USGA Approved: Cobra F7 and F7+ Drivers

The USGA has just approved two new drivers from Cobra Golf. It’s a safe assumption, given past release cycles, that KING F7 and KING F7+ are Cobra’s 2017 models, and will be headed to retail in the not so distant future.

What we can tell from the photos is that both are 3 (movable) weight systems. The samples sent to USGA include (2) 2-gram weights and a single 12g weight. Markings on the sole suggest the story will again be one of trajectory and spin, although the explicitly labeled draw position common to both models is new this year.

One noteworthy point gleaned from the markings is the addition of a TEXREME Carbon crown on the F7 model. TEXTREME is the material used in the company’s flagship KING LTD offering. This is particularly surprising given previous incarnations of the standard (non plus) model have leverage all-titanium construction.

Generally, carbon fiber stories are all about saving weight (your run of the mill mass properties stuff), but the use of carbon fiber can sometimes introduce other issues. It will be interesting to learn how the crown material impacts sound, and more importantly for most of you, how, if at all, it impacts the retail price.

Unlike the two previous seasons where distinctions between standard and plus (+) models were clear, aesthetically speaking there doesn’t appear to be much separating the two. The F7+ doesn’t have the CarbonTrac, or any other apparent exclusive to the + technology.  It should be noted that USGA photos don’t convey details (especially scale) particularly well. The USGA also doesn’t publish crown photos which could paint a much more vivid picture of the distinctions between the two.

KING F7

Identification Markings:

SOLE: COBRA, KING F7, HIGH, LOW, SMARTPAD, DRAW
CROWN: COBRA, (two lines), TEXTREME CARBON, (two lines)
HOSEL: (window w/ loft)
HEEL: MYFLY, LOFT (triangle)

 

KING F7+

Identification Markings:

SOLE: COBRA, KING F7+, HIGH, LOW, SMARTPAD, DRAW
CROWN: COBRA, (two lines), TEXTREME CARBON, (two lines)
HOSEL: (window w/ loft)
HEEL: MYFLY, LOFT (triangle)

Have Your Say

What do you think of Cobra’s next driver? Is F7 something you’re looking forward to trying?