A Relative Newcomer with an Impressive Reputation – Cobra Golf
Cobra Golf is a company based in Carlsbad, California. They are an American manufacturer of golf equipment and part-owned by the famous sportswear brand Puma. Did you know that Cobra King is one of the many golf brands in the market and is one of the most sought-after game? Get the best deals on Cobra Golf Clubs when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. Cobra Golf King Speedzone Hybrid Rescue New 2020 - Pick. The King Cobra irons became the best-selling iron set in golf. The Cobra success attracted the attention of American Brands, the owner of Acushnet who manufactures the best-selling Titleist golf balls as well as FootJoy golf shoes. The plan was for Cobra to slot into the club-making position in the company portfolio. Cobra Golf Bringing innovative solutions to the golf market since 1973, Cobra Golf is a leader in producing cutting-edge equipment. Utilizing graphite shaft technology and oversized iron heads, they continue to build upon their prestigious reputation for creating quality clubs for seasoned golfers and beginners alike.
Founded in 1973, Cobra Golf is one of the world’s most distinctive manufacturers of golf clubs. April 2010, saw the company being purchased by Puma, leading to the new brand Cobra Puma Golf. We’ll be featuring lots of Cobra golf club reviews in the future, but here we’ll be looking at the company in general.
Cobra is currently one of the fastest growing golf brands in the world today. They are presently experiencing an increase in their market share of the metal woods and irons category. The company’s mission is to make the game of golf more enjoyable, by offering a range of products that use innovative technology to give quality performance at a price that won’t break the bank. Cobra golf clubs are designed with the average, avid golfer in mind, and have performance goals of greater accuracy, distance and improved forgiveness.
Cobra Golf’s journey
An Australian, named Thomas Crow, is responsible for founding Cobra Golf back in 1973. He was a former amateur champion in Australia, and had spent some time working for Precision Golf, another well-known Australian brand. However, he was unsettled there, and began tinkering with his own designs. He decided to up sticks and move to America, where he settled in San Diego, and founded Cobra Golf.
Cobra Golf’s first product was released in 1975. It was called The Baffler, and is still made today, although in a hugely different form. This first club was a persimmon 7-wood, with a 23-degree. The company marketed it as a utility club, and many consider it to be the forerunner of today’s hybrids.
Cobra Golf grew steadily over the next few years, with Crow at the helm, and introduced a 46 inch driver in 1979 that was designed to give more speed and distance for golfers who played for recreation.
Cobra gained a reputation over the years for game-improvement clubs as they brought many exciting innovations to the industry. They were the first manufacturer in the US to offer graphite shafts, back in 1985. And in 1992 the first full set of oversized irons was introduced. They developed the autoclaving manufacturing process that allows graphite shafts to be much stronger. In 2000, they developed the first graphite shaft that weighed less than 50 grams. It was called the Airweight shaft.
Greg Norman became a partial owner in 1991, in exchange for his endorsement of their products, and he also helped to design Cobra’s first set of forged irons. He also eventually became full owner of the company’s Australian dealership.
King Cobra – A name that’s synonymous with over-sized irons
In 1992, Cobra introduced golfers to the first set of over-sized irons. King Cobra golf clubs became the performance standard, in 1994, and were their best selling irons. A whole new category of irons was introduced, and Cobra became the leader. In 1996, Cobra introduced their biggest ever line of new products, that included the King Cobra II irons, as well as Ti Offset woods. The King Cobra II irons used an integrated Quad system. Four technological features were combined to create longer, more accurate shots. Needless to say King Cobra golf clubs reviews all sang their praises. The features that became so popular were a new heel-weighting hosel, dual-purpose sole, reinforced shaft tip shape, and optimal progressive weight.
King Cobra drivers were re-launched in 2001, with the introduction of King Cobra SS driver and metals. The SS stands for ‘Sweet Spot’. This innovative driver has a thin, hot oval beta titanium insert that’s surrounded by an even thinner titanium ring. The new technology meant that players could produce more distance, enjoy more forgiveness, experience a solid feel and sweet sound.
2002 saw the release of King Cobra SS oversize irons. These feature a thin face, oversize cavity back, and perimeter weighting. A heightened sweet spot, greater accuracy and distance are what you can expect is you play with one of these. A tungsten insert has been added for higher trajectory, and a cavity ‘muscle arch’ for a more solid feel. And whatever your lie the new skid sole design provides solid contact.
In January 2003, further improvements were made to the King Cobra range when SS-I irons were introduced. The improved design, softer 431 alloy and undercut cavity back design filled with urethane, serve to enhance the feel.
The King Cobra range just gets better and better
King Cobra Golf Club Set
2003 was a great year for innovation in the world of Cobra Golf. Not only did they introduce King Cobra SS-I irons, but also their drivers became a No 1 selling model, In October was the debut of King Cobra SZ “Sweet Zone” Drivers, offering an expanded, hotter clubface, improved 9 hot points across the clubface, leading to improved accuracy and greater carry distance.
November was the month for King Cobra SZ fairway metals to hit the stores. These have a larger volume and face area, and are more forgiving.
Things didn’t slow down going into 2004, when the /king Cobra COMP 454, 414, and 414 Tour were launched. These state-of-the-art drivers feature a lightweight carbon composite crown, increased head volume and clubface area. This new range of drivers also feature the industry’s lightest shaft, to help increase swing speed and add extra carry distance.
Cobra introduced a number of new clubs over the next few years, and have helped to make the game of golf much easier. If you choose to play with one or more of Cobra’s range you’ll never be able to blame your tools for a bad game.
Things don’t seem to be slowing down for Cobra. In April 2010, PUMA AG bought Cobra Gold and created a new company Cobra-PUMA Golf. Now PUMA footwear, accessories, and apparel designs perfectly compliment Cobra Golf’s advanced range of golfing equipment. Something for everyone, regardless of your skill set and experience.
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little more about Cobra. Keep us as one of your favorites because there will be lots of Cobra golf club reviews.
| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports equipment |
| Founded | 1973; 48 years ago |
| Founder | Thomas L. Crow |
| Headquarters | , USA |
| Bob Philion, President[1] | |
| Products | Golf clubs |
| Brands | King |
| Parent | Puma |
| Website | cobragolf.com |
Cobra Golf is a sports equipment manufacturing company based in Carlsbad, California, focused on golf equipment, producing a wide range of golf clubs. The company is currently a subsidiary of the German athleticwear and sports lifestyle company Puma SE, which in turn is partly owned by the French holdings group Kering.
History[edit]
Origin[edit]
The company was founded in 1973 by Thomas L. Crow, winner of the 1961 Australian amateur golf championship. He was inspired by the notion that golfers in the United States typically bought clubs at a whim, with the hopes that they may make their game better.[2] Cobra produced one of the first utility clubs, the 'Baffler' –introduced in 1980– long before the use of such clubs became popular. Cobra was dedicated to the average golfer, especially ladies and seniors[3] which makes it understandable that is also the first U.S. club manufacturer to sell stock graphite-shafted woods and irons that are known for being lighter clubs.[4] In five years, Cobra Golf was selling about $4.5 million worth of these clubs annually.[2]
In 1994 King Cobra oversized irons became the best selling irons in golf, making Cobra synonymous with oversized irons. The company was acquired in 1996 by American Brands Inc. (later known as Fortune Brands) and was grouped together under the Acushnet Company umbrella along with the company's other golf brands, Titleist, FootJoy, and Pinnacle Golf. In 2010, Cobra was acquired by Puma SE.[5]
In 1999 Cobra introduced Dista golf balls intended to maximize distance for all players with multiple swing speed models offered.[4] '[In 2005] Cobra drivers rank No. 1 in Overall Driver Satisfaction Ratings in both 2003 and 2004, according to Darrell Survey U.S. Consumer Research, a leading independent golf consumer research company.'[4] Cobra continues to make advancements in their clubs and golf balls, and their sponsored tour players continue to thrive using these new products.
Marketing[edit]
Between 1989 and 1993, the company grew from $20 million to $56 million in annual sales thanks to aggressive marketing that included endorsements from golfing greats Hale Irwin, Beth Daniel and Greg Norman.[2] Cobra had a successful relationship with former world number one Greg Norman.[6] Since 2009, the most well known face of Cobra Puma golf clubs and apparel is Rickie Fowler, most known for his bright orange shirt color. [7]
Puma acquisition[edit]
German company Puma acquired all of Cobra from the Acushnet Company in 2010, fitting golfers with clothing, shoes and equipment for the sport.[8]
In February 2014, Cobra Golf signed a multi-year partnership[9] with the PGA Tour's Honda Classic, making it one of the lead sponsors of the event.
In 2016 Cobra Golf partnered with Flying Tee, and will provide the official equipment and apparel.[10] Flying Tee provides a fun golfing environment similar to the well known Topgolf, but they also provide simulated course play.[11]
In 2019 Cobra was named by Golf Digest the best game improvement iron. In November that year, five-time PGA TOUR winner Jason Dufner, signed a multi-year partnership with Cobra before playing in the 2019 Mayakoba Golf Classic.[12]
Products[edit]
Cobra markets a full range of golf clubs including; drivers, fairways, hybrids, irons, wedges, utility irons, etc.[13]
Sponsorships[edit]
Cobra has maintained endorsement deals with many professional golfers playing on the leading tours, including Bryson DeChambeau, Rickie Fowler and Lexi Thompson.
References[edit]
- ^Bob Philion profile
- ^ abcO'Brien, Brendan. 'The History of Cobra Golf'. GolfLink. Retrieved 2019-12-04.
- ^Lal, Rajiv (September 2005). 'Callaway Golf Company'(PDF). Harvard Business School.
- ^ abc'History'. www.cobragolf.com. Retrieved 2019-12-04.
- ^Johnson, Mike (May 5, 2016). 'Here's what happened with 10 equipment company acquistions [sic]'. Golf Digest.
- ^'COBRA Golf teams up with Greg Norman'. January 23, 2014. Archived from the original on March 13, 2014.
- ^Jarvinen, Jani (2012). 'MARKETING THROUGH CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP'(PDF). Turku University of Applied Sciences.
- ^PUMA. 'PUMA Acquires Equipment Brand Cobra Golf'. www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2019-12-04.
- ^Charlie Lemay (February 19, 2014). 'Cobra signs multi-year agreement with Honda Classic'.
- ^'FlyingTee Announces Partnership with COBRA PUMA GOLF'. ionOKlahoma online. Retrieved 2019-12-04.
- ^Trolia, Emily (May 2019). 'FORE YOUR INFORMATION: A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF THE GOLF INDUSTRY'(PDF). University of Mississippi.
- ^'Free agent no longer: Dufner signs equipment deal with Cobra Golf'. PGATour. Retrieved 2019-12-04.
- ^'Cobra Golf - Golf Clubs, Cobra Golf Clubs, KING F9 SPEEDBACK, KING LTD, King F8, Puma Golf'. www.cobragolf.com. Retrieved 2019-12-04.
King Cobra Golf Clubs Ebay
External links[edit]
- Official website