Cleveland · Driver · 2024
Launcher XL2
CaddyIndex™ breakdown — what the agentic research found across each of the six performance dimensions, with cited sources.
You're a mid-to-high handicapper who fights a slice and wants maximum forgiveness and easy launch for around £300.
You want to shape shots both ways, need a low-spin penetrating flight, or prefer a quiet, compact tour-style head.
Pros
- Tightest dispersion of any driver in 2024 robot testing at 5.1 yards - carry stayed steady even on off-centre hits
- Elite mishit forgiveness - a toe strike lost just over 3 yards of carry, and MOI climbed 2% heel-to-toe and 12% top-to-bottom
- Easy high launch with strong value - a Golf Digest 2024 Hot List driver at around £300, well under flagship prices
- A built-in draw bias, plus a separate Draw model - genuine help if you fight a slice
Cons
- Spins more than the original Launcher XL - can cost a few yards and climb in the wind for faster swings
- Loud, high-pitched impact - one of the louder drivers of its year, which not everyone likes
- Built to fly straight, not to shape shots - workability is limited by the draw bias
By dimension
Forgiveness
Robot testing recorded the smallest dispersion pattern (5.1 yards) of any driver in the test, improving on the prior Launcher XL's 6.8 yards, with carry steady across all nine impact locations and a toe-strike carry loss of just 3.3 yards. MOI is up 2% heel-to-toe and 12% top-to-bottom, and shot-to-shot consistency is elite with ball speed barely moving. Top-of-class game-improvement forgiveness.
Distance
Robot testing measured centre-strike carry of 226 yards, up from 221 on the Launcher XL, with increased ball speed from the variable-thickness face and rebound frame. Faster testers saw ball speeds into the 160 mph range and carries past 270 yards, ranking it among the longest forgiving drivers of 2024. Spin runs on the higher side, which caps top-end distance for stronger players but keeps carry consistent for the target golfer.
Workability
The standard XL2 plays with a noticeable draw bias and high launch - a straight-flying game-improvement head, not a shot-shaper's tool. A dedicated XL2 Draw adds even more slice correction. The adjustable hosel tunes loft from 9 to 12 degrees, but there are no movable weights to dial shot shape. Limited workability, as expected for the category.
Feel
Impact is more solid than not without being sledgehammer-firm, with good feedback through the hands and a pleasing crushed-it sensation despite the loud titanium build. Solid, communicative feel for a value game-improvement driver, if not a standout.
Sound
Reviewers split on the sound: one hears a high-pitched, piano-key 'plink' that lacks the usual metallic quality and sits slightly above average in volume; others call it among the loudest drivers of its year. Loud and high-pitched - confidence-inspiring for some, polarising for others.
Looks at address
A long, bullet-shaped 460cc head with a gloss-black crown, faint graphics and a tall, confidence-inspiring face that skews slightly toward the heel - one of the biggest-looking heads of 2024. A big, confident game-improvement footprint that appeals to its target buyer, though the size and heel skew won't suit everyone.
Sources
Some of the reviews, lab tests and head-to-head comparisons the agentic research read while grading this club.
- Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Driver Review - Plugged In Golf
- Cleveland Launcher XL2 excelled in 3 areas during robotic driver testing - GOLF.com
- Cleveland Launcher XL2 Driver Review - Today's Golfer
- Cleveland Launcher XL 2 Draw Driver Review - Golf Monthly
- Cleveland Launcher XL 2 drivers: What you need to know - Golf Digest
- Cleveland Launcher XL2 drivers: 5 things you need to know - GOLF.com
- Cleveland Launcher XL 2 and XL 2 Draw Drivers: Smoke-Free AI - MyGolfSpy
- Cleveland Launcher XL2 drivers: Full reviews, robotic testing data and more - GOLF.com