Cobra DarkSpeed Hybrid Review
What’s new? How much does it cost? And how does it perform? Paul Miller brings you the low down on the Cobra DarkSpeed Hybrid.
Will 2024 be the year of the DarkSpeed? To complement the three new DarkSpeed drivers, Cobra has offered up a new DarkSpeed Hybrid. Will the Hybrid become a must-have in the bag? Find out what we think with our Cobra DarkSpeed Hybrid review.
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NCG SUMMARY
A cool looking hybrid that produces solid results. If you struggle to hit your long irons and looking for consistency for your 4/5 iron distance then this just might be the club for you. It provides clean contact off the ground as well as providing a little extra distance off the tee.
PROS
- Pleasing to the eye at address
- Sounds lovely off the clubface
- Consistent results – ie goes pretty straight!
- Good value compared to other major brands
CONS
- None
Cobra DarkSpeed Hybrid Review: First Impressions
The word DarkSpeed made me think of Batman and the Dark Knight for some reason. Just like the drivers, on first sighting, it looks really cool, and with it being predominantly black in colour, you could imagine that if Batman was a golfer, his hybrid of choice might just be the Cobra DarkSpeed – giving it a healthy smash from where ever the ball lies. I, therefore, could not wait to see how it would perform for a short-hitting mere mortal like myself.
NCG Verdict
Simply put, the hybrid has been designed so the widest range of players will experience great ball speed off the club combined with forgiveness, ensuring that even the off-centre hits still end up okay. To do this, they have weighted the golf club in such a way in order to create the desired outcomes – the Corba recipe being a suspended weight that is positioned lower and more forward. This gives a higher launch, better ball flight, and increased carry distance. In addition to this, they have made the sweet spot across the face larger in order to improve golf ball speed.
When it came to the tasting of the new recipe, I have to say, just like the driver, I was pleasantly surprised. I loved the way the club was presented, how it felt in hand and how it sounded off the club. It was easy to launch and definitely left me wanting more.
I am aged 46, 8 handicap golfer with a slow swing speed. I don’t hit the ball a great distance, but I am generally straight off the tee. However, I do struggle with consistency with long irons, and this can be an issue when it comes to playing the longer par 3s and 4s. I do not currently use any hybrids, so I was keen to see if the performance of the hybrid would mean me saying goodbye to the long irons.
I used a Foresight Sports GC3 launch monitor at the Worksop Indoor Golf Centre for my initial testing. The results are set out below.
To put the numbers in context, I tend to compare myself to LPGA Tour averages – these being a carry with a 4 iron of 170 yards, ball speed of 116, launch angle of 14.3 degrees, descent angle of 43 degrees and peak height of 24 yards.
For me, the ball speed was comparable, but no better, to other major brand hybrids. The same goes for the Carry and Total Distance figures. This is fine as a hybrid is in the bag more for filling gaps and hitting specific distances as opposed to max distance. The spin rate of 4600rpm is more than enough to get the ball to land soft and stop on a green.
More importantly, though, my worst shots still went straight, and the overall offline numbers were some of the best I produced on the day. When I wanted the ball to go right, it went right, and likewise, when trying to hit the ball left – hence the dispersion. These numbers definitely are more consistent than how I hit a 4 or 5 iron.
One other thing to note is that my longest shot of 185-yard carry, 200-yard total, was off the tee, and so it is something to bear in mind when judging distances.
In summary, Cobra have definitely come up with a winning recipe with the Cobra DarkSpeed hybrid. As Batman famously said – “All Men Have Limits…I Ignore Mine” – the DarkSpeed hybrid just might help you stop ignoring the limits of your long irons and look to put hybrid, or hybrids, in the bag. I know I certainly will be ditching my long irons for hybrids.
Irrespective of which club you go for, though, it is definitely worth getting a custom fit to get the most suitable shaft and loft.
Cobra DarkSpeed Hybrid Review: The Details
Available: Now
RRP: £229
Right-handed lofts: (Degrees) 17, 19, 21, 24, 28 (custom only)
Left-handed lofts: (Degrees) 19, 21, 24
Shafts: KBS PGI 85 (S): D1, PGI 75 (R): D0, PGI 65 (A): C9
More information: Cobra Website
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Paul Miller
Paul has been playing golf for around a fourth of a Century, whilst his time on this Earth is rapidly approaching half a Century!
During that time his handicap, on average, has gone down around half a shot a year and is currently at 8.
His general love of Sport included a time studying the Philosophy and Sociology of Sport.
In 2013 he co-authored a book chapter 'The good and bad of youth sport today'.
His passion for youth sport is equally matched in his role heading up the Buyer's Guides for National Club Golfer.
He wants to inform golfers what gear is the best whilst finding all the best golf deals so you can save money.
Since joining the equipment testing team at NCG he has become a hybrid convert and is ready to tell you to ditch the long irons if you want to hit more greens this season!
Paul uses a Cobra DarkSpeed Max driver, Callaway Ai Smoke hybrids, an Odyssey Ai-ONE Putter and a TaylorMade Tour Response golf ball.
