Cobra Darkspeed Hybrid Review
Published: Last updated:
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At a glance
- TG Rating
- Owner Rating
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Pros
- Super forgiving and very easy to hit
- Looks fantastic behind the ball and in the bag
- Wide range of loft options make it easy to find the perfect hybrid you need
- Sounds and feels much better than previous model
- Instills a lot of confidence from a range of lies -
Cons
- Completely black head might not be to all golfers' liking, but the Cobra Darkspeed Women's hybrid does have coll blue accents and might be more of some people's fancy
What we say...
Cobra say the Darkspeed hybrid delivers increased speed and launch to help you hit the ball farther with greater ease. In this review, I find out if it lives up to the promises.
Cobra are notorious for producing fantastic rescue clubs that challenge for being the best hybrid golf clubs on the market. The brand’s history with hybrids goes back further than any other company, having been the brains behind the first hybrid ever introduced to the golfing world.
The Baffler was the first rescue club unveiled to golfers and it was an instant hit with players of all abilities. Over time more and more better plays have turned to hybrids to help get them out of trouble, or as a way to find more consistency than they can with longer irons.
Hybrids might not be a staple of every Tour player’s golf bag but you will find TG columnist and Cobra staffer Andrew “Beef” Johnston playing with them. Rescue clubs are much more popular among amateur golfers because of their characteristics and they serve very well as a “get out of jail club”.
If there is any brand out there that knows exactly how to build the perfect hybrid it’s Cobra. Hybrids are intended to be used as a substitute for long irons or higher lofted fairway woods – rather than going for a Darkspeed fairway wood or a Darkspeed long iron you might want to look at a Darkspeed 3 or 4-hybrid to help improve your game.
Cobra’s newest range of Darkspeed hybrids features much of the technology found in the Darkspeed drivers and fairway woods, including the PWRSHELL H.O.T. Face and PWR Bridge weighting which makes this hybrid fast and forgiving. It’ll be no surprise to see both Darkspeed variable and ONE length hybrids featuring highly amongst the best hybrid golf clubs of 2024.
What’s new about the Cobra Darkspeed hybrid
Dark color scheme
Given the name Darkspeed, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Cobra have elected to go with a dark color scheme absent of any color on the variable length head, while the ONE length head has a splash of blue and red on the sole of the club head. The previous AeroJet fairway hybrid did have a dark carbon crown like the Darkspeed but there are no visible colors other than black – in a very appealing satin finish – when you lay the club behind the ball.
Cobra removing all colors from the variable-length Darkspeed hybrid is perhaps a bold move that could backfire but we doubt it will. At TG we absolutely love the fierce look of the all-black club head both in the bag and sat behind the ball, and we imagine the majority of golfers will feel the same.
No return for the Baffler rails
When Cobra launched the AeroJet hybrid in 2023 it didn’t feature the Baffler rails we’d seen on prior Cobra hybrids. It left us questioning whether they were going to return in 2024, well we can now answer that question… they won’t. Baffler rails were added to Cobra’s hybrids in recent years to help golfers play out from tough lies with greater ease.
However, as Cobra have improved the technology in the club head the need for Baffler rails has declined. Removing the Baffler rails reduces drag during the swing meaning you can deliver quicker club head speed which transfers into hitting the ball farther.
ONE Length returns
Despite Bryson Dechambeau no longer being a Cobra Tour player, the company haven’t ditched the ideology of ONE length. It’s incredibly popular and Cobra enjoy a lot of success with the ONE length range of irons so they’ve decided to continue manufacturing the ONE length hybrid too.
We expect both the ONE length and variable-length Darkspeed hybrids to be challenging the best hybrids in 2024.
Cobra Darkspeed hybrid technology explained
PWRSHELL Insert and A.I. designed H.O.T. Face
Through machine learning, Cobra have been able to enhance the performance of the PWRSHELL insert to add more speed and launch, which ultimately results in further distance. The A.I. designed H.O.T. Face has 15 individual hot spots across the entirety of the clubface and features an optimized variable thickness pattern to deliver more efficient ball speed and spin, making this hybrid even easier to hit while producing brilliant numbers.
PWR Bridge
The PWR Bridge was first introduced in last year’s AeroJet hybrid and it’s back (and better) this year in Darkspeed. Cobra have improved the PWR Bridge so it has more impact on distance and spin. PWR Bridge works cohesively with the PWRSHELL insert to create a more flexible face and sole which helps maximize launch and ball speed while ensuring spin rates don’t jump.
Mid Weight
The Darkspeed is fitted with a 12g weight as standard in the middle of the club – previously it has been positioned in the back. It has been strategically positioned to promote a high, towering ball flight which helps increase carry distance.
Deep body design
Cobra are aware that the majority of golfers who turn to hybrids are those looking for increased forgiveness that irons just can’t offer. The deep body design is extremely confidence-inspiring, and thanks to the high bounce leading-edge turf interaction is much improved on a wide range of lies.
Everything you need to know about the Cobra Darkspeed hybrid
Cobra Darkspeed hybrid
RRP: £229.00 / $279.00
Variable Length Lofts: 17° / 19° / 21° / 24° / 28°
ONE Length Lofts: 19° / 21° / 24°
You can pick up a Darkspeed hybrid, or any other club from Cobra’s Darkspeed range, from January 11 when pre-sale begins. From January 19, they will be available to purchase from multiple retailers and online.
There isn’t much the Cobra Darkspeed hybrid doesn’t offer, whether you’re searching for speed, launch, distance, forgiveness, or all of the above Darkspeed has you covered. Both the variable and ONE length hybrids are aimed more towards amateur golfers, with their King Tec hybrids being intended for Tour players and better golfers. There’s no adjustability with the Darkspeed hybrids but there are ample lofts to choose from, ensuring you can find the best hybrid to slot in your bag.
Having achieved much success with the previous AeroJet hybrid, Cobra have continued to use AI to assist them in designing the H.O.T. Face. The emphasis of this hybrid is on playability and forgiveness from any lie, to achieve this Cobra have positioned one weight in the center of the club head to maximize carry distance thus resulting in increased total distance. The deeper body and high bounce leading edge make this club extremely versatile and a go-to no matter where you’re balls sitting.
Video: How does the Cobra Darkspeed compare to other leading 2024 hybrids?
Verdict: Cobra Darkspeed hybrid
If you’ve been an observer of our test results over recent years you may well have spotted Cobra hybrids have a history of cropping up among our award winners within this category. It’s not unusual for brands to have areas where they excel and for us at least Cobra knows their onions when it comes to creating great hybrids.
Part of my reasoning for their success is the brand’s dedication to using quality KBS Players Graphite shafts for their mainstream hybrids, which our test pro felt added additional head stability on off-center hits. Hand on heart, even though the model is £40 less expensive than a TaylorMade Qi10 and £70 cheaper than a Callaway Ai Smoke and it was the 3rd longest hybrid we hit this year I don’t feel this is a hybrid for everyone.
My thinking comes down to how our test data spells out that compared to the competition the Darkspeed flighted shots 20.5% lower than our test average and hit the green at a 17.1% shallower descent angle. There’s nothing wrong with that, so long as you specifically want to target a lower ball flight with any new hybrid purchase.
If you do we love the simple unfussy head shape and profile of the Darkspeed, hence why it ranks among my favorite four hybrids of the year.
Data comparison: How does the Cobra Darkspeed compare to leading competitor hybrids in 2024?
Hybrid | Loft | Ball Speed | Launch Angle | Backspin | Height | Descent Angle | Carry Distance | Carry Distance Drop Off | Shot Area |
TaylorMade Qi10 | 19° | 143.2 MPH | 11.5° | 2669 RPM | 27 YDS | 35.5° | 234 YDS (1) | 14 YDS | 949.2 SQ YDS |
Callaway Ai Smoke HL | 21° | 144.4 MPH (1) | 10.8° | 3283 RPM | 29 YDS | 38.3° | 231 YDS (2) | 14 YDS | 645.4 SQ YDS |
Cobra Darkspeed | 19° | 141.8 MPH | 9.3° | 2651 RPM | 21 YDS | 31° | 226 YDS (3) | 18 YDS | 586.8 SQ YDS |
TaylorMade Qi10 Tour | 19.5° | 142.9 MPH | 9.2° | 3125 RPM | 23 YDS | 34.1° | 225 YDS | 18 YDS | 801 SQ YDS |
Callaway Ai Smoke | 21° | 142.2 MPH | 9.9° | 3270 RPM | 25 YDS | 35.9° | 225 YDS | 8 YDS (T2) | 156 SQ YDS (1) |
Titleist TSR 1 | 20° | 143.8 MPH (3) | 10.2° | 3668 RPM | 28 YDS | 38.8° | 225 YDS | 21 YDS | 735 SQ YDS |
Titleist TSR 2 | 21° | 142.6 MPH | 10.5° | 3359 RPM | 27 YDS | 37.4° | 225 YDS | 17 YDS | 759.9 SQ YDS |
Ping G430 | 19° | 142.4 MPH | 9.4° | 3295 RPM | 24 YDS | 35.1° | 224 YDS | 17 YDS | 554.2 SQ YDS |
Titleist TSR 3 | 19° | 143.9 MPH (2) | 8.2° | 3378 RPM | 22 YDS | 33.1° | 223 YDS | 25 YDS | 387.5 SQ YDS |
Cobra King Tec | 19° | 141.9 MPH | 10.3° | 3611 RPM | 27 YDS | 38° | 222 YDS | 21 YDS | 720.3 SQ YDS |
PXG 0311 Black Ops | 22° | 139.8 MPH | 10.1° | 3313 RPM | 25 YDS | 35.7° | 220 YDS | 20 YDS | 380 SQ YDS |
TaylorMade Qi10 Max | 20° | 140.7 MPH | 12° | 3782 RPM | 31 YDS | 41.2° | 220 YDS | 18 YDS | 480.6 SQ YDS |
Cleveland Halo XL | 21° | 142 MPH | 10.6° | 4739 RPM | 30 YDS | 42° | 213 YDS | 13 YDS | 438.1 SQ YDS |
PXG 0311 XF GEN6 | 22° | 138.7 MPH | 11.7° | 4016 RPM | 30 YDS | 41.1° | 213 YDS | 7 YDS (1) | 166.6 SQ YDS (2) |
Wilson Dynapower | 22° | 139 MPH | 10.6° | 4164 RPM | 28 YDS | 39.8° | 211 YDS | 13 YDS | 341.9 SQ YDS |
Inesis 500 | 20° | 140.2 MPH | 10° | 4407 RPM | 27 YDS | 39.9° | 211 YDS | 12 YDS | 454.8 SQ YDS |
MacGregor V Max | 21° | 132.8 MPH | 10.5° | 4587 RPM | 25 YDS | 38.9° | 196 YDS | 8 YDS (T2) | 200.8 SQ YDS (3) |
Average | 141.3 MPH | 10.3° | 3607 RPM | 26.4 YDS | 37.4° | 220.2 YDS | 15.5 YDS | 515.2 SQ YDS |
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About the author
James Hogg – Golf Equipment Writer
James has a degree in English Language from Newcastle University and an MA in Journalism from Kingston University.
He spent seven years working for American Golf as part of the sales and fitting team alongside his studies and is a specialist in putters, golf balls, and apparel.
James took up golf as a teenager and, thanks largely to his length and consistency off the tee, he plays off a handicap of 4.7 at Cleveland Golf Club.
You can contact James via email for loads more golf equipment insight.
Product Information
Cobra Darkspeed Hybrid
RRP: £229.00 | VIEW UK OFFER | $279.00 | VIEW US OFFER
Variable Length Lofts: 2H - 17° / 3H - 19° / 4H - 21° / 5H - 24° / 6H - 28°
ONE Length Lofts: 3H - 19° / 4H - 21° / 5H - 24°
Stock shaft: KBS PGI
Stock grip: Lamkin Crossline Black
Flight bias: High