Cobra SpeedZone fairways offer performance for everyone

Cobra’s product releases are highly anticipated every year, and with good reason. As one of the industry leaders in innovation and performance, Cobra is lowering scores and making the game easier for golfers annually.

In 2020, Cobra has released the SpeedZone line, which introduces a series of zones through which Cobra is able to unlock explosive distance and reliable forgiveness.

Cobra’s fairway woods have long been one of the most popular brand and club type duos in golf, and that should continue with the SpeedZone fairway woods.

Cobra did things a little differently with their 2020 fairway woods. Instead of releasing two models, which had been the case in the past, Cobra added a third option to provide more options and playability characteristics.

The three models -- the standard SpeedZone fairway, the SpeedZone Tour fairway, and the SpeedZone Big Tour fairway -- all share the same primary zones that Cobra has installed to boost performance.

The Power Zone consists of a CNC milled face that is up to five times more precise than a traditional hand polishing process. This allows Cobra engineers to produce a clubface that matches up with the legal speed limit set by the USGA and R&A.

The Flex Zone features Cobra’s Hollow Split Rails that can be seen on the sole running parallel to one another. The hollow rails are designed to flex more than solid rails, which creates a 70 percent larger sweet spot from heel to toe. Ball speed is also enhanced with the aid of a split speed channel.

The Stability Zone is created by the Dual Baffler Rails, which run parallel to each other and surround the hollow rails on the sole. Dual Baffler technology is designed to provide excellent stability and speed through the turf from any kind of lie, while maintaining consistent contact.

Lastly, the Light Zone is delivered through a carbon fiber crown that creates discretionary weight. This weight is redistributed throughout the clubhead to move the center of gravity lower and deeper to promote high launch.

During a recent trip to Carlsbad, California, I was able to test out all three SpeedZone fairway wood models at the Encinitas Ranch Golf Club.

I generate a lot of clubhead speed (usually around 115 miles per hour with a driver) but I don’t always make contact in the center of the clubface, so I was interested in the differences of the three models and how they would fit my swing.

What struck me about the standard SpeedZone fairway wood was the performance on mis-hits, particularly shots hit low on the clubface. I was surprised at the high launch the club was able to maintain when I hit a couple below the center of the face. Usually, that type of contact results in a lower ball flight that doesn’t carry very far. That wasn’t the case with the SpeedZone.

The SpeedZone Tour fairway wood includes a more compact shape and a stronger standard loft at 14 degrees. This combination results in more workability for golfers who like to shape their shots. This option is also great for golfers who find themselves playing in windy conditions or those who simply want a lower trajectory, as the SpeedZone Tour fairway wood launched naturally lower than the standard SpeedZone.

The SpeedZone Big Tour fairway wood was the model I was most curious about. At 173cc, it’s the biggest clubhead of the three models and it also features the strongest loft at 13.5 degrees. This combination delivers the most potential distance from the SpeedZone fairways, especially for someone with higher swing speeds who can easily get the ball into the air with a stronger-lofted fairway wood.

For me, the Big Tour was an absolute rocket. Off the tee, I was seeing numbers that compared to some of my tee shots with a driver. A popular decision for many golfers is selecting a fairway wood over a driver off the tee on a hole with a narrow landing area. The SpeedZone Big Tour is perfect for that scenario because you get the forgiveness of a larger clubhead but also the distance of the stronger loft.

A player similar to myself that swings fast but will sometimes miss the center of the clubface, may benefit from putting two SpeedZone fairway woods in the bag -- a Big Tour 3-wood and a standard SpeedZone 5-wood.

But of course, every swing is unique. The great thing about the SpeedZone fairway woods is that there is an option for every golfer and every swing, and SpeedZone is sure to help golfers lower their scores in 2020 and beyond.