50 Words or Less
The Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood is made for the better player seeking fast ball speeds with a touch of forgiveness. The adjustable settings allows for dialing in ball flight and custom preferences.
Introduction
Cobra continues to fly under the radar in the category of woods, particularly the fairway woods. For a long time, we saw the use of the double sole rails, but Cobra has since moved in a new direction. Part of that new direction is the input from aviation and high speed cars to create better speeds and more efficient clubs. I took the Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood out for review to see if these improvements can help the regular golfer.
Looks
The Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood follows in the footsteps of its driver counterpart [review HERE] with an almost entirely black head. The crown is matte black with only the crown “C” logo as an alignment aid and “DARKSPEED” that outlines the rear of the club. At address, the clubhead sits slightly closed because of the offset but still frames the ball nicely.
In the bag, the DARKSPEED X fairway wood shows off its removable rear weight and adjustable hosel while still sitting flush to the ground. The majority of the sole is wrapped in matte black with a hint of royal blue accents that would make any Royals, Colts, or Blue Devils fan happy.
Sound & Feel
The sound and feel of the Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood is what impressed me the most. The sound at impact was a deep, solid “click” that I immediately wanted more of. My fitter James at Club Champion commented that it sounded like a rocket in the Trackman studio. We were both intrigued.
The feel was just as good as the sound. Each strike felt hot off the face and made it easier to feel a better tempo in subsequent swings. Swings near the center of the face deliver minimal resonance through the shaft and hands.
It was only once I truly missed one that I felt an increased buzz through the grip with a slightly more metallic sound. Overall, the sound and feel were quite enjoyable.
Performance
Cobra offers three different variations of the new DARKSPEED fairway woods to fit the largest variety of golfers – the MAX [review HERE], LS [review HERE], and X. The DARKSPEED X fairway wood sits right between the MAX and LS in terms of forgiveness and playability and is the updated version to the standard AEROJET from 2023 [review HERE].
At first glance, the DARKSPEED X fairway wood did not undergo large, wholesale changes, outside of the aesthetics which I covered above. Instead, the focus was on fine tuning and making subtle, yet impactful adjustments like the redesigned face and improved power bridge.
Starting with the previously seen AI H.O.T. (Highly Optimized Topography) club face, Cobra gave it a refresh for 2024 that helped improve overall forgiveness. Shots across the face held their ball speeds consistently with predictable distances. My worst shot resulted in distance very close to some of my best strikes. I also credit some of this to the updated power bridge which allows the face to flex upon impact and provide improved distance.
Concerning launch and spin characteristics, the DARKSPEED X delivers a mid to low launch with moderate spin. Since I am a high spin player and generally have a positive angle of attack, I settled on the lightest rear weight. Just in case you need something a little different, Cobra offers three, eight, twelve, and sixteen gram weights that can be easily swapped in to achieve your desired performance. Paired with the adjustable hosel, this weighting allows the Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood to be fit to a wide array of swings.
On the course, the playability factor is where this shined. I was able to shape shots without losing a ball too far left or right. Dispersion was consistent and I felt like I could go after the ball and not worry about throwing one into the woods. Having this type of predictability is exactly what we all want in a fairway wood. The key is ensuring which Cobra DARKSPEED fairway wood is best fit for you. On Cobra’s website, the X has four different stock loft offerings with two UST Lin-Q stock shafts at no upcharge.
Conclusion
The Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood is a perfect club for the better player that needs a little more forgiveness without the high spin attributes of a game improvement fairway wood. The Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood’s adjustability and easy to launch characteristics make it ideal for a large variety of players and should be on every player’s test list for 2024.
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Cobra DARKSPEED X Fairway Wood Price & Specs
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