H2H: Cobra Darkspeed vs PXG Black Ops vs Srixon ZX vs Wilson Dynapower

Aerodynamics. That’s what it’s all about with the Cobra Darkspeed range. It certainly works in the driver.

I'm a big fan of the Cobra Darkspeed range. This year I didn’t think Aerojet could be topped but I couldn’t be more wrong. A lot of brands have gone with forgiveness as their big selling point this year but Cobra have stuck with speed and distance, and it definitely delivers on that front.

Not only does the range have three options but they’re packed with tech delivering that speed and distance. Now, surprisingly, these are faster and longer but they are also very forgiving as well. With refinements to PWR bridge weighting and the new aerodynamic shaping, weight has been saved to give you faster speeds.

The forgiveness is great on mishits with the H.O.T Face and the distance you'll get is really impressive. With three head options, the LS is low spinning, the X is easier to launch with more forgiveness and the Max is the most forgiving option with a draw bias to straighten out your ball flight. At the price point of £425 you get a lot more for your money here and if distance and speed is what you're chasing then you’ll want to try the Cobra Darkspeed drivers.

Known for their marketing, but this year, PXG are serious about performance. There’s still interesting marketing, though.
The new PXG Black Ops drivers surprised me. It’s easy to hit and it’s also very high launching but there is so much adjustability with these drivers.

Both drivers in the Black Ops range have three weight ports, which can be adjusted to increase MOI and make these super forgiving. They both have a variable face technology, so you get great speeds off the face and on off centre strikes. The carbon sole and crown is where they’ve been able to save weight and push more weight around the perimeter for higher MOI. With the adjustable weighting system, you can create a 10K MOI Black Ops head, if you really need to get that extra forgiveness.

The Black Ops and the Black Ops Tour 1 heads are great and I think most people will fit the standard option. But if you do have the faster speed and are looking for a lower spinning option, the then the Tour 1 will be great for you. 

With major champions such as Brooks Koepka, Shane Lowry and Hideki Matsuyama in its team, Srixon are clearly doing something right. 

There is three options to choose from, the ZX7 which is more compact in shape, The ZX5 LS which is the low-spinning option and the ZX5 which is the most forgiving out of the three. If, like me, you’re not a major champion and you want a forgiving driver, the ZX5 MKII driver could be the club for you.

This club head has a large, flattened footprint, which makes it easy to launch the ball high off the tee. In the head you’ll find the rebound frame, which allows the face to create very high ball speeds. Rather than just one flexing component, this driver has two, which combine to make a very fast club. If you’re looking for a driver that is focused on high launch with high forgiveness, this is a great place to look.   

Wilson gets overlooked a lot of the time and if you are one of those people who turns their nose up at the name you're missing out. Not only has Wilson come to play they have two models in the Dynapower range, the Carbon and the Dynapower Titanium, one low spinning and the other their most forgiving.

Wilson are beginning to establish themselves as a key player in the golf club market and the Dynapower range is a large part of that. This is another club that has been designed with the help of AI, which has helped designers make the face the optimal thickness on each section of the club. Which gives you great speed and forgiveness across the face all for under £400. 

A club that features a clean design in both models, this driver will appeal to golfers of all abilities that are price-conscious, while still wanting great performance.