Cobra King Forged Tec X Iron Review
Joel Tadman tests this brand new addition to the Cobra iron line up to see how the performance stacks up
If you’re a mid to high handicapper that wants to play a cool-looking iron that looks like it is aimed at a good player, this is certainly a model to consider. Low speed players should be wary of a sub-optimal trajectory, especially in the longer irons.
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Exceptionally long
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Explosive feel
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Refined, condensed profile
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Flat trajectory limits stopping power
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Cobra King Forged Tec X Iron Review
The Cobra King Forged Tec X is a new entry within Cobra’s iron line up, said to open up a brand new ‘players’ game-improvement’ category with its strong lofts and shrunken profile.
The hollow head houses a 65g tungsten weight, which is 45g more than on its sister King Forged Tec iron. It is distinguishable via the black strip on the back of the iron and the ‘X’ inscribed next to the number of the iron. Visually, it has a fairly thick topline closer to that found on the previous generation King Forged Tec iron from 2019 as well as a wider sole. That said, it still looks neat and tidy behind the ball and is undoubtedly one of the most compact game improvement irons on the market. In terms of loft to size ratio, its closest competitor is probably the PXG 0211 DC iron.
We tested the iron on the range and golf course at Burghley Park Golf Club. The 7-iron measures in at 27°, which makes it one of the strongest-lofted distance irons around and a whole 2.5° weaker than the King Forged Tec. It’s no wonder the stock composition is 5-iron to GW as a four iron in this set would be near enough impossible to flight for the high handicapper.
During our testing, we noticed a very springy feel off the face with a relatively clicky sound. It doesn’t feel soft like a fully forged head but nor does it feel or sound hard or harsh. The ball flight could best be described as flat or penetrating. Shots don’t soar high into the air, rather forwards with limited ability to stop, which will be somewhat of a concern when hitting into small firm greens. Versus the King Forged Tec iron, it only flew a yard or two lower and also a yard to two longer - up to five yards at times - so if you want to achieve more distance on your iron shots then the King Forged Tec X iron certainly delivers.
It is consistent in this delivery too, because of the stability in the head. Soft draws were easy to replicate and it seemed easy to pick the ball off the top of the turf. Regardless of where you strike it, you’ll achieve ample distance and you shouldn’t see shots curve significantly away from the target after a poor swing.
In terms of performance you could argue it steps a little on the toes of the King LTDx iron, albeit in very different visual packages and with slightly less forgiveness. But we’re seeing a trend towards forgiving, distance irons being slimmed down significantly through use of tungsten and other innovations and the King Forged Tec X is another example of this. Visually, it’s hard to fault and the performance has the wow factor that makes you want to hit more shots.
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