The Cleveland Launcher Ti460 driver is the next generation in the Launcher family. The Launcher 460 was one of the most popular drivers that we have tested. It was long, forgiving and great on miss hits. It’s tough to replace something as good as the 2005 Launcher but Cleveland hopes the Ti460 is up for the challenge.
The biggest difference between this new Launcher and the old Launcher has to do with the crown of the club. Cleveland has found a way to move 15% of the crown weight to other areas of the club. The idea of moving weight like this isn’t really anything new but it can really alter how a club works. Cleveland shifted most of this weight to the bottom and perimeter… increasing launch angle. The Launcher Ti460 also boasts a new look… gone is the grey head and in is the navy blue head. The stock shaft has also changed but the new Cleveland Launcher Silver shaft is similar to the previous graphite offering. The Ti460 is also available in an offset version. This should be a huge hit with the higher handicapper looking to correct a slice. For every change there is an aspect that stays the same. This new club features the same face welding technique used in the previous Launcher and the head size and shape has remained. Cleveland has added some new shaft upgrade options and players of all abilities should be able to find one that works.
Our testers loved this driver just like they loved the last Launcher 460. The Ti460 is both long and forgiving… just like the first one. Our testers loved how the club looked and found the new darker color to be a bit more appealing to the eye. The stock shaft seemed to work well for the majority of testers too. The offset version is a nice touch… it is a huge upgrade over the last offset Cleveland driver (Sport 410) . I guess we’ll be handing out another 9/10 here!
Oh wait… there’s a flag on the play. Looks like the Cleveland Ti460 driver is being called for unnecessary change for the sake of change! We heard lots of great things about the Ti460 but we had already heard it all back when we reviewed the Launcher 460. All out testers agreed that the Ti460 was a great driver but that it was no better than the 2005 Launcher. Same length, same feel and same forgiveness. The change in launch angle was not noticeable and most testers were happy with the way the ball flew. Both customers and retailers that I talk to just hate when companies feel the need to change their products without making substantial refinements. Customers feel ripped off and retailers have to dump clubs at reduced rates to afford the new models.
Put it this way… if you don’t own a Launcher driver then make sure you have a look at this one. It is a great driver for the majority of golfers and our testers rated it 9/10… the same rating as the 2005 Launcher 460. If you own the 2005 version then save your money… the new color and headcover aren’t worth the extra costs. We have to penalize the Ti460 2 points for unnecessary change and that drops it’s rating to 7.
Overall Rating – 70%
Target Handicap – Anyone
Ball Flight – Mid to High
Lofts – 7.5, 8.5, 9.5, 10.5, 11.5 degree
Stock Shaft – Cleveland Launcher Silver graphite