Updated February 15, 2024. This article was thoroughly audited by multiple golf experts and coaches for its accuracy. You can read more about our rigorous testing protocol here.
The new Cobra DarkSpeed Irons are already generating noteworthy buzz. As they hit shelves, Cobra discovered the iron set won the Gold Medal on Golf Digest’s 2024 Hot List.
Made for golfers seeking a well-made, high-profile game-improvement iron set, the new DarkSpeed irons offer a host of beneficial features sure to boost distance and extend carry.
After spending time with these irons on the range and course, I quickly discovered they provided plenty of pop off the face, but can you control them?
I’ll answer that question in my in-depth review of the latest Cobra iron set release.
Cobra DarkSpeed Irons
Best Cobra Irons for Mid Handicappers
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Specifications (4-PW)
- Loft: 18.5°- 42°
- Lie: 62°-65°
- Shaft Length: 36”-39.25”
- Flex: Regular, Stiff
- Swing Weight: D1, D1.5
- Shaft Type: KBS Tour Lite
- Grip Type: Lamkin Crossline Black
- Price: $999.99
Pros
- Very long ball flight with extended carry
- Lightweight but powerful feel
- Tighter dispersion for game-improvement iron
Cons
- Doesn’t offer a consistent distance
- Better for golfers who need length over accuracy
In-Depth Cobra DarkSpeed Irons Review
How do the Cobra DarkSpeed Irons look?
A lot is going on with the new DarkSpeed irons. Hard, jagged lines adorn the back half of the clubhead, with silver and black as the two dominant colors.
That said, it carries a modern look that probably won’t win any awards but won’t turn away any potential buyers.
At address, the iron has a thick topline with moderate offset to help golfers that struggle with a slice.
With the long irons, there’s more offset than with the scoring irons. The face carries a rounded sole and a large sweet spot carrying 12 grooves.
As with most Cobra clubs, the branding is off the charts, as the H.O.T. Face and PWRBridge are clearly labeled.
How do the Cobra DarkSpeed Irons feel?
After some time with the irons, I really enjoyed how solid they feel with responsiveness that’s off the charts. The DarkSpeed irons maintained a solid feel even on strikes toward the toe.
With sweet spot impact, the club responded with pure power, and the resulting ball flight, high and fast, certainly accompanied the delightful feel.
When it came to gauging turf interaction, the mid-irons are crisp and cleanly made their way through the soil to deliver ball-first contact.
The irons don’t particularly feel heavy when holding, but they aren’t lightweight either. I expected this type of trade-off when dealing with game-improvement irons such as the DarkSpeed.
What handicap is best for the Cobra DarkSpeed Irons?
Mid and high handicappers will find the most benefit with the DarkSpeed irons.
I don’t believe single-digit handicaps will find too much workability here, so they’ll probably need to look elsewhere to find the clubs that work best for their game.
But if you are in the market for irons that will increase consistency and improve ball flight, the DarkSpeed has you covered.
Ball flight remains high and straight, especially on sweet spot impact. Even toe shots maintain ball speed and stay relatively close to the intended target line.
I had a problem finding my consistent yardages with the DarkSpeed, but that’s not uncommon with game-improvement irons.
If you don’t mind the occasional flyer, and if you are a beginner or high handicapper, I doubt you do, then you’ll find the DarkSpeed has a lot of springy energy to enjoy off the face.
How do the Cobra DarkSpeed Irons perform?
Overall, I found the DarkSpeed irons to perform rather well on both the range and when faced with real-world situations on the golf course.
The irons didn’t snap shut from the rough, staying open to get clean contact on the golf ball. And from the short grass, the rounded sole moved easily through the turf without skidding or popping.
The mid-irons are strong, producing a low, penetrating flight that stays on target with minimal side spin.
I didn’t find much workability with these three irons, but if you need more distance and are willing to trade some shot shaping, then you’ll find the DarkSpeed set more than capable.
Inside 150 yards, the wedges and 9-iron in the set delivered high spin with a steep landing angle that helped me hold greens. The tall, arcing ball flight with these irons remains fairly consistent the more you swing these clubs.
Other Cobra DarkSpeed Iron Models
Cobra DarkSpeed One-Length Irons
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The DarkSpeed One-Length Irons cost just under $1000 and have shafts measuring 37.25 inches. They utilize a 105-gram steel shaft with a Lamkin Crossline 48-gram grip.
Each iron in the set is built to a 7-iron length, helping golfers with a steep swing obtain better consistency and strike quality.
Since the shaft isn’t as long as you’d find in a 4-iron, you can maintain the same swing plane for each club, providing a conforming swing style that delivers reliable results.
The irons also offer innovative hollow-body construction that deepens and lowers the club head’s CG to maximize distance and launch.
Cobra DarkSpeed Women’s Combo Set with Graphite Shafts
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Cobra has created a custom set for women golfers using the DarkSpeed irons and popular DarkSpeed hybrids.
At $1099, the set offers a 5H, 6H, and 7-iron through sand wedge.
This combo set uses graphite shafts with both the irons and hybrids to maximize swing speed, increase launch, and improve overall distance.
The 5-hybrid has a loft of 24 degrees, while the 6-hybrid has a 28-degree loft to get the ball into the air easily. The two hybrids offer strong lofts that can increase launch for better results on entry shots into greens.
My Honest Verdict
There’s very little to complain about with this year’s DarkSpeed irons. They are light on their feet, produce very fast ball speed, and launch the ball incredibly high with a backspin that holds the green inside 175 yards.
While the irons don’t look as sleek and intimidating as the driver and fairway woods in this set, they still offer a modern appearance that works well for current game-improvement irons.
While I had trouble getting these irons under control, and gapping was an issue for me, I think golfers who need more power from their iron game will take the trade-off due to the significant benefits for their overall game enjoyment.
More distance is great for 75% of the amateurs that play golf, something the DarkSpeed iron set certainly provides with style.