50 Words or Less
Built on a stable Gliderail chassis, the Cleveland Launcher Halo hybrid offers high launching, straight shots from the lies where golfers inevitably find themselves.
Introduction
I could try to describe the types of lies the Launcher Halo is designed to help you recover from, but this short video – LINK – provides vivid imagery along with stunning scenery that I can’t match with words. And if you’re leery of marketing hype, keep reading for my take on this workhorse hybrid.
Looks
At address, the Halo hybrid’s look fits right in with the Launcher wood family. The overall size of the head is in step with the category, but the signature HiBore stepdown comes across as a beefy, iron-like top line to my eye. I do appreciate the way the matte black crown blends seamlessly with the black face.
The sole of the Launcher Halo is something new for Cleveland Golf. The wide center glide rail flanked by smaller rails make a statement that this isn’t your typical hybrid. And before you post the obvious rail comments, I agree, rails on a hybrid are not a new concept.
Sound & Feel
With a woodsy snap, the Launcher Halo has a distinctive sound that is fairly consistent across the face. Centered strikes have a solid feel in concert with the sound, and there’s reasonable feedback in the hands as contact wanders towards the heel or toe.
Performance
Even being the smallest sibling in the Launcher wood family, the Halo hybrid is chock full of technology, all working in harmony to send the golf ball high and straight. The HiBore crown allows for a lower center of gravity that creates higher launch. Halo Weighting refers to the sole structure and the weighting in the rails that provide stability. And, of course, the Gliderails themselves assist in keeping the club moving for speed retention. Rounding out the tech talk, Cleveland incorporates variable face thickness on the Halo hybrid to maximize ball speed and boost distance.
Circling back to actual results, my first observation was how easy the Launcher Halo is to hit. Even not-so-perfect strikes had the ball launching high and straight. There was some loss in distance moving from centered contact, but the face area for good performance was generous.
I wasn’t willing to replicate the cart path shot that’s in the video, but I did subject the Halo to a few bad lies. First, I hit some balls off hard packed sand, the basic bare lie, and found performance unchanged. Moving to deep grass, it’s hard to determine conclusively if there was less drag than with other hybrids, but I will state that the club felt stable through the hitting zone and balls flew straight down the target line. My third test position was at the bottom of an old crusty divot. With a steeper, trap swing the ball shot out like a glorious pro tour stinger every time – lack of golf claps notwithstanding.
Conclusion
It’s refreshing for a company to recognize that most golfers don’t hit the fairway with every tee shot and to design a club to help us out of trouble. With the Launcher Halo hybrid, when Cleveland Golf says “Play your ball as it lies” they aren’t invoking a rule, they’re empowering your game.
Cleveland Launcher Halo Hybrid Price & Specs
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Hi.This hybrid is fantastic a perfect match to the new line from Cleveland Golf.Richard in the UK
I’m starting to fill my bag with Cleveland. I have now 4 wedges and a uhx 5 utility club , soon a halo.
Again a great review Mr Meerker
I’m using the #2 16* in place of a fairway wood. It does the job really well. I lose some distance, but like the review says, it’s goes high, straight and long. No more worm burners with a bad strike from the fairway and it gets you out of trouble lies easily.
Hi Matt,
I hit this and the Mavrik Max today. The Max went longer, but that was indoors. Have you got the Max and how do they compare. I like the Cleveland a lot.
The PIG team is in the process of testing Mavrik woods and will follow that up with hybrids. But don’t wait on us, go with what works best for you Rich. Let us know what you decide on.
– Meeks
Hi Matt,
Wanted to let you know I went with the Halo over the Mavrik. The Mavrik was more explosive and farther, but the Halo was very consistent and straighter.
Thanks for the review.
About six months ago I was given a CG Hibore 3 hybrid. I had never been a hybrid player,
being the odd sort that likes playing 3 irons. It quickly became my preferred club for rescues and anything requiring about 200 yards. Figuring that the state of the art had improved in the 12 or so years since that club was introduced, I purchased the CG HALO 3 hybrid to fill the gap between my 3 wood and 4 iron as I gradually upgraded my 15-year-old original set. This club is flat-out fantastic. It has gained about 25 yards on its predecessor and is even easier to hit. It excels off the fairway and inspires confidence from the rough. Nice from the tee box too. Every shot gets good loft, and the occasional user error isn’t punished very harshly.
I’m sure there are plenty of good hybrids on the market. I haven’t tried very many of them, so I make no attempt to draw comparisons. I enjoy the confidence I feel every time I pull this club from my bag
Hey Matt. I just ordered the 2 hybrid and it should arrive shortly. I’ve heard pretty much only good things about it, but I am a little worried about the 60 degree lie angle. Did you find that it had a tendency to hook left? Also, the stock shaft with it is pretty light. 52 grams I think. Did you use the stock shaft when you tried it? Cheers Brian
Thanks for reading the review Brian. No – on any hook tendency. Yes – stock shaft.
– Meeks
Matt-Excellent review with real world of golf info for golfers. I just added the #4 hybrid 22′ to my bag after checking in on Plugged In Golf if you had tested it and then reading your article. The Cleveland Launcher Halo hybrid is so easy to hit. The ball flight looks like a nice 7-8 iron type trajectory height good for hitting the green and not motoring all the way over the back.
For a slow senior swing speed this hybrid works very well with the senior shaft. It reminds me of a 7 wood for that type distance but much easier to hit and way more consistently too.
Thanks!
Just out looking around for reviews on this Cleveland and pleased I found your review it was very good.
Matt,
Any thoughts on the hy-wood 3 yet? I struggle with my 3 wood off the fairway. It sounds like it could be a great option for me. Thanks.
Greg
Stay tuned Greg – testing in progress.
– Meeks
I have an older version Hi-bore (HB) set of irons. Probably 15+ years old? Shaft, Ultra lite 65g, torque 4.2, low kick point, regular shaft. I’ve love these irons since day one. Now I want to move up to the Halo XL Launcher. Currently I have 3-PW. I just purchased a XXIO 7 wood 20* loft which I absolutely love. It replaced my 3 iron. I want to get a hybrid above and below my 7 wood (5 & 9) with hybrids, not XXIO’s, too pricey? I’m a 14 index, Senior (80) golfer and play 3 days/wk year round. This will be my last set of clubs? How do I figure out which flex to get, regular or senior? I live in Goodyear, AZ. Any advice will be appreciated. Thank you in advance!
The only way to determine which flex is best for you is to hit the clubs Bill. Ideally on a launch monitor with the watchful eye of qualified fitter. I’m certain there are plenty of locations in the greater Phoenix area, if not in your own oasis.
– Meeks
I’m eager to see how this plays out. The rails on my Cobra F7 helped me beat the last Launcher hybrid. I’m curious to see if Cleveland will follow Cobra and Tour Edge in introducing rails to the fairway woods in the future.
I have just begun using a #3 halo Cleveland Launcher. Wow! It is remarkably straight, amazingly easy to hit, and goes as far as my Ping 3-wood which I have now taken out of my bag. I shall seriously consider adding a #4 halo and a Cleveland driver to my bag – the #4 halo to bridge the gap between my 5 iron and the #3 halo, and the Cleveland driver to replace my beloved Ping 400 driver which performs well but probably not as well as a Cleveland driver.