Lee Trevino once said that God himself couldn’t hit a 1-iron.
But chances are he never tried the U505 irons from Titleist. This Titleist U505 driving iron review will show why these are some of the best golf clubs for everyday golfers.
If you hate your long irons and don’t love hybrids either, this is a great alternative. The design, graphite shafts, and look of the club make this a fantastic option for most golfers.
Titleist U505 Driving Iron Review
Let’s face it, long irons are hard to hit – even for great players. Which means they’re 10x harder to hit for weekend warriors.
Luckily, Titleist didn’t forget about the everyday golfer and makes some of the best long iron replacements available. The U505 is their newest driving iron that can do wonders for your game and confidence on long shots. Spoiler alert, the new U505 is one of our favorite driving irons on the market.
Key Takeaways
- Titleist has one of the most diverse ranges of utility irons and hybrids among all golf manufacturers.
- The U505 driving iron is a great replacement for hard to hit long irons as they’re much more forgiving and high launching.
- The U505 comes stock with a hybrid graphite shaft that makes it easier to swing faster and launch the ball higher.
- Better golfers will likely benefit more from the T200 Utility Build as it’s smaller and more compact than the U505.
Keep reading to learn why we love this driving iron and how it can transform your long game.
A True Utility Club
The first reason this club is so great is that it can really do it all. As Titleist said, “Drawing on input from Tour Pros, it provides the high, explosive launch of a utility but with a refined design that offers a more iron-like look, feel and sound.”
This iron is larger than the T200 (more on that coming up) but smaller than a hybrid. It produces a high, explosive launch, is extremely versatile from almost any lie, and feels great.
Despite being a utility iron, it looks like a Tour player could use it. Here’s what Titleist said about the design, “Based on player input, we designed U•505 with a shorter blade, shallow face and a wide sole to maintain maximum versatility while moving towards a look that feels more in line with the rest of the clubs in your bag.”
Better Launch than Long Irons
The biggest problem with traditional long irons is that most golfers don’t have the speed to launch them high enough. This leads to a lack of confidence and a lower ball flight if it is hit well.
This is largely because most long irons have standard shafts that match the rest of your irons. But Titleist added a thinner forged face and new shaft to make these easy to launch high, even off the deck.
Hybrid Shafts
Not to mention, you don’t just get a normal steel shaft either. Instead, they offer a Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX shaft. This is an 80-gram hybrid shaft with low launch, low spin and much more forgiving than standard steel shafts.
If you want to splurge and pay the premium fee you can also get one of these custom shafts:
- Graphite Design Tour AD DI-85 gram (mid-launch – available in S or X flex)
- Graphite Design Tour AD IZ-95 gram (low-mid launch – available in S or X flex)
I’ve actually tried all the shafts and think the stock shaft will work best for most players. The Tour AD DI is better suited for single digit golfers and those who swing a driver over 100 mph. While the AD IZ-95 gram is only for the strongest, fastest swinging golfers.
All shafts and clubs come with the Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 White Flat Cap as well.
Four Loft Choices
Another reason this driving iron is so great is that it’s offered in four loft options; 1i (16 degrees), 2i (18 degrees), 3i (20 degrees), and 4i (22 degrees). This makes it easy to replace a hybrid or fairway wood so you can have the perfect club(s) for every shot you might face on the golf course.
Plus, with a 1 iron you can ditch 3-wood if you’d like and use a driver, 1-iron, and a 3 or 4-iron instead. All lofts are available in right or left-hand models as well.
Alternative Option: Titleist T200 Utility Build
The alternative to the Titleist U505 is the T200 Utility Build. Titleist offers four sets of T200 irons – the T100, 200, 300, and 400. The T100 are the least forgiving while the T400 are the most forgiving and considered a game improvement iron.
But the T200 also makes a “Utility Build” which is a smaller version of the U505. While it’s still much more forgiving than normal irons, it’s less forgiving than the U505. It’s designed for more consistent golfers who want more workability than just forgiveness.
The Titleist T200 is available in 2, 3, or 4-irons
Click here to read our full review of the Titleist T200 irons.
FAQs About Titleist Golf Clubs
Do you have more questions about finding the right long irons, hybrids, or fairway woods to improve your long game? If so, keep reading to learn more now.
Is the Titleist U505 forgiving?
Yes, it’s the largest, most forgiving utility iron offered by Titleist. It has a larger clubhead which makes it easier to launch high but isn’t too bulky looking at address.
How far does the Titleist U505 go?
Distance with these clubs depends on the loft, shaft, and clubhead speed. For example, some golfers can hit the 1 iron 250 yards or more while others might only hit them 200 yards. Overall, they’re a great alternative to long irons and will go longer than a normal iron of the same loft.
When did the Titleist U505 come out?
These clubs were released at the end of 2021 and continue to be some of the easiest to hit utility irons.
Who uses the Titleist U505?
Both professionals and amateur golfers. Players like the option to use these off the tee and have a high launching easy to hit club from the fairway too.
Can you bend Titleist U505 irons?
The club is a cast club which means technically you can bend it. However, it’s best to let Titleist do any bending of the head with a custom order as they have a custom hydraulic machine.
If you take this to a local club fitter some might not even do it and others might warn that hosel marks are almost a guarantee as well. It’s best to leave it in the stock loft or do a custom order through Titleist.
My Experience
After playing the older version of the U505 for years I can say hands down these are some of the best golf clubs available. Long irons are hard to hit consistently well, even for great golfers. But the U505 will give you an incredible amount of confidence on shots that scare most players.
One of my friends calls this club the “cheat code” because anytime I pull it out of the bag, a good shot almost always ensues. This is not something I would ever say with a traditional hard to hit long iron.
So if you need help on long approach shots into the greens, there is no doubt this club can help. The design and shaft make this club one of the best additions to your bag.
Final Thoughts
After recently testing a lot of hybrids and utility irons I’m confident in saying Titleist has the two best driving irons available. Ping, TaylorMade, and Callaway have nothing comparable with these clubs and truly corner the market.
If you’re tired of getting frustrated with long irons, these clubs are a no-brainer decision. The loft choices, upgraded shaft, and design make these clubs a great addition to your game. I use these clubs to attack par 5s in two and navigate tough par 3s/4s as well.
Better players (single digit handicaps) should opt for the T200 while most everyday golfers will enjoy the U505. Plus, with a 1-iron loft available, you might hit it better than God himself!