Cobra OPTM LS Driver Review: Low spin performance with an added bonus

New driver silly season is well underway, and following on from last week's acclaimed TaylorMade Qi4D drop, Cobra are next up at the the plate.

2026 looks set to be a potentially pivotal year for Cobra, a brand that has somewhat struggled to really capture headlines in recent times. While Max Homa was a big signing for the brand, his steady slide down the OWGR rankings this year (he now sits 132nd, in case you're wondering) has removed a bit of the shine from what was supposed to be Cobra's new marquee moment.

The brand remains one of the most innovative around from an equipment standpoint all the same. Last week's release of the 3DP iron range, the first 3D Printed retail iron range from any major manufacturer, indicates that there are a lot of new innovations to come from Cobra's engineers.

Even so, it's not unfair to say Cobra needs the OPTM range to make a splash if it has any hopes of making meaningful inroads against the likes of Titleist, Callaway and TaylorMade. And here it is.

The OPTM LS is the low-spin better player variant of the four new Cobra OPTM models for this year, following on in the mould of former Cobra LS models by delivering reliable low-spin control and ultra-fast ball speeds in a more compact, tour-preferred package.

Check out our video review below and scroll on to read our detailed thoughts. Let us know what you think of the new range in the comments below, and be sure to check out our review of the new Cobra OPTM X driver and OPTM MAX drivers here.

Looks and features

Cobra's mandate with the entire OPTM range was the pursuit of one very particular tenet of driver performance. Their drivers have been known for some time as among the longest and most forgiving around, so for this model, the main focus was accuracy. Note that accuracy doesn't mean forgiveness, it's more a case of reducing dispersion to get your bad shots on a straighter path and make your good shots even more consistent.

To deliver this, Cobra focused on improving a metric known as Product of Inertia, or POI, which is effectively taken to multiple new dimensions. This meant reducing the amount the driver moves diagonally across all axises at impact, delivering more stability and consistency on off centre strikes while optimising speed and spin on true hits.

A high MOI score is good, but according to Cobra, a low POI is even better, and means more accuracy through reducing the effect of wild hooks and pulls that sometimes arise even when a driver has a high MOI figure.

To lower the OPTM LS's POI, Cobra used AI to reshape the driver head and redistribute its adjustable weights to reduce multi-axis twisting at impact. The result is a tangible decrease in POI, with the LS coming in with a final score of 292 compared to the DS-ADAPT LS's 440.

Much of the same tech from the DS-ADAPT range also returns, including the H.O.T face insert that has 15 hot spots across the face to maximise ball speed, and Cobra's much-loved FUTUREFIT33 hosel system, which allows players which offers 33 unique loft and lie combinations allowing players to specifically tune their club to produce their desired flight characteristics.

Beyond this, the OPTM LS shares the same features, and indeed sort of the same aesthetic profile, as its predecessor. It has a handsome high carbon content crown and sole, with the LS's distinctive black-on-black colour scheme returning (the OPTM MAX-K and MAX-D come in white/red respectively and the OPTM X in all blue).

Once again, Cobra have made a good looking driver here, following very much in the vein of Carbon-heavy designs we've seen hit the market so far this year. The high-gloss carbon crown isn't our favourite due to its reflective qualities, but the simple alignment aid and clearly marked face lines make it easy to get a square and true alignment at address every time.

Performance

The OPTM LS is an interesting club, providing a level of adjustability that allows it to suit a wide array of playing styles. Set in its most forgiving mode, it provides the slightly higher launch and spin we've almost come to expect from a core model driver like the OPTM X, while it can be dialled in to provide an even more penetrating ball flight and the workability better players crave.

The numbers the LS produced in our testing were pretty balanced, producing healthy ball speeds and carry that would undoubtedly creep even higher in the hands a player with upper-tier swing speeds. The drop in spin compared to the core model, however, wasn't quite as substantial as you might find in other low spin drivers, cutting off a few hundred RPM to leave our better shots hovering around the low 2000s mark. 

Those who really want to drive those numbers down further might find the LS just a touch too spinny for them, but in the hands of most players we think it hits a great sweet spot between aiding carry and accuracy.

Should you buy the Cobra OPTM LS Driver?

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Cobra OPTM LS Golf Driverfrom £479.00 at Scottsdale Golf

The Cobra OPTM LS is a mightily impressive low-spin option to add to the list of options for better players this year, particularly for those curious about experimenting with a lower spin model without sacrificing too much in the way of forgiveness. 

It's certainly not the most aggressive LS driver on the market out of the box (although it could potentially be dialled in to produce ultra-low spin if you really wanted), but we feel it is one of the most balanced, providing strong dispersion and distance for faster who struggle with excess spin and launch. 

We did note, however that the more forgiving OPTM X in its accuracy setting can provide provides numbers pretty similar to the LS, with the added bonus of producing more ball speed and forgiveness for less consistent swingers. As such, we feel that trying them side by side might unlock some interesting insights into the model that's actually best suited to your game.