Cobra Air-X Irons Review
What would irons expert Joel Tadman make of this new lightweight, super-game improvement model from Cobra?
A mightily impressive lightweight iron set that is easy to launch and forgiving off center. Users should look up to see a high and consistent draw-biased ball flight while enjoying a springy, stable feel off the face. A worthy upgrade for seniors or high handicappers or an ideal first set for beginners given the low price point.
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Feel easy to swing fast
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Inviting looks at address
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Forgiving off center
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Not available in One Length
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Cobra Air-X Irons Review
In a world of A.I.-designed faces and never-ending talk of tungsten, golfers may feel somewhat overwhelmed by technical jargon when all they want is a set of irons that is easier to hit. While these innovations certainly have their place and undoubtedly enhance performance, the concept of the new Cobra Air-X irons is simple to grasp. Lightweight and forgiving, these irons should help average golfers swing the club faster for longer carries, assisted by increased perimeter weighting of the heads themselves.
My on-course testing at Burghley Park Golf Club more than backed this up. They were an absolute pleasure to hit and despite not being aimed at ‘stronger’ players, it didn’t mean I wasn’t able to hit long and accurate approach shots. In fact, the consistency of the ball flight got me thinking whether the shafts in my current irons are too heavy for my dwindling swing speed.
Looks-wise, this iron impresses. The back of the head has lots of design elements and flashes of red that will pop off the shelf while down at address the thick topline and wide sole make it look inviting to hit. There’s a generous amount of offset in the seven iron to compliment the draw bias in the head to help serial slicers overcome their most common miss and I like how the amount of offset is progressive, so the short irons have less of it and therefore look better in the playing position. The satin finish oozes class thanks to the nickel, two-tone chrome plating and should be more durable over time.
You might worry about losing control or awareness of where the clubhead is in space when switching to a lightweight design but I got on with this iron straight away. Cobra has saved 2g in the head and 6g in the grip, pairing these with a 97g FST Ultralite shaft. While you notice the lighter overall feel, it didn’t take long to get used to. This is partly because the club felt very well balanced and seemed to square up naturally through impact.
The other thing I noticed, and inconsistent golfers will really appreciate, is the stable feel off the face and the resulting ball flight. A soft draw seemed easy to replicate and the feel off the face was lively and consistent off what felt like a large area. Even shots struck quite low on the face had ample launch thanks to the deep undercut design and the fact the lofts aren’t super strong here. The 7-iron comes in at 31.5°, which is weaker than most players distance irons and therefore means that slower swingers should still be able to launch the ball sufficiently and maximise carry distance. My average carries with Air-X was similar to the 2022 Forged Tec irons because I was able to increase my speed and the larger head helped provide more ball speed.
Not only are these irons easy to hit but they’re affordable too. Coming in a £599/$700 for a 7-piece set (5-SW) in my opinion, is exceptional value for money. They don’t come in One Length but they are available in graphite (£699) and I think senior golfers, beginners and high handicappers will really enjoy the hitting experience with the Cobra Air-X irons as well as the resulting shots.
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Joel has worked in the golf industry for over 14 years covering both instruction and more recently equipment. He now oversees all equipment and video content at Golf Monthly, managing a team of talented and passionate writers and presenters in delivering the most thorough and accurate reviews, buying advice, comparisons and deals to help the reader or viewer find exactly what they are looking for.
One of his career highlights came when covering the 2012 Masters he got to play the sacred Augusta National course on the Monday after the tournament concluded, shooting a respectable 86 with just one par and four birdies. To date, his best ever round of golf is a 5-under 67 back in 2011. He currently plays his golf at Burghley Park Golf Club in Stamford, Lincs, with a handicap index of 2.8.
Joel's current What's In The Bag?
Driver: Titleist TSR3, 9°, Fujikura Ventus Black 6 S shaft.
Fairway wood: Titleist TSR3, 15°
Hybrid: Titleist TSi2, 18°
Irons: Titleist T150, 4-PW
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM10, 50°, 54° and 58°
Putter: LAB Golf DF3
Ball: 2023 Titleist Pro V1x
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