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Today, I’ll be reviewing the Cobra 2024 AIR-X fairway wood, also referred to as the AIR-X 2 fairway wood.
Like the other clubs in Cobra’s AIR-X line, the 2024 AIR-X fairway is marked by a lightweight design which helps slower swingers generate more clubhead speed, launch, and distance.
The 2024 model of the AIR-X improves upon the original 2022 version with new H.O.T. Face technology designed to give a boost to mis-hit forgiveness.
How does the 2024 AIR-X actually perform when put to the test? How does it compare with the original model? Is it worth putting in the bag?
Here’s what will be covered in the review:
Read on to learn what you need to know to make an informed purchase.
Note: Unless otherwise indicated, stock shafts and stock grips are used when evaluating clubs and the 3W is evaluated in the case of fairway woods. In most cases, the golf clubs reviewed on Golfstead are acquired temporarily for testing purposes and are not purchased. The review that follows is based on the personal experience and research of the author. Because everyone’s swing and body are different, results with a particular club may differ from person to person.
What are the reviews like?
At the time of writing, critic reviews of the 2024 AIR-X fairway wood are very limited, although it currently enjoys a 5/5 average rating on the Cobra store.
What People Like
- draw bias is a nice touch
- forgiving
- nice high launch
- plenty of distance
- lightweight and easy to swing
What People Don’t Like
- generally not suitable for higher swing speeds
The Features
With the 2024 model of the AIR-X fairway wood, Cobra brings over the A.I. H.O.T. Face found in their AEROJET line of clubs.
The idea behind the H.O.T. (“Highly Optimized Topology”) face insert is similar to innovations from other brands such as Callaway’s A.I. Flash Face.
Using machine-learned data from thousands of impact simulations, the thickness of the face is optimized in multiple locations through CNC machining. The result is better optimized spin and increased ball speeds across the face, not just in the sweet spot.
Of course, the AIR-X brand is best known for its light weight. This includes a lighter head along with a lightweight stock shaft and grip, which allows slower swingers and players with smooth tempos to increase their clubhead speed and get a better launch.
With the 2024 AIR-X fairway wood, you have heel weighting designed to introduce a draw bias and help mitigate the right miss. This is complemented by an offset hosel, which further encourages a draw shot shape and makes the club easier to hit.
Stock Info
The 2024 AIR-X fairway wood is available in 3W (16°), 5W (19°), and 7W (22°) lofts.
Also available is the women’s 2024 AIR-X fairway wood. This features light blue accents on the back instead of red, and club lengths, shafts and grips are tailored to women to maximize their performance.
The purchase of Cobra golf equipment like the AIR-X fairway wood immediately makes you eligible to receive free Arccos Smart Sensors and a one-year free trial to the Arccos Caddie app.
The stock shaft is the Cobra Ultralite in graphite, and the stock grip is the Lamkin EPDM R.E.L. Black STD 58R.
Below are the specs of the 2024 AIR-X fairway wood. Click or zoom to enlarge.
The Performance
In the sections that follow, I’ll talk about my experience with the 2024 AIR-X fairway wood. Let’s jump in.
Distance
I was getting about the same amount of clubhead speed with the 2024 AIR-X fairway wood as the 2022 model. However, I got a noticeable jump in ball speed of 2-3 mph, which is not surprising given the presence of Cobra’s H.O.T. Face.
Combined with marginally lower spin, distances ended up being about 5-10 yards greater, which is awesome. At the same time, there isn’t a noticeable reduction in stopping power or a lower trajectory, so it’s pretty much all gain and no loss in that respect.
Ultimately, though, whether you’ll see increased distance over your current gamer will depend on if the 2024 AIR-X allows you to pick up additional clubhead speed and get a better launch.
Forgiveness
The 2024 AIR-X fairway wood is very forgiving overall and typically what you would expect from a game-improvement club.
As with the 2024 AIR-X driver, I found ball speed preservation on mis-hits (in the heel and toe regions) to be better than the 2022 model. This was most apparent in the toe region, where I saw a comparative gain of around 5-8 yards.
Dispersions seem to be at least as good, if not just a touch tighter, than the original AIR-X. Toe strikes seem to maintain a slightly better line.
Playability/Trajectory
The 2024 AIR-X fairway wood tends to produce a high trajectory with mid spin.
The heel weighting combined with offset gives this club a pretty significant draw bias, so if you naturally hit a straight or draw shot shape, you may have to make compensations in your swing to get the ball flight you want.
The 2024 AIR-X fairway wood is incredibly easy to get up in the air and feels so effortless to swing, making it an ideal choice for many seniors and beginners.
Workability is below average. If you have a low-moderate swing speed but want a player’s level of control over your ball, you’re better off going for a lightweight configuration of something like the AEROJET LS.
The Look
The 2024 AIR-X fairway wood has a very similar shape to the original AIR-X. The differences are mainly aesthetic, including a slightly different crown topography, H.O.T. Face indicator on the face, altered sole design, and matte black finish with red accents throughout.
The face of the 2024 AIR-X is reasonably shallow which will help with getting clean contact off the fairway and in the rough.
I’m not a fan of the black-on-black Cobra logo on the sole, but aside from that, I like the aesthetic and think the club has great bag appeal. The matte black crown helps the ball stand out at address as well.
The Sound & Feel
The 2024 AIR-X fairway wood feels just as lightweight and easy to swing as the 2022 model. As I’ve said in my other AIR-X reviews, I wouldn’t really game lightweight clubs like this personally, but it does feel very easy to put speed into the shot which should really help seniors in particular.
The AIR-X clubs are known for their effortless feel through the swing and through impact, and the fairway wood is no exception.
Impact produces a medium-pitched “thwack” that is exceptionally satisfying. The feel seems to be a touch more lively/responsive off the face compared to the original, which is no doubt due to the H.O.T. Face tech. On off-center strikes, the feel loses some liveliness and the sound isn’t as crisp.
Where To Buy This Fairway Wood Online
You can buy the 2024 AIR-X fairway wood directly from the Cobra store with the ability for full customization including loft, shaft, shaft length and grip. The women’s model is available here.
Another great place to order 2024 AIR-X fairway wood with customization options is PGA TOUR Superstore. PGATS accommodates custom requests for most new models, and they also offer financing plans, performance guarantees, and club trade-in programs.
If you want to save some money, you can find discounts on eBay.
Final Thoughts
The bottom line: if you have a below-average or moderate swing speed, you should give the Cobra 2024 AIR-X fairway wood some serious consideration.
Its light weight makes it easy to swing and easy to launch. The H.O.T. Face gives a nice little boost to forgiveness and distance compared to the 2022 model, while the substantial draw bias helps take the right side of the golf course out of the equation.
It’s affordable too, so you won’t need to break the bank adding it to your bag.
Are you interested in the 2024 AIR-X fairway wood? Have you tried it yet? What’s your experience? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
