2020 Cobra Players Irons

[jddaigneault]

1 hour ago, chisag said:

 

... I knew my specs and these were sent from Cobra to review. 

How does one get this most wonderful opportunity?!

[chisag]

1 hour ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

Those are such great looking irons. Probably above my pay grade, but still looking forward to hearing your thoughts on them. 

 

... I think you know I played all the previous versions. Amp Forged, Fly Z and Forged Tours. More will follow in my review of course but I think these have a niche maybe all by themselves. Slightly larger blade length for a little additional forgiveness and plenty of perimeter weighting but a pure players look and performance. I was smitten with the originals and Rick Shiels also did a great review on the Amp Forged and was spot on when he said he absolutely loved them but thought very few would even look at them let alone play them. Maybe the most under the radar irons ever produced. 

[chisag]

37 minutes ago, jddaigneault said:

How does one get this most wonderful opportunity?!

... I have been going to the PGA Show and writing reviews for almost 20 years now. I started with nothing other than belonging to the Illinois PGA and showed some examples of my writing style. I was turned down initially from many OEMs and it took several years to develop relationships. Eventually I reviewed everyone that had interesting clubs. At that point I turned down quite a few requests because I have never been interested in reviewing anything other than clubs I really liked so all my reviews are mostly positive. For instance, I have never entered to qualify for MGS club reviews until the T100-S were offered because I really liked them and knew there was a good chance they could become my gamers. 

... I will add this, after years of switching virtually every year and reviewing new clubs all the time it gets counter productive when you have found clubs that are working well. Had I not played the last 3 versions of the Cobra Tour irons, I would just be sticking with my T100-S this year.  

[GaDawg]

2 hours ago, chisag said:

... I have been going to the PGA Show and writing reviews for almost 20 years now. I started with nothing other than belonging to the Illinois PGA and showed some examples of my writing style. I was turned down initially from many OEMs and it took several years to develop relationships. Eventually I reviewed everyone that had interesting clubs. At that point I turned down quite a few requests because I have never been interested in reviewing anything other than clubs I really liked so all my reviews are mostly positive. For instance, I have never entered to qualify for MGS club reviews until the T100-S were offered because I really liked them and knew there was a good chance they could become my gamers. 

... I will add this, after years of switching virtually every year and reviewing new clubs all the time it gets counter productive when you have found clubs that are working well. Had I not played the last 3 versions of the Cobra Tour irons, I would just be sticking with my T100-S this year.  

Well my friend, I am pulling for the T100s irons to remain your go to clubs! I do have to say, the Cobra irons look very good.

Good luck on the move and look forward to hearing all of your future comments.

[hartrick11]

21 hours ago, chisag said:

 

... I think you know I played all the previous versions. Amp Forged, Fly Z and Forged Tours. More will follow in my review of course but I think these have a niche maybe all by themselves. Slightly larger blade length for a little additional forgiveness and plenty of perimeter weighting but a pure players look and performance. I was smitten with the originals and Rick Shiels also did a great review on the Amp Forged and was spot on when he said he absolutely loved them but thought very few would even look at them let alone play them. Maybe the most under the radar irons ever produced. 

I am very interested in your feedback here - glad that you will be reviewing given your in depth knowledge of their past irons. I was surprised that I did not love the feel when I tried out the MIM 7 iron. If you really like them and think the feel is in line with their past strong offerings, then it's very possible something was off when I tried them, and I'll need to give them another shot!

[chisag]

9 minutes ago, hartrick11 said:

I am very interested in your feedback here - glad that you will be reviewing given your in depth knowledge of their past irons. I was surprised that I did not love the feel when I tried out the MIM 7 iron. If you really like them and think the feel is in line with their past strong offerings, then it's very possible something was off when I tried them, and I'll need to give them another shot!

 

... Thanks. My gut feeling is MIM will not be as soft feeling as a true forged iron like Cobra's past offerings, especially not using 8620. My guess is they will fall somewhere between and softer than a typical cast iron and not as soft as a true 1020 to 1030 carbon forging. I do not think the T100-S are as soft as my last set of Forged Tours but that is nit picking because I had to hit them side by side to feel the difference as it was very close. I wonder of range balls were a factor in your MIM 7 iron demo? 

[jddaigneault]

3 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

... Thanks. My gut feeling is MIM will not be as soft feeling as a true forged iron like Cobra's past offerings, especially not using 8620. My guess is they will fall somewhere between and softer than a typical cast iron and not as soft as a true 1020 to 1030 carbon forging. I do not think the T100-S are as soft as my last set of Forged Tours but that is nit picking because I had to hit them side by side to feel the difference as it was very close. I wonder of range balls were a factor in your MIM 7 iron demo? 

Having hit the MIM, I would agree. Not the softest I’ve hit, but nice. 

[hartrick11]

4 hours ago, chisag said:

 

... Thanks. My gut feeling is MIM will not be as soft feeling as a true forged iron like Cobra's past offerings, especially not using 8620. My guess is they will fall somewhere between and softer than a typical cast iron and not as soft as a true 1020 to 1030 carbon forging. I do not think the T100-S are as soft as my last set of Forged Tours but that is nit picking because I had to hit them side by side to feel the difference as it was very close. I wonder of range balls were a factor in your MIM 7 iron demo? 

Do you know what metal they use in the MIM? I didn't catch it on their website.

I'm sure range balls factored in a bit, but any time I test irons outside of an actual fitting (Forged Tour, T100 as two relevant examples) I use this range and their range balls, so I am at least measuring apples to apples. 

I'm hoping it was just an off day because I want the MIMs to be the answer for me! With a slightly larger blade length and a touch more forgiveness than my CBs, paired with a thin topline and minimal offset, they are perfect for me (on paper). 

[jddaigneault]

29 minutes ago, hartrick11 said:

Do you know what metal they use in the MIM? I didn't catch it on their website.

I'm sure range balls factored in a bit, but any time I test irons outside of an actual fitting (Forged Tour, T100 as two relevant examples) I use this range and their range balls, so I am at least measuring apples to apples. 

I'm hoping it was just an off day because I want the MIMs to be the answer for me! With a slightly larger blade length and a touch more forgiveness than my CBs, paired with a thin topline and minimal offset, they are perfect for me (on paper). 

Have you tried Srixon?

[hartrick11]

4 hours ago, jddaigneault said:

Have you tried Srixon?

Not their newest 7 series offering but it is on my list. Are you a fan?

[jddaigneault]

19 minutes ago, hartrick11 said:

Not their newest 7 series offering but it is on my list. Are you a fan?

Haven’t tried the new ones yet, but I like the 785s. 

[chisag]

On 12/16/2020 at 11:44 AM, hartrick11 said:

I am very interested in your feedback here - glad that you will be reviewing given your in depth knowledge of their past irons. I was surprised that I did not love the feel when I tried out the MIM 7 iron. If you really like them and think the feel is in line with their past strong offerings, then it's very possible something was off when I tried them, and I'll need to give them another shot!

 

... I only have one round in but thought I would share my initial impressions. I am rarely at a loss for words but the feel is difficult to describe as I have just never hit anything that feels like the MIM Tours. "Soft" is not the word I would use, at least not the conventional interpretation of soft we associate with a forged iron. More like a dense, heavy feel that I found quite pleasant. Forgings have that melt into the face illusion but the MIM's just feel meaty and solid. Not like a true forging but certainly not like a cast iron either. I will add my T100-S have been shafted with graphite and the MIMN's have Nippon 950GH's so that plays into a feel comparison too. I will need to play several more rounds of course and then do a head to head comparison. Fwiw I was playing a TP5. 

[bens197]

1 hour ago, chisag said:

 

... I only have one round in but thought I would share my initial impressions. I am rarely at a loss for words but the feel is difficult to describe as I have just never hit anything that feels like the MIM Tours. "Soft" is not the word I would use, at least not the conventional interpretation of soft we associate with a forged iron. More like a dense, heavy feel that I found quite pleasant. Forgings have that melt into the face illusion but the MIM's just feel meaty and solid. Not like a true forging but certainly not like a cast iron either. I will add my T100-S have been shafted with graphite and the MIMN's have Nippon 950GH's so that plays into a feel comparison too. I will need to play several more rounds of course and then do a head to head comparison. Fwiw I was playing a TP5. 

Is it fair to say it's that the feel is "oooh, that's nice" right after a giant grin?

[chisag]

3 minutes ago, bens197 said:

Is it fair to say it's that the feel is "oooh, that's nice" right after a giant grin?

 

... I joined a 3some from the senior tees and on the 2nd hole a par 5, I had 205 to the pin and uphill the entire way but Phoenix produces some roll short of the green even uphill. Back in Chicago the ball will stop or even spin back a hair just short of the greens. So with my 2nd shot using the MIM Tours I flushed the 4 iron that flew high and straight, landed just short and rolled 15 feet past the hole. So your description would be uncannily accurate as "oooh, that's really nice" is exactly what I said to myself.  

... While I enjoyed using the 48* T100-S pitching wedge I had to drop a club at the other end. With the MIM Tours the pw is 45* and I imagine I will probably bend them 1* weak through the 5 iron and leave the 4 iron as is. This will allow me to put a 3 wood back in the bag. With the soft conditions in the Midwest I never really missed my 3 wood, but in the hard and fast desert I can reach most any par 5 under 600 yds with a good drive and a 3 wood that can roll as much as 50 yards so I look forward to putting it back in my bag. 

[bens197]

2 hours ago, chisag said:

 

... I joined a 3some from the senior tees and on the 2nd hole a par 5, I had 205 to the pin and uphill the entire way but Phoenix produces some roll short of the green even uphill. Back in Chicago the ball will stop or even spin back a hair just short of the greens. So with my 2nd shot using the MIM Tours I flushed the 4 iron that flew high and straight, landed just short and rolled 15 feet past the hole. So your description would be uncannily accurate as "oooh, that's really nice" is exactly what I said to myself.  

... While I enjoyed using the 48* T100-S pitching wedge I had to drop a club at the other end. With the MIM Tours the pw is 45* and I imagine I will probably bend them 1* weak through the 5 iron and leave the 4 iron as is. This will allow me to put a 3 wood back in the bag. With the soft conditions in the Midwest I never really missed my 3 wood, but in the hard and fast desert I can reach most any par 5 under 600 yds with a good drive and a 3 wood that can roll as much as 50 yards so I look forward to putting it back in my bag. 

It makes good sense and besides, as you've mentioned before with factory lofts, it's a good chance to make sure they are within the margin they say they are. 

I played ASU Karsten a few times (RIP) when I visited PING and remember exactly what you're saying about slinging the ball low and letting it run.  Desert winters and cooler windier evenings were resemblant to Florida and that low shot is so important. 

[ZMendle10]

I got the chance this past weekend to hit the Cobra King MIM irons during my iron fitting and I was very impressed with them. They had a very similar look at address to the T100's and felt really good in my opinion. They felt fantastic in my opinion and definitely as soft but maybe a touch more firm than the ZX7's and T100's but we are splitting hairs because it comes down to strike. I was really pulling for them to make it through the iron fitting so I can get them in the copper finish but they didn't make it out of the top 3. 

Overall they were a great feeling iron but not as consistent as I would have liked to see and that is really the only reason why I didn't go with them in my fitting. If anyone is considering them or gets the chance to hit them they are well worth the swing.