Cobra Darkspeed Max Fairway Wood Review

WATCH: We test and compare the best fairway woods on the market in 2024

The Darkspeed range is the latest franchise released by Cobra and within the family sit three fairway woods. The Darkspeed X which has been designed for the majority of golfers, offering good forgiveness and distance. The Darkspeed LS is the lower launching and spinning option while the Darkspeed Max has been designed with ultimate forgiveness in mind and to promote a draw-biased shot shape.

One thing all the Darkspeed fairway woods have that all of the best fairway woods also possess is killer aesthetics. Cobra has done an excellent job in making the Max fairway wood look every bit as premium and sleek as the LS model, which is not always easy to achieve.

I love the stealthed-out look of the Max fairway wood and the red accents on the sole of the club give this a slick but modern look. I also enjoyed the matte carbon crown, although I would say this makes the head appear a little more compact than it actually is, which is great for a confident player just looking for a little more help, but may not be ideal for those who want to look down on the largest head possible. 

The tech creating the forgiveness is largely in the sole with two interchangeable weights, one 15g weight situated at the back and low to increase the CG and MOI and the other 3g weight placed towards the heel to help promote a right-to-left shot-shape for a right-handed golfer. The PWR Bridge and H.O.T Face technology that we saw in the Aerojet range of fairway woods and drivers has been carried over to Darkspeed to promote consistent ball speeds and spin rates off the face, regardless of strike location and therefore increasing the overall forgiveness of this fairway wood.

I took this fairway wood out to My Golf Matters in Berkshire where I tested it on a Trackman 4 launch monitor with Titleist Pro V1 golf balls, as well as out to the golf course afterwards to see how it coped in real-world scenarios. I was particularly impressed with the feel and acoustics of the Darkspeed Max fairway wood. It felt hot and fast off the face and this was backed up with average ball speeds of 155mph. This mid spin and extremely high launch, from both the fairway and rough, is something those struggling with their fairway woods will appreciate from a club that can be difficult to get on with.

Overall the Cobra Darkspeed Max fairway wood is an excellent option for those seeking forgiveness, to gain more carry with their fairway woods or those fighting against a slice. Thanks to the MyFly hosel, golfers can also customize the club to promote even more movement in their ball flight, one way or the other. I have no doubt the Cobra Darkspeed Max fairway will be considered on of the best fairways for higher handicappers released in 2024.

The Cobra Darkspeed Max fairway wood will be available to purchase in February 2024 and will come to retail at $329.