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COBRA KING COBRA Wedges with Snakebite Grooves
The COBRA KING COBRA wedge brings everything you’d expect from a new offering in the category. The name is new. The updated KING COBRA script logo is a throwback that speaks to the company’s tradition of innovation. The cosmetics are also new. There’s a lot going on. It’s probably a good thing there’s no tungsten—every millimeter of the back cavity might be covered.
Subtle, it’s not.
As a brand, COBRA is invariably going to lean towards the bold. And so, here you go.
There is, of course, also the requisite technology story.
Snakebite Grooves
In this case, the technology includes the increasingly popular full-face grooves on the higher-lofted options and the spec changes that create what COBRA has branded “Snakebite Groove Technology.” The bottom line is that every groove is engineered for maximum spin, though every brand would say the same.
The first part of KING COBRA wedge Snakebite Groove story isn’t particularly sexy (even by wedge groove story standards) but it makes a world of difference in the consistency of the product.
Simply put, COBRA is replacing the cutting tools that mill the grooves more frequently. Boring, I know, but it’s a strong tolerance play that aligns with the logic behind the milled faces COBRA uses on its drivers. The idea is to make the grooves on each head as sharp as the one made before it.
From the consumer perspective, it’s about eliminating the luck of the draw around whether you get a wedge with sharp grooves cut during the early stages of a cutting wheel’s life or duller ones cut towards the end of the wheel’s life.
COBRA wants to take luck out of the equation by ensuring everybody’s grooves are sharp.
New Groove Specification
The rest of Snakebite story centers around reengineered groove specs. The new KING COBRA wedge’s Snakebite grooves are 11-percent deeper which gives it 40-percent sharper edges. This type of evolution is typical within the category. It’s about tweaking groove geometry and improving performance within the rules.
Like some others, COBRA is taking a progressive-groove approach to optimize trajectory and spin at each loft. The 48- to 54-degree KING COBRA wedges offer a full-length traditional groove that’s, by comparison, narrower and deeper. The objective is to create consistent spin from lower-lofted wedges. The groove design is well suited for delofted or square-face shots.
Think of it as groove-optimized for full shots.
On the 56- to 60-degree KING COBRA wedge offerings, the grooves run the full width of the face. They’re also wider and shallower. It’s a specification optimized for open-face or partial shots around the green. Not that it won’t work on full shots but it’s greenside-optimized.
KING COBRA Wedge Options
As a smaller brand, COBRA wedge offerings are typically less robust than its larger competitors but there are three grind options within the KING COBRA wedge lineup.
The go-to for most will be the Versatile Grind. It’s a safe, middle-of-the-road grind designed for play in medium to firm conditions. It offers toe, heel and trailing-edge relief for added versatility around the green.
The Classic Grind should prove to be the better option for players with a steeper attack angle. It offers progressive relief from heel to toe, giving it a cambered leading edge. It’s a shape I’ve always appreciated. It’s not going to be as versatile as, well, the Versatile Grind but the trailing-edge relief adds some playability and should help the wedge glide through the turf without digging.
You can probably piece together the design attributes of the Widelow Grind from its name. At the risk of stating the obvious, it’s a low-bounce offering with a wide sole. It’s a bit of a sweeper’s wedge but, like similar designs, it’s an excellent option if you’re looking for a specialty bunker club or play in soft conditions.
Somewhat Limited Options
All things considered, the KING COBRA wedge offering is reasonably well-balanced—if you’re right-handed. Lefties are limited to 52-, 56-,and 60-degree Versatile Grind options.
The 50/54-degree combo is growing increasingly popular as iron lofts have gotten stronger. I’d wager that, for those who carry one (me), the 54-degree club is a sand wedge that gets used for a variety of shots. Using the standard (what I would call the gap wedge groove) also strikes me as odd.
KING COBRA Wedge – ONE Length Options
It’s COBRA, so that means a Bryson DeChambeau-inspired ONE Length option is also available. The ONE Length version is designed to play at 7-iron length (37.5 inches) but otherwise offers the same features as the variable-length (normal) version.
ONE Length options are narrow, to say the least. It’s offered in two lofts (56 and 60), both exclusively with the Versatile Grind for right-handed golfers only.
That’s kind of a bummer if you’re left-handed or you’re looking for a greater spread of ONE Length wedge options but the category isn’t massive to begin with, and the count of guys playing ONE Length wedges is smaller still. Unfortunately, it’s a numbers game.
COBRA KING COBRA Wedges – Stock Options, Pricing and Availability
The stock shaft offering in both variable and ONE length KING COBRA wedges is the KBS Hi-Rev 2.0. The stock grip is an Arccos-embedded Lamkin Crossline Smart Grip.
New Arccos users who install the Arccos Caddie app will receive a free 14-piece sensor kit ($179 value) and a 90-day trial of the Arccos app. For poor souls like me in winter climates, that’s half the golf season.
Retail price for the COBRA KING COBRA wedge is $149. Availability begins March 19.
For more information, visit CobraGolf.com.
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