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GolfWRX Spotted: Cobra RAD drivers on USGA conforming list (In play at the Masters?)

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After months of rumors and a few leaked images, we now have official confirmation, thanks to the USGA and R&A conforming driver lists, that the new 2021 Cobra RAD drivers exist. The line also includes a new extension to the Cobra line with an XD version—which looks to stand for eXtra Draw, and a model specifically for Bryson, but we’ll get to the full rundown in a minute.

We have reached out to Cobra and have no official comment yet, but based on the images and our knowledge of previous models, we can draw some conclusions based on the visual elements of the four total models.

Cobra RAD (Version 2)

The RAD looks to continue the trend of Cobra utilizing a front and back weight system after a few early iterations with previous models had a sliding track—F6+ anyone? This system offers a lot of center of gravity movement and also allows the simple adjustment of weights without shifting the CG too far from side to side. If it’s not broken—don’t fix it!

RAD appears to refer to Radial Speed, and the weighting system along the bottom close to the face, we don’t know what this means for total performance but if Cobra’s driver progression is working along the lines of previous models and industry trends then it means more stability and speed around the whole head.

Cobra RAD XB

The RAD XB falls in line with the SpeedZone Xtreme by having only one adjustable weight towards the rear of the clubhead. This inevitably pushes the CG away from the face to create a higher MOI and extra stability—the trick for engineers is creating stability without increasing spin.

Just like the standard RAD, the XB features the radial weighting towards the face to most likely increase ball speeds, and if I had to guess what XB stands for its eXtra Balance which could also mean Cobra is looking to sell some longer length drivers.

Cobra RAD XD

The XD is the easiest model to identify, based on the visuals of the head which includes a 10g weight port towards the heel.

Heel weighting is designed to help reduce slice misses, and for OEMs placing the weight and marking it not only tells the visual story but helps golfers who are in the market for a driver quickly identify the best possible choice.

Cobra RAD (Version 1)

This is the outlier of the group, and it could be a “tour only” version or a secondary prototype, and the reason for that is the additional lofted included with the submission to the USGA—5.5 degrees, or what we could also call the “Bryson Loft.”

It’s very difficult to derive from the image since it is so close to “version 2,” but version 1 appears to be slightly smaller from front to back, which opposite to the XB means a more forward CG and a driver that will spin less—something that is desperately needed when you are generating over 195 mph ball speed on a regular basis. It could be a camera trick that is causing the driver to look smaller, and it’s not often Cobra has produced a smaller headed driver for workability.

At GolfWRX we’ll be keeping our ears to the ground, but for all the hot talk surrounding the newly spotted Cobra RAD drivers check out the discussion in the GolfWRX forums: New Cobra RAD drivers on the USGA conforming list.

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Ryan Barath is a club-fitter & master club builder with more than 17 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. He is the former Build Shop Manager & Social Media Coordinator for Modern Golf. He now works independently from his home shop and is a member of advisory panels to a select number of golf equipment manufacturers. You can find Ryan on Twitter and Instagram where he's always willing to chat golf, and share his passion for club building, course architecture and wedge grinding.

7 Comments

7 Comments

  1. www.uplabs.com

    Jan 22, 2021 at 9:50 pm

    Tremendous issues here. I am very happy to look your article.
    Thanks so much and I’m taking a look forward to touch you.
    Will you please drop me a e-mail?

  2. JP

    Nov 11, 2020 at 1:01 pm

    I’d give it a try if it doesn’t have turbulators! Haha

    Please Ping, make the next driver without those hideous things!

  3. Release rev 33s

    Nov 10, 2020 at 6:35 pm

    Sick. Cobra has made the same driver, three times in a row.

  4. will

    Nov 10, 2020 at 1:56 pm

    Its lime green

  5. Jordan

    Nov 10, 2020 at 10:03 am

    Can’t wait to see the amount of sheep thinking they need a 5.5* Driver.

    • Milo

      Nov 10, 2020 at 1:45 pm

      It honestly would be fun to just try and hit.

    • s

      Nov 19, 2020 at 1:20 pm

      pretty sure it’s for Bryson. he used 7.5 head set @ 5.5 for his us open win.

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Equipment

Q&A: Martin Trainer on his Bobby Grace “Greg Chalmers” putter, 6.5-degree driver, and “butter knife” 2-iron

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As unbiasedly as I can put it, Martin Trainer has one of the coolest club setups in professional golf. (At some point soon, I’ll put together a top-10 list of “coolest club setups on Tour,” but I know that Trainer will be in the top-10)

What a lineup. He plays a 6.5-degree Wilson prototype driver, a 13-degree Wilson prototype 3-wood, a true blade Wilson Staff Model 2-iron, and a Bobby Grace “Greg Chalmers Commemorative” putter!

 

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I mean, look at this 2-iron from address…

To quote the great author R.L. Stine: “Goosebumps.”

On Wednesday at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open, I caught up with Trainer to learn more about his bag setup.

Here’s what he had to say:

You have the Internet going crazy over your bag setup, and your putter. Where’d you pick the Bobby Grace-Greg Chalmers putter up? How long have you had it?

MT: This was from when Bobby Grace came to my course in California: Cal Club. And for whatever reason, they just started having them in the shop. So then I took my buddy’s, started using it, and made, like, a million putts in a row, which is how every putter story begins, I guess.

And then, I bought a couple of my own, used it for years, got to the Tour with it, won on Tour with it (the 2019 Puerto Rico Open). Then, about a year later, started using another putter, did that for a couple years, but now it’s back in the bag.

When did it come back in the bag?

MT: December of this past year. So a few months ago.

What year would you say was the first time you threw that in the bag, or, like, when you bought it?

MT: God…Probably, 2016, maybe? 2018?

Do you remember how much you paid for it?

MT: I don’t know, actually. Maybe $100-150 bucks or something. I think that’s the only golf club I’ve bought between high school and now. Well, two, since I bought two of them.

The driver is interesting, too. What went into the prototyping process?

MT: That was a version of the current driver, but it was the prototype that they first came out with for Tour guys to try. And for whatever reason, I just never switched out to the new one.

It’s just 6.5 degrees, right?

MT: Yeah. Very low loft, yeah.

What kind of ball speed do you have with that these days?

MT: Like high 170’s.

Yeah, that’ll work. And then a 2-iron blade? We’re seeing fewer and fewer of those out here.

MT: Yeah. The butter knife.

Very cool thing to have in the bag. Have you done any testing with driving irons? 

MT: Yeah, I used to have a thicker one, but it was a little offset, and I never hit it that well. And then finally, I started messing around with the butter knife. And I remember the first time I looked down at it, I was terrified. And then I ended up getting used to it, putting it in play, and it’s been in place since. It’s a pretty good club for me.

How far do you carry that? 

MT: Like 235.

A good little wind club, I’m sure.

MTL Yeah, exactly. I can hit it very low. It’s great.

I love it. You have people shook looking at that. Thanks for the time, man. 

MT: Absolutely.

To see more photos and discussion of Trainer’s bag, click here.

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Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (3/28/24): L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 Max Broomstick with LA Golf Paige Spiranac shaft

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 Max Broomstick putter with LA Golf Paige Spiranac shaft.

From the seller: (@hibcam): “L.A.B. GOLF Mezz.1 Max Broomstick- LA Golf Paige Spiranac Shaft- 44″/79.5. Brand new, never used brown leather cover. The head was professionally anodized from Orange to Blue (Orange looked bad with the Pink shaft so I had it changed). Only a few rounds on this combo. Please see last pic- slight ding on back corner. 8.5-10 condition. THE SHAFT COST $475/ THE PUTTER $625. $799 shipped in the US. ONLY $699 SHIPPED.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 Max Broomstick with LA Golf Paige Spiranac shaft

This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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Spotted: Tony Finau’s driver shaft change at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open

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Tony Finau has always been known as one of the longest players on the PGA Tour, but he has recently been working on adding a little more distance. Last year, Finau averaged 118.3 mph club head speed and 178.08 mph ball speed, all while playing a Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX driver shaft. This year, he has increased his club head speed to 123.93 mph and his ball speed to 183.32 mph.

However, Finau’s overall distance has decreased by two yards in that time. From a fitting perspective, something was amiss. We asked Tony about the shaft change at the Texas Children’s Hospital Open.

“[I’m seeing] better numbers with the spin. My driver’s been a little high spin for me over the last month or so, and so I just figured it was time to probably check out the equipment,” Finau said. “And it definitely showed me that I was using a shaft that’s maybe a little too tip-stiff for me, the way I load the club now. [I’m seeing] better numbers with the spin.”

Finau switched from the Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX into the Diamana GT 70 TX. The newer Diamana GT has a slightly different profile than the D+ Limited with the stiffest handle section in the Diamana lineup. The mid sections between the two are similar stiffness but the tip is just slightly stiffer in the Diamana GT. Both shafts are within one gram of each other in the 70 TX. The torque rating on the GT is 0.1 higher than the D+Limited’s 2.7 measurement.

Mitsubishi lists the Diamana GT as a shaft between the mid-launching Diamana TB and the new low-launch Diamana WB shafts. For most players, it would be considered a mid/low launch and low-spin shaft option. Mitsubishi’s Xlink Tech Resin System makes sure the maximum carbon fiber content is there for smooth feel without reducing the strength of the shaft. MR70 carbon fiber is used for reinforcing the shaft and boron is used in the tip for its high strength and compression properties.

Finau is still using his trusty Ping G430 LST driver in 9 degrees and has the adjustable hosel set to -1 degree of loft (standard lie angle). Finau’s long-time favorite Lamkin UTX Green grip is installed. He definitely has a few extra wraps of tape under that grip as you can see the bulge down where the grip meets the shaft.

One final note: Per Ping’s PGA Tour rep Kenton Oates, Finau’s driver is also adjusted to play with an additional degree of loft to help dial in his desired launch.

We’ll see how he fares with the new setup this week in Houston!

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