Cleveland HiBore MONSTER Driver

[BugDude]

I got one of these off eBay for $85 and it came yesterday.  A week ago my knee swelled up and I've not been able to do squat and I'm going to have to have knee surgery.  Temptation got the best of me so I made my way to the range just to hit 20 balls or so without really being able to swing with much more than my arms.

The results????  WOW!!!  If I hit it like this with a bum knee, I can't imagine what it will be like when I can really get into it.  It was very long, very high, and very straight.  I've always hit my drivers low, so the high flying long hang time was a new experience for me.

These are several years old now, so they can be had fairly cheap.  My first impression is it is a great investment of $85 into my hobby.  We'll see in a few months after I get back to playing from my knee surgery.  I'm going to be spending some time chipping and putting this summer since its about all I'll be able to do...which never hurts the game any.

[turtleback]

I did something similar today.  I bought a used Cleveland Launcher 460 with the gold shaft from my local golf shop today.  Played with it today (in cold VERY windy weather) and liked the results.  I had been using a Great Big Bertha.

[the19thhole]

Had mine for about a year and love it. Long high and straight. Noisy though.

[glock35ipsc]

I was just recently given a Cleveland Hibore (the original Hibore) in 10.5°.  Blown away by how straight I hit that thing!  I definitly need to reshaft it, but I think once I do that it will replace my Diablo.

[JerseyThursday]

I wonder how one driver can hit a ball higher than the other if they both have the same degree loft. It must have to do with the kick point of the shaft.

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by JerseyThursday

I wonder how one driver can hit a ball higher than the other if they both have the same degree loft. It must have to do with the kick point of the shaft.

My understanding is that a very low COG helps to achieve a higher ball flight, which was the reason for the scooped crown on the HiBores.

I did find a good review here on TST on the HiBore back from May 2006:  http://thesandtrap.com/b/clubs/cleveland_hibore_driver_review

[dbwood]

There are manufacturing variables, being off by 1-1.5* from the stated loft is not uncommon.  Then there is the geometry, if one club measures 10.5* with the face square to the target then it will be 10.5*.  Many drivers are 1-2* closed face angle and if it measures 10.5* and 2* closed than when you square it up to the target it will actually measure 11.9* or thereabouts.  Also all brands/models of clubs look and feel a little bit different so you can actually swing different and create a different angle of attack without even knowing it.  And of course, there's the shaft.  All in all there are a bunch of variables.

I take the numbers on the bottom of the driver to be merely a suggestion of what the driver may do, and try to hit the actual driver I'm thinking about buying instead of the "demo" club, (or buy the "demo").

Originally Posted by JerseyThursday

I wonder how one driver can hit a ball higher than the other if they both have the same degree loft. It must have to do with the kick point of the shaft.