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The Cobra DARKSPEED LS driver is a low spin, highly customizable club with a large footprint. The all matte black head was aerodynamically reshaped in 2024 to maximize club head speeds with a price point that spells value.
Introduction
The biggest story coming from Cobra this year is their use of computational air movement when designing their clubs. Cobra found that through the study of high speed cars and aviation they could reconfigure the shaping and lift the rear of the DARKSPEED LS driver to reduce drag. This lead to improved club head speeds and added distance across the board. While much of these studies and designs are done on a computer or in a lab, I was able to get a one to review to see how well it performs in real life.
Looks
The Cobra DARKSPEED LS driver looks exactly like the name implies – dark. The entire head is fully wrapped in a matte black color, including the headcover. I am a fan of the all black especially with a club brand that is typically known for its bright yellows, reds, and oranges. The sole of the club is highlighted by a carbon plate with three different removable weights. Two weights are towards the face on the toe and heel while the third sits in the very rear of the sole.
At address, the club has a large footprint with a triangular shaping to it. The edges are more rounded than in past iterations which creates a seamless look. The matte crown covers the entire head with a very subtle block design watermarked throughout. The Cobra “C” logo acts as an alignment aid at the leading edge of the crown.
Sound and Feel
The Cobra DARKSPEED LS driver has a sound that matches what I have experienced in previous Cobra drivers. Each strike delivers a loud “whack” at impact but is devoid of any metallic sound. My fitter James Kosek at Club Champion noted that it sounded as solid to him as it did to me.
The sound of the Cobra DARKSPEED LS paired nicely with its stable feel. Good swings felt like the head was all one strong piece and not hollow at all. Anything around the center of the clubface felt hot at impact like the ball melted into the club head. I knew exactly when I hit it well and when I didn’t. Toe and heel misses generated some increased oscillation through the hands and lessened the hot face feel.
Performance
The Cobra DARKSPEED LS driver performs as advertised. The LS model generates a lower spinning flight than Cobra’s other offerings in this series. During my testing at Club Champion, I saw spin numbers well under 3,000 RPM which not only beat out the other DARKSPEED drivers, but is right on par with my current gamer in the Ping G425 LST model [review HERE]. I did use different shafts during this testing, but the ultimate goal of killing spin was achieved here.
Get max forgiveness & slice busting with the Cobra DARKSPEED MAX Driver HERE
In addition to low spin, one big change Cobra made in 2024 was the improvements in aerodynamics. These improvements included rounding the leading edges and raising the trailing edge which reduces drag and, in theory, improves club head speeds. While I didn’t see any drastic speed gains, I did average 0.75 MPH more club head speed over my current gamer driver.
I was more impressed by the ball speeds, particularly with less than perfect strikes. Despite my club head speed varying from swing to swing, smash factor and ball speeds were better than I deserved. The aforementioned “hot” face definitely revealed itself in the form of consistent distance.
Find more forgiveness in the Cobra DARKSPEED X driver HERE
Typically with great ball speeds and low spin comes a wider dispersion. This couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to the Cobra DARKSPEED LS driver. Over the course of my indoor testing, my dispersion spanned a measly 50 yards and most balls landed just right of the center line. If you have read any of my previous reviews, you know I like to play a fade, so this is exactly what suits me. On the course, it was plug and play. The Cobra DARKSPEED LS produced a low-mid trajectory with a matching launch angle which I had no problem putting in my bag for a few rounds.
These ball flight preferences won’t match every swing, so Cobra offers a variety of stock shafts in addition to the adjustable hosel and interchangeable sole weights to customize the fit to any golfer. The Project X HZRDUS Black is aesthetically the most appropriate shaft choice while the UST Lin-Q shafts are also available. Each driver comes in at $550 which is less than almost every other major club brand.
Conclusion
The Cobra DARKSPEED LS driver is a fully customizable, low spin club with a large footprint. The all matte black aesthetic is as cool as the maximum distance and forgiveness it produces. All of this packed into a club that is priced less than the other major brands which could make it the biggest value driver of 2024.
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Cobra DARKSPEED LS Driver Price & Specs
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3 Comments
Nice right up Zach. I game this club myself and saw some interesting results changing the placement of the bottom weights. Did you do that during your fitting? If so what were the results?
Yes, we moved these a few times during my fitting but found my ideal flight and trajectory was having the heaviest 12 gram weight in the heel and the other two weights in the toe and rear of the club.
I typically do well in hitting up on the ball so when we placed the 12 gram weight in the rear, it produced a too high of ball flight. I already have a fade swing so placing the heavier weight in the toe created a more pronounced right miss so that wasn’t a viable option either.
Hope this helps!
Zack
I love that $550 is now a value when buying a new driver lol. Crazy.