I was very afraid of this blade 5-iron. But 1 swing changed everything

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I was very afraid of this blade 5-iron. But 1 swing changed everything

Wwelcome to Full Fit 2026the new GOLF platform to give you real-golfer insight into which 2026 gears might best suit your game. So far, we’ve brought together six GOLF content creators of varying abilities and sent them through a six-pack full-size golf bag (driver to putter!) at six major club manufacturers in Phoenix and Carlsbad, Calif. We hope that you may see the shadows of your game in one of our editors and learn something and inspiration from their relevant experience. In this installment (below), Jack Hirsh details the club he can’t live without since Fully Fit 2026, his Cobra 3DP MB 5-iron. You can browse our full 2026 dream bags individually here:

If I was shocked by one thing during my Fully Fit 2026 journey, it was how easy this 5-iron back muscle is to hit.

Long steels and I have always had a love-hate relationship.

I hit some unbelievable shots with them. You know the ones that take off from the top of the face and rocket straight into the air on the line before rolling slightly to the left as they fall back to earth, landing nicely on the green and releasing towards the pin? Happiness.

But even when I’m playing my best golf, long iron shots can still give me a lot of trouble. Despite finishing second in my club tournament this past summer, many of the 200-plus-yard par-3s at my club often make me feel like I won’t be able to get a shot in the air. Thank god for the match play – but still, I got out of the final game after pulling a 5-iron 25 yards left on one of those par-3s.

And that had a massive and forgiving 5-string instrument set.

Fast forward to early 2026 and now I have a 5 iron – Cobra 3DP MB – I can stand up indeed I’m sure I’ll hit it, the way I want to. A surprising twist? It seems nothing like the 5 iron I thought would be my solution.

How I ended up on MB 5-iron

Heading into Cobra’s Fully Fit 2026 due date, I was hoping to find a new set of 3DP MB and Tour irons that would suit my game.

I didn’t think long bells would make me so happy.

At first, the new muscle in my back scared me. I have never played blades seriously before. Of course I would make a skull or, worse, launch a pipe, with these jointed instruments. But I was surprised at how easy it was to hit. That’s thanks to the unique 3D printed design of the 3DP MB, which you can read more about here.

I liken the feeling to hitting a small driver on deck for the first time. It seemed like I was about to drive the ball down, but the soles of modern small drivers make them almost as easy as a 3-wood to hit from the deck.

Working with Cobra simulator Andrew Lusty, we started with a 7-iron, as most irons do, and it didn’t take long to see how I could hit the new 3DP MB while getting the same numbers from my player. We also dialed in a shaft change and a flat lie angle that nearly eliminated the left side of the golf course for me.

However, since 3DP MBs look small to me, I couldn’t wrap my head around playing long line instruments.

Jack Hirsh/GOLF

That’s when Andrew gave me a stock 4- and 5-iron to hit to see if I could hit the target ball speed. These were softer and shorter shafts than I expected, but the theory is that if you can hit the specified ball speeds and high elevation windows with the stock setup, you should easily be able to with the right specs.

I was shocked when it only took me one swing to hit the stock MB 5-iron: 141 mph, 110 feet in the air. Exactly the numbers we were looking for.

We broke the set with the 4-iron because I could only muster 141-143 mph without the MB 4-iron, short of the required 5 mph ball-speed gap. Past the 5-iron was obviously my point of diminishing returns. Switching to the 3DP Tour 4-iron, the feeling of powerlessness returned.

Details
Cobra 3DP MB 5-iron
Shaft: Nippon NSPro Modus3 Tour 120 X
Height: +.5″ (38.75″ EOG)
Lies: 2˚ Flat (59)
The Loft: 26.9˚
Swingweight: D2.5

Cobra 3DP MB Custom Instruments

The 3DP MB iron combines the look and feel of a classic muscle back with the forgiveness of a back iron. The most forgiving blade on the market, the MB has taken Tour players by checking all the boxes and exceeding expectations with its stability and exceptional feel. FORGIVEN MUSCLE BACK BLADE SHAPE A slightly revised shape from the KING MB inspired by feedback from PGA Tour player Max Homa, the MB features a sharper top line and improved offset. The 3D printed lattice and heel, toe and hosel tungsten increase the MOI for stability, and position the CG more centrally and lower than the KING MB to promote higher launch. SUPERIOR FORGIVENESS MEETS A SOLID FEEL The 3D printed internal lattice structure not only provides weight savings, but also provides durability and strength to support the face and fine-tune the acoustics of each instrument to produce a more appealing sound and feel. TUNGSTEN WEIGHTING The incredible weight savings from the 3D printed lattice has allowed up to 55g of tungsten to be placed down the heel, toe and hosel resulting in the perfect combination of a compact blade with a low CG and high MOI that characterizes a game-enhancing metal.

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA Tour Superstore, Cobra

Why this 5-iron is my favorite

While I was hoping to be playing a lot of golf by this point in the year, I’ve hit enough shots to know how much of a game-changer this 5-iron is.

During indoor testing, I hit 8 shots with a 5 iron and recorded a standard deviation of 3.7 yards and an average travel of 204.5 yards. That means my 5 iron is like a pitching wedge, but from 205 yards.

Knowing that gives me confidence, but the ease with which I can still make the ball go up, down, left or right shows the fitness of the team.

My goal with long irons is to make sure I don’t lose a stroke, but with this MB 5-iron, I feel like I finally have a weapon with which I can attack the green from 200 yards.

Are you ready to get your wallet ready for 2026 like our Fully Fit panelists? Find a club fit near you at True Spec Golf.