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
Sole finish is similar to the SpeedZone in my opinion, but anything has held up better than the recent Pings, have no idea how the older ones held up.
Wasn’t the SZ sole chrome? These don’t look chrome.
This reminded of the old Pings circa G15 that pretty much look the same new as they do after 500 rounds. That raw tumbled type finish.
i should probably look at OL irons just because.
I guess it depends where on the sole. Part chrome with some satin.
These are all satin as they do not feature that "bulge".
Was ready to push button on a Speedzone 4i along with adding another MIM wedge to the bag, but now pondering if I should wait for the RAD!?!??
I totally get what you’re saying about the weighting and what it can do. And trust me…I NEED ALL THE HELP I CAN GET!! HAHA!! I was strictly going off looks. They just don’t appeal to me, visually. I have not yet had the privilege to see the carbon top line, first hand. So, I am basing all this on pictures. I know, I know, the whole book and cover thing. HAHA! It just seems a little off for me. Now, given the chance I would NOT turn down and opportunity to hit them. I am a big and would never count anything out that they produce. I guess I am going to be finding a place, next month, to give these bad boys some swings.
Gotta say one thing, this is what I love about . No a-holes. Just opinions and getting and giving info.
I can’t wait to hear what you think. I’m crazy excited to hit them myself!
Now, I am getting excited. HAHA!! I really want to hit these bad boys! I have to wait a whole 7 weeks!? Man!! First world problems!
Have you ever gamed a full set of the F9 or SZ irons for a length of time, or just for testing?
Excluding the 4i bombers of course
I have not.
Rumour has it I’m going to be forced into playing at least a couple sim rounds with OL when I go back to the tech studio though, so I’m sure I’ll know more eventually haha
With recoils, if that’s what you yest, sounds like fun being forced to play them
Where it really delivered however was getting the ball flight right. I am seeing 10-12 yard gaps from 5 iron through AW and launch angle and peak height is what I traditionally see out of variable length.
Careful or you’ll start sounding like GU when it comes to OL
Cobra flat out does not get sound wrong in irons right now.
haha, what do you mean?
Sounds like a great package where all the senses can align when you hit the ball to create a very satisfying experience.
He seems like the biggest OL hater on the planet haha. Obviously you’d never get to his level because you recognize it does actually help people and isn’t a fad
I don’t hate it, I love it. To me, Bryson bringing OL to the masses is a wonderful thing.
That said, I do enjoy joking about it as it relates to my game – as I have no plans of departing from variable length – personal choice of course.
I’m probably headed that way, too. Black OL? Oh yeah! It’s a good thing my last 2 sets of irons were part of THP Experiences.
haha yes exactly. You are joking and I can appreciate that
Nice. The goiter never bothered me on the old ones but these do look cleaner imo.
The shape reminds me alot of last year’s Fmax iron. Pretty conventional with just a little added girth to help golfers out.
I do like all the tech possibilities here. I thought I had my 2021 iron choices settled, but Cobra has thrown a wrench into the works. These things, especially in the Black PVD, will look mean.
?
Well since you have Forged Tecs, you leaning something exotic – maybe these in OL for 2021 MC?
Thats your redraider speaking
I wasn’t playing OL in the Forged Tec, but was playing those irons for much of the year. As soon as I took a few swings with these, I knew they were going to replace them.
This is what I have been waiting to see. I am super interested in this release. Can’t wait to get some feedback on having these in play.
Does this iron feel better than the ForgedTEC?
The lofts seem really strong but I guess if the numbers work then who really cares!
Great picture here of the sole, but also a good idea of what that top line looks like.
Thanks for these in hand.
@JDax has played 3 rounds with my set in the Tech Studio and said they feel and sound great.
When I asked him to choose a set of Cobra irons right now, he said "Probably Forged TEC OL, because Im vain".
I appreciated his honesty and don’t say that as a knock or a joke. I actually think these feel better, but everybody is different.
Depends who you ask as that part is super subjective. They feel different though, not from irons everywhere, but from the Forged TEC iron, it has a little bit of a different more dense sound to me.
I know you and @Canadan were talking in the podcast about how long they may stay in the bag. Still planning on relying on them all year? The performance seems exactly where anyone would want it spot on; will they fend off other options?
I dealt with the top line concern earlier this year when I was going through my iron selection. Although I ended up not selecting the Speedzones, it wasn’t because of the top line. I had hit the Speedzone irons several times and, to be honest, I wasn’t aware of the top line once I addressed the ball.
Color coordination with the wedges is very important though!