[Photos: justinkosman.com]
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Cobra leans in on its game-improvement expertise with a pair of irons aimed at mid to high-handicappers. The King and King Max address the needs of these constituencies at a more palatable price point than the company’s more expensive 3D-printed models.
PRICE & AVAILABILITY: The King and King Max irons cost $US143 per iron in steel and $US157 per club in graphite. A women’s version of the Max also is available at $US157 per club in graphite (Australian pricing is TBC). At retail from February 6.
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3 Cool Things
1. It’s good to be the King: The speed in these irons comes from an almost utility-iron-like design in the 4 to 7-irons. Those clubs feature an 80-gram internal free-floating steel catapult weight that drives the centre of gravity down low to assist launch.
The face insert is made from a high-strength stainless steel allowing for a face that’s 2.3 millimetres in the centre, providing the kind of fire off the face middle-handicappers long for. Cobra engineers analysed multiple simulated golf ball impacts to adjust the face pattern, interior leading-edge, and other thicknesses to deliver faster ball speeds. The new design was created using thousands of simulations to determine the optimal variable thickness design that optimises speed, launch and spin across the face.
A 3D-printed lattice medallion saves five grams of weight and provides structural stiffness that supports the face at impact. The saved weight is repositioned low in the head. This lowers the club’s centre of gravity to promote higher launch.
“We are huge believers in 3D-printed technology,” said Jose Miraflor, vice-president of product architecture and consumer connections at Cobra Puma Golf. “Using 3DP to reposition the CG of the new King and King Max irons illustrates our dedication to continuing innovation and makes them our most advanced max-game improvement irons to date.”
2. Max it out: Cobra knows slower swingers and less-skilled players need help elevating the ball. To that end the King Max irons feature a more oversized head, slightly longer blade length, more offset, thicker topline and – importantly – two degrees more loft compared to the King model. Additionally, the 3D-printed lattice medallion saves five grams that is repositioned to further help get shots up in the air with ease.
The variable-thickness face features an L-cup construction in the 4 to 7-iron. The face is made from high strength 17-4 stainless steel and has a leading-edge channel that extends around the face from the sole into the toe area. The interior leading-edge channel also has been added to the mid and short irons. A 75-gram weight in the 4 to 7-irons is positioned low and back to lower the centre of gravity while allowing the face, body and sole to still flex.
The sole, which is reminiscent of the Phil Rodgers-designed sole on the 2002 SS irons, features more leading-edge bounce and a flatter mid sole with less camber to help the club glide through the turf more efficiently. That’s a crucial trait for a player group that tends to hit the ball fat.
3. Ladies choice: The King Max is available in a women’s model featuring the same technologies as the men’s version but with a Earl Grey colourway paired with an undersized SuperStroke Crossline grip and a lightweight KBS PGI women’s flex graphite shaft to promote easy launch and speed for women players. The women’s set is offered in a six-piece makeup with 6-iron to pitching wedge and sand wedge.
