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Gear: Cobra King Utility iron
Price: $219 with KBS $-Taper lite steel shaft or Project X Catalyst 80 graphite shaft and Lamkin Crossline Connect grip.
Specs: Hollow-bodied iron with tungsten weight and an adjustable hosel.
Available: June 12
Many accomplished golfers shy away from hybrids because their low and back center of gravity encourages shots to fly too high with excessive spin. There is also a tendency for hybrid shots to drift to the left for some better players. However, many hybrids are designed with adjustable hosels, so they can be tweaked to fill specific distance gaps.
With the release of the updated King Utility irons, Cobra is trying to bring the best qualities of hybrids to the long-iron replacement category, while also designing a club that will appeal to iron lovers.
Available as a 2-iron, 3-iron or 4-iron, the King Utility irons are hollow, which allowed Cobra engineers to give them a thin, unsupported face that increases ball speed and distance. The hollow design also allowed designers to add a tungsten weight to the back of the head. It lowers the center of gravity to make getting shots up in the air easier, but they still fly lower than with a hybrid.
The most unique feature, however, is the MyFly 8 adjustable hosel mechanism. Golfers and fitters can use a torque wrench to position the hosel into one of eight settings, adding or reducing loft. This feature, common in hybrids, fairway woods and drivers, is rare in irons. It can make setting up a King Utility iron to hit shots a specific distance much simpler.
To help golfers track their performance, the King Utility comes standard with Cobra Connect, an Arccos-powered, shot-tracking sensor in the grip. The sensor pairs with a free smartphone app and allows golfers to see how far they hit each shot and learn about their tendencies.
Finally, as with other Cobra irons, the King Utility is offered in a One Length version. Measuring 37.5 inches, the length of a typical 7-iron, the King Utility One Length will be available as a 3-iron, 4-iron or 5-iron and is designed to help golfers achieve a consistent setup and swing. While these clubs are shorter than standard-length long irons, many golfers find they hit the ball more solidly with the shorter One Length clubs, and the improved impact compensates for the decreased swing speed, so they do not sacrifice distance.