Gear: Cobra Darkspeed LS fairway woods, Darkspeed X and Darkspeed Max fairwaywoods. Price: $429, with UST Mamiya LINQ M40X white shaft and Lamkin Crossline handle. Darkspeed LS $329 with UST Mamiya LINQ M40X White shaft or UST Mamiya LINQ M40X Black shaft ( Darkspeed X and X).
Specifications: Titanium body and face, with carbon fibre crown and adjustable weights (Darkspeed LS); stainless steel body and front with carbon-fiber crown and moveableweights (Darkspeed Max X);
Available: 11 January (pre-sale), 19 January (in-stores).
Who it’s for: Golfers looking to increase ball speed and range with some adjustment (Darkspeed, LS). Golfers looking for more forgiveness and distance (Darkspeed Max X).
The skinny: The Darkspeed has a titanium body and face with a crown made of carbon fiber for players looking for a low spin option that doesn’t sacrifice distance. The Max and X versions, on the other hand, have more stability and forgiveness.
The Deep Dive – Finding the right fairway wood is a challenge. You want to find a club which can cover a certain distance and hit a particular yardage from both the tee box and the fairway. Cobra’s three Darkspeed fairway-woods, the LS and Max, offer players and fitters a variety of clubs with different ball flight options.
The Darkspeed LS is the most intriguing, a club designed for players with fast swings who produce excessive spin. They need a club which produces a low ball flight.
All Cobra Darkspeed fairway Woods are available for purchase
The Darkspeed LS is designed like a driver, with its titanium crown, titanium body, and titanium face. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
The Darkspeed LS is a driver-sized titanium club with a carbon fiber crown, titanium body and titanium face. The Titanium faces of the Darkspeed LS Fairway Woods can be thinner than those made from stainless steel, which allows them to flex at impact more for increased ball speeds.
Cobra added weight pads of 19 grams each in the heel, and two other areas. The internal weights increase the moment of inertia and lower the center of gravity.
Shop Cobra Darkspeed LS Fairway Wood
The designers were able to save even more weight by using a titanium body with a carbon crown. This allowed them to add three weights on the sole: two for the front and one for the back. The Darkspeed LS is equipped with two 15-gram and one 3-gram standard weights. When the heavier weights in the front are used, the club will produce more ball speed and less spin, as well as the lowest launch angle. Players and fitters are able to move the weights in order to boost stability while also creating a fade or draw bias.
The Darkspeed LS is available in 13, 14.5, and 17.5 degree versions. However, using the MyFly Adjustable Hosel, players and fittings can adjust the loft up to 1.5 degrees, helping them to find the perfect ball flight and range.
Darkspeed X Fairway Woods and Max Fairway Woods are similar in construction, but instead they use a stainless steel face with a PWRShell of 475 and a 17-4 stainless chassis.
Cobra Darkspeed Max fairway wood
The PWRShell face expands the hitting zone below the leading edge into the sole. This helps to enhance performance when low-struck shots are struck. The Darkspeed X, Max and MyFly fairway woods all feature the MyFly adjustable hosel, while an internal PWRBridge weigh helps lower the CG to encourage higher flying shots.
Darkspeed X (15 degrees, 16.5, 18, and 21 degrees) is equipped with a 3-gram weight at the rear of the sole. This increases stability and gives a neutral bias to the shot shape.
MyFly’s adjustable hosel lets players and fitters adjust loft up to 1.5 degrees. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
The Darkspeed Max (15.5 degrees, 18.5 degrees, and 21.5 degree) comes with two weight ports, a 15-gram weight and a 3 gram weight. Ports are also located in the heel of the shoe and the back. The Max is drawn when the heavier weight is placed in the heel. However, if it is placed in the back of the sole, MOI, forgiveness and spin rate all increase.
Shop Cobra Darkspeed LS Fairway Wood
Cobra Darkspeed Max fairway wood
Shop Cobra Darkspeed Fairway Wood
