Accurate, consistent and stylish pretty much sum up Cobra S3 irons. I heard these clubs have the ability to help with distance, so I figured I’d give them a fair shake to win me over. Although their design may be a little flashy for my taste, I’ve learned to never judge a book by its cover. Just because it looks young and fun doesn’t mean it won’t deliver veteran-worthy performance, right?

Well, I never thought Cobra would become a club of choice for me, but I can definitely say I’m pleasantly surprised and impressed by these irons. For a forged club, the ball comes off the face pretty hot, and I like it! They’re smooth and when you make contact, the ball in flight is definitely a thing of beauty. So, my first demo out with the Cobra S3 irons, I found myself hitting purer shots and ultimately taking more risks with confidence. In fact, they didn’t seem like risks, after all! I simply felt like I graduated to another level.

Appearance

I know I’ve complained about the looks of the irons but in all fairness, it’s really only the yellow markings on the ones I was playing with that made me feel as though a ray of sunshine was haunting me. That being said, I certainly didn’t mind the hint of color when I got just the right amount of air on that beautiful shot at the 3rd hole. Okay, aside from the yellow, I love the smoky PVD finish. It adds a little mystery, in my opinion. Although Cobra is no newbie to the two-toned design, these irons just look seamless, like a nice contemporary piece of art. The contrast just works!

Although the blade is certainly not small, the head is by no means intrusive. In fact, it looks smaller when you are looking at it from above. If you prefer an iron with a little more bulk, you may not get excited about the size, but for me, it’s just right. I do question Cobra’s reasoning for placing that mirrored shiny finish on the side that sort of looks out of place, but I can only assume it’s to make the clubs last longer, knowing that PVD will eventually wear out.

Forged from 1025 high carbon steel, I must note that you won’t deal with glare coming off of them. They are well-balanced with a Nippon 1030h shaft, finished off with velvet grips.

Performance

It’s rare that you are granted distance and forgiveness, in one iron. I have learned that I always seem to be sacrificing one for the other. Do I want to nail those balls with impressive speed and height, or do I want my ball to go where I want, rather than off to the right all day? It’s the story of my life. Before trying out the Cobra S3 irons, I had never fully understood the term, have your cake and eat it too, but you really can have it all!

This is a forgiving iron that is not overly manipulative, so you don’t feel like you’re wearing training wheels, but it’s also an iron that promotes distance. Yes, finally the best of both worlds. Maybe the ray of sunshine on them really does help! Hits are both long and workable.

What I like is that although they are forgiving, I don’t feel as though I’m swinging a shovel. There is no clunky feeling because the Nippon 1030h shaft is well-mated to the head. The back swing feels effortless and balanced and the downswing is an even more pleasing experience.

Should you mishit with the Cobra S3 irons, you will feel exactly where you went wrong, rather than guessing and trying to determine a solution. There is an extra-large safe hitting zone in the larger irons, which shrinks to normal size by the time you get to the pitching wedge. These are irons that definitely feel good to use.

I will say, I don’t think that they are quite as consistent as the Ping K15 irons, but they are definitely in the running. They’re not as buttery soft as Miura or Mizuno, but they are pure, definitely outperforming many in their class.

Review

I know that distance shouldn’t matter all that much when it comes to rating irons, but when it’s the longest iron I’ve tested, suddenly it does. I found myself having to go easy on a few shots, trusting that the distance would just come naturally, and it did!

Without sacrificing feel, you get an iron that is hot across nearly the entire face. So, while it may not be the most forgiving option on the market, it certainly offers enough forgiveness to get excited about. Pair that up with a longer shaft and virtually no glare, and you have yourself a winner in my books!

Want to see what we have to think? Check out our Golf Club Reviews page to see if we’ve take the club you’re interested in for a test drive.