Thomas Tanner

Aug 20, 2021

6 minutes

The RADSPEED driver family from Cobra is made up of three different models - RADSPEED, RADSPEED XB, and RADSPEED XD with all three having a different weighting configuration.

The name RADSPEED stands for Radius of Gyration, which is the concept of optimising the distance mass is placed from the Centre of Gravity to improve performance.

All of the models have Cobra's MyFly adjustable loft system too.

Let's get adjusting.

If you've never opened the screws in a driver before, take your adjustment wrench, place it into the screw and turn it anti-clockwise to open. Then, when you want to tighten and secure any screw in place, you do the opposite, turn it clockwise. There will be an audible 'CLICK' which indicates the screw is securely in place and prevents it from being overtightened.

The standard RADSPEED is the most adjustable of the three heads, and if you look at the underside, you'll see there's removable weighting at the front and back. The two ports contain a total of 12-grams of moveable mass - split into a 10-gram and 2-gram plate.

With the heavier weight in the front (just behind the face and as standard), the centre of gravity is pushed forward, and the driver will produce high ball speeds and low spin for maximum distance.

If you open the screws in the weight ports and swap them around, putting the heavier weight in the back, the driver will become more stable, forgiving, and, in this setting, will launch the ball higher with more spin. In this setup, you're beginning to sacrifice a little distance for forgiveness and straighter drives - not a bad trade at all!

So to recap - heavier weight forward for low spin and more distance or back for more stability and forgiveness.

The two fixed weight heads.

The RadSpeed XB (or XD) model does not have this level of weight adjustment in the sole. XB stands for Extreme Back, and it's a driver already set up by the Cobra engineers to be higher launching, higher spinning, and extremely forgiving! What you have instead is one 6-gram weight that is removable but only in a club fitting environment.

The RadSpeed XD, standing for Extreme Draw, has a fixed 10-gram weight in the heel of the driver. This added mass will help to shut the face as you swing down towards impact and help correct a fade or slice. The RadSpeed XD also has a weight port in the back that is technically removable and changeable, but you would generally only see this in a professional custom fitting situation.

Cobra My-Fly technology.

All three RADSPEED drivers feature Cobra's My-Fly technology which allows you to adjust loft and lie. You can change the launch and trajectory the ball flies off the tee with and affect the spin up to, plus or minus, approximately 450 revolutions per minute.

You can raise or lower the loft by up to 1.5-degrees, and there are eight settings in total; five of them are just loft related, and three of them are loft and lie related.

Looking at the hosel of your driver, you'll see a little window with "STD" or a number indicating the change from "STD" or standard.

Using the adjustment wrench, you can loosen the hosel screw and remove the shaft to reveal all the little numbers corresponding to the eight settings you can choose.

Reducing loft.

Now let's say you want to reduce loft. If you rotate the hosel one notch to the '-1' setting, slide back on the head and tighten it, this driver will then play one degree lower than its stated loft.

Behind the ball, it'll sit with the face a little more open, and the ball will come off the face a little bit lower and have a little less spin on it.

You could go two notches if you like to the -1.5 setting, which will take even more spin-off your drives.

Increasing the loft.

If you want or need more loft than the stated loft, rotate the hosel one notch to add one degree of loft or two notches to add 1.5 degrees.

At address, the club will sit a little closed, and the ball will launch higher and have more spin on it.

Anything else?

Finally, rotating the shaft 180-degrees from the STD or standard-setting, reveals three further settings - STD draw, +1 draw and -1 draw.

These three settings make the driver sit more upright at address, which promotes a subtle draw bias on shots.

Choose STD draw and secure the head; the driver plays at the stated loft but is now more upright, promoting a draw.

Or I could choose +1 or -1 to give the driver more or less loft whilst at the same time sitting a little bit more upright.

When can you adjust your driver?

And it is very important to remember - you can adjust your driver on the range or at any time before or after your round, just not during it!