Cobra's New King F6+ driver

[boogielicious]

From: http://www.golfdigest.com/story/cobra-finds-a-new-way-to-save-weight-with-its-new-drivers

Cobra joins the carbon fiber movement.  It is interesting that they went lighter in the base versus TaylorMade who wanted more weight low.

Quote

When it comes to drivers, most designers will tell you it’s all about how much weight you can save so you place it where it will do the most good. Cobra found a new way to save mass with its new King F6+ driver ($399), which features a weight track in the sole made from carbon fiber instead of titanium.

Utilizing the weight saved along with additional savings from a carbon fiber crown and redesigned titanium body and forged face, Cobra was able to place an 18-gram sliding weight along a track with five front-to-back positions that can alter center of gravity position for a higher (back) or more penetrating (front) ball flight. 

The adjustable loft sleeve ranges from 9.5 to 12 degrees with three draw settings. A Pro version offers a lower range of lofts (7 to 10 degrees). Its sister driver, the King F6 ($349) also boasts adjustable front and back CG, but does so through the use of interchangeable 3- and 10-gram weights with one weight going in the forward position and the other in the rear position. The lighter weight can also be removed altogether for further alterations. Both drivers are available in four colors: Black, white, blue and gray.

 

[dkolo]

8 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

From: http://www.golfdigest.com/story/cobra-finds-a-new-way-to-save-weight-with-its-new-drivers

Cobra joins the carbon fiber movement.  It is interesting that they went lighter in the base versus TaylorMade who wanted more weight low.

 

Cobra's lineup is confusing me. They just released the King LTD and a tour version like a month ago, and now this one for the same market, seemingly. Did they bonk their head and wake up thinking they're Taylormade?

[saevel25]

32 minutes ago, dkolo said:

Cobra's lineup is confusing me. They just released the King LTD and a tour version like a month ago, and now this one for the same market, seemingly. Did they bonk their head and wake up thinking they're Taylormade?

Does it matter? It's their capital they want to spend. 

[dkolo]

8 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

Does it matter? It's their capital they want to spend. 

Of course it matters. It's confusing to consumers, especially for a brand that people don't follow that closely. 

[Mr. Desmond]

35 minutes ago, dkolo said:

Cobra's lineup is confusing me. They just released the King LTD and a tour version like a month ago, and now this one for the same market, seemingly. Did they bonk their head and wake up thinking they're Taylormade?

Looking at their website and reviews, I am not sure of the market meant for each version of this KING line -- there is King LTD and Tour, and there is F6 and its variants.

I wish they would take a cue from other OEMs and generally define the market for each club, or if they have done so, so we can easily find it. I tend to look at the shaft offerings to see the intended market -- low launch, low spin like the Rogue - better players, Rogue Black has a softer tip...

[dkolo]

 

5 minutes ago, Mr. Desmond said:

Looking at their website and reviews, I am not sure of the market meant for each version of this KING line -- there is King LTD and Tour, and there is F6 and its variants.

I wish they would take a cue from other OEMs and generally define the market for each club, or if they have done so, so we can easily find it. I tend to look at the shaft offerings to see the intended market -- low launch, low spin like the Rogue - better players, Rogue Black has a softer tip...

Right. Is this meant to be their XR / Aeroburner cheaper distance option and the LTD is their flagship? Or is this their flagship and the LTD is a passion project for them / a truly "limited" release. I kind of assume the former because they marketed the hell out of the LTD and released two versions of it, but then I don't get the niche these drivers are meant to fill outside of "not costing $500."

[saevel25]

11 minutes ago, dkolo said:

Of course it matters. It's confusing to consumers, especially for a brand that people don't follow that closely. 

Here's what you do if you are a consumer. Realize that you need to get fitted for a driver and it doesn't matter what drivers there are out there, just get fitted. 

That's it. It doesn't matter if Taylormade has 20 different drivers on the market. It's not confusing because all you need to do is get fit for a driver and buy it. 

I don't get why people make this big stink about releasing drivers off the 2 year cycle plan. In the end more choice for the consumer is a good thing as long as to get fitted. 

In the end I think Cobra probably thought, "Oh this looks cool, people would dig this." then they realized that it probably wasn't a good idea and came out with something that people want more, adjustability. 

[dkolo]

Just now, saevel25 said:

Here's what you do if you are a consumer. Realize that you need to get fitted for a driver and it doesn't matter what drivers there are out there, just get fitted. 

That's it. It doesn't matter if Taylormade has 20 different drivers on the market. It's not confusing because all you need to do is get fit for a driver and buy it. 

I don't get why people make this big stink about releasing drivers off the 2 year cycle plan. In the end more choice for the consumer is a good thing as long as to get fitted. 

In the end I think Cobra probably thought, "Oh this looks cool, people would dig this." then they realized that it probably wasn't a good idea and came out with something that people want more, adjustability. 

That's fine in theory, but the way the equipment market works is that interest drives demand. Cobra advertising their new driver makes the guy watching TV or reading golf digest say "I want that" and then they go to the store to try and buy that driver. When companies don't make the case to the consumers why they want that driver, the consumer doesn't take the next step. Moreover, for people who want to buy a driver, they're still going to try or not try different drivers based on what interests or appeals to them. If I were getting fit, it'd take a lot for me to bother with the new Srixon drivers, for example. 

In any event, I don't think Cobra really had the thought process you outlined. It's way too fast of a turnaround between the two lines debuting for that kind of pivot. It's not like SLDR with Taylormade where they knew they were onto something so they rushed out the next model in the middle of the R1 cycle. This was planned, I think.

[saevel25]

8 minutes ago, dkolo said:

That's fine in theory, but the way the equipment market works is that interest drives demand. Cobra advertising their new driver makes the guy watching TV or reading golf digest say "I want that" and then they go to the store to try and buy that driver. When companies don't make the case to the consumers why they want that driver, the consumer doesn't take the next step. Moreover, for people who want to buy a driver, they're still going to try or not try different drivers based on what interests or appeals to them. If I were getting fit, it'd take a lot for me to bother with the new Srixon drivers, for example. 

Then that is a you problem as being the type of consumer the club makers want. Why should the clubmaker care if the consumer likes to buy a new driver every year either because they either don't realize the cost benefit is marginal at best from year to year or they are just obsessed with the latest drivers. 

As a consumer it's your responsibility to curb your own buying habits and do your due diligence in researching what club is the best for you. If you don't then you are just playing into the hands of the club makers. Consumers control the market not the club makers. 


 

 

 

[dkolo]

7 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

Then that is a you problem as being the type of consumer the club makers want. Why should the clubmaker care if the consumer likes to buy a new driver every year either because they either don't realize the cost benefit is marginal at best from year to year or they are just obsessed with the latest drivers. 

As a consumer it's your responsibility to curb your own buying habits and do your due diligence in researching what club is the best for you. If you don't then you are just playing into the hands of the club makers. Consumers control the market not the club makers. 
 

What are we arguing about? I'm not saying this is bad for consumers. I'm not even saying it's driving consumers to buy all the new stuff. If anything, I'd argue the opposite because the golf consumer market has gotten fairly savvy about the level of improvements year over year. What I am saying is that I found their decision curious because I don't see how it makes good business sense for them to bifurcate their woods lineup in this case where they're not making a clear push for one niche of the market over the other. Taylormade and, to a lesser extent Callaway, took it on the chin a few years ago and started to try to pare down their releases and make sure every club they sell is hitting a specific segment of the market. All I'm saying is that I don't know that Cobra is being similarly circumspect right now.

[saevel25]

40 minutes ago, dkolo said:

What I am saying is that I found their decision curious because I don't see how it makes good business sense for them to bifurcate their woods lineup in this case where they're not making a clear push for one niche of the market over the other. Taylormade and, to a lesser extent Callaway, took it on the chin a few years ago and started to try to pare down their releases and make sure every club they sell is hitting a specific segment of the market. All I'm saying is that I don't know that Cobra is being similarly circumspect right now.

Gotcha 

[SavvySwede]

Got to love Golf Digest's nonsense titles. "A new way to save weight"? That blue paint job is damn fine though, will definitely get in line to demo when spring rolls around.

[boogielicious]

10 hours ago, SavvySwede said:

Got to love Golf Digest's nonsense titles. "A new way to save weight"? That blue paint job is damn fine though, will definitely get in line to demo when spring rolls around.

They were referring to the track being carbon fiber as the "new" part. 

[Natural Patrick]

15 hours ago, SavvySwede said:

Got to love Golf Digest's nonsense titles. "A new way to save weight"? That blue paint job is damn fine though, will definitely get in line to demo when spring rolls around.

Agree about the Blue.

[iacas]

6 hours ago, boogielicious said:

They were referring to the track being carbon fiber as the "new" part. 

I agree, but that's not new either.