Best Driving Irons In 2020 Easier to Hit
There are many things golfers of all skill levels have in common or should have in common. One such practice is to decide what their go-to golf club is when it comes to nailing that shot down the fairway. You simply cannot use a driver when the situation is a risky one or when the weather is windier than usual. So it’s the best driving irons that come to the rescue.
With this particular club, golfers gain more versatility. Not only windy conditions but even tight fairways hedged by hazards tend to make the situation more dangerous for you. At such times, one wrong move can really mess with your golf scores. So if you use your driving iron at this point, the club makes way for a safe strike down the fairway without forfeiting distance.
Table of Contents
- Top 10 Best Driving Iron Reviews
- 1. TaylorMade GAPR MID Golf Club
- 2. TaylorMade Golf 2019 P 790 UDI 2 Iron
- 3. Srixon Z U85 Utility Club
- 4. Cobra Golf King Utility Black Iron
- 5. Callaway 2018 Men’s Rogue Individual Iron
- 6. Srixon Z Utility U65 Iron
- 7. Ram Golf FX Hybrid Driving Iron
- 8. Mizuno 2018 MP-18 MMC Fli Hi Iron
- 9. Fourteen Golf 2017 HI 877 Hybrid Golf Club
- 10. LAZRUS Premium Golf Irons
- Driving Irons - What Are They?
- Driving Irons - Who Should Use Them?
- Driving Irons - Factors That Matter When Buying Them
- Commonly Asked Questions
- Final Words
Top 10 Best Driving Iron Reviews
1. TaylorMade GAPR MID Golf Club
A classic TaylorMade iron outfitted with SpeedFoam technology to enhance ball speed. You’re sure to love this GAPR MID creation from the rough and off the tee. The golf ball just jumps right off the thinner, faster clubface. It delivers the best of both worlds - hybrid’s forgiveness and driving iron’s penetrating ball flight.
With this, you can fill the gap between your shortest fairway wood and your longest accurate iron. It’s the perfect go-to golf club to generate a straighter flight with the gratifying ‘click’ sound at impact.
Key Features
2. TaylorMade Golf 2019 P 790 UDI 2 Iron
You could be an aspirational golfer or one with a considerable level of experience, it doesn’t matter in the case of this TaylorMade iron. Because you get low-density SpeedFoam cavity filler for maximizing COR, thus generating groundbreaking distance.
These high-strength forged irons are engineered for placing in your hands all the forgiveness you demand from a club like this. Even the responsive feedback and soft feel at impact are perfect for meeting the demands of all types of golfers.
Key Features
3. Srixon Z U85 Utility Club
If hybrids hook left on you, then what I’m reviewing right now is a great alternative. Off the tee, the Srixon Z U85 Utility Club is fun to use. More importantly, the golf club is more helpful in comparison to long irons.
And why wouldn’t it be with the hollow construction for more control, forgiveness, and higher launch trajectory! The club is super-forgiving in my opinion. Simply because when hit flush, it compels the golf ball to just take off.
Key Features
4. Cobra Golf King Utility Black Iron
Designed to give you a combination of distance and precision, the Cobra Golf King Utility Black Iron features PowerShell Face technology and high-density tungsten weighting. The former consists of a massive sweet spot, which delivers the distance and ball speed you wish to generate even in the case of a mis-hit.
As for tungsten weights, these are placed in a way to center and lower the CG of the club behind the clubface. The result? More precision as well as a higher trajectory. Plus, you get 8 different loft settings that are extremely easy to adjust.
Key Features
5. Callaway 2018 Men’s Rogue Individual Iron
If you’re making a switch from old, worn-out muscle-back irons, then you might be quite impressed with the feel of Callaway’s Rogue Individual Irons during impact. Even though these have a larger clubhead, they don’t disappoint as far as coming through smoothly is concerned.
In fact, Rogue is the best for high handicap golfer. In that case, if you’re a high handicapper, then how about checking out these game improvement irons to improve the consistency of your long-distance shots.
The combination of playability, distance, and accuracy is extraordinary with the 360 Face Cup + VFT, which expands that part of the face responsible for producing greater ball speed.
Key Features
6. Srixon Z Utility U65 Iron
Srixon Z U85 that I’ve reviewed earlier is much like the current Srixon golf club. This too has a hollow structure where the weight is placed lower in the clubhead to activate a higher launch. Another thing in common is the surprisingly forgiving construction.
Srixon Z U65 works well off the fairway or tee. Compared to a 4-iron, it can increase your distance by around 25 yards. So if you don’t struggle with hitting long irons, then you might cherish this one.
Key Features
7. Ram Golf FX Hybrid Driving Iron
How about compensating for the lack of your ability to hit drivers with this FX Hybrid Driving Iron? A golf club like this definitely makes up for such a flaw on the course. It’s got just the large amount of forgiveness you demand with iron-like performance and appearance.
High MOI minimizes impact and low CG maximizes the launch and distance potential of your shots. And these strikes can be off-center too. With FX, you can generate great distance even from the rough. It’s the perfect club, if you ask me, for controlling both height and distance.
Key Features
8. Mizuno 2018 MP-18 MMC Fli Hi Iron
Once you get the hang of hitting this Mizuno driving iron right, you can give your driver a break each time it starts to misbehave. You’re looking at a hollow-bodied, long iron substitute that delivers a combination of launch, speed, and power.
The sleek profile consists of a steel clubface, internal pocket, and tungsten toe weighting. All come together to provide unprecedented ball speed. This and the ease of use are a part of the picture without any extra bulk that is often accompanied by traditional game improvement long irons.
Key Features
9. Fourteen Golf 2017 HI 877 Hybrid Golf Club
What caught my attention, and probably even yours, was the vibrant yellow body of this hybrid golf club. The color, no doubt, highlights the clubface, which makes it easier for you to address.
Moreover, the design of the sole consists of a larger center and slimmer toe/heel. And it’s because you don’t want the golf club to move through a thick lie. Then there’s the thin cup face and precision hollow body for activating incredible forgiveness and higher trajectory.
Key Features
10. LAZRUS Premium Golf Irons
Are these much easier to hit off the fairway in comparison to woods and hybrids? Yes, and there’s no underestimating that. These LAZRUS golf irons deliver great accuracy and distance. It’s quite shocking how, at such a reasonable price, you get to generate better direction and score-lowering distance.
The deep grooves, in particular, are my favorite just because they enable impressive control, consistency, and spin from the rough, fringe, or fairway.
Key Features
Driving Irons - What Are They?
Photo by: golfweek.usatoday.com
Speaking in modern golf language, a driving iron is simply a cavity-back iron that produces a trajectory lower in comparison to that of a fairway wood or hybrid. But, at the same time, the trajectory is higher than typical 2 and 3 irons.
With the lower trajectory, you can achieve a piercing ball flight with maximum roll-out in the case of a firm fairway. These irons also generate a shot that cuts straight through unfavorably windy conditions.
Back in the days, driving irons used to be blades, thus extremely challenging to hit. It’s only for the past few years, maybe a decade, that driving irons i.e. utility irons have modernized. So even beginner golfers know how to hit them well.
Driving Irons - Who Should Use Them?
Straight to the point - these are the most useful for golfers with a mid handicap and low handicap. As you may already know, a driving iron is not as easy to hit as a hybrid. This means high handicappers are more likely to find utility irons tougher to hit. Simply because of their slower swing speeds.
So it’s very simple logic here. If your swing speed is not above 90 mph consistently, then you’d be better off with standard irons and hybrids.
Driving Irons - Factors That Matter When Buying Them
If you want to get your hands on golf clubs that benefit you and your golfing skills in every way possible, then you should know what to look for.
Distance and Loft
Driving irons are supposed to create a lower launch, which means a lower loft angle. The majority of these utility irons are lofted between 16 degrees and 19 degrees. And this particular range is ideal for achieving perfect stingers with a trajectory that’s as penetrating as you want it to be.
The ultimate purpose here is to rip your shots down the middle of that fairway with more accuracy and control. Along with negligent distance loss.
Forgiveness
It goes without saying that golf clubs with a larger sweet spot ultimately give you more forgiveness. And this is very helpful if you’re a player who visits off-center territory more often than you’d like to admit.
That said, driving or utility irons feature lower CG. And, no doubt, that automatically tends to be extremely forgiving on mis-hits.
Design and Feel
These are slightly chunkier in comparison to typical long irons. Moreover, they are designed with a thicker topline and more offset. But that’s not the case if you’re using a game improvement iron. However, you should know that better golfers almost always choose driving irons that look more compact.
As for feel, do you prefer forged irons? If yes, then your utility iron should have a forged clubface insert, if not a completely forged construction. Only then do you get a more buttery, softer feel.
And lastly, thicker muscle pads and soles placed behind the clubface offer a higher launch with less workability. In comparison to long irons, this design does indeed seem like a good replacement. Nevertheless, it doesn’t maximize performance when it comes to hitting low during windy weather.
Playability, Hittability, Workability
If the sweet spot is large i.e. more forgiving, then even off-center shots travel straight and long. Hence, a driving iron becomes easier than regular long irons to hit. The latter, needless to say, looks intimidating if your golfing skills haven’t crossed the average mark. So, at such times, what inspires confidence and helps you gain success on fairways is the former.
Commonly Asked Questions
Should I Use A Hybrid or Driving Iron?
It’s only for the past few years that hybrids have garnered so much more attention in comparison to driving irons. And that’s merely because of the fact that the former feature an additional loft. As for the latter, it fills the space between your hybrid and driver.
So go for driving irons if your goal is to generate a monster shot that travels down that fairway. They’re definitely easier than hybrids to control during windy conditions. On the other hand, generally speaking, a hybrid seems like a more sensical choice for situations that demand a higher launch or when in a tougher lie.
What Is the Best Way to Use Driving Irons?
Let’s first start with how to aim a driving iron. In this case, the clubface requires the most emphasis. The golf club as well as the golf ball should stand closer to the front foot.
Moving on to stability, a proper stance is the most crucial here. Make sure your feet are gripping the turf properly. And keep in mind that longer shafts demand more stability and balance than wedges.
And finally, how to hit driving iron the most efficiently. A well-controlled aggressive swing is as important as allowing most power to generate from the driving or utility iron itself. So how do you get this done?
Rotate completely until the chest points in the direction of your target. The swing then paves the way for the club to offer all of its power, which means you don’t need to force your swing. But you do want to hit long and straight, so don’t refrain from placing some authority behind the driving iron.
Final Words
Having access to a reliable golf club to get you out of sticky situations is never a bad thing. And just for that, there are driving or utility irons in every smart golfer’s bag. After all, the club helps a great deal when it comes to running golf balls down that fairway. While, at the same time, producing a penetrating ball flight and low trajectory.
So you can place your trust in the most forgiving driving irons I’ve shortlisted for you below. Each one delivers exceptional ball speed and carry distance, no doubt.
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