Cobra S9 Irons Review – Are They Forgiving & Good for High Handicappers?

Cobra S9 Irons Review – Are They Forgiving & Good for High Handicappers?

“The Cobra S9 irons represented the genesis of what the company would become known for in the following decade: speed. ”

In my experience testing Cobra clubs, I know them to prefer lightweight designs. The Cobra S9 irons are a perfect example of that inclination.

Cobra S9 Irons Overview

“At the time of their release, people were calling the Cobra S9 irons the most technologically advanced irons on the market.”

No one would say that about them in 2023 but I suppose that in 2008, when they debuted, the multi-material design was innovative. Cobra actually removed a bunch of metal from the top line of these irons and replaced it with a much lighter polymer material.

But they didn’t stop there. There is a urethane insert in the cavity that replaces a significant amount of metal from the sole. The saved weight is moved to the sole to promote higher launch and straighter flight.

It’s clear that Cobra went to a lot of trouble just to make these irons lighter than average game improvement irons. To me, this is right in-line with the clubs they are making today: Cobra clubs tend to be the lightest and fastest on the market.

When I tested the Cobra S9 irons, I could feel my swing speed improve. The club head just felt faster than my gamer irons. On impact, I could feel the ball spring off the face and get up into the air. The flight is very strong. The Cobra S9 irons get the ball up very quickly; but the plateau seems to hang for a very long time.

So you end up with a high, flat trajectory with plenty of hang time. It was an interesting shot shape for me as I’m used to old GI irons simply ballooning on me. But the Cobra S9 produced a controlled launch that will likely improve the carry distance of many a high handicapper.

Are the Cobra S9 Irons Forgiving?

“The soles on the Cobra S9 irons are on the chunky side and have beveled leading edges.”

The size of the sole is very confidence-inspiring no matter what lie you are facing down. And the girth makes it very easy to get the ball in the air. Off the turf, I was leaving very modest divots and that was perfectly fine for me.

The Cobra S9 irons also play well from the rough. The beveled leading edges really make it easier to get clean contact with the ball even when you’re in the cabbage. I also really liked the fact that the Cobra S9 gave clear feedback on almost all my shots.

Cobra irons from this era weren’t really known for acute feedback so I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could tell where I made contact by feel alone. And this will help inexperienced golfers because clear feedback informs you about how you are mis-hitting.

Speaking of mis-hitting, the Cobra S9 irons are reasonably forgiving on errant strikes. I found that low-face and toe-side mis-hits weren’t losing very much ball speed. However, mis-hits towards the heel were producing unstable flight and dropped out of the air pretty quickly.

Still, I had to intentionally mis-hit towards the heel. Overall, the Cobra S9 irons have big sweet spots that are hard to miss. I would say they are forgiving enough for most players.

Are the Cobra S9 Irons Good for Beginners & High Handicappers?

“These are solid irons for beginners and high handicappers.”

Are the Cobra S9 irons the most forgiving irons that Cobra has produced? No. But the main design focus for these irons was speed and distance – and they certainly deliver on those fronts. Plus, there is moderate forgiveness in them as well. There is plenty of real estate on the face. Beginners and high handicappers will likely be able to fall into a groove with these irons after just a couple of rounds.

And if you are a high handicapper who is really trying to improve distance, you will love these irons. With the Cobra S9 7-iron I averaged a carry distance of 162.4 yards. More importantly though, I felt as though I could swing my fastest without fear of mis-hitting. The Cobra S9 irons will give you the confidence to take your strongest swing and achieve playable lies doing so.

Should you Buy the Cobra S9 or the Cobra S3 Irons?

“The Cobra S3 irons are more for mid to low handicappers.”

The main difference I noticed between these sets was short game control. The Cobra S3 irons allow for better spin control and height control in the scoring irons than the Cobra S9s. If you are looking for a more forgiving set, the Cobra S9s are the way to go. For more shot-shaping and control, I would recommend the S3 irons.