TaylorMade repositions utility irons with a view to the future

The erstwhile Stealth UDI and DHY utility will see their legacy transferred to TaylorMade’s P series irons.

The successors to those utility irons have been branded P·UDI and P·DHY.

TaylorMade’s director of iron and wedge product creation Matt Bovee believes that utility irons aren’t talked about enough since the rise of hybrids and a resurgence in interest in high-lofted fairway woods.

“I think it’s one of the least talked about areas of the bag,” Bovee told GOLF.com. “Many golfers default to hybrid [near the top].

“We’ve seen a resurgence in the high-lofted fairway woods, too. With that spot in the bag, it comes down to what trajectory you want to see and the number you’re trying to hit. That’s a conversation golfers need to be having with themselves or a fitter. There are a lot of options out there.”

Utility irons comfortably shade hybrids when it comes to the choice of professionals.

According to research, UDI was purchased by P-Series iron users with handicaps ranging from 6 to 16, whilst DHY varied from 6 to 18.

“As we look to the future, beyond the tech and the design language, we are excited about repositioning our utility irons into the P·Series family,” Bovee said.

“P·UDI is an easy pair for players that currently play P·Series product and P·DHY is an extremely forgiving option for players of all skill levels.

“It is a natural fit to give these players the performance in this category that they are looking for.”

TaylorMade also discovered that the majority of players using UDI or DHY utilities were using P Series irons at the pinnacle of their iron sets.

“If most of these golfers are already using P-Series irons, it makes sense to have the UDI and DHY live under the same lineup,” Bovee said. “You want to make it fit with the rest of their bag. If I’m a P790 player, I’m probably not looking for a Qi10 UDI. That doesn’t make a lot of sense. Make it flow together.”

Compared to previous UDI products, the PUDI has a more traditional iron shape with slimmer toplines. It also has less offset with a little of the backbar visible at address.

The P-DHY is significantly chunkier in profile than the PUDI.

TaylorMade set out to position centre of gravity (CG) lower in the club for ease of launch. The P-DHY’s toe height is greater and the profile is naturally larger at address and the sole of the club is wider for improved forgiveness.

“Regardless of where you are on the player spectrum, you’re going to see a little bit of meat behind the ball,” Bovee said. “But what you’ll notice is the mass isn’t noticeable on the UDI, while it’s still visible on the DHY for a confidence-inspiring look that some players really prefer.”

TaylorMade repositions utility irons with a view to the future Golf365.