Cobra F-Max Superlite Fairway Wood Review

Cobra F-Max Fairway Wood Review

Cobra F-Max Three Wood
Grade: A
Teachers’ Comments: Finally, a fairway wood I can consistently hit. Long, with a strong draw bias. Worth a look if you’re in the market.

Cobra Golf Web Site

For reasons unknown, I have struggled to hit fairway metals over the last several years. There was a time when I had 3, 5, 7, and 9 woods in my bag. But somehow, I lost my way. I had trouble getting the ball into the air; I frequently topped the ball.  Ultimately, I gave up entirely and swapped the woods out for hybrids. Aside from the driver, for several years, the longest club in my bag has been a Cobra Baffler XL 2 hybrid. I’ve also got  3-, 4- and 5- Baffler XL Hybrids. While the Bafflers are several generations old, they still have a lot of life left in them.

Cobra recently sent for review one of their new F-Max Superlite Fairway metals — a #3 at 16°. I’m a big fan of Cobra clubs (I also have a Cobra driver) so in spite of my fairway metal/wood struggles, I was excited to give it a try.

To my great surprise, I have had good success with the Cobra F-Max. It offers consistently good distance, with a strong draw bias. The ball flight is moderate to high.

I have yet to top a ball with the F-Max, or send it on a low, screaming worm burner. On the other hand, with its draw bias, I do occasionally overcook it to the left. That may be of concern for players who normally hit a draw (I do not).

The Cobra F-Max Superlite Fariway is a club that’s worth a look if you’re in the market for new fairway metals.

The low-profile, shallow-faced shape of the Cobra F-Max may have something to do with my rekindled fairway metal success. I love how low the clubhead sets up behind the ball. With every swing, I feel as though I’m going to catch the globe below the equator and send it into orbit. It makes me believe and I think the result is more effective contact. Golf is, after all, 90% mental (the other half is physical — thanks Yogi!).

Complementing the low profile, the wide, flat bottom glides smoothly over the ground, helping to prevent digging and fat shots.

Taken as a package, the clubhead design features  have gotten me back into the swing of things with a fairway wood.  Or it could be that my swing has evolved back to a position where fairway metals/woods are an option once again. I’ll have to get out one of my taller, fatter three woods and see how I do.

The Cobra F-Max fairway’s low profile also helps to move the center of gravity down, while weighting moves it back. The  internal weighting systems shifts weight to the heel and rear. That also helps to make good contact and launch the ball.

The core design feature of the F-Max fairway, however, is the “Superlite” part of the name. The F-Max is designed to be as light as possible to offer greater distance for players with moderate swing speeds. Compared with similar fairway metals, Cobra says that it has a 4 gram lighter clubhead, 5 gram lighter shaft and 7 gram lighter grip. In all, Cobra shaved 16 grams from this forged 455 stainless steel fairway metal.

The swingweight (which is not a measure of actual weight, but of how the weight feels when you swing) of the Cobra F-Max is a D-0, compared to the D-4 of a TaylorMade M3 Fairway. It does indeed feel quite light. That’s a feeling that some may not like.

 

The face of the F-Max Superlight is a forged, stainless steel insert. That, Cobra says, also contributes to ball speed and launch. The ball does indeed launch a long way with this club. I have had a couple of legitimate shots at the green at distances I would not have attempted with my 2-hybrid Cobra XLs.

The Men’s F-MAX Superlite Fairways ($199) is available in both right-hand and left-hand versions with Superlite shafts (55-gram in stiff and regular flex, and 50-gram in lite flex). Comes in a sleek black/red colorway. Available lofts include 16°, 20° and 23° in right-hand and 16° and 20° in left-hand.

I really like playing with this Cobra F-Max Superlite fairway wood, and it stays in the bag. It is well worth a look for those in the market for a new fairway wood. Given my success with this club, I am interested in looking at more of Cobra’s current offerings.