Cobra King Forged TEC Iron (2019) Review
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What we say...
Cobra’s new King Forged TEC irons feature fast face hollow-body technology.
See how the Cobra King Forged TEC irons compared to the best irons of 2020
TaylorMade, Ping, Titleist and PXG have all made hay selling forged hollow-body irons over the last three years, Cobra though have sat quietly on the side lines watching.
RELATED: Cobra King TEC HybridBut following a hugely successful 2019 with the F9 driver, which for the first time has seen the brand feed from the same top table as driver icons TaylorMade, Callaway and Ping, they’re now ready to jump on board with fast face hollow body tech.
The new King Forged TEC is a player’s distance iron, and because it comes in for £400 less than some of the most popular irons of the last few years it’s a direct competitor for TaylorMade’s P790, Ping’s i500, Titleist’s T200 and PXG’s hollow body line-up.
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Cobra say:
The new King Forged TEC bring together a traditional muscle-back shape with a hollow body to generate a softer feel and improved power, which say Cobra is what better players prefer. By fusing a classic look with modern, cutting edge, technologies golfers get the ideal balance of precision and distance.
A sleek, muscle-back shape and sophisticated design encloses an unassuming hollow body that delivers low CG which helps maximize distance, forgiveness and playability. A hollow cavity is infused with energizing foam microspheres that fine-tune acoustics and create the softer feel that better players desire whist also supporting a thin PWRSHELL Face for increased ball speeds. A forged face creates a larger sweet zone and return area for higher launch and faster ball speeds in a players iron. An internal tungsten toe weight centres the centre of gravity behind the hitting zone, maximizing distance and precision for attacking pins, even on off-centre hits.
Like most Cobra equipment, the Forged TEC irons will come as standard with Cobra Connect shot trackers (powered by Arccos) in the grips, which allow golfers to track accuracy and distance using the Arccos Caddie app.
IRONS RANKED BY FORGIVENESS: 54 sets tested
Verdict: Cobra King Forged TEC iron
It took us an age to get hold of a Forged Tec sample but, based on this performance, it was well worth the wait. They were our fastest and longest player irons of the year (2020), which is impressive when you realise they’re Cobra’s first stab at a hollow players’ iron.
Inevitably, many will point to the strong loft (29.5° 7-iron), but that’s a sign of the times, as brands know consumers buy from launch monitor numbers. The really important question is whether you can stop shots on a green, especially moving into the longer irons. Only you can answer that.
Based on our experience, backspin is 22% lower than our test average, but launch angle, shot height and descent angle are all very tight to our test averages. So for some it will be touch and go while for others, particularly those who replace long irons with hybrids, it will be workable. Try before you buy.
WATCH: BEST 2021 PLAYERS’ IRON VIDEO
There’s a One Length model too
Cobra have pioneered One Length irons, so it should come as no surprise the King Forged TEC will also be available as a One Length option.
Cobra engineers have manipulated the design of each King Forged TEC One Length iron to match the weight and length of a 7-iron, allowing for one simple, repetitive set up and swing to reduce variability and increase consistency between clubs.
It’s primarily achieved through matching a 7-iron head weight (and swing weight) in every iron to create a consistent feel throughout the set. Weight is added to the One Length long irons to compensate for shorter (37.50”) shafts, while weight is removed from the short irons & wedges to compensate for longer shafts.
In addition, lie angles have been adjusted to optimize ball flight. Long irons utilize more upright lie angles, while the short irons and wedges have slightly flatter lie angles delivering more consistent trajectory and ball flights. Lighter long iron shafts encourage easy launch while heavier wedge shafts promote more control into and around the green.
Expect to see King Forged TEC (both stand and One Length modles) arriving in good golf shops from 15th November 2019. Prices start from £899 for steel shafts and £999 for graphite.
