Has Cobra Golf gotten your attention yet? Cobra RADSPEED Irons should.
You would be hard pressed to find a company that is pushing boundaries as hard as Cobra is, and not only that, but literally creating new ones with never before seen processes and design applications in golf.
Well, fresh off the heels of releasing a fully 3D printed putter, THP rundown can be read here, they are bringing that application and much more to their game improvement iron release this year. If you have been paying attention, then you know that the feedback from THP’ers as well as golfers everywhere on the last two entries from Cobra in the F9 and SpeedZone irons has been nothing short of superlative. So how to you follow that up? You get RAD.
Cobra RADSPEED Irons
Yes, RAD. No, they didn’t take radical and create some lame attempt at being fun or some such shenanigans. In 2021, the RAD in RADSPEED stands for Radial, as in radial weighting and Cobra’s deeper knowledge of weight placement and what it can do in terms of performance and forgiveness in the segment which golfers put it to the test the absolute most.
The SpeedZone irons were one of the fastest and most playable iron sets on the market last season, but Cobra believed they could do better, not just in performance via the weight placement, but also how the placement could allow them to improve the shape and profile. The shape has changed from the SZ’s, most notably Cobra is touting a rounded trailing edge with a better radius and blending which makes for a cleaner, faster, and more slim appearance which should make the RADSPEED more interesting to a wider range of golfers. The soles definitely look thinner based on what we have seen, but there are four other aspects which must be delved into as well.
First, the Carbon Fiber topline introduced in the SZ irons is returning. Yes, it was a departure compared to, well, every other iron on the market. With that, some struggled to acclimate to it visually, but the performance benefits were real with the weight savings it offered without sacrificing stability. This year, they have moved to a black carbon fiber which Cobra believes give the irons topline a thinner look overall. Thinner soles and thinner looking topline should definitely gain the irons more eye appeal.
The initial performance aspect with the RADSPEED irons is PWRSHELL. I have been on record for years stating that Cobra does not get the credit that they should for PWRSHELL. This is in my opinion the engine of Cobra irons, and it is a powerful one. The design consists of their E9 variable face thickness and L-cup forged face which now feature a deeper flange on their internal speed channel for more flex, which means more speed.
Radial Weighting is the biggest part of the story here, as it should be since it is the root of the RADSPEED name. As mentioned, Cobra did a ton of research into how and where the weight placement in the iron can make them more playable. What they found is by placing the weight in the extreme heel and toe, the furthest points from the center of gravity (CG), they could then optimize speed, forgiveness, and directional control. Thus, Cobra has added 3g of weight to the heel and 10g to the toe of each iron in the set. The heel weight is set internally, but in the toe, Cobra is using a screw. These two weights combined help put the CG precisely behind the hitting zone and add stability and forgiveness on misses. A very cool aspect to the toe weight is that it is adjustable from 4g to 16g for more precise fitting adjustments.
Finally, 3D Printing has come to a major golf manufacturers main club releases. While we learned all about the Cobra partnership with HP in the Supersport 35 putter release, this is taking it to a wider level. No, the whole club isn’t 3D printed, but the medallion in the cavity is. This is one of the first applications of a 3D printed polymer in golf, and through a complex lattice structure Cobra claims to have saved 3-6 grams which was redistributed while maintaining all of the fine tuning and stability of the old methods. While at a glance some my roll their eyes at 3-6 grams but rest assured, that is a ton when it comes to golf design and has a true impact on what Cobra was able to do with CG placement in the RADSPEED irons.
The RADSPEED irons come standard in an all chrome finish similar to that of the SpeedZone and F9 irons before them, but in a move that will perk up some ears a black PVD version which features a chrome sole to decrease wear will also be offered via custom orders for a $100.00 upcharge. The stock pairings will be KBS Tour 90 in steel and the UST Mamiya Recoil 460ESX in graphite, paired with the Lamkin Crossline Connect which of course is powered by Cobra Connect and Arccos.
Specs on the Cobra RADSPEED irons are below:
But wait! There’s more! YES, there is a One Length RADSPEED option coming as well, which you would absolutely expect and demand from the leader in One Length golf irons. The OL version features slightly wider soles and a lower CG in the long irons than the standard RADSPEED irons in order to optimize the launch/flight differentiation through the set. Additionally, lofts are a bit weaker in the 4, 5, and 6 irons. The stock shaft pairings here are KBS Tour 80/90/120 in steel and UST Mamiya Recoil 460/480 ESX in graphite, also with Lamkin Crossline Connect grips.
Specs for the Cobra RADSPEED One irons are below:
What are your thoughts on what Cobra is bringing to the table with its new RADPSEED irons? Do you plan on hitting them? Jump into the conversation below and let us know!
The Details
Release Date: January 29, 2021
Price: 5-GW (RH/LH; Steel – $899) or 4-PW (RH; $899), 5H, 6-GW (RH; $999)
Options: RADSPEED and RADSPEED One
This is big news!!
Did you hit them against the other Cobra offerings?
Yes I hit the Forged Tec also. These are just bigger and more inviting looking. They also launch and fly really well for me. I was hitting RADSPEED more consistently. The Forged Tec was great I just want forgiveness and distance for this bag.
The only thing I don’t care for on the similar Speedzone, is off center strikes go well, but they don’t feel or sound too good. How did the misses fly, and sound/feel?
With that said, I want consistency in my irons. I care about distance some, but, overall, i’ll trade yardage in my irons for more GIR. Good launch and flight sounds good to me as an introduction to RadSpeed!
Catching up on the thread and I see this. Big bummer. At least I know I can order one now without missing out on that.
I think it’s worth it as part of your fitting and selection to consider going with graphite shafts in the irons.
Any problems with the wedge going too high?
Not that I could tell. I kind of lose distance at those higher lofts now due to lack of swing speed so that extra length might help me a bit with that. These seemed plenty long for me. 110ish carry with the RADSPEED PW.
I was having a hard time getting the spin over 3500 “, launch over 19* and descent over 40* with the RAD 7i.
I thought it was my swing that day but I grabbed my trusty T-Rail 7i and it was 5k, with 22* launch with a 42* descent.
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150 yard 8 iron, on a par 3, drained it for bird.
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Stuck behind a group who won’t let me through, so played 2 balls, both 9 iron shots were great, parred both balls this hole.
Getting good trajectory and distance on the 5 and 6. Loving these irons.
Granted I’ve never gamed them, but I kinda see OL as an all or nothing proposition.
If you are hitting a full shot that is not a wood, it needs to be OL to really be worth it.
At least that’s how I have rationalized it in my mind.
I’m variable length on my 3i and 5h (that are both the same length and same shaft) OL 5-GW, and variable length again in SW and LW. After hitting the OL GW some more today, I don’t think I even need the SW, the G gaps nicely to my 56* MD4, that I use for everything under 50 yards and around the green.
I don’t have any plans on going OL in hybrids. Jury is still out on OL 4i and SW, but at this point I don’t think I’m going to need them.
Additionally, I really like the Smacwrap shafts. They do an excellent job of preventing unwanted vibrations from reaching your arms while providing plenty of feedback.
I really want to hit these in OL.
A lot of us have used the speedzone 4i in a similar manner. And yes, off the tee it’s longer than my 4h and not much shorter than my 3w.
any issues from the fairway? I’m finding my hybrids right now can just about be combined and I’d never know the difference. Never had any experience with a Utility iron and have kinda narrowed it down to a Radspeed 4 iron vs a King Forged Utility (maybe even one length) to play along with a 3H and Tour 5W.
It’s 98% a tee club for me. Mixed results the few times I’ve gone full swings. Use it a lot for punch outs to good effect.
thanks gb
I am so dependent on hybrids for punch outs. I really do take the term "Rescue" club to heart. Can you compare this 4 iron to the Utility?
I’m considering the 5 and 6 and possibly a 4 in one length mixed in with my standard length king forge tecs
I’m not sure about the driving iron. I don’t have the 4i, and am not sure if I will get one. I don’t think it’s needed at this point. I kept my Rogue 3i as a utility/ driving iron, it’s the same length as my 5 hybrid for consistency. I’m still having a mental block when I need some serious distance on my long irons, hitting OL.
I’m not a long hitter, so I full swing my PW and GW around the green at different strengths down to about 70 yards. And they are excellent. The dude I was paired with today complemented my short game- even on an off day for me. Inside 60-70 yards I use my standard variable length MD4 and choke up if I need to.
For clubs in this category they would be good. There is very little offset in these. They look really good in hand and I have been playing Titleist CB’s for 6 months.
Ugh, 40 more days.
Should be here in a couple of weeks , but sadly likely won’t be able to get them on the course till the first part of April here.
gb
Hit that combo yesterday. I think it’s the longest 7i carry wise that I’ve ever hit. Usually allocate 140-145 for a 7i with my t-Rails. Granted the RAD lofts are stronger but it was around 155-157 carry. Spin was good though. Still over 4K for me.
Nice.. Good to hear. I can use some distance not getting any younger . My current 7 iron is 135-140 ish . Playing some older Sldr irons they feel and play nice ,but the loft on the 7 iron is about 32* loft . I imagine there will be more ball speed with the power shell face and stronger lofts .
If you’re playing a 32* 7i these will easy be 12-15 yds longer with the 7i being 27.5”. Shaft will probably be a little longer too.
Also 180 yard carry 7i are interesting
Look forward to the arrival of the 5&6 one length I ordered. Hoping they ship late this week
Stay out of this thread, you’re getting RF protos
Bryson Dechambeau and Rickie Fowler are doing this. That’s a pretty dang strong endorsement of this club and it’s look and performance.
What…I wasn’t enough?
That being said they are easy to hit and launch plenty high for strong lofts. Do they feel as good as MIM? Nope not even close but man these potentially could make golf easier to play.
Sweet!
So pretty!!! My favorite colors too. Red and blue!!
Bigger sole than forged tecs by quite a bit.
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More interesting is the face is barely bigger, if any.
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Over the Radspeed definitely looks a little chunkier but I actually like the carbon fiber top line and it’s a bit improved from the speedzone.
Into the net, it feels like a SGI club. Nothing wrong with it but not the smooth feel you get even with the forged tec. I just want it to go straight and long though, feel is not important.
Speedzone 4i vs radspeed 5i
Sole design smoothed out all over
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Top line as well.
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Currently my 4i is playing a little over 3 inches longer than my 5i, lol.
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