Detailed Review of the Cleveland Launcher DST Driver Series
Since being purchased by SRI Sports in 2007, Cleveland Golf has been hard at work developing new clubs and products and they have seen a nice resurgence in the market and on the professional tours. Cleveland is making a comeback in the driver market in 2010. For 2010, Cleveland Golf has answered the call and is introducing three new driver models – the Launcher DST, DST Draw and Launcher DST Tour. Switching gears and going back to a more traditional looking club will help, and if that doesn’t get you interested, the performance of the new clubs certainly will.
Appearance and Design
Cleveland went with a more traditional look for the DST. The new driver is a standard pear shape with a black paint job on the crown and some blue highlights around the chrome sole plate. The top line has no alignment marks or badges which makes for a nice clean look, focusing your attention on the ball that is about to be punished. This club has a very classic, simple look and to me it’s a nice departure from the odd shapes and weird materials and colors in use by some club companies these days.
- The DST is a 460cc driver, but the black paint job and classic shape doesn’t make it look that big.
- The DST Draw sits three degrees closed and is draw biased via internal weighting.
- The DST Tour comes in at 430cc, and again it looks more compact, which is a feature some people prefer.
Sub 300g Technology and Performance
The Launcher features Cleveland’s Sub 300g Technology, which makes it one of the lightest drivers in golf. The overall club weight is below 300 grams, which is 25 grams lighter than standard drivers. They achieve this in part by using a lighter grip and a new Mitsubishi Diamana Red shaft that weighs only 47 grams. This allows the shaft to be lengthened to 45.75″ for more swing speed and the overall weight allows golfers to swing it faster for more distance. Cleveland’s claims of increased distance are from 3 to 10 yards.
Furthermore, the DST uses variable face thickness to create a larger C.O.R. on off center hits, so that mishits fly further. A lower and deeper center of gravity also helps get the ball in the air faster with higher MOI for straighter drives.
Specifications and Custom Options
The Diamana Red 47g is the stock shaft, but by no means is it the only shaft available for the Launcher DST and DST Tour. Cleveland has a very large selection of custom shaft options available from companies like Aldila, Fujikura, Grafalloy, Graphite Design, Mitsubishi, UST, and SRI Sports’ hot new Miyazaki shafts. For instance, the Miyazaki Kusala Black shaft is designed with a firm tip section for lower launch and very low spin, while the Miyazaki C. Kua series are extremely light.
| Model | Available Lofts | Stock Length |
|---|---|---|
| Launcher DST | 9, 10.5, 12 degrees | 45.75″ |
| Launcher DST Tour | 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 degrees | 45.125″ |
Regarding pricing and availability, the following options were observed in the current market:
- R6,545.49 (Current price) reduced from R6,889.99 (Original price).
- R10,354.99 (Current price) reduced from R10,899.99 (Original price).
- R6,649.05 (Current price) reduced from R6,999.00 (Original price).
Performance Summary
Cleveland was wise in keeping the Launcher name for these drivers, because its a great way to describe them! These clubs launch the ball. Whether using the Diamana Red, designed for high launch conditions with a low torque, softer tip section, or the Miyazaki series, the technology is optimized for performance.