Cobra Debuts Transition-S Integrated Iron Set

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Nothing to me so embodies the evolution of golf equipment as the current crop of game improvement irons. I never imagined that when Karsten Solheim introduced the first cavity back cast irons that he was opening the door to a whole new world of irons that over the years would make the game so much more fun for the average golfer.

 

 

Of course, the newest additions to our bags are hybrids or, as Cobra chooses to call them, utility metals. And where once they were simply replacements for long irons, now they are now becoming the foundation for complete sets. Adams Golf and Nickent, whose early success has been based on their hybrids, have both bet heavily on the integrated iron set concept as we've written about here and here.

 

Cobra, a brand known for targeting the average player with more forgiving clubs, now joins in with what is perhaps the most fully integrated set I've seen so far. Three different types of clubs make up the set, and that, to me, makes a lot of sense.

 

 

The Transition-S Concept

Some of the early entries into irons sets that match hybrids with more traditional irons simply replace the 3- and 4-irons with hybrids and then jump directly to the 5-iron through pitching wedge.

 

 

That's fine for some players. But there are a lot of golfers with slower swing speeds that find even getting a game improvement 5- or 6-iron up in the air an inconsistent proposition.

 

 

Cobra's Transition-S set design speaks directly to that issue. The 3-, 4-, and 5-irons are replaced with utility metals. The 6- and 7-iron are hybrid irons. The 8-, 9-iron, and pitching and sand wedges are wide-soled cavity back irons. That's about as forgiving a set of irons as you could want or imagine.

 

 

And that's exactly what Cobra was trying for here. Says Jeff Harmet, president of Cobra and Titleist Golf Clubs, "We identified a consumer need and market opportunity to create a complete set designed to maximize forgiveness, carry distance, and accuracy for moderate-ball-speed players."

 

 

The Transition-S Clubs

The three utility metals all feature a wide sole and low crown that helps move the center of gravity low and back in the head to deliver more forgiveness and higher launch. There's also a generous amount of offset to encourage a draw-biased ball flight. The two hybrid irons are hollow-bodied clubheads with moderately wide soles and low profiles. The four wide-sole irons have a urethane-filled back cavity for a softer feel at impact. All come with Cobra-branded Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips.

 

 

 

The Cobra Transition-S set shown here is the men's version. The senior and women's versions have different colored graphics and shafts. With those wide soles, graphite shafts, and generous offset these clubs exude forgiveness.

 

 

Following their pattern of introducing club lines in men's, women's, and senior's versions, Cobra follows suit with their new Transition-S clubs. The men's set includes 3-PW, while the senior's and women's sets are 4-SW. The shaft in all versions is a Cobra/Aldila NV-HL graphite model at 65 grams in the men's, 60 grams in senior's, and 50 grams in women's clubs.

 

 

As has become almost standard practice in game improvement clubs like this, the lofts are set strong in the men's version with the pitching wedge at 44°. However, in the women's and senior's versions, the pitching wedge loft is 46°. And while the women's and seniors sets are 4-PW, a 3 utility metal is available separately with 23° loft as opposed to the 20° 3 utility standard in the men's set.

 

 

Transition-S sets will begin shipping July 15 with a suggested retail price of $840.

 

 

In the End…

Golf should be all about having fun. Few of us have the skill, talent, or strength of professionals and that's why we shouldn't be playing the same equipment they do. To me, anything that makes hitting the ball higher, farther, and straighter is a good thing. And that's what this Cobra Transition-S set is all about. I truly think more golfers should be considering clubs like this. They could just possibly deliver a lot more fun.

 

 

Originally Published at http://thesandtrap.com/columns/bag_drop/co...grated_iron_set.