When Cobra Golf returned to the putter market in November 2020, the company broke new ground with its limited-edition putters that were built with 3D-printed metal.
Now, in May 2021, the company has announced a new family of “King 3D Printed” putters are coming to retail, albeit using a slightly different 3D printing process than the original. To go along with the line of modern, multi-piece King 3D Printed putters, Cobra is also releasing a line of King Vintage series putters that combine new-school technologies with old-school head shapes.
First, let’s start with the King 3D Printed putters.
Back in 2018, Cobra teamed up with Hewlett Packard (HP), a printer company, and Parmatech, a company with expertise in metallurgy. That collaboration helped produce the limited-edition King Supersport-35 putters released in 2020; they had 3D-printed 316 stainless steel bodies and lightweight lattice structures that removed unwanted weight. According to Cobra, 3D printing accelerated the prototyping process, and helped create better stability and forgiveness in the heads.
To craft its 2021 King 3D Printed putters (SuperNova, Agera and GrandSport-35), Cobra uses a different 3D printing process. While the King Supersport-35 putters of yesteryear were built with HP’s Metal Jet technology, the new models use HP’s Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing process, which utilizes lighter-weight Nylon material that weighs about half the mass of aluminum, according to Cobra.
The new Nylon lattice “cartridges,” as Cobra calls them, are sandwiched between heavier pieces of steel, aluminum and Tungsten. The lightweight 3D-printed cartridges (outlined in highlighter green in the graphic above) help to save weight from the center of the head, where it’s unwanted, and allow Cobra to make the other sections heavier to boost forgiveness. The placement of the Nylon lattice structure also helps dampen vibrations and sound at impact.
Surrounding the 3D-printed structures are steel bodies, forged aluminum crowns, Tungsten back weights, and SIK face inserts.
Cobra is continuing its partnership with SIK Golf (the company that makes Bryson DeChambeau’s putters) to make its 6061 aluminum face inserts that feature SIK’s Descending Loft Technology (DLT). The DLT faces are constructed with four different lofts (4, 3, 2, 1 degrees), descending from the top portion to the bottom to help produce consistent launch angles and roll. For a golfer, this means that whether you hit down or up on the putt, the face is designed to contact the ball with consistent loft.
Cobra’s new “King Vintage” series putters also have SIK aluminum face inserts, but the subtler heads come without 3D-printed structures.
Instead, the King Vintage series consists of more traditional designs, 304 stainless steel heads, and adjustable-weight technology in their soles. Keeping with the nostalgic nature of the line, the King Vintage series putters are named after classic sports cars: Sport-45, Sport-60, Torino, Nova, Nova-40, Stingray and Stingray-40. It should be noted that the number after each putter name refers to the degrees of toe hang of the putter. For example, the King Vintage Sport-45 putter has 45 degrees of toe hang. Different toe hangs are built for different strokes, as discussed here.
Between the King 3D Printed series ($349 apiece), and the King Vintage series ($249 apiece), there are 10 new Cobra head shapes, and a number of different options within each offering. We dive deeper into each of the designs below.
The putters in both lineups come stock with Cobra Connect Lamkin Sinkfit grips that are equipped with Arccos sensors, and they have KBS CT Tour Straight Stepless Chrome shafts. The putters will release at retail on June 4, 2021, and are currently available at pre-sale.
King 3D Printed SuperNova
This oversized, fang-shaped putter has a high-MOI (moment of inertia) design for improved forgiveness. It has a 291 gram steel frame, an 18-gram aluminum top section, 42 grams of Tungsten on the perimeter of the head, and a final head weight of 380 grams. It comes with a single-bend shaft, and the putter is face-balanced with 0 degrees of toe hang.
King 3D Printed Agera
The King Agera has a 261-gram steel frame, a 27-gram aluminum crown, 53 grams of Tungsten around the perimeter, and has a final head weight of 385 grams. It’s also a face-balanced design with 0 degrees of toe hang. In addition to standard length (34 and 35 inches), the Agera model comes in One Length (37.5 inches) and Armlock (40.75 inches) options.
King 3D Printed GrandSport-35
Cobra categorizes the King GrandSport-35 as an oversized blade. It has a 286-gram steel frame, a 21-gram aluminum crown, 30 grams of Tungsten in the perimeter, and a final head weight of 375 grams. In addition to the standard length options (34 and 35 inches), the GrandSport-35 comes in an Armlock option (41 inches), as well. The GrandSport-35 putters have 35 degrees of toe hang.
King Vintage Sport-45
This classic blade has a plumber’s neck hosel and comes with two 20-gram sole weights that can be adjusted using 10, 15 and 25 gram weights (sold separately). The putter has 45 degrees of toe hang and a stock head weight of 350 grams.
Vintage Sport-60
The Vintage Sport-60 has a flow neck hosel and 60 degrees of toe hang, which is best for those with a significant arc in their strokes. It comes with two 25-gram weights and has a stock head weight of 350 grams.
Vintage Torino
The Vintage Torino has a classic mallet shape and a single-bend hosel, resulting in a face-balanced design. It comes stock with two 10-gram sole weights and has a 350-gram head weight.
Vintage Nova
The popular fang shape of the Vintage Nova comes with a single-bend hosel and 0 degrees of toe hang, best for straight-back and straight-through putting styles. It comes with a single 10-gram sole weight, and has a head weight of 350 grams.
Vintage Nova-40
The Nova-40 also has a fang shape, but it comes with a short slant hosel that results in 40 degrees of toe hang. Compared to the Nova, the Nova-40 will likely be more suitable for those with a slight arc in their stroke. The Nova-40 comes with a single sole weight that measures 10 grams.
Vintage Stringray
The Stingray, which is an oversized mallet, has a single-bend hosel to make it face-balanced. It comes with a single 10-gram sole weight, and the stock setup has a head weight of 350 grams.
Vintage Stingray-40
The Stingray-40, compared to the Stringray, has a short slant neck and 40 degrees of toe hang, and it’s made for golfers with a slight arc in their strokes. The Stingray-40 comes with a 10-gram sole weight, and as with all of the Vintage putters, other weight options (15, 20 and 25 grams) are sold separately.
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