Drivers

Cobra Announces FLY-Z Driver Family

BY Tony Covey
Nov 4th 2014
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Written By: Tony Covey

Where versatility and total performance are concerned, I’m telling you right now that with Fly-Z, Cobra Golf has just announced the most compelling full line-up of metalwoods for the 2015 season.

In my mind, it’s unquestionably the one to beat, and I say that without a hint of reservation.

I’ll give you a moment to chew (or choke) on that, and while you’re masticating, I’ll go crack the door open just a hair while we all wait for the next delivery from TaylorMade, but from what I’ve seen – from philosophy to design, to performance Cobra Golf has pulled ahead of the field.

What’s the basis for that statement?

To really understand, it’s important you have a basic understanding of how mass properties impact golf club performance. Actually, more to the point, it’s important that you care about mass properties. You might even need to be obsessed with mass properties, and in that lies the rub for Cobra Golf.

It’s Complicated

I deleted roughly 1000 words from this article – an entire section I wrote titled A Mass Properties Primer (this probably makes my boss happy), because it’s too massive of a subject to try and wedge into a story about 3 new drivers.

The problem is that 1000 words barely scratches the surface of the subject, and the fact of the matter is that golf companies in general have become so flippant – actually promiscuous is probably the better word – in how they talk about saving weight, and moving mass low, or forward, or backward, or wherever the hell the story of the day necessitates that mass be moved, we as golfers have become anesthetized to all of it. It’s not that it doesn’t matter, it’s just that nobody is really listening.

Let me put that in words we can all understand.

The consumer doesn’t give a shit about CG location.

Seriously, have you yourself ever, or heard anybody else ask your local pro shop guy to explain the relative differences in the center of gravity location between two drivers?

Serious Engineering Reduced to Marketing-Speak

Despite being a critical, likely the most critical element that dictates driver performance, center of gravity location – mass properties really – is not really part of the consumer conversation or knowledgebase.

If you’re looking for some basic, real-world, context, well…I submit that while an in-depth discussion of how a low and forward CG placement actually impacts driver performance would certainly be both meaningful and informative, it’s a hell of a lot easier, and sadly, probably more effective from a marketing standpoint to simply tell everybody to Loft Up or make the blanket statement that You Can’t Argue with Physics.

Cobra, for its part, isn’t insane enough to try and pull the mass market into the minutia of things like impulse lines, CG location relative to the neutral axis, or even the finer points of creating a high-MOI driver that generates ball speed like a TaylorMade SLDR.

And so, for its role in all of this, Cobra must take the complex but extremely compelling story of their FLY-Z+ Driver’s mass properties, including what I submit is unquestionably industry leading mass adjustment capabilities, and reduce it to the infinitely more consumer-friendly Flip it & Rip it™.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s a clever, perhaps even brilliant marketing phrase, but it also undersells what Cobra has created with FLY-Z, and specifically FLY-Z+. So as we move forward with the breakdown of the FLY-Z lineup, I’m going to try and make the CG discussion as relevant as possible.

I know…wish me luck and read on.

For your part, I’ll simply ask that even if you refuse to believe almost anything that I have to say here, please believe this:

Saving and reallocating weight is essential to optimizing driving performance. Every last gram matters.

“We’re sub-gram fisticuffs downstairs [in Cobra R&D]. It’s 3/4 of a gram, we really want it”. – Mike Yagley, Director of Research and Testing, COBRA-PUMA Golf

Introducing the FLY-Z Family

FLY:
(verb) To move through the air under control.
(adjective) To be hip or cool; in fashion; desirable

For 2015, Cobra is offering 3 drivers (along with 3 fairway wood and 2 hybrid lines) each with distinct performance characteristics. All of the drivers are 460cc.

The Fly-Z and FLY-Z+ feature 3° of loft adjustability along with Cobra’s SmartPad technology, while the FLY Z XL is available in single lofts of 9.5°, 10.5°, and 11.5°.

While there are several key differences between the models, they share several common foundation Cobra technologies.

E9 Face Technology with Dual Roll

A core Cobra technology for the last several years, E9 is Cobra-speak for an off-centered elliptically shaped hot zone that provides comparatively better performance on high toe and low heel strikes.

The Dual Roll part basically means that the roll of the face is different at the top than the bottom to provide better performance on strikes above and below the sweet spot.

MyFly8 (FLY-Z and FLY-Z+)

What Cobra calls its 8 position hosel adapter (it’s how you adjust loft) and it’s among the lightest hosel adapters in the industry. For your own reference, Cobra claims that a 1° change in loft will increase launch angle by .7° and increase spin by approximately 350 RPM. That’s good info to have when you’re trying to get your driver dialed in.

SmartPad (FLY-Z and FLY-Z+)

Sole technology that allows the club to sit square regardless of what loft you’ve chosen. Worth a mention, like TaylorMade’s ASP (remember that) SmartPad is only effective for golfers who sole their driver at address.

Speed Channel Face Technology

A channel surrounding the perimeter of the face that provides better performance on mis-hits, while also allowing for a mass savings compared to tradtional face designs.

There were mentions elsewhere that Cobra would be making an 8 yards longer claim. Actually, from the Cobra perspective, Speed Channel doesn’t give you 8 yards, it can save you up to 8 yards (on fairly extreme mis-hits).

“When you mishit it, you’re losing yardage no matter what you do” – Jose Miraflor, Director of Product Marketing, COBRA-PUMA Golf

With Speed Channel, you’re simply losing less.

While Speed Channel offers visible technology, it actually works in conjunction with Cobra’s internal zone weighting (face technology…think TaylorMade’s inverted cone or Callaway’s Speed Frame) to provide maximum performance across more of the face. Speed Channel is the thing you can see that helps explain the things you can’t.

Zone Technology

I touched on this literally two sentences ago, but in the bigger picture, Zone Technology is sort of a catchall to explain how Cobra engineers were able to save and reallocate mass, and how you (yes you) can position some of that mass to optimize your own launch conditions. Zone technology is most apparent in the FLY-Z+’s Flip Zone weighting system, but that’s actually only one aspect of Zone tech.

As you probably know, the previous two generations of Cobra drivers featured cell technology. They had so-called cells in the crown and in the face. The idea Cobra is hoping to convey is that Zones are bigger than Cells, and so you should recognize that the company is reallocating more discretionary mass than ever before.

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s look at the individual products.

FLY-Z+

By any reasonable measure, FLY-Z+ is the flagship of the 2015 Cobra driver lineup. It’s also the first adjustable CG Driver Cobra has ever created.

While it would be easy to skip ahead to the Flip Zone weighting system, what makes Fly-Z+ possible is its materials and construction.

Warning: Boring Mass Re-Allocation Stuff…

While the body and face are titanium, both the crown and skirts (the colored areas on the side of the club) are carbon fiber.

Carbon fiber…composite…whatever you want to call the material, in one form or another it’s been used for a number of years now. What Cobra wants you to understand is that all carbon fibers and composites are not created equal. Compared to Callaway’s reasonably well-known Forged Composite material, Cobra’s carbon fiber is lighter, thinner, and stronger. It costs more more, but Cobra believes the strength to weight benefit and the higher finish quality are worth the extra cost.

“We’re using a better and more expensive material than Callaway.” – Jose Miraflor

On materials alone, Cobra was able to save 7.5 grams over Titanium. Another 2 grams of weight was freed up by the Speed Channel Face while some really clever work on the internal bits of the MyFly8 hosel support structure (Cobra removed a significant amount of material without compromising stability or durability) freed up even more mass.

“If you look at everything that moves – airplanes, cars, trains, whatever…engineers figure out how to make those structures more efficient. Usually, that’s making things lighter and putting weight where you need it. That’s what we do, and we’re going to continue to do it”. – Tom Olsavsky, Vice President, Club R&D, COBRA-PUMA Golf

I know, none of this is particularly exciting, so allow me to simplify.

What we’re talking about is, in relative terms, a substantial amount of mass, all of which Cobra used to create Flip Zone technology, which, compared to the competition, Cobra’s Mike Yagley says is “a much more efficient and relevant mass movement system”.

Relevant is probably the key word there. What’s the point of having a whole bunch of moving parts if very little of it offers any real benefit to the golfer?

Flip Zone Weighting

As you can probably piece together on your own, Flip Zone Weighting is the impetus for the whole Flip It & Rip It thing. Basically, Cobra took all of that mass they saved through material changes and engineering, and used it to create a front to back adjustable weighting – adjustable center of gravity – system.

No detailed was spared. Even the shape of the weight cover is purposeful. While it’s not a tremendous amount of mass, the triangular shape of the cover allows for slightly more weight to be allocated to the extreme end of FLY-Z+’s range.

The totality of the design results in an adjustable 15 gram weight system that allows for nearly a 4mm (that’s significant) front to back (or back to front) shift in FLY-Z+’s center of gravity. That’s currently the largest mass movement capability in the industry.

A Very Brief CG Primer

Now is where that Mass Properties primer I chopped out would have come in really handy. As far as design philosophy goes, understand that the majority of club engineers believe that a low CG position helps to create ideal launch conditions (ball speed, launch angle and spin rates). We’ll simply call this desirable combination efficiency.

A majority (clearly not all) also believe that a more rearward CG is necessary for promoting forgiveness and to an extent, accuracy. I suppose you could call this playability.

So to summarize, low/rear CG positioning is good. Some would say ideal. Certainly that’s Cobra’s design philosophy.

FLY-Z+ From a CG Perspective

Despite all of this talk about face technology, it’s mass properties that most directly dictate performance, and so it’s extremely relevant that when the weight is placed in the forward zone, FLY-Z+’s center of gravity is the lowest of any 460cc driver currently on the market. In fact, the only mass-market driver (according to Cobra) of any size with a lower center of gravity is the company’s own BIO Cell Pro.

For comparison’s sake, Callaway’s first 2014 Big Bertha Alpha (gravity core down) currently is the second lowest in a 460cc head (we don’t yet know about Alpha Double Black Diamond), while PING’s i25 would be the 2nd lowest in a sub-460cc head. Both are very good drivers.

Simply put, with Fly-Z+, we’re talking about the most efficient (and that means performance) 460cc driver on the market today.

Cobra’s Tom Olsavsky says it’s the best driver he’s ever made (and he’s made more than a few). Now absolutely everybody in golf says that every year, and I did get caught rolling my eyes when I heard it, but again, it all comes down to mass properties. Olsavsky believes Cobra has achieved something nobody else in the industry has.

“Fron a CG/MOI Perspective there’s nothing else like this…people aren’t playing in this space at all. It’s not something they’ve done because it’s really hard to do and they haven’t saved the weight in their other structures to be able to do it”. – Tom Olsavsky

With such a low CG position, it must be unforgiving, right? Certainly, with weight in the forward zone, FLY-Z+ plus isn’t PING G30 forgiving, but as far as relative MOI goes, it exceeds that of Callaway’s Big Bertha Alpha (2014 version 1) and even Cobra’s own BiO Cell+. It’s not even worth including TaylorMade’s SLDR in this particular aspect of the discussion.

While it may be a point of reference not everyone is familiar with, FLY-Z+ with forward zone weighting is effectively a more forgiving, more playable, BiO Cell Pro. Believe me, that’s impressive.

“We’ve taken a tour driver and put it into a club they can actually hit” – Mike Yagley

FLY-Z+ Back Zone Weighting

When the Flip Zone weight is placed in the rear location, things get really interesting. Although the center of gravity is raised slightly, the shifting of mass towards the rear of the club increases MOI by nearly 600 points; making FLY-Z+ more forgiving than all but a small few mass-market drivers.

In the interest of providing real information, the more forgiving list includes the Titleist 913D2 (and we assume the 915D2 as well), Callaway’s Big Bertha (2014 Version 1) with the perimeter weight shifted to the toe, and both the PING G25 and G30.

If you’re looking for a driver that can truly deliver on the promise of low spin with comparatively excellent forgiveness, FLY-Z+ is going to be extremely tough, maybe even impossible to beat.

Front Zone vs. Rear Zone Comparison

At comparable swing speeds, Cobra says front zone weighting will produce .3 (that’s point-three) MPH ball speed. The front position will create a slightly higher launch (also .3°), but because of the higher spin rate (+400 RPM), back zone weighting will produce a higher peak trajectory.

In the language of golf equipment marketing, front CG produces a more penetrating trajectory with more roll, while Back CG creates a towering trajectory with more carry.

Comparing front to back for me; my spin numbers were approximately 600 RPM less in the front setting. Initially, my launch angle was 2° lower, and ball speed increased by 2 MPH.

The spin rate actually proved to be too low for my launch angle, which allowed me to add 1/2° of loft (from 8.5° to 9°) to get my spin numbers where they needed to be, and I picked up an extra couple of yards because of it.

Performance in each CG position depends on the golfer. Front is not always longer, and neither is back. Cobra’s testing suggests that roughly 60% of golfers will get better performance in the back CG setting.

Me, I’m willing to trade away a little bit of forgiveness to get maximum distance, so I’m good with the front.

Feel Changes Too

What some may find surprising is that there is a pronounced change in feel when one shifts the Flip Zone weight from the front zone to the back.

Not surprisingly, I found the front zone produced feel similar to BiO Cell Pro while in the back position it was, is my mind anyway, not completely dissimilar from PING G-series drivers; louder…with a bit more of a pronounced pop.

What does all of this mean for the average golfer? Here’s Cobra’s last word on the subject of FLY-Z+.

“Pound for Pound, for what people are trying to accomplish, that’s a really good freaking driver. At this point we’ve got the most playable, best driver from a true mass adjustability standpoint compared to anything else in the market, like by far…We think, actually, we know we have lightening in a bottle.” – Mike Yagley

FLYZ+ SPECS

Cobra’s FLY-Z Driver is loft adjustable from 8.5° to 11.5° with additional Draw settings at 9°, 10°, and 11°.

The stock shaft is a 45″ Matrix VLCT St. Although the shaft features proprietary Cobra graphics, it’s identical to the aftermarket equivalent.

Cobra will also offer Aldila’s Tour Blue (76g), Tour Green (67g) and Matrix’s White Tie X4 (53g) as no up-charge alternatives.

Additional no up-charge shafts may be added in the future.

Retail price for the FLY-Z+ is $399. Look for it at retail beginning February 6th, 2015.

Buy Cobra FLY-Z+ Driver

FLY-Z

Among the first thing you’ll notice about the FLY-Z is that unlike FLY-Z+, it features a fixed back zone weight. This isn’t Flip it & Rip it, it’s just rip it.

That fact, coupled with the all-titanium construction, might lead some to believe that Cobra has followed the path of at least one other manufacturer and simply watered down a premium offering in order to justify a cheaper price point.

Is the FLY-Z just a FLY-Z+ with a fixed rear weight?

That’s not remotely close to reality.

With FLY-Z the goal was to create maximum inertia in a one-weight system. To Cobra that meant still keeping the CG low (although not as low as the FLY-Z+).

Once again, for reference purposes, we’re talking about a center of gravity location lower than Callaway’s Big Bertha, XHot, and V Series, Titleist’s 913D2, TaylorMade’s JetSpeed, and in the ballpark of TaylorMade’s SLDR with the weight shifted to the fade position.

The G30 Killer

That’s all good stuff, but given FLY-Z’s role as the most forgiving driver in the FLY-Z family, it was essential that Cobra push as much weight as possible towards the rear of the club.

“This [FLY-Z] is about what people really do. They don’t hit in the middle of the face over and over again. Hell, the robot doesn’t hit in there over and over again. Nobody does. The truth is people use the whole damn face so we’ve got to do things to make the club more playable” – Mike Yagley

How successful were they? From a mass properties perspective, FLY-Z is incredibly similar to PING’s G30 (the CG positions are within 10ths of millimeters of each other). That’s solid company to be in right now considering the G30 is currently, according to Golf Datatech, the best-selling driver in both the US and UK.

Cobra feels FLY-Z actually has several advantages over the G30. These would include a more traditional, eye-pleasing shape, what Cobra believes is better face technology, and while it may not matter to everyone, significantly more color options.

Is that enough to offset the impact of PING’s Turbulators?

It should go without saying that FLY Z vs. G30 is a test we feel like we need to perform.

FLY-Z SPECS, Pricing & Availability

Cobra’s FLY-Z Driver is loft adjustable from 9° to 12° and includes draw settings at 9.5°, 10.5°, and 11.5°.

Stock shaft is a 45.5″ Matrix VLCT Sp.

Retail price for the Cobra FLY-Z Driver is $329. Available February 6, 2015.

Buy Cobra FLY-Z Driver

FLY-Z vs. FLY-Z+

At equivalent ball speeds, FLY-Z should launch roughly a degree higher than FLY-Z+ with Flip Zone weighting set to rear and produces an extra 300RPM of spin while increasing MOI by roughly 300 points.

As we’ve already discussed, FLY-Z is the more forgiving option, but that shouldn’t lead one to believe that it’s just a game-improvement driver.

Cobra believes that FLY-Z will be the better selling of these two models (although they wouldn’t be shocked to see the numbers approach a 60/40 split), and while certainly some of that is mandated by price, even some of the single digit handicap players inside Cobra are electing to put the standard FLY-Z in their bags.

FLY-Z Pro?

If you’re at all like me you may be wondering if Cobra has plans to release a FLY-Z Pro or perhaps even a FLY-Z+ Pro later in the year. Jose Miraflor tells me that it’s unlikely. Cobra believes that FLY-Z+ offers true tour performance, and the company is confident that it will eventually replace the BiO Cell Pro currently in Rickie Fowler’s bag.

Updated Colors

That we’ve gone this long without discussing color really says something about how impressed I am by Cobra’s FLY-Z lineup.

Apart from some subtle shifts in color, there are two notable changes to Cobra’s 2015 color lineup:

Silver has been replaced by Cobra White.
Verdant Green has been added to the lineup, but won’t be available until later in the spring. I could give you some elaborate excuse for the delay, but the truth is delaying green until early Spring provides Cobra the opportunity to freshen things up a bit a couple months after the initial launch.
For the Asian market Cobra will be offering a black and gold model that would no doubt be a huge hit with New Orleans Saints fans.

FLY-Z XL

Rounding out the FLY-Z family is the XL model, which is really the continuation of the Baffler series.

While generally regarded as a super game-improvement driver, Cobra is positioning the XL as a more conservative option for the older golfer, and anybody else who fights a slice and needs a bit of help getting the ball airborne.

Not long ago we talked about Cleveland shifting its focus to “The Villages”, so it’s a comedic coincidence that the guys at Cobra actually did a good bit of their player testing at The Villages. Literally.

Side note: they had so much fun they almost didn’t go home…and we’re talking about guys who live in southern California.

Like the other two drivers in the family, FLY-Z XL features a Speed Channel Face. Like FLY-Z, the XL features fixed, back zone weighting. Because of the offset hosel, the XL is not loft adjustable but is available in discrete lofts of 9.5°, 10.5°, and 11.5°.

XL is the highest CG offering in the FLY-Z lineup and is really designed for the golfer looking for slice correction and a bit of help getting the ball up in the air. Cobra calls it Easy Up.

While it’s definitely not a driver that most of are going to seriously consider, for the intended audience (mid to handicap golfers, generally aged 55 and above), Cobra believes FLY-Z XL is the best of what’s around.

FLY-Z XL SPECS

Cobra’s FLY-Z XL is available in fixed lofts of 9.5°, 10.5°, and 11.5° (10.5° and 11.5° in left hand). It’s available in black…and well, that’s it.

The stock shaft is Cobra’s “easy playing” proprietary FLY-Z XL cut to 45.75″.

Retail Price will be $279 when it hits stores November 14th.

Buy Cobra FLY-Z XL

Final Thoughts

For 2015 Cobra Golf has assembled an outstanding collection of drivers. While FLY-Z+ may very well prove to be best in class from a total performance standpoint, you need to look no further than what PING’s G30 is doing at retail right now to understand why the majority of Cobra buyers may gravitate to the more forgiving FLY-Z. And yes…XL will do very well with its audience too.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Cobra’s driver offerings will be among the top performers for the upcoming the season. Like I said nearly 4000 words ago, I think Cobra is the one to beat in 2015. Of course, what I believe and what Cobra can and will sell are two very different things.

You’re not going to see any bold claims from Cobra. The company won’t promise you 17 or even 7 more yards. There’s a good chance they’ll undersell the significance of what they’ve accomplished from an engineering perspective (that mass properties thing again). It’s more complicated than the average consumer can readily absorb.

Cobra may not get your attention, but they should.

I’m not going to tell you to go buy a Cobra driver. I’m not that guy. I’d simply suggest that when you’re demoing drivers this spring, whatever you take into the hitting bay with you…Callaway, TaylorMade, Titleist, PING, it doesn’t matter. Bring a Cobra driver in there too.

Prove me right. Prove me wrong. Either way, it won’t cost you a dime to find out for yourself if FLY-Z is what I say it is.

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Tony Covey

Tony is the Editor of MyGolfSpy where his job is to bring fresh and innovative content to the site. In addition to his editorial responsibilities, he was instrumental in developing MyGolfSpy's data-driven testing methodologies and continues to sift through our data to find the insights that can help improve your game. Tony believes that golfers deserve to know what's real and what's not, and that means MyGolfSpy's equipment coverage must extend beyond the so-called facts as dictated by the same companies that created them. Most of all Tony believes in performance over hype and #PowerToThePlayer.

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Join The Discussion

terry

8 years ago

reads well and i have a amp control model which goes ok

John Hood

9 years ago

This year ive played the Cobra Fly-Z and love it. Now i wonder if i could expect better performance from the new Cobra King Cobra just coming out ??? any thoughts on this has anyone hit one yet?

Olaf

9 years ago

Played with the last years Bio Cell very well (best drives 250 meters) but this week the shaft broke at the hosel. Got from my shop the Fly-z with the orange Tour AD DI-6s … Man, what
a rocket! 20 meters more and I play it at 11 degrees. The only concern is … That shaft is nearly
as expensive as the Driver itself

steve

9 years ago

for literally years i had been using demo drivers at my own club and any club i visited hoping to find a driver that hit the ball around 30 metres longer. I reckon I would have tried at least 20 I was seriously thinking that this whole driver thing was a myth. .2 weeks ago my club pro got the cobra flyz in so I thought here we go again. I didn’t use it on the first i used my old driver as i always take it with any demo which coincidently is an old cobra with a very stiff shaft. When I teed up on the second with the flyz my handicap had gone from 4 to 8 after a painful 6 months. 3 weeks later my hc ap is down to 5. So thats it this driver makes me feel 30 years old again i feel fortunate to have found it. So its not a myth you really can find a driver that suits you and every thing about this club is right for me. tx Cobra…Stevie J

Rick Colt

9 years ago

My swing speed is 85-90 and I have it set at 10 degrees right now. Only played a couple times, so not sure that is where it will stay. May go a little lower. My carry distance is 210-220.

Rick Colt

9 years ago

I ended up testing and purchasing the Fly Z+ driver. In testing and subsequently, I learned something about CG changes. I started with the weight in front and 11 degrees loft. I had increased carry distance over my old Adams driver and good roll out. However, it felt like I rarely hit the club solidly. It would wobble slightly at impact. I thought that the shaft (Aldila Tour Blue) maybe didn’t match my swing tempo.

I went back to my club fitter who told me that you have to be very precise to use the forward setting because the club is less stable. My smash factor is in the 140s and that apparently isn’t high enough. We moved the weight to the back setting and lowered the loft. I’m a happy camper again. While there I compared the club to a G30 and it over performed the G30.

Kevin

9 years ago

Rick– I agree it definitely feels more stable and forgiving with the weight in the back. What loft did you settle in at with the weight in the back? Also–what is your normal SS and carry #s? Thanks for the good input

Joe

9 years ago

I wrote back in early April after I purchased Fly Z . I have used it for the last 2 months and am extremely pleased with its performance. It is extremely consistent . I get consistent carry of 225 to 230 yards. I use 9.5 degree launch angle. If you let the club do the work it will perform. I found that when I tried the FlyZ+ and other brands with similar characteristics unless you hit the sweet spot it was more difficult to control.

Kevin

9 years ago

Tony–so what would be the more forgiving setting and better spin or would these 2 changes cancel each other out and test out “about the same?” (Stock Matrix VLCTst shaft).
1) Front weight position w/ 11* loft
or
2) Rear weight position w/ 9* d (draw) loft?

Love the feel and looks of this club–was never even on my radar until I went to test drivers and sales rep at Golfsmith handed to me–my first reaction was “ehhhh” and not excited at all. But then the #’s were so much better–10yds+ more carry and def less spin compared to 915d2, 915d3, G30, G30LS, Mizzy 850, Cally Alpha.

Bar

9 years ago

Firstly, great article.
I live in Ireland, this means pretty cold, windy most of the time and very little forward movement after the ball lands . So unless you are 18 or a freak, these 280/300 yard drives are a pipe dream. I play off low single figures at a real championship course.
I have been demo-ing most of the driver on sale at present and even bought a G30 which turned out a complete disaster. I like Titleist and carry a number of their clubs but cannot justify €440 for a 915 with a stock shaft ( a decent Graphite Design shaft will stick me for another couple of hundred euro ). I was measured last week for both Fly-z and Fly-z+ on a golf course hitting real balls using Trackman.
The main reason I tried these Cobra clubs was that my pro told me that they were offering top of the range shafts at no added charge in Ireland. I don’t know if this is the case elsewhere. Anyway, long story short. I found the head to be huge giving me the feeling that I couldn’t miss ( especially the white one ). It sat nice for me, and after hitting my own 909d2 Graphite design Tour AD YSQ 65 gm stiff a number of times for comparison averaging 220 yds. I hit both Cobra clubs. For me the best option was the Fly-z with a Aldilia Tour green shaft which surprised both myself and the fitter ( 240 yds ). However when I got home I looked at a utube clip by Rick Sheills ( not sure if I’m supposed to mention names ) who was trying out both clubs and lo and behold he has the same situation so I don’t feel so bad. I have ordered one so I’ll let you know how I get on. Never had any Cobra club before.

Byron

9 years ago

I got fitted for a new driver recently, been playing the Taylormade R9 for 6 years now. Been happy but was time to get with the new technology. Btw I am a 8 handicap.
I went in thinking prob will go with the Taylormade R15, Sldr or PingG30. Started going through these mentioned drives and my friend and manager at the golf store asked if I would ever consider Cobra, I agreed to hit the Fly Z plus.
Wow…I mean wow. I couldn’t believe it. The performance numbers were rediculous in comparison to the above mentioned drivers. I won’t bore with numbers etc but the reason for my post is this….if your thinking of buying a new driver, you must hit this club. I was never a “Cobra guy” to be honest but my mind was made up quickly. It’s in my bag and I am still blown away by it.
Test this driver out folks you won’t be disappointed

Chad

9 years ago

Would there be any advantage if I replaced the 8g weight with a 12g weight? Cobra offers them and I was curious.. Maybe lower the spin??

Joe C

9 years ago

Last week I went to my golf store/range with the intent of buying a new driver. I read all the hype in the golf magazines and decided to try 5 or 6 models from Callaway, mizuno, Taylormade , Nike and Ping . Cobra was not on my list. I am a 9-10 handicap. My fitter asked me to try the Cobra flyZ. All I can say it out performed all the others I tried. It was very consistent , distance was better than most and spin rates were acceptable. Off center hits were not very penalizing. All results were monitored via computer for comparitive purposes. Fine tuning the driver was very easy and led to more consistent drives. Try it. You’ll like it.

Steve

9 years ago

I trialled an orange fly z + last Thursday with the weight at the back and a tour blue 75g stiff shaft after being fitted by a Cobra rep. I play off 20, mostly because my drives, although at times long, are all over the place. On our par 72 course with this club the ball was mostly in the fairway and Iong enough on our par 4’s to give me 8 & 9 irons and PW’s into the green. I shot 3 over on the front and 9 over the back. I will be buying this club.

Kevin

9 years ago

I hit the fly z plus today. It is the longest straightest driver I have ever hit. I hadn’t heard about it at all. I was just messing around with my local store, someone had left the demos in the bay I was in so i gave the fly z plus a try. I am impressed. I wish I had time to capture my numbers but I know they were better that my current gamer. I am definitly going to do more research and testing on this club.

Rick Colt

9 years ago

Based on this article I am really looking at the fly z+. Golf Magazine just came out with their driver test results and they were Luke warm on it. That was disappointing. When will your driver test be completed. I guess I’ll test drive it and see for myself.

Richard Hill

9 years ago

Tony answered my fly8 adapter question, however I also exchanged several emails with Cobra. Short answer if you want to try your own favorite shafts-If you can buy an 8-11 degree adapter, you get accurate (as can be) lofts-if you buy the 9-12 degree adapter you need to subtract 1* from the reading-and if you use the bio cell pro 7-10* adapter, you need to add 1*.
Only you know if your adapters are truly good products, but the $10 ones scare me. Personally I wouldn’t use any that weren’t from trusted sources labeled something like “Cobra factory authorized…” Golfworks.com is one, anyone know any others?

John Hood

9 years ago

Have there been any newer posts on the Fly_Z series ?

Paul Muehlemeyer

9 years ago

Fantastic article Best information I have ever read

Richard Hill

9 years ago

Tony-question-Is the adapter in the fly z+ driver the same fly8 adapter used on the bio cell drivers, etc so we can easily try our favorite shafts? Thanks

Tony Covey

9 years ago

Richard – Yes, the adapters are compatible. If you’re coming from a BiO Cell Pro it’s a bit a trickier since the lofts stamped on the adapters themselves will be lower than those stamped on standard adapters, but functionally, they’re the same.

Rick Colt

9 years ago

Excellent article that has some techno-speak where needed to explain the reasoning behind product features. I just hit the Bio Cell + and was impressed. Can’t wait to try these.

John Hood

9 years ago

Last year i went to a Cobra Baffler 9.5 degree loft ,55G-mid torque-mid kick-lite flex shaft and it works well for me. It sent a couple very expensive big name drivers to the garage. Now the FlyZ-XL is to be a “step up” along this line and i do wonder if i could expect WHAT ? from the Fly-Z-XL would it give me more distance as with age my swing speed has slipped.
also i have the Baffler Fairway woods from last year and i ask the same question regarding them…….am willing to upgrade to this line if i could expect to gain distance.

Thanks

Brandon Asay

9 years ago

Will the Fly Z + driver really perform much different than the Fly Z when set in the back CG setting?? If I am at a demo day and told I need the back setting could I not save $100 by buying the Fly Z instead of the Fly Z+?? 99% of people will need the CG back.

Regis

9 years ago

I share your conundrum. Logic would tell me to save the $ and pass on the plus. But I believe you need a full season to “fit” into a driver and I hate buyers regret. My swing speed is never going above 90mph and my handicap has ballooned to a 17. But every time I lean towards forgiveness, I regret it. After a lot of trial and error I’m gaming SLDR woods and irons which I initially passed on because of concerns that I needed more forgiveness. So if and when the time comes to demo these, I’ll look at both but if its a toss up I’ll drop the extra 70 bucks to give me the flexibility to move the zone weight up if I choose to experiment.

Tony Covey

9 years ago

Taking FLY-Z XL out of the discussion right now, from a performance perspective, FLY-Z+ FRONT CG, FLY-Z+ BACK CG, and FLY-Z are conceptually 3 different drivers, and so to the meat of Brandon’s question, no, FLY-Z+ Back is not roughly the equivalent of FLY-Z.

Let me breakdown mass properties of the 3 in a bit more detail.

FLY-Z+ (FRONT CG) is an extremely low CG product. Allowing for the info we don’t yet have on Bertha DD and R15, Z+ front offers the lowest CG of any mass market driver other than BiO Cell Pro. It’s not as far forward as BiO Pro, which gives it forgiveness (MOI) on par with BiO+, JetSpeed, and X2Hot. While MOI is good by modern standards, it’s Cobra’s least forgiving configuration. FLY-Z+ Front CG is basically a distance setting.

FLY-Z (REAR CG) is for Cobra a mid-CG product, although it should be mentioned that it’s still LOW CG compared to the market as a whole (lower than basically everything but FLY-Z+, SLDR (presumably R15), and Bertha Alpha (and presumably Alpha DD). MOI is well above average and comparable to Titleist offerings, and is in the ball park of previous Cobra offerings like ZL and AMP Cell. The combination of low CG and high MOI puts FLY-Z+ REAR CG right in the sweet spot for the average golfer. FLY-Z+ Back CG is a balanced performance setting (ball speed + above average forgiveness).

FLY-Z’s CG is within 3mm of the neutral axis making it a relatively low CG offering (roughly equivalent to SLDR S with the weight in the toe) or PING’s G30. From an MOI perspective it’s a beast, and is within 100 points of the PING G30. It is Cobra’s answer to the G30, and you’ll notice a difference in shape because of it. It’s for the guy looking for maximum forgiveness without excessive spin. FLY-Z like G30 should be playable even for higher spin players.

As a side by side (these are ballpark numbers based on rough charts):

FLY-Z+ Front CG: CG < 1mm from neutral axis / MOI ~4100 FLY-Z+ Back CG: CG ~2mm from neutral axis / MOI ~4600 FLY-Z: CG ~2.7mm from neutral axis / MOI ~4900 While FLY-Z+ Back CG isn't exactly between FLY-Z+ Front and FLY-Z, there's a clear progression from one model/setting to the next. The takeaway should be that FLY-Z+ REAR does not equal FLY-Z.

Regis

9 years ago

Thanks. Next years club test should be a trip.

Fozcycle

9 years ago

Thanks Tony,

I am waiting to try the Fly Z + as I now understand what you are saying….

joro

9 years ago

Back weighting has been effectively used for years. In the 70s and 80s when I was making the custom woods, real wood,at Cobra for the average Golfer we put the lead slug, which was used to bring the Woods to the proper weight we needed in the rear of the head. That helped them get the ball up, for a better player we put the slug close to the insert for a more boring shot. This is not new but a very effective way to help control height. I play the Cobra Encore ZL now but being older with a slower head speed I will be looking into this for sure. The back weight and a bit more loft rang the bell for sure.

McaseyM

9 years ago

Been playing Cobra for 2-3 years now with the AMP line Driver, 3W and hybrid, not enough time or $$$ to play or upgrade as often as I’d like. I’ll be interested to demo this versus the Mizuno JPX850 with the mobile weights. hopefully able to upgrade this winter/spring!

Largechris chris

9 years ago

I look forward to my royalty cheques from Cobra, it was me who pointed out in the 27th Cally driver write up of the year in MGS that their range was completely confusing as to which driver suited which ability and swing speed.

Specifically I said that Cobra sold a ton of their F Speed, X speed etc. a few years ago precisely because it looked great and was understandable to the consumer. Clearly they have listened to me, now I just have to decide which Ferrari to buy.

RAT

9 years ago

I want the Green Mamba ,about when in the spring?
Great , they have thought this out and it appears that it will be a Killer..
Ian – glad he’s gone..

Dusty

9 years ago

Because of this article, on MY GOLF SPY, I can’t wait to purchase the Fly-Z driver. Thanks “My Golf Spy” for the latest news and updates in golf equipment!!!!

Dusty

CoolDaddy

9 years ago

Wondering how this new amazing Cobra driver – compares with the performance of new 915 D2 / D3 models..??

Padraig Doyle

9 years ago

If Cobra clubs are so great, why has Ian Poulter left them and gone to Titleist ?

Tony Covey

9 years ago

Same reason why any pro moves to a different equipment company…

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Big picture, Cobra’s money is better spent elsewhere. Here’s why:

He doesn’t win.
He seldom contends anymore.
He doesn’t like to change equipment, and so he hasn’t represented the latest Cobra gear for the last season.
He wears his own clothing line, and so other than footwear, offers very little value on the PUMA side of COBRA-PUMA Golf.

Foz

9 years ago

and I say hasta la vista Ian!

There is no upside to Ian Poulter, but there is to Rickie Fowler…..

Bluesdude

9 years ago

have the Bio Cell Pro in the bag now going on three months… Best Driver ever for me! Sad to hear no Pro version of this mainly because of the fade settings on the Bio Pro and the slimmer head size.

Regis

9 years ago

At the end of the night I always end up with a Taylor Made. This year was no different and although I did like the BioCell, I wasn’t totally comfortable with the stock shaft. I loved the ZL Encore and if I wasn’t a club ho I would still probably be satisfied with it and gaming it.. The fact that the Fly Z won’t be available in “verdant green” until late spring is a surreptitious ploy by Cobra. They know I can get through the first few months of next season telling myself “You don’t need another driver” .

Lou

9 years ago

When I started playing a few years ago, Cobra was my “brand-whore”. I bought everything they had. Was playing the S9-1F and even played the beautiful Cobra ZL. I haven’t touched a Cobra club since…boy I can’t wait for demo day now :)

M.C. McCollum

9 years ago

I already hit my Bio Cell driver really well now that I have an after market fitted shaft installled and now this, sheesh: Dear Puma/Cobra I hope you can put me up after my wife boots my ass to the curb for buying another new driver!!!

Jeff McCarthy

9 years ago

Are ALL models available in LH.

leftienige

9 years ago

Hi Jeff, you ARE joking aren’t you ??
Us lefties are the new black/irish of the 21st century . Just be glad they bother to admit that we exist at all .
A choice of 10.5 or 11.5 degrees of loft should be plenty for us lepers .
Cheers, Nige .

Jeff.

9 years ago

You are right Nige
As long as they are adjustable no problem.
Currently using the Ping G25.Great club.Tryed the G30 no better .
Thanks anyway

Kenny B

9 years ago

I am very interested in trying out these Cobras. But then I said the same thing about the 915 and the Cleveland; I guess I am always going to try the new stuff. I hadn’t really looked at new drivers last year, because I didn’t see anything that really appealed to me. This year, everything appeals to me!

It might be time to go back to Cobra. I think I still have my Cobra SS350 driver somewhere. :)

Mark

9 years ago

Wow I’m really impressed by what Cobra has done! A more forgiving lower spinning driver with a good price point, excellent stock shaft selection AND great looks – what more can a guy ask for?! I could not get past the looks of the BIO + even though I hit it pretty good, so now I will definitely be trying this out side-by-side with the 915 drivers.

Thanks for the great write-up!

Regan

9 years ago

I like the decal/paint layout on the crown but that is about it…

Gary

9 years ago

Actually, Tom Wishon Golf came out with the same technology last year with the 739CCG driver (which is no longer available) and the 939AHT Adjustable Driver (which is still available).

Bob Pegram

9 years ago

Tom Wishon has LOTS of golf club design patents. The probable reason the 739CCG driver is no longer available is because that was a requirement of his contract with Cobra. Clarification: This is a guess. I don’t know if he has a contract with Cobra.

Bob Pegram

9 years ago

After writing this I went to the WishonGolf site and looked at those two models. They don’t have a movable weight like the Cobra head.

Mike

9 years ago

Yes he does. He made it 9 years ago.

http://www.wishongolf.com/pr/2005/February/TWGT-PR-715CLC_Driver.pdf

Bob Pegram

9 years ago

Mike –
Model 715CLC. Didn’t see that one. Interesting. Thanks for the heads up.

James Viola

9 years ago

To date I have tried the G30, Titleist 915 D2 & D3 & the Callaway Big Bertha V Series all on my local Golfsmith’s simulator.
I have a swing speed of apprx 105 mph & tried various shafts & lofts with each model. For me the V Series with the Fuji shaft has been the longest & produced the best spin & launch angle numbers including mis hits.

jim

9 years ago

FORE-GIVENESS

hahahahahaha

Adam

9 years ago

Serious question.

in the article you state;

“In the interest of providing real information, the more forgiving list includes the Titleist 913D2 (and we assume the 915D2 as well), Callaway’s Big Bertha (2014 Version 1) with the perimeter weight shifted to the toe, and both the PING G25 and G30.”

I read this as meaning the drivers listed are more forgiving than than the Flyz plus with rearward cg placment……is this correct?

Tony Covey

9 years ago

Yes. That’s correct. It’s actually a fairly tight group in what I think qualifies as mid-high forgiveness, with the Titleist offering being slightly better than the majority of the middle. When we toss marketing out the window and start talking about maximum forgiveness in terms of actual MOI numbers, PING’s G30 & G25 and FLY-Z are in a different class.

Adam

9 years ago

thanks for the clarification Tony

great article

DrewT

9 years ago

This Chart:
http://mygolfspy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/performance-for-all.png
Is exactly what every club maker should produce.
YES we should all get fitted. But THIS lets me get started.
NOT staring at the Taylor Made or Callaway lineups and HAVE NO IDEA where to begin.
1 Product line with easy to understand starting points.
I was already a Cobra fan and have a Amp Fairway and a Bio Hybrid, this year, I WILL be getting the driver next.

RAT

9 years ago

I agree completely.I want to get fitted now but where.I live 150 miles from Nashville or Memphis .Give me a fitter.

JBones

9 years ago

That Fly-Z+ just went to the top of my Want List.

Adam

9 years ago

Wait a minute…YOUR spin rates where too low…….. Tony?

Tony Covey right…..

Foz

9 years ago

Kudos to Cobra! This company is not sitting idley by, they are actually moving to the front line of Golf Technology. I absolutely love my Bio Cell, but that said, I will be eager to try the new Fly-Z……..I want to see and feel the different weight positions.

Adam

9 years ago

the thing that sticks out to me, besides the “i want to hit that”, is the speed channel around the face. Not so much about how it works or if it works but what happens to the leading edge of the crown when you sky one or catch it a little to high. Does the crown pop off or just explode?

I cant really judge from these pics but that area looks pretty susceptible to damage..

Not that I ever miss the center of the face of course

Andrew

9 years ago

Any ideas what the head weight will be or if the weight chip will come in different weights?

Jim

9 years ago

Really like the look of these new drivers. Based on past offerings they should prove to be one of the best available. However I don’t understand why their hosels only have the single adjustment. Each time you adjust the hosel it moves the grip which doesn’t work with helper grips or alignment either. One of the biggest reasons I passed on recent Cobra drivers even though I thought they were one of the best available. They need something similar to Titliest’s of Callaway’s version of adjustable hosel in my opinion.

Tony Covey

9 years ago

Those dual cog adapters have a weight cost and to a lesser extent, an aerodynamic cost associated with them. We’re not talking about substantial mass, but one must also realize that every bit of mass matters. More mass in the hosel means more mass where it’s not desirable.

While we all love to tinker, whether it’s Titleist, Callaway, Cobra, or anybody else, hosel adjustability is a fitting tool. In that capacity, get fit, and custom order with your shaft oriented to whatever loft you play. That also takes the grip issue out of the equation.

I suppose it’s worth mentioning that there are quality 360° grips out there and that a growing number of shafts are being designed with a 360° approach to the graphics as well.

Darren Tan

9 years ago

I’m gaming the Bio cell and loving it. But I might just have to demo this soon although I probably won’t change my driver as I got it only a few months back.
Overall, the tech looks really good.

gunmetal

9 years ago

Looks and sounds unbelievably cool. Good for Cobra for doing us a solid and leaving that adapter well enough alone! Can’t wait to try this against the new Mizuno 850.

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