Cobra S9 Irons
Cobra Golf is updating its King Cobra S9 Irons for 2008, tweaking the design to move move weight around the clubhead and produce a lower center of gravity and higher moment of inertia.
The new Cobra S9 irons began shipping earlier this month. Men's sets include 4-GW, senior and women's sets 5-SW. S9 sets carry an MSRP of $960 with graphite shafts and $840 with steel shafts. The stock shafts are Cobra/Graphite Design YS, a 55-gram graphite shaft; or Nippon Pro 900 XH, a 90-gram steel shaft.
The multimaterial S9 irons are constructed of 431 stainless steel with a polymer topline and urethane sole insert.
The design tweaks involve expanding the polymer topline, replacing more of the stainless steel in that location and saving 13 grams of weight. That weight is repositioned to enhance the perimeter weighting and lower the center of gravity.
The clubs' low profile, wide sole and chamber-relief design of the sole are all geared to increasing forgiveness and helping the golfer get the ball into the air with a higher launch angle. A back cavity plate helps reduce vibration, and the urethane sole insert is another gram-saving device.
TaylorMade Rossa Monza Spider Putter
It won't be available at retail until next month, but the Rossa Monza Spider putter is on the PGA Tour in strength. It was the most-played putter model at the 2008 FBR Open, according to TaylorMade.
The Spider (so named because ... well, just check the photo on this page) is designed for increased stability and forgiveness, geared to keep the ball on its target line on those many putts that are struck slightly offcenter.
The Monza Spider uses a steel wire-frame construction on its mallet head, which helps redistribute weight around the perimeter; and the core is constructed from a light aluminum, again redistributing weight to more advantageous positions on the clubhead.
The Spider head also features "wings" that make up the back corners of the clubhead, and each of the two wings is fitted with moveable weight cartridges. That allows weight to be added at the far corners, boosting MOI, while also giving the golfer the ability to tinker with the feel of the club and find a weight to his or her liking.
TaylorMade says that its testing shows the Rossa Monza Spider is particularly good at maintaining distance on offcenter strikes. The company also says the Spider's MOI is 75-percent higher than that of the original Odyssey White Hot 2-Ball putter.
ShotWatch
It's worn on the wrist, but it's not a wristwatch - it's the ShotWatch. The ShotWatch is a training device designed to provide instant feedback to golfers following each swing on three critical components of the swing: grip pressure, swing speed and tempo.
The golfer can chart his measurements in those three areas over time, identifying the numbers associated with his best swings. Once the parameters that work best for the golfer are known, the ShotWatch can reveal if any given swing is too tight or loose, swing speed and tempo too fast or two slow, and the golfer can adjust accordingly. The ShotWatch can also alert the golfer with a signal to swings that deviate from the preferred measurements, helping build consistency.
On the product Web site, the ShotWatch is, at the time of this writing, selling for $295.
New Fashion
Fall 2008 collections from Lija and Callaway are heading our way.
- Callaway Collection: Called "Beyond the Fairway," the Callaway Golf Apparel Fall 2008 line is aimed at "the upscale executive who values Callaway Golf's more traditional styles and innovation." Highlighting the collection is the FT Performance line, anti-microbial tech apparel featuring moisture management that is also wrinkle resistant and maching washable. The theme of the FT Performance line is "Modern Scotland," with group names such as "Glasgow" and "Highlands." Callaway describes the color palette as "vibrant jewel tones." www.callawaygolf.com
- Lija by Linda Hipp: The Fall 2008 lineup from designer Linda Hipp's Lija boasts six collections, five of them golf and sportswear collections whose pieces offer rich colors, quilted fabrics, faux-fur trims and are designed to provide warmth without bulkiness. A sixth collection is cotton-based casual and includes t-shirts, shorts and capris. Performance-based jackets and vests highlight the Fall 2008 line in the form of the Caliber Pinnacle Jacket, Windchill Bossman Vest and Primaloft Go-getter Jacket. www.lijastyle.com
