Having already reviewed the Cobra King F8 hybrid, you may wonder why there is another hybrid review here?
Well this is because the ONE Length version of the King F8 hybrid is a not your average hybrid and I am not just talking about the shaft length.
Some of you may be familiar with the Cobra ONE Length irons concept where every club is the same length as a 7-iron. Now in the F8 range you can also get a One Length Hybrid to add into your single length set.
The 17-4 Stainless steel head is the same design as the standard F8 hybrid so it has a nice rounded shape and to make it stand out from the variable F8 it retains the black paint job of the King F7 hybrid, which I prefer.
The sole features the same two rails as the F8 that are larger and closer together to enable the club to get through the truf more easily and keep the club online.
The face is still Forged 455 High Strength steel and features full width white lines to help with alignment and this is much more in your face than the Nardo colour scheme of the variable length.
Like all the King F8 clubs, the grip comes with a built in Arccos sensor so that you can pair it with the free Cobra Connect app on your smartphone and track your performance.
However the magic of this club is that the Aldila Rogue shaft has been specifically designed to by the same length as a 7-iron shaft at 37.5 inches.
There are three lofts at 19° 3H, 22° 4H and 25° 5H and they all come with a fixed hosel.
The head weighting is also adjusted so that it provides the same 62.5° lie and D0 swing weight to make it equivalent to the 4, 5 and 6 irons from the King F8 ONE Length irons should you wish to blend them in.
And for the 4 and probably 5 iron I think that most people should as when I took it on GC2 with Pro V1x balls I was getting the same distance from the 22° ONE Hybrid as I was from the ONE Length 5 iron but with a higher flight.
For those mid to low swing speed players who want to go down the ONE length route, then this will really make the top of the set come alive as it gives you that higher trajectory and steeper descent to get the ball to carry far enough and then stop when it lands on the green.
But there is another reason for all players to have one and that is its alternative use around the green as a chip and run club.
Now people have been chipping with hybrids before but the longer shaft is hard to manage as it changes the lie and as you grip down it then the feel of the head weight changes and it can jump off the face a little.
The King F8 hybrid shaft is designed to be this length and at a couple of inches longer than a putter it feels more natural to put a putting stroke on it and the lie angle of the club keeps the sole square.
The other advantage of the sole is that the rails create less contact points with the ground and therefore chipping from the fairway or longer grass like the fringe becomes very easy to use.
Having a larger head mass than a putter or a 7-iron to bump and run means you don't need as long a swing and therefore you will probably be more accurate.
Mnay dedicated chippers use around this loft, but they can't really be swung like a longer club so the ONE Hybrid has an advantage over them as even 40, 60 or 80 yards pitch and runs become much easier too. And it has the added benefit of not looking like a chipper either.
As you can probably tell I have been having a lot of fun playing around with the ONE Hybrid as a short game club and I would go so far as to say I think all players should consider adding one regardless of whether they are using the ONE length irons or not.
You can ditch a 4 or 5 iron or existing hybrid and get this club and effectively gain a 15th club that you can also use around the greens. If you are thinking of replacing a hybrid then I would swop it for the lower lofted ONE hybrid, so replace a normal 22° hybrid with the 19° ONE hybrid or a 5-iron with a 22° ONE hybrid.
You almost have a 15th club as in addition to a short game club, you still have one of the best hybrids in the market to hit full shots with and get you out of trouble. Genius - and the ONE Length hybrid could become a bit of a hidden gem for all levels of player so try it out.