REVIEW: Cobra Golf King LTD Driver
The new Cobra Golf King LTD driver molds together a number of interesting technology features that appealed to my golf nerd side while also peaking my overall interest in the brand's focus on the driver market. Could the King LTD replace my current driver, the Cobra Golf Fly-Z Plus?
Specifications and Features
The most unique feature of the Cobra Golf King LTD driver is its removable "Spaceport" weighting disc; a 16g weight design on the sole of the club that Cobra says creates "an extremely low and deep center-of-gravity (CG) and high moment of inertia (MOI)." As such, this driver is billed as the first ever "Zero COG" club on the market. Whatever that means.
How far did Cobra take this idea of a "weightless, space-aged" tech? NASA scientists actually helped with its design. I'm not kidding. There's even space station decals and logos in the clubhead interior that can be seen once the Spaceport weight is removed.
In a nutshell, the Cobra Golf King LTD driver promises to provide a higher launch angle with less spin and more ball speed (the company's patented Speed Channel once again shows up around the clubface). Coupled with a fully adjustable MyFly hosel, the player once again has a full range of adjustability at their fingertips.
Appearance and Feel (4/5)
I don't care much for the Spaceport design or NASA-esque decals on the sole and interior (!) of the clubhead. These things seem gimmicky to me and hold no real value to the club as a whole.
Luckily, the driver's feel makes up for its graphical shortcomings... and then some. The ball explodes off the clubface with a soft feel despite a loud rapport. This driver is loud, and people on the driving range will know when you're hitting it. That may seem counter-intuitive (soft feel, loud sound), but you'll just have to take my word for it.
Regardless, I absolutely love the way this club feels at impact. The driver lines up square at address and the clubhead crown even features the old-school King Cobra logo that is clearly a hat-tip to the days of Greg Norman. The club's weight is light and easy to swing. Extremely impressive.
Performance (4/5)
Nothing spectacular here, but then again, what do golfers expect these days? Most of the new drivers are so similar in performance that amateur players like me aren't going to notice blistering differences from one to the next. The Cobra Golf King LTD driver is no different.
Distance was similar to my current Fly-Z Plus, although ball flight seemed higher and the ball seemed to roll out longer. The gloomy November day in Chicago hitting range balls didn't provide optimal testing conditions, but my ball launch monitor never showed more than a few yards difference between the two drivers. But, because the King LTD performed better or slightly better than my current club, I'll give it a higher rating in this category.
Forgiveness was very solid and non-punitive on miss hits. I did notice a slight dip in distance from hits off the toe or heel, but the King LTD was able to steer those pushes or pulls back toward the fairway nicely.
Overall (4/5)
The Cobra Golf King LTD driver is a solid club built with somewhat gimmicky features but solid tech and science. It performed very well under less-than-ideal conditions, giving me confidence that I can game this club at any time and know I won't compromise performance from the alternative. Cobra Golf has established themselves as major players in the driver market.
Why you should buy the Cobra Golf King LTD
If you own a driver that's more than 2 years old, you'll notice a huge distance boost with the Cobra Golf King LTD. Fans of retro-looking graphics and a flair for nostalgia will appreciate the marketing that's gone into the making of this club. Low- and mid-handicap players can purchase the King LTD with confidence.
Why you should not buy the Cobra Golf King LTD
The King LTD probably won't replace your current driver if it's one released within the last 24 months. Performance-wise, I didn't notice anything monumental; but that's not to suggest others won't. Furthermore, the soon-to-be-released King F6 and F6 Plus drivers are right around the corner, so you may want to hold off for now to see what those sticks are all about.
