Latest for links ladies have both forgiveness and fashion

Looking for a set of women's clubs? If so, then you may wish to consider Mizuno, Tour Edge or Cobra -- each offers various types of clubs and set configurations for female golfers.

In test sessions at the range and on course with a variety of women golfers assembled by CBSSports.com, all three companies received positive reviews. What's important to consider, however, is matching up players' skill levels and preferences with the different types of clubs and packages that are available.

Mizuno SORA Collection

Mizuno this season launched an all-new set called the SORA Collection for women. It's only offered as a complete package, including a cart bag.

Tour Edge also has a new women's set, called Moda. It's offered in two color schemes, with clubs sold individually or as a complete set with putter and cart bag.

At Cobra, many of its woods, hybrids and irons are tailored for men, women and senior players. Two sets in the company's 2008 portfolio that have been customized for women golfers are the King Cobra S9 irons and a Transition-S set comprising utility metals, hybrids and wide-sole irons.

"Designing clubs for women is slightly different than designing golf clubs for men," said David Glod, president of Tour Edge Golf. "Forgiveness and getting the ball airborne are priorities in engineering, but fashion is also very important to women golfers."

Although it's standard procedure for companies to manufacture women's clubs about an inch shorter than the men's, some companies offer options for women that are shorter for petite players or longer for taller women. Also, most drivers for women come with higher lofts, which will curtail distance somewhat but help provide fairway accuracy.

As always, clubs should be tested before buying and custom-fitted wherever possible.

Here's a selected look at the latest in women's clubs from Mizuno, Tour Edge and Cobra.

Cobra

A division of Acushnet Golf, which also makes Titleist clubs, Cobra Golf upgraded its S9 irons for 2008 with a new multimaterial head infused with the latest in technology.

King Cobra Transition-S set

"The Cobra S9 irons enjoyed great success in 2007 and we're committed to building on that success with the new and improved S9," said Cobra president Jeff Harmet in a statement when the latest version was introduced earlier this year: "Players who desire the combination of accuracy, forgiveness and feel will benefit from the multimaterial constructions, lower center of gravity and higher MOI (which stands for Moment of Inertia, a measure of stability)."

The multimaterial head on the King Cobra S9 irons comprises a stainless steel body with a lightweight polymer in the topline to enhance feel and help lower the center of gravity, which should help golfers get the ball airborne; a low-profile, wide-sole design for higher launch and less turf resistance; and a back cavity plate with a urethane insert to enhance feel and forgiveness.

CBSSports.com testers praised the S9 irons for being lightweight, easy to swing, solid at contact and forgiving on off-center hits. The irons would better serve advanced to mid-level women golfers.

Cobra makes S9 irons in Nos. 3 through pitching wedge, along with a gap, sand and lob wedge. The women's set, with lightweight graphite shafts, is packaged 5-SW and carries a suggested retail price of $960.

The company also offers an eight-club integrated women's set called Transition-S for players who would prefer a matched combination of utility metals (Nos. 4-5), hybrid irons (6-7) and wide-sole irons (8-SW).

The utilities have a low center of gravity to help launch the ball and an offset hosel to promote a draw-biased trajectory. The hollow-body hybrids have a low profile, which is designed to yield a higher launch angle. And the irons have a urethane-filled back cavity, which should relate to a softer feel.

Outfitted with graphite shafts, the suggested retail price for a Transition-S set is $840.

Mizuno

The SORA Collection is only offered as a complete package comprising a driver, two fairway woods, a hybrid and irons 6-SW. There's also a mid-mallet style putter and cart bag.

"The SORA Collection for women takes both style and game improvement performance to levels not yet seen," said Chuck Couch, Mizuno Golf director of marketing, in a press release. "Not only are these clubs extremely forgiving, but they also launch the ball easily, enabling women golfers to attempt each shot with confidence."

The driver in the set has a 460cc titanium head with 15 degrees of loft. The configuration includes a 3- and 5-wood, and a 27-degree hybrid. The irons have a pocket cavity design engineered for high launch. The putter has alignment lines on the rear flange along with a soft polymer face insert to enhance feel. The clubs come in either standard women's or petite lengths.

The cart bag's color scheme complements the shafts, grips and headcovers of the clubs. The bag has seven pockets and detachable pouch for personal items.

Our testers rated the Mizuno women's set "very satisfactory" and "very well done for a full packaged set."

SORA is available for right-handed players only. Suggested retail price for the collection is $850.

Tour Edge

Targeted at mid to higher handicap golfers, Tour Edge's Moda woods, irons and cart bag feature both fashion and function. The clubs have a dark chocolate color combined with soft blue or pink tones, while the bag and headcovers have a matching plaid.

Clubs in the set can be purchased individually or as a total package with putter and bag. The clubs come for right-handed players only. When purchasing a complete package, golfers have a choice of petite, standard or tall shaft lengths.

Tour Edge Moda series

The Moda driver boasts a 460cc titanium head with 15 degrees of loft to aid accuracy and an offset hosel to help square the club at impact. The steel hybrids, numbered 5, 6 and 7, are high lofted to help players get the ball airborne from a variety of lies. The oversized irons have a satin and chrome finish with a generous amount of perimeter weighting and a wide undercut cavity, characteristics which should enhance forgiveness.

All the clubs are outfitted with a lightweight graphite shaft engineered with a low kickpoint to help generate swing speed and a high launch.

Our women testers praised the driver and hybrids particularly as "easy to hit" and "very accurate."

The fashionable cart bag is ultra functional. Features include a 10-way padded club divider top, three "easy-lift" handles, an umbrella holder, rain hood, two velour-lined valuables pockets, an apparel/shoe pocket and eight additional accessory pockets.

Suggested retail prices include $119.99 for the driver and $69.99 for the fairway woods/hybrids. The irons as a set on their own have a list price of $299.99. The entire Moda lineup, including putter and bag, has a list price of $599.99.

Click Here to view specs for Cobra, Mizuno, Tour Edge women's clubs