Cobra

What it does: Getting the smaller face of a hybrid to flex is like trying to get a 165cm, 50-year-old actuary to reverse dunk. LeBron’s shoes aren’t enough. In the same way, the hybrid’s smaller face makes its trampoline effect much smaller and less effective – unless you do what Cobra has done here. This face features a high-strength steel alloy for extra ball speed along with 15 different thickness areas – or five times as many as before – to help the face deflect more. Finally, and most importantly, the face wraps around the sole, allowing it to hinge better for increased flex on low-face impacts.

Why we like it: Internal weighting in a hybrid is a problem. When mass is pushed forward to lower the centre of gravity, the thicker sole can restrict the way the face flexes. Cobra overcomes this with an internal bridge-like structure that is slightly elevated above the face insert that wraps around the sole. The bridge weighs 43 grams with extra weight on the heel and toe side. That kind of heavy deposit of mass lowers the CG and increases stability on off-centre strikes. Even cooler: the idea, known as da Vinci’s Bridge, came from a guy named Leonardo in the 1500s who apparently could jump.

Lofts 17, 19, 21, 24, 28