- Sleeker new head profile
- Three adjustable sole weights
- H.O.T. face technology with ST-118 face material
- Targeted at advanced players
From a bean counter’s desk, maybe it is more practical to prioritize budget and resources to build products for recreational golfers—by far the largest percentage of the world’s golf population—over a much smaller consumer segment comprised of highly skilled players.
For the majority of golf OEMs, that kind of logic simply doesn’t fly. Here’s why: Zero to 15-handicap players are entrenched consumers. Sure, the “better player” numbers are much smaller. But they play more frequently, spend more to do it and pay closer attention to industry trends and innovation.
That’s for whom COBRA built the new KING TEC hybrid. The premium-level, adjustable hybrid complements COBRA’S new family of better player irons (KING Tour, KING CB and KING MB) and affords elite ball strikers a multi-purpose option from a variety of lies and situations.
About Face
Like it did for with AEROJET irons, the engineers at COBRA applied H.O.T. Face technology to the KING TEC hybrid with one added wrinkle to the PWRSHELL insert: a new forged ST-118 steel face material. The highly flexible forged ST-118 creates a larger zone for higher launch and faster ball speeds on off-center strikes.
Every KING Wears a Crown
The KING TEC hybrid also comes with a four-gram carbon-fiber crown. Use of the lightweight material helps push weight lower and further back in the clubhead resulting in lower CG, improved launch and just a hint of forgiveness.
Together, the carbon-fiber crown, H.O.T. Face and PWRSHELL kick up the performance standard of this hybrid. Users get less spin, improved control, dependable distance and higher launch.
The Shape of Things
To give the KING Tec more appeal in the playing position, COBRA engineers did some reshaping to the head profile. The result is a sleeker, more refined look that better players appreciate.
The KING TEC hybrid has a shorter blade length, less offset, a subtle, more rounded toe and crown along with updated face and toe curvatures to make the club appear more square at address.
Adjustable Weight? Check!
Three accompanying adjustable sole weights (two 12-gram weights and one two-gram) dial in specific ball flight requirements.
- Draw bias: two 12g weights in the back/heel
- Fade bias: two 12g weights in the back/toe
- Straight flight bias: two 12g weights in the heel and toe
While some scoff at the idea of moving weights once a custom fitting has been completed or they’ve been dialed in, I’d encourage a re-think. Things change. Adjustability provides value-added aspect to a club like KING Tec especially when swing changes are undertaken.
Additional weights can be purchased through COBRA custom.
Adjustability for Loft, Too
As you would expect, KING TEC hybrid also comes with MYFLY Adjustable Loft Technology. A COBRA innovation, the hosel-based loft-altering platform provides adjustments of plus or minus 1.5 degrees to fine-tune launch and spin function.
Player Options
KING TEC hybrid comes in four options:
- 2H (RH only) with a loft of 17 degrees but with loft adjustability from 15.5 to 18.5
- 3H: 19 degrees adjustable from 17.5 to 20.5
- 4H: 21 degrees adjustable from 19.5 to 22.5
- 5H: 24 degrees adjustable from 22.5 to 25.5
Stock shafts are Mitsubishi’s MMT 80 (X-88.5g, S-85-g) for steel and MMT 70 (R-73g) in graphite.
Lamkin Crossline is the stock grip.
Price: $299
Retail availability in-store and online Feb. 3.
Josh
4 months ago
Love the level of adjustability on the hybrids. I know the arguments for glued hosels and learning to hit a static design, but I feel like Hybrids and Fairway Woods should be about the most adjustable clubs in the bag, and too many OEMs just ignore it. Can’t wait to hit these.
“Zero to 15-handicap players are entrenched consumers.” – That’s kind of the problem tho. Most of the guys really into the gear and the tech are looking to express themselves or tweak a part of their game. Low handicappers (at least in my experience) tend to use the same 3 wood for half a decade because they know the parameters and hit it well. Sure, some of this tweaky gear is going to end up in single handicappers’ bags, but the majority of it will likely be sold to someone who can’t bear the thought of having a ‘GI’ club in the bag even though it would likely have the biggest impact on their Handicap.
19thole Al
4 months ago
Josh, you are right on the mark…I’m 65, a good golfer, carry my drive 240. But too many “one bad shot leads to another”, thus a 13 hdcp. Ad like you said, really into the gear n tech and trying too tweak part of my game. Used to hit 4 hybrid, not working, so went back to 4 iron. This summer, did away with my 3-5 fairway woods, only carry one now, a 3 Hi Launch Stealth…(kinda like a 4 wood).
Bought the Cobra Hi Tech 4 hybrid to take up the slack. I noticed the head is slightly bigger than normal hybrids., and it just looks cool..!..lol. You are going to love it.
Mike
4 months ago
Agree on your points. Most of the really good players I know do not change clubs that frequently. Always laugh when I see a “bogey” golfer w/ player irons or blades in his bag. They probably don’t realize, that’s a contributing factor to them being a bogey golfer. I had an 18-index golf league buddy who was ecstatic when he told me he bought 10-year-old TM blades for a great price. I’m glad he saved a few bucks on them because I took his money whenever we played against each other!
I realized a long time ago that I was not a great ball striker, that’s why I’ve played hybrids since their introduction in the early 2000’s. Although my ball striking has improved over the years I continue to carry a 3, 4 & 5 hybrid.
Michael Chan
4 months ago
Totally agree , not only abt the face angle , the lie angle is way more important for me , Im 34 , 20 years in golfing , 3.5hdcp , I just need 2 degree up otherwise I can not pass the ground well . Forged or softmetal material irons are easy to find out ,but HY and FW are so difficaut , I ll buy the adjustable wood definitely , and put face angle 2 degree up (spin bit higher but ok for me ) , for most of the brand , face angle turn up 2° then lie angle +2° as well , thats the way i choose HY and FW . SO , I like this new Cobra HY , will try or buy .