Cobra LTDx Vs. Taylormade M4 Driver Comparison & Review
Cobra and Taylormade are by all accounts two of the best golf club manufacturers in the business. So much so that even their older models are still sought out by players of all skill levels. But how would an older Taylormade driver hold up against the brand new Cobra LTDx driver?
We wanted to find out for ourselves so we chose a tried and true driver in the Taylormade M4 and tested it against the Cobra LTDx. Take a look at what we found below.
Cobra LTDx Driver Overview
There is a lot going on with the new Cobra LTDx driver including an adjustable hosel and a multi-thickness face architecture.
Our overall perception of the Cobra LTDx driver after testing was that it was built for a wide variety of players. The multi-thickness face (split into 15 different thickness zones) adds to the workability of this driver which will appeal to lower handicap players.
Meanwhile the 15 grams of rear weighting will appeal to players looking for more forgiveness from the tee. The Cobra LTDx even does something for players with slower swing speeds. It has a carbon fiber sole and crown along with a new titanium chassis to keep the overall weight down.
In all, the Cobra LTDx is a fast-swinging driver that produces a lot of ball speed thanks to exceptionally low spin rates.
Taylormade M4 Driver Overview
It would seem that simply too much time has passed and that technology has simply advanced too far for the M4 to keep up with a modern driver.
Before we go on, we should say that the Taylormade M4 driver still works very well for players seeking a combination of distance and forgiveness. Our high handicap testers really liked the deep face profile which makes for an expansive sweet spot.
The Speed Pocket will also increase forgiveness and ball speed on low-face shots. The advantages end there though. The Cobra LTDx played longer than the M4 even for our high handicap testers. The M4 was also nowhere near as workable as the Cobra LTDx driver even with an adjustable hosel.
The face of the Taylormade M4 driver also just feels deader on impact and is certainly less explosive as evidenced by launch monitor readouts.
The Cobra LTDx is clearly the better driver but the M4 performed valiantly in terms of forgiveness considering it’s age.
Cobra LTDx Driver
In 20 Words or Less
The Cobra LTDx driver features a cool combination of some of our favorite Cobra design elements as well as offering enhanced ball speeds.
Taylormade M4 Driver
In 20 Words or Less
A great starting point for anyone looking for forgiveness and distance from the tee.
Cobra LTDx Driver – First Impressions
Needless to say, we were pretty excited to get our hands on this new Cobra driver.
And while it wasn’t quite what we were expecting, it still smacked of that same old Cobra innovation. We weren’t quite expecting the Cobra LTDx to be such a “game-improvement” driver. But the higher handicap testers in our group were pleasantly surprised. Plus, the Cobra LTDx isn’t the only release in this model…
The LTD Family
Included in this new line of LTD drivers is the LTDx LS and the LTDx Max. The LS has the most forward-positioned weight so as you can imagine, it has the lowest spin rates. Of course, that means detracting a bit from MOI so it is not quite as forgiving as the Cobra LTDx. But if max forgiveness is what you’re after then you should be looking at the LTDx Max. It produces the highest launch and has an extra rear-weight to increase forgiveness.
Taylormade M4 First Impressions
The M4 driver looks great at point of address with a nice, beefy 460CC head.
Right away, the M4 looks great for beginners and high handicapper – or anyone with a slower swing speed in general.
We were also really impressed by the way this driver sounded and felt. You will find that the M4 really helps straighten out your drives as well. One of the caveats with this driver though is that launch angles were slightly lower when compared to the M6.
The M Family
Another worthwhile entry into the Taylormade M driver family is the M2 which is an extremely lightweight driver that features a multi-layer carbon crown and titanium body.
Cobra LTDx Driver Selling Points
- New H.O.T. face design
- Carbon fiber composite sole
- Titanium chassis
- Front-back weighting
- Low long-game spin
- Medium launch angles
Taylormade M4 Selling Points
- Speed Pocket
- Twist Face technology
- Very affordable
- Great sound
- Good feel
- Produces straight shots
Who is the Cobra LTDx Driver for?
With the Cobra LTDx driver, Cobra went straight down the middle of the road – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
That phrase usually has a bad connotation attached to it for mediocrity but that is not what we mean here. The Cobra LTDx does a good job of straddling the line between forgiveness and fast ball speed. It features a new H.O.T. face which separates the face into 15 different sections. The 15 different sections represent different thicknesses to accommodate for common mis-hit areas.
It also features a titanium chassis that helps increase stability in the mid section without significantly increasing weight.
For beginners and high handicappers though, the real star of the show is the rear tungsten weighting. While we have to admit, this is a common and rather basic feature in game-improvement drivers, it still makes a low-spin driver more accessible to higher handicap players.
Distance: 94/100
Accuracy: 91/100
Forgiveness: 94/100
Feel & Control: 92/100
Overall Rating: 93/100
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Who is the Taylormade M4 Driver for?
The Taylormade M4 would make a great driver for anyone who is on a bit of a budget but still wants significant help with forgiveness.
Keep in mind though that if you really want to prioritize distance, the M4 played about 13 yards shorter than the Taylormade M6 driver on average.
The forgiveness of the M4 driver is at least on par with that of the Taylormade M6 driver though. And we actually think that the M4 sounds and feels better when you strike right on the sweet spot.
Also, it should be noted that the M4 is not so much for lower handicap players. The workability is minimal and if you have a faster swing speed, you might actually lose some distance with this driver.
Distance: 92/100
Feel & Control: 93/100
Accuracy: 92/100
Forgiveness: 93/100
Overall Rating: 92/100
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