Why Rickie Fowler and Max Homa Switched to Cobra’s New Irons — And How They Can Help Your Game

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Rickie Fowler, known for his bold style and elite ball-striking, has undergone significant transitions in his choice of irons over the years. These changes not only reflect his evolving preferences but also highlight the technological advancements in modern golf clubs.

Cobra RF Proto MB Irons: A Classic Beauty with Unforgiving Precision Fowler’s earlier choice, the Cobra RF Proto MB irons, was designed with the purist in mind.

Pros:

• Timeless Design: These irons featured a sleek, traditional muscle-back look that appealed to elite ball-strikers.
• Unmatched Workability: With a compact head and thin topline, these irons provided exceptional shot-shaping ability.
• Pure Feel: Made from soft carbon steel, they delivered the precise feedback preferred by professionals.

Cons:

• Extremely Unforgiving: Even the slightest mishit resulted in significant distance loss.
• Demanding Playability: Designed exclusively for elite players, these irons punished inconsistent ball-striking.

While Fowler’s ball-striking prowess made these irons a viable choice for years, even he recognized the need for more forgiveness as golf technology evolved.

The Transition: Cobra King Tour Black Irons Recognizing that even the best players benefit from a bit of forgiveness, Fowler transitioned to the Cobra King Tour Black irons.

Pros:

• Added Forgiveness: A slightly larger head and cavity-back design make these irons easier to hit than the RF Proto MB.
• Enhanced Feel: A TPU insert inside the club dampens vibrations, resulting in a softer, more controlled feel.
• Sleek, Modern Aesthetic: The black finish offers a stealthy, professional look.

Cons:

• Slightly Less Workability: While still designed for elite players, these irons don’t provide quite the same shot-shaping ability as the RF Proto MB.

Fowler himself noted, “For the irons, they’re just a black version of the same Cobra King Tours that I was playing, just a different color.” While the change was largely aesthetic, it marks his move toward clubs that balance precision with more playability. His decision highlights a growing trend in golf equipment—blending performance with innovation to enhance both feel and forgiveness.

That pursuit of innovation is exemplified by Cobra’s LIMIT3D irons, a groundbreaking advancement in iron technology. Our favorite pick, these irons—already trusted by Max Homa—represent a radical shift in how golf clubs are designed and produced, paving the way for the future of the game.

Our Favorite Pick: Cobra LIMIT3D Irons – A Technological Leap

While Fowler opted for more forgiveness, the future of iron technology is being shaped by Cobra’s LIMIT3D irons. This innovative iron set, already in the bag of Max Homa, represents a radical shift in how golf clubs are designed and produced.

Why 3D Printing Matters in Golf Club Design Cobra has pushed the boundaries of golf technology by incorporating 3D printing into their iron design. Traditional irons are made from forged or cast metal, but 3D printing allows for precise internal structures that were previously impossible to manufacture.

The Key Benefits of 3D-Printed Irons:

• Optimized Weight Distribution: 3D printing enables Cobra to place weight exactly where it benefits performance, resulting in an ideal center of gravity (CG) for enhanced launch and control.
• Improved Feel: The intricate lattice structures inside the club absorb unwanted vibrations, creating a softer feel similar to traditional forged irons but with the benefits of a hollow body design.
• Consistent Performance: Unlike cast irons, where minor inconsistencies can occur in the manufacturing process, 3D printing ensures that every iron is built to exacting standards with zero variance.
• A Perfect Blend of Power & Forgiveness: The combination of a hollow body, strategically placed tungsten weighting, and a forged PWRSHELL face delivers explosive distance while maintaining a soft, controlled feel.

Customization and Adjustability The 3D printing process utilized in the LIMIT3D irons allows for precise manufacturing, enabling Cobra to offer customization options tailored to individual golfer preferences. This precision manufacturing ensures that each club can be fine-tuned to meet specific performance requirements, enhancing the overall playing experience.

Loft Comparison: LIMIT3D vs. Traditional 7-Irons Traditional 7-irons typically have lofts ranging from 34° to 35°. However, modern game-improvement irons often feature stronger lofts, sometimes as low as 28° or less.

The LIMIT3D irons have a 7-iron loft of 30.5°, which is stronger than traditional lofts but aligns with contemporary design trends aimed at increasing distance. This means golfers can achieve a higher ball speed and longer shots without sacrificing launch conditions.

Max Homa’s Experience with the LIMIT3D Irons Max Homa, one of the best ball-strikers on tour, has been testing the LIMIT3D 4-iron and has already seen noticeable benefits.

He mentioned that even on mishits, the ball travels nearly the same distance, something unheard of in traditional muscle-back irons. This level of playability, combined with the precision of 3D printing, makes the LIMIT3D irons a true game-changer for golfers who want the feel of a blade but the forgiveness of a modern players’ iron.

Final Thoughts

Tradition Meets Innovation Fowler’s iron choices—from the classic RF Proto MB irons to the more forgiving King Tour Black irons—reflect the evolution of golf technology. But Cobra’s LIMIT3D irons push the boundaries even further, blending the precision of blade irons with the forgiveness and consistency of advanced manufacturing techniques.

Whether you’re an elite ball-striker like Fowler, a tour pro like Homa, or simply a golfer looking for cutting-edge performance, Cobra’s LIMIT3D irons prove that the future of golf equipment is here—and it’s 3D-printed.

A Look at the New Cobra 3DP Tour Irons Cobra isn’t stopping with the LIMIT3D irons. Their latest innovation, the 3DP Tour Irons, takes 3D printing to another level.

These irons are fully 3D-printed from 316 stainless steel, allowing for intricate internal lattice structures that optimize weight distribution. This results in a compact blade shape that provides the precision of a tour-level iron with the forgiveness of a modern game-improvement club.

The 3DP Tour Irons will be available starting March 21, with a 4-PW set retailing for $2,450. If you’re looking for the most advanced iron technology available, this could be the next step in elevating your game.