Cobra Players Trying New ZL Driver at Liberty National

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Several top Cobra Golf staff players are currently testing the company's new adjustable-face ZL driver here at Liberty National. Among them are Geoff Ogilvy, Ian Poulter, Camilo Villegas and J.B. Holmes. In fact, Ogilvy and Villegas have both Tweeted about trying the club.

According to Brian Parker, Cobra's manager of tour promotions, Ogilvy saw the club as a prototype, but Tuesday was given the final product for the first time. The Aussie had been using a Cobra S9-1 Pro D (10.5°), but after just one afternoon's practice with a ZL (9.5) set 1° open with an Aldila RIP 80X shaft, he is planning to use the club this week in the Barclays Championship.

(Alidla's RIP shaft will be available in 2010.)

"The club is easier to draw and easier to fade [than the S9-1]," he said during his practice round this morning. "But it's harder to hit it really wide."

The ZL driver has a titanium face and body, but the crown is made from weight-saving carbon fiber. A weight plug—which is not adjustable—has been positioned on the lower-back portion of the club to increase the moment of inertia, lower the center of gravity and create a higher initial launch angle. Using an included torque wrench, the ZL driver will allow golfers to set the head into one of three different face angles – 1° open, square or 1° closed.

Cobra's ZL driver will be available to the public November 1.

Follow David Dusek on Twitter.

(Photo by David Dusek)

Holmes and Weekley's Ryder Cup Clubs

Using a Rife Barbados belly putter, J.B. Holmes (right) was in contention at the PGA Championship until a final-round 81 derailed him.

In his first Ryder Cup appearance, he's switched back to the putter he used to win the FBR Open last February, the TaylorMade Monza Spider belly putter.

Here is a list of the other clubs in his bag at Valhalla:
Driver                      Cobra L4V X (8°)
Fairway woods:      Cobra Speed LD-X Pro (13°, 18°)
Irons                        Cobra Pro CB (3-PW)
Wedges                   Titleist Vokey Design Spin Milled (54°, 60°)
Putter                      TaylorMade Rosa Monza Spider belly
Ball                          Titleist Pro V1x

Boo Weekley, Holmes' playing partner both Friday and Saturday afternoon, is known as one of the most solid ballstrikers on either side of the Atlantic. To make his job a little easier, he uses a hybrid (a Cleveland HiBore XLS) and cavity-back long irons, but he prefers classic blades for his mid- and short-irons for more control and workability.

According to Cleveland Golf, these are the clubs in Weekley's bag:
Driver:                     Cleveland HiBore XL (9.5°)
Fairway woods:      Cleveland HiBore XLS (15°), HiBore (19°)
Hybrid:                    Cleveland HiBore XLS (3i)
Irons:                       Cleveland CG Red (4,5), CG1 (6-PW)
Wedges:                  Cleveland CG10 (52°), CG14 (58°)
Putter:                     Never Compromise GM2 Exchange #7
Ball:                         Titleist Pro V1x

(Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

J.B. Holmes's new driver and PGA Championship clubs

J.B Holmes has a new toy. The Kentucky native switched to a new driver just before the PGA Championship, a Cobra L4V X, which is intended for players with extremely high swing speeds. (Um, I think J.B. qualifies.)

For players who really pack a wallop, the LV4 X is designed to create a high-launch, low-spin drive that maximizes distance. The face has no bias, so skilled players should be able to work the ball with either a draw or a fade.

According to Cobra's Web site, these are the clubs that J.B. has in his bag at Oakland Hills:

Driver         Cobra L4V X (8 °) with an Aldilla Voodoo XVS8 shaft
Fairway      Cobra Speed LD-X Pro (13°, 18°)
Irons            Cobra Pro CB (3-PW)
Wedges       Titleist Vokey Design Spin Milled (54°, 60°)
Putter         Rife Barbados belly
Ball             Titleist Pro V1x

(Photo by Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images)