Worldwide Golf Shops Insider Podcast

This episode of the Worldwide Golf Insider Podcast features an in-depth conversation between Worldwide Golf’s Tom Brassell and Cobra Golf Senior Product Line Manager Chad DeHart, and one thing becomes crystal clear: Cobra Golf is not interested in following trends — they want to create them. From the groundbreaking new OPTM driver family to the rapidly growing buzz surrounding Cobra’s 3D printed irons, DeHart offered a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how Cobra is shaping the future of golf equipment. A Career Built Around Innovation Before diving into Cobra’s newest products, DeHart shared a little about his own journey with the company. Now in his 16th year at Cobra Golf, he has spent time in both sales and research & development, helping bring new technologies from concept to the golf course. According to DeHart, Cobra’s innovation cycle often stretches four to six years into the future, with teams constantly testing and refining technologies before they ever reach consumers. That long-term vision helped pave the way for Cobra’s newest driver lineup: OPTM. Cobra OPTM Drivers: Accuracy Meets Speed Brassell praised Cobra’s entertaining new commercials featuring Tour stars Rickie Fowler, Max Homa, and Gary Woodland — commercials that lean into Cobra’s playful side with warning labels like “Highly Addictive” and “May Cause Insanely Tight Dispersion.” But behind the humor is serious technology. Introducing POI: A New Way to Think About Stability One of the key innovations behind the OPTM drivers is Cobra’s new concept called POI — Products of Inertia. Golfers are familiar with MOI (Moment of Inertia), which measures club stability primarily on heel-to-toe mishits. Cobra’s POI system expands on that by analyzing stability across three separate planes, including how the club twists and droops during off-center impacts. The result? According to DeHart, Cobra saw golfers improve dispersion by as much as 20 percent compared to previous-generation models. That tighter dispersion is exactly what players at every level are chasing. Four Driver Models for Different Golfers The OPTM family includes four distinct driver models: LS – Low-spin performance for faster swingers and better players X – A blend of speed and forgiveness inspired by Cobra’s popular F9 shape Max K – High-stability performance with exceptional forgiveness Max D – Draw-biased design to help golfers fight a slice One of the more surprising revelations during the podcast involved Woodland’s gamer. Instead of the low-spin LS model many golfers would expect a Tour player to use, Woodland put the Max K in the bag because of its added stability and forgiveness — proof that fitting matters more than assumptions. Even at 41 years old, Woodland is reportedly still producing ball speeds north of 190 mph with the new driver setup. Why Club Fitting Matters More Than Ever DeHart emphasized repeatedly that modern driver technology is simply too advanced for golfers to guess what works best. That’s especially true with Cobra’s new FutureFit33 hosel system, which offers 33 different loft and lie combinations. Unlike traditional adjustable hosels that change loft and lie together, Cobra’s system allows golfers to independently adjust each setting for far more precise fitting. At first glance, 33 settings may sound overwhelming, but Cobra created interactive fitting tools and QR-code-enabled driver heads that help golfers quickly identify ideal settings based on their ball flight tendencies. As Brassell noted during the interview, even he was surprised when Cobra’s fitting tool recommended the Max K model for his game. That’s exactly why proper fitting can uncover performance golfers never expected. Cobra’s 3D Printed Irons May Be the Future of Iron Design While the OPTM drivers stole plenty of attention, the conversation took an even more fascinating turn when DeHart discussed Cobra’s rapidly expanding 3D printed iron lineup. According to DeHart, this may be the most important innovation Cobra has ever developed. Cobra first experimented with 3D printing through limited-edition putters in 2020. From there, engineers realized the technology could completely transform iron construction. Massive Weight Savings Create New Possibilities Traditional forged or cast iron designs often save only a few grams of discretionary weight. Cobra’s 3D printed irons save nearly 100 grams in some models. That allows engineers to reposition weight internally in ways never before possible, dramatically increasing forgiveness while maintaining compact, Tour-inspired shapes. The result is what DeHart called a “unicorn” design: Compact blade-like shaping Game-improvement-style forgiveness Increased stability and MOI Enhanced consistency on mishits For golfers who love the look of a players iron but struggle with forgiveness, Cobra believes 3D printing bridges that gap. Demand Has Been Explosive The market response has exceeded Cobra’s expectations. DeHart admitted Cobra is struggling to keep up with demand as the company continues running printers around the clock. The lineup now includes: 3D Printed MB 3D Printed Tour 3D Printed PX Each model targets a slightly different player profile while leveraging the same advanced manufacturing process. DeHart encouraged golfers to experience them firsthand because the feel and performance are difficult to fully appreciate until you hit them. Cobra Continues to Challenge the Industry One theme consistently emerged throughout the conversation: Cobra embraces being a challenger brand. Whether it’s developing POI technology, launching one of the most adjustable hosel systems in golf, or pioneering 3D printed iron construction, Cobra continues pushing boundaries instead of simply refining existing ideas. As DeHart told Brassell: “We’re launching product that has true innovation and it’s going to bring true performance to golfers alike.” For golfers looking to explore the latest in performance technology, Cobra’s newest lineup appears determined to deliver exactly that. And based on the response so far, golfers are paying attention.

This is part 1 of an insiteful conversation with John K. Solheim, Vice President of Engineering for Ping. Host Fred Greene and Kenny Nicholson, Technical Specialist for Edwin Watts Golf represent the consumer in this conversation John K is the son of John A. Solheim, Chairman & CEO of Ping Golf, and grandson of the founder, Karsten Solheim.

Welcome to Golf Better @ Edwin Watts Golf. Our goal is to help you golf better with the right gear. Our promise is not sell you anything, but to educate you on how to make better decisions when purchasing new equipment.

Shaft flex, GPS technology, and the practice it takes to improve the length ball flight are all questions Kenny Nicholson of Edwin Watts Golf answers on episode #20 of Golf Better @ Edwin Watts Golf. Thanks to all of you who listen to the podcast, and exercise the interactivity of this cutting-edge communication by submitting questions.

Selecting the right type of irons can be confusing, with different styles for different kinds of players and enough variations in the materials to drive anyone a little crazy. Dan Stone, Vice President in charge of Research and Development for Titleist, joins Kenny Nicholson of Edwin Watts Golf and Fred to discuss Titleist's new line of irons and ease the sometimes arduous task of selecting clubs on episode #18 of Golf Better @ Edwin Watts Golf.

In March, 2007, Sports Illustrated revealed the identity of one of the unsung heroes of Tiger Woods' victory in the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach by 15 shots. Rock Ishii, Director of Product Development for Nike Golf Balls convinced Tiger to go with his design. Rock speaks in depth about golf ball design, care, and maintenance on this episode of Golf Better @ Edwin Watts Golf.

Join us for a full half hour of questions submitted by Golf Better listeners from around the world.

Part 2 of our 2007 round-up is an in-depth look at the state of the game on episode #12 of Golf Better @ Edwin Watts Golf. Kerry Kabase, Vice President of Purchasing for Edwin Watts Golf, joins Kenny and Fred to debate club selection, fitting, and share their predictions for the big stories of 2008.