About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the golf irons, which I tested for 30 days in May of 2022.

My take

The Cobra RF Proto Irons set was designed with a huge influence from pro golfer Rickie Fowler. These limited-edition clubs mirror the ones Fowler would use himself and are, therefore, made for very low-handicap golfers. The RF Proto clubs have some forgiveness but are primarily made for precision shots.

About the club I tested

• Model: 2021 Cobra RF MB Copper Used Iron Set Golf Clubs
• Loft setting: 4-PW
• Shaft type: Steel
• Shaft flex: Regular

About me

• Average score: 85
• Handicap: +13
• Experience: 7 years of playing golf
• Right/Left-Handed: Right-handed
• Typical ball flight: High
• Golf ball used: Titleist Pro V1
• Club swing speed: 85

Test conditions

• When I tested the club: May 2022
• Days tested: 30 days
• Where I’ve used it: On a simulator, at Greene County Golf Course, and at Cortland Golf course
• Weather and wind conditions: Some rain and wind, but mostly calm conditions

How it performs

What I was looking for

At my company, Club Champion, we are always looking to test whether clubs actually do what they are designed and marketed to do—and if so, how well. This helps us to be able to fit our customers with clubs that are best suited for their game. Most of the time, we test clubs based on our clients’ comments. We usually test about five clubs/sets a month, and this time my company was searching for a club that is all about precision shots and max backspin in the greens.

Why I chose this club

We decided on Cobra RF Protos Irons clubs because we have had many golfers who own these clubs come into the shop talking about how in love they are with them. They say that the clubs allow players to shape their game very well with them. Cobra is an up-and-coming company and has been known to be the best for shaping shots.

What I love about it

• Distance: It seemed like every shot traveled to the max distance I could produce. The club’s light head and shaft are made from very lightweight graphite, which helps golfers increase swing speed. This, in turn, also helps in increasing distance.
• Feel: These are very sturdy clubs and will last a golfer several years. Cobra says they used a five-step forging process to deliver a tighter grain structure that creates feel better for players. They also add that Rick Fowler had a lot to do with this particular club design. Yes, this makes the feel lighter weight and increases swing speed.
• Sound: I could always tell when I had a good shot because it sounded so pure coming off the head of the club. The club had a nice metallic ting.
• Workability: It’s possible to shape one’s game very well with these clubs. I was able to draw or fade on demand. These shots help golfers to be able to place the ball in a better location by the pin.
• Shaft Feel: I had to give it help to create some whip and more club speed. The stiff shaft helps what I call “the whip,” which helps increase swing speeds and also contributes to ball spin. It also creates distance.
• Shaft Performance: The KBS C-Taper 120 shaft is one of the best I have used. It is designed for max distance, and the lightweight tech creates increased swing speeds.
• Aesthetic Appeal: I was getting constant comments about how good they looked. They have a unique appearance, and the copper really stands out on the greens. Golfers who like to be different will enjoy Fowler’s design choice with this detail.
• Grip Feel: The Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align Connect grip comes standard with this iron set. It is a soft grip that is very durable. They are a bit tacky, and it helps hand control. The anti-slip tech ensures there is no slip and one has control.
• Launch Angle: This club had a very high launch but went extremely far. This can help increase an average golfer's launch, taking them to the next level. The little to no offset of these clubs helps ensure it goes straight with good strikes getting max distance.
• Spin: It can create a lot of spin but also create very little. I was looking for max spin, and these clubs do perform the best I've seen in clubs. The grooves in the head grip the ball and create spin.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Forgiveness: Considering these clubs are made like Fowler’s pro clubs, it makes sense that they have very little forgiveness on misshits. If the ball is not struck with the center of the RF Proto clubface, the ball will travel massively off target. One of the features Cobra talks about with this set is a thinner top line. I feel like these are the main reason these clubs do not have any forgiveness.
• Adjustability: I could not adjust these clubs because it is not part of the design.

Best shot with this club

I have more than one amazing shot with these clubs, as I was able to hit fairways and greens consistently. In all the weather conditions I tested this in, as noted above, this club continued to produce results.

Value for the money vs. other options

These clubs are more expensive, but they are very well made. One will get their money out of the irons because they will last a long time. I believe these clubs will be on someone's wall in 20 years, but until then, they are one of the best clubs I’ve used. The Callaway Rogue can be directly compared to these clubs, but the Cobra has more consistency overall.

Final verdict

Cobra RF Proto Irons will continue to grow one’s game and create a very nice backspin on the greens. The shaft is designed for the golfer to get max distance. These clubs are for advanced players for precision and to win tournaments.