Cobra Greg norman Tour Forged Blades

[uwhockey14]

Anyone have any feedback on these Irons from Greg Norman's hayday? I've been looking into getting a set of either the blades or the forged cavity backs for my collection for some time now but have never pulled the trigger so I was wondering if anybody has owned or played with these clubs at all.... They certainly look awesome...

 

Thanks

[Nard_S]

They are the best of blades and the worst of blades. LOL. :)

 

You're a 681 guy right? I am too and I love these the way I love the those. Find the GN to be more svelte than 681, but less forgiving and demand higher quality of swing to get same distance. But they are easily as accurate might even have an edge there.

 

I love my set. They are incredibly soft when nutted. Very accurate and have gobs of spin. Sweet spot is decidedly heel side. There's a stout athletic feel to them, not overly heavy but more substantial than most modern blades. I have the "TOUR" stamped MB's, which have a longer neck and higher CG than non-stamped ones. Build is impeccable and some of Hoffman's best work in terms of forge quality I've come across. The SW is flat out best one I ever used. The downside is they are not forgiving on toe and thins even by standards many other blades of that era or forward. Sole is old school blunt and sharp. The upside is these really stand up to elevated swing speeds and tempos, they're hitters blades and I can see why Norman chose this vehicle for himself. Can also see why he had so many balls back spin on the greens, it's the only iron I have done this with.

 

I revere my set and they have prized possession status. I actually do not play them that much and it's only due to desire to keep them bodacious. Took me 3 years to find a mint set at reasonable price. These, & the 681's are the elite of my collection. Tattered Maruman 41CX (SZ's) are in the bag to hang onto & preserve those gems.

[Buzzkill]

Old topic, new post - have a retail set coming next week. Anxious to see how a reverse muscle design plays - not worried about supposed lack of forgiveness. I'll report back with a short review along with pics.

[Man_O_War]

beautiful blades. If you are a blade guy...you will love them. COG is high on these

[Buzzkill]

> @Man_O_War said:

> beautiful blades. If you are a blade guy...you will love them. COG is high on these

 

Definitely curious about the COG, we'll see!

[Buzzkill]

> @Buzzkill said:

> > @Man_O_War said:

> > beautiful blades. If you are a blade guy...you will love them. COG is high on these

>

> Definitely curious about the COG, we'll see!

 

Clubs came today and played 9 holes - didn't notice any trajectory change because of reverse muscle design. Pics in WITVB link.

[gators78]

Other than the National Custom reverse muscle blade designs, is there anything else in the market similar with reverse muscle / that high of a CoG?

 

Also, mega sick WITB.

[Buzzkill]

> @gators78 said:

> Other than the National Custom reverse muscle blade designs, is there anything else in the market similar with reverse muscle / that high of a CoG?

>

> Also, mega sick WITB.

Don't know BUT thanks!

 

[RobotDoctor]

Greg Norman's forged blades in the 80s were Spaulding (due to endorsement). His 90s blades were Cobra irons made by MacGregor. I believe Don White worked on those. I have seen on set of these (not shafted) and should have bought them.

[Nard_S]

> @Buzzkill said:

> > @Buzzkill said:

> > > @Man_O_War said:

> > > beautiful blades. If you are a blade guy...you will love them. COG is high on these

> >

> > Definitely curious about the COG, we'll see!

>

> Clubs came today and played 9 holes - didn't notice any trajectory change because of reverse muscle design. Pics in WITVB link.

 

Actually keeping them low is difficult. They have tons of spin (COG, grooves?) and with less than great shaft lean ball goes high. Looks like yours has the Apollo shafts, which I find to be very good. Have those in a set of King Cobra metals. Best of luck with them.

[Buzzkill]

> @Nard_S said:

> > @Buzzkill said:

> > > @Buzzkill said:

> > > > @Man_O_War said:

> > > > beautiful blades. If you are a blade guy...you will love them. COG is high on these

> > >

> > > Definitely curious about the COG, we'll see!

> >

> > Clubs came today and played 9 holes - didn't notice any trajectory change because of reverse muscle design. Pics in WITVB link.

>

> Actually keeping them low is difficult. They have tons of spin (COG, grooves?) and with less than great shaft lean ball goes high. **Looks like yours has the Apollo shafts, which I find to be very good.** Have those in a set of King Cobra metals. Best of luck with them.

 

Don't know anything about Apollo shafts but my local club repair guy verified they were X100 for flex. I'm pulling the shafts and putting in TTDG 95 regular flex.

[hbone66]

Old topic, but I'm curious if anyone knows what if any, difference there is between the models with the Norman signature in the muscle and without a signature? Thanks everyone.

[Nard_S]

23 minutes ago, hbone66 said:

Old topic, but I'm curious if anyone knows what if any, difference there is between the models with the Norman signature in the muscle and without a signature? Thanks everyone.

I've heard/read that non signatures were tour issue. Also that "fat" font are consumer retail but "thin" font are of the tour stamped version. Usually says "TOUR" on hosel. Those have a longer neck (plus 1/4") and sweet spot that is tighter to heel.

[hbone66]

23 minutes ago, Nard_S said:

I've heard/read that non signatures were tour issue. Also that "fat" font are consumer retail but "thin" font are of the tour stamped version. Usually says "TOUR" on hosel. Those have a longer neck (plus 1/4") and sweet spot that is tighter to heel.

Thank you. I found this thread right after I posted, some good info in here:

https://forums.golfwrx.com/topic/447588-greg-norman-cobra-blades/

 

[Nard_S]

I'm very fond of these, they are the s.h.i.t. to nut. Very heel based sweet spot, some of my sweetest range sessions were nutting these for hours on end. The setup is perfect. Not too heavy not too light. Gems.

[even_steven]

I have these, including a 1-iron 😄 Bought in 1997, good condition. Graphite shafts. Will keep them for nostalgic purposes.

[MrFlipper]

985 style reverse musclebacks are one of the great underappreciated designs, in my mind.

 

I grew up playing mid-70's pga tommy armours like these, still got them and play them when I'm out in socal. Playing Hogan bounce soles now. Same general design. Don't think Hogan went back to the design after the 72 apexes.

 

These cobras might have been the last iteration of the design. Really sad. This is about as classic as it gets for me.

[Christen_The_Sloop]

There are a few similar designs out there. Earlier Mizuno models, based on Macs. Some JP Macs which cost a fortune in the late 80s/early90s. I even found a set of JP Rams and I slept on them... They looked sweet... try to find a pic.

[Nard_S]

Reverse muscle design were always somewhat rare. Tall faced muscles were more common. Today's offerings (US) are rather cookie cutter and are pretty much neither. Maybe that's good thing for some reason but tall, boxy remains bodacious to me.

[courcy75]

Does anyone know where I could find the specs on these blades? I just grabbed a set for cheap and want to build them in a few weeks. Cobra's website only dates back to 2007. 

[Nard_S]

37 minutes ago, courcy75 said:

Does anyone know where I could find the specs on these blades? I just grabbed a set for cheap and want to build them in a few weeks. Cobra's website only dates back to 2007. 

48* PW & 28* #5i. 4* increments till that, then 3* for longer irons. Standard lofts for 90's era clubs. Standard shafts were parallel type S300 U. 

[courcy75]

got it thanks! Parallel tip shafts is something I haven't seen in a while. 

[Nard_S]

1 minute ago, courcy75 said:

got it thanks! Parallel tip shafts is something I haven't seen in a while. 

Yeah, I hear you but I'm playing S400 U in Maruman's at this moment. I really like them.

[brianp123]

I have a set of these that I recently reshafted with some .370 rifle FCM 6.5s. Got all the way to the 1 iron with no issue to find that the hosel is too small, probably .355. Guess I'll have to ream it out or just reinstall the original s300