Cobra Golf KING MIM Wedges Preview - A New Standard in Precision and Feel

Cobra Golf's new KING MIM wedges are unlike any wedge you've ever seen or played before.  That's because Cobra's MIM wedges are the first in the industry to ever be made from 304 stainless steel with MIM (metal injection molding) creating the entire head from a CAD file. 

 

Some will say this is just a fancy way of saying the club is cast, but nothing could be further from the truth.  The MIM delivers all the benefits and properties of a forging, but at the cost of a casting.  And MIM represents a significant advantage in wedge manufacturing by delivering the most precise shape possible for exceptional feel and turf interaction in every single MIM wedge manufactured. 

Why MIM is So Unique and Beneficial 
I told you about the Cobra MIM wedges and why they're so unique back at the PGA Merchandise Show in January, but it's worth repeating here again. 

 

Unlike forged wedges, MIM manufacturing reduces the amount of post-process polishing, where in the past, there was a heavy reliance on skilled machinists to grind consistent wedge shapes by hand.  Each wedge is created using a mixture of 304 stainless steel metal powder, which is then heated and injected into a mold.  This creates a clubhead called the "green part," which is 17-percent bigger than the final version. 

Using a sintering process, the metal is heated in a furnace to a higher temperature than forging (1340 degrees C vs. 1200 degrees C), resulting in a more even grain structure than forged and cast wedges, and the softest feel the industry's ever seen.  

 

 

 

A normal wedge or is touched 80 to 100 times to finish it.  And the process is dirty.  There's grinding, pouring metal, making castings, and a lot of hand finishing in the physical labor process.  Not to mention training workers how to grind a wedge and how to do it consistently. 

Cobra's MIM wedge by comparison is touched maybe 10 to 15 times (instead of 80 to 100).  The process is streamlined with the metal powder being injection molded, taking the green part out and putting that into an oven, and then CNC milling the face grooves while a robot does the finishing lines and polishing (CNC milling also gives you the added benefit of making the grooves last longer). 

 

 

The robot is pre-programmed to polish each wedge to exact specifications, which eliminates variance in head weight and thickness, and creates more precise grind shapes and more predictable bounce.  This is in sharp contrast to the variability found in the traditional manual hand-polishing process. 

At the end of the day you get a wedge that feels softer than a forging, but has the precision of a milled forged, at the cost of a casting.  Check, check, check.  It's exactly what you want.  And I believe this is the way of the future.  Don't be surprised if irons and other constructions begin using MIM. 

 

Cobra Golf Vice President of R&D, Tom Olsavsky said, 

"At Cobra Golf, we work to create new products that offer a tangible benefit to our consumers.  Our innovative manufacturing processes work to reduce variables, helping golfers have a more consistent, improved game.  The KING MIM wedges are astonishingly soft and precise, to give golfers the best performance in their short games." 

Additional KING MIM Wedge Technologies 
Versatile Tour Wedge Grind 
This grind, also utilized by Rickie Fowler in his custom ground wedges on Tour, features a soft leading edge and provides additional toe-relief for optimal versatility.  You can easily open the face to execute a delicate flop or close the face to hit a bump and run as needed. 

 

Precision CNC Milled Face and Grooves 

A fully CNC milled face maximizes surface roughness and delivers precise lofts and groove shapes to optimize trajectory and spin performance. 

Radial CNC Milling Pattern 
The circular milling pattern helps to maximize spin on softer shots where the ball doesn't go as deep into the grooves.  In addition, the position of the radial milling pattern is intended to help golfers better identify the sweet zone (or sweet spot) for puring their wedges. 

 

Progressive Spin Technology 

Progressive groove shapes are CNC milled to optimize performance for each wedge loft.  The weaker lofts feature wider, shallower grooves, and the stronger lofts feature narrower, deeper grooves to deliver consistent spin from wedge-to-wedge. 

Premium Chrome Finish 
Chrome plating facilitates long lasting durability and provides a classic aesthetic. 

 

COBRA CONNECT 

The COBRA CONNECT Powered by Arccos system features electronically enabled Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips that work in conjunction with the Arccos Caddie app to give users the ability to track their wedge stats, and learn their tendencies so they can practice more effectively. 

The KING MIM Wedges will be offered in 50, 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60 degree lofts, and feature black Golf Pride Tour Velvet CONNECT grips with aftermarket KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 (125 gram) shafts.  They will be available April 12, 2019 for $149 per wedge. 

 

For more information on the Cobra KING MIM wedges and their entire 2019 line up of clubs, visit www.cobragolf.com, and follow them on twitter and Instagram.  And as always if you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an email or DM on twitter or Instagram.