The History of Cobra Golf

The company's first success came in 1980 in the form of the Baffler, a fat-head club that assists the golfer through tough lies. In five years, the company was selling about $4.5 million worth of these clubs annually.

Cobra Golf began developing and marketing a set of irons and woods fitted with graphite shafts in 1985. These clubs became a hit with weaker players because they were light and easy to swing.

Between 1989 and 1993, the company grew from $20 million to $56 million in annual sales thanks to aggressive marketing that included endorsements from golfing greats Hale Irwin, Beth Daniel and Greg Norman.

In the first part of the 1990's, Cobra Golf launched and aggressively marketed King Cobra, a line of woods to compete with Callaway Golf Co.'s Big Bertha clubs.

American Brands Inc., a international conglomerate, purchased Cobra Golf in 1995.