Coinciding with the release of a new generation of Titleist T-Series irons, the company is also launching a pair of new utility irons—T250 U and U505—designed to fill the gaps where traditional long irons too often fall short.
T250 U – A familiar look and feel
Breaking it down to the simplest explanation possible: the T250 U is, as should be obvious by its name, a utility iron that builds on the DNA of the T250 iron. That means you get Max Impact core technology along with a massive amount of tungsten split between the toe and heel.
The T250 Utility offers a heavier head weight and a .370 (hybrid shaft) hosel. The idea here is to maintain the look and, to an extent, the feel of the T250 in a more forgiving package that still offers plenty of speed.
For T250 players who struggle to generate the speed necessary to maintain a five-mph ball speed gap between long irons or see their flight windows drop with traditional long irons, the T250 U could be the problem solver. You’re getting a utility performance in a T250 chassis. That’s especially beneficial for golfers who suffer from speed dips in the long irons but aren’t interested in hybrids or higher-lofted fairway woods.
(Seriously, have you tried a 7-wood?)
The T250 U is available in #2 (18 degrees), #3 (20 degrees) and #4 (22 degrees).
U505 – A progressive approach
Titleist’s other utility offering, the U505, is more similar to the T350. So, again, you’re getting Max Impact technology and massive amounts of tungsten in a larger package.
What makes the updated U505 particularly interesting is the new progressive approach to shaping. Unlike previous generations, where all lofts shared the same profile, the new U505 features different head shapes depending on the loft.
The #1 and #2 irons maintain the larger sole width that helps get the ball airborne at those lower lofts. The #3 and #4 transition to a more compact shape that mimics the T250 U profile.
“You don’t necessarily need that giant sole to help in a 4-iron because this old 505 essentially was the same profile with different lofts,” explains Marni Ines, Titleist’s Director of Iron Development. “By going to this progressive shape, we now have a 3- and 4-iron which are way more pleasing to more players in that space.”
Said another way: With the updated U505 you shouldn’t notice anything hanging off the trailing edge of the higher-lofted models this time around.
Sweet.
The progressive shaping addresses one of the longstanding challenges with utility irons – making them more appealing across the full range of lofts.
The U505 is available in #1 (16 degrees), #2 (18 degrees), #3 (20 degrees) and #4 (22 degrees).
Build specifications
Both Titleist utility offerings come with the Project X HZRDUS Black 5G in 80-gram and 90-gram weights as the featured shaft. The premium featured shafts are the Graphite Design Tour AD-DI and AD-VF which has become the most played hybrid shaft on the PGA Tour.
The move to a .370 tip diameter across both utility lines represents a practical improvement for club builders who previously had to modify taper tip shafts when fitting graphite options.
For golfers looking to bridge the gap between their shortest fairway wood and longest iron, Titleist’s new utility options provide performance-oriented solutions that don’t compromise on looks or feel.
(But again, have you tried a 7-wood?)
Pricing and availability
The new T250 U and U505 utility irons will be available for fitting beginning July 10 with full availability starting Aug. 21. Retail price is $278 with the featured shaft and $379 with Graphite Design options.
For more information, visit Titleist.com.
Herb Piert
11 months ago
As a Titleist staff member, I was able to hit all of these. They are by far the best utility irons Titleist has ever made. I’ve played the 712U to the T200. These don’t even compare. I was hitting the 3 iron 250 carry with ease. You MUST give these a try.