50 Words or Less
The Cobra DS-ADAPT MAX irons launch the ball high with ease. Great forgiveness and stability injects your approach shots with predictability. Surprisingly traditional sound and feel.
Introduction
No golf club can be everything to everyone. Especially in this era, when we have more equipment choices than ever before, OEMs should be clear about what a club does and who it’s for. Cobra did just that with the DS-ADAPT MAX irons, and I applaud them for it. Their notes make it explicit that these are big irons designed for players who want to see the ball fly higher and more consistently. I tested the Cobra DS-ADAPT MAX irons to see if the reality matched their intention.
Looks
As one would expect, the Cobra DS-ADAPT MAX irons have a lot in common with their smaller brother, the Cobra DS-ADAPT irons [review HERE]. Both sets have a fairly busy look in the bag with “Cobra” and “DS-ADAPT” running horizontally across the back. The MAX model takes it up another notch with a slash of red where the standard model is silver.
At address, the DS-ADAPT MAX irons sports “a slightly larger profile, thicker topline, wider sole, longer blade, and added offset” per Cobra. This is 100% accurate, and I applaud Cobra for saying plainly what most OEMs try to hide in euphemisms. These are super game improvement irons, and they look the part, particularly with regard to the offset and sole width. For the player that likes to see a lot of club and a healthy dose of offset, these irons will fit the bill perfectly.
Sound & Feel
Any time that I see an iron of this size, I expect a big impact sound – loud, explosive, often clicky. None of those words describe the Cobra DS-ADAPT MAX irons. Starting with the wedges and short irons, I found an understated sound that was more traditional than modern. This paired with a solid, stable feel.
As I moved into the mid and long irons, the volume picked up a bit, but the sound remained low-pitched. The best strikes had a little responsive “click,” but the deep register kept it sounding powerful. These longer clubs did create a feel that balanced “solid” with “fast,” but the face never felt thin. Overall, the DS-ADAPT MAX irons were a pleasant surprise from a sound and feel perspective.
Performance
The most important difference between the Cobra DS-ADAPT MAX irons and the standard DS-ADAPT irons [review HERE] is the loft structure. The MAX irons are two degrees weaker throughout most of the set. The purpose of this structure, especially when combined with the lighter weight and thick soles, is to create higher, easier launch. On this count, the DS-ADAPT MAX irons are a big success.
From the wedges through the long irons, this set wants to send the ball high into the air. For the wedges, my testing notes say, “Ball goes straight up and straight down.” The latter part hints at the steep landing angles that these irons produce. While they are not high spinning – in fact, they spun less than average for me – the landing angles are sharp enough to hold the firmest greens. I’ll add that the Cobra DS-ADAPT MAX irons launch high even on thin strikes – a real gift for those with shallow angles of attack.
Despite the weaker lofts, the Cobra DS-ADAPT MAX irons produce excellent ball speed and distance. In fact, while many golfers assume that more loft equals less distance, some will hit the MAX longer than the standard version. Particularly in the longer irons, the weaker lofts will produce launch angles that are closer to optimal and more playable for many golfers.
In addition to launching the ball high and far, these irons are very forgiving. Per Cobra, the 360 SPEEDSHELL Face is now larger and has 23% more face flexion. This translates to more speed across more of the face. In my testing, I found it difficult to lose more than a club of carry distance, and that includes some very poor strikes. Anything resembling good contact landed within a few yards of my best strikes. Additionally, the wide sole provides a lot of insurance against fat shots – a feature that makes these irons desirable for steep swingers, too.
Finally, the hollow body design of the Cobra DS-ADAPT MAX irons makes them very stable, which leads to excellent dispersion. These are point-and-shoot irons, designed to go where you aim them. Are they good for shaping shots and hitting different trajectories? Not particularly, but complaining about that is like being upset that your pet fish can’t ride a bike – it’s not what they’re meant for. These irons are designed to make the game easier, and they do just that.
Conclusion
The Cobra DS-ADAPT MAX irons understand their mission and achieve it with aplomb. They launch every shot high into the air with plenty of ball speed. There’s ample distance here, and they’re stable enough to keep your shots flying toward the target, even when your swing isn’t perfect.
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Cobra DS-ADAPT MAX Irons Price & Specs
