Cobra Darkspeed Max Driver Review

I review the brand new Cobra Darkspeed Max driver, Cobra’s draw-biased driver that boasts increased MOI for more forgiveness than previous models.

Cobra have been at the forefront of golf club manufacturing for more than 50 years and they have enjoyed incredible success with some of the best golf drivers the game has ever seen. Not only have Cobra been the brand behind some amazing and innovative golf drivers, but they’ve also had some of the best drivers of the golf ball playing with their clubs, most notably Bryson DeChambeau, Lexi Thompson, and John Daly.

The California-based golf giants continuously strive to create quality equipment loved by Tour players and amateur golfers alike. Cobra proudly manufactures some of the best forgiving golf drivers on the market and their Darkspeed Max driver is surely going to be a challenger in 2024. They haven’t lost sight of forgiveness being so important for millions of golfers and although distance is important with a driver, it’s nothing without accuracy.

While Cobra ensures their Darkspeed Max is extremely forgiving, they haven’t set out on a quest for 10,000 MOI like Taylormade have with their Qi10 or Ping have with the G430 Max 10K. Cobra’s most forgiving driver in their Darkspeed range is super forgiving but they haven’t lost sight of speed and distance. Cobra have set out to engineer their fastest driver range to date and they brought the Darkspeed Max (and Darkspeed Max Women’s) along for the ride.

Although the AeroJet Max wasn’t a weapon of choice for Tour players, 2023 was a tough season for Cobra, only having one victor across all professional Tours playing with a Cobra driver – Rickie Fowler at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Cobra will be hoping for a better season in 2024 and Darkspeed could help them to succeed.

The background

Where did the design inspiration come from?

Before discussing the technology packed into the Darkspeed driver, let’s first discuss the aesthetics. Cobra took inspiration from fighter jets and spaceships, primarily to create the angular and aerodynamic speed found in the driver, but also to develop the appearance of the club.

They aren’t the only brand to adopt a very dark and monochromatic color scheme which differs from previous models. Compared to the previous model Cobra AeroJet driver, the Darskpeed is much meaner and more fierce in the new sleek black colorway.

People on social media have had their say on the aesthetics of the Darkspeed, and it’s been really positive. One person commented, “Nailed the look!”, with another of the opinion that “Black on black is fire.” Perhaps the most positive feedback from social media is that it has been likened to the Batmobile – something I now can’t unsee and don’t disagree with.

It’s not only the aesthetics of this driver that’s impressive. By engineering all three Darkspeed driver heads with a multi-material chassis, consisting of lightweight carbon crown and sole plates and a reinforced titanium frame, Cobra have been able to create optimal weight distribution and maximize stability.

The satin frost carbon fiber crown is 30% thinner than last year’s Aerojet crown which has allowed more weight to be pushed forward and lower into the PWR Bridge structure.

Stratospheric speed

The sole purpose of a driver is to hit the ball as far as possible, and Cobra have ran with this idea. With Darskpeed they have put their foot on the gas and created a driver that generates more speed and distance than previous models. With the Darkspeed Max, they’ve achieved speed and distance but haven’t lost sight of accuracy and forgiveness.

A positive sign for Cobra’s 2024 range of drivers is that Tour star and Brand Ambassador, Rickie Fowler, decided to play with Darkspeed at the Netflix Cup in November and put it in the bag for the 2023 Hero World Challenge. It’ll be interesting to see if Lexi Thompson will replace her 2021 Radspeed driver for a 2024 Darkspeed.

Advanced aero shaping has enabled Cobra to generate speed and distance across all three driver heads (the Darkspeed Max and Darkspeed Women’s Max are identical with regard to technology). Cobra found the best way to balance speed and forgiveness with each head is to use progressive aerodynamics meaning the Darkspeed LS is the most aerodynamic, the Darkspeed Max (and Darkspeed Max Women’s) is the least aerodynamic, and the Darkspeed X is in the middle.

Despite being tagged as the least aerodynamic head, the Max is still more aerodynamic than the previous model AeroJet Max. The advanced aerodynamics of the Darkspeed Max come from the lower skirt height, standard Xtreme shape, soft blends, and crown curvature. This shape fills golfers with confidence allowing them to swing with more purpose and trust the ball will travel farther with more accuracy.

Mike Yagley, Vice President of Innovation, Cobra Golf, said “The aerodynamic package in the new Darkspeed family of drivers is our most advanced to date. 

“We continue to push aerodynamic shaping, mass properties, and resilience to drive technology and innovation, providing golfers the most advanced and high-performance clubs possible.”

Everything you need to know about the technology found in the Cobra Darkspeed Max driver

Larger PWRSHELL with A.I. Designed H.O.T. Face

Cobra aren’t the only brand to depend on AI to assist them in manufacturing equipment. Callaway have continued using AI in their 2024 Paradym Ai-Smoke drivers and in their Odyssey Ai-One Putters.

The A.I. designed H.O.T. Face is found in every Darkspeed driver head to help deliver more efficient speed and spin across the clubface thanks to the 15 different hot spots situated across the face. Incorporated with the H.O.T. Face is the 13% larger PWRSHELL L-cup face which improves the flexibility of the face to deliver more robust launch conditions. This larger face has been achieved by laser welding.

Improved PWR Bridge

Cobra introduced the PWR Bridge in last year’s AeroJet driver and they have drastically improved this feature in the Darkspeed driver. For 2024, the PWR Bridge sits closer to the face, lower in the head, and is unsupported, bringing the CG forward and unleashing quicker ball speeds.

Trajectory Tuning

Each driver head can be tuned in different ways. Every head has the ability to be lofted up or down by one and a half degrees with the MyFly adjustability. However, you can then alter the flight and launch differently on each head thanks to the trajectory tuning ability presented by the interchangeable weights on the sole of the club.

The Darkspeed Max comes with two interchangeable weights – 3g and 12g. You can either position the heavier 12g weight in the back of the club for a higher ball flight and increased MOI, or in the heel of the club for a more draw-biased ball flight. Moving the weights and playing the MyFly adjustability affects launch, ball flight, spin, and forgiveness.

Everything you need to know about the Cobra Darkspeed Max driver

Cobra Darkspeed Max driver

RRP: £429.00 / $549.00

Lofts: 9° / 10.5° / 12°

If you want to get your hands on a Cobra Darkspeed Max driver, or any other club from the Darkspeed range, you can do so from January 11 when pre-sale begins, you only have to wait a further eight days until January 19 when they’ll be available at retailers and online.

Like other major brands, Cobra names their most forgiving driver Max – meaning maximum forgiveness. Not only is this the most forgiving driver head, but it’s also the most draw-biased Darkspeed model. Taking into account the forgiveness and draw-biased nature of the Darkspeed Max, this will be challenging the most forgiving drivers and best draw-bias drivers in 2024. It’s designed for amateur golfers looking for ultimate distance and accuracy. With the adjustability from the MyFly adjustable settings (eight different loft settings) and weight positions on the sole of the club, golfers who struggle with a fade or slice can take advantage of the adjustability to straighten their ball flight or even turn it into a draw.

Compared to the previous AeroJet Max driver the PWRSHELL H.O.T. Face is 13% larger (as it is with all four Darkspeed drivers). The emphasis of this driver is on distance and accuracy, to achieve this Cobra have made the Darkspeed Max more aerodynamically advanced and positioned the PWR Bridge further forward and lower in the club head. The shape of the head is designed to inspire confidence to hit the ball farther and straighter generating the highest ball flight of all three heads.

Which Darkspeed driver will suit you the most?

Cobra are offering four different driver models to cater to the vast majority of golfers. The four Darkspeed driver heads you can choose from are Darkspeed LS, Darkspeed X, Darkspeed Max, and Darkspeed Max Women’s. Depending on your ability, needs, and preferences finding the right driver head for you is massively important, and choosing the correct driver head can have a major positive impact on your game. However, on the (dreaded) flipside, picking the wrong driver head could seriously hinder your game.

To help you figure out which Darkspeed driver head is best for you we’ve compiled a a brief overview of each head so let’s take a look at the options and what they have to offer…

Darkspeed Max

As is the case with so many brands, the Max option refers to the most forgiving driver in their line-ups. While certain brands are on a quest for 10,000 MOI Cobra’s Darkspeed Max isn’t quite as forgiving as that but it’s certainly the easiest driver head to hit in the Darkspeed range. Despite being forgiving, speed and distance hasn’t been thrown out of the window, this club delivers competitive distance while ensuring you find more fairways and stop the ball leaking out to the right (or left if you’re left-handed).

The Darkspeed Max will be challenging the most forgiving drivers on the market in 2024 – even though it doesn’t have an MOI touching five figures. If you’re a golfer playing with a predominant fade or slice then it could be a smart move turning to the Max head which has two interchangeable weights that can be moved to generate a higher ball flight or a more draw-biased flight shape.

Darkspeed LS

Cobra’s low-spinning driver head differs most from the other three driver heads in many ways – most notably being that there’s no 12° head available, instead, there’s an 8° head. Being inspired by the prototype head used by Long Drive Champion, Kyle Berkshire, doesn’t mean the 8° head is only suitable for that caliber of golfer. It might come as a surprise, but I’m miles off driving a ball to the same standard as Kyle Berkshire, but the 8° is the one that worked best for me.

Being an intentionally low-spinning head it does make sense to offer the Darkspeed LS in lower lofted options (8°, 9°, and 10.5°), but it’s unlikely the 8° LS will be flying off the shelves as frequently as a 10.5° Darkspeed X. The LS is tailored to Tour players and elite amateur golfers because of the head profile, but if you struggle from high spin it could be worth giving the LS a try. The LS is the most aerodynamic head of all Darkspeed drivers and the progressive aerodynamic technology has been fully utilized to make the 8° head more aerodynamic than any other club head, releasing increased speed and distance (when struck properly).

The LS won’t be for everyone, but if you can get away with it it’s an absolute rocket!

Read our full Cobra Darkspeed LS driver review.

Darkspeed X

Being the middle-of-the-road driver in Cobra’s Darkspeed line-up, it’s expected that the Darkspeed X will sell best to amateur golfers, and we also think it will find its way into the bags of Tour players. The X is available in typical driver lofts (9°, 10.5°, and 12°) which makes this a suitable option for the vast majority of golfers whether you combat a slice or hit 300-yard bombs down the middle of the fairway (even if it is in your dreams).

Progressive aerodynamic technology exhibited by Cobra makes the X not as aerodynamic as the LS but more aerodynamic than the Max, which only adds to this driver heads versatility, offering speed and forgiveness. I was blown away by how effortlessly this driver head was able to deliver distance and accuracy – especially when taking advantage of the interchangeable weights and eight MyFly loft settings.

Read our full Cobra Darkspeed X driver review.

Darkspeed Max Women’s

The Darkspeed Max Women’s is exactly the same head as the Darkspeed Max, except for the colorway. Cobra haven’t decided to create a vibrant club head for women, but they have added a splash of light cool blue on the club head to make it more appealing to female golfers – and possibly some male golfers. With it being the same head as the most forgiving “men’s” it’s not unlikely that you may find this club in any golfers bag.

Being the same as the Darkspeed Max this driver is draw-biased so if you are a female golfer who doesn’t need help in straightening a fade or slice then you’ll want to be looking at either the Darkspeed X or LS.

Another factor to consider when choosing heads is that this is the only head with color on the top of the crown. It might only be a trim around the back of the club but it could be enough to put you off and choose the fully blacked-out Max head instead. Similarly, if you like having a bit of color in your sight at address then it could be worth giving the Max Women’s head a hit.

Read our full Cobra Darkspeed Max Women’s driver review.

Video: How does the Cobra Darkspeed Max compare to other forgiving drivers?

Data comparison: How does the Cobra Darkspeed Max compare to competitor drivers?

We put the Darkspeed Max up against leading 2024 competitor drivers in the hands of TG Test Pro Neil Wain at Keele Golf Centre. Our test data below shows how all the models compare.

Driver	Ball Speed	Launch Angle	Backspin	Height	Descent Angle	Carry Distance	Shot Area
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max (Ventus Blue S)	161 MPH	11.9º	2246 RPM	34 YDS	38.6º	275 YDS (1)	406.8 SQYDS
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max (Tensei S)	161.5 MPH	11.4º	2212 RPM	32 YDS	37.9º	272 YDS (T2)	210.6 SQ YDS (1)
Cleveland Launcher XL 2	162.6 MPH	9.3º	2033 RPM	25 YDS	31.4º	272 YDS (T2)	384 SQ YDS
Ping G430 Max	162.8 MPH	10.2º	2397 RPM	31 YDS	37.4º	271 YDS	509 SQ YDS
Titleist TSR 2 (10º Tensei Blue S)	161.1 MPH	10.3º	2266 RPM	29 YDS	35.7º	271 YDS	792.3 SQ YDS
TaylorMade Qi10 Max (8.5º Diamana X)	162.4 MPH	9.6º	2201 RPM	27 YDS	34º	270 YDS	337.5 SQ YDS (2)
Ping G430 Max 10K (9º)	163.1 MPH	9º	1993 RPM	23 YDS	30.1º	270 YDS	542.4 SQ YDS
Cobra Darkspeed X (Front Weight)	161.6 MPH	9.7º	2161 RPM	27 YDS	33.7º	270 YDS	667.5 SQ YDS
Ping G430 Max 10K	161.2 MPH	11º	2556 RPM	34 YDS	34º	268 YDS	506 SQ YDS
Cobra Darkspeed X (Back Weight)	161 MPH	9.9º	2375 RPM	29 YDS	36.2º	268 YDS	370.8 SQ YDS
TaylorMade Qi10	159.2 MPH	10.6º	2338 RPM	30 YDS	36.8º	267 YDS	385 SQ YDS
PXG 0311 XF GEN6	160 MPH	9.9º	2226 RPM	27 YDS	34.5º	267 YDS	564.2 SQ YDS
PXG 0211	160.6 MPH	9.9º	2185 RPM	27 YDS	34.2º	267 YDS	953.7 SQ YDS
TaylorMade Qi10 Max (8.5º Tensei S)	161.9 MPH	8.6º	2215 RPM	24 YDS	31.7º	266 YDS	630.5 SQ YDS
Wilson DynaPWR Ti	161 MPH	10.7º	2532 RPM	32 YDS	39.1º	266 YDS	1001.3 SQ YDS
Cobra Darkspeed Max (Mid Launch Shaft)	159.4 MPH	11.5º	2372 RPM	33 YDS	39.1º	265 YDS	342 SQ YDS (3)
Srixon ZX5 MK II	158.2 MPH	10.9º	2300 RPM	30 YDS	37º	264 YDS	669.2 SQ YDS
TaylorMade Qi10 Max (Tensei S)	161.2 MPH	9.8º	2823 RPM	32 YDS	39.5º	263 YDS	404 SQ YDS
Mizuno ST Z	157.8 MPH	9.6º	1954 RPM	23 YDS	30.5º	262 YDS	750.5 SQ YDS
Mizuno ST X	160 MPH	8.6º	1956 RPM	26 YDS	28.4º	262 YDS	609.6 SQ YDS
AVERAGE	160.9 MPH	10.1º	2267 RPM	28.8 YDS	35.3º	267.8 YDS	551.8 SQ YDS

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About the author

James Hogg – Golf Equipment Writer

James has a degree in English Language from Newcastle University and an MA in Journalism from Kingston University.

He spent seven years working for American Golf as part of the sales and fitting team alongside his studies and is a specialist in putters, golf balls, and apparel.

James took up golf as a teenager and, thanks largely to his length and consistency off the tee, he plays off a handicap of 4.7 at Cleveland Golf Club.

You can contact James via email for loads more golf equipment insight.

Cobra Darkspeed Max Driver

RRP: £429.00 | VIEW UK OFFER | $549.00 | VIEW US OFFER

Lofts: 9° / 10.5° /12°

Stock shaft: Project X HZRDUS Red, UST Mamiya Lin-Q Red

Stock grip: Lamkin Crossline Black

Adjustable hosel: +/-1.5°

Flight bias: Draw

Lie angle: 58.20° (9°) | 59.20° (10.5° & 12°)

Shaft length: 45.50”