The Baffler put Cobra Golf on the map.
When Cobra’s founder, Tom Crow, developed the original Baffler – arguably golf’s first utility club – the goal was to create what Crow once described to me as a skidder; a club that would literally skid across the turf (or the pro shop parking lot) rather than digging. Baffler’s signature rails have always been about making the club easy to hit from any lie.
Over the years, the Baffler and its signature rails have evolved, but through every iteration the design has remained true to Crow’s vision. The Baffler has always been easy to hit.
The KING F6 Baffler is the latest revision, and unlike models from the past few seasons (which have been largely game-improvement offerings), this Baffler could ignite (yup, that’s an intentional PUMA shoe reference) some serious interest.
The Origins of F6 Baffler
Legendary swing coach, Butch Harmon, thought Rickie Fowler might benefit from a higher launching fairway wood. While there are numerous scenarios where a club like that could come in handy for any of us, Fowler and Harmon were looking ahead to #15 at Augusta where a soft landing second shot on Sunday could be the difference between Fowler claiming his first major and finishing somewhere in the top 5.
To create the club Butch and Rickie were looking for, Cobra moved the initial R&D process away from the computer and into the workshop. Cobra’s team knew that the extra sole mass inherent to the Baffler design would raise the trajectory, but the challenge would be integrating the rails into a design that would appeal to Fowler.
The process began with Cobra’s Tour Rep, Ben Schomin, literally hand-welding rail structures to Bio Cell+ fairway woods.
After several iterations of what became known internally as the Frankenstein club, Cobra had a prototype for a design it could refine (add weights), manufacturer (no blowtorch necessary), and put into Rickie Fowler’s bag, potentially Jonas Blixt’s bag…and maybe your bag too.
KING F6 Baffler – An Option for You?
As mentioned, the KING F6 Baffler started with a BioCell+ fairway chassis. The final version retains that same footprint, which makes it one of the most compact fairway woods on the market. It terms of scale, we could argue that it’s nearly as much a big hybrid as it is a small fairway.
Left to Right: King LTD 3W, King F6 Baffler, King F6 Hybrid
The wee footprint, along with the slightly shorter than average shaft (41.75”), means the F6 Baffler has the potential to replace your 5 wood or the longest hybrid in your bag. The KING F6 Baffler is designated as a 4/5 wood, and with its MyFly8 Hosel Adapter, it can be adjusted from 16° to 19° (draw settings available at 16.5°, 17.5° and 18.5°), which potentially also makes it an option for those who carry a single fairway wood and want something a little more controllable.
To provide even more versatility, Cobra integrated the adjustable two-weight system (15g and 3g) from its larger F6 clubs. The lingo is the same as it is with the F6 driver. Put the heavy weight in the back for a towering ball flight. Move it to the front for a more penetrating trajectory.
Cobra’s VP of R&D, Tom Olsavsky tells me that the new Baffler is extremely well-suited for play from rough. I’m sure that under normal circumstances you never miss the fairway, but on the off chance somebody talks in your backswing and something unfortunate happens, you’ll have a solid escape option.
Given what we’ve learned about what the average golfer actually needs in his long games, the KING F6 Baffler is one of a select few niche-ish clubs that’s actually immensely practical.
Because of its versatility and where it might fit in the bag, the Baffler is the new-for-2016 club (non-driver category) that I’m most looking forward to trying on the course.
I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes.
Availability and Pricing
Available May 1, 2016 in RH only in Black, the KING F6 Baffler 4/5 wood will retail for $239. The stock shaft is a Matrix Red Tie Q4. X-stiff, stiff, regular and lite flexes available.
For more information on the entire KING family of products, visit Cobragolf.com.
David
8 years ago
My Golf Spy LOOOVES COBRA. They suck their lips around the Cobra.