Cobra F6 Fairway – One Head is Better than Two

In 2015 Cobra Golf found itself in a bit of a Goldilocks predicament with its fairway offerings.

With FLY-Z+ the company had a very good head…for the right golfer. For guys looking for low launch and low spin in a compact design, the forward CG FLY-Z+ was hard to beat. Cobra’s problem was that, for many, it was simply too small.

The standard FLY-Z was in the top handful of fairway woods from an MOI standpoint. It was easy to hit too, but for many (myself included), it was just too big.

Looking back, it’s not an unfair assessment to say that while Cobra had the perimeter extremely well-covered, the middle was perhaps a bit neglected.

Toss in the fact that neither model offered any sort of movable weight and, if nothing else, it’s clear that while FLY-Z and FLY-Z+ fairways were far from bad, Cobra definitely had some room for improvement.

KING F6 Fairway Wood Objectives

Before we jump into what matters most about the F6 Fairway (note my use of the singular), let’s take a look at what Cobra’s objectives were for the 2016 model.

• Bring FlipZone weighting to the fairway line and make it robust enough to cover the needs of players who would fit within both the FLY-Z and FLY-Z+ categories.
• Unify the existing lines into a single mid-sized head that would appeal to a wider range of players.
• Reduce stock color offerings to reduce retail inventory burdens.

… and if all of that goes well, Cobra hopes to leverage its technology, along with comparably consumer-friendly pricing, to sell more units.

Game on.

Key Technology

Much, if not all of the technology bundled into the KING F6 Fairway Wood should be familiar to you. It features MyFly8 adjustable hosel technology, SmartPad on the sole, and a Speed Channel Face. The body is made from 17-4 steel, and the face insert is made from Carpenter 475, which allows for thinner, and by extension faster, faces.

The most significant point of evolution from the FLY-Z line is that F6 offers adjustable front-to-back weighting. Cobra hopes that the addition of a 20 and a 3 gram adjustable weights will allow F6 to effectively replace both FLY-Z and FLY-Z+.

This feels like the right place to let you know that, unlike the KING F6 driver, the fairway wood is designed to be played with both weights securely fastened to the head. You’re going to want to keep (and use) them both.

The two weights provide 3.9 m of CG movement which results in a bit more than 200 RPM of spin difference between the two positions.

What does that look like on a mass properties chart (asked 3 of you)?

Let’s have a look.

Who Is It For? The Mass Properties Charts

Once again, we’re only showing you the Cobra family. This should give you a good idea of year over year changes in the lineup. We can talk about the bigger picture (the entire marketplace) at a later date.

For many, I’d argue a majority, the fairway wood is the most difficult club in the bag to hit. Cobra’s own research shows that what most golfers look for in a fairway wood is a club that’s easy to hit. To clarify a bit; most want a fairway wood that’s both easy to get up in the air, and will go straight.

Both of those desireables suggest that most golfers would not only appreciate, but benefit from a rear CG/high MOI fairway wood.

As you can see, F6 with the weight back would certainly fit within that category. With MOI in the 2900 range it’s a class with few competitors, but for the curious among you, it would include the PING G30, the Callaway’s 2014 Big Bertha, and the new Great Big Bertha.

The front weight position still offers plenty of MOI, but is more likely to produce the trajectory many better players seek.

And of course, we’d be remiss not to mention the KING LTD, which like the namesake drivers, really can’t be compared to anything else in the current market from a mass properties perspective.

Looking at the CG locations in space (without regard for loft and the neutral axis) you get perhaps a better picture of the spread between the front and back positions. What I see is an extremely forgiving fairway wood, that can be configured to play as a well-balanced performance option.

And, once again, for those looking for something with a lower, more forward center of gravity, the KING LTD is one hell of an option.

Performance Comparison

For those of you who are just catching up with why Center of Gravity matters, we thought it might be helpful to show you how Cobra’s fairway woods compare strictly on performance.

By pushing the CG lower, Cobra was able to reduce the spin the rate of F6 over Fly-Z. Couple that with presumed increased to dynamic loft and, all other things being equal, higher launch, with lower spin translates to more distance.

While the charts could suggest that everyone should play the KING F6 with the weight forward, as I mentioned, many golfers will actually see better results with the weight back. In that configuration the club will be easier to hit in the air, and the face should be a little easier to square-up as well.

As with most anything else where adjustability is concerned, there are no absolutes. You’re going to need to figure out what works best for you.

Specs, Pricing, and Availability

The Cobra KING F6 Fairway will be available in 3 models; a 3/4, 5/6, and for those looking for a high-loft options, a 7/8.

Initially the F6 fairway will be available in black, and blue, with the now hopefully beloved Turbulence/Gecko Green combo coming in Mid-March. Retail price for the F6 fairway is $239, which is $60 less than other movable weight fairways currently on the market.

The stock shaft is a Matrix Red Tie 65Q4, but a Black Tie 75M is available at no upcharge.

Retail availability begins January 15th.

Cobra KING F6 Hybrids

As is often the case, the story surrounding the in-line hybrid isn’t quite as exciting as it is for the driver, or even the fairway wood.

Apart from the boilerplate Cobra technology we’ve already covered (Speed Channel, etc.), the F6 story is really one of subtle refinements.

While Cobra’s objectives for the new hybrid include some things around integration with combo iron sets, ultimately the company was just looking to make a better, more playable hybrid.

To accomplish that, Cobra shortened the hosel to push the CG lower. Other refinements helped center toe/heel CG, and allowed the company to maintain CGNA and MOI numbers while shaving 3 grams off the total head weight (compared to FLY-Z).

Finally, some additional shape changes based on The Golden Ration were implemented to make the hybrid a bit more pleasing to the eye (not that FLY-Z was ugly or anything).

No Movable Weights

Unlike other F6 metalwood offerings, the F6 hybrid features a single, 13 gram fixed, back weight. The overall design is about enabling golfers to hit specific distance targets, not enabling them to hit the ball as far as they possibly can.

Hybrids have become scoring clubs.

Specs, Pricing, and Availability

The Cobra KING F6 Fairway will be available in 3 models: 2/3 (16°-19), 3/4 (19°-22°), and 4/5 (22°-25°). Much to my dismay, the F6 hybrid will be available exclusively in black.

The stock shaft is a Matrix Red Tie. Retail price will be $199 (significantly less than many competitor offerings) when the Cobra KING F6 Hybrid launches on January 15th.