How do Cobra’s new F9 Speedback irons perform?

Our Cobra F9 irons review took place at the brand’s launch event at Oulton Hall in Leeds.

These irons aren’t available to buy until January so this is very much a ‘first look’ review with more in-depth testing planned for the next few months.

Cobra F9 irons review: First impressions

Cobra have been making some pretty sweet irons over the past couple of years and seem to always offer something for everyone.

The F9 irons will undoubtedly be their biggest sellers where they look to appeal to a fairly wide audience.

And that big audience is the mid-high handicappers.

Their Forged One irons, as used by Bryson DeChambeau, will continue and they have just launched some new MB/CB irons to match up with what Rickie Fowler uses.

They also have the super game-improvement F-Max Superlite range.

With the F9 irons Cobra are trying to offer something which ticks a lot of boxes for the ‘average’ golfer.

Distance, forgiveness, accuracy, good looks, sound and feel. They believe that irons often focussing purely on distance or forgiveness will fall short in other areas.

So expect progressive technologies through the set to offer more control in the short irons and more forgiveness in the long irons.

From a first impressions point of view, they do look absolutely loaded with technology.

This does make them look a tad ‘busy’ on the shelf or in the bag but they have a premium chrome finish and look quite clean in the address position.

Cobra F9 irons review: The technology

Where to start? Well these irons have tried to incorporate a lot of tech and I think much of Cobra’s work here was getting the iron to look right while containing all of this game-enhancing technology.

“It cannot be overstated just how technologically-advanced the King F9 Speedback irons are,” said Tom Olsavsky, VP of R&D for Cobra Golf.

“Golfers have been forced to choose between distance or forgiveness in their game improvement irons.

“If you wanted more distance, than you sacrificed forgiveness, and vice versa.

“With the new Speedback irons golfers can have their cake and eat it too. Never has a game improvement iron set had the perfect blend of distance and forgiveness, until now.”

So what is the technology?

There’s a lower and deeper CG that maximises ball speed, launch and carry distance.

More mass has been added low and wide (out to the heel and toe) compared to a traditional iron.

Up to a combined 33g of tungsten has been added to the heel and toe in the 4-7 iron.

A variable thickness face is 3 grams lighter than previous models and features pockets in the upper heel and toe that expand the sweet spot.

There’s also a forged insert within a deep undercut sole design and an all new 1.2 mm internal speed channel that absorbs and returns more energy to the ball for faster ball speeds and increased launch angle.

A three-piece multi-material medallion behind the face improves sound and feel by damping vibrations at impact.

These irons also feature CNC milled face and grooves for more accurate lofts and tighter tolerances on face roughness and groove shaping.

The long irons, mid irons and wedges are each designed with different groove shapes to deliver specific performance characteristics.

Shorter hosel lengths in the long irons position the CG lower to promote higher launch, while progressively taller hosel lengths in the short irons and wedges raise the CG progressively to promote a lower, more controlled ball flight.

The F9 Speedback irons are available in variable or One Length and feature the Arccos Cobra Connect system built in to the grips.

And breathe…

That’s the lowdown on the technology – find out how the F9 irons perform on the next page…

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