OFFICIAL #CobraCONNECT CHALLENGE 2018

[MDGolfHacker]

I have a question primarily for the guys in a similar handicap range as I, but I would certainly like to hear from all of you (sorry if it has been addressed before):

 

How do you use the Arccos data in determining where you need to improve? Have you really learned anything that you didn't already intuitively know? In general, I am wild off the tee and score best when my miss is one-sided - not shocking. Last week I was spraying everywhere off the tee but scrambled really well for me. None of the stats in 18 Birdies capture that (IMO it is because it doesn't really handle "recovery" shots very well). Putting stats are also misleading because they are a reflection of iron play and chipping - my worst putting days are those where I have more GIR with long first putts. I'm hoping that Arccos, being more advanced, addresses some of the statistical short-comings.

 

I am also interested in whether you guys used to really pay much attention to stats prior this challenge and, if so, how? Another app?

 

MaxEntropy:

  Arccos is pretty much verified what I already knew - I come up short most of the time on approach shots and I suck at putting!  What surprised me is that I had a higher chipping success rate than I thought.   I did pay attention previously to basic stats and tried to work on that, ie, being more accurate on approaches, hitting more fairways, putting, but without the extra time to devote to practicing on those weaknesses, its all for naught.

 

 

this is very interesting to find out.

I wonder if this will happen again or a one of instance.

I hope all issues are reported by the testers. would love to hear the bad with the good.

 

thanks all. so much to read

 

I've reported all the issues to Arccos.  This last league round, I didn't have any problems with Arccos and it functioned as it should of.  Still has an issue picking up putts here and there, but works as it should!

 

 

According to Cobras site, the different irons have different CG Profiles AND different grooves in the wedges for 4-7 and 8-pw. Can you guys actually feel the difference in a shot between, say the 7 and 8 iron? I assume the 8 is pretty spinny compared to the 7 or at least their marketing tells me it should be. Do you find yourself reaching for a hard 8 instead of a 7 just to get the spin and extra forgiveness out of it if you can? or is it not that noticeable? I'm just curious if this "CG" variation they are going after works. It's obvious that the distance part works up to this point. 

 

Also along those same lines, if it is noticeable, it seems that I personally would rather have the 7 iron have the mid CG or cavity back and the bigger grooves. Could just be because I like a good 7 iron, but It's obvious given the extra 1* that distance isnt an issue so I'm curious if that thought has occured to you guys and why they didnt just use 4-6 as the powerbats. 

 

As always, Apologies if I'm spoiling the upcoming reviews...

 

I just didn't notice the tech assisting my shots.  I pretty much hit the same club as my previous set.  Not sure if it's my swing is not getting the most out of the clubs or I am swinging so bad that I'm nullifying the tech

 

 

We've talked a lot about the clubs and for good reason, but what about the bags themselves?  I think we have 3 Cobra stand bags to 2 cart bags if I looked at the intros correctly.  What do you guys think about the Cobra bags compared to your old ones?  Any new features that you didn't have before?  Any things you wish were different?

 

Reesedw - You had the bag MGS rated as one of the top bags right?  How is it compared to the Ping?

 

I got the Cobra Stand bag.  My previous bag was the Sun Mountain Four 5.  I miss the 14 way bag separation.  With the one length irons, the bag just doesn't hold the irons well.  When I go to pull out one iron, the irons in the corresponding slot also snags which is a pain. It has less pockets than the Four 5.  I wish the front pocket above the big pocket was well, bigger.  Kind of a bit too small except for a few tees and a ball or two.

 

 

Danggggg, I knew I picked the right guy. 

 

The challenge isn't over yet

 

 

Ok so I am even more jealous now that I went and hit the F8 fairway wood today wow I cant believe you spies have a full bag of this amazing gear. I mean we dialed this 3 wood in at 16 degrees and boom 10 shots carry 232 roll to 252 and no more that 7 yards off line each shot. What is this voodoo? Were these clubs sent down by the golf gods themselves?

 

Sent from my SM-G960U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

 

If they were sent by the golf gods, then I had the trickster golf god send me mine, LOL.  I was expecting quite a few extra yards from all the clubs, instead they went just as far give or take than my previous set

 

 

 

Sorry for just now jumping into this thread, but I was able to catch up on all the posts to ask a few questions of my own.  Great job so far with everything guys!!  Hope you're ready for the list!!

 

• How do the set wedges compare to normal wedges?  Are you able to get the same type of spin and performance?
  • Sorry I love wedge testing, so I'm always curious!
• Has anyone made any adjustments to their clubs either to complete the challenge, or just to get better performance?  If you adjusted loft on the woods, how quickly did it change your averages?

 

• How do you feel about the grips?  Do you want more options in grip selections?

 

• Do you feel that you could perform better with your old clubs for these challenges?

 

• Are you playing any new courses during this, or are you sticking to the ones you know?  I know Joyzee played a few new ones.

 

• Are any of you going through coaching or swing changes right now?

 

• Were any of the courses you went to play not loaded into Arccos?

 

• Is there a challenge that you really want to see?

 

 

Love the Questions!

  Wedges are similar to the spin and that I had with my previous Titleist Vokey SM Wedges.  The bounce is a bit better.  Feel is pretty decent too.

 

I didn't make any changes to how I played with the new set to win any of the challenges.  I figure I would play my game and the improvements would show themselves.  I am still changing the lofts on the fairway woods, but I may be in the minority with those - I just don't seem to be hitting them well.

 

I got the standard Arccos grips.  Didn't feel any different than the previous grips I had.  Options for different Arccos grips would be great, but I tend to go with whatever is stock for grips.

 

The jury is still out if I am playing better with the F8 One Length irons or my previous gamers.  I am not seeing major distance increases with any of the F8 clubs, and actually prefer the feel of my previous irons.  I felt the ball compressing off the face more with my previous irons.

 

As for playing different courses, I'm just trying to get out to play golf.  As it is right now, I'm only getting  my 9 hole league round in.  Any additional rounds is a bonus.  With 2 young kids and busy schedules, I'm lucky to even get that in

 

My swing is always in flux, part of being a high handicapper.  No swing coaching right now.

 

As for Arccos, all the courses I've played have loaded into Arccos.  No issues of not having a course mapped.

 

MDGolfHacker

[MDGolfHacker]

It looks like your gapping is a lot more consistent with the F8s but yeah there's definitely some distance drops. How's the dispersion comparison to your old irons?

 

About the same.  I was expecting the F8's to be more consistent but that really has not been the case.  I even asked how I was hitting these with a playing partner of mine and he said about the same as the last set...

 

MDGolfHacker

[MDGolfHacker]

I know these aren't the results you wanted but i appreciate the fact that you chose to go the one length route. I hit the F7 one lenght on a launch monitor here in town and i had trouble with them as well. The pro there told me that even thought hey are one length you still need to get fit maybe each needs to be the 8 iron length instead of 7 you never know. I bet the adjustment period is longer than normal also. Dont give up on it maybe if it's not cheating can you get a lesson maybe a pro can help with the adjustment. I love the idea of one swing no matter the club and I am pulling for you in this competition.

 

Sent from my SM-G960U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

 

 

Not quitting on the F8 One Length's just yet   I really do like the irons, just need a bit more consistency to show some better numbers.

 

MDGolfHacker

[fozcycle]

Week three - The Irons

 

 

 

Stats from the irons (5 - 9)

 

At this point in time, I have gamed the King F8's for 28 rounds. My scores were about the same as I had experienced, scoring in the low 80's to low 90's. It took a little time getting used to the different graphite shaft. My previous set used the Matrix Ozik Red Tie 65 Q4 (75 grams) whereas the new King F8's have the UST Mamiya Recoil 460 ES (64 grams). With the new F8's 10 grams lighter, how did they feel? At first I was pulling everything to the left, 6 iron thru 9 iron). I started adjusting my alignment at address and the irons began to come in with a slight draw. Something I have not had quite a while. My lowest round with the new Cobras was 39/41….80! My most recent two rounds were 38/45…83 playing in swampy conditions with no roll. My irons were spot on. I am gradually getting better with the irons. I did not choose to get the 4 & 5 irons as in previous sets, but chose to select the 5 Hybrid instead. This has taken some time to adjust. I am finally getting the hang of the 5 Hybrid..

 

The lofts were jacked up by 1* over the F6 irons that I was gaming.

 

King F6 King F8

 

5…..23* 5H…25*

6…..26.75* 6…..25.5*

7…..30.5* 7…..29.5*

8…..35.25* 8…..34*

9…..40* 9…..39*

 

Here are my average yardages….

 

King F6 King F8

 

5…149 5H..139

6…148 6….136

7…135 7….135

8…130 8….127

9…112 9….119

 

I lost some yardage on the 5/5H…I mostly have used the 5 Hybrid foe recovery shots, but am now feeling confident and using it for 155-165 yd shots. My accuracy for the 5H has been spotty with only 33% center shots and 67% left….None missed to the right.My longest has been 171 yards. My previous Cobra King F6 5 iron had 14% Left, 18% Right, 14% Long, 36% Short & only 18% GIR with distances from 142 to 170 yards.

The 6 iron has been difficult to get a handle on. To date, I have 12% Left, 12% Right, 18% Long, 42% Short & 16% GIR. My distances range from 129 to 167. My Cobra King F6 iron had 16% Left, 14% Right, 11% Long, 32% Short & 27% GIR with distances from 135 to 163 yards.

The 7 iron has been pretty much the same as the F6 model. To date, I have 9% Left, 3% Right, 9% Long, 51% Short and 28% GIR. My distances range from 99 to 232 yards. My previous F6 7 iron had 9% Left, 16% Right, 7% Long, 35% Short & 35% GIR with distances from 70 to 233 yards.

 

The 8 iron has been my scoring club with 13% Left, 15% Right, 5% Long, 25% Short and 42% GIR. The distances ranges from 30 yards(chipping) to 222 Yards(down the cart path…LOL). The Cobra King F6 8 iron had 20% Left, 9% Right, 4% Long, 13% Short & 53% GIR with distances from 100 to 226 yards. I am fast gaining confidence with this club as this past week I have seen 20% Left, 10% Right, 0% Long, 10% Short and 60% GIR with 111 yards to 127 yards of distance.

The 9 iron has seen 11% Left, 15% Right, 7% Long, 22% Short and 46% GIR with distances from 111 to 127 yards. My previous Cobra King F6 had 4% Left, 8% Right, 20% Long, 24% Short & 44% GIR with distances from 83 to 152 yards. Pretty similar numbers from both 9 irons with the new Cobra King F8 coming in longer due to the change in loft.

 

 

● Shot Shaping – I have been able to shape shots(draw and fade) with the short irons(8 & 9) very well. I have also been able to easily draw the 5 Hybrid from 150 yards.

 

● Carry versus Roll – Since May, most of my play has been on wet, swampy courses, especially the last couple weeks. It is difficult to get a feel for the roll at my club, Pebble Creek, Tampa, as we have had over 27 inches of rain in 2018, with 16 inches from May thru July.

 

 

Performance Notes

 

● How did it perform? Accurate for a Game Improvement set.

● Were you pleased with how the club(s) performed? Yes.

● Please compare and contrast it to what you are currently playing? Se comments above.

● What factors were you pleased with? Feel, Shot Shaping.

● How did it compare to your current gamer(s)? Same distance but more accurate.

● What factors did you find lacking? Like the flat finish of the F6's over the Chromey look of the F8's

● What improvements would you like to see?

● What would you do away with?

 

Looks

 

The Cobra King F8 irons have the same basic shape as the previous Cobra King F6 irons that I gamed for the past two years, The F8's have a slightly lower profile but the club heads are the same size and thickness.

 

The thickness of the top line is comparable to many game improvement irons. At address, there are no distractions. What is different? The makeup of the irons. There are four distinct designs within the F6 set. Whereas the F8 set only has three distinct designs, Full Hollow(6-7), Cavity Back(8-PW) and Specialty Wedge Design(GW-SW-LW).

 

The F8's have a new face……a forged “PWRSHELL” to deliver faster speeds to the ball. The Badging is primarily a multi-material carbon fiber to dampen vibrations at impact for better sound and feel.

 

The main difference in this years irons is the variable hosel lengths, strategically positioning the CG for optimum launch, speed and forgiveness, according to Cobra. Low CG(short hosels) for the 4-7, Mid CG for the 8-PW and High CG for the GW-LW. This progressive taller hosel design raises the CG for improved control and accuracy on approach shots.

 

CNC milling on the irons delivers a more precise groove resulting in optimized spin and flight from long irons to the scoring irons and wages as follow:

 

4-7 Milled V Grooves to reduce spin for max distance

 

8-PW Milled U Grooves to optimize spin for more control & accuracy

 

GW-LW Wedge Space Grooves to deliver increased spin for more precise shots

 

Overall

 

The overall look is a classy, precise iron for 5 to 25 handicappers, designed to optimize the accuracy of the approach shots.

 

 

 

 

Week 3 Challenge -GIR

 

I did not fair well for the 4 rounds completed this week, due to playing in Swamp-like conditions.

 

Here are my Stats..

 

My GIR's are as follow...

 

7/22......shot 88 with 3/18 GIRs

7/26......shot 87 with 8/18 GIRs

7/28......shot 83 with 7/18 GIRs

7/29......shot 83 with 5/18 GIRs

 

Total 23/72 or 32%. Not too shabby for a Bogey Golfer(17 Hcap) trending downward.

 

Here are my club stats..

I know this is a mega load of data to review, but my goal is to educate you on the new Cobra King F8's and their ability to help you Score.

 

Review Postscript: While playing yesterday my cart partner accidentally ran over my 9 iron. Fortunately, the ground was very soft and the UST Mamiya Recoil 460 shaft does not appear to be damaged. I used it both yesterday and today and noted no probs with the club. Kudos to UST Mamiya for making a quality graphite shaft!

 

Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

Cobra Connect Bag: Cobra F8 Driver(10.5*) 3-4W(14.5*) & 5-6W(18.5*)w/Mitsubishi Tensei ck Blue Regular; Cobra F8 3 Hybrid, 5 Hybrid & 6-PW, Gw(49*) SW(54*) LW(58*) all w/UST Mamiya Recoil 460 ES regular shafts. Lamkin Cobra Connect grips with Arccoss tracking sensors. Putter: Evnroll ER6 33”. Bag: Cobra Ultralite Cart Bag(Peacoat/Silver).

[tommc23]

Wow Foz that's one heck of a break down

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[fozcycle]

Wow Foz that's one heck of a break down

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

 

Thanks tommc23, this is my 3rd Cobra review so I do try to provide the spies with interesting info.

[Nunfa0]

Love the info over load Foz!!

 

All of you guys are killing this review 👏

[bardle]

Week three - The Irons

 

 

file-9AF4E8D5-24F3-4045-AD4B-250AAEEB96A6-10523-0000067F7DD70918.jpg

 

Stats from the irons (5 - 9)

 

At this point in time, I have gamed the King F8's for 28 rounds. My scores were about the same as I had experienced, scoring in the low 80's to low 90's. It took a little time getting used to the different graphite shaft. My previous set used the Matrix Ozik Red Tie 65 Q4 (75 grams) whereas the new King F8's have the UST Mamiya Recoil 460 ES (64 grams). With the new F8's 10 grams lighter, how did they feel? At first I was pulling everything to the left, 6 iron thru 9 iron). I started adjusting my alignment at address and the irons began to come in with a slight draw. Something I have not had quite a while. My lowest round with the new Cobras was 39/41….80! My most recent two rounds were 38/45…83 playing in swampy conditions with no roll. My irons were spot on. I am gradually getting better with the irons. I did not choose to get the 4 & 5 irons as in previous sets, but chose to select the 5 Hybrid instead. This has taken some time to adjust. I am finally getting the hang of the 5 Hybrid..

 

The lofts were jacked up by 1* over the F6 irons that I was gaming.

 

King F6 King F8

 

5…..23* 5H…25*

6…..26.75* 6…..25.5*

7…..30.5* 7…..29.5*

8…..35.25* 8…..34*

9…..40* 9…..39*

 

Here are my average yardages….

 

King F6 King F8

 

5…149 5H..139

6…148 6….136

7…135 7….135

8…130 8….127

9…112 9….119

 

I lost some yardage on the 5/5H…I mostly have used the 5 Hybrid foe recovery shots, but am now feeling confident and using it for 155-165 yd shots. My accuracy for the 5H has been spotty with only 33% center shots and 67% left….None missed to the right.My longest has been 171 yards. My previous Cobra King F6 5 iron had 14% Left, 18% Right, 14% Long, 36% Short & only 18% GIR with distances from 142 to 170 yards.

file-38C0B559-721B-45A2-90FA-AF15166313E8-15629-00000A9E116DF386.jpg

The 6 iron has been difficult to get a handle on. To date, I have 12% Left, 12% Right, 18% Long, 42% Short & 16% GIR. My distances range from 129 to 167. My Cobra King F6 iron had 16% Left, 14% Right, 11% Long, 32% Short & 27% GIR with distances from 135 to 163 yards.

file-605304E0-BEAB-4AE9-A441-41AF71551657-15629-00000A9E71A088E1.jpg

The 7 iron has been pretty much the same as the F6 model. To date, I have 9% Left, 3% Right, 9% Long, 51% Short and 28% GIR. My distances range from 99 to 232 yards. My previous F6 7 iron had 9% Left, 16% Right, 7% Long, 35% Short & 35% GIR with distances from 70 to 233 yards.

file-8B326CEE-ABC1-43F3-80D2-53623D43270D-15629-00000A9E6A751AF2.jpg

 

The 8 iron has been my scoring club with 13% Left, 15% Right, 5% Long, 25% Short and 42% GIR. The distances ranges from 30 yards(chipping) to 222 Yards(down the cart path…LOL). The Cobra King F6 8 iron had 20% Left, 9% Right, 4% Long, 13% Short & 53% GIR with distances from 100 to 226 yards. I am fast gaining confidence with this club as this past week I have seen 20% Left, 10% Right, 0% Long, 10% Short and 60% GIR with 111 yards to 127 yards of distance.

file-41425EDB-7F95-474D-BCB8-DF283C296C77-15629-00000A9E82E198E8.jpg

The 9 iron has seen 11% Left, 15% Right, 7% Long, 22% Short and 46% GIR with distances from 111 to 127 yards. My previous Cobra King F6 had 4% Left, 8% Right, 20% Long, 24% Short & 44% GIR with distances from 83 to 152 yards. Pretty similar numbers from both 9 irons with the new Cobra King F8 coming in longer due to the change in loft.

file-58CDEF5F-3105-4B68-8108-B10BD82E757E-15629-00000A9E8AADF0F4.jpg

 

 

● Shot Shaping – I have been able to shape shots(draw and fade) with the short irons(8 & 9) very well. I have also been able to easily draw the 5 Hybrid from 150 yards.

 

● Carry versus Roll – Since May, most of my play has been on wet, swampy courses, especially the last couple weeks. It is difficult to get a feel for the roll at my club, Pebble Creek, Tampa, as we have had over 27 inches of rain in 2018, with 16 inches from May thru July.

 

 

Performance Notes

 

● How did it perform? Accurate for a Game Improvement set.

● Were you pleased with how the club(s) performed? Yes.

● Please compare and contrast it to what you are currently playing? Se comments above.

● What factors were you pleased with? Feel, Shot Shaping.

● How did it compare to your current gamer(s)? Same distance but more accurate.

● What factors did you find lacking? Like the flat finish of the F6's over the Chromey look of the F8's

● What improvements would you like to see?

● What would you do away with?

 

Looks

 

The Cobra King F8 irons have the same basic shape as the previous Cobra King F6 irons that I gamed for the past two years, The F8's have a slightly lower profile but the club heads are the same size and thickness.

 

The thickness of the top line is comparable to many game improvement irons. At address, there are no distractions. What is different? The makeup of the irons. There are four distinct designs within the F6 set. Whereas the F8 set only has three distinct designs, Full Hollow(6-7), Cavity Back(8-PW) and Specialty Wedge Design(GW-SW-LW).

 

The F8's have a new face……a forged “PWRSHELL” to deliver faster speeds to the ball. The Badging is primarily a multi-material carbon fiber to dampen vibrations at impact for better sound and feel.

 

The main difference in this years irons is the variable hosel lengths, strategically positioning the CG for optimum launch, speed and forgiveness, according to Cobra. Low CG(short hosels) for the 4-7, Mid CG for the 8-PW and High CG for the GW-LW. This progressive taller hosel design raises the CG for improved control and accuracy on approach shots.

 

CNC milling on the irons delivers a more precise groove resulting in optimized spin and flight from long irons to the scoring irons and wages as follow:

 

4-7 Milled V Grooves to reduce spin for max distance

 

8-PW Milled U Grooves to optimize spin for more control & accuracy

 

GW-LW Wedge Space Grooves to deliver increased spin for more precise shots

 

Overall

 

The overall look is a classy, precise iron for 5 to 25 handicappers, designed to optimize the accuracy of the approach shots.

 

 

file-FADE4A3B-2908-4A68-BFA7-5D7A7605AD69-10523-0000067F7F4E2129.jpg

file-0CEC23FE-705B-44C1-BC02-177057964EFF-10523-0000067F808F138E.jpg

file-D847AE2B-A70E-43F4-A29B-83F4CD9F561B-10523-0000067F7C280DB5.jpg

 

 

Week 3 Challenge -GIR

 

I did not fair well for the 4 rounds completed this week, due to playing in Swamp-like conditions.

file-B658EFBB-54B2-43CC-B978-9305017CA75B-10523-0000067F9756A191.jpg

file-03C59D6A-FCAB-4C12-8C52-771D6A6AD8A8-10523-0000067FA3BB0DA8.jpg

IMG_0642.JPG

 

Here are my Stats..

file-F599E6D3-FAA2-4AB9-8B07-F90DA81BDF80-10534-00000685BC64236B.jpg

 

My GIR's are as follow...

 

7/22......shot 88 with 3/18 GIRs

7/26......shot 87 with 8/18 GIRs

7/28......shot 83 with 7/18 GIRs

7/29......shot 83 with 5/18 GIRs

 

Total 23/72 or 32%. Not too shabby for a Bogey Golfer(17 Hcap) trending downward.

 

Here are my club stats..

IMG_0442.JPG

file-84114B2C-0FEB-4D39-A7DF-2DA67D1A813B-10696-000006C1EEB3151B.jpg

I know this is a mega load of data to review, but my goal is to educate you on the new Cobra King F8's and their ability to help you Score.

 

Review Postscript: While playing yesterday my cart partner accidentally ran over my 9 iron. Fortunately, the ground was very soft and the UST Mamiya Recoil 460 shaft does not appear to be damaged. I used it both yesterday and today and noted no probs with the club. Kudos to UST Mamiya for making a quality graphite shaft!

 

Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

Cobra Connect Bag: Cobra F8 Driver(10.5*) 3-4W(14.5*) & 5-6W(18.5*)w/Mitsubishi Tensei ck Blue Regular; Cobra F8 3 Hybrid, 5 Hybrid & 6-PW, Gw(49*) SW(54*) LW(58*) all w/UST Mamiya Recoil 460 ES regular shafts. Lamkin Cobra Connect grips with Arccoss tracking sensors. Putter: Evnroll ER6 33”. Bag: Cobra Ultralite Cart Bag(Peacoat/Silver).

6,7,8 are all over 25% short but almost never left or right. Any reason why your not taking more club or at least considering it? Seems to me your GIR would be astronomical given how accurate you are with a little more club. I'm sure you know this since you typed it all. We're you surprised by those stats?

 

Edit: Nice review btw. I love all the detail and stats.

 

Sent from my Pixel 2 using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[MDGolfHacker]

Great review Foz!

 

MDGolfHacker

[russtopherb]

Review Postscript: While playing yesterday my cart partner accidentally ran over my 9 iron. Fortunately, the ground was very soft and the UST Mamiya Recoil 460 shaft does not appear to be damaged. I used it both yesterday and today and noted no probs with the club. Kudos to UST Mamiya for making a quality graphite shaft!

 

 

Oh wow if that was me I would have been freaking out. The newer graphite shafts are very resilient, and the UST Mamiya Elements Chrome are some of my fave shafts. Definitely a great manufacturer and happy to hear your 9i is OK!

 

Thanks for the very detailed write-up. 

[fozcycle]

6,7,8 are all over 25% short but almost never left or right. Any reason why your not taking more club or at least considering it? Seems to me your GIR would be astronomical given how accurate you are with a little more club. I'm sure you know this since you typed it all. We're you surprised by those stats?

 

Edit: Nice review btw. I love all the detail and stats.

 

Sent from my Pixel 2 using MyGolfSpy mobile app

Thanks Bardle, i'll get there. Been working on trying to increase the height of my irons. Just can't seem to get these up like the F6's......prop due to the lower lofts. If you analyze, you'll see I have more long shots than my previous irons. In addition, I am playing on swamp-like courses this time of year which means that sometimes I might hit behind the ball....ugh!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

Cobra Connect Bag: Cobra F8 Driver(10.5*) 3-4W(14.5*) & 5-6W(18.5*)w/Mitsubishi Tensei ck Blue Regular; Cobra F8 3 Hybrid, 5 Hybrid & 6-PW, Gw(49*) SW(54*) LW(58*) all w/UST Mamiya Recoil 460 ES regular shafts. Lamkin Cobra Connect grips with Arccoss tracking sensors. Putter: Evnroll ER6 33”. Bag: Cobra Ultralite Cart Bag(Peacoat/Silver).

[Joyzee10]

Great review there by, Foz. Eliminates the need for me to add in a ton of the iron photos! 

 

This is going to be pretty brief guys - been a busy couple of weeks for me! Plus, I can bang on aimlessly for hours when I get goin, so I will keep it to the point!

 

When I first started doing some digging on the F8 irons, there were a few mentions of them sounding a little “clicky”. Naturally, the thought of an iron that's touted as being the next big thing in game improvement for 5-25 handicappers being unattractive sounding, wasn't appealing.

 

However, my first trip to the range was a pleasant one. The new set up – clubs, shafts and even the grips – took a little to get used to. I worked back and forth between the old and the new, knowing that I still had to game my old clubs for baseline stats. But I did not feel that they were clicky or off putting in the sound department.

 

Moving onto the now.

 

I had a write up in the works last week / early this week but after my last 3 rounds, I had to go back and re work it! With the weather warming up, fairways drying out and the ball flying… the irons have gone to a new level.

 

Shot my best round ever on Wednesday a 1 over 72 at Mayfair Lakes GC. Needed a birdie on the par 5 18^th and was a really big chance to make that happen when I dropped a 348 yard bomb down the pipe. But, unfortunately, I thinned the 8 iron over the green and had to come out of the back of the bunker and ended up 2 putting. Oh well! The positives form the round were huge and I am loving the irons.

 

Here are some numbers to wet your whistle with -

 

Old Irons - Averages

 

F8s - Averages

 

Old Irons - Range 

 

F8's - Range

 

Old Irons - Longest

 

F8's - Longest

 

I will quickly point out that the 304 yard 4i was on an elevated tee and caught a down slope. It landed at about 260  and took off. Yes I MASHED it but the elevation + roll out played into that for sure! I only have 5 shots with the 4 iron to date with 2 of those being a 304 and 266 yard shots. Expect that average and range to drop! 

 

 

When these are pured… my gawd… they GO! I played a par 3 a few weeks back that was playing back pin 175. I pulled my 8 and thought, I will just play middle of the green and take my medicine. Big deep bunkers on the left and trouble long. 7 iron was out of the question.

 

 

 

186 all flight. Went straight over the pin and plugged behind the green. I couldn't believe it!

Just the past couple of weeks, the weather has improved bringing hot weather, dry conditions, firm fairways and big time ball flight.

 

Some the main differences I have noticed in the irons is the distance you still get on mishit shots. My R11 irons would give heavy feedback to the hands on mishits and they just dropped out of the air. Not the case with the F8s. Instead of being 10 yards short of the green on the mishit, they tend to end up on the fringe - if not just sneaking on. 

 

The carry i am getting at the top of the back eclipses my old irons immensely. 4-8 Iron are LONG. 9-Gap, while improving, I haven't seen a big a difference as at the top. You will notice this in the comparison pictures posted. 

 

I found the Gap wedge was a little shorter than my old Approach wedge when I first started out but I am now hitting it more confidently and getting the average to trend upwards.  

 

The wedges are a hot knife through butter! I changed from 52,56,60 to the King 54 and 58 Versatile. Took a few rounds to get the distances dialed in but now.... Love them. My up and down, chipping, sand saves and approach game has improved dramatically. i am confident around the green right now and feel the wedges have been a key component of my improvement. 

 

Pre F8's

 

F8's - ummmm BOOM??

 

 

 

[HardcoreLooper]

So first of all, I want to thank @GeekingGolf for his public show of support before the GIR challenge.

 

I think HardcoreLooper takes the win this week he already had good GIR this past week and he missed some fairways. If he gets that left miss under control he will push his GIR up I have faith in his ability to adjust this week. Good luck.

So Geeking...

 

 

Leading off - The raw scores:

 

 

And the round-by-round stats:

 

The First Tee of Chesterfield: 5/9 GIR, 36

This was a week ago, and the three things that stand out to me are...

1. That double-bogey on 2 was courtesy of a bladed green side pitch shot. These wedges are phenomenal, but a thin pitch shot is still a thin pitch shot.

 

2. That birdie on 5 was courtesy of a 209 yard six iron into the green side bunker off a hanging lie. Honestly, I figured I couldn't reach from that lie and just wanted to get down there and into position. Sure, I nutted it, but I did not think I could get into that bunker standing so far above the ball.

 

 

3. The 8th hole is giving me fits. It used to be a perfect 135 yard pitching wedge. I can't nuke a gap wedge to get there, swinging harder just hits it higher. But my new pitching wedge is too much club. I'm working on that 135 yard shot. I'm getting there by choking down an inch, but it's going to take some getting used to.

 

Mill Quarter Plantation: 10/18 GIR, 79

 

I spent about 30 minutes while on a conference call looking for a part of town where we weren't getting rain, and Mill Quarter came through in the clutch. There was nothing truly miraculous about this round, but once I hit that punch 5 iron out of the trees, things just started to click for me.

 

 

Once in a great while, I can get out of my own way. Two-putting from four feet on 15 was not thrilling, but the green was in pretty rough shape. There was a weird patch of grass sticking up and the ball literally bounced off to the side when it hit it. We've gotten a ton of rain here in the Richmond area and courses haven't been able to mow much.

 

Providence Golf Club: 11/18 GIR, 74

 

Umm... not sure what to say about this. Honestly, this was really a carryover from the last six holes of the prior round. I managed to stay out of my own way for an entire round of golf.

 

So as I said, this ties my personal best for 18 holes on a "real" (par 70 or higher, longer than 6000 yards) course. In fact, the last time I played 18 holes in 3 over was this course in 2003. So the 47 year-old me just played like the 32 year-old me. I wasn't playing all that much 15 years ago (my oldest was two), but still, this was pretty remarkable for me.

 

I talked about the 188 yard 7 iron, but the shot of the day was really this one.

 

 

And while it looks like the back nine might have been a little scrambly, I only missed 12 and 13 by about three feet each time. I would have putted, but the fringe was a pretty long and the ball was sitting so high, I felt like I had a better chance of making both of them by chipping.

 

The Crossings: 4/9 GIR, 42

 

So this was basically a dumpster fire. My daughter's high school team plays here as their home course, and it's atrocious. I really feel badly for her being forced to play here. Every summer, we play nine here before her tryouts (they're tomorrow), and every year it's in worse shape than the year before. I'd also led classes at First Tee from 8:00 to 2:00, so I was completely gassed. But the place was basically unplayable. The hot streak had to end at some point, and this was a fitting place for good golf to go die. If this course were on fire, I wouldn't piss on it to put it out.

 

In total, that's 30/54 = 55.5555555556%

 

Obviously, I'm in love with the irons. Foz did a great job of giving you so much of the background on them; I don't feel the need to regurgitate. But I do want to hit on something that I talked about in my intro. These are three different iron designs.

 

 

And they really do work, but there is an issue. The yardage gaps at the transitions are huge.

 

 

So they're not perfect, but when I compare my stats before and after the F8s, it's no contest.

 

Before:

 

After:

 

Again, I just can't argue with this. Sure, I've played quite a bit, and I was knocking off some rust in my baseline rounds, but I'm not just longer for the sake of being longer. My off-center hits are much closer to my normal yardage and not nearly so far off-line. They're hitting the edges of greens or missing much closer than with my old irons.

 

One noticeable difference, though, is in chipping with the cavity back irons. The faces on them are incredibly hot. The ball just jumps off of them. So the yardages I'm getting from them are unreal, but I'm getting extra yardage around the greens as well. And I'm someone who likes the bump-and-run. I've found that I need to hit two clubs less on chips to keep from bashing it 20 feet by the hole.

 

And a note about the challenge... it really made me think. I'm used to playing a course with small greens, and I just try to hit it pin high every time. I played some different courses with bigger greens, and I really thought about trying to hit the biggest part of the green when I didn't have the perfect yardage. That's a strategy I'm going to continue with.

[GeekingGolf]

Leading off - The raw scores:

 

Screen Shot 2018-07-29 at 9.19.24 PM.png

 

And the round-by-round stats:

 

The First Tee of Chesterfield: 5/9 GIR, 36

Screen Shot 2018-07-29 at 9.20.22 PM.png

 

Mill Quarter Plantation: 10/18 GIR, 79

Screen Shot 2018-07-29 at 9.22.24 PM.png

 

Providence Golf Club: 11/18 GIR, 74

Screen Shot 2018-07-29 at 9.24.20 PM.png

 

The Crossings: 4/9 GIR, 42

Screen Shot 2018-07-29 at 9.26.02 PM.png

 

In total, that's 30/54 = 55.5555555556%

 

Color commentary and details on the irons to follow shortly!

Awesome great scoring there HardcoreLooper 55% GIR that's what I'm talking about

 

Sent from my SM-G960U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[GeekingGolf]

Hardcorelooper seems like that 3w and 4 iron are the money clubs for you off the tee...the driver looks to be acting up as drivers tend to do. 230 average with that 3 wood and like 210 with the 4 iron that's big numbers. I am looking at everyone's iron distances and it seems like the distance gaps between clubs is really slim. Ideally shouldn't the gap be like 15 yards? Great job all of you I am enjoying reading these ongoing reviews.

 

Sent from my SM-G960U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[STUDque]

SUNDAY ANNOUNCEMENT - WEEK 4

 

Throughout this season, we've set up the challenges to be as even as possible. We want guys to have a chance to succeed whether they play 9 or 90 holes during the week and weight it according to baseline handicaps. Each Sunday night, we'll be announcing the results from the previous week as well as the new challenge for competitors AND forum members for the upcoming week.

_________________________________________________

 

Week 3 Results:

 

Competitors: GIR%

HardcoreLooper take a big step up this week to snag his first weekly win and we've got a tie at the top. See below for the running totals:

 

 

Forum Members: Member of Week

Thanks for all the questions and ongoing discussion. There were many members in consideration for some Puma swag, but this week's winner is:

Nunfa0

 

Congrats! Look out for a PM from me.

_________________________________________________

 

WEEK 4 CHALLENGES

Competitors: Up and Down

Week 4 marks the halfway point of this year's challenge. For reference, last year's Cobra Challenge was 4 weeks in total. This week, the competitors will be looking to get up and down from everywhere. Chipping and Sand shots will be combined and weighted according to baseline HCs. In addition to the ongoing contest, the competitors will be sharing their thoughts on the Cobra wedges they're gaming.

Forum Members: Best Rickie Fowler Impression

Now we're entering some of the more creative contests for all to enjoy. Everyone knows Rickie Fowler has got some serious style. It's what he built his reputation upon and now YOU get to tap into it. The rules are simple, submit a picture or video of you doing your best Rickie impression and the MGS moderator staff will choose their favorite for Week 4's winner of Puma gear. Photoshop is allowable. Deadline for entry is Sunday at 6pm EST.

[tommc23]

Way to go gents. Some swag was won and lots of greens hit

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[HardcoreLooper]

All - just upgraded my post for the week: https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/24440-official-cobraconnect-challenge-2018-week-4-of-8/?p=445366

[Nunfa0]

Woah how did that happen!?! Thank you so much to MGS for choosing my waffling posts as a winner 😁

 

Looper, way to get it done dude. Very impressed with your numbers this week and it looks like you and the Cobras are really starting to click 👏

 

Foz, tied for first and always challenging for the win. I wish I was that consistent.

 

Joyzee10, Mr Big himself. I wish I could play a round of golf with you just so I could be in awe of your golf ball destruction!! Your the hardest hitting Aussie since Jeff Fenech and the others have their work cut out to beat you.

 

Reece, you are just as consistent as Foz and must be due to take a win this week. In horse racing terms you are sitting in the trail ready to burst into the lead down the home straight.

 

MD, not the best week but you are still fighting those one length irons. Still you would have destroyed me if I was in this challenge. I'm still backing you for the win lefty and I look forward to seeing your incredible scrambling numbers this week 👏👏😉🙏

[HardcoreLooper]

Seriously though did you pull a 7 iron to lay up to a known wedge distance or is that actually your 185-195 club now?

I posted my yardages in my weekly wrap-up post, so you can see them. My "count-on" yardage for the 7 is 175. This green probably sits about 10 feet below the part of the hole where I was hitting my approach from. I had 213 to the pin, but the ball was about six inches above my feet, so I just didn't feel great about hitting six. I felt like I had too much of a chance of sticking the club behind the ball. I figured I'd get close enough to the green to have a decent chance of getting up and down. Also, there's a nasty bunker left of the green (no chance of getting up and down with the pin all the way back), so I knew that short was really my best option.

 

So with all this technology, I should be hitting every fairway, all the greens and be at least a two clubs longer right?  Well, I hate to pop the bubble, but a bad swing on this club is still a bad swing and no amount of technology is going to fix that.  There is some forgiveness though.  A few shots that I hit a bit off center tend to still get out there more so that I thought they would.  I really thought I would get some crazy distances with the F8 one lengths, especially with the short irons, but I just didn't.  Distances were comparable to the previous gamers I had.

I'm so bummed that you're not seeing the crazy distance gains that the progressive length players are seeing.

 

 

Question to the group I demoed the 3 wood and hit really good are yall seeing increased distance accuracy or both with Driver fairway woods and hybrids?

My driver distance and accuracy is still a little worse now

 

 

than it was

 

 

but I'm getting it dialed in and closing the gap.

 

You've seen the three wood, it's no contest. The jury is still out on the 3 hybrid. I don't have anything to compare it to, but it does not work well with my main swing flaw, getting the club stuck behind me. When I make a conscious effort to stay wide and not let the clubhead get too far behind me, I can hit it well.

 

 

Hardcorelooper seems like that 3w and 4 iron are the money clubs for you off the tee...the driver looks to be acting up as drivers tend to do. 230 average with that 3 wood and like 210 with the 4 iron that's big numbers.

I'm loving the 4 iron off the tee. The best thing about it is not really when I hit it well, it's when I put a really lousy swing on it and catch it off the toe. It feels like hitting a baseball off the end of an aluminum bat on a cold day, and I'll piss and moan that it's not going to go anywhere. I mean, it feels like it's going to go about 150, tops. And flare out to the right. And then it goes about 195-200 with a little toe hook. PWRSHELL is a goofy marketing term, but the technology really works.

 

I am looking at everyone's iron distances and it seems like the distance gaps between clubs is really slim. Ideally shouldn't the gap be like 15 yards? Great job all of you I am enjoying reading these ongoing reviews.

Some of my gaps are really goofy. I don't hit many five irons, and I haven't really hit many good ones yet, so I'm not sure if I really do hit it the same distance as the six, or if I just need more data. I have 19 shots in with it, so I feel like the data should be decent. I'm tempted to pull it out of the bag and make room for something else. Maybe something to fill that big gap between the PW and GW.

 

We've talked a lot about the clubs and for good reason, but what about the bags themselves?  I think we have 3 Cobra stand bags to 2 cart bags if I looked at the intros correctly.  What do you guys think about the Cobra bags compared to your old ones?  Any new features that you didn't have before?  Any things you wish were different?

 

Reesedw - You had the bag MGS rated as one of the top bags right?  How is it compared to the Ping?

I'm one of the stand bag guys. Some quick thoughts...

 

I went from a 14-way divider Titleist bag (one of the older, better ones) to a Sun Mountain 2.5. The Titleist was great on my ClicGear, but it was a PITA to carry. And when I'm volunteering at the First Tee, I frequently go out and play a few holes with the kids. Always carrying. I don't want to go run to my car, get my cart, set it up, blah, blah, blah. The SM2.5 is a phenomenal bag for carrying. Also, it's so minimalist that it forces you to actually think about what you're going to put in it. The pockets are large enough to carry what you need, but not so big that you can just accumulate crap. Plus, I found it on sale on Amazon for about $50 off, and the bag has no logos. It must have been a production mistake or something.

 

The Cobra ultralight carry bag is a perfectly good bag, but it's not exactly what I'm looking for. It is great on the ClicGear. It stays put for the entire round (the SM2.5 tends to twist a little). But it's heavier to carry, and it has those big pockets that let me just jam crap in there without thinking. So I find myself decluttering every so often.

 

When I first received it, the legs did not retract all the way. I've heard of other people having the same problem. Interestingly enough, they're retracting all the way now. Maybe I just needed to break it in. The navy/peacoat looks phenomenal, but the white trim on the zippers is getting a little dirty.

 

All-in-all, it's a really good bag. It's just that the SM2.5 is my favorite bag ever.

[Nunfa0]

Looper, I have some weird gaps on my Shot Scope as well. It seems that if you use say your seven iron for lay ups and hardly hit your six there will be nearly no gap between them.

 

Are the rest of the testers finding the same thing?

[HardcoreLooper]

Nunfa0 - That's a really good point. Think it's because you're getting roll-out on the 7 with layups? On a course that keeps fairways firm but greens more receptive, that makes perfect sense.

 

I need to set myself up on a hole with a deep green that's 6i yardage to the front and then hit several of both the 6 and the 5 to see if I actually get a difference. I should do that before benching the 5i.

[russtopherb]

Congrats Nunfa0! You've got some sweet swag headed your way, can't wait to see some pics.

 

I wanted to thank all the testers as we approach the halfway point - you all have been killing it with the updates, club descriptions, images, graphics, you name it. Still plenty of time left, and you can bring your short game to the forefront this week. We're all looking forward to how you do and the wedges perform!

[fozcycle]

Congrats Nunfao on this weeks fan posting.

 

I really don't have any gaps in my Cobras......

 

 

But the 6 & 7 are pretty close together......need to hit the 6 more to see what it can do.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

Cobra Connect Bag: Cobra F8 Driver(10.5*) 3-4W(14.5*) & 5-6W(18.5*)w/Mitsubishi Tensei ck Blue Regular; Cobra F8 3 Hybrid, 5 Hybrid & 6-PW, Gw(49*) SW(54*) LW(58*) all w/UST Mamiya Recoil 460 ES regular shafts. Lamkin Cobra Connect grips with Arccoss tracking sensors. Putter: Evnroll ER6 33”. Bag: Cobra Ultralite Cart Bag(Peacoat/Silver).

[GeekingGolf]

Congrats Numfa0 cant wait to see what you get...

 

Sent from my SM-G960U using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[MaxEntropy]

Well done, gents!

 

Congrats Nunfa0! Be prepared for some sweet swag!

[MDGolfHacker]

Congrats Nunfa0 on winning this week!

 

MDGolfHacker

[bardle]

Congrats winners, looking forward to some Rickie impressions. 

[MDGolfHacker]

Meant to post this last week. Photos of the irons...not the pristine look but the down and dirty being used look...

 

 

 

 

 

 

No dime sized wear spot on this one - I like to get my money's worth and use the ENTIRE face, lol...

 

 

 

MDGolfHacker

[Nunfa0]

Thanks guys, will post pics when the swag arrives. Oh and there will be no Rickie impressions from me, Phil or Bubba maybe but not Rickie....

 

Who am I kidding, my physic lends itself more towards Craig Stadler in his heyday!!