Price
$186 per iron
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Why We Like It
- The 4- through 7-irons feature a hollow body with soft foam inside to enhance feel and help the face bend.
- A 70-gram tungsten weight is used to lower the center of gravity to maximize launch.
- The wide sole also helps with launch and with minimizing fat shots.
- Consumer feedback led Cobra to design a rounder, slimmer topline and to more neatly hide the offset to provide an appealing look at address.
- Although Bryson DeChambeau is no longer sponsored by Cobra, the company has continued down the path of one-length irons with the King Tec-X One Length in which every iron is the length and weight of a 7-iron.
- Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps.
- SPECS: 7-iron: 27 degrees; PW: 42 degrees
what our testers said
handicap
- all
- low
- mid
- high
Paul
63, Handicap 4
10+ years testing
I absolutely love this club. Launched right in a mid-low window. Impact was extremely soft, and it was effortless to swing. It's offset but not overly noticeable, and I felt I could work this club.
Matt
27, Handicap 5
1 year testing
I love the look of this club. It sets up like a players iron. That being said, it's not as forgiving as other clubs. It might be for someone who's transitioning from a game-improvement category to a players club. It's pretty moderate sound-wise, but you do a get a compressed sound and a nice flushed sound when you pure it.
Jamie
51, Handicap 5
2 years testing
Seems like the perfect setup for a game-improvement iron. It's a mid, compact head with just enough offset. It produces a relatively low flight but generates enough spin to keep the ball in the air despite that. Everywhere on the face gave the same feedback, which was a perfect blend of cushion with the pleasing sound of power.
Alan
30, Handicap 1
1 year testing
It has a lower launch to it for a game-improvement club. With this, you have the ability to hit lower windows. If you're playing off Bermuda grass with this club, it will keep you sane. It won't dig too much. If you want a club that will go with you on your lower-handicap journey, this one will.
Jin
30, Handicap 13
1 year testing
It gave me consistent distance and dispersion from left to right is minimal. The topline is slightly thicker than I prefer, but the face looks small at address. I like that. It makes a quick snapping sound at impact.
SEE ALL (30)
Paul
63, Handicap 4
10+ years testing
I absolutely love this club. Launched right in a mid-low window. Impact was extremely soft, and it was effortless to swing. It's offset but not overly noticeable, and I felt I could work this club.
Matt
27, Handicap 5
1 year testing
I love the look of this club. It sets up like a players iron. That being said, it's not as forgiving as other clubs. It might be for someone who's transitioning from a game-improvement category to a players club. It's pretty moderate sound-wise, but you do a get a compressed sound and a nice flushed sound when you pure it.
Jamie
51, Handicap 5
2 years testing
Seems like the perfect setup for a game-improvement iron. It's a mid, compact head with just enough offset. It produces a relatively low flight but generates enough spin to keep the ball in the air despite that. Everywhere on the face gave the same feedback, which was a perfect blend of cushion with the pleasing sound of power.
Alan
30, Handicap 1
1 year testing
It has a lower launch to it for a game-improvement club. With this, you have the ability to hit lower windows. If you're playing off Bermuda grass with this club, it will keep you sane. It won't dig too much. If you want a club that will go with you on your lower-handicap journey, this one will.
Jin
30, Handicap 13
1 year testing
It gave me consistent distance and dispersion from left to right is minimal. The topline is slightly thicker than I prefer, but the face looks small at address. I like that. It makes a quick snapping sound at impact.
Daniel
33, Handicap 12
5 years testing
There is good heft to the club. It's very dynamic through the ground and delivers a lot of energy at impact with a penetrating, powerful ball flight—a real jolt of pulsing energy at impact that carried its way through. It was easy to inject some playability into my shots with these, too.
Scott
37, Handicap 14
9 years testing
I got an excellent, powerful feeling off the face. Super-high launching. It'll stick on any green. It's also forgiving with some draw bias and really maintained distance on mis-hits. Everything stays right at the flag.
Sándor J.
36, Handicap 9
2 years testing
If I were to show up at the store and just pick a club, this would be the one. I love that they went above and beyond with the design.
Peter
57, Handicap 7
10+ years testing
Best thing about this club is it gives good feedback. You know if you hit it a little off the heel or the toe. Hit the sweet spot and you get that great, quiet feel.
Jack
35, Handicap 1
2 years testing
Really pretty iron; the toe weight gives the appearance of a players iron but with a bit of new-school tech. You could feel the heat, but it's not going to burn. You'll gain a few yards, but it's not going to get out of control.
John
55, Handicap 11
1 year testing
Looks sharp, feels comfortable and distance was there. It got through the turf well, too.
RC
63, Handicap 7
2 years testing
Nice looking and clean lines, like they are completely forged. Distance was a little inconsistent, but it felt good on the swing.
Ryan
49, Handicap 10
7 years testing
The clubs felt so easy to lay into the slot and finish your swing completely. You take the right amount of turf and never get stuck. It was a comfortable feel as an extension of my arms. The weight of the club didn't make me drag it or pull it. I was able to launch it high and land it soft. I didn't have to reach back to grab extra distance.
Wayne
60, Handicap 6
2 years testing
Looks more like a players iron than game improvement. Kinda plays that way, too, so it will appeal to a lot of different handicaps. The ball came off clubface hot and had good distance, even on mis-hits. Pretty forgiving distance and direction here. Actually felt a little softer than one would expect.
Shane
36, Handicap 15
5 years testing
This has an aggressive, direct look. Really elastic off the face, it just sends it. They also are forgiving and generous. I didn't play any loose shots despite mis-hits.
Ryan
46, Handicap 14
2 years testing
It has a solid, clean look, which breeds confidence that I'm gonna hit a good shot. It also has great weight and made me feel like I could step on it. I felt like I could work the ball on command and the club did a lot of work. I just had to stand there and swing it.
Alex
40, Handicap 11
6 years testing
Nice, compact design. Clean. Absolutely rockets off the clubface on center strikes. Explosive. I felt like it was actually receiving more energy than I was transferring. Consistent higher-than-average trajectories. I picked up a few yards on what I normally see with each club.
Wei
55, Handicap 13
9 years testing
I love the proportions of the clubhead and the way it sits behind the ball. It gives you a lot of confidence. The sound is cushiony with zero harshness. Just an absolute pleasure to hit. It has long carry distances with a ton of forgiveness.
David
66, Handicap 8
1 year testing
A nice high ball flight, up where momma keeps the Thin Mints. They are super consistent and look and feel like a players iron.
Sean
53, Handicap 6
8 years testing
The high launch was a lot better in these.
Alejandra
26, Handicap 5
4 years testing
Good strikes are common. The ball flies higher than normal on center strikes with decent distance.
BK
41, Handicap 1
9 years testing
Overall, it's long, it's forgiving. It's a littler lower launching. Not low launch, but I think that it makes it a little more playable for golfers who are getting better with their swing. You can stay with this iron for a longer period. Sound is unremarkable, but that's a good thing because you don't want to have think about it.
Matt
52, Handicap 11
3 years testing
A handsome club. Not too busy or angular. It gives you a real jolt at impact and a thwack sound. Both directional and distance control was outstanding. It produced a mid-level ball flight.
Gary
37, Handicap 13
10+ years testing
The minimal graphics and clean lines make you feel like a better player just looking down at these at address—a pleasing overall footprint behind the ball. The clubs were not too heavy through impact and not a ton of sidespin, so the ball stayed in the target zone. And the landing angle was adequate and effective.
Ricky
46, Handicap +3
10+ years testing
It's not a busy, oversized head, but when you swing it, it's so easy to get through the shot. The ball jumps and just keeps going, even at apex. The results were so consistent on good shots and only really off by five yards on mis-hits.
Robert
28, Handicap 2
1 year testing
Great movement through the turf and requires no manipulation. It had a nice thud to it, too. In the air, I could work the ball.
Thomas
60, Handicap 7
10+ years testing
These are reassuring. A cushiony feel on every shot. It might be a touch sticky on turf interaction but overall, I came away feeling that it gives me a lot of confidence.
Anand
43, Handicap 6
10+ years testing
The ball comes out very easy off the face, probably the purest you can get. The sound you get is very clean. Feels like every shot I'm hitting on the sweet spot. I wasn't able to launch the ball high enough compared to my usual trajectory. Everything else worked great.
Skylar
26, Handicap 7
2 years testing
You can get feedback right away from mis-hits versus center ones—but they're still very playable, which is good. The sweet spot wasn't that big. The good shots just went a little farther.
Molly
37, Handicap 0
4 years testing
I liked the overall congruency of everything it provides. High distance, high trajectory, and it protects against a slice. It isn't too heavy and has nice balance when you pick it up and swing it. One issue: I felt like I was fighting the offset a little bit.
Jin
30, Handicap 13
1 year testing
It gave me consistent distance and dispersion from left to right is minimal. The topline is slightly thicker than I prefer, but the face looks small at address. I like that. It makes a quick snapping sound at impact.
Daniel
33, Handicap 12
5 years testing
There is good heft to the club. It's very dynamic through the ground and delivers a lot of energy at impact with a penetrating, powerful ball flight—a real jolt of pulsing energy at impact that carried its way through. It was easy to inject some playability into my shots with these, too.
Scott
37, Handicap 14
9 years testing
I got an excellent, powerful feeling off the face. Super-high launching. It'll stick on any green. It's also forgiving with some draw bias and really maintained distance on mis-hits. Everything stays right at the flag.
Shane
36, Handicap 15
5 years testing
This has an aggressive, direct look. Really elastic off the face, it just sends it. They also are forgiving and generous. I didn't play any loose shots despite mis-hits.
Ryan
46, Handicap 14
2 years testing
It has a solid, clean look, which breeds confidence that I'm gonna hit a good shot. It also has great weight and made me feel like I could step on it. I felt like I could work the ball on command and the club did a lot of work. I just had to stand there and swing it.
Wei
55, Handicap 13
9 years testing
I love the proportions of the clubhead and the way it sits behind the ball. It gives you a lot of confidence. The sound is cushiony with zero harshness. Just an absolute pleasure to hit. It has long carry distances with a ton of forgiveness.
Gary
37, Handicap 13
10+ years testing
The minimal graphics and clean lines make you feel like a better player just looking down at these at address—a pleasing overall footprint behind the ball. The clubs were not too heavy through impact and not a ton of sidespin, so the ball stayed in the target zone. And the landing angle was adequate and effective.
Sándor J.
36, Handicap 9
2 years testing
If I were to show up at the store and just pick a club, this would be the one. I love that they went above and beyond with the design.
Peter
57, Handicap 7
10+ years testing
Best thing about this club is it gives good feedback. You know if you hit it a little off the heel or the toe. Hit the sweet spot and you get that great, quiet feel.
John
55, Handicap 11
1 year testing
Looks sharp, feels comfortable and distance was there. It got through the turf well, too.
RC
63, Handicap 7
2 years testing
Nice looking and clean lines, like they are completely forged. Distance was a little inconsistent, but it felt good on the swing.
Ryan
49, Handicap 10
7 years testing
The clubs felt so easy to lay into the slot and finish your swing completely. You take the right amount of turf and never get stuck. It was a comfortable feel as an extension of my arms. The weight of the club didn't make me drag it or pull it. I was able to launch it high and land it soft. I didn't have to reach back to grab extra distance.
Wayne
60, Handicap 6
2 years testing
Looks more like a players iron than game improvement. Kinda plays that way, too, so it will appeal to a lot of different handicaps. The ball came off clubface hot and had good distance, even on mis-hits. Pretty forgiving distance and direction here. Actually felt a little softer than one would expect.
Alex
40, Handicap 11
6 years testing
Nice, compact design. Clean. Absolutely rockets off the clubface on center strikes. Explosive. I felt like it was actually receiving more energy than I was transferring. Consistent higher-than-average trajectories. I picked up a few yards on what I normally see with each club.
David
66, Handicap 8
1 year testing
A nice high ball flight, up where momma keeps the Thin Mints. They are super consistent and look and feel like a players iron.
Sean
53, Handicap 6
8 years testing
The high launch was a lot better in these.
Matt
52, Handicap 11
3 years testing
A handsome club. Not too busy or angular. It gives you a real jolt at impact and a thwack sound. Both directional and distance control was outstanding. It produced a mid-level ball flight.
Thomas
60, Handicap 7
10+ years testing
These are reassuring. A cushiony feel on every shot. It might be a touch sticky on turf interaction but overall, I came away feeling that it gives me a lot of confidence.
Anand
43, Handicap 6
10+ years testing
The ball comes out very easy off the face, probably the purest you can get. The sound you get is very clean. Feels like every shot I'm hitting on the sweet spot. I wasn't able to launch the ball high enough compared to my usual trajectory. Everything else worked great.
Skylar
26, Handicap 7
2 years testing
You can get feedback right away from mis-hits versus center ones—but they're still very playable, which is good. The sweet spot wasn't that big. The good shots just went a little farther.
Paul
63, Handicap 4
10+ years testing
I absolutely love this club. Launched right in a mid-low window. Impact was extremely soft, and it was effortless to swing. It's offset but not overly noticeable, and I felt I could work this club.
Matt
27, Handicap 5
1 year testing
I love the look of this club. It sets up like a players iron. That being said, it's not as forgiving as other clubs. It might be for someone who's transitioning from a game-improvement category to a players club. It's pretty moderate sound-wise, but you do a get a compressed sound and a nice flushed sound when you pure it.
Jamie
51, Handicap 5
2 years testing
Seems like the perfect setup for a game-improvement iron. It's a mid, compact head with just enough offset. It produces a relatively low flight but generates enough spin to keep the ball in the air despite that. Everywhere on the face gave the same feedback, which was a perfect blend of cushion with the pleasing sound of power.
Alan
30, Handicap 1
1 year testing
It has a lower launch to it for a game-improvement club. With this, you have the ability to hit lower windows. If you're playing off Bermuda grass with this club, it will keep you sane. It won't dig too much. If you want a club that will go with you on your lower-handicap journey, this one will.
Jack
35, Handicap 1
2 years testing
Really pretty iron; the toe weight gives the appearance of a players iron but with a bit of new-school tech. You could feel the heat, but it's not going to burn. You'll gain a few yards, but it's not going to get out of control.
Alejandra
26, Handicap 5
4 years testing
Good strikes are common. The ball flies higher than normal on center strikes with decent distance.
BK
41, Handicap 1
9 years testing
Overall, it's long, it's forgiving. It's a littler lower launching. Not low launch, but I think that it makes it a little more playable for golfers who are getting better with their swing. You can stay with this iron for a longer period. Sound is unremarkable, but that's a good thing because you don't want to have think about it.
Ricky
46, Handicap +3
10+ years testing
It's not a busy, oversized head, but when you swing it, it's so easy to get through the shot. The ball jumps and just keeps going, even at apex. The results were so consistent on good shots and only really off by five yards on mis-hits.
Robert
28, Handicap 2
1 year testing
Great movement through the turf and requires no manipulation. It had a nice thud to it, too. In the air, I could work the ball.
Molly
37, Handicap 0
4 years testing
I liked the overall congruency of everything it provides. High distance, high trajectory, and it protects against a slice. It isn't too heavy and has nice balance when you pick it up and swing it. One issue: I felt like I was fighting the offset a little bit.
NO REVIEWS
There are no tester reviews here.
Range Results
We tracked 27,000 shots through player testing and then had them analyzed by our team of scientists. These graphics reflect the relative performance our players saw for each club in the category.
Surviving The Hot List: Celebrity Intern
From the Manufacturer
Cobra King Tec-X
The KING TEC-X Irons redefine how a game improvement iron should look and feel. Exhilarating distance and forgiveness are achieved through an internal 70g tungsten weight and hollow body construction, giving you the keys to improve your game while looking like a serious player.
Featured In
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1 / 16
Callaway
Apex Ai300
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200 per iron
The Apex Ai300 replaces the Apex DCB and targets golfers who are early in their journey or are looking to step up from the super-game-improvement category.
The forged 455-steel face was designed with the help of AI analysis of everyday player impact data in which the topology behind the face is different for each iron—thinner and thicker in areas where it needs to be to create maximum consistency.
The tungsten core has urethane with “microspheres”—tiny air bubbles encased in glass—that lowers the center of gravity to help with launch despite slightly strong lofts.
2 / 16
Callaway
Elyte
$150 per iron
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Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$150 per iron
The hollow-body construction features a variable-thickness cupface designed with the help of AI analysis of thousands of golfer swings.
The special high-strength stainless steel is thinner than traditional stainless steels, resulting in a fast-flexing face.
Select areas of the clubhead have been stiffened, primarily the topline, to allow the cupface to transfer energy to the ball more efficiently.
3 / 16
Callaway
Elyte HL
$143 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$143 per iron
Designed for players with moderate to average swing speeds seeking a higher launch with more carry.
As with the standard Elyte model, a high-strength stainless-steel cupface—in which the sole wraps around part of the sole and topline—provides Formula-1 speed off the face.
The irons feature the RCH S2H2 short hosel that Callaway’s late R&D chief Dick Helmstetter was famous for designing. The shorter hosel saves six grams that were used to lower the center of gravity to achieve higher launch.
4 / 16
Cobra
DS-Adapt
$143 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$143 per iron
The L-face insert (in which part of the face wraps around the sole) is used on the 4- through 7-irons to boost ball speed. The face has a new leading-edge channel that extends around the face from the sole into the toe area to help with impacts there.
For the first time in a Cobra iron, the interior leading-edge channel has been added to the 8-iron through sand wedge.
Cobra engineers used simulated golf-ball impacts to adjust the face pattern and interior leading edge and toe area thicknesses to deliver faster ball speeds.
5 / 16
Mizuno
JPX925 Hot Metal
$150 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$150 per iron
The new face on the 4- through 8-irons is 30 percent thinner at its thinnest point or a slim 1.2 millimeters on the low heel and high toe for faster ball speeds.
The cupface—in which part of the face wraps around the topline and sole—enhances ball speed throughout the hitting area.
Tungsten weighting is positioned low in the 4- through 7-irons to mitigate the loss of ball speed on off-center strikes and to help golfers launch the ball higher.
6 / 16
Ping
G440
$157 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$157 per iron
The face is shallower and thinner compared to the G430 for increased ball speed and a more player-preferred look at address.
The size reduction saves four grams per iron that is placed lower and farther back in the head to drop the center of gravity and assist launch.
The shaft length of the 4-, 5-, and 6-irons were extended three-quarters of an inch to help golfers launch those irons higher.
7 / 16
PXG
0311 XP GEN7
$230 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$230 per iron
Compared to the P model, the XP targets middle- to high-handicaps who don’t mind looking at a little heftier clubhead with more aggressive offset and stronger lofts in exchange for extra distance and forgiveness.
At its thinnest, the maraging-steel face is just .05 of an inch thick, helping the face to flex. An internal channel in the back delivers even more spring and potential distance.
An internal polymer supports the face and delivers a pleasing sound and feel.
8 / 16
Srixon
ZXi4
$186 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$186 per iron
The hollow body was designed with the help of AI, a process that produces way more potential clubhead iterations than humans are capable of in a given timeframe.
Unlike the company’s ZXi5 and ZXi7 irons, the body of the ZXi4 is not forged. Instead the cast multi-piece iron uses a forged high-strength steel face insert (HT1770) supported by a cast 17-4 stainless-steel body and hosel that is heat treated to allow for bending.
The backside of each iron face is milled in a variable-thickness pattern comprising indentations to provide ball speed while saving mass.
9 / 16
TaylorMade
Qi
$143 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$143 per iron
TaylorMade prioritized reducing the chances of a slice with the Qi. A multi-material cap-back that is lighter than the steel it replaces reduces weight in the high toe, making the club easier to square at impact.
The center of gravity is lower in the long irons for easier launch and higher in the short irons for optimal control, launch and spin.
It has been a staple of TaylorMade irons for over a decade, but to ignore the heat brought by the “Speed Pocket” slot up to the 7-iron would be journalistic malpractice.
10 / 16
Titleist
T350
$200 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Gold
$200 per iron
The T350 is the company’s most aggressive approach to forgiveness and ball speed with its larger size and wider sole.
The high-strength, variable-thickness steel face features the same alloy as the T200 as well as the L-shape that overlaps into the sole for extra rebound at impact.
Healthy chunks of super-dense tungsten in the heel and toe foster sumo-wrestler stability on off-center hits.
11 / 16
Cleveland
ZipCore XL
$130 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$130 per iron
This game-improvement set uses two constructions: a hollow body for the 4- through 7-iron and a cavity-back design for the 8-iron through sand wedge.
Golf Digest’s academic panel has seen a lot of interesting technology over the years and isn’t easily impressed. An exception is Cleveland’s ZipCore tech in which a lightweight aluminum silicate compound replaces steel in the hosel to better position the center of gravity.
ZipCore saves nearly 15 grams of weight that is redistributed to reduce ball-speed loss on off-center strikes.
12 / 16
Honma
TW767 HX
$210 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$210 per iron
This hollow iron disguises itself as a large muscle-back with plenty of speed thanks to a thin maraging-steel face.
Honma positioned the 5.5-gram weight screw on the back of the clubhead to improve sound and feel.
Weight screws and 16 grams of internal tungsten mass help minimize spin and the loss of carry distance on common misses golfers make with their 5- through 9-irons.
13 / 16
PXG
Black Ops
$150 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$150 per iron
Black Ops is a hollow-body, dual-cavity design with a larger profile intended to instill confidence for the game-improvement audience.
The irons have the same thin face and power channel as the 0311 GEN7 line, but the larger face and thicker topline on the Black Ops are designed for the player seeking help getting the ball airborne as opposed to getting it close to the pin.
The hollow body features the company’s XCOR2 polymer filling and a lightweight insert on the outer cavity to save weight that is repositioned to improve forgiveness.
14 / 16
Tour Edge
Exotics E725
$115 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$115 per iron
The extreme low-rearward center of gravity provides an extremely high moment of inertia, which helps maximize speed on off-center strikes.
A one-piece, high-strength steel body with a 360-degree undercut helps lower the center of gravity for a higher launch.
Tour Edge’s diamond-face variable-thickness design features 103 “diamonds” in the face that serve as mini-trampolines to maximize ball speed.
15 / 16
Vice
VGI02
$100 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$100 per iron
The VGI02 features lighter head weights than most irons. Vice believes lighter heads are easier for everyday players to control and swing faster for more ball speed.
Vice also says that data from years of fitting reveals that a lighter club is easier to square at impact, reducing the likelihood of a slice.
The irons are two-piece with a springlike steel for the face to increase ball speed.
16 / 16
Wilson
Dynapower
$128 per iron
|
Golf Galaxy
GD SCORE
GD HOT LIST SCORE
Hot List Silver
$128 per iron
The most common miss by amateur players is on the toe. To combat that in the Dynapower 4- through 8-irons, Wilson uses a two-piece construction in which the face is welded on around the topline and the upper part of the toe area. This provides a larger area of the face that is unsupported, which leads to more ball speed.
The face is made from 17-4 stainless steel, like the body of the iron, but is created from a forged/stamped process. This manufacturing approach allows for a stronger and thinner face and maintains high strength and durability.
The iron also has changing thicknesses on 27 points on the face, ranging from 2 millimeters to 2.5 millimeters for zippy ball speeds.