A rival to Ping? The Cobra DS-ADAPT Max-K driver comes with big claims.

It’s certainly not unusual for brands to make big claims when it comes to their golf equipment. When it comes to drivers in 2025, there might not be many more boastful than Cobra.

The brand’s DS-ADAPT drivers launched this week and there’s plenty of tech to get in front of our eyes.

If you’ve read up on this range, you’ll certainly know about the FutureFit33 technology, which allows you to put this driver into, you guessed it, 33 different settings.

However, you might not be aware of some of the claims the team at Cobra are making around one of their models in particular: the Cobra Max-K.

If you paid attention to the driver market in 2024, you’ll know that almost every brand launched a club that promised 10K MOI. Essentially, these are incredibly forgiving drivers. This year, Cobra is getting in on the act, and they say their 10K model is going to rival, and beat, one of the big boys in the forgiveness game.

Ping.

That’s right, Cobra, who we all know for their dedication to speed and aerodynamics, say that their new forgiving driver, in some aspects at least, will help you hit more fairways than the equivalent Ping model.

What claim are Cobra making about the DS-ADAPT Max-K driver?

The claim is a very specific one, but it’s not insignificant. It centres around the levels of forgiveness from the heel to the toe of their Max-K model.

Essentially, this is how much the face opens when you miss the sweetspot of your driver.

Now, as anyone who has tested a driver before will know, forgiveness can be tough to measure. But, Cobra has put their new model through robot testing and they got these numbers.

From a toe strike, their most forgiving driver will open 5.6° away from the target.

That same strike in a Ping G430 Max 10K driver will result in 6.4° of opening.

Less rotation on mishits equals straighter drives.

It’s important to note, however, that this claim only relates to heel to toe strikes. From top to bottom, the Ping is still more forgiving.

What does that all mean?

According to Jose Miraflor, VP of Product Architecture at Cobra, it’s incredible.

“Our drivers are very aerodynamic, so the crowns are not that tall, so MOI from crown to sole is hindered for us.

“That means that on the heel to toe, we had to push ours closer to the limit. That gives you, for guys like me and other people who miss it on the toe, more stability on the toe, less spin loft, spin launch coming down.

“We like it, we’re very excited about it, it’s our first one. We’ve always been known for distance in our drivers and now we want people to see how we can create even more distance by using moment of inertia to help the golfer.”

Sure, this might help golfers hit the ball straighter, but less rotation from the face can help you hit longer drives, too. It’s a win-win.

How does this driver fit in with the rest of the Cobra DS-ADAPT range?

If you’re a Cobra fan, you’ll know that in the original Darkspeed range, there was three models. Those three models, LS, X and Max D, remain in the line-up.

As Tom Olsavsky, VP of R&D at Cobra, explains, the new addition to the range allows the rest of the drivers to focus on other things.

“What we said this year was that, if we had two ‘forgiving’ models instead of one, we could push them further into performance optimisation for different players.

“Even this year, 2024, our Max driver sold more percentage wise than it had in the past five years. It wasn’t 10K, but we still had a great product in that category.

“Now, we’re going to add the extra model with the Max-K and that will help us in that space to be more competitive there. But, we also made the draw more forgiving too.

“We’re going to have even better performance in both of those areas. I’m expecting both Max drivers to have a higher percentage of sales than we did this year.”

Essentially, the introduction of a 10K model, which will cater to golfers who can miss the fairway with any shot shape, means that the Max D model, which is dedicated to helping golfers battle a slice, can be more tailored to that shape.

The big question: Does it work?

As we alluded to earlier, it’s not easy to measure forgiveness, especially when it’s being done by an imperfect golfer like myself.

However, I can certainly say this driver is incredibly forgiving. Having tested it on the driving range at Cobra’s launch event for DS-ADAPT, it’s an incredibly stable offering. And, if it can get anywhere near the levels of forgiveness that Ping is offering, then it will do very well for any golfer looking to hit more fairways.

Pure speed and aerodynamics from Cobra? Not anymore.

More Details

• Review: Cobra DS-ADAPT driver

• FutureFit33: How does the adjustability work in Cobra DS-ADAPT

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Lewis Fraser As bunkered’s Performance Editor, Lewis oversees the content that’s designed to make you a better player. From the latest gear to tuition, nutrition, strategy and more, he’s the man. A graduate of the University of Stirling, Lewis joined bunkered in 2021. Formerly a caddie at Castle Stuart Golf Links, he is a member of Bathgate Golf Club where he plays off four.

Performance Editor