Cleveland Niblick Review

[Addicted2Golf]

Over the past couple of months I have been experimenting around with the Cleveland Niblick. For those of you who haven't seen it, the Niblick is a "short game hybrid". According to the company, it combines the best features of a wedge, putter, iron and hybrid to create the "ultimate hybrid scoring club". It looks like a chipper but with 42 degrees of loft it can also be used for full shots which increases its utility. Chip, pitch, approach, and recovery shots are all possible with this club. Cleveland has come up with a new product category here. And its like nothing you've gamed before.

 

Pros

 

Many mid to high handicap golfers lose valuable strokes by failing to get up and down - hitting chips and pitches fat or sculling them over the green. If you struggle at times with that portion of your game then this club is for you.

 

The Niblick has an upright lie angle with putter length, 8 degrees of bounce, and very effective alignment aides. After some adjustment, a normal chipping stance with a putting stroke yielded shots that stayed low and checked up quickly.

 

Cleveland has incorporated all the goodies from its popular CG14 wedges including the milled zip grooves and the vibration damping gelback technology. The result is soft feel and enhanced spin around the green. During my first round with it in the bag, I chipped in two shots from the fringe on very fast greens. This is something I can get used to.

 

The Niblick is also very forgiving on full shots. It has a heavy swing weight and as a result it took time to dial in distances. But after some practice, I found it to be a very stable and forgiving club from the fairway and a wonder from the rough. Everyone will be different, but I hit the Niblick on full shots the same distance as my gap wedge.

 

It is also an excellent recovery club. During one round, my driver kept leaving me under tree cover and I effectively used the Niblick to chip back out into the fairway.

 

Cons

 

OK, this is not the cleanest club you will ever look down upon at address. For those who play game improvement and hybrid clubs it will not be a huge transition, but I suspect players who game a more traditional set will find the topline and offset decidedly unappealing.

 

Players who put a Niblick in their bag will face a hard decision on what club to take out. Depending on which loft is chosen, for most this club will replace a gap or pitching wedge. But that will be a hard pill to swallow for some because a skilled wedge player will lose some versatility around the greens by doing that. However, I would argue that a skilled wedge player isn't the target demographic for this product and the rest of us are in denial.

 

The biggest issue perhaps is perception. Purists will scoff at the Niblick. Mike Stachura, Golf Digest's Equipment Editor in a recent article suggested it was a "moral outrage" and called it a "pathetic crutch". I've had a couple of playing partners accuse me of playing an illegal club (its not). This is a frivolous reason not to play a new category of equipment and I'd imagine many of the same things were said about hybrids when they first arrived on the scene. But the stigma associated with this club is still worth noting.

 

Final Word

 

If there are days when you struggle with your game around the greens, then having the Niblick in your bag is like carrying a warm security blanket. Not all of us have time to become expert wedge players and therefore this product definitely fills a niche and I would highly recommend at least giving it a run. You might just find it will shave a few strokes off your score, reduce your frustration level, and increase your enjoyment of the game.

 

The Niblick is available from Cleveland Golf and is sold at most major golf outlets. It is available in lofts of 37 and 42 degrees and retails for $109.99.

[Moecat]

Addicted, thanks for your detailed review and welcome to MGS!

 

Here's a photo for reference

[GolfSpy_X]

Nice review

 

Over the past couple of months I have been experimenting around with the Cleveland Niblick. For those of you who haven't seen it, the Niblick is a "short game hybrid". According to the company, it combines the best features of a wedge, putter, iron and hybrid to create the "ultimate hybrid scoring club". It looks like a chipper but with 42 degrees of loft it can also be used for full shots which increases its utility. Chip, pitch, approach, and recovery shots are all possible with this club. Cleveland has come up with a new product category here. And its like nothing you've gamed before.

 

Pros

 

Many mid to high handicap golfers lose valuable strokes by failing to get up and down - hitting chips and pitches fat or sculling them over the green. If you struggle at times with that portion of your game then this club is for you.

 

The Niblick has an upright lie angle with putter length, 8 degrees of bounce, and very effective alignment aides. After some adjustment, a normal chipping stance with a putting stroke yielded shots that stayed low and checked up quickly.

 

Cleveland has incorporated all the goodies from its popular CG14 wedges including the milled zip grooves and the vibration damping gelback technology. The result is soft feel and enhanced spin around the green. During my first round with it in the bag, I chipped in two shots from the fringe on very fast greens. This is something I can get used to.

 

The Niblick is also very forgiving on full shots. It has a heavy swing weight and as a result it took time to dial in distances. But after some practice, I found it to be a very stable and forgiving club from the fairway and a wonder from the rough. Everyone will be different, but I hit the Niblick on full shots the same distance as my gap wedge.

 

It is also an excellent recovery club. During one round, my driver kept leaving me under tree cover and I effectively used the Niblick to chip back out into the fairway.

 

Cons

 

OK, this is not the cleanest club you will ever look down upon at address. For those who play game improvement and hybrid clubs it will not be a huge transition, but I suspect players who game a more traditional set will find the topline and offset decidedly unappealing.

 

Players who put a Niblick in their bag will face a hard decision on what club to take out. Depending on which loft is chosen, for most this club will replace a gap or pitching wedge. But that will be a hard pill to swallow for some because a skilled wedge player will lose some versatility around the greens by doing that. However, I would argue that a skilled wedge player isn't the target demographic for this product and the rest of us are in denial.

 

The biggest issue perhaps is perception. Purists will scoff at the Niblick. Mike Stachura, Golf Digest's Equipment Editor in a recent article suggested it was a "moral outrage" and called it a "pathetic crutch". I've had a couple of playing partners accuse me of playing an illegal club (its not). This is a frivolous reason not to play a new category of equipment and I'd imagine many of the same things were said about hybrids when they first arrived on the scene. But the stigma associated with this club is still worth noting.

 

Final Word

 

If there are days when you struggle with your game around the greens, then having the Niblick in your bag is like carrying a warm security blanket. Not all of us have time to become expert wedge players and therefore this product definitely fills a niche and I would highly recommend at least giving it a run. You might just find it will shave a few strokes off your score, reduce your frustration level, and increase your enjoyment of the game.

 

The Niblick is available from Cleveland Golf and is sold at most major golf outlets. It is available in lofts of 37 and 42 degrees and retails for $109.99.

[mcbush25]

There is a little part of me that wants to pick one of these up just to have for those days when I feel like tinkering around. I have messed around with one a few times at the golf store and it is superb with chips. I just wonder what it would do to the psyche on full shots.

[Addicted2Golf]

Addicted, thanks for your detailed review and welcome to MGS! <_>

 

Here's a photo for reference

 

Thanks. Its great to be here and the forum is really well done. Congrats!

[GolfSpy Dave]

So what club do you drop to carry one of these? Is there a need to bag more than one?

[Addicted2Golf]

So what club do you drop to carry one of these? Is there a need to bag more than one?

 

When I game the Niblick, I pick the club that I know I will use the least for a particular course (usually my 5 wood or one of my wedges). You could also take out the club that it would replace based on how far you hit the Niblick on full shots. Like I said in the review, for me that was my 50 degree gap wedge.

[MmmmmmBuddy]

I am intrigued by this club. I just do not know what loft to put in, or what club to drop. I am also worried about the indecision around the green... "Is this a niblick, or a 52*" Thoughts??

[jamo]

Do you ever hit full shots with it? That would be kind of weird, but maybe only to me because I broke a putter once by hitting it off of a tee.

[Addicted2Golf]

I am intrigued by this club. I just do not know what loft to put in, or what club to drop. I am also worried about the indecision around the green... "Is this a niblick, or a 52*" Thoughts??

 

I originally played the 37* and personally found it to be more limited in its utility. It was the better chipper around the green because the ball comes out lower and rolls almost like a putt. It was money on tight lies.

 

But, in certain situations, that works against you and I liked the option of being able to get more loft on the ball when I needed it. That is why I ended up with the 42* model.

[Addicted2Golf]

Do you ever hit full shots with it? That would be kind of weird, but maybe only to me because I broke a putter once by hitting it off of a tee.

 

Very forgiving on full shots - almost like a hybrid. That is what makes it a viable wedge replacement and different than a chipper.

[GolfSpy Dave]

I am going to toy around with a 42* tomorrow at the shop.

[Addicted2Golf]

I am going to toy around with a 42* tomorrow at the shop.

 

I heard they are planning to come out with other lofts - 49* and 56*. Do you have any in the shop? I'd be curious to see how the 56* plays.

[GolfSpy Dave]

I heard they are planning to come out with other lofts - 49* and 56*. Do you have any in the shop? I'd be curious to see how the 56* plays.

Will look tomorrow. Not my shop, mind you. Just one that I seem to be at a lot.

They let us demo everything out on the range for free. It is my favorite after work detour.

[JohnBarry]

I am also very interested in this club, I would love to demo it, play a round, and see what situations I would use it in, and what to replace in my bag.

[Addicted2Golf]

Will look tomorrow. Not my shop, mind you. Just one that I seem to be at a lot.

They let us demo everything out on the range for free. It is my favorite after work detour.

 

Ah, OK. Yes...I've been known to be seen hanging around my local big box retailer. If they were smart, they would give me a shirt and put me on the pay roll. At least I could answer questions while I'm there. LOL.

[ClevelandGolfSrixon]

Great review Blaine! Also something to add, The NIBLICK-9 (37 degree) is best suited for slower greens, short rough, and desert courses. The lower loft improves consistency on chips and is ideal for punching out of trouble. 9 iron distance on full-shots. The NIBLICK-10 (42 degree) is best suited for faster greens and undulating terrain. The higher loft increases trajectory and spin for better control on pitches and approach shots. PW distance on full-shots.

[GolfSpy Dave]

Great review Blaine! Also something to add, The NIBLICK-9 (37 degree) is best suited for slower greens, short rough, and desert courses. The lower loft improves consistency on chips and is ideal for punching out of trouble. 9 iron distance on full-shots. The NIBLICK-10 (42 degree) is best suited for faster greens and undulating terrain. The higher loft increases trajectory and spin for better control on pitches and approach shots. PW distance on full-shots.

It is so nice to have a Cleveland rep on the boards. So if I bag a NB-10 then I drop the PW from my bag?

[JohnBarry]

Great review Blaine! Also something to add, The NIBLICK-9 (37 degree) is best suited for slower greens, short rough, and desert courses. The lower loft improves consistency on chips and is ideal for punching out of trouble. 9 iron distance on full-shots. The NIBLICK-10 (42 degree) is best suited for faster greens and undulating terrain. The higher loft increases trajectory and spin for better control on pitches and approach shots. PW distance on full-shots.

 

 

Also would like to welcome you to the boards. You have a strong following of people to your brands here, and we hope we see a lot of you around. I myself have Cleveland Wedges, always loved them. I am very interested in the club though.

[Addicted2Golf]

Great review Blaine! Also something to add, The NIBLICK-9 (37 degree) is best suited for slower greens, short rough, and desert courses. The lower loft improves consistency on chips and is ideal for punching out of trouble. 9 iron distance on full-shots. The NIBLICK-10 (42 degree) is best suited for faster greens and undulating terrain. The higher loft increases trajectory and spin for better control on pitches and approach shots. PW distance on full-shots.

 

Thanks Mike. I could see where the 9 would do better on courses with more hardpan and tight lies which is common for desert courses. Could you comment on the new lofts coming out and how those can best be used? I'm particularly intrigued by the 56 degree.