The Best New Driving/Utility Irons of 2017

By: Joshua Carr | Tue 15 Nov 2016

2017 looks to be an exciting year in the driving iron market, with many new releases from the likes of Cobra, Srixon and Titliest. Take a look at some of the best new driving irons on the market for 2017 below, including the Cobra KING Utility, Srixon Z U65, Titleist 716 T-MB and the Wilson Staff FG Tour V4.

Cobra KING Utility

Cobra Utility Iron

The KING Utility iron is Cobra’s first ever adjustable long iron and gives the golfer the choice of playing as a 2 iron or a 3 iron. In fact, you can choose between eight adjustable loft settings to manage trajectory and fine tune launch conditions in order to maximise distance.

Cobra have also placed 67 grams of tungsten weight low and back in the head to create an extremely low centre of gravity, which results in an easy launch. The new Hollow Body construction has been engineered to save weight and reposition it low and deep in the head for improved forgiveness. Finally, the new face structure engineered out of Forged 455 Stainless Steel delivers maximum COR and faster ball speeds and improved launch for increased distance.

Golfshake View (Owen Davies)

COBRA's driving iron is certainly on the chunkier side, not a bad thing when you are looking for something to inspire confidence whether that is from the tee or on a long par three. The addition of tungsten in the head helps to make this iron very easy to hit and it is very, very forgiving.

Possibly the COBRA KING's biggest strength is it's MYFLY technology, I am a big fan of this in a driving iron. The ability to alter loft depending on conditions is a big plus.

Watch Owen's Review of the COBRA KING Utility Iron >>>

Specification

Loft: 18°, 18.5°, 18.5°D, 19.5°, 195°D, 20.5°, 20.5°D and 21°

Shaft: KBS C-Taper Lite 110 Steel (R, S and X flex)
Aldila Rogue Black 85 (R, S and X flex)

Grip: Lamkin UTX/KING LTD

RRP: £149.00 (Steel)
£169.00 (Graphite)

Learn more at Golfshake.com or visit the Cobra website.

Srixon Z U65

The new Srixon Z U65 Utility Iron has improved in terms of performance from the previous model, to offer Srixon best design yet. This utility iron features a hollow construction in a slim profile, and is a versatile option for players seeking distance and control off both the tee and long approach shots.

The new technology offers unsurpassed feel with distance thanks to a 1020 carbon steel body, which is precision forged for the smoothest, most consistent feel. The irons also feature a high-strength SUP10 face insert for higher ball speed and more distance. This driving iron also offers more spin control as all the irons feature 5% larger groves compared to the previous generation and Double Laser Milling. Both of these combined improve contact, especially in wet conditions, for consistent spin control. Finally, the hollow construction allows weight to be repositioned low in the head for a higher initial launch.

Golfshake View (Owen Davies):

This is a seriously cool looking bit of kit! I love the angles in the back of the head, but they are not just for show, a mass of weight behind the sweetspot means that tthe Srixon ZU65 really flies! Despite the sleek back it does have a thick top line to help generate confidence. A real contender in the market!

Watch Owen's Review of the Srixon ZU65 >>>

Specification

Loft: 18°, 20°, 23° and 26°

Shaft: Miyazaki Kaula 7 (R, S and XS flex)

Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

RRP: £165.00

To read the full Golfshake review click here, or visit the Srixon website here.

Titleist 716 T-MB

Titleist 716 Driving iron

Boasting striking looks and a whole host of new technology, the Titleist 716 T-MB is perfect for golfers that need high launch and long carry distance, but prefer the look of a blade.

Benefits include speed and distance from the thin, fast face; high launch, low spin for long carry distance from low and deep CG; more ball speed off-centre from the high density tungsten, high MOI design; less turf resistance from the wide sole with camber and trailing edge relief; and a fast, lively feel. Finally, the muscle back frame with extreme tungsten weighting provides a powerful combination of forgiveness with high launch.

Golfshake View (Owen Davies):

The TMB certainly caught the eye when it arrived on the market at the end of 2015. The dark colour in the back of the head represents the use and placement of tungsten. This is the key technology in these irons and it really works. Unlike some of the other irons in this category which look very much driving irons, the TMB has a more traditional head shape and could be mixed into the top end of your set with ease.

Despite a fairly small head it is super easy to hit and very powerful. Titleist have cracked it with this one. We hear that they are being sold as full set in the rest of world, we wouldn't mind seeing them in Europe too!

Watch Owen's Review of the Titleist TMB >>>

Specification

Loft: 2 (17°)
3 (20°)
4 (23°)
5 (26°)

Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT (R and S flex)

Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360

RRP: Steel shaft - £169.00
Graphite - £189.00

To read the full Golfshake review click here, or visit the Titleist website – Click here

Wilson Staff FG Tour V4

The Wilson Staff FG Tour V4 utility iron has been designed for players seeking a versatile alternative to hybrids and long irons. This club features a thin Carpenter Custom 455 maraging stainless steel face for increased ball speeds and distance, with a seven-gram adjustable sole weight to help fine-tune ball flight. There is also a tungsten weight on the toe-end of the club head that eliminates draw bias, creating an ideal centre of gravity.