Cobra King F9 Speedback Irons Tech Explained

Cobra's Jose Miraflor explains how the technology in the King F9 Speedback irons improves performance

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Cobra King F9 Speedback Irons Tech Explained - Cobra's Jose Miraflor explains how the technology in the King F9 Speedback irons improves performance

Cobra King F9 Speedback Irons Tech Explained

For a full summary of the technology found in the Cobra King F9 Speedback woods and irons, click here.

How do the King F9 irons improve over the King F8? Speedback technology allowed us to create a shape in the sole that is slightly wider, that allows us to push the CG back and it features a little bit more toe weighting and heel weighting on the outside as well as tungsten positioned heel and toe on the inside. Up to 33g of tungsten positions the CG low because they are both close to the ground and positions them wide apart so that gives a lot more forgiveness. Now for the first time ever, a distance iron can be super forgiving in its shape.

Where does the distance come from in this case? We get distance because we take the face and use, like a metal wood, a two-piece construction. This face is a forged steel plate that is forged into shape and then welded on, its welded around the top line and all the way on the bottom, welded on the sole which gives you a return factor which means when you hit it the sole will crumple and return.

Not only does it give you speed off the centre of the face, it gives you more launch and as irons today get stronger and stronger, we need to manage trajectory and this helps you get that trajectory back up in the air and help you get those long irons to stop on the green.

How have you managed the sound and feel? When you make irons with really thin faces, it could get really clacky, we use a three-piece medallion - it is a foam layer with polyurethane and VHB tape that holds everything together and also damps vibrations very quickly so even though this is a distance iron, it sounds very soft.

How has the One Length set been improved this time around? The One-Length 5-iron is slightly wider in the sole which pushes the CG further back and helps you launch it a lot higher The second thing we have done is change the shafts, there are 3 different shafts we utilise in the one-length - we are using a lighter weight KBS Tour 80 in the longer irons, a KBS 90 in the scoring irons and in the wedges we are using a KBS wedge flex which is in the 100-110g range to stiffen up and heavy those irons to make that trajectory lower.

 

Joel Tadman
Technical Editor

Joel has worked in the golf industry for over 12 years covering both instruction and more recently equipment. He now oversees all product content here at Golf Monthly, managing a team of talented and passionate writers and presenters in delivering the most thorough and accurate reviews, buying advice, comparisons and deals to help the reader find exactly what they are looking for. So whether it's the latest driver, irons, putter or laser rangefinder, Joel has his finger on the pulse keeping up to date with the latest releases in golf. He is also responsible for all content on irons and golf tech, including distance measuring devices and launch monitors.


One of his career highlights came when covering the 2012 Masters he got to play the sacred Augusta National course on the Monday after the tournament concluded, shooting a respectable 86 with just one par and four birdies. To date, his best ever round of golf is a 5-under 67 back in 2011. He currently plays his golf at Burghley Park Golf Club in Stamford, Lincs, with a handicap index of 3.2.


Joel's current What's In The Bag? 

Driver: Titleist TSR3, 9° 

Fairway wood: Titleist TSR3, 15° 

Hybrid: Titleist TSi2, 18° 

Irons: Ping i230 4-UW

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8, 54°. Titleist Vokey SM9 60° lob wedge, K Grind

Putter: Evnroll ER2V 

Ball: 2023 Titleist Pro V1x