Cobra Golf has debuted iits new KING TOUR and KING CB and MB irons, . rounding out the KING family that also includes the KING Forged Tec and Forged Tec-X irons. The company says the new irons elevate the KING family of players’ irons to a new level. Aimed at advanced players, a traditional forged muscleback (KING MB), compact muscle cavity back (KING CB), and a technical cavity back model (KING TOUR) cover the full spectrum of golfers who value feel, feedback, and shotshaping ability.
The new KING irons will be available at retail on Feb. 3, 2023.
Cobra says each of the three new models are crafted from 1025 carbon steel using COBRA’s 5-Step Forging Process. While other forged irons have traditionally used a four-step process, COBRA utilizes a fifth forging strike it says delivers unmatched soft feel and precision shaping.
The forging process begins by heating carbon steel billets to 1200-degree Celsius. The billets are then Rough Forged three times (steps 1-3), a process in which the metal is bent and forged to form the rough shaping of an iron head. Step Four involves applying 1200 tons of pressure at 800-degrees Celsius to each rough clubhead, refining the shapes and placing detail lines and logos. During the final fifth step, each iron head is subjected to 2000 tons of pressure at 700-degrees Celsius, forming an extremely uniform and isotropic internal grain structure. After cooling, each clubhead is polished and made ready for the faces and grooves to be precision milled using a CNC (Computer Numerical Controlled) machine.
“The five-step forging process is critical to both the feel produced at impact by each of our new KING irons, as well the consistency of performance,” said Tom Olsavsky, Vice President of R&D for COBRA Golf. “Players who desire the feel of forged want a soft sensation at impact rather than one that’s overly crisp, and our process delivers the desired sensation. But forgings can also be lacking in consistency due to the challenges involved in the forging process, all of which we’ve improved on by creating forged irons with superior precision from clubhead to clubhead. Players who favor forged irons now have the option to enjoy all the benefits of a forging with the consistency normally associated with cast products.”
Olsavsky says benefits of COBRA’s 5-Step Forging Process include more precise shaping, more precise and flatter clubfaces, tighter weight tolerances, improved consistency of loft and lies, improved face thickness consistency, improved aesthetics, and significantly enhanced feel at impact.
The KING TOUR irons ($1299/7-piece set) blend soft feel and playability with enhanced distance and forgiveness using a 5-step forged multi-material construction. Unlike the CB & MB irons which are one-piece forgings, the Tour irons feature an aluminum medallion, and a TPU insert in the back cavity.The KING CB/MB irons ($1199/7-piece set) feature the most compact shapes in the KING lineup, and are built with attributes that better players typically desire including thinner toplines for aesthetics, minimal offset for control, thinner soles for precise turf interaction, and shorter blade lengths for enhanced shot-shaping ability.
Photo Courtesy of Cobra Golf