Cobra King F9
How to describe Cobra? Among the words that come to mind are young, fast and innovative. That was the feel of Cobra’s space at the PGA Merchandise Show, where many industry professionals got eyes on the new King F9 Speedback driver for the first time.
As the name implies, Cobra’s new driver is all about speed, which is created by combining an aerodynamic clubhead shape with a low center of gravity. That combination allows for optimum club speed and ball speed, creating maximum distance. Cobra calls this Speedback technology.
Cobra engineers arrived at the new King F9 model after identifying a problem in existing driver design. As they saw it, to get optimal aerodynamic properties, other parts of the design had to be sacrificed. Speedback technology allowed for a streamlined, aerodynamic shape to be combined with a low center of gravity.
The King F9 also include a precision CNC milled face, which, when paired with the clubhead shape, allows for maximum ball speed and distance without sacrificing forgiveness.
It makes sense that “longer starts with faster,” as Cobra reasons. Aerodynamics isn’t the only breakthrough feature in this model, however.
CNC milling is a process that Cobra calls “up to five times more precise than conventional hand-polished river faces.” It consistently creates a thin and hot – yet still conforming – face.
In addition to the material, Cobra has “speed tuned” it’s King F9 driver, which means the face is designed with top and bottom curvatures to tune launch and spin for different swing speeds and attack angles. Essentially, this improves accuracy even on off-center hits.
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Cobra King F9 driver (Cobra photo) |
Past Cobra’s attention to speed and accuracy, the F9 also includes an adjustability feature. A heavy weight (14g) and light weight (2g) can be moved to the front or back position to fine-tune trajectory, launch and spin. The club includes eight adjustable loft settings to help players manage launch angle and spin – two variables that also contribute to distance.
Flip Cobra’s King F9 upside and maybe the most unique thing about the club is the Cobra Connect feature powered by Arccos, a shot-tracking and data-collection program.
Just like in the F8 series, an electronically enabled grip can be connected to the Arccos app and will automatically record and analyze your shot data. It’s technology that allows you can make data-driven decisions on the course or analyze your game post-round.
Specifically, the Driver Tuning feature on the Cobra Connect app will use data to recommend optimal loft and weight settings for your swing. It’s a piece of technology that sets Cobra the King F9 apart, and one which will be appealing to players who love data and technology.