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Our Job Is Your Game
In 2020, Most Wanted Testing hit a roadblock due to COVID-19. It impacted our testing schedules and hindered the completion of four tests. Today, we are releasing the most comprehensive Utility Iron Test for 2021.
At MyGolfSpy, our job is to provide independent, unbiased and objective testing so you can make more confident purchasing decisions. Our 2021 Most Wanted Utility Iron Test is an indispensable guide for the off-the-rack buyer or for anyone looking for insight before their next fitting.
Let’s take a look at the Best Utility Irons for 2021!
2021 Best Utility Iron: Srixon ZX
The 2021 Most Wanted Utility Iron is the Srixon ZX. Leading the pack with the best strokes gained, the ZX also excelled in other metrics. Let’s take a look.
- 1st in Strokes Gained
- 2nd in Forgiveness
- 7th in Total Distance
With tremendous consistency, the ZX offers reliability as a utility iron. Utility irons may not be most consumers’ first choice. However, the Srixon ZX might be worth your consideration. Whether you are looking for a long iron replacement or strictly a “driving iron,” the ZX might be the golden ticket.
Utility Iron Buying Considerations
Performance should be your primary concern when buying a new utility iron but there are some additional factors you may want to consider before you make your purchasing decision.
Utility Irons Versus Long Irons
Long irons are a constant in the golf world. However, do you struggle to hit your 3-, 4-, 5- or 6-iron consistently? Most golfers will likely answer with an emphatic “yes.” Utility irons offer more forgiveness than long irons. With wider soles and lower and deeper centers of gravity, utility irons can create more optimum ball flights. Be careful, though. With more optimum ball flight, you may see an increase in carry distance. Be sure to pay attention to your lofts to ensure efficient yardage gapping.
Utility Irons Versus Hybrids
For years, hybrids have served as long iron replacements. However, there are still golfers who prefer the traditional “long iron” look. Well, for those enthusiasts, switching to a utility iron may be the best option. Most hybrids are draw biased. For those that hate a hook, a utility iron might be the better alternative. Also, if you are a golfer with a steeper angle of attack, utility irons may serve you well. Their tendency is to produce a lower, more penetrating ball flight. So, be mindful of your gapping since hybrids tend to launch higher and may result in more carry distance than the utility iron.
Utility Irons Versus Fairway Woods
Arguably, fairway woods are most golfers’ kryptonite. They are one of the most difficult golf clubs to hit consistently. Utility irons offer a lifeline replacement for fairway woods. The downside: Most utility irons only offer, at their lowest, 16 degree of loft. Therefore, they are unlikely candidates as a 3-wood replacement. However, they can be used as direct replacements for 5-woods. Golfers with a steeper angle of attack may benefit from a utility iron. A utility iron offers a sleeker look, more workability and, potentially, more forgiveness than a 5-wood. Typically, utility irons will launch lower and fly shorter than a 5-wood so bear that in mind before you consider the switch.
Loft
Yardage gapping is a key ingredient throughout your golf bag. Even more so, proper gapping is essential when implementing utility irons. Each manufacturer offers a plethora of loft options for their utility irons. COBRA’s KING Utility offers an adjustable hosel to get even more dialed in. Go through a fitting to determine the appropriate lofts in your utility iron when replacing your long irons. You may want to utilize a utility iron as an “off the tee” option as well. Make sure your “2-iron” or “3 -ron” driving iron produces optimal launch conditions.
Shaft Selection
Throughout Most Wanted Testing, we emphasize shaft selection. It plays a vital role in the performance of a club. Whether it is steel or graphite, there is a correct shaft for each individual. Go through a professional fitting and thoroughly analyze whether a golf shaft is right for your swing characteristics. Things to consider are shaft flex, bend profile and weighting. Each can play a significant role in the club’s performance.
Adjustability
In this year’s test, there is one adjustable utility iron, the COBRA KING Utility. In our 2019 Most Wanted Utility Iron Test, we saw four adjustable utility irons, quite the change in a few years’ time. Having an adjustable hosel provides a unique opportunity to add or decrease loft and, in COBRA’s case, a draw option.
FIELD NOTES
During each test, we look for trends that provide insight into where the market as a whole is moving as well as what noteworthy changes manufacturers have made to improve year-to-year performance. Additionally, we solicit feedback from our testers. We want to understand what they liked, what they didn’t like and why. Although we obtain their feedback, their subjective opinions do not influence, dictate or determine our testing rankings.
Trends and Tweaks
- As mentioned, the COBRA KING Utility is the lone adjustable utility iron in this year’s test. The 3-iron Utility comes stock at 19.5 degrees with eight different hosel settings. A 2-iron utility is available strictly through custom at 17.5 degrees.
- Hollow-body designs are becoming a constant in utility irons. The likes of Wilson Staff Model, COBRA KING Utility, Taylormade’s UDI and DHY, Cleveland Launcher UHX, Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220 TI and Titleist U505 all feature hollow-body construction.
- PING and COBRA both offer Arccos usability with their G425 Crossover and KING Utility. This feature is quite common in both manufacturers’ line-ups.
What's the deal with hollow-body design?
One of the few design characteristics common to every utility iron tested, it's that they're either hollow-body or hollow with some sort of filling. The idea behind hollow-body technology is simple - leverage the most beneficial design properties of metalwoods (hollow, thin face, lightweight) and blend them with something that closely resembles an iron. The multi-piece construction of Hollow-body irons gives equipment designers greater opportunities to increase ball speed and strategically move weight around (Tungsten anyone?) to increase launch angles boost MOI while still retaining the look that many golfers prefer in their long game clubs.
Notes From the Testing Pool
The following section details subjective feedback from our pool of 20 testers. Gathering feedback is an important aspect of any test. We use their feedback as a representation of what golfers like and dislike about the product we test. That being said, the feedback is strictly subjective. It does not play a factor in the rankings.
- Not only did Srixon ZX perform well in strokes gained, it received much praise from the testing pool. According to the tester pool, feel and looks are phenomenal. However, many were not fond of the acoustics.
- For looks, testers were greatly surprised by the Ben Hogan UiHi. The traditional iron look is pleasing.
- From the testers’ perspectives, the Callaway 21′ X Forged UT is a wonderful blend of looks, feel and performance.
- Despite exceptional distance performance, testers were not keen on the bulkier design of the TaylorMade DHY.
BEST DISTANCE - TAYLORMADE DHY
The TaylorMade DHY is a utility iron, but it has plenty of power and potential as a driving iron. With this in the bag, you can expect to see distance. Whether you are using it off the tee or as a hybrid replacement, this utility iron is the best for distance.
2021 Most Wanted Utility Irons Data
To filter and compare by club, use the drop-down list and checkboxes to select the only the drivers you wish to compare. Please keep in mind that the averages are from 20 testers across a wide range of swing speeds and ability levels.
EXPERT TIP - A TRUE Utility Iron
The word utility is defined as - "useful, especially through being able to perform several functions." That's exactly what you should expect from a true utility iron. We've stated before, every club in your bag should have a purpose, but that doesn't mean every club needs to be a one-trick pony. A versatile utility iron can serve you well in any number of the conditions you'll invariably face on the golf course.
If you need to hit it low, can you hit a utility low, or hook it around a tree? Conversely, if you need to float one to hit a green, can you do that too? Given the rapidly increasing number and variety of utility irons hitting the market, there's almost certainly one out there that will suit your playing style. Make sure to assess your game to determine which utility will work best for you.
How We Test
Our mission is to help you find the best utility iron for your game.
About our Testers
Over the course of several sessions, each golfer is required to hit 10 to 12 "good" shots with each club. Club order is randomized on a per-tester basis.
Limiting Variables and Gathering Data Reliably
To minimize variables, all testers hit Titleist ProV1 balls.
Both club and head data are captured using Foresight GCQuad launch monitors.
Crunching the Numbers
To determine our rankings, we collect key performance metrics with Foresight GCQuad. After eliminating outliers, we utilize a proprietary methodology to calculate strokes-gained values for each combination of tester and golf club. The iron that produces the highest strokes-gained values relative to the field average is our Most Wanted.
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
2021 Most Wanted Utility Iron Product Specs
| Product | Stated Loft | Measured Loft* | Lie Angle | Length | Swingweight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Ben Hogan UiHI Check Price | 18 | 16.75 | 58 | 40" | D2.4 |
 | Callaway 21' X Forged UT Check Price | 18 | 17.25 | 60.5 | 39.25" | D2.1 |
 | Cleveland Launcher UHX Check Price | 18 | 17 | 61.5 | 39.50" | D4.0 |
 | Cobra KING Utility Check Price | 19.5 | 19 | 58.75 | 39" | D0.0 |
 | New Level NLU-01 Check Price | 18 | 16.5 | 60.75 | 39.75" | D2.7 |
 | PING G425 Crossover Check Price | 18 | 17.25 | 58.75 | 40.25" | D2.3 |
 | Srixon ZX Utility Check Price | 18 | 17 | 60.25 | 40" | D3.2 |
 | Sub 70 699 U PRO Check Price | 17 | 16.25 | 60 | 39.75" | C9.4 |
 | TaylorMade SIM DHY Check Price | 17 | 16.25 | 59.75 | 40" | D2.0 |
 | TaylorMade SIM UDI Check Price | 18 | 17 | 59.25 | 39.375" | D1.6 |
 | Titleist U505 Check Price | 18 | 17.5 | 61 | 39.875" | D2.1 |
 | Tour Edge EXS 220 TI Check Price | 19 | 19 | 59.75 | 39.25" | D1.9 |
 | Wilson Staff Model Utility Check Price | 18 | 17 | 59.25 | 39.50" | D2.6 |
* denotes measured value vs. manufacturer’s stated spec.
BEST FORGIVENESS - COBRA KING UTILITY
Utility Irons are multi-purposeful. Whether you are replacing a long iron, a hybrid, or fairway wood, they can be the perfect choice to fill a gap in your bag. With that, you want consistency and accuracy. The Cobra KING Utility is the best utility iron for forgiveness. Accuracy and consistency are great to strive for. Check out the KING Utility.
FAQ
BUYING A NEW UTILITY IRON
Q: When should I buy a new utility iron?
A: In most categories, it typically takes three to five years for manufacturers to make any significant performance gains. This is especially true in the utility category where performance breakthroughs are rare. A good bit of what changes comes down to shaping and cosmetics and, while that can alter performance from one iteration to the next, little in the way of revolutionary technology finds its way into the category. Our recommendation is to buy a new utility iron only when it appreciably outperforms what is already in your bag. Of course, if you want a new utility iron because you want a new utility iron, that’s fine, too.
Q: How do I know which utility iron is right for my game?
A: A proper club fitting with a professional will help determine what utility iron will suit your unique game. However, you can assess your own needs by determining what kind of shots you need to hit with your utility iron. Do you use the utility primarily off the tee or mostly off the turf? If you mainly use the utility iron off the tee, a lower-launching, lower-spinning model might help you get the ball running down the fairway. Conversely, higher-lofted, wide-soled, back-weighed utility irons can help you get the ball launching high and landing softly. Make sure to fully evaluate your game in advance of a professional fitting to help the fitter understand what you’re looking for in a utility iron.
GET FIT FOR YOUR GAME WITH TRUEGOLFFIT™
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SEE MY RESULTS
Q: Does the shaft matter?
A: Absolutely. While changes to spin and launch are rarely massive, shaft changes frequently lead to improved accuracy, tighter dispersion and greater overall consistency. We always recommend working with a qualified fitter. If that’s not possible, take the time to understand the different shaft profiles offered and how the performance of each might benefit or adversely affect your game.
Q: What should I look for when testing utility irons?
A: While golfers have been conditioned to consider distance to the exclusion of nearly everything else, we recommended looking at the little numbers and looking for small circles. When comparing metrics like distance and ball speed, be sure to look at your standard deviations (the small numbers usually found under the big ones on the data screen). Smaller numbers mean better consistency, which will usually benefit your score more than an extra yard or two. Similarly, look for tighter dispersion ellipses (small circles). We can’t overstate the importance of consistency with utility irons.
No Two Utility Irons Are Exactly Alike
Some of us may be hesitant at the thought of putting a 2-iron in your bag. Some of you may not even carry a 5-iron. It's important to understand that not every Utility Iron is designed for high swing speed, low handicap golfers. Yes, there are designs that favor the lower, more workable trajectory, that typically only benefits lower handicap golfers. There are, however, plenty of utility models on the market today designed for golfers that need a little help getting the ball in the air or who are looking for a bit more forgiveness in the long game.
Utility irons, such as, Titleist U505, Wilson Staff Model, New Level NLU-01, TaylorMade DHY, and Srixon ZX utilities have wider soles and in some cases, higher lofts. That's a combination that can help average golfers find the fairway on a short par-4, or hit the green in two on some par-5s.
MOST WANTED
Q: What does Most Wanted mean?
A: We define Most Wanted as the best-performing club. Based on Strokes Gained, it’s the club that was shown to be in the top-performing group for the highest percentage of our testing pool. For more detailed information, see our How We Test page.
Q: How is the Most Wanted Utility Iron determined?
A: To determine the Most Wanted Utility Iron, we collect performance metrics with Foresight GCQuad Launch Monitors. To determine our overall rankings, we don’t just focus on averages. With a pool of 20-plus testers across a broad range of ability levels, we find that raw averages often don’t represent the true performance of a golf club. While we do share the raw data, we use a ranking methodology that considers the statistical reliability of the Strokes Gained metric across the entire pool of testers.
Q: How is the “Longest” Utility Iron determined?
A: To determine the Longest Utility Iron, we again look past the raw averages to consider the average total yards across the test pool along with the statistical reliability of that data.
Q: How is the “Most Forgiving” Utility Iron determined?
A: To determine the Most Forgiving Utility Iron, we focus on a narrower set of metrics that includes: Shot Area (dispersion), Radial Distance, Accuracy and the average standard deviation for ball speed and carry yards.
Q: How are the utility irons in the test fit to each golfer?
A: We use a fitting process that we call fit from stock. Irons are fitted to each tester using the stock, no up-charge options from each manufacturer. We test utility irons ranging in loft from 17 to 19.5 degrees. While less so in this category, adjustability is growing in popularity. When movable weights or adjustable hosels are available, we make every effort to optimize each club for each tester. Occasionally, manufacturers will send multiple sets with different stock shafts that we can utilize to improve launch conditions.
Q: How much does subjective feedback like looks, sound, and feel factor into your rankings?
A: ZERO. Our rankings are based purely on launch monitor data and quantifiable performance metrics.
Donn Rutkoff
1 month agoNice work. No complaint but no Mizuno? Did it get stuck in limbo, or not submitted? You sure did have a lot of clubs. All are well designed. Performance in real world is different than mats. Question about forgiveness:: isn’t shaft twist half or more of the dispersion equation? (I have an old Mizu Fli-hi 24 deg that is a GFF, and a newer Fli-hi MMC18 3 iron. Smiles)
Dan F.
1 month agoInteresting that only one club had a matching stated loft and measured oft. Possibly more interesting that all of the other clubs’ measured lofts were stronger than their stated lofts, and none were weaker. Could this be intentional, or a coincidental QC issue?
Hunter
1 month agoI read the description about have forgiveness is measured, but having a hard time understanding how the Cobra won most forgiving but has a negative strokes gained. Something seems off with that?
Benjamin
1 month ago@Hunter. I wondered the same question. Can you guys please LIST the forgiveness results like all of the other sections? As someone with high clubhead speed, this is the most important category for me. I have loved when you included it in the past. Thanks!
James
1 month agoLast year bought the Hogan 3 utility thinking I could replace the old Ping Zing2 2 iron I have used on and off for 20 years as a driving iron (both stiff true temper shafts) NO luck there, Ping was 100% more forgiving and still longer for sure…….after about 10 rounds the Hogan went to the club barrel, I think you need more club head speed then I could muster for good results….the old Ping has grown old with me and just does what I want.
Theo
1 month agoWas the Srixon utility iron that was tested the 2 iron or the 3 iron? The 2 Iron lists at 18′ and the 3 Iron lists at 20′. Thanks
Dave P
1 month agoSrixon continuing to produce a great product this season – slowly starting to see more and more uptake of this significantly under estimated brand.
NCB
1 month agoIn 2005 the Bridgestone J33 Air Muscle was released with hollow body construction. I still play it to this day. A fantastic club, that was seemingly ahead of its time. Versatility, distance, more then enough forgiveness and a great sound too… Enhanced feel and performance when I replaced the graphite shaft with steel. Would be incredibly cheap today, but not flashy or cool until you stripe one down the middle of the fairway. Play on.
Dan
1 month agoSo the best and the worst are within 5/100th of a stroke of each other for strokes gained? That can’t be significant at all, but good good making it looking like a huge difference with your graph.
JasonA
1 month ago5/100 improvement in strokes gained means that in 20 shots with that club you would have saved yourself one stroke.
I use my Titliest U*510 about 5 times a round, and so in about 4 rounds would be one shot better off. Or another way to look at it, would be a quarter of a shot better on my handicap index.
Does that matter to you? maybe not. But would not think it’s fair to call it “insignificant”
Phillip Bishop
1 month agoThere is significance. Although the strokes gained differential is minute by your interpretation, consistency and accuracy are important. The higher ranking utility irons proved to be more consistent with their misses vs the bottom half.
Dan
1 month agoWhat is the alpha coefficient being used to determine significant? If it’s truly a significant difference, that does mean that you will gain one stroke out of every 20, between the best and worst, which means over the course of one round you won’t gain anything noticeable. That’s also if there is a statistically significant difference in that 5/100th, but that number is so small, that could easily be accounted for by chance, and have nothing to do with the clubs themselves.
Cody
1 month ago>Goes to a website dedicated to golf data analysis, and then complains about this data being graphed in a legible way with all axes properly labeled.
Someone’s favorite didn’t come out on top…
Dan
1 month agoActually my “favorite” is on top, I love Srixon, I Play a ZU85 2i and it’s my favorite club. My complaint is that the website dedicated to data to “bring the truth” uses graphs that over-emphasize the differences between clubs when there is none so that they can have a “winner” and therefore a story, when the actual “truth” is that if the data went through proper analysis the “difference” between these clubs would not statistically significant and would be due to chance. But then they wouldn’t have a winner.
Phil S.
1 month agoSo nice to see Sub 70 high on this list. I have played the 699 Pro Utility Black for over a year now and its a great club. Super consistent and forgiving and great looks with the black. Every time I play everyone in my group is asking me about the Sub 70’s and asking if they can hit them. The most bang for your buck company I have come across in a long, long time.
Will
1 month agoI also play a Sub70 Utility iron; easy to hit, fine distance/accuracy. It;s a nice addition to my 699Pro Irons, which I love & blends right in with the set.
Mark
1 month agoThanks for the work. Long time Utility and long iron player. I do not get along with small headed woods….Oddly I have tried a few of the “new” U irons the last few years and nothing can get my old Titleist 712U out of the bag. My favorite club. Great for tight off of the tee shots or reaching long par 5’s. Keep up the great work.
Bob
1 month agoHave the Srixon utility irons, these are extremely easy to use.
Replaced my long irons. Accuracy is unbelievable.
Stephen
1 month agoJeez, well I for one am happy to see this … kinda bizarre to see someone complain that you put out FREE analysis and info to the PUBLIC because it’s not the clubs he bags! Anyhow, I game an earlier version of the Srixon and it’s a terrific weapon. Mostly because I cannot snap hook it OB like I do with utility clubs under pressure. The control I get with it off the tee is terrific. Might have to upgrade to this new version.
After I replace my wedges, of course. 😆😉
Eric
1 month agoHow is Ping ranked lower than in SG than Tour Edge in the visual but then they’re better in the chart?
Phillip Bishop
1 month agoEverything is now correct. There was an outlier error in the Tableau Chart.
Doug
1 month agoAny reason the strokes gained data chart is different from the strokes gained bar graph?
Phillip Bishop
1 month agoEverything is now correct. There was an outlier error in the Tableau Chart.
don
1 month agoI realize the difficulty in hitting off grass when you hit this many balls, but the truth is hitting irons off mats makes the data almost useless. Ground interaction is pretty much the number 1 problem for everyone except the very best golfers.
Juan
1 month agoThis is an excellent point, during my recent testing, I hit the U505 off the mat best followed by the ZX after trying some of the others from this test. I took both of these out to play a couple rounds and discovered that I hit the ZX better off turf/tees. While the larger head of the U505 did give a higher confidence factor, I also found myself overswinging because of it. After settling on the ZX I am very pleased with it. It is quite forgiving on everything but the worst shots which have been few and far between so far. I am so glad I made the switch from a hybrid to this, no more hook-a-matic for me!
Tim
1 month agoWas there any notes on “ease of hit” as in did one club stand out for its ability for amateurs to hit the ball well?
also, were these hit from the fairways or any sort of rough?
I am struggling to figure out if i should go with utility irons in the 4/5/6 iron range or a mix of regualr irons and hybrids……HELP!!!!
Phillip Bishop
1 month agoAll shots are hit at our indoor facility in Yorktown, VA. We utilize premium mats as the hitting surface.
Testers noted the clubs with wider soles performed relatively well off the mats i.e. Titleist U505, Wilson Staff Model Utility, Srixon ZX, and others.
Brandon
1 month agoDo you ever use a tee? I hit my utility iron off the tee probably about 90% of the time I hit it.
JP
1 month agoI’m not gonna say its a 1-to-1 cause and effect – but since I took my 3-wood and hybrid out of my bag and brought in a 1,3, and 4 utility I have dropped 4+ strokes on my index…
There is just something that is so confidence building with a utility at address – the thought is “this is headed to the pin” instead of “I hope this stays in play” I was having with woods/hybrids.
I will say the forgiveness difference on the 1 utility compared to the 2 it replaced is dramatic – definitely till earning how to get the most out of it.
Chris
1 month agoInteresting results……..and I’m sure the 2% of golfers that actually play these things appreciate the data. But as a long time reader and contributor, the fact you publish this before much OVERDUE Sandwedge and Hybrid reviews is a little disappointing. Most golfers have multiple wedges and hybrids in the bag. Why not focus on the niche things like this and the hitting nets AFTER the hybrids and wedges? The last wedge test was cutting edge.
Phillip Bishop
1 month agoThese tests take time. Covid is still impacting inventory levels, which affected said Wedge and Hybrid Testing. Hybrid’s will be publishing in the next few weeks. Wedges will be the last test published due to the extensiveness of the test. Thank you for your continued support.
Pete S
1 month agoI will definitely be using this and the upcoming hybrid data to rework the longer portion of my bag this fall. Thanks for all the hard work.