Equipment

2013 Cleveland Classic XL Custom Driver

Published

11 years ago

Jan 14, 2013

Cleveland’s new premium driver for 2013, the Classic XL Custom, is the company’s first adjustable driver.

The new model is a revamped version of Cleveland’s Classic driver from last year, which featured a gold and Burgandy paint scheme that made the 440cc head look like a a blown up version of the persimmon drivers that were popular decades ago.

This year’s version has the same persimmon graphics, but features a blacked-out color scheme, a 20cc larger head, an adjustable hosel and an adjustable weight port. The 12-way adjustable hosel allows golfers to adjust the loft of the driver as much as 1.50 degrees higher or lower in 0.50-degree increments. It also gives golfers the ability to adjust face angle as much as 1.5 degrees up or down in 0.75-degree increments.

For every 0.5 degrees of loft that is added to a Classic XL Custom Driver, the face angle will be closed 0.75 degrees. For every 0.5 degrees of loft that is subtracted, the face will be opened 0.75 degrees. When 0.75 degrees of upright lie angle is added, the face opens 0.75 degrees and the loft is lowered by 0.5 degrees. When 0.75 degrees of lie angle is subtracted, the face is closed 0.75 degrees and 1 degree of loft is added.

The Cleveland Classic XL Custom Driver is available in lofts of 7.5 (RH only), 9 and 10.5. The head is shipped with a square face angle and a standard lie angle of 61.5 degrees. The total club weight is 285 grams with a 45-inch stock shaft, giving it a swing weight of D5. The driver’s removable rear weight port supports interchangeable 3, 7 or 11-gram weights (extra weights sold separately).

Stock Shafts: Miyazaki JDL 6 (mid launch), Miyazaki JDL 5 (lightweight, mid launch), Fubuki Tour 53 (lightweight, high launch) and Matrix Ozik Black Tie 6M3 (penetrating launch).

Check out the photos we snapped below of the Classic XL Custom at the Humana Classic, and click here for more discussion in the “Tour/Pre-release equipment” forum.

cleveland xl

cleveland xl driver

classic xl

Click here for more discussion in the “Tour/Pre-release equipment” forum.

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17 Comments

James Strachan

Mar 6, 2015 at 11:42 am

Too much bull…. about this club hitting it 20 – 30yds longer. Stop all the dreaming. On a test with identical balls (10 with each club) I hit it almost exactly the same distance as with a TM R9 Superdeep – the big difference being the Cleveland’s dispersal was just 9 yards whilst the TM’s was 25 yards! Make of that whatever you wish (from a 5 handicapper).

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tracy

Aug 20, 2014 at 7:07 pm

different weights do not come with product must be purchased separately.

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MBA-J

Mar 4, 2014 at 12:32 pm

If you are a fan of deep-faced, low-spin drivers, the Cleveland Classic XL Custom may be the best driver ever produced.

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Shawn

Feb 15, 2014 at 3:43 am

Got one for a hundred dollars on 3balls with the black tie shaft gorgeous club love it to death very forgiving and long. Also got the matching fairway, cleveland went down hill with the 588 but the previous classic series was a huge winner.

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Barry Henderson

Sep 4, 2013 at 11:43 am

I hit this club consistantly Longer (20 -30 yards) and straighter than any other driver I have tested. I have spent weeks working out which is the best ‘next club’ for my set, and just purchased this one. Driving average with this club 307 yards.

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Bob jones

Apr 23, 2013 at 9:03 am

McDowell is still using the old Cleveland Classic 290. Just won the Heritage with it. Must be the extra 5 grams.

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ToTo

Mar 29, 2013 at 3:46 pm

I hit this and a number of other drivers at Golfsmith today and this driver was generally as long and straight as any I hit. Felt very solid and I was impressed. Am going back to spend more time with shaft options but I never imagined going in I would like it.. I DID! I hit X Hot, G25, R1 and others in comparison.

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gunmetal

Jan 21, 2013 at 7:33 pm

Gorgeous club. Keegan will keep pounding it past his playing partners but it’s still TM’s world given their obsession with paying everyone and their dog to wear an R’insert whatever here’ hat and use the headcover.

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Phil

Jan 15, 2013 at 11:38 pm

Did that say driver head weighs 285 grams???? Uh…

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- Zak Kozuchowski
  
  Jan 16, 2013 at 6:19 pm
  
  You’re right. Total club weight is 285 grams.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - pat
    
    Feb 3, 2015 at 6:43 am
    
    what is the length of this driver zach
    
    Reply Report comment
- Kevin
  
  Apr 19, 2016 at 9:58 pm
  
  With interchangeable weights the swing weight and total should change. Anyone know what the swing weights are for 3, 7 and 11 gram weights?
  
  Reply Report comment
Square

Jan 15, 2013 at 8:21 pm

Really nice!!! Can’t wait to hit it. I’m over the white drivers.

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P

Jan 15, 2013 at 2:02 am

Thank you Cleveland for giving me my next driver upgrade – in BLACK, and not any other silly colors.

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John Erickson

Jan 14, 2013 at 11:17 pm

I like it I think Graeme has had one in play for some time. He lost a ‘weight’ of his classic driver at Ryder Cup.

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Jason

Jan 14, 2013 at 8:35 pm

Good lookin’ big stick man. Definite improvement over 2012

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tlmck

Jan 14, 2013 at 4:40 pm

Definitely getting one of these next year when they go on clearance.

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

20 mins ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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