Utility (Driving) Iron Guide: Should You Put One in Your Bag?

Practical Golf Articles
#32

Good to know!

Top of bag currently is D, 3W, 3H, 3i, 4i… the 3i (from my old set) goes the same distance as the new 4i so its worthless except for punch outs or if I need to hit something lower and hope it rolls up to the green instead of hitting 3H (not often). I’m essentially playing with 13 clubs right now since thankfully haven’t needed recovery shots too much recently.

At the bottom of the bag (with carry) is PW (135), 52* (115), 58* (90) so I’m thinking to replace the 3i for a ~48* wedge or something that’ll go in the 120-125 range, then bend my 52* to something in the 54* range that goes ~105-110 to space that gapping out better. I can take off the PW pretty well but feel like I’d gain more in the scoring zones by having something to fill that gap with a stock swing.

Top of the bag is 3W (245-250), 3H (225-230), and the 3i/4i (208). I’m not as concerned about the gapping at the top since not usually having approach shots of 215+ and if I do then I can survive with just hitting the hybrid or trying to take something off. My hybrid can be a bit hit or miss and occaisionally I can get the flippy/spinny flares. I like hitting the 3i and 4i (moreso now given it’s more forgiving) and while it’s not always straight, I’m not usually hitting those spinny shots so thinking a utility iron in the same carry range as the 3H may play better in the bag, depending on ball flight from fairway into greens.

@Sub70_Jay any experience/thoughts on handling the gapping certainly appreciated!

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#33

Sounds like a 3 utility would be a solid purchase… 215-220 would fill a gap, it would be a great punch club and it’s great for stingers into the wind.

Tell Jason I’m going to start needing to make commissions… he can just pay me with clubs, though!

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#34

I definitely would’ve looked into utility irons if they were more of a thing when I bought my 2/3 hybrid. I have a high swing speed with a high launch and getting the ball flight down would be quite helpful. I also have much more confidence with irons as opposed to woods - one of the reasons I bought the hybrid I did was because it had a much more “iron-like” profile than others.

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#35

Thanks for the message and info! It does sound like a utility iron could be an option. I go Driver-4 wood-3 utility iron and then 4-W. The nice thing about the utility irons is that there are a ton of shaft options…you can go graphite or steel depending on whether you want it to launch higher and spin a bit more or be a low bullet fairway finder. I would actually reach out to Jason at 815-621-3556 or [email protected] He’s a lot more knowledgeable on shaft options and what might work to fill that gap depending on how you typically flight the ball. I had the same issue with the occassional weak, spinny hybrid shots in the past and have been absolutely loving my 699U Pro 3i with a Ventus Blue HB 9X in it…

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#36

Jason is also just fun to talk to! (You’re great too, jay)

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#37

Hahah! I’ll let Jason take the compliment on that one. I’m a little hit or miss :joy:

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#38

Thanks Jon for the article. I have a couple hybrids but haven’t given them much of a chance and they sit in my garage. I haven’t found much of a need for them. My long irons fly pretty well in general with decent height and spin. Looking at the data in the article it’s hard to say if I would actually put one in my bag either. I would want to test for myself. Thanks again!

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#39

Didn’t know anyone made them in higher lofts! Doubt it’s the right kind of club for me, but I do have a gap between my irons to my 4H … but am not crazy about higher lofted hybrids…

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#40

I don’t have a Utility Iron at the moment but with the next irons I buy I am thinking with the next set of irons I buy the 4-iron will either be Utility Iron or a game Improvement Iron.

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#41

Scenario: Playing last evening, I had 200 yards in on the last hole. Temperature was 48 degrees, I was into a very slight wind, and it was getting dark. I pulled my 18.5 degree hybrid, which launched high, flew about 198 and landed softly on the green.

That shot is why I choose hybrid over driving iron every time. For me, I cannot hit that shot with a driving iron.

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#42

I’m wondering if I would go with a 3U or a 2U. I’m not really looking for a 3 iron replacement from a distance standpoint (which would probably be a 218 carry) since would expect if I have a club I can carry 225 I could choke it down to 215.

How does the distance gapping work for yours from 4i to 3 utility? Is the 3U really just an easier to hit 3i replacement or do you find there’s some extra distance created in the gapping? (assuming shaft specs matched the 4i)

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#43

I can’t really say anything definitively on gapping between 4 irons and 3 utilities…it could vary wildly from person to person. The 3 utility should be easier to hit and likely go further than a regular 3 iron. Our utility irons utilize a hollow bodied head design with a TPE injection to generate faster ball speeds. The sole and head size of a 3 utility is probably going to offer more forgiveness than a conventional 3 iron as well. I would say that the utility iron designs are generally easier to hit AND should offer more distance than a normal iron head.

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#44

Great topic and I think @jon hit the nail on the head. His experience matches completely with mine. I am a high speed/high spin player. I have a driver and 3w I like, as well as 4i-PW, 52-56-60. Everything is set except for this one spot, and I have tried everything (fairway woods, hybrids, utility iron, regular iron).

I love how easy hybrids are to hit and launch, but they just balloon on me and that is no good in any kind of wind (and also sometimes hook wildly, especially if I go after one). I also rarely have 250 as an approach into a green with a forced carry, which is what I would want the hybrid for. Much more often I have a tee shot on a short, narrow par 4 with wind, and I need a 250 club that will stay under the wind (and the tops of trees and fences…).

This is why I ended up with a utility iron (of sorts). I don’t use it very often for approach shots (if I did I’d be running it up onto the green, not flying it to the green and holding it), and if I find myself with 250 into the green with water all the way up the green, I’m laying up anyway.

So for now I have a Taylormade P770 3 iron in the bag (from the regular P770 iron set, not the P770 UDI driving iron). I chose it because it has less offset (hardly any at all, looks great from address) than typical “driving iron” (like the Ping G410 Crossover that I could never tell where the face was because so much offset). It also doesn’t want to go left like a hybrid. The P770 is hollow bodied and hot, so this thing goes. It’s also more forgiving than my more player’s iron (Ping i200) and still travels well on mishits. I put a Graphite Design AD DI 95g shaft in it (remember the one Spieth had in his Titleist driving iron back in 2015 and 2016 when he won everything?). It’s a little longer than the standard 3i, so I can either play it full length and let it fly or choke down on it to keep it under the wind with low spin. For now, it is the perfect option for me. It’s still not as easy to hit as a hybrid, but it has the performance I need. I don’t think it would be a very good fit for lower speed/lower spin players. Too hard to get off the ground and not that easy to hit.

Great article and spot on!

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#45

Thanks - and I appreciate you sharing the info. The more we can hear about these scenarios I think it helps other golfers understand equipment decisions.

#46

Totally. Reading your article totally validated my findings. It took me a long time to come up with the solution I have now. I’d still be slightly interested in doing a fitting on just this slot at like a Club Champion, so I know all the options that exist. It’s hard for me to imagine, however, something fitting me better than the P770 3i with that shaft. My biggest dislike of the typical driving iron is when they get too much offset and too fat of a sole, like the Ping G410 Crossover (although I’m sure many would like those features). That’s why the P770 3i is perfect for me: hollow bodied and hot and forgiving, but with minimal offset and a relatively small sole. It inspires confidence without being overly chunky.

I think the shaft is important too. I originally had my stock iron shaft in it (Dynamic Gold 120 X stiff), but it was just too heavy and stiff, felt like a 2"x4" shafted sledge hammer. The AD DI is lighter (but not too light), and smooth and balanced, yet stable through the swing and firm at impact and not whippy or sloppy at all.

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#47

I enjoyed the article, as well. In my younger days, I carried a 1 iron that I would often use on tighter holes. I quickly put it back in the garage after I hit my first hybrid which has now become my go-to on these holes.

In reality, doesn’t it all come down to what each golfer is most confident in?

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#48

So you were God, and now you’re a mere mortal?

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#49

Just realized I was saying P770 3i. It’s a P790. I guess all the “sibling rivalry” stuff got to my brain! :rofl:

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#50

You totally ruined your whole story by being off by 20 :crazy_face::stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

#51

Haha, it would be totally cooler with the smaller blade. Maybe I’ll give the “little brother” a try! :rofl:

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