COBRA Darkspeed LS
COBRA Darkspeed
OVERALL RATING ★★★★ ½ PERFORMANCE ★★★★ ½ INNOVATION ★★★★ ½ LOOK • SOUND • FEEL ★★★★ ½
OVERALL RATING ★★★★★ PERFORMANCE ★★★★★ INNOVATION ★★★★ ½ LOOK • SOUND • FEEL ★★★★★
GOLD
GOLD
WHY WE LIKE IT Fairway woods are designed to hit off the turf, so making the face larger to increase its trampoline effect could potentially compromise other performance characteristics. Cobra’s design team, however, believes it can make a fairway-wood face bigger (and, therefore, hotter) by wrapping the face around the leading edge and into the sole. This lets the high-strength steel face insert take advantage of an aggressive variable-thickness pattern. A more flexible sole also contributes to faster ball speeds for both on- and off-centre strikes.
WHY WE LIKE IT This clubhead’s lightweight
titanium construction (compared to traditional stainless steel) provides more discretionary mass to move the centre of gravity as low and as far forward as possible. That makes this compact head ideal for better ball-strikers looking to maximise distance through low spin. The titanium face might not generate more ball speed, but by lowering the CG and raising the launch angle, the head creates more distance. Also enhancing distance is the L-shaped face that wraps under the sole with 15 thickness regions for better ball speed across a wider area.
• The centre of gravity is lower and more forward than in the Darkspeed Max for less ball spin and a slightly lower trajectory. • The face wraps around the sole to improve speed on shots struck lower on the face. • 15, 16.5, 18, 21 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel DARKSPEED X R7 000
TOP 10 BEST RATED, FAIRWAY WOODS, LOW-HANDICAPS
SENSORY
PLAYABILITY
Quieter
Louder
Workable
Forgiving
BALL FLIGHT
DARKSPEED LS R9 000 • A multimaterial construction pairs a titanium body and face with a lightweight carbon-composite crown and heavy tungsten sole weights. • Three interchangeable sole weights can lower spin or tweak fades and slices. • 13, 14.5, 17.5 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
Lower
Higher
‘A good 10 metres longer than most. Impact is muted, yet the ball comes off with speed. Consistent and balanced.’ –4-HANDICAP
DARKSPEED MAX R7 000
• The shallow face inspires confidence on tighter lies. • The wraparound L-shape insert improves on- and off-centre face flexing for distance. • Expect Max to launch higher and with more spin compared to Darkspeed X. • 15.5, 18.5, 21.5 degrees (with an eight-way adjustable hosel)
‘This is the stealth bomber of fairway woods. Glides through the hitting zone and sends the ball into flight with urgency. Little sacrifice in distance on mis-hits.’ -10-HANDICAP
TOP 5 BEST RATED, FAIRWAY WOODS, MIDDLE-HANDICAPS
SENSORY
Quieter
Louder
TOP 5 BEST SOUND/FEEL, FAIRWAY WOODS, HIGH-HANDICAPS
PLAYABILITY
SENSORY
PLAYABILITY
Workable
Forgiving
Quieter
Louder
Workable
Forgiving
BALL FLIGHT
BALL FLIGHT
Lower
Higher
Lower
Higher
33 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
34
HOTLIST 2024
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