with the flex point distributed more along the entire shaft than, say, the high point or low point. I was concerned with going that route because the last thing I want is a shaft that is too stiff. It screws up my swing.

I chose the 7.5 degree because I had read many reviews stating that the lofts on these drivers are understated, meaning that a 9 degree launches more like a 10.5 degree.

I hit the club today and the trajectory was actually just perfect.

To anyone who hasn't tried this club you might want to give it a go. For one thing it looks great at address. Feels great too. I think it's designed more for the high ball hitter who likes a deep face driver. Several pros have them in the bag, which couldn't have been said about the latest launcher or DST series.

Make sure you pay attention to the shaft because the new Classic 270, 290 and 310 all come with a wide variety of Miyazaki shafts. There is the 39G, 43G, 56g and Kusula white & black. I have the one with the 43G shaft. It may be a tad whippy but the trajectory and ball flight seemed perfect.

I think that Keegan Bradley plays one of those Classics. If can get a Keegan-esque pre-shot routine down, (and it goes something like this: grip the club and hold it straight out in front of you standing some feet behind the ball. Take two rigid steps forward whilst craning your neck back and forth, then three steps back maintining the same neck movements, and then four steps forward and three back, and then address the ball and pull the trigger. For extra distance, remember to spit twice on your target line approximately 18 inches behind the ball.) you may be able to pound 49 yard drives straight down the middle.

[poe4soul]

I think they are the same shaft but I don't see how they could be worth $250. The one that I almost purchased was the Cleveland Classic 310 8.5 with Miyazaki Kusula Black shaft. It's a firmer shaft with the flex point distributed more along the entire shaft than, say, the high point or low point. I was concerned with going that route because the last thing I want is a shaft that is too stiff. It screws up my swing.

I chose the 7.5 degree because I had read many reviews stating that the lofts on these drivers are understated, meaning that a 9 degree launches more like a 10.5 degree.

I hit the club today and the trajectory was actually just perfect.

To anyone who hasn't tried this club you might want to give it a go. For one thing it looks great at address. Feels great too. I think it's designed more for the high ball hitter who likes a deep face driver. Several pros have them in the bag, which couldn't have been said about the latest launcher or DST series.

Make sure you pay attention to the shaft because the new Classic 270, 290 and 310 all come with a wide variety of Miyazaki shafts. There is the 39G, 43G, 56g and Kusula white & black. I have the one with the 43G shaft. It may be a tad whippy but the trajectory and ball flight seemed perfect.

As I understand it the head cog is very low and deep making the launch angle high with low spin. I already launch my driver high with low spin. The cleveland classic just wasn't a good fit for me but I did like the feel, look and sound of the club.

Enjoy it for the 2 weeks you have it.

[ripit35]

i hit the launcher 400 farther than any 460 cc driver i have ever tried, which makes sense (smaller face, less drag). I'll be downsizing to the launcher 330 to see if i can eclipse the 350 yard mark.

[Fluffy]

The other day I was trying out the Cleveland Classic 290 with a aftermarket blue X stiff miyakzi shafts.....The driver price was like $500 new with the shaft.

This driver I dont want for $100. It feels dead and the face doesnt feel responsive at all. I would still recommend the Cleveland 310, G20 & Nike VrII driver...as the drivers with the most responsive faces.

The Classic 290 feels like the titleist series.


Edited....

I would take the old Burner 2 / Cally Diablo standard drivers over the Classic 290s...

[jmtbkr]

I love 3Balls! The merchandise they sell is all top quality. Not like blind buying from e-pay.
Everything I've bought from them(used) has come looking like it is brand new!

[24putts]

I love 3Balls!

I got my 976R from them. $1.04. Shot 76 with it today.

[famousdavis]

I got my 976R from them. $1.04. Shot 76 with it today.

You would have shot 74 with the 983K. The play it again sports I went to day had a 9.5 983k with Grafalloy ProLite 3.5 Regular in minty fresh condition for $19.99.

$1.04 is quite the deal.

[mongrel]

You would have shot 74 with the 983K. The play it again sports I went to day had a 9.5 983k with Grafalloy ProLite 3.5 Regular in minty fresh condition for $19.99.

$1.04 is quite the deal.

The Prolite 3.5 regular is a nasty stiff shaft. Ironically, the same stick in stiff is several grams lighter and feels better to me. I currently have two 9.5* K heads sitting without shafts and might experiment on them again. I also have two 975J's which are really nice small heads with lots of pop. One in 8.5* and one 10.5*. Currently shaftless. And then a 9.5* E, shaftless. Two 905R's with shafts but both are crap shafts for me-- a 9.5* and an 11.5*. And a 10.5* 907D2, currently shaftless, that was my gamer until the V2 65 gram regular snapped. Leaving me with just a 10.5* 909 DComp in the bag. Damn. I knew I forgot the two 905T's. A 10.5* with steel shaft that is crap and is coming out and a pristine 8.5* head minus a shaft. That's the same head Steve Stricker played for some profitable years. I think I'm a Tit Hoarder and need an intervention. Or a yard sale.

[24putts]

I also have two 975J's which are really nice small heads ...

Small? I have one of those - it's like I'm looking down on John Madden's head, it's so bulbous. Has a Graf Blue Regular. I'm gonna buy another 976 head and put it in there. So great when everyone goes, "wow, you hit a 3-wood as far as a driver."

[mongrel]

Small? I have one of those - it's like I'm looking down on John Madden's head, it's so bulbous. Has a Graf Blue Regular. I'm gonna buy another 976 head and put it in there. So great when everyone goes, "wow, you hit a 3-wood as far as a driver."

Relative, of course. That 976R head is even smaller than the
975D if I recall. Its been a long time.

[The Purist]

[IMG][/IMG]

[famousdavis]

I played the Cleveland Classic 7.5 with Miyazaki 43G Stiff today for 18 holes. I took a few holes to get used to it but it's a good driver. I think the shaft is too whippy and I bet I'd get another 10 yards with the Kusula shaft. I hit some great drives today and a couple of them were as long as anything I've hit. However, this driver just doesn't feel as good as the 983e nor does it play as well. I don't think it's any longer, either, unless I time it just right.

Poe was right when he said it hits a high ball. I used the 7.5 and the ball flight was what I normally hit with a 9 degree. The sound is a bit muted, as intended by Cleveland, but I can't say I like it that much.

As for the Mizuno MP-32 4-PW w/ Dynamic Gold S300, I had mixed results. I took a few holes to get used to them and I hit some fantastic shots as well as some pretty bad ones. Surprisingly, my best shots were with the longer irons. Man, when you hit these flush they just feel so much better than non-forged clubs. It's actually not that hard of a club to hit. The thing I like is that I know exactly where on the face I hit the ball. This enables me to adjust. I might give them a few more rounds.

[Kiwi Player]

I played the Cleveland Classic 7.5 with Miyazaki 43G Stiff today for 18 holes. I took a few holes to get used to it but it's a good driver. I think the shaft is too whippy and I bet I'd get another 10 yards with the Kusula shaft. I hit some great drives today and a couple of them were as long as anything I've hit. However, this driver just doesn't feel as good as the 983e nor does it play as well. I don't think it's any longer, either, unless I time it just right.

Poe was right when he said it hits a high ball. I used the 7.5 and the ball flight was what I normally hit with a 9 degree. The sound is a bit muted, as intended by Cleveland, but I can't say I like it that much.

As for the Mizuno MP-32 4-PW w/ Dynamic Gold S300, I had mixed results. I took a few holes to get used to them and I hit some fantastic shots as well as some pretty bad ones. Surprisingly, my best shots were with the longer irons. Man, when you hit these flush they just feel so much better than non-forged clubs. It's actually not that hard of a club to hit. The thing I like is that I know exactly where on the face I hit the ball. This enables me to adjust. I might give them a few more rounds.

I think the MP32's play very similar to a players cavity back. Pretty forgiving IMO.

Interesting about the Cleveland Classic. I am tempted to ho a new driver at the moment.

[Kiwi Player]

[IMG][/IMG]

A guy at work posted that clip claiming it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen. I watched it for as long as I could stomach but my side stayed firmly intact. Lame, lame, lame.

[jt1135]

A guy at work posted that clip claiming it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen. I watched it for as long as I could stomach but my side stayed firmly intact. Lame, lame, lame.

Lame is way to nice of a word for that video.

[famousdavis]

I think the MP32's play very similar to a players cavity back. Pretty forgiving IMO.

Interesting about the Cleveland Classic. I am tempted to ho a new driver at the moment.

For whatever reason I have never fared well with a players forged CB. I've tried the MP-60, MP-30, Titleist 735, Bridgestone J33, etc.

The MP-32 feels and plays more like a blade than a cavity back. It does have a little channel in the back and is slightly larger in size than some of the other blades but it definitely has the feel of a blade when I'm swinging it.

On one hole today I hit 4 iron off the tee and it felt wonderful. The ball had this perfect trajectory and must have gone 210 yards, which is good for me. It's kind of fun playing this older set with worn faces in the shorter irons.

[mongrel]

For whatever reason I have never fared well with a players forged CB. I've tried the MP-60, MP-30, Titleist 735, Bridgestone J33, etc.

The MP-32 feels and plays more like a blade than a cavity back. It does have a little channel in the back and is slightly larger in size than some of the other blades but it definitely has the feel of a blade when I'm swinging it.

On one hole today I hit 4 iron off the tee and it felt wonderful. The ball had this perfect trajectory and must have gone 210 yards, which is good for me. It's kind of fun playing this older set with worn faces in the shorter irons.

I have an old MP 14 set with worn faces and some of the faces on my MX 20's are a bit worn but short of browning out like the
MP 14's. Based on my experience, the browned out surfaces don't mean squat. Its the grooves. So what I did is get one of those triangular bladed hard carbon steel sharpeners and run it through the grooves a couple of times making sure to take some metal with each pass. That's your ticket to paradise.

[famousdavis]

I have an old MP 14 set with worn faces and some of the faces on my MX 20's are a bit worn but short of browning out like the
MP 14's. Based on my experience, the browned out surfaces don't mean squat. Its the grooves. So what I did is get one of those triangular bladed hard carbon steel sharpeners and run it through the grooves a couple of times making sure to take some metal with each pass. That's your ticket to paradise.

After yesterday's round (I shot 76) my buddy and I headed over to Golf Mart to check out the new loot. I saw a set of like new Wilson Staff tour blade irons from 1979. They were in absolute pristine condition for $79. The shafts were Dynamic Gold so at some point they must have been reshafted from the original Dynamic shafts. I tried hitting the 7 iron in the simulator and flush shots traveled about 140 yards. I then hit the Ping i20 7 iron and it flew 157 yards.

Man, those Wilson Staffs sure looked good, though.

[Fluffy]

After yesterday's round (I shot 76) my buddy and I headed over to Golf Mart to check out the new loot. I saw a set of like new Wilson Staff tour blade irons from 1979. They were in absolute pristine condition for $79. The shafts were Dynamic Gold so at some point they must have been reshafted from the original Dynamic shafts. I tried hitting the 7 iron in the simulator and flush shots traveled about 140 yards. I then hit the Ping i20 7 iron and it flew 157 yards.

Man, those Wilson Staffs sure looked good, though.

The blades are made to hit down on the ball for the increased distance....Also for working the ball left or right which should get you at the distance you have with the Shovel irons

[famousdavis]

The blades are made to hit down on the ball for the increased distance....Also for working the ball left or right which should get you at the distance you have with the Shovel irons

No, the reason they don't travel as far is because the lofts are significantly weaker. The PW in the Wilson Staff Tour Blade is 51*. The Ping i20 PW is 44 degrees. That's almost a full two-club differential.

Trapping the ball with a descending blow is the way to hit ANY iron, regardless of design.

Further, I have never had any issues with working the ball with blades, CBs or even SGI clubs. I could hit big fades with the Callaway Big Bertha 2002 irons. It's not big deal for me.

That is the extent of your lesson for today.

Cheers.