Golfing News & Blog Articles

Sleeker new head profileThree adjustable sole weightsH.O.T. face technology with ST-118 face materialTargeted 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.

Three new models: KING Tour, KING CB and KING MBFive-step forging process, not industry-standard fourIntricate shape and design consistency clubhead to clubheadKING Tec Utility features COBRA metalwood face technologies

The late Tom Crow, COBRA Golf’s founder, believed that innovation, when it’s done right, can make a difficult game easier for anyone. The Australian lived it, too.

Products like the sole-railed Baffler, golf’s first larger iron, KING Cobra Oversize, the 46-inch Long Tom driver and Trusty Rusty wedges (designed by PGA TOUR player Phil Rodgers) provide evidence of Crow’s innovative deviation from golf’s traditional path with gear.

They also epitomize COBRA’s current “Doing Things Differently” slogan. That said, Crow surely would appreciate how COBRA “forged” (literally) a path to its latest KING Tour, KING CB, KING MB irons and the new KING Tec Utility.

Forged Consistency

Usually, forging irons is a four-step process. You know the drill. Carbon steel billets are heated to a temperature of 1,200-degrees Celsius before undergoing rough forging, where metal is bent and rough-shaped to look like an iron head—not once but three times.

Step Four is 1,200 tons of pressure applied to the rough clubhead at 800 degrees Celsius. That turns it into a more refined and detailed shape. When cooled down completely, the forged clubheads get ground down, buffed, polished and paint-filled to a finished consumer product.

Callaway has announced the 2023 version of its three-piece ERC Soft golf ball.Increased speed is provided by a new HyperElastic SoftFast Core.A GRIP Urethane coating over the ionomer cover provides more spin.Retail price is $39.99.

It is the stated goal of Callaway Golf’s ball division to make the best-performing product in each segment and at each price point.

Overlooking for the moment that the company doesn’t offer a true Titleist Pro V1 competitor (and my personal feeling that there are market segments and price points at which no golf ball should exist), the launch of the new ERC Soft is both unexpectedly and unusually compelling.

That’s right. Much to my own surprise, I find myself intrigued by an ionomer-covered ball.

What makes this Callaway ERC Soft better (and more interesting) than the last boils down to two key technologies.

Detailing this week's top storylines in professional golf as the PGA Tour heads to Honolulu for the Sony Open.

Easier said than done. How does your mind slow down your backswing and execute the rhythm to add power to your swing? We have the ideal solution to blank-out extra thoughts and add the proper tempo to your swing. Avoiding a Wandering Mind and adding Backswing Actions are the keys to the future success for consistency in your swing.

I realized that I was on the right track when I started my new season of winter golf in Florida. I read a simple golf tip by Sean Zak a senior writer for the Golf.com blog who referred to the “Hideki-esque” move. Hideki Matsuyama has changed his swing from an actual pause at the top to a slow transition. Most golfers lose their tempo when they jerk or rush the transition. All of the power in your swing comes from the down swing so there is no need to rush your backswing up to the top!

You can enjoy the benefits of a Hideki-esque transition as long as you control your mind AND execute a critical windup sequence.

1/ Eliminate a Wondering Mind
I have covered this in many previous blogs but you will improve your tempo and focus if you mentally repeat the following words during your backswing: “1 annnd 2”. If you say these words in your mind you will not be able to say or think any other thoughts. Buy saying these words you will slow down the tempo of your backswing.
-Say “1” to start your WIDE takeaway as your hips and shoulders rotate.
-Say “annnd” as you flatten your leading wrist and add lag at the top of your swing.
-Say “2” as you accelerate your downswing.

2/ Take Your Time to Build your Backswing Actions.
Hank Haney often points out that you need to impact your ball with a square face to eliminate slice. The critical motion is to take a wide backswing (without swaying your head or body) and add a shallowing loop at the top of your swing. This is just a natural motion when you flatten your leading wrist and add lag to your club by cocking your wrist 90 degrees.

The next event on the PGA Tour is the Sony Open at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii. Here's how you can watch all of the action.

Srixon ZX Mk II Irons – Key Takeaways

Updates to ZX7, ZX5 and ZX4 models and utility ironsDesigned for combo sets—all toplines the same widthNew Z-Forged blades also part of the release$1,199 for a 7-piece set; Utility irons $239.99Available Jan 20; blades April 19

The new Srixon ZX Mk II irons, at first glance, follow Srixon’s well-documented Kaizen philosophy of incremental improvement. Sure, there are technical updates and improvements but nothing that grabs you by the shirt and says, “Notice me!”

However, a mere cursory look at the Srixon ZX Mk II would be a mistake.

Srixon irons have long been an underground favorite for MyGolfSpy readers. In our recent WITB Survey, Srixon irons sold on par with PING and PXG. That’s a rate that’s roughly double Srixon’s overall irons market share.

Make no mistake. Srixon is going after big dogs Callaway, TaylorMade and Titleist. From all outward appearances, we think Srixon has Mizuno in its crosshairs and wants to be the player’s choice.

And from what we can tell, the new ZX Mk II irons—and the companion utility irons—are a healthy opening salvo.

PING has announced the G430 fairway wood and hybrid family in the U.S.A.The lineup includes two fairway woods (G430 MAX, G430 SFT) and a single G430 hybrid.MSRP price is $385 (fairway), $335 (hybrid). Pre-sale begins today.

From the G400 line forward, PING drivers have been excellent, if not category-leading. But the manufacturer doesn’t have the same track record of success with its fairway woods and hybrids as it does with drivers.  Where the drivers are often been exceptional, the fairway woods and hybrids, while reasonably consistent, haven’t exhibited the same top-of-class performance.

With the PING G430 line, the manufacturer believes it’s addressed several shortcomings as evidenced by John K. Sohlheim’s (PING CEO and President) assertion, “The combined distance gains throughout the entire G430 family are like nothing we’ve seen from one generation of clubs to the next.” And if you’ve followed PING for any length of time, you’ll concede that this is a different tenor and one that PING loyalists likely welcome.

PING G430 Overview

The G430 line of fairway woods and hybrids feature the expected iterative, small tweaks alongside several major changes, one of which we’ll revisit sometime this summer.

For right now, PING is releasing two fairway wood models, G430 MAX and G430 SFT, in addition to an updated G430 hybrid. The two fairway woods contain the same basic technology suite. That said, the MAX should fit the widest range of golfers whereas the slightly larger and lighter SFT is designed to help golfers who need some assistance squaring the face at impact.

PING G430 – Key Takeaways

Built for ball speed, distance and gappingARCCOS data factors into design$170/stick in steel; $185 graphitePre-sale/fittings start today. At retail Jan. 26

 

The new PING G430 irons are an anomaly. PING is adding in some badly needed distance while still focusing on playability and forgiveness. And there’s also a new emphasis on gapping.

Playability, forgiveness and proper gapping make for better golf. But distance is the thing that gets us all giddy in the hitting bay. And don’t think for a minute that PING doesn’t get that.

Want proof? The lofts on the new PING G430 are stronger across the board by as much as 2.5 degrees. But before you break out the riot gear and head to the streets, take a breath or two. There’s distance and then there’s playable distance. And there’s more to playable distance than simple loft-jacking.

And given its history, PING knows this better than anyone.

PING has announced the G430 driver family in the U.S.A.The lineup includes the G430 MAX, LST and SFT.The new models offer more speed without sacrificing forgiveness.Retail price is $550. Pre-sale begins today.

If you’ve followed PING at all for the last several years, the basics of the G430 driver lineup will be familiar. With the G430 driver family, PING will again offer three basic models. There’s some nuance here as a not-so-secret menu offering provides a new option that actually gets us to four, though it would be a stretch to suggest it’s a unique model.

As has been the case going back to the G30, the G430 LST (Low Spin Technology) primarily targets the faster swinger looking for spin reduction. The G430 SFT (Straight Flight Technology) services the golfer who needs a good amount of draw bias baked in. The other one, which became the MAX when the G425 launched, is a relatively neutral and extremely forgiving option designed with a healthy percentage of golfers in mind.

As far as your performance headline goes, PING says the G430 lineup brings the biggest performance gains in G history. That’s saying something, especially when you consider the jump from the G to the G400 and the legendary (in my world anyway) G400 LST Driver.

This is one I didn’t see coming and I’m still a little shocked TaylorMade actually created this iron. But shocked in a good way—like when your teenager chooses to study for the SATs on a Friday night.

The TaylorMade Stealth HD irons broach new territory for a demographic that TaylorMade has historically underserved. Often referred to as “super game-improvement” equipment for the higher handicaps, the new designation is “max game-improvement.” It turns out that struggling golfers don’t enjoy being reminded of just how much room for improvement they have. In that case, there are a couple of kids from high school I should probably go back and reclassify as “Max seniors.” My apologies.

Nevertheless, the Stealth HD irons are engineered explicitly for the segment of golfers that relies the most on technology to help them enjoy the game. And perhaps most importantly for TaylorMade, it now has a complete line of irons to address the needs of every player’s swing speed and ability level.

Stealth HD Origin Story

Maybe the chief benefit of this product development cycle is that TaylorMade started with far more questions than answers. Because Stealth HD was entirely new, engineers could begin without any preconceived notion of what the final product should be—or how it should perform or look.

Callaway has announced its next-generation Supersoft golf ball.The new ball preserves the soft feel that golfers love.The 2023 Supersoft is faster and spins more around the green than the previous model.Retail price is $24.99 per dozen.

The product one-liner for the Callaway Supersoft golf ball is “super long, super straight, super soft” to which I reply, “Nope, probably, and, yeah, you got me there.”

If by some chance you’re not already at least a little familiar with the Supersoft, the one thing to know is that it’s the softest golf ball in the Callaway lineup. While compression values typically move a little from one release to the next, Callaway says compression hasn’t changed from the prior model.

If that’s true (and it would be a silly thing to lie about), you can be all but certain the 2023 Callaway Supersoft will be among the very softest balls on the market this season. I’d wager it will prove to be the softest ball made by a manufacturer you’ve heard of.

TaylorMade has announced the Stealth 2 fairway woods and hybrids.Three models for each including Plus, Standard and HDRetail price is $449.99 (Stealth 2 Plus fairway), $349.99 (Stealth 2, Stealth 2 HD fairway), $299.99 (Stealth 2 Plus hybrid), $279.99 (Stealth, Stealth HD hybrid)Pre-sale starts Jan. 10 with full retail availability Feb. 17.

The Stealth driver franchise centers around an unmistakable red carbon face. It’s a material change to how TaylorMade believes it can advance the driver category. (Pun intended.)

But for all the Carbonwood talk, you won’t see a carbon face on a fairway wood or hybrid any time soon. Simply, the faces don’t have the requisite surface area to warrant a different material.

Stealth 2 Fairway Woods

If we excuse Aeroburner from the conversation, it’s hard to think of many TaylorMade fairway woods that haven’t done reasonably well in testing, on the PGA TOUR or at retail. In fact, the converse is substantially more accurate.

With that, the most impressive bit of engineering in the entire Stealth 2 line belongs to the Stealth 2 Plus fairway wood. More on that in a bit.

TaylorMade has announced the Stealth 2 driver family.The Stealth 2 Plus, Standard, HD are more forgiving than their predecessors.Retail price is — for the Stealth 2 Plus and — for the Standard and HD models.Pre-sale starts immediately with full retail availability on February 17th.

Let’s start our TayorMade Stealth 2 driver story by rewinding a year.

Last season’s Stealth driver was not TaylorMade’s first carbon driver but it did represent a significant milestone in what TaylorMade called the “20-year journey.” A year later—whether you want to look at that as a one-year journey or a 21-year journey—none of us should reasonably expect the advancements made between Year 20 and Year 21 to be nearly as significant as those from Years 1 to 20.

So, like Stage 2 of the RocketBallz franchise, you’d expect Stealth 2 to be a bit Stealth-ier than the original and I suppose it is. I might even argue there’s enough here to suggest that what we’re getting is a bit more than a Stealth 2.0. I’d be inclined to say it’s akin to a Stealth 2.25 or Stealth 2.5.

That said, for the sake of not muddying the waters (or confusing the search engines), we’ll round down and refer to it as Stealth 2.

COBRA’s newest speed and distance game-improvement ironsPWR-Bridge weighting is the key technology story.Thinner top line and more streamlined in the playing positionOffered in variable and ONE Length setups

Seeing the word “Jet” linked to any line of golf products (remember TaylorMade’s JetSpeed?) takes me back to McCartney’s Band on the Run album and that anthem-like single I loved to crank on my stereo: “Jet, with the wind in your hair of a thousand laces, climb on the back and we’ll go for a ride in the sky.”

COBRA is angling for a much different “ride in the sky” with AEROJET.

Evolving from last year’s LTDx irons, COBRA’s latest game-improvement offering pushes the speed and distance narrative for that category.

Let’s face it: the majority of golfers who play for fun are transfixed on more distance with the driver.

Counterpoint: Additional distance from seven clubs, not just one, provides the same kind of fun but with undeniable game-improvement benefits.

The COBRA Aerojet driver family includes three models.The platform seeks to increase clubhead speed through aerodynamics.The LS is low spin. The MAX offers maximum forgiveness.Retail price is $549. Available Feb. 10.

What’s in a name? With the COBRA Aerojet driver, you might think it’s the amalgamation of two drivers TaylorMade might prefer you forget.

Aerojet also sounds like the airline you fly when you only have $70 and you absolutely have to be to Tallahassee by 5 p.m.

Jokes aside, the “Aerojet” name is pretty on the nose insomuch as it conveys exactly what COBRA’s new drivers bring to the table: Speed (jets are really fast) through aerodynamics.

The tagline is “longest in the world” and that’s what you’d expect based on fact that Bryson Dechambeau and Kyle Berkshire are COBRA staffers. As two of the top World Long Drive competitors, they’re constantly looking for more speed and, as it happens, aerodynamics is one of the levers COBRA pulls to help them find it.

Cleveland RTX 6 Zipcore Wedges – Key Takeaways

Sixth-generation RTX gets second-generation ZipCore technology.New HydraZip face for improved wet condition performanceNew Low+ Sole Grind for better sand performance$169.99 each. At retail Jan. 20

Say this for the new Cleveland RTX 6 ZipCore wedges: they pack a lot of zip.

Three degrees of zip, to be precise.

While this is the sixth installment of Cleveland’s signature RTX wedge family, we are getting the second generation of Cleveland’s unique ZipCore technology. Then there are the updated UltiZip grooves and something new called HydraZip. HydraZip is supposed to do what it sounds like it’s supposed to do but we’ll unpack a bit more on that later.

The previous generation, simply called RTX ZipCore, was released in the summer of 2020. If you’re a calendar cop, you could say these new wedges are a tad overdue but, hey, there was that COVID thing, after all. But Cleveland always has some interesting and useful technology in each wedge release and those 2020 RTX ZipCores represented a major leap for Cleveland.

Can these new wedges maintain that momentum? And can HydraZip do what the name suggests? There’s lots to unzip here so let’s zip to it.

COBRA launches new AEROJET fairway woods (three models) and hybrids.The platform seeks to increase forgiveness and boost ball speeds.Key technologies:  PWR-Bridge, PWRSHELL H.O.T. FACE,Retail price is $349 (fairway), $279 (hybrid). Available Feb. 10.

I’m not sold on the COBRA AEROJET fairway woods and hybrids.

Correction: I’m not sold on the name. The product, however, is a different story.

COBRA is arguably the most underrated mainline manufacturer. It might not have the gaudy sales figures of other large brands but plenty of industry R&D folks respect the metalwood line COBRA engineers bring to market every cycle.

Fairway woods and hybrids often get pushed to the perimeter of product launches. Second fiddle. Slightly off-Broadway. Just off the podium. That sort of thing.

But what COBRA learned from previous launches (Radspeed and LTDX) is ultimately what makes AEROJET compelling.