Fly-Z driver

The key features of the Cobra Fly-Z driver are alow, back "CG Zone Weighting" that means changing the loft has little impact on how the head sits behind the ball, while "SmartPad" technology delivers a square face at address regardless of the loft setting.

Looks: As always with a Cobra driver these days, appearance is hard to fault. Testers loved the dark, deep face and colourful crown look while standing over the ball. The neat Cobra logo acts as a suitable alignment, strengthened with the curved line to the back of the crown. Tester's comment: "My favourite looker by a mile." 

Feel: The stock Matrix shaft felt light but balanced throughout the entire swing for both testers, and although the sound off the face was a little loud, it was by no means overpowering. Tester's comment: "A hearty sound, good feedback on mis-hits and a very stable shaft."

Performance: Both testers received above-average distances, with some strikes reaching close to 290 yards for our lower-handicap tester. When the driver was set to the lowest loft, the ball still popped up nicely off the face on a mid-high launch angle. Low levels of spin off the tee proved another plus, but most importantly, forgiveness was arguably the best. Testers failed to recall any drives veering more than 10 yards offline. Tester's comment: "A real fairway finder."

Verdict: GOLD

Outstanding value for money at £249. It might not be the most adjustable Cobra offering, but it does not need to be. It is long, straight and it just happens to look the real deal. The best driver you are probably not considering.