Cobra Darkspeed Max, Darkspeed X, Darkspeed LS drivers

Gear: Cobra Darkspeed Max, Darkspeed X, Darkspeed LS driversValue: $549 with Challenge X HZRDUS CB Pink shaft or UST Mamiya LIN-Q M40X Pink shaft and Lamkin Crossline grip.Specs: Cast titanium face with carbon fiber crown and sole panels, moveable weights and adjustable hosel.Accessible: Jan.11 presale, Jan. 19 in shops

Who They’re For: Golfers who need an aerodynamic driver that delivers extra ball pace and trajectory management.

The Skinny: Accessible in three fashions, the Darkspeed drivers have three completely different weight methods that enable golfers to acquire the perfect mix of forgiveness, ball pace and spin.

The Deep Dive: Should you nonetheless take into consideration shiny orange, blue or crimson golf equipment any time somebody mentions Cobra drivers, you may not acknowledge the brand new Darkspeed X, Darkspeed Max or Darkspeed LS. As with Henry Ford’s Mannequin T, the Darkspeed drivers are available any coloration you want so long as it’s black. On this case, matte black. However don’t let the dialed-down cosmetics idiot you into pondering these golf equipment lack applied sciences and options that can assist you achieve distance and discover extra fairways.

Store all Cobra Darkspeed drivers

The Darkspeed LS has an aerodynamic head form. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

All three Darkspeed drivers have an aerodynamic form, with the perimeters and seams across the hitting space, the heel and toe being rounded. The very best portion of the carbon fiber crowns has additionally been pushed farther again and away from the topline, in order you swing all the way down to the ball, air flows over the pinnacle extra effectively. The again of every head has additionally been raised, the hitting space is extra oval and the only has been smoothed. These are particulars golfers may overlook, however they work collectively to make it simpler for golfers to generate extra clubhead pace.

Every of the three Darkspeed drivers additionally has options an up to date, laser-welded PWR Shell face. This manufacturing method permits Cobra to make the face plate bigger, which naturally helps enlarge the candy spot and shield ball pace on off-center hits.

The Cobra Darkspeed X has been designed with a H.O.T. Face. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Within the high-toe space of every Darkspeed driver, you will notice “H.O.T. Face” etched. It’s an acronym for Extremely Optimized Topology. This entails computer systems dividing the hitting space into 15 spots and making these areas thicker or thinner till the best-performing face is revealed. With the hitting space of the Darkspeed drivers being bigger than final season’s Aerojet, the 15 areas are unfold farther aside, which as soon as once more aids in defending ball pace on mis-hits.

Lastly, all three Darkspeed drivers have been made with an inside bar that Cobra calls a PWR Bridge. It’s positioned inside the pinnacle and connects the heel and toe areas immediately behind the face. The PWR Bridge within the Darkspeed drivers is barely lighter than the one present in Aerojet drivers, however it nonetheless lowers the middle of gravity and helps cut back spin.

As with the opposite Darkspeed drivers, the Max has a big carbon fiber sole panel to scale back weight. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Together with a big carbon fiber sole panel and an adjustable hosel system that permits gamers and fitters to extend or lower the said loft by as many as 1.5 levels, these are the issues the Darkspeed Max, Darkspeed X and Darkspeed LS drivers have in frequent. A number of issues make them completely different and ideally suited to completely different golfers.

The burden saved by choosing a carbon fiber crown and sole gave Cobra designers a major quantity of discretionary weight. Within the Darkspeed LS, that weight was repurposed as a 12-gram weight and two 3-gram weights. The weights may be affixed into any of the three ports, with two ports designed into the entrance of the only and one within the again. When the 12-gram weight is within the entrance, it pushes the middle of gravity ahead, encouraging a decrease launch and fewer spin. It additionally permits gamers to arrange the membership with a slight draw or fade bias. When the 12-gram weight is within the again, the spin fee will increase, the launch angle goes up barely and the Darkspeed LS turns into extra secure.

Cobra is providing the Darkspeed LS in 8, 9 and 10.5 levels of loft, with the 8-degree head designed for the fastest-swinging gamers.

The Cobra Darkspeed X driver (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The Darkspeed X – accessible in lofts of 9, 10.5 and 12 levels – comes with two moveable weights, one 12 grams and the opposite 3 grams, with the ahead port being extra within the middle of the only. Cobra selected this location as a result of a number of employees gamers added inside weight (referred to as scorching soften) to final season’s Aerjet to decrease its spin fee. For the Darkspeed X, including weight in that space is so simple as positioning the 12-gram screw there. 

The Darkspeed X, which has a impartial weight bias, creates a barely increased launch and extra spin than the LS, however it delivers a excessive second of inertia and added stability.

For golfers who battle a slice, Cobra is providing the Darkspeed Max, which is able to are available lofts of 9, 10.5 and 12 levels. That is essentially the most forgiving Darkspeed providing and contains a 12-gram and 3-gram weight just like the X, however the Max’s two weight ports are within the again and the heel space. Placing the 12-gram weight within the heel encourages the face to shut extra simply on the downswing and sq. because it impacts the ball, leading to much less sidespin and a straighter shot. When the 3-gram weight is within the heel, the membership nonetheless has a draw bias, however its second of inertia and stability are elevated.

Store Cobra Darkspeed LS driver

Store Cobra Darkspeed MAX driver

Store Cobra Darkspeed X driver

Beneath are a number of photos of the Cobra Darkspeed drivers: