Cobra’s King Tec Utility Review: It looks like a driving iron, but plays friendlier
27 Apr 2023
by Todd Mrowice of AmateurGolf.com
see also: Equipment Reviews
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If you’ve ever been wandering the aisles of your favorite golf retailer and thought to yourself: “Man, these utility irons sure look cool,” you’re not alone. They do look cool. The 2-iron feeling of yesteryear but with a wider sole and new technology. Maybe, just maybe, you could put one in your bag? Well, not so fast. Utility irons are a great addition to a golf bag, but the bag should probably belong to a low-handicap player. Someone that is a solid ball striker and can benefit from hitting less than a driver on a few tee boxes. If this describes you, check out the Cobra King Tech Utility and see what you’re missing.
Utility irons are also known as driving irons, as that particular model of club came to be popular in the early 1990s. Back then, they were marketed as clubs that could replace your driver. And many plagued by their big dog experimented with driving irons as a solution. After hybrids became commonplace, driving irons took a bit of a hiatus until about a decade ago. Today, utility irons are produced by all major OEMs, including Cobra. The King Tech Utility, however, has some serious R&D behind it, and even as a low double-digit handicapper, it showed some legitimate results.
THE BASICS
Cobra King Forged Tec Utility
Available Lofts: 2U (17), 3U (19), 4U (22), 5U (25)
Stock Shafts: KBS C-Taper Light (steel), MCA MMT Hybrid 80 (graphite)
If you already have confidence and control in your iron game, you’re a step ahead when putting a utility iron in play. While it’s not as daunting as an old blade, there is a certain level of certainty that you must have when looking down at a utility iron. Cobra has done a fantastic job with the King Tec Utility in that it has a thinner profile, which is player preferred. However, there is a decent amount of material or “chunk” on the sole of the iron to give you an extra shot of assurance when putting it in play.
The MCA MMT Hybrid shaft, which can also be found in Cobra’s hybrids, was a solid choice to have as a stock shaft for this iron. (As a side note, I noticed that it benefited our results by stepping down to a regular flex, where I would typically play a stiff.)
Trajectory, total distance, and spin rates surprised me since I thought this club was a bit out of my league. For the more accomplished player, this utility club would be useful on almost any golf course -- either teeing off on short, tight par 4s or for longer approach shots.
AmateurGolf.com got the full rundown on the Cobra King Tec Utility from Jose Miraflor, Cobra’s Vice President of Marketing. We caught up with Miraflor at the 2023 PGA Show in Orlando to discuss their highly adjustable hybrids, as well as the King Tec Utility, which we he discusses at the beginning. For the full video, click play below:
“It’s a hollow iron with 60 g of weight inside of the head, low so it can help get the ball up in the air,” said Miraflor. “It’s a low-profile iron that looks like a muscle back, so it’s really cool for someone to be able to hit something like this and replace a long iron.”
The modern, hollow body construction felt great at impact when we found the middle of the face. A similar feeling on those flushed shots reminded us of other clubs in Cobra’s 2023 lineup. What I felt was the same H.O.T. Face Technology found in other models, which allows you to see results even if you don’t have professional wear marks.
Compared to other utility clubs, the Cobra King Forged Tec had one of the fastest ball speed numbers everyone is looking for. That distance plus the trajectory can be attributed to its hollow construction, strategic weight placement, and forged PWRSHELL Face, which gives the club a powerful feeling at impact.
Overall, the Cobra King Forged Tech Utility surprised us as much as any 2023 club we’ve hit. It might not be the perfect fit for all players, but for single-digit, big hitters, this iron is a must-have Bonus; all Cobra clubs include a free ARCCOS Smart Sensor so you can track all of the stats from your new utility iron.