Cobra King LTDx Iron Review
In this Cobra King LTDx iron review, Joel Tadman gives it a thorough test on-course to see what golfers can expect
For golfers that want to hit longer, straighter iron shots, the LTDx from Cobra delivers. The number on the bottom of irons has never meant so little, with lofts here getting even stronger to produce a penetrating flight, which could limit playability for those golfers that struggle to launch the ball.
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Long and consistently so
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Very user friendly for golfers that utilise a lot of the face area
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Excellent value for money
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Flat ball flight and low spin limits stopping power
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Sizeable profile behind the ball at address
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Last year’s Cobra Radspeed was one of our favourite models among the best distance irons of 2021 and so trying to top it would be a tricky ask. The design of the LTDx looks similarly complex. In fact, it has a floating steel bar completely separate from the body and face suspended in a lightweight polymer to get the centre of gravity right behind the preferred striking area. This is said to encourage the face to flex more while also aiding the feel and sound.
Down at address, you’ll notice the cut out section from the topline we saw in Radspeed has gone, which will please the traditionalists. It certainly looks inviting to hit although the rear of the sole is visible in the playing position from 7-iron and down, which we’d rather not see. This is likely a product of the fact the lofts have got even stronger here - the 7-iron is 26.5° with only the Titleist T400 hybrid-iron having stronger lofts than this.
How the new King LTDx iron (right) compares to the outgoing Radspeed iron at address.
So obviously with a spec like this it is an iron is built for maximum distance and our testing showed it is one of the longest irons you’ll hit this year. It achieves this through ball speed, yes, but also lower spin. In fact, versus the Radspeed iron the spin came down on average by nearly 800rpm on a flatter ball flight, which meant alarm bells started to ring.
Speed, launch and low spin is a recipe for distance, but you have to question how playable an iron like this is when hitting into greens, especially during the firmer summer months.
That said, our testing on the GCQuad launch monitor at Girton Golf Club suggested that the carry distances were much more consistent. With Radspeed and the King SZ before this, we had hot shots that flew out of the middle whereas with the King LTDx they were more uniform. So while King LTDx doesn’t quite have the wow factor of Radspeed, the carry distances should be more predictable and repeatable, which should enable you to find more greens.
As always, Cobra irons continue to offer excellent value - you get a lot of performance for your £799 and there is again the option of One Length. The clubs also come with Arccos Smart Sensors embedded in the grips for those that want to track their performance - it’s something we’d recommend you trying if you haven’t already.
