Should you play irons to improve your game?

Game Improvement (GI) Handcuffs, like new for Cobra King 2026 irons, they seem to get a really bad reputation, which is sad because I think they’re actually my favorite category of irons to try and talk about.

The problem with GI style irons is that they are bulky and it hurts people’s egos. No one wants their friend to make fun of them the first time they pull out a big, loaded 7-iron. However, the truth is that there are more golfers who can benefit from playing this style of iron than any other. The game-enhancing cuffs are designed to be the most useful and make scoring easier. They are not just for slower or beginner players. They are for anyone who just needs a little help. The category has also grown over the past decade, and there are actually micro-categories within the GI bucket to really make sure players are getting the level of help they need.

However, the biggest problem I see? We don’t talk about GI irons properly.

Chances vs. Guaranteed Results

What I mean when I say we don’t talk about them properly is that it’s often been misrepresented—even by me—what they actually do. Nothing about club fit is black and white. There are no magical fixes guaranteed for any club in the bag, or any club category they belong to.

While GI irons are typically larger designs with more forgiveness (MOI), wider soles, higher bounce, and a lower center of gravity (CG) position, that doesn’t mean they’ll be super fair, high-release options for every player. Instead, the right way to think about it is that they are easier to start higher or get away from mistakes. The way they’re designed gives them the ability to do those things better than other models, but ultimately, performance is dictated by impact. Different players will bring the club to the ball in different ways and not everyone will have the same experience.

I tested several offerings from Cobra using my Foresight QuadMax, and this data shows what I mean.

You can see in the data that the launch numbers don’t vary much between me Cobra Handcuffs 3DP UK and the new Cobra King GI style irons I tested. The big difference, however, is in spin and speed. Although the Cobra King GI iron is 6.5º stronger than the 3DP MB, the launch remains almost the same. The good news, though, is that this is the real point and the one I want to drive home. There is a miscommunication in what “top launch” actually means.

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Handcuffs for game improvement and stronger loft

This is one of my least favorite topics to discuss. The internet has no shape on it, and it’s the number one most maligned topic in the entire game of golf: loft jacking.

Attic raising is the process of strengthening the attics of an iron group. Usually, this carries a negative connotation that OEMs like Cobra are just trying to fake the extra distance by giving your 7-iron the loft of your 5-iron. But that’s not the only reason they do it, which brings us back to the launch. When designing a game improvement style iron, it is important to give it as low a center of gravity as possible. This encourages launch, regardless of who is swinging the golf club. The problem is that modern design and CG placement have started to launch the ball too high, to the point where other launch characteristics are adversely affected.

So how do they combat this? Strengthen the attic. This brings the iron package into a more usable performance window, giving the golfer who needs help the best chance for success with these offerings. So to demonstrate, I also hit a few 5-irons with my 3DP MB, which has a more similar loft package to the Cobra King GI 7-iron.

You’ll notice now that the King 7-iron is launching higher than the 3DP MB 5-iron in the same loft. King iron’s CG package is built to launch higher. You should also keep in mind that speed creates launch. I’m not the player designed to hit the King iron, so my data between these two examples will be closer to that of the player who actually needs to play an iron like this. At lower speeds, the difference in launch will become wider between the two.

Cobra 3DP MB Custom Handcuffs

The 3DP MB iron combines the look and feel of a traditional forged back muscle with the forgiveness of a hollow back iron. The most forgiving blade on the market, the MB has wowed Tour players by checking all the boxes and exceeding expectations with its incredible stability and feel. FORGIVING BACK MUSCLE BLADE SHAPE A slightly revised KING MB shape inspired by feedback from PGA Tour player Max Homa, the MB features a thinner topline and improved offset. The 3D printed inner grille and heel, toe and tungsten hose increases the MOI for stability and positions the CG perfectly centered and lower than the KING MB to promote higher launch. EXTREME FORGIVING MEETS SOFT FEEL The 3D printed inner grille structure not only optimizes weight savings, but also provides the stiffness and strength to support the face and fine-tune the acoustics of each iron to produce the most engaging sound and feel at impact. TOLLOFTEN WEIGHT Discretionary weight savings from the 3D printed grid allowed up to 55g of tungsten to be placed down in the heel, toe and shank, resulting in the perfect blend of a compact blade shape with a low CG and high MOI that reflects a game-enhancing iron.

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What about the rotation?

Take a look at the spin differences between the King GI 7 iron, my 3DP MB 7 iron and my 3DP MB 5 iron.

Overall, the King 7-iron definitely performs more like the 3DP MB 5-iron, and in some ways, as we’ve discussed, it kind of should. But you’ll notice that compared to the 3DP MB 7-iron, the King is in a much lower spin window, at just over 1000rpm on the best swings. Again, I see this as a big deal. The player who needs all this help will be over the moon that their 7-iron is performing this well. My peak heights were reaching up to 135 feet. While this is probably too high for me, the benefits to a player who struggles to get the ball in the air are invaluable.

For beginners who want to be encouraged to come back and play, or players who just want to be able to hit the ball as hard as they used to, something like the Cobra King iron is perfect.

Instead of comparing the apples of the club with the apples with a head that has the same number on it, it is better to discuss who it is for and what it does. The best example I can give is for the player to slow down. What is the benefit to a player who plays hollow irons from moving to an iron to improve the game? It’s an easier answer. Now they can play with the same club they are used to. The same CB 7-iron they played might be 15-20 yards shorter and probably not hit high enough to produce any kind of spin or stopping power. Throw a game-improving club in that player’s hands and suddenly, they’re back to their “normal” 7-iron distance and the ball is shooting nice and high to land softly enough on the green and help provide a more playable golf experience on the course.

It doesn’t matter that the irons have a faster face, less loft or a wider sole. The only thing that matters is that the golfer can feel confident again and get around the golf course with ease while scoring the lowest possible score, regardless of skill, speed or age.

Check your ego at the door

Clubs like these Cobra King grips are very, very useful designs for the right player. The problem with the internet is that arguments get lost in comparing clubs that should never be compared to players that should never hit them in the first place.

For someone like me, the stronger loft, hotter face and wider sole will turn these irons into rocket launchers. But they are not built for me. They are designed for players who want to get back into the distance. Players who feel like they’re missing out on their friends’ game every week because they just don’t have the juice they used to. Beginners are still great options for an iron like this. This will give them the opportunity to learn the game in a more forgiving way and create a less aggressive barrier to entry to the sport.

The golf world is full of complaints about stronger lofts and hotter faces on irons, mostly from players who don’t need these types of irons. But my question to you is: Have you ever heard of a player who actually needs these irons but complains that they go too far, too high and too straight? I didn’t think so.

If you want to fit for the right irons to match your game, visit Your real local specification and call!