Cobra has made some of my favorite Drivers of all time and I am particularly excited to write this Cobra F9 Driver review today.
Even with the new releases through the years, their old equipment is still great.
I’ll go back to a few from time to time and still feel they perform almost as well as the new F9 we have today for review.
Cobra F9 Driver Review
Cobra as a company flies under the radar at all times. They offer clubs at great prices and although they are thought to be a game improvement company, they are not.
Great players know that Cobra makes some amazing options even for the best swings out there. They usually come up with a product that has both feel and a bit of forgiveness.
Traditionally one thing Cobra has not been known for is distance. This Driver changes that. For the first time in a very long time, Cobra is competing with Callaway and TaylorMade for having one of the longest Drivers on the market.
The Cobra F9 Speedback has the only CNC Milled face on the market. This driver combines an aerodynamic shape with a low center of gravity to create an extremely long and forgiving option.
The Speedback has adjustable option and a variety of shafts to make this driver work for scratch golfers up to a 20 Handicap.
This is both an improvement for Cobra and the golfing public. Last year Cobra released the F8 and the F8+. They were great Drivers but if you had a faster swing speed and lower Handicap you would need the F8+, not the F8.
This year things are simpler and the F9 will work for a large variety of golfers. The CNC Milling on the F9 Speedback allows the Driver to have a thinner and more consistent face than in the years past.
This also allows consistency in product from one Cobra Driver to the next.
Cobra also installed a Carbon Fiber Crown on the Driver which led to a great reduction in weight overall and an increase in distance. The F9 will not hold you back if you are a fast or slow swinger.
If you are a “tech” person and haven’t heard about Cobra Connect, you are going to want to listen up. There is a tracker in the Grip of this club that will give you more feedback than you even knew you needed.
You can track, distance, dispersion, and percentage of fairways hit. This information will help you make sure your settings are exactly what you need them to be for your golf game.
The funny thing about all this information is that anybody can track it, very few will take steps to change it and get better! Features are only going to help the player that puts the time in!
Features and Benefits
Player Handicap
Low Handicap Golfers will be able to play this Driver, yet there are settings and shaft options that also make it a perfect club for Mid to High Handicappers that may not play quite as much golf.
I’ve talked to so many players this year that cannot believe they are swinging a Cobra when you put this club in their hand. Probably the most versatile Driver this year as far as the number of players that it can appeal to.
Adjustability
There are eight adjustable loft settings with the F9. The Cobra also has a movable weight to allow some adjustability for both launch and spin.
Low Handicap players are going to want to keep the weight in the front position. This will promote a Low Spin, Fade Bias, Low Launch option.
Testing which setup works for you is quite easy with the Cobra Connect feature that is offered. Keep in mind that Cobra is the only company currently offering this.
Shaft Options
Premium shaft options to cover all players with this Speedback Driver. The UST Helium is going to be the lightest option if you are looking for some increased swing speed and ball speed.
The Fujikura Atmos 6 and Atmos 7 are also great options for both a mid and low launch option. Lastly, the Project X HZRDUS has been one of the top shafts this year and is available in the Stiff and X Stiff flex.
Many companies are realizing that in the same way they need to offer Lite or Senior Flex, Extra Stiff flex is also appealing to a great number of people.
Look/Sound/Feel
There are two color options the Black/Yellow and the Black/Silver. Personally, the Black/Silver is a little easier for me to look at. It makes the Carbon crown stand out just a bit more.
Feel is great with this Driver, it gives you all of the feedback you need.
As far as the sound is concerned with the Cobra King F9 Driver it will have a tiny bit of a tin sound.
Nothing compared to the sound of previous Cobra drivers but it might be something you want to test before purchasing this club.
Distance
With every action being taken by Cobra to increase speed this Driver is very long.
Forgiveness
Cobra used what they call E9 Technology in this Driver. E9 is a clubface design that leads to much higher levels of forgiveness. The clubface has varying thickness in different locations to allow for very low dispersion overall on mishits.
Just like other leading manufacturers, Cobra focuses on those Low Heel and High Toe miss-hits that most average golfers can see during a round.
Price
This driver offers good value for the price. Unlike some of the other adjustable golf drivers on the market, with the Cobra you can get a fair value and still have all of the latest and most impressive technology there is.
Check out Cobra King F9 Speedback driver review video below:
Pros and Cons of the Cobra F9 Speedback Driver
Now that you have a general overview of the Cobra F9 and all of its impressive features. It’s time to look at the pros and cons. This is where you will really get a better idea as to if this club is a good choice for your game. If you find that it is not, keep reading for some of the alternative options on the market.
Pros
- High performing golf shaft options
- Easy to adjust the driver club head
- New E9 technology in the club face
- Impressive feel and sound
- Works for a wide range of players from 5 to 25 handicap
- Fair pricing from Cobra
- Higher ball speeds than the previous F8 model
Cons
- Not the latest release from Cobra
- Unique Speedback shaping can take a bit of time to get used to
Frequently Asked Questions
Golfers often find that the golf driver they use is one of the most important club choices in the bag. If you can have confidence about the way you get the ball off the tee, the rest of the hole will be a much better overall experience. Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions about the Cobra F9 Speedback.
Alternatives
Callaway Epic Flash
The Callaway Epic Flash has very easy to use sliding weights that allow for quite a bit of adjustability as well.
The price point is higher but the ball speed produced can lead to some drives being a little longer than the F9.
As I mentioned earlier length has never been the strong point for Cobra but they have made great advancements with the F9. Callaway may just be a few yards ahead.
Read our Callaway Epic Flash Driver review.
TaylorMade M6
The TaylorMade M6 is more expensive than the F9. There is no option to adjust as far as weights are concerned.
This can be a positive or a negative depending on what type of player you are. Sometimes the M6 can feel like an easier club to hit but when you compare overall distance and dispersion it does not perform better than the F9.
Read our TaylorMade M6 Driver review.
Cleveland Launcher Turbo
Cleveland Launcher Turbo is a brand-new release. This would be for the mid to high handicap golfer that just wants a simple to hit long and forgiving club.
Sometimes shaft and adjustability options can become overwhelming for the average golfer and that is certainly understandable. Even pros feel like as soon as they figure something out it all changes again.
Conclusion
The Cobra King F9 fills a gap in the market for a Driver that can support both a mid to high Handicap Player as well as a low Handicap player.
I love this option for someone who is a 20 handicap and looking to improve their game. So many athletic people pick up the game of golf and although it is very difficult in the beginning their improvement comes relatively fast.
Purchasing a beginner set with all of the golf clubs included can get these people on the course but that equipment won’t last long.
As shown in this review, this Cobra Driver is an ideal option for this golfer.
The Driver will work with you as you improve and then when your misses start to decrease and you settle in at your HDCP this club will still be “good enough”. That’s hard to find in a Driver today and what makes the F9 Driver by Cobra such an amazing value. Cobra has also achieved similiar success with the Cobra F9 Speedback Hybrid, read our comprehensive review to get all the details.
If you enjoyed our Cobra F9 driver review and are looking to expand your golf bag, I recommend you click on the button below where we tried to find the best deals for this driver.
