Gear: Cobra RadSpeed, RadSpeed XB, RadSpeed XD drivers
Price: $449.99 with Fujikura Motore X F1, Fujikura Motore X F3, Project X HZRDUS Black RDX Blue or Project X EvenFlow Riptide shaft and Lamkin Crossline grip
Specs: Carbon-fiber crown and sole pieces, moveable weights and adjustable hosel with CNC-milled titanium face
Available: Jan. 29

Designing drivers traditionally is about making subtle tradeoffs to improve specific performance attributes. Most of the time, those tradeoffs relate to the center of gravity location. For example, when the center of gravity is shifted forward, it can improve ball speed and lower spin but typically sacrifices stability and forgiveness. Moving the center of gravity back in the head can make a driver more forgiving, but it also can add dynamic loft and create excessive spin, robbing distance.

Cobra designers know these things, and with the release of the new RadSpeed family of drivers, they think they have created three drivers with technologies that can provide the ideal centers of gravity to give golfers more ball speed and better performance without making sacrifices.

Adding a pair of weights behind the leading edge and a third weight in the back boosts ball speed and stability. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

“Rad” refers to radial weighting, the positioning of more weight in both the front and rear portions of the head, to get the best benefits possible. To make that possible, 40 percent of the 460cc RadSpeed’s head is carbon fiber, with the carbon-fiber crown and side pieces being 6 grams lighter than the components used in last season’s SpeedZone driver. The T-shaped titanium chassis is also 7 grams lighter.

Making the carbon fiber crown larger saved weight in the RadSpeed driver. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

That allowed designers to add a pair of internal 8-gram titanium weights behind the hitting area to improve ball speed, and another 8-gram titanium weight in the back of the head to boost the moment of inertia and enhance stability.

Complimenting those internal weights are a pair of external adjustable sole weights. One weighs 2 grams while the other is 12 grams. When the heavier weight is in the forward position, it shifts the center of gravity even more forward for ball-speed enhancement and less spin. Putting the 12-gram weight in the back boosts the moment of inertia and stability.

The Cobra RadSpeed XB driver. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The 460cc Cobra RadSpeed XB (Xtreme Back) does not have external sole weights. Instead, it has 4-gram internal weights behind the face, an internal 14-gram weight in the back and another 6-gram weight in the sole. Shifting that much weight to the back of the head makes this club more ideal for players who prioritize forgiveness and who want a higher launch.

For golfer’s who battle a slice, Cobra is offering the RadSpeed XD (Xtreme Draw). Like the XB, it has internal 4-gram weights in the front, but designers gave it weight in the back and an internal 10-gram weight in the heel to encourage the face to close and square more easily on the downswing.

All three RadSpeed drivers have a CNC milled face. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

All three RadSpeed drivers were designed with a CNC-milled face to ensure it is manufactured to the tightest performance tolerances possible. Cobra said that should help the club protect ball speed on shots hit outside the center of the hitting area.

Each RadSpeed driver also comes standard with a Cobra Connect-enabled Lamkin Crossline grip. The grip has an Arccos tag designed into the butt cap that can link to a free smartphone app to allow golfers to track their performance and learn detailed stats about their game.