Utility irons are becoming increasingly popular on Tour with more and more players looking for a versatile option off the tee, whilst not wanting to sacrifice the distance required in today’s power-fuelled game. Is that on tour popularity about to have the same impact on the amateur game too? Callaway certainly hope so.
Due to the high demands of the best players in the world, the utility irons resurgence throughout the game has now seen manufacturers filter these trends down to the amateur game also, targeting better players. With the new X Forged UT Irons, Callaway has no doubt followed suit, offering an iron aimed at better players looking for a forgiving long iron.
Callaway claim to have channelled a tremendous amount of involvement from their growing roster of Callaway Tour Pros, most recently including 2017 Masters Champion Sergio Garcia, into the new X Forged UT Irons. It is a forged design that claims to boast accuracy and control, therefore giving better players more confidence to hit the fairway or the green when hitting to tight landing areas.
This is said to be made possible through a strategically placed centre of gravity, positioned in line with the centre of the face, theoretically delivering a lower, more penetrating ball flight with less curve, resulting in straighter shots.
As with all new releases, an abundance of new shot saving benefits are also explained. A new tungsten infused insert is engineered for higher MOI, easy launch, and control, and a hollow body construction increases the MOI even more to add forgiveness in a very traditional-looking shape that will suit the eye of the better golfer.
Along with new technologies, what comes as no surprise is that this club is said to be more forgiving than a long iron. Callaway claim their 360 Face Cup also pushes the COR right up to the USGA limit for increased ball speeds across the face, increasing ball speed with greater efficiency on centre hits, and minimising distance loss on off-centre hits.
It's likely that many better players at amateur level will fall in love with this latest offering from Callaway across three loft options of 18°, 21° and 24° in the UK, with additional 27° and 30° options in the USA. The classic looks will give good ball-strikers the distance & forgiveness they require, so you could see the X Forged UT will find its way into many bags this season, for all the right reasons.