Cleveland say the 588 Custom driver is the longest driver they have ever made, plus it has the adjustability to fit just about any golfer. It is the company's second generation of adjustable driver and they believe their new "Precision Adjustability" will help all golfers, from advanced to game-improvement, enjoy a high but penetrating flight.
A large 460cc titanium head gives the driver the size and forgiveness, whilst it's lightweight construction and adjustability creates a fast, customizable performance.
At 305 grams, the 588 Custom driver is around 10% lighter than many traditional, 460cc drivers. Despite its size and 45.5 inch length, Cleveland kept it to a swingweight of D5 which is again lighter than most drivers on the market.
When weight is at a premium, it is important manufacturers use it effectively to position mass and the club's centre of gravity. In the 588 Custom driver, Cleveland use an adjustable weight screw in the rear of the head to position the weight lower and further back in the head.
Much like the weight used in the Cleveland CG Black driver, the driver comes with the 3 gram weight screw, with additional 7 and 11 gram weights available as optional extras.
The more weight is in the back of the clubhead, the more stable and controllable the driver will perform. The lighter the weight, the faster the driver will swing producing longer distances. Furthermore, Cleveland improved the construction of the walls that surround the clubhead to allow even more weight to be redistributed low and back.
Along with the adjustable weight screw, the Cleveland 588 Custom features the company's latest adjustable hosel. This is Cleveland's second generation adjustable driver, and the new design offers 12 different settings in each of the 9-degree and 10.5-degree clubheads. The total range of adjustability is 3 degrees of loft, 3 degrees of lie angle and 4.5 degrees of face angle change.
To break down the 12 settings, there are two square settings, 5 open settings and 5 closed settings. What does open and closed mean? Basically the hosel allows golfers to adjust the angle of the face open and closed in increments of 0.75 degrees. Cleveland say that each 0.75-degree change is equal to around 10 yards of right or left bias.
Here's a look at the breakdown of the 12 settings available on the Cleveland 588 Custom driver:
The 588 Custom's forgiveness is thanks, in large part, to Cleveland's new variable face. By enhancing and improving how thick the face is, Cleveland's R&D team were able to improve the strike both in the centre and on off-centre shots.
The standard shaft offerings from Cleveland in the 588 Custom driver are the Matrix OZIK 6Q3 and Miyazaki JDL 6 shaft, available in extra stiff, stiff, regular and senior flexes. More than 20 custom shafts are available also and can be fitted by a Cleveland retailer or fitter.