With COBRA’s new OPTM metal woods, the key technology isn’t carbon, titanium, AI faces or tungsten. it’s then.
And if your immediate reaction is, “Talk. Wait. What the hell is POI?”you are not alone. Wait, please.
We’ve all become fluent in MOI (moment of inertia) over the past few years. Most OEMs now offer at least one ultra-high MOI or “10K” driver, and the conversation about forgiveness has largely been reduced to a single number. Bigger number = straighter shots. Simple enough. Not so fast, my friends.
COBRA’s argument is that MIA—specifically, combined MIA-doesn’t tell the whole story. They may be on to something.
MOI vs. POI (and why accuracy isn’t just about resistance)
At its most basic level, inertia is the resistance to angular acceleration about a given axis. In practice, when you miss the center:
- Finger strokes want to open the face
- Heel strikes want to shut him down
- High hits roll the face back, increasing launch
- Low kicks do the opposite
the MIA tells us how resistant the club is for those movements about the primary axes X and Y. But what it doesn’t fully explain is how the face behaves during the swing— Specifically, how it twists and turns through impact.
This is where the POI (product of inertia) comes in.
POI lives in the Z plane. It is a measure of how the face behaves with respect to torsional forces during the swing. Lower POI values ​​allow for a more natural head roll, which – in theory at least – results in straighter shots and tighter downrange distribution.
Loosely speaking, MIA is about stability. The POI is approx control.
And COBRA claims that accuracy is a product of both.
COBRA OPTM Fairways: Known technology, reformulated priorities
OPTM freeways carry several popular COBRA technologies:
- Hosel FutureFit33 – independent loft and lie adjustment with 33 settings. Honestly, any OEM MUST offer something like this.
- Adaptive POI weighting
- Topology of the hot face
The HOT face remains COBRA’s signature calling card. Designed using AI and machine learning, it’s built to maintain ball speed on off-center shots beyond what MOI alone can achieve. We’ve covered the specs before – the short version is that COBRA uses variable face thickness patterns to maintain speed where golfers actually lose it.
Where OPTM moves, the narrative is inside how COBRA rates performance.
Instead of relying on isolated ball speed, release or spin deltas, COBRA frames test results playability: fairway hitting, greens in regulation, and what they call “playable shots.”
I am a fan of this. It reflects how golfers experience performance – not on a launch monitor, but over 18 holes.
OPTM Fairways: Three patterns, clear separation
COBRA offers three OPTM freeway models, each with a unique CG (center of gravity) strategy and face depth:
- OPTM LS – Front CG, lowest spin (deepest face at 32mm)
- OPTM X – Basic model, more balanced (modest depth at 29 mm)
- OPTM Max – Rear CG and heel bias to help guide a slice (shallow at 26.5mm)
Weighting adjustments follow suit. The LS has a three-weight system (heel, toe, rear), the X features two movable weights (toe and rear), and the Max places the weight in the heel and rear to promote traction bias and stability.
Personally, I like the three-weight setup on the LS. It offers true CG tuning without overcomplicating things.
What COBRA testing says
COBRA’s player testing relies heavily on results rather than isolated metrics, and the results are encouraging.
- OPTM LS: Compared to the previous generation, testing showed approx half stroke gained per round with greens in arrangement jumping from 33.1 to 44.5 percent.
- OPTM X: This one seems to be quiet. With the heaviest weight positioned forward, testing showed:
- 95.2 percent playable shots
- 1.21 strokes gained off the tee compared to the previous generation
- 95.2 percent playable shots
My understanding is that the OPTM X with the front weight placement may end up being what allows the OPTM to find its way into many bags, both in pro tournaments and in your weekly skins game.
OPTM Hybrids: One model, broader appeal
Unlike open roads, the OPTM hybrid line consists of a single model.
This usually tells you something about the target audience and, here, suggests that COBRA is aiming for broad playability. With that, the COBRA OPTM hybrid features the aforementioned FutureFit 33 hose adapter and HOT Face topology to help maintain ball speed on off-center shots.
The most obvious call to technology is a new one PWR bridge, A AI-optimized weighting and CG placement that generates optimal POI values ​​alongside low spin and high ball speed.
Beyond that, a larger footprint suggests greater stability, and a single rear weight pulls the CG back slightly to promote a higher trajectory.
Shaping trends toward a “small fairway wood” profile that makes sense for a one-pattern approach. It’s forgiving, versatile and built to cover the widest range of players rather than creating a niche.
My $0.05
COBRA is not trying to win the MIA arms race with OPTM. Instead, it’s reframing the accuracy conversation – and POI is their way.
Whether POI becomes a widely adopted metric remains to be seen, but the basic idea makes sense: forgiveness isn’t just about resistance to movement; it’s about managing it. And if the lower POI really does lead to tighter distribution and more playable shots, that’s something golfers can actually feel on the course.
What I appreciate most is COBRA’s emphasis on results. Fairways hit. Green in regulation. Playable shooting. That’s the thing that moves the obstacles – not the theoretical benefits in the center of the face.
The price is in line with other leading brands. However, at $469, the OPTM LS is asking golfers to buy into the philosophy as much as the hardware.
If the performance holds up in controlled outdoor test environments, the OPTM could quietly be one of the most interesting fairway wood stories of the year.
Price and availability
- Pre-salt: January 13
- Full retail availability: January 20
- COBRA OPTM wood for fairways: LS ($469), X and Max ($369)
- COBRA OPTM hybrids: ($329)
For additional specifications and options, visit COBRAGolf.com.
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