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The Cobra DARKSPEED irons have some of the best sound and feel in the game improvement category.  Balanced performance with strong distance and very good forgiveness.

Introduction

When I pick up a new Cobra golf club, there are certain things I expect to be impressed by.  I’m usually going to get a standout look – sometimes super bold but almost always interesting.  I’ll probably get strong distance.  But what impressed me about the Cobra DARKSPEED irons was completely unexpected.  Read on to find out what it was.

Looks

At address, the Cobra DARKSPEED irons look like your prototypical game improvement irons.  They have an average heel to toe length and offset that’s noticeable but not extreme.  The top lines are neither slim nor gargantuan.  One notable feature is the change in the leading edge as you move up in loft.  The 4I (below, left) has a conventional, straight leading edge, but the pitching wedge (below, right) is substantially rounded.

In the bag, Cobra brings a little more flair, which is what we’ve come to expect from them.  These irons live up to the DARKSPEED name with a black and grey color scheme, but there are loads of interesting geometric details.  Tucked in the midst of all the zigging and zagging of the cavity is the “Cobra” branding with DARKSPEED positioned high on the toe.

Sound & Feel

Time for the big reveal: what impressed me most about the Cobra DARKSPEED irons is the sound and feel.  In a game improvement iron, Cobra delivered a sensational impact experience that is a step beyond most of its competitors.

I started my testing hitting the pitching wedge on the range.  Even with range balls, the sound was a tight, quiet “thud” that was more in line with a forged players iron than something in the game improvement category.  The feel matched – soft and solid.

I’ve hit plenty of sets where that soft feel starts to evaporate when you hit the mid irons, but that wasn’t the case with the Cobra DARKSPEED irons.  As I moved into the 6 and 7 irons, the volume stayed low and the feel remained soft.  It even held true in the 4I, and was further enhanced when I switched to a premium golf ball.

The feedback is balanced between the hands and ears.  Impact is always quiet, but mishits have a slightly harsher quality than pure strikes.  Through the hands, I found three tiers: firm on mishits, soft near the center, and transcendent on perfect strikes.

Performance

While the sound and feel are the headliners to me, distance is, of course, front and center for the Cobra DARKSPEED irons.  Just like last year’s Cobra Aerojet irons [review HERE], the DARKSPEED irons have ball speed that’s among the best you can find.  The lofts are strong, but these are fast even when compared to like-lofted clubs.

Three technologies have carried forward from Aerojet: PWRSHELL, H.O.T. Face, and PWR-BRIDGE.  All three of these are geared toward creating more speed off a larger portion of the club face.  What’s new for the Cobra DARKSPEED irons is that every iron in the set has hollow body construction.  This allows for superior weight distribution and a “more unsupported face” for more ball speed.

While all the highlighted tech is about ball speed, Cobra does a good job balancing the performance of the DARKSPEED irons with moderate spin and high launch, relative to the lofts.  Comparing the DARKSPEED to my gamers, I was picking up about a club of distance but without sacrificing landing angles.  In fact, my shots were flying to a higher peak trajectory.

The performance of the Cobra DARKSPEED irons is rounded out with strong forgiveness.  Thin shots will fly lower than pure strikes, but they still achieve a playable trajectory and good distance. Small misses toward the heel and toe are barely noticeable and even larger misses hold their intended line.

Conclusion

The Cobra DARKSPEED irons offer golfers everything they could want in a game improvement iron plus standout sound and feel.  Whether you’re a mid handicapper looking for more distance or a stronger player opting into more forgiveness, the DARKSPEED irons deliver.

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Cobra DARKSPEED Irons Price & Specs

Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf

Matt has worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking.

He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.

Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.

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