Cobra King 3D Printed Agera Putter
Sometimes when you’re going to throw your hat in the ring, you pull out all the stops and go full speed. Don’t hold anything back and put the pedal to the floor. And that’s exactly what Cobra Golf did with their new 3D Printed putter series. Cobra developed three new designs utilizing 3D printing technology, multiple materials, and a high MOI to deliver a stable and consistent roll on the ball. Each putter also includes SIK’s DLT Face Technology to help provide a consistent roll for any type of putting stroke. For our review, we went all in and tested out the Cobra King 3D Printed Agera mallet putter, the highest MOI design in Cobra’s lineup.
The Looks
Whether you go with the Agera or Supernova mallets, or the blade Grandsport 35, all of the Cobra King 3D Printed putters have a modern look to them. Cobra engineers were heavily inspired by classic and futuristic car models and I feel like you can really see that in the design of these putters. The visible 3D printed “nylon lattice cartridge” is certainly reminiscent of a race car chassis. I also feel like the contrast of the forged aluminum crown, nylon cartridge, black topline, and the neon paint give the Agera a futuristic sporty look similar to a concept race car or space ship. And I’m here for it.
Given I chose the Agera, I knew I was signing up for a “full-bodied” mallet. The overall shape is reminiscent of many other mallets in the high-MOI category of the putter market. What sets it apart is the visibility through the club head and its interesting alignment aid. I wasn’t sure what to expect with the “openness” on the greens, but after an intrigued eyebrow raise, I didn’t particularly notice it anymore. In the middle of that open space is a spine that runs from front to back. While this bar supports the structure of the putter head, it also serves as an alignment aid for addressing the ball.
How Does it Feel?
The acronym MOI stands for “moment of inertia”. Think of MOI as how much the putter head (or any club) naturally wants to twist when making contact with the ball. The higher the MOI, the less the club wants to twist, therefore helping keep the ball on its target. This will often come through by way of the putter feeling more stable and balanced. What I can say about the Cobra King 3D Printed Agera is that it feels about as stable and balanced as any other mallet out there. It’s in at least the top 5 balanced and stable feeling mallets on this website.
Cobra utilized a handful of different methods to achieve a high MOI in the Agera. In fact, the Agera is Cobra’s highest MOI putter. The 3D printed internal nylon insert is lightweight and the aluminum crown only weighs 27 grams. By keeping these two elements light, Cobra had a ton of room to strategically place heaver weight elsewhere. By placing four tungsten weights in the corners and adding a 261g steel chassis, the putter has a lower center of gravity and excellent perimeter balance during the stroke.
In terms of the basics, the ball feels pretty soft off of the face. I would imagine the combination of the softer materials that make up the head, and the oversized Lamkin Sinkfit grip, play a large role in that. The King 3D Printed Agera’s face feels very forgiving as a result of SIK’s DLT face (more on that later) and the high MOI. There was definitely plenty of generosity in situations where I didn’t strike the ball perfectly and I could feel it helping me out right away.
How Does it Sound?
Sound with these “open-design” putters is always an intrigue for me. Frankly, I think getting them to sound decent is a real tough battle. Then when you factor in combining a steel chassis, a nylon middle structure, and an aluminum crown and face insert, it only gets more difficult. Credit where credit is due, the Cobra engineers delivered a good sound. The sound from the Agera was very soft and muted with just enough pop to give you the response you’re looking for. Miss the generous sweet spot and it becomes a muted “tick”. The ball still goes relatively ok, you just know you need to clean up the putting stroke a bit.
On-Course Performance
It’s time to talk SIK DLT. If you’re anything like me, you really wanted to know about Cobra using the SIK DLT in these putters. Obviously Cobra has Bryson in their lineup, and Bryson has been playing SIK putters for quite awhile now. Well, with SIK’s trusted designs, Bryson’s belief in the DLT face, and Cobra’s access to advanced technologies, the brands found a way to tie it all together.
If you’re new to SIK’s DLT face, DLT stands for “Descending Loft Technology”. The short version is that the face has four different surfaces with descending lofts from the top of the face as seen above. This creates a smooth roll on the ball whether you have a descending, ascending, or neutral angle of attack in your putting stroke. Rather than type it out, I’ll borrow the image below from Cobra’s site which explains it very well.
Though I wasn’t able to test my Agera on any sort of launch monitor or camera, my ultra-scientific “Eye Test Process” makes a pretty good case for the Descending Loft Technology working. The ball comes off of the face really clean and has a nice and smooth roll with most reasonable strokes. Add in the stability from the high MOI and you get a great sense of control. It’s just up to you to get used to the feel and nail the speed.
COBRA CONNECT – Powered by Arccos
Cobra has continued the use of Cobra Connect in their new putter families. The sensor embedded in the end of the Lamkin Sink Fit grip will sync with your Arccos Caddie app to track your putting performance. This helps to better understand your strengths and weaknesses of your putting game and how it impacts your game.
Final Thoughts – Cobra King 3D Printed Agera Putter
Cobra Golf has had some classic putters in the brand’s storied history, but they haven’t had a major presence in the contemporary putter market for quite some time. The King 3D Printed putter family, however, made quite the return to the industry. Whether these putters catch your eye or not, they’re the real deal. The 3D Printed Agera is easily one of the most forgiving putters I’ve tested on this site.
Don’t forget that there are multiple options available in all of these putters. The Agera is also available in armlock and one length configurations. If the Agera isn’t quite your speed, the blade Grandsport (also available in armlock) and the Supernova offer different looks that may better fit your eye.
