Mention the name HiBore to a diehard gearhead and it’s likely to conjure up memories of Vijay Singh taking down fields with one of Cleveland’s most popular drivers.
The original HiBore boasted a forward-thinking design featuring a scooped crown design that helped push the centre of gravity lower and deeper in the head. The head shape helped enhance forgiveness by shifting the sweet spot to the centre of the face, improving dispersion simultaneously.
Two decades later, HiBore is back in the driver discussion with an updated version that honours the name.
Let’s start with the best news: at $A559, HiBore XL is one of the least expensive 2025 drivers in the marketplace, a reminder that you don’t need to splurge to find a reliable big stick.
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The swing robot confirmed this driver can hang with the big boys. For golfers who struggle to keep it on the map, HiBore XL recorded an average carry distance loss of just 6.8 yards (6.2 metres). And that’s comparing all eight mishit locations to a centre strike.
Only two drivers we tested at 95mph recorded a better carry number, and the difference was less than a yard. What this means is you can miss it all over the face and not have to worry about significant distance loss.
HiBore XL also produced one of the straightest balls of any driver we saw on the robot with an average offline dispersion of less than five yards – and again, that’s taking into account all the most common and extreme mishits. The driver was also 1.5mph faster than the previous Launcher XL.
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Yes, the spin rates are on the higher side at 2,900rpm, but in this case, we could see HiBore XL being a good option for someone who struggles to make consistent contact and simply wants to hit more fairways without making wholesale swing changes.
It might not be the longest driver out there, but HiBore XL is without a doubt one of the straightest and most reliable. And that’s no doubt worth something, especially at a more budget-friendly price point.
