A Dead Simple Guide To Pick The Best Driving Iron (2022 Update)

Foaming at the Mouth

As we also see in the TaylorMade P790 UDI, TaylorMade uses its proprietary Speedfoam technology to fill in the hollow head design.

It’s deployed to great effect here, providing an active and lively club face that the ball just jumps off of. The GAPR feels buttery smooth and has one of the best sounds of any iron I’ve hit this year.

Looks That Kill

The GAPR iron is a little odd-looking, but even though I’m generally a fan of a more traditional look, I found myself liking it a lot more than I expected to.

It has the look of an iron face with a thin topline that then has a chunk of metal backpacking behind that traditional iron face.

Perhaps it’s the great color combo of a matte charcoal face and Darth Vader-black chrome elsewhere that makes the odd look effective and confidence-inspiring.

A Pro Is Also a Con

You may have noticed that there’s an identical entry in the Pros and Cons section above: the GAPR produces a very straight ball flight.

This is a pro in that as long as you make a good swing and square the clubface to the target, the ball is going straight down the fairway.

It’s not going to impart any sidespin, and it’s tough to hook, slice, fade or draw the ball.

However, many players in the market want to curve the ball, so an overly straight flight like this winds up being a con more than a pro.

Slower-swinging players and higher handicappers will probably love the GAPR MID, however. And if your specialty is Francesco Molinari-Esque laser straight bullets, then the GAPR MID is likely an excellent option for you.

17 Degrees of Stingeration

The elusive stinger is a beautiful thing: a low, penetrating shot that cheats the wind but still flies a good distance, hits the ground running, and rolls out to a position that rivals other players’ drivers or 3-woods. 

The TaylorMade UDI seems like it was designed with this in mind.

Its 17-degree loft is that of a traditional 1-iron, which means you’ll need a pretty high swing speed to get it into the air at all. But put a good swing on it and it really goes!

The steep loft and minimal offset will delight low handicappers and terrify beginners.

The classic design without much perimeter weighting makes it rather workable. However, I found it a little easier to hit draws than fades, resulting from the tungsten weight in the toe imparting extra draw spin to the ball.

But compared to most clubs I tested, it was much easier to shape shots to fight the wind and optimize the angle for the next shot.

Speedfoam and Inverted Cone

TaylorMade is always on the cutting edge of golf technology, and their patented Speedfoam is no exception.

The thin face is backed up by this unique filling, giving a springiness you won’t find in a solid forged iron.

They also tout an “inverted cone” in the face to further sweeten the sweet spot. And I can tell you, it’s one fantastic sweet spot: it feels like hitting a golf ball with a trampoline.

On windy days, I was able to hit low balls that hovered under the breeze and rolled out, even into a strong headwind.

Hitting it off the fairway was challenging but doable and was very useful on holes with room to run it up to the green.

You’re not going to find yourself hitting high shots that land and stop, but that’s not why you carry a driving iron. The TaylorMade UDI is built for penetrating trajectories and workability, and it does both very well.

Adjustability options

Cobra is one of the pioneers of adjustable clubs, giving players the option of several different lofts to fine-tune the trajectory to their liking.

They haven’t slacked off here, offering the MyFly adjustable hosel that’s also offered in their woods.

This lets you adjust the club’s loft while keeping the face square to the target line, quite an engineering triumph unto itself.

I found myself turning the loft to the lowest possible to get that desirable penetrating ball flight, but slower swing players will appreciate the ability to add loft to help get the ball airborne.

Hollow Body and Tungsten Toe

I’m beginning to see a pattern here of technologically forward-thinking golf manufacturers making driving irons with hollow bodies to increase hittability.

This does help driving irons become more accessible to more players, but it sacrifices a little bit of the strength of true driving irons. I found the trajectory nice but a little too high for my tastes.

When I tried to hit windcheaters, I really had to move the ball back in my stance and use an exaggerated knock-down swing to accomplish the trajectory I wanted.

However, the tradeoff is that I found myself hitting the utility iron out of tougher lies in the rough than long irons of old, and it was still useful in hitting low bullets out of the trees when I had to keep it under limbs.

So while the hallowed stinger wasn’t quite as hot as I’d like, the overall usefulness of the club was quite high.

The tungsten toe weight is another feature that’s becoming standard in driving irons these days.

It helps counteract the weight of the hosel and distribute the center of gravity more across the whole face, and it works here. The sweet spot is large and lively.

Compact Shape with Workability

The U500 offers a versatility rarely seen from driving irons for low handicappers. Whether it be distance or control, the Titleist iron gives golfers plenty of choices on creating the best shot for attacking the pin.

Even though the iron offers the muscle-back look, the compact size offers a smaller sweet spot that directs maximum power to the golf ball.

High-Density Tungsten Weighting

Titleist has inserted a high-density tungsten weighting along the iron’s sole to ground the club and increase launch. While the weighting helps boost shot height, you won’t feel that the iron is heavier when holding.

Instead, the weighting offers outstanding trajectory control. For advanced golfers, the iron gives the option of dialing in the right height for the shot they face.

While some low handicappers might want a more forged iron look from their driving iron, the tungsten weight helps increase shotmaking reliability.

High MOI Produces Better Stability

The Titleist U500 also boasts a high MOI for reduced twisting through the impact zone. The head stays stable through impact for better balance that maintains the high shot speed that low handicappers need from their driving iron.

In concert with the tungsten weighting, the higher MOI provides a clean entry into the grass with improved turf interaction.

Hollow Body Construction Increases Speed

TaylorMade’s Hollow Body Construction is included with the SIM DHY to heighten swing speed. The additional distance does not come at the sacrifice of feel or response as the hollow chamber works with the company’s SpeedFoam to provide smooth shotmaking.

The company has shaped the club’s head to offer more versatility with a rounded sole that makes it playable from any lie.

Thru-Slot Speed Pocket Produces Distance

Behind the face, the SIM DHY features a Thru-Slot Speed Pocket that reduces vibration while boosting ball speed. The added distance works very well with the club’s high launch for the tall, long shot arc that lands softly at the target area.

The Speed Pocket also increases the flexibility of the face to help improve overall forgiveness. Off the tee box, the SIM DHY offers a tight shot dispersion for better placement when dealing with tougher hole layouts.

SpeedFoam Reduces Vibration

TaylorMade’s patented SpeedFoam fills the interior of the club head. Rather than being solid material, the SpeedFoam reduces the head’s weight, helping increase swing speed while dampening vibration and improving overall feel and response.

Great for bridging the gap between a fairway wood and long iron, the iron offers versatility that you can use on the fairway or from the tee box. 

An easy-to-hit alternative to long irons, the TaylorMade SIM DHY provides low handicappers a straightforward option for attacking long par 5s and finding the fairway on tight par 4s.

More Forgiveness, More Distance

The U510 provides a muscular iron shape with the forgiveness and distance routinely found with hybrids. The rounded head creates the power that high handicappers need when developing their game from the tee box.

On off-center strikes, the U510 maintains ball speed with a high degree of forgiveness, keeping the shot along the target line. The Titleist iron features a longer hitting area that provides a wider degree of margin when the impact point moves toward the toe or heel.

SUP-10 Face Insert 

Another outstanding feature is the SUP-10 Face Insert. The insert is made from thin steel and produces maximum ball speed with an improved feel and responsiveness. 

Some driving irons offer an underwhelming response at impact, but that does not happen with this Titleist club. Instead, golfers will find that the face insert produces the sound and solid feel they crave from their driving iron.

Golfers will discover that the iron delivers the high arcing shot shape with an extended length that stays along the target line on shots that strike the center of the insert.

High Launch with Low CG

With a driving iron, golfers need a high launch to generate distance. The U510 delivers impressive length with an exceptional launch due to the high-density tungsten weighting. 

The weight helps lower the center of gravity to create that height that golfers love from the fairway and tee box. Especially when facing a tight par 4, the U510 creates the distance with incredible accuracy.

Along with its dynamic speed, the U510 offers the power that high handicappers need when building their game.

Carbon Steel Body Produces Excellent Feel

Topping the features of the Srixon is the carbon steel body. Offering a lightweight, but durable feel, the body offers a strong response for golfers with high swing speeds.

The iron’s sole is milled, increasing turf interaction with a clean entry into the grass for crisp divots with exceptional impact quality. The sole also features a tungsten weight that balances the iron through the impact zone for straighter results and better accuracy.

Hollow Design Improves Swing Speed

The Srixon ZX utilizes its hollow design to maximize swing speed. The hollow body also increases forgiveness for pure shotmaking that does not compromise length. The head also features a lower half muscle back to increase launch without sacrificing yardage with each swing.

Great for golfers that need more speed from their driving iron, the Srixon ZX delivers outstanding performance with exceptional distance.

Forged Iron-Style Offers Workability

The smaller head size enables height and distance control with proficiency for golfers who like to work the golf ball from side to side. Regardless of the shot height, the iron delivers high-quality workability that crafts the perfect shape for attacking the pin.

The iron’s workability makes it ideal for advanced golfers that want ultimate control over their shotmaking with their driving club.

Available in three different loft options, golfers of any skill level can find the face angle with the Srixon ZX that works best for their game.