Cobra DARKSPEED Drivers Review

[eappleton1]

This is the one driver I wish I'd got to spend time with this year.

And you should still. I took mine out on my maiden voyage yesterday and I had a hoot of a time.

Went with Darkspeed X 9* with LIN-Q Blue 6F4. Coming from a Callaway AI Smoke Max with Tensei Blue XStiff this is a big change!

Before getting into the head let's talk shaft change. The LIN-Q feels slightly whippier and that may be because I went from XStiff to Stiff. I have been on the swing speed line between the two and as I am working on my form I find myself slowing down which is why I went with stiff flex.

Taking nice, easy swings I am pushing 250y. Most of my strikes were not center (mostly toe). The forgiveness and distance is up there with the best of them. I was really impressed.

This head feels a lot lighter than the Smoke. This is something I will have to get used to (and/or try out some different weights). This isn't positive or negative, just a change that will take some getting used to. Still heavier than my old driver (2009 Burner which felt like swinging an empty Kleenex box).

The sound caught me by surprise, if I am being honest. I am used to the more muted snap of the Smokes and this is a much more metallic snap! I should've expected it as one of my primary playing partners has an old Radspeed and it sounds like an evolved version of that. It's fun. I feel like I am sending the ball off with a bang.

Gonna have a good time continuing to get to know the Darkspeed X. Can get used to nice easy 250s

 

[TWright971]

And you should still. I took mine out on my maiden voyage yesterday and I had a hoot of a time.

Went with Darkspeed X 9* with LIN-Q Blue 6F4. Coming from a Callaway AI Smoke Max with Tensei Blue XStiff this is a big change!

Before getting into the head let's talk shaft change. The LIN-Q feels slightly whippier and that may be because I went from XStiff to Stiff. I have been on the swing speed line between the two and as I am working on my form I find myself slowing down which is why I went with stiff flex.

Taking nice, easy swings I am pushing 250y. Most of my strikes were not center (mostly toe). The forgiveness and distance is up there with the best of them. I was really impressed.

This head feels a lot lighter than the Smoke. This is something I will have to get used to (and/or try out some different weights). This isn't positive or negative, just a change that will take some getting used to. Still heavier than my old driver (2009 Burner which felt like swinging an empty Kleenex box).

The sound caught me by surprise, if I am being honest. I am used to the more muted snap of the Smokes and this is a much more metallic snap! I should've expected it as one of my primary playing partners has an old Radspeed and it sounds like an evolved version of that. It's fun. I feel like I am sending the ball off with a bang.

Gonna have a good time continuing to get to know the Darkspeed X. Can get used to nice easy 250s

What were you seeing as far as ball flight with the Darkspeed X, and is that the same or different from your smoke?

 

[eappleton1]

What were you seeing as far as ball flight with the Darkspeed X, and is that the same or different from your smoke?

Ball flight seems really similar. Something I will pay more attention to when I hit it next. I like a lower tee so my strikes are a bit more piercing. I find when I get under it a bit too much, so launch didn't feel like an issue. Balls seemed like they were staying on a nice draw even off the toe. Just a comfortable flight without having to get after it too much.

 

[Jman]

So far, the DS LS and I have been getting along for the first time in a long while. Part of that is the Hyper Sonic, part of that is my dumb swing.

However, what stands out, is the LS remains the fastest ball speed head I’ve tested this year. By a good margin for me.

 

[Hawk]

And you should still. I took mine out on my maiden voyage yesterday and I had a hoot of a time.

Went with Darkspeed X 9* with LIN-Q Blue 6F4. Coming from a Callaway AI Smoke Max with Tensei Blue XStiff this is a big change!

Before getting into the head let's talk shaft change. The LIN-Q feels slightly whippier and that may be because I went from XStiff to Stiff. I have been on the swing speed line between the two and as I am working on my form I find myself slowing down which is why I went with stiff flex.

Taking nice, easy swings I am pushing 250y. Most of my strikes were not center (mostly toe). The forgiveness and distance is up there with the best of them. I was really impressed.

This head feels a lot lighter than the Smoke. This is something I will have to get used to (and/or try out some different weights). This isn't positive or negative, just a change that will take some getting used to. Still heavier than my old driver (2009 Burner which felt like swinging an empty Kleenex box).

The sound caught me by surprise, if I am being honest. I am used to the more muted snap of the Smokes and this is a much more metallic snap! I should've expected it as one of my primary playing partners has an old Radspeed and it sounds like an evolved version of that. It's fun. I feel like I am sending the ball off with a bang.

Gonna have a good time continuing to get to know the Darkspeed X. Can get used to nice easy 250s

We'll see. Season is dwindling lol.
That sounds fantastic. Glad to hear about you early success. Personally, I'm a metallic sounding driver fan, so that sounds like a great match for my ears.

 

[eappleton1]

We'll see. Season is dwindling lol.
That sounds fantastic. Glad to hear about you early success. Personally, I'm a metallic sounding driver fan, so that sounds like a great match for my ears.

The season is made up. There is always indoors. Get your hands on one just for fun

 

[Inioch]

We'll see. Season is dwindling lol.
That sounds fantastic. Glad to hear about you early success. Personally, I'm a metallic sounding driver fan, so that sounds like a great match for my ears.

You don't have the height to swing a driver indoors correct?

 

[Hawk]

You don't have the height to swing a driver indoors correct?

No, I absolutely do.

It's just one of those things with what I do here. We're getting close to the time when something new will be in the pipeline before I know it.

Still, a lot of interest on my end. The aero features and feedback on performance has been hard to ignore.

 

[eappleton1]

No, I absolutely do.

It's just one of those things with what I do here. We're getting close to the time when something new will be in the pipeline before I know it.

Still, a lot of interest on my end. The aero features and feedback on performance has been hard to ignore.

 

[Inioch]

No, I absolutely do.

It's just one of those things with what I do here. We're getting close to the time when something new will be in the pipeline before I know it.

Still, a lot of interest on my end. The aero features and feedback on performance has been hard to ignore.

I was just thinking, if the 10.5. head is too much loft for you in the X. Mine will likely sit unused as I'm leaning more towards the LS to keep.

You can have it to test how you feel and then we can donate it to someone afterwards when you don't need it anymore.

 

[Jman]

Hit the hell out of this today!

Naturally, after chasing all the different things and profiles, it’s the low spin monster that fits me best.

 

[Wonger]

DarkspeedX has just been consistently long. From a fairways hit perspective my numbers are pretty consistent with what I was seeing last year with AJ max. However distance wise there have been so many times where I am searching in the rough for my ball in the general distance and line where I would expect to be…only to find it or have someone else find it further up. Maybe I have to adjust longer for where my expected distance is

 

[edelguy]

Anyone have a 5 or 6 gram weight for the DS?

 

[Inioch]

DarkspeedX has just been consistently long. From a fairways hit perspective my numbers are pretty consistent with what I was seeing last year with AJ max. However distance wise there have been so many times where I am searching in the rough for my ball in the general distance and line where I would expect to be…only to find it or have someone else find it further up. Maybe I have to adjust longer for where my expected distance is

It's a fun feeling being astonished at where you locate the ball. I've had a few of those with the DS line too.

Expecting to find it in a normal place about 250yds down. Only to hit a spare and stumble upon the first at 270yds distance.

 

[Nappy]

Played 9 holes at my home course yesterday. Really want to get the Darkspeed X / LinQ Blue 6TX combo dialed in before Ballyhack.

First 4 or 5 holes were concerning. Then I complained to my playing partner in October and the lights came on. Smooth baby fades that I hit far.

Even the bad shots were that bad. Still continue to be impressed with this driver. Forgiveness overload.

 

[edelguy]

Alright DarkSpeed gang, need some advice from folks who have played with the weights on the LS. I’ve played around with all the recommended weight positions. I like the 12g weight in the back the most, originally had it in the heel(neutral). Now it’s 3 and 3 up front. I ordered a 6g weight, and am planning on on putting that in the heel and keeping the 12 in the back and the 3 in the toe position. The thought is to not do 6 and 6 because a total of 6g change might be too drastic when it comes to the overall swing weight changing, but a 3g change is just between one and two swingweight change. Any advice or thoughts?

 

[GolfFest]

I had a couple of heel side misses today which is more rare for me and they really were not penal. Just moved slightly right with very solid results.

 

[AuzzieMatt]

I'm excited about playing tomorrow with the shaft change to my Darkspeed X. Lin-Q Blue 7F4 to HZRDUS Green 6.0 so I can keep it on the planet.

 

[jdtox]

We'll see. Season is dwindling lol.
That sounds fantastic. Glad to hear about you early success. Personally, I'm a metallic sounding driver fan, so that sounds like a great match for my ears.

If you like metallic sounding the DarkSpeed is not it. It’s not as muted as a Callaway driver but it is definitely not a Titleist driver

 

[Browndog]

Alright DarkSpeed gang, need some advice from folks who have played with the weights on the LS. I’ve played around with all the recommended weight positions. I like the 12g weight in the back the most, originally had it in the heel(neutral). Now it’s 3 and 3 up front. I ordered a 6g weight, and am planning on on putting that in the heel and keeping the 12 in the back and the 3 in the toe position. The thought is to not do 6 and 6 because a total of 6g change might be too drastic when it comes to the overall swing weight changing, but a 3g change is just between one and two swingweight change. Any advice or thoughts?

You’re proposed weight placement is where I’m at right now. Moving the 12 gram weight to the rear significantly increased the launch in my Darkspeed LS 9 degree driver. I have just reduced the loft by 1 degree with the hosel adapter to bring it down a bit.

I’m also struggling a little with some hook misses now. The weights in the forward position made it harder for me to hook the ball. The driver was in the neutral draw setting before. With 12 heel, 6 toe and 3 rear.

When I was playing the driver with lead tape on the bottom I was not having these issues. I intend to experiment a little more with the sole weights and hosel adapter to find a solution.

 

[That post]

I got some big numbers over the past few days. Some huge ball speed gains with Darkspeed X over Qi-10.

Over a couple of Trackman sessions I was living around 143-146 ball speed on average with Qi. Yesterday I was touching 150 fairly consistently and I think I even got a high watermark of 152.

Numbers are great and a good gauge to ooo and ahh over but performance on the course will always win out for me. Darkspeed PERFORMED for me yesterday on course. I swung it HARD. When you’ve got @DannyLe in your ear telling you “No, swing it harder” at some point you finally just say “Ok Danny I’m going to trust it, they are only golf balls not gold”. Then you swing it HARD and realize the shot you thought was going to go dead left from an overswing is actually a straight ball down the pipe and past his. *Chef kiss*
Something unlocks and the confidence with driver skyrockets.

I’m not positive if those absolutely bombed toe side misses (my consistent miss) are a more a product the head or Proto V2 shaft but I was getting away with a lot yesterday. The confidence this setup provided me off the tee cascaded to the rest of my game and I shot low 80’s at Hidden Creek with it.

I can’t wait to get the combo out on my home course. It’s very much tighter off the tee than hidden creek and it’s going to be a good test because I am intimately familiar with where I usually am off the tee at my club. I have a feeling it will be like playing a different golf course. Almost 20 yards further down there is huge.

I hope I still have the confidence to swing it HARD when not playing fairways the size of Rhode Island.

I’ll report back after my round Sunday.

Setup for those interested.


9° DSx heavy weight back.

 

[Hawk]

If you like metallic sounding the DarkSpeed is not it. It’s not as muted as a Callaway driver but it is definitely not a Titleist driver

I am one of the few that doesn’t love the Callaway muted thing. I remember yours sounding good in person.

 

[That post]

I couldn’t help myself. It’s busy as hell at the club, but I still wanted to come out and hit some with the Darkspeed.

Confirmed it works at home.





My game is being transformed. Absolutely incredible what the right head and right shaft can do together.

I’m probably going to have to tip it out at 6800 soon

 

[edelguy]

You’re proposed weight placement is where I’m at right now. Moving the 12 gram weight to the rear significantly increased the launch in my Darkspeed LS 9 degree driver. I have just reduced the loft by 1 degree with the hosel adapter to bring it down a bit.

I’m also struggling a little with some hook misses now. The weights in the forward position made it harder for me to hook the ball. The driver was in the neutral draw setting before. With 12 heel, 6 toe and 3 rear.

When I was playing the driver with lead tape on the bottom I was not having these issues. I intend to experiment a little more with the sole weights and hosel adapter to find a solution.

Thanks for the response! You got the driver that way or you got 12 3 and 3 as stock and bought the 6 gram weight? What is your ball speed/swing speed?

 

[willplaysgolf]

We'll see. Season is dwindling lol.
That sounds fantastic. Glad to hear about you early success. Personally, I'm a metallic sounding driver fan, so that sounds like a great match for my ears.

It's (the LS at least) not overtly metallic as @jdtox said, but IMO they have added a little of the metallic sound compared to the prior 2 releases