2022 Cobra Golf KING Forged Tec and Forged TEC X Irons

[YukonLiving]

Initial thoughts after watching @Canadan stripe some 7 irons…

- Forged Tec and Forged Tec X both sound VERY good! Right away I’m feeling excited.
- Solid numbers. The FTx didn’t go massively further than the FT.
- Dispersion patterns intrigued me. Dan seemed to get a tighter side to side grouping with FT, while the front to back set looked better from FTx.
- I’m curious to know the numbers. How much thicker is that top line on FTx than FT, and how much more offset is listed. Did you notice?
- The tungsten weight difference caught me off guard! That is a lot more weight in the toe of FTx!

 

[willplaysgolf]

 

[ddec]

I’m really impressed by what Cobra has done with these. Keeping the hollow design, tuning the sound/feel, and jamming in a bunch of tungsten…all while making them look clean. Can’t wait to see them in person.

 

[Tenputt]

Great content created by THP! Thanks @ddec and @Canadan for your efforts here, as well as the production side.

Both are great heads. We have been talking about the LTDx driver being a unicorn. The Forged Tec X seems to be a unicorn in its own right.

 

[ddec]

Oh and @Canadan ball speed and routinely pegging that green is just gross haha

 

[jdtox]

I know @Canadan is a high ball hitter but peak height of 135ft and 52* descent angles Spin also seems quite low, not so much on the FTX but the FT I thought/hoped would be higher

 

[lukemartin93]

I’m really impressed by what Cobra has done with these. Keeping the hollow design, tuning the sound/feel, and jamming in a bunch of tungsten…all while making them look clean. Can’t wait to see them in person.

Haven’t seen the FT yet, but the FTx was sweet. Clean, sharp, but thick enough to inspire a whole lot of confidence

 

[The Dave]

Need to watch the video, but now that these are official and reading more about them. I want to try the FT One

I don't need new irons, so these will just have to be window shopping now for me

 

[OldandStiff]

Oh is this today?

Good stuff with the history and evolution Dean. They have done some really cool stuff with these.

I can't watch the video right now but it sounds like the numbers were good and that everyone got to hear how awesome they sound!

@jdtox , I was getting like 250ish rpm difference between them, which was maybe slightly closer than I expected, but speaks well of the X imo.


Edit: Link to my recent session with them so I can find the pictures and data later.

 

[GoldenBuff]

Watching Dan get 130 ball speed with a 7i is impressive!

Look good and importantly seem to have a good sound. Nothing yet that I can see on cobragolf.com. Just posted. Going to look for details.

 

[Tenputt]

I know @Canadan is a high ball hitter but peak height of 135ft and 52* descent angles Spin also seems quite low, not so much on the FTX but the FT I thought/hoped would be higher

Those really are massive launches, with amazing speed. The OG Forged Tec hollow bodies were also lower spinning than some of the other hollow body designs, at least for me, which is why they were long within the that class of irons. They always stopped fine, though.

Does the data sway you towards either of those two for your game?

 

[Scooby45]

Haven’t seen the FT yet, but the FTx was sweet. Clean, sharp, but thick enough to inspire a whole lot of confidence

When I was iron shopping pre-Morgan Cup I'll admit I didn't give the FTs much of a look due to the looks, namely the big KING badging on the back. These, however, look clean with the shaping and badging.

 

[Tenputt]

Oh is this today?

Good stuff with the history and evolution Dean. They have done some really cool stuff with these.

I can't watch the video right now but it sounds like the numbers were good and that everyone got to hear how awesome they sound!

@jdtox , I was getting like 250ish rpm difference between them, which was maybe slightly closer than I expected, but speaks well of the X imo.

For a much more modest swing speed, I, too, saw around 250 to 300 rpms difference between the two and, ironically, the ball speeds were about 2 to 3 mph difference, similar to Dan’s video.

 

[jdtox]

Oh is this today?

Good stuff with the history and evolution Dean. They have done some really cool stuff with these.

I can't watch the video right now but it sounds like the numbers were good and that everyone got to hear how awesome they sound!

@jdtox , I was getting like 250ish rpm difference between them, which was maybe slightly closer than I expected, but speaks well of the X imo.

For a much more modest swing speed, I, too, saw around 250 to 300 rpms difference between the two and, ironically, the ball speeds were about 2 to 3 mph difference, similar to Dan’s video.

With only that much difference why the 2 heads? Seems like there should be a bigger difference to me. Based on that why would anyone go regular FT? Looks only?

 

[OldandStiff]

When I was iron shopping pre-Morgan Cup I'll admit I didn't give the FTs much of a look due to the looks, namely the big KING badging on the back. These, however, look clean with the shaping and badging.

Oh man I do not miss that! That was intense. These are so much cleaner looking.

 

[jdtox]

Those really are massive launches, with amazing speed. The OG Forged Tec hollow bodies were also lower spinning than some of the other hollow body designs, at least for me, which is why they were long within the that class of irons. They always stopped fine, though.

Does the data sway you towards either of those two for your game?

I never found the OG FT irons to be longer for me, I play the same distance with my MiM Tours that I did with those. Obviously need to see data for my swing but based on this I honestly have no idea.

 

[OldandStiff]

With only that much difference why the 2 heads? Seems like there should be a bigger difference to me. Based on that why would anyone go regular FT? Looks only?

Well Dean lays that out in the article. Distance and forgiveness. X is stronger, faster, and more forgiving, but doesn't seem to suffer a big spin loss or anything for it. That seems like a good thing, no?

In the lead up thread there were a couple guys that found the X much easier to hit well consistently.

I think the 'Players GI' moniker is pretty cool too.

 

[russtopher]

Those are some clean looking irons. WAY out of my league, but definitely clean.

 

[jdtox]

Well Dean lays that out in the article. Distance and forgiveness. X is stronger, faster, and more forgiving, but doesn't seem to suffer a big spin loss or anything for it. That seems like a good thing, no?

In the lead up thread there were a couple guys that find the X much easier to hit well consistently.

Yes thank you I read the article Yes its a good thing but what I'm saying is if there is not that big a difference between the 2 why not just put out the X and call it good instead of trying to create a new category

 

[J4U]

Love the classification and info and seeing some great numbers!

 

[OldandStiff]

Yes thank you I read the article Yes its a good thing but what I'm saying is if there is not that big a difference between the 2 why not just put out the X and call it good instead of trying to create a new category

Haha I know you did. I think there's still enough useful separation. I could maybe play the Tec, but the X is half a club or so longer, and the Tec are already really long. I was really laying off and the X were still carrying over 200 on monitor. With a spinny ball, too. That'll be useful to lots and not others. Same with the forgiveness aspects. Choices are good. I thought it was cool how the people who have hit them so far have leaned pretty strongly towards one or the other.

 

[Pops]

With only that much difference why the 2 heads? Seems like there should be a bigger difference to me. Based on that why would anyone go regular FT? Looks only?

Looking forward to thoughts as people get these in hand. I hit the Forge tec x 6 against my King forge tec at Club Champion. Was actually in there to do some shaft experimenting. Hit the tec x with the same i95 shaft that is in my current kings. Slightly higher smash factor and a little speed. Fitter attributed that to difference in swing weight. His recommendation was hit my current set with some loft and sw adjustments.

 

[Tenputt]

With only that much difference why the 2 heads? Seems like there should be a bigger difference to me. Based on that why would anyone go regular FT? Looks only?

For me, the X was noticeably more stable on off center strikes. Dan is such a good ball striker with a lot of speed, the dispersion does not manifest itself. For more mortal players, there really is a difference. The X is going to let you get away with a miss that the regular FT would not.

I think there would be many reasons for choosing the regular head. Looks, as you point out, is one. The sole is thinner on the regular and could promote a better delivery for some. Some may not want the extra distance. Look at the lofting on the two sets. When you have a 42* pw, you are going to have to make some choices about how to fill out your wedges. The regular set is going to let you fill out your bag in a more traditional way.

The one thing that is never revealed in most club fittings or these types of videos is how does the rest of the set play. Many of us struggled with the gw in the OG Forged Tec. For me, the same issue was present, although to a lesser degree, in the pw. I think it is possible that the regular FTs may present more uniform gapping through the set, but admittedly, that is pure conjecture.

Those are some of my thoughts on why choose one or the other. I remember your swing from playing with you and of course, we have seen it here on the forum. You move the club. You have other swing characteristics that always made me think the MIMs were an ideal profile for your game. Maybe that is why you did not see real differences in distance.

It is nice that Cobra has so many great offerings. There truly is something for everybody.

 

[jdtox]

For me, the X was noticeably more stable on off center strikes. Dan is such a good ball striker with a lot of speed, the dispersion does not manifest itself. For more mortal players, there really is a difference. The X is going to let you get away with a miss that the regular FT would not.

I think there would be many reasons for choosing the regular head. Looks, as you point out, is one. The sole is thinner on the regular and could promote a better delivery for some. Some may not want the extra distance. Look at the lofting on the two sets. When you have a 42* pw, you are going to have to make some choices about how to fill out your wedges. The regular set is going to let you fill out your bag in a more traditional way.

The one thing that is never revealed in most club fittings or these types of videos is how does the rest of the set play. Many of us struggled with the gw in the OG Forged Tec. For me, the same issue was present, although to a lesser degree, in the pw. I think it is possible that the regular FTs may present more uniform gapping through the set, but admittedly, that is pure conjecture.

Those are some of my thoughts on why choose one or the other. I remember your swing from playing with you and of course, we have seen it here on the forum. You move the club. You have other swing characteristics that always made me think the MIMs were an ideal profile for your game. Maybe that is why you did not see real differences in distance.

It is nice that Cobra has so many great offerings. There truly is something for everybody.

All good points. Just noticed the FTX are also more upright as well. Sign unseen I would have ordered blindly the FT. I'll have to go find these for myself and try. I'm on a mission to have more fun and make the game easier this year we will see what happens

 

[Tenputt]

All good points. Just noticed the FTX are also more upright as well. Sign unseen I would have ordered blindly the FT. I'll have to go find these for myself and try.

The X are extremely upright. The 7 iron is 63.5* in standard setting. I was struggling a bit with overdrawing it when I hit them the other night. I mentioned it in my little post. I looked last night on the link that a forum member dug up, to see what options there are for adjusting lie and there are quite a few. If I were to order the X, I definitely would order them two degrees flat from standard.