Cobra King Forged Tec Iron

Cobra King Forged Tec Iron Review - Joel Tadman gives his verdict on the new blade-like distance iron from Cobra having given it a thorough test

Cobra King Forged Tec Iron Review

Key technology - A hollow cavity is infused with foam microspheres that fine-tune acoustics and create a softer feel. - A thin Pwrshell Face and a tungsten toe weight centres the CG behind the hitting area to maximize distance and increase precision, even on off-centre hits. - Cobra Connect Powered by Arccos, which allows users to track performance using the Arccos Caddie app, comes as standard via sensors embedded in the Lamkin Crossline grips. Read more on the tech here.

GM Review

This is Cobra’s foray into the compact, hollow distance iron category, aimed at golfers that want an iron that looks like a blade but has the firepower and forgiveness of a game-improvement iron.

It certainly ticks the box visually, combining polished and more satin areas on the back with bold graphics and a blade-style appearance. Down behind the ball the darker hitting area frames the ball perfectly and the shape and size should suit the tastes of a range of handicaps. This is a great looking iron at address. The generous face size and topline makes it look easy to hit, but the minimal offset gives it that players’iron feel.

Strike a few balls away and the feel impresses too. This doesn’t have the harsh, clicky sound of a distance iron of yesteryear, more the powerful thud sound that is loud enough to provide feedback on the strike without overpowering the ears.

The 7-iron is fairly strong at 29.5° and testing on the Foresight Sports GCQuad launch monitor, we didn’t quite get the returns in ball speed and distance we were hoping for. Ball speed topped out at 125mph but averaged less than 124mph, with carries averaging 178 yards and peaking at 181 yards.

Admittedly, these carry distances were very consistent, which is reassuring, but the relatively low launch and spin might be a concern for golfers with slower swing speeds. The trajectory came out quite flat with these irons, with the peak height struggling to get over 30 yards, which affected carry distance and stopping power.

That said, a custom fitting could well provide an antidote for this, and we felt the stock KBS $-Taper Lite steel shaft we tested coming in at 115g was a strong performer – stable and light enough to help boost club speed without sacrificing control of the head.

Forgiveness off-centre was enough to minimize drops in ball speed on all but the worst of strikes and don’t forget these clubs come in One Length option and with Arccos Connect Smart grips, that allow you to track your performance should you wish.