Overview/Technology-
The new Cobra L5V is a large face driver that combines light carbon crown and sole insert to move the center of gravity (CG) so low that as much as 70 percent of the face is above the CG! So if you are looking for a low CG, you’ve found you’ve found it with the L5V.
Tom Morris, Principal Design Lead Engineer from Cobra, states “this is significantly more than most drivers (CG) and ensures over a high ball speeds to optimize launch conditions over a large face area.”
Actual Player Feedback-
“played 36 holes this weekend with this driver with the stock Diamana Redboard stiff and all I can say is wow, this this is seriously long”
“blows me away, better then any driver i have hit including the FT-iq, 09 burner, cleveland launcher”
“I like the big, rounded head, and the dimples on the top are cool; it give me something to focus on…”
“Very lightweight and it screams confidence with its high trampoline effect…”
Pros/Positives-
2 adjustable settings to optimize your personal ball flight and a stock Diamana Red shaft makes for a great combination for the recreational player or better to fit nicely into this driver.
Cons/Negatives-
If it made the face angle adjustment up to 2 degrees instead of only 1, it would have been more meaningful.
Overall Rating-
The Cobra L5V driver may be a sleeper, but my concern is the marketing of this driver may have been sub-par. Cobra for the most part, makes good drivers and markets them well. But this one just didn’t catch one as much as the other in its class. Nothing taken away from this driver though, it has had great comments. My advice would be to demo it to see if fits your swing.
I purchased the L5V a month ago. Prior to that, I used a Callaway Big Bertha 460, and I noticed a remarkable difference almost immediately. I was fortunate in being able to demo the Cobra prior to deciding about purchase, and that allowed me to compare it directly to the Big Bertha.
I played 18 holes at a high level course in town, and the Cobra hit straighter (I have it set to the draw setting) and about 15 yards further than I hit with my Callaway. Part of the success came from a straighter shot, but another factor is that I’m just more confident using the Cobra. On the one or two holes for which the Callaway connected perfectly – I still hit the Cobra 15 yards further. I felt I could stop aiming a little left and trust the club to send the ball where I wanted it to go. As a result, it knocked my overall score down by 3 or 4 shots that day. I chose the stiff shaft. The pro who advised me noticed that my swing is not a “long” swing – probably due to age and gaining weight over the years – and the stiff shaft worked better with the shorter swing.
I’ve had the club out six or seven times since, and it has been great. I let my brother hit with it last week (he hasn’t upgraded his clubs since the mid-1990s!), and he shot the ball past the green on a 225 yard par 3 – a hole he had never made the green before on the first shot. He asked, “how much for the club?” I told him I had never spent so much on any one club, but this time around, it was worth it. I expect my golf league to be a bit more fun this season.
Great club!
I bought the L5V from a friend that competes in long drive contests. The x-stiff shaft was not stiff enough and he could not control it. The first swing I took had a slight draw and cleared the fence at the driving range. The next three swings were identical to the first. I bought it off him on the spot. This driver is a monster off the tee box and, for me, very forgiving. The only con is that I can’t hit any other drivers straight at all. I am going to buy two more to keep in reserves.