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- #26
One of the unique blur the lines comparison in this little topic is the Cleveland UHX.
It's literally sold as both.
It's literally sold as both.
The Utility Iron vs the Game Improvement Iron
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I am not saying your wrong. But there are specific clubs built as utility irons. They are separate for iron sets, they are different, and specific. You have the sim iron, then the SIM UDI and DHY that are vastly different. Callaway has the X forged, then the X forged Utility again different.
If they are not designed for a specific purpose of distance with forgiveness as the purpose then why have them outside of the set? Or do you feel it is just a marketing cash grab for uninformed buyers?
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I don't think it's a cash grab, I think it is about preference.
I do not believe the faster faces on those vs some others (see my example of UHX literally being both).
Internal weighting can exist on both. High MOI can exist on both.
I do think the general idea of adjustability exists as a preference on a select few.
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No. The UHX utility is the UHX long iron.
i want to know more because ive taken the "game improvement" term for what it is or perceived as.
now this has my mind all over the place do i want utility irons or GI irons...
im currently looking at the B21s, ive said before im not exactly in the boat of needing them i just want to take advantage of them.. either GI or utility
oh good grief
but were talking about utility as 3-4-5 correct?
so is this more a combo set? utility 345 then gi 6-pw?
utility replacing hybrids?
is today tuesday?
now this has my mind all over the place do i want utility irons or GI irons...
im currently looking at the B21s, ive said before im not exactly in the boat of needing them i just want to take advantage of them.. either GI or utility
oh good grief
but were talking about utility as 3-4-5 correct?
so is this more a combo set? utility 345 then gi 6-pw?
utility replacing hybrids?
is today tuesday?
Very interesting thread, I have never hit a utility iron but am very interested in them. I generally play hybrids below my 5 iron for added forgiveness. I have a 4 iron from my AP1 set but never hit it.
As a high handicap I would choose whatever has the most forgiveness. I guess I'm pretty ignorant to this club category as I thought utilities were designed to be more forgiving than irons but it seems most here seeking forgiveness prefer a GI long iron to the utility.
As a high handicap I would choose whatever has the most forgiveness. I guess I'm pretty ignorant to this club category as I thought utilities were designed to be more forgiving than irons but it seems most here seeking forgiveness prefer a GI long iron to the utility.
utility iron for me.... most utility's today are being built as more forgiving while having less offset than a game improvement iron which plays a role in what I like to see at address
also most utilities come in at .370 instead of .355 giving me the option to use a preferred hybrid shaft
also most utilities come in at .370 instead of .355 giving me the option to use a preferred hybrid shaft
Mark_UK
Legal Alien
Took a punt on a Ben Hogan UiHi utility. Was a complete disaster for me. Did not perform in my hands whatsoever. That has ended my experiment with utility irons for good. To be honest, I wouldn’t really go with a game improvement long iron either. I know it wasn’t an option, but a hybrid is always going to be easier to hit for me than any long iron, so that’s always going to be my choice going forward.
agreed.
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Im not sure I agree with that.
I would go Ben Hogan UiHi utility irons.
For me I would take a UT iron. Preferably a Srixon U85, those things where super easy to hit and elevate.
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Im genuinely not on either side, but I think the lines are blurred a bit with some of them.
I believe it is a great took for companies to create something that matches a players style set with styling, while offering more forgiveness than that set (see X Forged).
Up until recently buying single clubs was a bit more of a hassle than it is now, but at the tour level for over a decade, both have been used. Heck when Cleveland launched their MT irons, they could have come close to winning the hybrid count a couple of times, had Darell Survey let that club stand as a hybrid. Now with utilities as common place it would have.
The larger iron space is still popular out there. See Rickie and his 4 iron. See Phil and is Epic Forged. There are tons of others, but a good example of what the companies are doing with long irons now in my opinion.
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I have hit several utility irons and they don't seem very forgiving. Sure they are more forgiving than a blade 3 iron, but literally every other club on Earth is more forgiving than a blade 3 iron so that's no big deal. If I was rating 20* clubs on ease of use I would rate them as follows:
T1. 7 wood
T1. Hybrid
3. GI 4 iron
4. Utility
5. Set 3 from blades or CB's
I use a 21* hybrid and a 23* T300 iron. The T300 would be a wonderful club for someone to throw in their bag IMO. It has a great head shape and can be struck easily off a tee, off the fairway, or out of the rough. It's much less expensive than a utility and it has a shorter shaft so you're more likely to make good contact with it.
T1. 7 wood
T1. Hybrid
3. GI 4 iron
4. Utility
5. Set 3 from blades or CB's
I use a 21* hybrid and a 23* T300 iron. The T300 would be a wonderful club for someone to throw in their bag IMO. It has a great head shape and can be struck easily off a tee, off the fairway, or out of the rough. It's much less expensive than a utility and it has a shorter shaft so you're more likely to make good contact with it.
skeetz
Member
UT for me. Instead of a hybrid replacement I view them as a long iron replacement. Playing 4-6 UT and a 3 hybrid.
In the past I've had consistency issues with my longer irons - they were fine off the tee but that success didn't usually translate off the tee. I didn't like the inconsistent ball flight. That changed once I started playing UT on the long side of my bag. Initially I was thinking of using the set 6i to replace the 6UT but I've hit that 6UT so well lately that it's hard to take it off my bag. I like the look of UT's and I can flight them easier then long irons.
In the past I've had consistency issues with my longer irons - they were fine off the tee but that success didn't usually translate off the tee. I didn't like the inconsistent ball flight. That changed once I started playing UT on the long side of my bag. Initially I was thinking of using the set 6i to replace the 6UT but I've hit that 6UT so well lately that it's hard to take it off my bag. I like the look of UT's and I can flight them easier then long irons.
Utility. I don't like the look of offset in GI irons. I go from 4 iron to an 18* hybrid or utility depending on my mood.
wristcock
Well-known member
whichever is easiest to play
Faiz
Well-known member
Personally I disagree with the statement that a utility is easier to hit than a bladed 3 iron. I don't think that is always the case.
I find my Titleist 710MB 3 iron to be much easier to control than my taylormade Gapr Lo. I hit it off the tee more than any other club during rounds here in the UK where courses are quite tight.
Tbh I think this is more down to the length of shaft and type of shaft. The utility is 1.5 inches longer and a hybrid graphite shaft possibly creates more speed resulting in less control for me. This could be nonsense but I am sure if I had a steel shaft at 3 iron length I'd do well with the Gapr Lo.
Having said that I've just purchased a Mizuno JPX921 Hot Metal Pro 4 iron to see if this can replace my 3 iron blade but I have high hopes for it after experiencing the HMP 5 iron. If it does then I'll get the 3 iron and Gapr out of the bag.
Just a matter of waiting until it comes. That and the fact that we are about to enter a 1 month national lockdown.
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