The Cleveland Classic Tour driver is new for 2012 and drives a host of fresh shaft updates. No BS, the clubhead looks weird to begin with. I mean the face is gold and the crown (top) of the driver is burgundy. If it wasn’t as strong a brand as Cleveland, I honestly don’t think I’d go anywhere near it. However, after using it for four rounds, I have really liked it and would even consider swapping it for my Titleist 910 driver.

The Cleveland Classic Tour version is the heaviest and most compact version of the three Cleveland Drivers. The other two are the 290 and 270. They are lighter and more forgiving, probably better suited to the slower swinging golfer.

My turning rate is 110 mph, so I went with the Tour version, which weighs in at 310 grams.

cleveland classic specs:

The lofts that the Cleveland Classic driver comes in are 8.5, 9.5, and 10.5 degrees. Since I normally use 9.5 degrees, the loft selection was perfect for me. The original rod is a 61 gram black Miyazaki Kusala. The head is only 440cc, so it’s a bit more compact than the average 460-degree rider. Having said that though, I don’t think there is any loss of forgiveness from the Classic Tour. The swingweight is D4, making it the heaviest driver Cleveland makes.

Appearance:

Well obviously this controller is a bit different. Maybe it’s a marketing ploy to make the driver look ‘old fashioned’. Cleveland can’t really go with the white head of the club as Cobra, Taylormade, etc. they have taken it. I think the driver team has reached its peak, and companies are now just trying to distinguish their clubs in more radical ways. But anyway, a lot of people like the look of the Cleveland Classic clubhead. However, I found that I had to get used to the way it looked, rather than “love” it straight out of the bag. If you can accept that from time to time your fellow players will ask you, “What the hell are you playing with?”, then you should be able to get along with the “classic” aspect of Classics! I would give the looks 3/10.

feel:

The Cleveland Classic Tour felt like it had a lot of raw power in its face. In fact, it became quite addictive trying to really crack this golf club on every tee. The axle head combination was fantastic! I used the Miyazaki Kusala Black 72 x-stiff, and this truck felt phenomenally solid and stable at impact. I often hit the ball quite high, but the stiff tip of the Miyazaki allows me to hit the ball as hard as I want, without the danger of swelling. I would give feel 9/10.

Distance:

First of all, this controller is packed with massive distance. I mean it really does fly a long way. I believe this is due to the spindle head combination. The deep face and solid feel of classic travel combined with the low-launch, low-spin Miyazaki is pure perfection. A match made in heaven. Obviously, Cleveland has gone to great lengths to make this deck the best on the market for distance drivers. The distance was definitely 10/10.

ball flight:

The flight of the ball from the Cleveland Classic was absolutely AWESOME. Really powerful and direct. Even better than my Titleist, which I thought was the best ball flight I could get. Miyazaki’s shaft gave me a low-high twisting flight. The difference between this controller and most others I’ve touched is that; when his controller reaches the apex of him, he not only falls abruptly to the ground, but continues forward towards the target. Ball flight 10/10

Summary: If you can stomach the look, this really is a fantastic team. It is priced mid-market, which is correct in my opinion. I think it is good value for money. With a fresh axle too, the resale value will always be higher than most too! 8/10