Cobra releases King Tour Black, King CB/MB Black irons

Black has a way of transforming simple things into classics.

From leather jackets to little dresses, black has a way of transforming simple things into classics, and the list of great rock ‘n’ roll songs that include the word ‘black’ in the title reads like the back of a greatest hits album. There’s “Paint It Black,” by the Rolling Stones, “Back in Black,” by AC/DC, “Black Is Black,” by Los Bravos, Santana’s “Black Magic Woman,” and Pearl Jam’s “Black” … we could go on.

When it comes to golf equipment, black clubs hold a mystique. Black is the most popular color for drivers, fairway woods and hybrids, but most irons are chrome-plated or designed with a silver tone. Black irons are somewhat rare, but some golfers covet them and when brands release special black versions of previously-released clubs, they perk up and take notice.

Rickie Fowler is among them, having put the just-released Cobra King Tour Black irons in his bag this week at the 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi. Cobra has also just released the King CB and MB Black Combo irons for pros, college players and elite golfers.

Here’s your first look at the new dark-finished offerings from Cobra and everything you need to know about them.

Cobra King Tour Black irons
Cobra King Tour Black irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Cobra King Tour Black irons
Price: $-Taper 120 Black steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline Black grips
Specs: Forged 1025 carbon steel with TPU insert, co-molded aluminum medallion and diamondized black metal finish
Available: Oct. 18, but available for pre-order NOW

Who it’s for: Low-handicap players who want soft feel with extra control and spin.

What you should know: A better-player’s cavity-back, the King Tour irons have a vibration-dampening insert hidden in the back to soften the feel, along with the compact size and classic look that accomplished golfers demand.

The deep dive: These irons are identical to the standard King Tour irons that were released in 2023 and that Rickie Fowler used to win the Rocket Mortgage Classic last season, except they have been given a black DBM (Diamondized Black Metal) finish. Cobra claims it is especially durable and does a good job of diffusing sunlight to reduce glare.

The King Tour Black irons are made using 1025 carbon steel that is forged five times to increase the precision of the process, make the faces completely flat and enhance feel.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Cobra King Tour black irons” link=”https://pga-tour-superstore.pxf.io/LXeD03″]

Cobra King Tour Black irons
There is a small TPU insert in the back of the King Tour Black irons (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The cavity-back shaping is created by computer-controlled milling. This allowed engineers to make subtle changes to the undercuts around the head, taking extra material out of the top of the long irons to lower the center of gravity.

Cobra designers added a thermoplastic polyurethane insert and an aluminum co-molded badge to the back of the King Tour heads to soak up excessive vibrations.

You can read the full review of the standard Cobra King Tour irons here.

Cobra King CB/MB Black irons
Cobra King CB/MB Black irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Cobra King Tour CB/MB Black irons
Price: $-Taper 120 Black steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline Black grips
Specs: Forged 1025 carbon steel with diamondized black metal finish
Available: Oct. 18, but available for pre-order now

Who it’s for: Elite ballstrikers who demand the ultimate in feel and control.

What you should know: This combo set for the game’s best players combines forged cavity-back long irons with muscleback blade scoring clubs and comes with a black finish that Cobra feels is more durable.

The deep dive: In early 2023, Cobra released the King CB and King MB irons for professionals, college players, and elite golfers with powerful, repeatable swings. If you are looking for forgiveness, go check out Cobra’s Dark Speed irons because neither the King CB nor the MB is designed to give you that. However, if you want feel and control, the King CB and MB are at the zenith of what Cobra can provide.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Cobra King CB/MB irons” link=”https://pga-tour-superstore.pxf.io/eKdRn6″]

Cobra King CB Black
The Cobra King CB Black irons (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Now, Cobra is offering the King CB and King MB Black Edition irons for low single-digit handicap golfers and tournament-level players who want something that delivers the highest levels of feel, control, and that look, well … kinda badass.

These clubs have the same diamondized black metal (DBM) finish that was given to the King Tour Black irons.

They King CB and MB Black irons are typically sold as a combo set comprised of cavity-back 4-, 5- and 6-irons that are blended with muscleback blades in the 7-iron through pitching wedge. While the CB long irons have slightly more perimeter weighting, all seven clubs have a thin topline, practically no offset, and a narrow sole. The King CB and MB Black irons feature the shortest blade length of any Cobra iron.

Cobra King MB Black
Cobra King MB Black irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

If you have a repeatable swing and can generate all the distance you need, the Cobra King Tour CB/MB Combo set can allow you to hit controlled draws and fades, knockdown shots, and more. At the same time, golfers will immediately know where on the face they hit the ball, thanks to the softness of the metal.

In addition to the standard blended set, the CB and MB models are each available as full sets in a 3-iron through gap wedge. The CB is available in both left- and right-handed versions, but the MB is only available as a complete set for right-handed players.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Cobra King CB/MB black irons” link=”https://pga-tour-superstore.pxf.io/eKdRn6″]

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Cobra King Tour black irons” link=”https://pga-tour-superstore.pxf.io/LXeD03″]

Rickie Fowler arrives at Sanderson Farms with new equipment in the bag

On Tuesday, Fowler commented on a new putter he is preparing to use this week.

Rickie Fowler is making his first appearance in a PGA Tour event since the 2024 British Open this week at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi. As one of the field’s headliners, he spoke with the media on Tuesday.

After discussing the course and his plans to play a few more PGA Tour events in 2024, Fowler was asked about some new equipment that was spotted in his bag.

“Yeah, got a few things. From irons, they’re just a black version of the same Cobra King Tours that I was playing, just a different color. I thought they looked a little bit better. Put those straight in.”

The King Tour is a compact, forged iron with a thermoplastic insert in the back that softens feel and enhances sound. Fowler started using the standard chrome version in 2023, nearly winning the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club with them before finally winding up in the winner’s circle at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

On Tuesday, Fowler commented on a new putter he is preparing to use this week.

“I had a little extra time to be able to do some more testing with a L.A.B. putter and saw a lot of good things from it. Like I said, liked what I’ve seen at home, so giving that a test run this week. Hopefully, we continue to see good things.”

LAB Golf DF3 putter
L.A.B Golf DF3 putter (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The putter Fowler is using is a L.A.B. DF3. After you sole it behind the ball, the DF3’s weighting encourages the face of the putter to remain square to the arc you establish in the address position, creating what L.A.B. refers to as Lie Angle Balance.

Fowler also sounds like he is making a switch at the top of his bag too.

“Outside of that, added a mini driver from TaylorMade, so basically a replacement for 3-wood.” Fowler said. “Feel like it’s something very beneficial off the tee, especially at a golf course like this, so I’ve seen, again, a lot of good benefits from it.”

Mini drivers and extra-large 2-woods are gaining popularity among elite players who do not use their 3-wood off the turf and instead only use it off the tee. Tommy Fleetwood has been carrying a mini driver for a few seasons and last year Cameron Young and Max Homa also used a mini driver in several PGA Tour events.

Best new golf irons you can buy in 2024

Check out Golfweek’s list of the best irons available to purchase in 2024.

As Golfweek explained in our 2024 Driver wrap-up, the undeniable trend in the world of drivers is toward higher-stability offerings that not only perform well when you hit the ball in the middle of the face, but also help you hit straighter shots and help you maintain distance when you mis-hit toward the heel or the toe.

When it comes to irons, the trend continues to be the broadening array of offers to meet the needs of different types of players. Not that long ago, equipment makers sold blades to the best players, cavity-backs to golfers who needed some forgiveness and oversized clubs to high-handicappers and beginners. Those clubs still exist, but they are complemented by better-player distance irons, sets that blend hybrids and irons for forgiveness, and sets that blend hollow-bodied long irons with precision-minded scoring clubs.

Take Ping as an example. The Phoenix-based brand now has the Blueprint T and Blueprint S for elite players, the tour-proven i230 for good players who want more forgiveness, the i525 for golfers who want a better-player’s distance iron, the game-improvement G430 and it still offers the G710 as a max game-improvement club. Brands like Callaway, Cobra, Mizuno, TaylorMade and Titleist have similarly deep stables.

Early this suumer, new irons like the Bettinardi MB24 and CB24, the Cobra Limit3d and the Wilson Staff Model RB Utility iron have dropped.

So much variety is great golfers, but it has never been more important to seek out a good custom fitter, try several different shafts and heads and see what the data reveals.

Below are many of the irons that you will see in pro shops and specialty stores. Use this list as a starting point to discover clubs that might be ideal for you game.

Best golf irons in 2024

Cobra’s 3D-printed Limit3d Irons

The Cobra Limit3d irons are 3D printed to create a unique internal shape and enhance performance.

Gear: Cobra Limit3d Irons
Price: $2,999.99 (4-PW) with KBS Tour $-Taper shafts
Specs: 3D printed 316L stainless steel body and face with internal tungsten weights.
Available: June 7

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Who It’s For: Golfers with deep pockets who want an iron that looks like a muscleback blade but plays like a game-improvement iron.

The Skinny: By 3D printing the Limit3d irons, Cobra removed a massive amount of weight from the middle of each clubhead, then added tungsten weights to boost perimeter weighting and stability without increasing head size.

The Deep Dive: Every iron you have ever owned or seen in pro shops was made in one of two ways: casting or forging. Casting involves heating metal until it melts, then pouring the liquid metal into molds, allowing it to cool and then breaking open the molds before sanding and polishing the heads. The forging process superheats metal rods before they are pressed under massive pressure into the shape of a club. In most cases, the metal is forged several times to produce the final shape.

Both casting and forging have pros and cons, but with the release of the Limit3d irons, Cobra may be providing a glimpse of the future of golf club manufacturing. The Limit3d irons are 3D printed, and this process opens up a world of designs that would be impossible to create using either casting or forging.

Cobra has used 3D printing to create pieces of putters for a few years and quietly 3D printing wedges for staff players like Rickie Fowler and Gary Woodland. However, the 500 sets of Limit3d irons are the brand’s first foray into 3D printing irons.

The shape of the Limit3d irons was based on the forged King Tour irons, the clubs Fowler plays on the PGA Tour. They have a compact blade length, a touch of offset and a thin topline. 

To make each Limited iron, a computer controls a direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) process that applies tiny layers of 316L stainless steel powder. With each pass of the machine, another layer of powdered metal is added on top of the previous layer and bonds to it. In all, there are more than 2,600 layers of stainless steel powder applied to make each head and it takes about 24 hours for the process to be completed. The computer applies the powdered metal in exact locations, adding more layers to some places, less to others, and none where Cobra designers don’t want it.

Cobra Limit3d irons
The Cobra Limit3d irons have an internal lattice and tungsten weights. (Cobra)

After studying several different internal structures and options, Cobra engineers decided that an intricate internal lattice structure was ideal because it provided enough strength while reducing the weight of the central area of the club by about 100 grams. Typically, engineers sweat and work to save a few grams here and there, so creating 100 grams of discretionary weight is a massive savings. 

Much of that weight was repurposed in the form of three tungsten weights. Each Limit3d iron has a small weight in the hosel, along with massive weights in the heel and toe area that boost the moment of inertia (MOI) and make the Limit3d irons significantly more stable. So, while the Limit3d irons look like the King Tour irons in the address position and are similar in size, they are much more forgiving and stable on mis-hits, like a game-improvement club.

Cobra Limit3d irons
The hitting area is 3D printed using the same 316L stainless steel powder used to create the internal lattice structure. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The lattice is encased in a traditional-looking outer layer of 3D-printed 316L stainless steel,-and tungsten weights are covered by 316L 3D-printed caps that help keep them in position and hide them from view. The hitting area, back of each club and body structures are also 3D-printed using 316L stainless steel. 

The lattice structure you see on the back of each Limit3d head is cosmetic. While Cobra is eager to show off its technologies, exposing the open lattice would allow water and debris to get inside the clubheads.

According to Cobra, the Limit3d generates about 3 miles per hour more ball speed than the King Tour irons, which translates to about 5 more yards of distance. The Limit3d and King Tour create nearly identical peak heights and descent angles.

Cobra Limit3d irons
In the address position, the Cobra Limit3d irons looks very similar to the King Tour irons. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

With a price of $2,999.99 and with only 500 sets being offered worldwide, the Limit3d irons are not something you are likely to see in person. However, Cobra designers point out that the price of this seven-club set five to seven years ago would have been 10 times more. Like other technologies, the cost of 3D printing metal is coming down, so at some point in the future, it may be affordable to the masses. 

So, think of the Limit3d irons like a Formula One car, a demonstration of what Cobra designers and new technologies are capable of doing and what may be on the way to more golfers in the years ahead.

Below are several close-up looks at the Cobra Limit3d irons:

Cobra Darkspeed, Darkspeed One-Length irons

The Cobra Darkspeed irons are made to help mid- and high-handicap golfers hit shots farther, higher and straighter.

Gear: Cobra Darkspeed, Darkspeed One-Length irons
Price: $999 (4-PW or 5-GW) with KBS Tour Lite steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline grips.
Specs: Hollow-bodied long and mid-irons with 17-4 stainless steel faces, 431 stainless steel chassis, CNC-milled grooves and internal weights.
Available: Jan. 11 presale, Jan. 19 in stores

Who They’re For: Mid- and higher-handicap golfers who struggle with inconsistent contact, need more distance and want more height on their shots.

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The Skinny: The hollow-body design, low center of gravity and vibration-dampening foam combine to give the Darkspeed irons more ball speed, greater height and a softer feel at impact.

The Deep Dive: Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose broke through and won again on the PGA Tour in 2023, and both players used Cobra irons. In Fowler’s case, it was Cobra King Forged Tour irons, while Rose used a blended set of a Cobra King Tour (4), King CB (5-6) and  King MB (7-PW). As might be expected, all those clubs are designed for accomplished ballstrikers with powerful, repeatable swings.

Conversely, most amateur players likely would benefit from a game-improvement iron that delivers more distance and more forgiveness on mis-hit shots. That is the type of iron Cobra set out to make with the new Darkspeed and Darkspeed One-Length.

The Darkspeed irons have a reassuringly thick topline and some offset to help mid-handicap golfers square the face more effectively on the downswing.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Cobra Darkspeed One-Length irons” link=”https://worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io/rQNbq5″]

Cobra Darkspeed Iron
The PWR Shell face wraps into the sole, while the PWR Bridge lowers the center of gravity. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Inside the heads of the 4-iron through pitching wedge, the Darkspeed irons are hollow to allow the thin 17-4 stainless steel faces to flex more efficiently at impact. The sand wedge and gap wedge are half-hollow, with an open chamber behind the hitting area. 

Cobra gave the 4-iron through 7-iron a PWRShell face, which is 21 percent thinner than the face of last season’s AeroJet iron and wraps under the leading edge of the club and into the sole to broaden the sweet spot. 

These irons also were designed with a single post in the head that supports a weight that designers call a PWR-Bridge. It extends from the heel to the toe, lowers the center of gravity and helps golfers hit higher-flying, faster-stopping shots.

Cobra Darkspeed Iron
The H.O.T. Face is designed to protect ball speed on mis-hits. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The hitting area and grooves have been CNC-milled to ensure the face is perfectly flat and the grooves are precisely in place.

Inside the hollow chamber of the 4-iron through pitching wedge, Cobra added 924D foam microspheres, a material that soaks up excessive vibrations to improve sound and feel. However, the material is elastic, so it allows the face to flex and snap back quickly without inhibiting ball speed. Cobra studies showed that adding the foam helped reduce spin, which led to more distance and straighter shots.

The standard Darkspeed has a darker finish over the 431 stainless steel body, which helps reduce glare. The set’s lofts are strong, with a 5-iron being 21 degrees and the pitching wedge at 42 degrees. Those lofts help golfers achieve more distance, while the low center of gravity helps shots fly as high as players expect.

Cobra also offers the Darkspeed iron in a One-Length edition, with each club being 37.25 inches long (the same as a typical 7-iron). Some golfers find that using irons that are all the same length makes it easier to achieve solid contact and consistency.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Cobra Darkspeed One-Length irons” link=”https://worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io/rQNbq5″]

Below are several images of the Darkspeed and Darkspeed One-Length irons:

VIDEO: Meet Cobra’s Aerojet 2023 line of drivers and irons

Cobra’s push to help golfers swing faster, create more ball speed and develop the shot shape their desire.

In this video, Golfweek’s David Dusek speaks with Tom Olsavsky of Cobra as they break down the new 2023 Aerojet line of drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and irons.

“More speed and distance for golfers. We’re trying to get that in every club.” Olsavsky said. “And one of the keys in that technology is something called the Powershell face, which actually was pioneered in our irons for about five years.”

The new Cobra Aerojet lineup does not come in every color on the rainbow, but they continue Cobra’s push to help golfers swing faster, create more ball speed and develop the shot shape their desire. They are for different types of golfers but share many technologies and features.

Get more details on the new Cobra Aerojet family of drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and irons in the link below.

[afflinkbutton text=”Learn More – Cobra Aerojet” link=”https://sr.studiostack.com/c/link?l=1148966&s=1148958″]

 

Cobra King Tour irons

The updated Cobra King Tour irons have a touch of forgiveness and classic looks for accomplished golfers.

Gear: Cobra King Tour irons
Price: $1,299 with KBS $-Taper 120 steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline grips
Specs: Forged 1025 carbon steel with TPU insert and co-molded aluminum medallion
Available: Feb. 3

Who It’s For: Low-scoring golfers who want a soft-feeling iron that delivers shot-shaping control with a touch of forgiveness.

The Skinny: A better-player’s cavity-back, the updated King Tour irons have a vibration-dampening insert to soften the feel along with the compact size and classic look that accomplished golfers demand.

The Deep Dive: Cobra’s new Aerojet irons are loaded with technologies and features designed to allow mid- and higher-handicap golfers to hit the ball farther and straighter. Elite players, however, are not looking for those traits. With their powerful, repeatable swings, golfers who shoot in the 70s want clubs that amplify control and feel, allowing them to shape shots, and most of them require a classic look in the address position.

Cobra has updated the King Tour irons to tick all those boxes while adding a touch of forgiveness that golfers won’t get from muscleback blades.

Cobra King Tour irons
The Cobra King Tour irons have a clean, classic look in the address position. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

In the address position, the King Tour irons display a thin topline, minimal offset and a more-compact blade length than the previous King Tour MIM irons.

As with other better-player clubs, the 2023 King Tour irons are forged, but transforming the raw 1025 carbon steel into one of these clubheads involves forging the metal five times instead of just once. Cobra said the five-step forging increases the precision of the process, makes the faces completely flat and enhances feel even more.

Cobra King Tour irons
The black TPU insert in the back of the King Tour softens feel and enhances sound. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

While the King Tour CB and MB irons are one-piece forgings, meaning the heads are made using nothing but metal, Cobra designers added a thermoplastic polyurethane insert and an aluminum co-molded badge to the back of the King Tour heads to soak up excessive vibrations.

The cavity-back shaping is created by computer-controlled milling. This allowed engineers to make subtle changes to the undercuts around the head, taking extra material out of the top of the long irons to lower the center of gravity. That should make it slightly easier to get long-iron shots up. The center of gravity gradually elevates in the heads through the mid-irons and into the scoring clubs for enhanced control.

Cobra King Tour irons
Cobra King Tour irons have slightly strengthened lofts. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The King Tour lofts are slightly stronger than the lofts of the King CB and MB irons, with the 5-iron being 25 degrees and the pitching wedge at 44 degrees. Cobra did this to give the King Tour slightly more power, but the iron lofts can be strengthened or weakened by a fitter by up to 2 degrees if necessary. 

Cobra King Tour CB/MB Combo irons

Cobra’s King Tour CB/MB Combo set combines cavity-back long irons with muscleback blades.

Gear: Cobra King Tour CB/MB Combo irons
Price: $1,199 with KBS $-Taper 120 steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline grips
Specs: Forged 1025 carbon steel
Available: Feb. 3

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Who It’s For: Elite ballstrikers who demand the ultimate in feel and control.

The Skinny: Combining forged cavity-back long irons with muscleback blade scoring clubs, the Cobra King Tour CB/MB Combo set aims to maximize a better player’s ability to shape shots.

The Deep Dive: At some point in most teenagers’ lives, they see something costly, like a sports car or a luxury timepiece, and ask a parent how much it costs.

The cliché answer, invariably, is, “If you have to ask the price then you probably can’t afford it.”

A similar thing can be said of the new Cobra King Tour CB/MB Combo set. If you have to ask if you’re good enough to play golf with these irons, you should probably check out Cobra’s new King Tour or Aerojet irons instead. 

Cobra King CB MB Combo Set address
The King CB and MB irons have virtually no offset. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Forged in a five-step process using 1020 carbon steel, the Cobra King Tour CB/MB Combo set blends cavity-back 4-, 5- and 6-irons with muscleback blades in the 7-iron through pitching wedge. All seven clubs in the set have a thin topline, virtually no offset and a narrow sole. The clubs have the shortest blade length in the Cobra stable, so if you are looking for forgiveness or an iron that will give you some extra pop from the fairway, you can look elsewhere.

Cobra King CB MB Combo Set
The King CB and MB have the shortest blade length and narrowest topline of any Cobra iron. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

However, if you have a repeatable swing and can generate all the distance you need, the Cobra King Tour CB/MB Combo set can allow you to hit controlled draws and fades, knockdown shots and more. At the same time, golfers will immediately know where on the face they hit the ball, thanks to the softness of the metal. 

In addition to the standard blended set, the CB and MB models are each available as full sets in a 3-iron through gap wedge. The CB is available in both left- and right-handed versions, but the MB is only available as a complete set for right-handed players. 

Cobra King TEC Utility irons

The King TEC Utility irons were designed to provide hybrid-like distance with iron-like control.

Gear: Cobra King TEC Utility irons
Price: $299 each with KBS $-Taper 120 steel shaft and Lamkin Crossline grip. $249 with Mitsubishi MMT 80 graphite shaft.
Specs: Hollow-body construction with a forged ST-118 stainless steel face, internal vibration-dampening foam and tungsten weight.
Available: Feb. 3

Who It’s For: Golfers who want hybrid-like distance from a long iron.

The Skinny: Designed as a hybrid alternative for golfers looking for more distance, the King TEC Utility irons have a powerful face, internal tungsten weight to make it easier to get shots airborne and a vibration-dampening foam to enhance sound and feel.

The Deep Dive: For several seasons, Cobra has offered accomplished golfers utility irons that try to blend the distance of hybrid clubs with the control of long irons. Why? A sizeable number of golfers who score in the 70s want to be able to shape the ball, and flat-faced irons do an excellent job of that. Still, hollow-bodied hybrid clubs often provide more distance, forgiveness and versatility.

For 2023, Cobra has an updated offering, the King TEC Utility irons, and they have hidden technologies to provide golfers with more pop along with better sound and feel.

Cobra King Utility irons
The Cobra King Utility irons have some offset and relatively clean topline. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

On the outside, the King TEC Utility irons look like a muscleback blade. Yes, the topline is thicker, there is more offset and the sole is wider than you see in an elite golfer’s iron, but accomplished golfers expect to see that in driving irons and utility clubs. What they do not want to see are visual distractions. The King TEC Utility irons are clean.

They also have a cast stainless steel body welded to a thin, forged ST-118 stainless steel face. The outside of the hitting area is perfectly flat, aside from the grooves, but the inner-facing side is covered with thin areas and thicker regions. Cobra refers to it as a H.O.T. face, which stands for highly optimized topography. The variable-thickness face broadens the sweet spot, so shots hit in the heel and toe areas are not penalized as much and fly nearly as far as center-struck shots.

The face plate is shaped like an L, which Cobra calls PWRShell, and it allows the hitting area to flex more efficiently on thin shots.

Cobra King Utility irons
The PWRShell face helps broaden the sweet spot and protect ball speed on off-center hits. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

To lower the center of gravity and make it easier to hit higher-flying shots, Cobra added a 56-gram tungsten bar inside the head of the King TEC Utility 2-iron and a 61-gram tungsten bar inside the King TEC Utility 3- through 5-iron. 

To enhance sound and feel, designers injected the hollow chamber of the King TEC Utility irons with a polymer called Expancel 920 DU 40. After heating, the polymer expands to fill the inside of the head. The material is unique because it is very light and filled with microscopic air bubbles. When a golfer hits a shot, the face flexes back at impact and the polymer soaks up excessive vibrations. However, it does not inhibit the face from bending, so improved sound and feel do not come at the expense of ball speed and distance.

Cobra Aerojet, Aerojet One Length irons

The Aerojet irons are game-improvement clubs with a unique internal weighting system and face designed to create more distance.

Gear: Cobra Aerojet, Aerojet One Length irons
Price: $999 with KBS Tour Lite steel shafts and Lamkin Crossline grips. $1,099 with KBS PGi graphite shafts
Specs: Cast stainless steel head with an internal weight bar and polymer vibration dampener.
Available: February 10

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Who It’s For: Golfers who want more ball speed, distance and height from their irons.

The Skinny: The Aerojet irons are game-improvement clubs with a unique internal weighting system and face designed to create more distance and provide a higher-launch angle.

The Deep Dive: Cobra offers several iron options for players who put a premium on hitting draws and fades and working the ball around the golf course, from the King Tour to better-player distance offerings like King Forged TEC. But most golfers, however, need game-improvement irons because they lack a consistent swing and do not generate much power. For them, Cobra has released the new Aerojet and Aerojet One Length irons, which put a premium on speed and forgiveness.

Cobra Aerojet irons
The Cobra Aerojet irons have a clean look at address. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

In the address position, the Aerojet irons have a moderately-thin topline and show a modest amount of offset and a clean game-improvement look. It’s what you can’t see, a new internal weighting system, that Cobra feels will make a significant performance difference.

Cobra Aerojet irons
The PWR Bridge affixes to two posts in the back and drops the center of gravity location. (Cobra)

Designers have added two small posts inside the head of each Aerojet iron that extend forward, toward the face. The posts hold a 70-gram steel weight that runs from the heel to toe and suspends it behind the hitting area. Cobra calls it PWR Bridge, and according to the company, the position of the weight drives down the center of gravity (CG) location to encourage a higher-launching shot. However, because the weight does not touch the hitting area or the club’s sole, it does not inhibit the face from flexing at the moment of impact.

Cobra Aerojet irons
PWRShell’s L-shaped face wraps under the club’s leading edge. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

That’s good because Cobra’s designers gave the Aerojet irons a PWRShell face insert designed using artificial intelligence. After breaking the hitting area into 15 zones, engineers instructed computers to simulate shots and create the best combination of thick and thin areas to maximize distance across the largest possible area. The PWRShell’s L-shaped face wraps under the club’s leading edge, which helps it flex more efficiently on low-struck shots. According to Cobra, the face of the Aerojet irons deflects 10 percent more than the hitting area of last season’s LTDx irons, resulting in about 2 mph more ball speed, more consistent spin rates and about 3.5 to 4 yards more distance.

Working together, the PWR Bridge weight and PWRShell face are designed to help golfers generate more ball speed, protect ball speed on mis-hits and create shots that fly higher and land softer for better distance control.

To improve sound and feel, Cobra injects a polymer to fill the area around the PWR Bridge that soaks up excessive vibrations.

Cobra Aerojet irons
The Cobra Aerojet irons have strong lofts, but get the ball up easily. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Like many other modern game-improvement clubs, the Aerojet irons have strong lofts (the 5-iron is 20.5 degrees, and the pitching wedge is 41.5 degrees). However, because the CG location is so low, shots go through the windows that golfers expect. They simply hit their peak height further downrange.

In addition to traditional-length sets, Cobra offers the Aerojet in a One Length version. All the technologies found in the standard Aerojet are in the One Length clubs, but they are all 37.25 inches long, which is the typical length of a 7-iron. According to Cobra, many golfers find One Length irons help them increase consistency because they make better contract more and only require learning one type of swing.