As you may have noticed, I recently posted my first impressions of the Cobra S2 Driver. So far so good with the S2, and for the moment I’m quite content to keep this bad boy in the bag.
You’ll want to stay tuned here at GolfCrunch for a more thorough review of the S2, but until then I’ve posted a few photos for your review below. I think you’ll find the Cobra S2 is not only a powerful and forgiving driver with great feel… but the darn thing looks mighty nice as well. Enjoy.
I had been wanting to get my hands on the Cobra S2 Driver for some time now. A few months back, the good folks at Cobra Golf were nice enough to send me the Cobra ZL Driver for review… and after putting that one through its paces, I loved it. Naturally, with the S2 as their other big driver option, I wanted to do the same. Without hesitation Cobra obliged my request, so… the other day I took the S2 to the range, and then out on the course for some testing. What I found was all good.
The club in my hands was a 10.5 with stiff Cobra Fit-On Max 65 gram shaft. On the range, my first few drives were straight and true. Much like the ZL, the feel at impact was solid as a rock, and I was able to work the ball either direction with ease. It’s important to note that the Cobra S2 Driver has Adjustable Flight Technology (AFT) built-in as well, so if you’d rather not make changes to your setup, simply adjust the clubhead to the open, neutral or closed position to help you work the ball (or straighten out that slice!).
Out on the course, my drive off the first tee made me smile. Straight down the pipe, right down the middle of the fairway leaving me a gap wedge into the green. Needless to say, I was loving the Cobra S2 already. Never mind the fact that I missed the green and 3-hacked it from there for a bogey… the purpose of my round was to get some initial impressions of the S2 🙂
The Cobra S2 Driver taking its place in my bag. You may also notice the Cobra Baffler Pro Hybrid in there too. Solid club.
As the round went on, one thing became quite apparent to me. The 9 Point Face Technology that Cobra touts was clearly in effect. If you have never heard of this, Cobra advertises that their drivers have 9 ‘hot’ points across the clubface, giving you consistently long and accurate drives no matter where you strike the ball. As long as you make contact in the area containing these 9 points, you’ll feel the difference. And, I’ve got to say… in comparison to the ZL I really felt this in the S2. Maybe it’s because my swing was a little bit off, but I was hitting quite a few drives off the toe-side of the driver, and all of them took off like a rocket. The feeling of these drives off the face was as if I had pured it off the sweet spot. It felt great, to say the least.
Much like the Cobra ZL Driver, the S2 sets up nicely to the ball, and inspires confidence. The overall look and feel of the club is sharp as well. In fact, I prefer the styling on the S2 over the ZL. Not by much, but I have to admit, the S2 wins in overall looks.
I’m going to stop here for now, but expect a more thorough review (with pictures) in the near future. I’ll probably put the S2 through some more testing, and form some takeaway conclusions for you to keep in mind.
At first blush though, the S2 is certainly getting my seal of approval. Solid distance, great accuracy, and a consistent feel off the face.
For more information on the Cobra S2 Driver, head on over to CobraGolf.com.
Stay tuned for more.
Note: As always, a special thanks goes out to Terra and the team at Cobra Puma Golf.
The Cobra ZL Driver (Zero Limits) is a solid piece of equipment. I can say that with certainty now, after having tested it numerous times on the range, and on the course. The feel off the face is solid, and making adjustments to the club face is fast (and easy). One other thing I’d like to note today is the trajectory of the tee. It’s piercing, and the ball looks like it never wants to come down. It goes without saying, I’m loving it.
While I’d love to blab on and on about the Cobra ZL Driver, I’m going to save that for a later date. What I’d like to do now is share some photos with you. Go ahead and take a look-see below. I hope you enjoy!
The ZL Driver, bag with AFT flight adjustment tool, and headcover
The ZL and black suede bag containing the face adjustment tool
A look at the face of the Cobra ZL. '9 hotter points'? You betcha!
3/4 Profile view of the Cobra ZL
The sole
Another look at the sole!
A closeup of Cobra's AFT Technology (Adjustable Flight Technology)
Adjusting the face of the ZL
Changing the face to the closed setting
The head and shaft
The Aldila Voodo stiff flex shaft
A view from behind
The stylish headcover that comes with the ZL
So there you have it! Hope you enjoyed this photo gallery of the Cobra ‘Zero Limits’ driver. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment.
Before I take the Cobra Baffler Rail H Hybrid to the range, I thought I’d ‘tee off’ on it with my initial impressions. I currently carry a 20* Cobra Baffler Pro Hybrid in my bag, so I’m really curious to see how it performs in comparison. The club that Cobra sent my way is the new 17* Cobra Baffler Rail H Hybrid… and it looks sharp.
Besides the obvious difference in loft, the other major difference between the two Cobra hybrids in my possession are the shafts. My 20* baffler has a stock stiff steel shaft, while the new Rail Hybrid is packing a Fujikura Motore graphite shaft in a stiff flex. The difference in weight will be obvious, so it should be interesting to see what I prefer. I know it’s more of a personal choice… From my point of view I always shafted my hybrids with steel, as I considered them part of my pseudo iron set… Will the graphite shaft perform for me? Will I enjoy the feel and performance of the graphite? You’ll just have to wait and see!
While I’m talking shafts, I might as well touch on the shaft options available on the Cobra Baffler Rail Hybrid. It comes stock with the Fujikura Motore (in your choice of regular or stiff flex), and both of these shafts have a mid-kick point, weigh in at 65 grams, carry a 5.0 torque rating and produce mid to high launch conditions. For those that maybe don’t have the fastest of swing speeds, a ‘Lite’ flex is also available, and this one offers a low kick point, weighs in a 60 grams, carries a 5.0 torque rating and offers a high launch trajectory. If the Fujikura Motore shaft options aren’t for you, Cobra also offers quite a few custom shafting options. You can check out the options (including shafts from Aldila, Fujikura, Graphite Design, NS and True Temper) in this PDF (go to page 4 under ‘Baffler Shafts’).
Finally, I simply have to mention the sweet looking headcover on the Baffler Rail Hybrid. I snapped a quick photo of it below… it certainly puts the previous generation of Cobra headcovers to shame 🙂
Stay tuned for more photos and a thorough review of the Cobra Baffler Rail H Hybrid. Can’t wait for the first practice session with it in the bag!
Special thanks: To Terra and the team at Cobra-Puma Golf for the continued support!
We’ve known of the deal for some time now, but it appears as though all of the t’s are crossed and the i’s are dotted. Today, I received note from my favorite contact at Cobra, informing me of the official announcement of the merger. Welcome to the golf scene, Cobra-Puma Golf!
The purchase of Cobra Golf by PUMA AG means that two very powerful brands will be working together to produce not only killer equipment, but stylish and effective apparel as well. Both brands will continue to be developed separately… But folks from either side will collaborate when necessary to no doubt share in the knowledge and wealth found within each brand.
Honestly, I’m quite excited about this merger, and for all of the people at Cobra and Puma. I’ve been a long-time fan of both brands, and joining them together while retaining both brand identities is going to mean great things… I can just feel it.
Keep reading after the jump for the official press release.
Keeping in mind I haven’t even tee’d one up with it yet, I’ve been spending a lot of time today with the Cobra ZL Driver. Sent over from the good folks at Cobra Golf (Thanks Terra!), the ‘Zero Limits’ is a beauty to look at… and I’m willing to bet it’s going to be a champ off the first tee as well.
The first thing you’ll notice about the ZL out-of-the-box (besides the sharp looking headcover) is the multi-material construction. A quick once-over of the clubhead reveals a carbon fiber crown and sole, and a titanium body, face and swing weight screw. Together the package looks tight, but in a word I’d have to describe it as ‘FAST’. Looking at the ZL from certain angles reminds me of a sleek and sexy racing machine… You know, like Ferrari or some other high-end sportscar. Take a gander at the image below and tell me if you don’t agree:
Besides the obvious good looks, the ZL comes with an adjustable face. Cobra calls their system ‘Adjustable Flight Technology’, and with the help of a custom screwdriver, you can easily make adjustments on or off the course. Doing so is as easy as inserting the head in the screw, and turning counter clockwise until the head and shaft separate enough for you to rotate the clubhead. Markings of ‘O’ for open, ‘N’ for neutral and ‘C’ for closed are clearly marked on the hosel. Choosing a setting is easy, just rotate the clubhead to your desired slot, press the head and shaft together a bit, and re-tighten the screw in a clockwise direction. You’ll hear a satisfying ‘click’ when things are back in-place. I’ll get more in depth with this process in the upcoming review.
The ZL driver that Cobra sent over to me is a stock 9.5 with the Aldila VooDoo stiff flex shaft. Will let you know how things go once I’ve had a chance to get a chance to know it… The range and a loop of the course are calling.
I was alerted just a few minutes ago about a brand new club hitting the market, from our good friends at Cobra Golf. The new club is a utility, and has been dubbed the Baffler Rail Hybrid. I’m quite excited to give this one a shot, as I have a 20 degree 2008 Baffler Pro Hybrid in the bag (and love it). Surely the new Baffler Rail Hybrid will build upon previous successes in the hybrid arena.
Built for anyone looking for long game performance (aren’t we all), the Baffler Rail Hybrid features a 17-4 steel body with a 465 maraging face insert. The insert promotes faster launch speeds, PLUS, the lightness of the insert allows for 10% of the weight to be repositioned low-and-back in the clubhead. A new four-way sole reduces the area of the club that comes in contact with the ground, making it easier to hit… much easier than pulling that 2 or 3 iron out of the bag.
The last of the key features in the Baffler Rail is the ‘9 Point Face Technology‘ that we see in all of Cobra’s current driver, fairway metal and hybrid lineup. I can speak from experience, that yes, in every current Cobra metal I’ve put to the test the face is indeed ‘HOT’! With the Baffler Rail you’ll no doubt get tremendous ball speed, and improved feel and forgiveness no matter where you hit it on the face.
Out of the box your Cobra Baffler Rail Hybrid comes with your choice of regular or stiff Fujikura Motore graphite shaft. It’s also available in lofts of 17 degrees (2/H), 19 degrees (3/H), 22 degrees (4/H), 25 degrees (5/H) and 28 degrees (6/H). A wide range of lofts = a wide range of options.
For more information hit up Cobra, or check out the image gallery below.
The Cobra line has long fascinated me. The brand image is young, hip, and by all accounts the clubs are top performers. Through the years I’ve been a Callaway, Cleveland and Titleist fan, having interchanged iron sets, putters, drivers, etc. between these companies… But one of these days I know I’m going to crack and put a Cobra in my bag.
Last fall, I purchased a S9-1 driver, 3-wood and 5-wood for the lady in my life. She’s long had Cobra in the bag, with a set of King Cobra ss-i irons as her iron of choice. The clubs setup nice, have a larger head, and the graphite shafts make them light and a pleasure to swing. With the nagging Cobra ‘bug’ always in the back of my head, I took her S9-1 driver to the range, and even though the ladies-flex shaft was just a tad to whippy for me, I was impressed. With each swing (was just taking smooth, slow swings to get the shaft to kick at the right point) the ball was clearing the fence at the back of the range. NICE. If I can do that with a ladies S9-1, clearly the new Cobra ZL driver would knock the ball into the next county, right? 😛
The Cobra ZL Driver is a multi-material driver engineered for max distance. Aren’t they all? 😛 The crown and sole are made of carbon fiber, the body and face are made from titanium, and the swing weight screw located near the back of the sole provides an ‘optimal’ CG, MOI and spin rate for a high launch with big carry and control.
The ZL also features the ‘9 Point Face Technology’ that we first got wind of with the S9-1 series. All you really need to know here is the clubhead is ‘hot’. Hit the ball almost anywhere on the face and you’re going to experience tremendous launch speeds. I can attest to this.
Another cool thing built-in to the Cobra ZL Driver is the Adjustable Flight Technology (AFT) feature. You can use it to adjust the face-angle settings from open to neutral to closed. This is a handy feature for sure, as it can not only help you straighten out slice or hook symptoms, but better players can tweak the face as they go to help shape their drives with little to no change to their actual swing.
The Cobra ZL Driver is available now in lofts of 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 and 11.5. An Aldila VooDoo shaft is the stick of choice, available in a regular and stiff flex. Of course, additional shafts and other customizations are available, but I’d recommend you talk to your local fitter before you even consider ordering something custom. It’s a must to have your clubs tailored to your swing, but please, make sure you have a professional fit you for your needs!
For more information I highly recommend you check out the ZL page on Cobra Golf. More images below!
Note: Forgot to mention, ‘ZL’ stands for ‘Zero Limits’… just sayin’.
Cobra Golf has just unveiled some new high-performance sticks in a line that has been dubbed Cobra S2 Max. Available in both iron and iron-hybrid integrated sets, the S2 Max clubs are designed for maximum forgiveness and high launch for mid- to high-handicap players. With the S2 Max Iron-Hybrid Set, you get ” Baffler-style hybrids” that provide proper distance gapping throughout the set for players who prefer hitting forgiving hybrids over long irons.
There are several options available:
Note: You can find these clubs for significantly less at Golfsmith and TGW.com.
The Cobra S2 Max line has received a Gold Award in the 2010 Golf Digest Hot List. For more information about the Cobra S2 Max Irons and Cobra S2 Max Iron-Hybrid Integrated Set, go to www.cobragolf.com.
Now this is big news. The latest out of GolfWeek has the Cobra brand (owned and run by the Acushnet Co.) sold off to the rising stars at Puma AG. Of course, no terms of the deal have been disclosed as of yet, but this could be a great win/win for both sides. Let me explain why.
Puma has been making strides in the last year or so, making more and more of an effort to penetrate the North American golf market. Chances are you’ve seen the young gun Ricky Fowler out on the course in his colorful gear. Well, you guessed it, Fowler has an apparel deal with Puma, and I have a feeling more deals are to come.
For the Acushnet Company, the deal will allow them to focus on their core competencies, or in this case, their core offerings from Titleist and FootJoy. Wally Uihlein, chairman and CEO of Acushnet commented on the deal:
“With the sale of Cobra, we have the opportunity to devote all of our resources to the global growth of (the two brands).”
So there you have it. Cobra is sold off to Puma, and Acushnet is now focusing their efforts 100% behind the FootJoy and Titleist brands. Sounds like a winning formula on both sides. I wonder how long it will take until we see Ricky Fowler hitting some Cobra blades? Oh, and I just thought of this… David Feherty is always out and about promoting Cobra gear. Maybe he’ll be a key face for their marketing efforts in North America (and around the world)? And what about Ian Poulter? So many marketable Cobra staffers are on-board. Big things are surely on the horizon for Puma!
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