Which utility iron is the most forgiving off the deck?

[wmclarenf1]

I tend to hit irons better in general and my halo Tour issue is aging.

Which utility iron is most forgiving OFF THE DECK and looking for a 18/19* loft :

1. RC VS UT Iron

2. Fourteen HI610H

3. Miura IC 6001

4. Yonex Zero Iron

5. Srixion Z-UTI Driving Iron

6. PRGR EGG I+

7. Epon AF-901

Intending to reshaft with a NS RPO 750 Regular and playing to 39 inches finished playing length.

Thanks in advance.

[Ara selai]

Are you opposed to trying utility 'woods'?

I clobbered my 21* RC BBD's TRC utility from 190 yards out, in deepish fringe/rough off the fairway, to within 3 feet of the pin on Saturday for birdie. Needless to say, I love them! They're not the MOST forgiving (they're pretty compact) and they're not an iron like the ones you listed, but I reckon you ought to give them a try, even if only for comparison's sake. I find mine very confidence-inspiring and easy to hit without over-thinking the shot. Just set up and swing. They're lethal from the deck, have a good, predictable flight, and are very honest in terms of feedback. Plus, they'd be a nice match with your driver and EGG Spoon.

The older model (BBD's) comes in 18* (called a 'U2'). The newer 2011 model, which I didn't hit as well, comes in 17* or 20*, and was recently voted Utility of the Year in Japan (http://www.golftoimpress.com/royal-collection-2011-new-trc-ut-named-utility-of-the-year/)!

Just a thought, as long as you're considering options....

FWIW, the only UT-iron on your list I've hit was the Epon, which was not - in my opinion - as forgiving as most of the non-iron utes I tried. [but felt great when I caught it well.]

In any case, good luck finding the right club for your game! I'll be quite interested to see what advice you get, and which one you eventually select. If I'd had the excellent selection of utility irons that you listed to try out, I might have ended up with very different bag!

[theblake]

Unless someone is going to hit all those with the same shaft and fit how is anyone going to know :-)

you could answer the question with some degree of reliability by choosing the club with the lowest vertical COG,the highest MOI and with the horizontal COG furthest away from the heel.

Well thats what I would do. Except that the specifations on all these clubs are detailed in japanese :-(

[wmclarenf1]

Are you opposed to trying utility 'woods'?

I clobbered my 21* RC BBD's TRC utility from 190 yards out, in deepish fringe/rough off the fairway, to within 3 feet of the pin on Saturday for birdie. Needless to say, I love them! They're not the MOST forgiving (they're pretty compact) and they're not an iron like the ones you listed, but I reckon you ought to give them a try, even if only for comparison's sake. I find mine very confidence-inspiring and easy to hit without over-thinking the shot. Just set up and swing. They're lethal from the deck, have a good, predictable flight, and are very honest in terms of feedback. Plus, they'd be a nice match with your driver and EGG Spoon.

The older model (BBD's) comes in 18* (called a 'U2'). The newer 2011 model, which I didn't hit as well, comes in 17* or 20*, and was recently voted Utility of the Year in Japan (http://www.golftoimpress.com/royal-collection-2011-new-trc-ut-named-utility-of-the-year/)!

Just a thought, as long as you're considering options....

FWIW, the only UT-iron on your list I've hit was the Epon, which was not - in my opinion - as forgiving as most of the non-iron utes I tried. [but felt great when I caught it well.]

In any case, good luck finding the right club for your game! I'll be quite interested to see what advice you get, and which one you eventually select. If I'd had the excellent selection of utility irons that you listed to try out, I might have ended up with very different bag!

Thanks Ara. I get what you;re saying but as I tedn to hit irons better, I'm hoping to try a more iron-like utilty for now. Halo is more woodish I think.

[wmclarenf1]

Unless someone is going to hit all those with the same shaft and fit how is anyone going to know :-)

Hi,

Thanks for this. As a club fitting enthusiasts, I am very aware of the above but even club fitters may not have the uxury of all the listed heads in the same shaft for testing. I'm hoping to draw on anecdotal exprience of forum members here to get some guidance in terms of which is a better calculated bet so that I won;t have to buy all of them at once and rfeshaft and fit them to the same specs. I have the know how but just don"t feel like going through that exercise.

Best.

[sandee11]

I hit bridgestone air muscle, epon 901, the epon 901 is way too easy to hit, so my vote will be epon 901.

[wmclarenf1]

I hit bridgestone air muscle, epon 901, the epon 901 is way too easy to hit, so my vote will be epon 901.

Thanks for this. I think the Bridgestone air muscle you are referring to is similar of the US version of the TourStage drving iron which I can actually demo here. Good anecdatoal reference for me. Thanks again.

[JMCMB]

The EGG I+ is going to be the most forgiving out of your list as it is considered a utility and not a utility iron even though it seems to have an iron-y setup, from what I hear, even if you had a list of standard utes, the EGG I+ would still top the list as far as forgiveness and ease of use.....

J.

[wmclarenf1]

The EGG I+ is going to be the most forgiving out of your list as it is considered a utility and not a utility iron even though it seems to have an iron-y setup, from what I hear, even if you had a list of standard utes, the EGG I+ would still top the list as far as forgiveness and ease of use.....

J.

Thanks J. That's what I am thinking as well and the EGG I+ is also described as iron like by PRGR on their website. This seems to be the one but as it hits my shores only next month, I thought I'd garner some thoughts in the interim.

Also, no one seems to have hit the EGG I+ as well.

[JMCMB]

At the moment I believe a lot of lofts are back ordered, I have one on the way with a Crazy ute shaft, should arrive in a day or two... If I like it, I'll def be ordering a few more, i really like the way they set up.....

I know T did a review on the blog, and I'm sure if you shoot him and email or PM he would be able to give you more info on that or any JDM gear than just about anyone else....

J.

[gocchin]

Yes I hit the egg i+ and as I wrote on the blog its very hot and very back ordered. Even without having the above listed clubs with the same shaft, you can still gauge a certain level of forgiveness based on design.

Driving irons are typically aimed at better players, so forgiveness is not usually their top selling factor, however, if you're talking about hitting the club off the deck, typically an iron with the wider sole and lower and deeper CG is more "forgiving" in that it would dig less and launch the ball easier.

That said nothing comes close to the egg, but at the same time the egg is not really an iron, its sole is wide enough to be a utility wood.

Of the ones you listed the most forgiving are the egg, the Fourteen 610, and the AF-901. The Zero iron is not that easy to hit and the Miura is practically an iron.

[wmclarenf1]

Yes I hit the egg i+ and as I wrote on the blog its very hot and very back ordered. Even without having the above listed clubs with the same shaft, you can still gauge a certain level of forgiveness based on design.

Driving irons are typically aimed at better players, so forgiveness is not usually their top selling factor, however, if you're talking about hitting the club off the deck, typically an iron with the wider sole and lower and deeper CG is more "forgiving" in that it would dig less and launch the ball easier.

That said nothing comes close to the egg, but at the same time the egg is not really an iron, its sole is wide enough to be a utility wood.

Of the ones you listed the most forgiving are the egg, the Fourteen 610, and the AF-901. The Zero iron is not that easy to hit and the Miura is practically an iron.

Thanks for this and much appreciated. The range I frequent has the Fourteen whcih I just found out so I'll go there to demo it.

My concern with the EGG I+ is that it is at stock 40.5 and I suspect D-0 and I'm intending to play it at 39 with a NS Pro 750. Hopefully the added weight of the 750 over te stick graohite which I think is 50+ grams and with my prefered 38 gram Decade =cord grip will help to compensate some so that I do not have to tamper too much with tip weighting which I don't like to do.

Do you know if the hosel of the new EGG I+ is friendly to lie adjustment?

[wmclarenf1]

Oh, I'm also thinking of trying the older 18* 3I EGG iron but suspect the magic behind the EGG is the ES230 Maraging Steel face which the EGG iron does not have.

[JMCMB]

Wish they made a 16 or 17 EGG I+, or just more utes with lower lofts for that matter.... Although the TRC 17(which I also have ordered) seems to fit the bill pretty perfectly, I would still really like to see more options for lower lofted utes....

J.

[wmclarenf1]

Wish they made a 16 or 17 EGG I+, or just more utes with lower lofts for that matter.... Although the TRC 17(which I also have ordered) seems to fit the bill pretty perfectly, I would still really like to see more options for lower lofted utes....

J.

That's another reason why I've asked gochin if he knows whether the EGG I+ can be bent for loft and lie. THe rest of the head is steel so it'll be a bit tougher to bend than forged steel I am assuming.

[gocchin]

Thanks for this and much appreciated. The range I frequent has the Fourteen whcih I just found out so I'll go there to demo it.

My concern with the EGG I+ is that it is at stock 40.5 and I suspect D-0 and I'm intending to play it at 39 with a NS Pro 750. Hopefully the added weight of the 750 over te stick graohite which I think is 50+ grams and with my prefered 38 gram Decade =cord grip will help to compensate some so that I do not have to tamper too much with tip weighting which I don't like to do.

Do you know if the hosel of the new EGG I+ is friendly to lie adjustment?

You will lose 9 swing weight points going down to 39" and the weight of the shaft and grip will not be enough to balance it out. If you're lucky you'll get back around 5-6 points... maybe. The egg is designed to be a longer length because its primary goal is monster distance for a utility aided by a longer shaft. You may have to compromise a bit and go 39.5" and possibly added weight to the head (which is something I don't personally like but sometimes must be done).

The Hosel is stainless steel so it is not that soft and may not agree too much with bending.

[wmclarenf1]

You will lose 9 swing weight points going down to 39" and the weight of the shaft and grip will not be enough to balance it out. If you're lucky you'll get back around 5-6 points... maybe. The egg is designed to be a longer length because its primary goal is monster distance for a utility aided by a longer shaft. You may have to compromise a bit and go 39.5" and possibly added weight to the head (which is something I don't personally like but sometimes must be done).

The Hosel is stainless steel so it is not that soft and may not agree too much with bending.

Thanks again gocchin. yup, SW will be a challenge but not impossible and you and I seem to share simialr sentiment with tip/head weighting :-)

As for the length for distance, yes, but that is assumiing that one can handle the extra length. the reason why I want it at 39 (or 39.5) is that it is a more natural progession from my iron lengths which I play at 1/2 inch below US Standard and also on the basis that if it is shorter, it is easier to handle and hence better impact and hence better distance. I'm playing my EGG 15* just under 43 and would prefer it at 42.75 but the SW issues again and even though it is shorted, that damn thing is long man. I played it yesterday and my flight mates and I were very very very impressed with the distance and I think the thin maraginf face has a lot to do with it.

Got you on the bending part. Thanks again for chiming in.

Edited September 21, 2011 by wmclarenf1

[wmclarenf1]

Imanaged to get hold of the Fourteen 18* 2I utlity Iron last night and in a graphite regular flex. I must say, a lot more forgiving than I anticipated and it can (I say can as I obviously did not hit it well sometimes :-)) launch high for an 18*. I hit off range mats. I have it for a week and will see how it is on the course but a completely differently profile to the Halo Hybrid which is what I am looking for.