Golf equipment maker Cobra has gone deeper into metal 3D printing with the announcement of an entire family of putters.
The company has been exploring the technology for some time, starting with the Cobra LIMIT3D iron in 2024. We performed a test of a 7-iron version of this club versus a normal 7-iron in a golf simulator setting in that year.
Evidently, Cobra’s experience with the new technology was successful, as their new 3DP TOUR line of putters is also 3D printed.
It turns out that not only are parts of the 3DP TOUR line 3D printed in metal, but there are also polymer parts that have been 3D printed. They explain:
“The 3DP TOUR family is engineered using a sophisticated multi-material construction that optimizes mass distribution and stability. Every model features a 3D-Printed Nylon Cartridge, carbon fiber crown, 304 stainless steel MIM body, and tungsten sole weighting, creating a structure that maximizes MOI while precisely controlling centre of gravity for improved launch, roll, and stability.”
At the top, you can see an exploded version of one of these putters, showing several 3D-printed parts. It seems that Cobra has done some less visible work inside the parts to rearrange the mass to move the centre of gravity.
We don’t know which 3D printers are being used by Cobra to produce these parts, but there are multiple service bureaus that could certainly do the job. It’s likely Cobra has partnered with someone to do this work, rather than attempting to do it themselves in-house: leveraging the experience of others on a new mass production product.
The 3DP TOUR putters are priced at US$379 each and will be available at Cobra’s normal resellers starting on March 13th.
This is quite an interesting story, because it suggests that Cobra’s initial experiment worked well enough to provoke a second round with the technology. There have been plenty of experiments that went the other way: a 3D-printed experimental product fell flat, possibly from a too-high price tag or insufficient features and benefits.
Not so with Cobra’s putters, apparently.
Via Cobra
