Cobra King Supersport-35 Putter Review

Cobra King Supersport-35 Putter Review

As far as we can work out, Cobra’s last putter offering was the unusual-looking mallet called Optica SL from way back in 2006. A lot has changed since then. Today, Cobra unveiled the King Supersport-35 putter, a product of collaboration with printing specialist HP and Parmatech to create the brand’s first fully 3D printed golf club.

3D printed putters aren’t a completely new concept - Ping launched one back in 2015 - but this is the first one we’ve ever tried. It certainly looks more cutting edge than most putters you’ll see, especially with the intricate lattice structure on the back clearly pushing more mass to the perimeter to drive up the MOI.

That said, there were some subtle dinks on the metal that weren’t inflicted by us, so perhaps a reduction in hand polishing means the quality of finish isn’t quite as high as expected.

At address, this putter looks inviting to hit due mostly to its oversized profile. The shape reminded us of the Cure RX5 model, used briefly on tour by Russel Knox, which frames the ball nicely but there is only very limited alignment assistance on offer.

You’ll also clock the Descending Loft Technology (DLT) on the face, which comes as a result of working with SIK putters, the brand used by Cobra staffer Bryson DeChambeau. It is said to provide a consistently more optimal launch (around 1.5°) regardless of your angle of attack or ball position in your stance.

We exaggerated some different shaft positions at impact - leaning forward and back - and noticed that the launch and roll did seem to be very consistent. At no point was the ball digging into the green or bouncing or skidding excessively off the face. 

The feel and sound of this putter also got our attention. It feels very stable and solid to a degree, perhaps not to the level of a fully milled putter, but not far off. It also has a slightly clicky sound at impact, which we didn’t mind at all and soon got used to.

Where this putter really excels is from mid and long range. The forgiveness on offer from slight heel and toe hits was exceptional - at no point did we feel the putter twisting in our hands and the roll out was very consistent overall once we were adjusted to the speed of the greens and how the ball came off the face.

The DLT undoubtedly helps here - when making a longer swing it’s very difficult to present the optimum shaft lean and dynamic loft every time, so to have this in place boosts confidence that the ball will still travel the correct distance.

The stock Lamkin Sinkfit grip is quite chunky but fitted well in our hands and has a nice tacky feel to it. It also has Cobra Connect powered by Arccos, so you can track your stats if you use the app. 

Sadly, given the level of performance we experienced, this putter isn’t going on general sale. The King Supersport-35 will only be available in limited quantities and only in 34” and right handed, so you’ll need to act fast.

This is a shame, because we really enjoyed the user experience. Given its limited availability, the King Supersport-35 is more of a collectors' item and a showcase as to what is to come from Cobra in the future and perhaps the industry as a whole.

Is 3D Printing The Future Of Golf Club Design?

3D printing has a host of advantages - notably the more elaborate and efficient head designs as well as the fact that no expensive tooling is required to create the shapes - instead this is all controlled by a computer.

3D printing also broadens the possibilities when it comes to personalisation. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to think that in the future, you could have a custom set of irons or wedges built with a head shape specific to your needs and desires, built in double quick time and at no extra cost. This may be something far on the horizon, but if the King Supersport-35 is the here and now, then there’s lots to be excited about in the years ahead.