The new COBRA AIR-X is the latest iteration of a COBRA legacy: lightweight products for low to moderate swing speed players.
If you go back to the ‘80s, COBRA was cutting-edge with its lightweight offerings. The company was among the first to manufacture its own graphite shafts and it developed a following among recreational golfers.
COBRA was still top of the heap as recently as 2020 and 2021 as its F-MAX Airspeed irons ranked numero uno in MyGolfSpy’s Best Super Game-Improvement rankings. However, the original AIR-X, released in January 2022, finished DFL in that year’s rankings. This year, the COBRA T-Rail finished next to DFL.
What gives?
For its part, COBRA is bringing some of its mainline AEROJET technology to this new AIR-X line. But according to the company, it’d be a mistake to call this AEROJET Lite.
COBRA AIR-X: The Right Light?
Nearly a decade ago, Wilson Golf promoted its D-100 irons and woods with the catchphrase, “the right light.” The implication, of course, is that while a golfer can swing a light club faster, too light will create all kinds of havoc. While COBRA isn’t borrowing Wilson’s catchphrase (I did that), it knows what “light” can do for the recreational golfer.
“We’ve been strong in the lightweight super game-improvement category for most of our history,” says COBRA R&D Vice President Tom Olsavsky. “I’d say 90 miles-per-hour swing speed might be the top end for this line. But we’re really looking at below 90 for men and below 80 for women.”
In today’s golf parlance, those golfers are called low to moderate swing speed players. In most cases, that means seniors and most women.
“This golfer, he or she is always needing more distance,” says Olsavsky. “As you get older, you lose distance. And we know people want to get that back.
“One of the fun things about golf is hitting is long and straight. The AIR-X line is going to help them do that more frequently.”
According to COBRA, there’s more to the new AIR-X line than just the incredible lightness of being. That’s where some AEROJET technology comes in.
Distance, Forgiveness and Accuracy
If you were to list the top 10 priorities for aging Baby Boomers and others on the lower end of the swing speed scale, numbers one through seven – possibly eight – would be more distance. Forgiveness and accuracy would round out the list.
For the target golfer, the recipe is ball speed, higher launch and doing something – anything – to help mitigate a slice.
In our 2022 Most Wanted testing, the original AIR-X finished dead last out of eight models tested. It was fifth for distance, sixth for accuracy and seventh for forgiveness. The new-for-2024 models take dead aim at improving those results.
“We brought the H.O.T. face technology down from our mainline products,” says Olsavsky. “That allows us to get those faces a little bit hotter, so we get more speed.”
H.O.T. stands for Highly Optimized Topology. That’s COBRA-speak for an AI-designed variable-thickness face to maximize a high-COR area in both the irons and the metalwoods.
“You’ll get more speed benefit on mishits,” adds Olsavsky. “Since we’re not talking about low-handicap players, most speed on mishits will definitely help.”
Loft Jacking?
With all of the moaning and wailing and gnashing of teeth over “loft jacking,” you’d think super game-improvement irons for slower swing speed players would be jacked to the hilt, right?
Wrong. Industry-wide, you’ll find super game-improvement irons are actually weaker-lofted than game-improvement irons. And it has to do with the role launch conditions play in the distance formula.
“We know these golfers typically don’t have enough swing speed,” explains Olsavsky. “To help them keep the ball in the air longer, you want to give them the benefits of both loft and spin.”
Specifically, the new COBRA AIR-X 7-iron is 30 degrees. By comparison, the AEROJET 7-iron is 26.5 degrees while the KING Forged TEX-X is 27 degrees.
The other ingredient for distance is, of course, weight. More accurately, the lack of it. COBRA has a long history with lightweight designs and especially lightweight shafts. The entire AIR-X lineup features COBRA’s proprietary Ultralite shafts.
“We’ve been doing this for a number of years,” says Olsavsky. “We know the right specs already and there are a number of places where we can get these made. That keeps the costs down and gives the golfer the right spec, the right playability and the right feel.”
While the Ultralite iron shafts are stock in both steel and graphite, additional options are available via custom order.
COBRA AIR-X Metalwoods
Like the irons, the COBRA AIR-X metalwoods feature H.O.T. face technology. And like the irons, the story here is all about the weight: 290 grams for the AIR-X driver compared to 330 grams for AEROJET.
“It’s noticeably lighter but you can actually make the club too light,” says Olsavsky. “Sometimes when you see a club that’s down around 270 grams total weight, players don’t have a good sense of feel. You need some weight to feel the golf club in order to swing it consistently and gain some speed.”
COBRA is offering an interesting, if not unique, option with the AIR-X driver: a choice between an offset hosel and a straight-neck version.
Make no mistake, the straight-neck AIR-X isn’t what you’d call “fade-biased” by any stretch of the imagination. But if you find yourself aiming into the left trees in hopes of finding the right rough, you might find a friend in the offset hosel option.
Usually, the lighter the driver head, the lower the driver’s MOI. The AIR-X head itself comes in at just under 200 grams. To get MOI over 5,000 g/cm2, the AIR-X drivers feature two 13-gram weights – one in the very back and one in the heel. The heel weight adds to the anti-slice design while the rear weight improves launch.
The COBRA AIR-X hybrids and fairways also feature H.O.T. face technology with a low profile and plenty of offset.
“We find this is what a lot of players need in a fairway and a hybrid,” says Olsavsky. “They need something they can get up in the air and get it going far. These are the easiest-to-hit fairways and hybrids in our lineup.”
COBRA AIR-X: Final Thoughts
“Low to moderate swing-speed” is, first and foremost, code for “senior golfer.” Sure, lots of women and newer players fit into that category. However, the main reason OEMs are making lightweight product lines is the growing population of senior golfers.
You may not need it now but OEMs know this product line is like a coffin: you’re going to need one eventually.
Golfers in this category will most likely find the greatest benefit in the metalwoods. The combination of a lightweight grip, a higher-lofted head with plenty of offset and a light shaft with a proper bend profile can help seniors reclaim lost yards. Faster and straighter usually equals longer.
Irons, however, are a trickier proposition. While super game-improvement irons are generally weaker lofted than game-improvement irons, there’s still the playability challenge. Will they spin enough and/or have enough descent angle to stay on the green? That will ultimately come down to a fitting question for the target golfer.
COBRA AIR-X Specs, Price and Availability
COBRA is offering AIR-X in both men’s and women’s models and at prices that are in stark contrast to lightweight offerings from XXIO and Callaway.
The stock men’s and women’s AIR-X drivers are $349. The men’s driver is available in either a straight neck or offset hosel. The right-handed model is available in 9.5-, 10.5- and 11.5-degree models. Lefties can get any loft they want, as long as it’s 10.5 degrees.
The COBRA AIR-X women’s drivers feature the offset hosel only. It’s available in 11.5- and 15-degree models for both lefties and righties.
The fairways are $229. Men’s models come in 16- and 19-degree models for both left- and right-handed golfers. Women’s models are 19 and 22 degrees for lefties and righties. A 26-degree 7-wood is for righties only.
Men’s hybrids come in 19-, 21-, 24- and 30-degree models while the women’s line is 21 through 30degrees. The 30-degree models are right-handed only. The hybrids retail for $199.
The seven-piece (5-gap wedge) men’s iron set in steel retails for $699. The graphite option is a combo set with two hybrids (24- and 27-degree) and 7-GW irons with the COBRA UTLRALITE graphite shaft. It runs $799.
The women’s AIR-X set is a combo set in graphite only, selling for $799. Both men’s and women’s iron sets are available in left- and right-handed versions.
Additionally, COBRA is offering full 12-piece packaged sets for men and women. Each set features a driver, 3-wood, combo iron set, putter and cart bag for $1,499. Right-handed only.
COBRA AIR-X is available now online and at retail.
For more information, visit the COBRA website or shop AIR-X on PGA Superstore.
Charles
3 months ago
I just bought the irons. I hit them well at the range and on the simulator. I’m playing them for the first time tomorrow. They feel really sweet. I need to test the distances and speeds. I wanted a set that had a 5 and 4 hybrid for shots beyond 185. We will see.