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Could this replace your driver or three-wood? Jack Backhouse went to Cyrprus to test it out…..
Cobra are late to the mini driver party, but better late than never I say. Is this a club that was worth the wait or has the mini driver effective lost its touch?
It is certainly the former. I have been all in on mini drivers and have been since TaylorMade introduced them a few years ago.
After testing the King Tec Mini Driver, my love for this category of golf club has only grown and you can see why their popularity with professional and club golfers has done the same.
NCG Summary
NCG SUMMARY
The Cobra King Tec Mini Driver is an impressive first entry into the mini driver category from Cobra. It delivers genuine driver-like ball speed while offering noticeably more control and consistency from the tee.
The compact, premium design will appeal to confident ball strikers, while the high level of adjustability and forgiveness means it can suit a wide range of golfers. Its a great alternative for players who struggle with driver accuracy or feel their three-wood has become redundant.
PROS
Excellent ball speeds
Plenty of forgiveness on mishits
Useable form the tee and fairway
CONS
A fairly premium price
First Impressions
It’s a nice club to look at. I like how the Cobra King Tec Mini Driver sits and how full carbon fibre crown presents itself.
It gives it a clean, premium appearance, while the white face detailing frames the ball exceptionally well and makes alignment pretty simple.
Importantly, Cobra has resisted the temptation to over-style the head. The sole is understated and basic, whilst the crown is uncluttered. It looks more like a players’ club than anything else.
Saying that, it sits square behind the ball and inspires plenty of confidence, particularly for golfers who struggle with the sheer size of modern drivers.
NCG Verdict
The question a lot of golfers ask is; why should I use a mini driver? Well, there are a few different types of golfers they are aimed towards.
If you are a big hitter and a consistent ball striker, then you may need something that will go straighter and a touch shorter off the tee. Equally, if your distances off the tee aren’t huge then this will go further than a three-wood.
These qualities are exactly what I saw when I gave it a go. With 13.5 degrees of loft, a shorter shaft than a driver, and a more forgiving head than a three-wood, it promoted tighter dispersions than a driver and more distance than a fairway wood.
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My ball speeds consistently reached the high 140s to 150 mph range, producing carries that easily reached to 250 yards off the tee. It also produces relatively low spin, to squeeze out that extra bit of distance.
It is a very forgiving mini driver, more so than others on the market. My mishits showed minimal drop-off in carry distance, particular useful on narrow driving holes.
As I mentioned earlier, many golfers will use this mini driver differently depending on their game. But if you are going to put one in the bag, the likely hood is you will probably use it off the deck as well.
It is very playable off the deck. While it does not launch as high as a fairway wood, it still produced competitive ball speeds and distances, particularly considering the larger, more forgiving face.
Personally, I think it is a great option for long par fives as well as off the tee.
In terms of technology, a lot of it transitions over from Cobra’s new driver range. The FutureFit33 hosel allows it to be fine-tuned to tailor your game.
Additional, the brand has included their HOT Face variable thickness design to help maintain ball speeds across the face, and the PWRSHELL construction contributes to the strong, fast feel at impact.
Final Thoughts
Overall, as debuts go, Cobra’s first attempt at a mini driver was a very good one. The King Tec Mini Driver offers genuine driver-like performance with improved control and accuracy.
I feel as though I have more confidence in hitting this straighter than my driver. If anything, it is a great option to have for battling against narrower holes when you don’t necessity need to take driver and a long iron will leave a bit second shot.
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The King brand, on the whole, is building a bit of momentum for Cobra. With premium materials and excellent adjustability it feels more like a modern golfing essential than a luxury.
