With the plethora of golf club types that have emerged since golf technology entered the 21st century, one of the most striking and memorable offerings has been the utility iron.
Once upon a time, it would have been unthinkable to see such a club in anyone’s hands in an important game. But, today, you’ll find them on courses all over the world, with players benefitting from longer, more accurate strikes without needing to reach for a fairway wood.
But what is a utility iron? How useful are they? And do you really need one in your bag? Well, at Clarkes Golf, we’re home to a great selection of golf utility irons you can use to get yourself out of sticky situations, so feel free to see what we’ve got! Now, let’s discuss…
What is a utility iron?
A utility iron (sometimes referred to as a blade-style driving iron) is designed to fill the gap between the long irons and the hybrids or fairway woods. At first glance, they look like typical long irons, with long shafts and iron-centric heads.
But on closer inspection, you’ll notice a few key differences, the first being that the utility iron clubheads are slightly bigger than those of long irons and mostly feature a hollow body construction. They’re mildly thicker, too, with added millimetres stretching from the toe through to the heel.
But don’t let their size fool you; to offer the right advantages, utility iron heads are often hollow, producing a great knife-through-butter feel on impact with the golf ball. Greater ball speed, ball flight and low spin are just some of the benefits players have enjoyed while using this long iron replacement club.
So, how could a utility iron help your game?
What advantages do utility irons offer golfers?
Greater precision compared to long irons
When used to their full effect, the long irons can be some of the most advantageous golf clubs in our bag, allowing us to reach impressive distances while still benefitting from the accuracy irons present over more powerful clubs, such as fairway woods or the driver.
However, as every golfer knows, they can be notoriously difficult to hit cleanly and accurately, leading to many players avoiding these clubs altogether, instead reaching for the next available option.
But because of the differences in the clubhead when compared to long irons, utility irons can be much easier to catch cleanly. The additional weight and size help the clubhead find its way back to its original position (AKA behind the ball) more easily, while also helping to bring the club face back in line with the target for a more accurate strike.
Wider club selection
Many players can enjoy a full round, and play to a very high level, with only the traditional golf clubs in their bag; Driver, fairway woods, irons, sand wedge, pitching wedge, and putter.
But that doesn’t mean some players can’t take advantage of alternate golf clubs should they choose, especially if they feel they need these clubs to enjoy the game more or to give them ways to improve their game significantly.
According to rules laid out by The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and the United States Golf Association, players are permitted to carry up to 14 clubs in their bag, and no more.
This gives players plenty of room to add a utility iron, or swap out an existing club for a utility iron, should they so wish. The more diverse club selection could help them lower their scores and get out of some sticky situations. Speaking of which…
Is a utility iron different from a hybrid club?
It’s not immediately noticeable if you’re not familiar with the way golf clubs are supposed to look, but for all their shared advantages, utility irons and hybrid clubs are indeed different.
Utility irons can be referred to as long irons with slightly chunkier, more robust clubheads. While hybrid clubs attempt to find the middle ground between the two by reducing the size of the standard fairway wood clubhead, while maintaining the same clubface features.
If you’re looking to invest in either a utility iron or a hybrid club, both will serve you well, but it’s probably wise to practice with both clubs before making a decision, especially if you’ve never used either of them before.
Some players enjoy the feeling of added power in a long iron (utility) while others benefit more from increased club speeds and greater control compared to the closest alternative (hybrids). However, in action, there's not a huge distance gap between the two (around ten yards on average). So try them both and see which works best for you.
Grab yourself a new utility iron at Clarkes Golf today
Whether you’re on the lookout for a new utility iron, hybrid club, or another type of golf club entirely, you’ll find everything you need and more at Clarkes Golf.
With a massive selection of golf clubs, golf sets and golf equipment from the world’s leading manufacturers, you’ll always find something to meet your needs.
Take a look at our selection of utility clubs here. Or get in touch with Clarkes Golf for a helping hand or more product-specific information.