We’ve said it before and, in just a few keystrokes, we’ll say it again. Are you ready?
Here goes:
No one does major-adjacent limited edition drops quite like COBRA. Whether it’s drivers or accessories, the team at COBRA is always creative and always classy. With this new Open Championship driver headcover, COBRA is adding clever and subtle to its list of attributes.
So clever and subtle, in fact, that it falls into the IYKYK (if you know, you know) category.
COBRA Club Deco Open Championship headcover
Take a good look at this thing. It’s a limited-edition drop for the Open Championship but, to COBRA’s credit, you wouldn’t know it. There’s not a Claret Jug, Union Jack or pot bunker to be found. Instead, this headcover is inspired by and pays tribute to Royal Birkdale’s famed Art Deco clubhouse.
Yeah, I didn’t pick up on that, either.
The COBRA Art Deco Open Championship headcover is barrel-style. The top of the barrel features a representation of the clubhouse’s famous clock tower. The body is inspired by the classic Art Deco styling of the clubhouse’s interior.
The Royal Birkdale clubhouse is considered one of the most recognizable clubhouses in all of championship golf. I’m not sure it’s in the same stratosphere as the Augusta National clubhouse or the R&A clubhouse at St Andrews but it does stand out from the typical Victorian or Edwardian structures at most of the UK’s links courses.
Why is Royal Birkdale’s clubhouse so distinctive?
Royal Birkdale is just north of Liverpool. It’s part of a famous stretch of seaside linksland known as England’s Golf Coast. Its next-door neighbors include Open Championship hosts Royal Liverpool (aka Hoylake) and Royal Lytham & St Annes.
Royal Birkdale was established in 1889. It moved to its current location five years later. For much of its early history, however, it didn’t have a permanent clubhouse. In 1935, the club held a design contest, won by a local architect named George Tonge. Rather than sticking with the traditional golf aesthetic, Tonge wanted something completely different. He chose a striking Art Deco style, modeling the clubhouse after the sleek ocean liners of the 1930s sailing in and out of Liverpool.
Distinct features include the famous clock tower, long horizontal lines reminiscent of a ship’s decks, large windows overlooking the golf course and an overall vibe that’s instantly recognizable. In 2019, the interior was restored to its original 1930s’ styling.
This year will be the 11th time Royal Birkdale has hosted The Open. Previous winners include Peter Thomson, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Padraig Harrington and Jordan Spieth. It has also hosted the Women’s Open Championship six times.
The COBRA limited-edition Art Deco Open Championship headcover is for a driver only and sells for $90. It goes on sale today exclusively at www.cobragolf.com.
Did you know?
There’s a formal process for a golf course in the United Kingdom to officially earn “Royal” status. First off, the club has to apply for the honor. It also has to have some sort of Royal Family connection, either as a patron or as an honorary member. Ultimately, the monarch – either the king or queen – has the authority to confer the title.
I didn’t know, either. The internet is an amazing thing.
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