modern driving iron head with less offset & thinner sole

[orangeology]

recently switched the main DI from TM UDI #2 18º to Nike VFP #3 19º for a few reasons related to my game. both are with similar offset (TM 3mm ish, Nike 4mm ish as per their spec), with almost identically thin soles, relative speaking. if anyone asks comparison—i've had both with same shaft TI X100—TM goes 'lower', Nike goes 'easier'. distance is about same, which is not the point here. 

 

yet, i still think 4±mm offset can be too much. wondering any modern ones with 'less' offset yet still with 'thin' sole? personally not a fan of seeing the right bottom side of the club when addressing, nor too much bend on the left side. i know traditional blades will suffice the aesthetics here, but looking for more 'engineered' hence a DI. not seeking for 'forgiving' part, so let me exclude those chunky heads i.e) Mizuno or Srixon. (they also have quite hefty offsets) 

Edited October 26, 2020 by orangeology

[Fairway14]

All modern driving irons have "chunky heads". Otherwise, they would not be driving irons, they would be the 1 and, or 2 irons from older sets.

[Gsea]

9 minutes ago, Fairway14 said:

All modern driving irons have "chunky heads". Otherwise, they would not be driving irons, they would be the 1 and, or 2 irons from older sets.

100%, exactly. Mizuno t-zoid true 2 iron is my driving iron.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

Off the top of my head:

Probably the Titleist U500.

Also, the Honma TW-U forged from a couple of years ago might be worth a look. Not the current model.

 

Edit: The Titleist 716-TMB and 718-TMB could be used as a driving iron. Hollow head, thin sole, and not much offset from what I remember.

Edited October 26, 2020 by No_Catchy_Nickname

[cflo2382]

The U500 probably has the least offset and likely about as compact as they get for a driving iron/utility. Have you checked out the MP20 HMB? I hit the 3 iron and it checked most of those boxes for me. Could always take the 2 iron which I believe is 16* and have it bent weaker to remove even more offset.

Edited October 26, 2020 by cflo2382

[gentles]

Driving iron without the forgiveness and bigger head is just an iron, no?

[orangeology]

On 10/25/2020 at 10:51 PM, gentles said:

Driving iron without the forgiveness and bigger head is just an iron, no?

 

perhaps you're right. and measures like 'big' or 'chunky' can be quite subjective as well. guess i'm seeking such things 'relatively speaking'. hollow or tungsten or whatsoever tech, yet with the beauty of compact & thin with less offset. 

 

@cflo2382 i've hit MP20 HMB. it's actually on extremely 'thicker' side. wish 714 T-MB* wasn't that hard to hit. beautiful head, somehow i just couldn't work it out "that time". 

 

*edit: i meant 712U. 714T-MB don't exist

Edited October 27, 2020 by orangeology

[waltonsfinest]

Bit of a tricky one, but I’ve loved my P790 and just picked up another. If you haven’t looked down at it, worth a shot. 

[Ray Jackson]

10 minutes ago, waltonsfinest said:

Bit of a tricky one, but I’ve loved my P790 and just picked up another. If you haven’t looked down at it, worth a shot. 

Agree with this, my 790 #3 is noticeably thinner sole than the Taylormade UDI. I'm just not good enough to hit it, hence its on the BST right now. 

[Fairway14]

This one has the thinnest topline I've seen in any recent "driving iron":

 

https://www.hirekogolf.com/dynacraft-driving-iron-clubhead.html

[MPAndreassi]

29 minutes ago, orangeology said:

 

perhaps you're right. and measures like 'big' or 'chunky' can be quite subjective as well. guess i'm seeking such things 'relatively speaking'. hollow or tungsten or whatsoever tech, yet with the beauty of compact & thin with less offset. 

 

@cflo2382 i've hit MP20 HMB. it's actually on extremely 'thicker' side. wish 714 T-MB wasn't that hard to hit. beautiful head, somehow i just couldn't work it out "that time". 

 

Not much out there with the modern tech that’s smaller than the HMB long iron heads. I’m playing the 3 (18*). 

[bladehunter]

HMB has to be it.  

[bodhi555]

If you're after a thin sole and low offset I don't think any of the current Driving Irons are really going to do the trick - I was looking for the same thing, and still haven't done better than my Vapor Fly Pro 2 iron.

 

One of my golf buddies bought a T-100S 3 iron over the summer, and it instantly replaced his P790 UDI, so may be worth a shout? P770 / MP20 HMB also worth investigation imo.

[cflo2382]

8 hours ago, orangeology said:

 

perhaps you're right. and measures like 'big' or 'chunky' can be quite subjective as well. guess i'm seeking such things 'relatively speaking'. hollow or tungsten or whatsoever tech, yet with the beauty of compact & thin with less offset. 

 

@cflo2382 i've hit MP20 HMB. it's actually on extremely 'thicker' side. wish 714 T-MB wasn't that hard to hit. beautiful head, somehow i just couldn't work it out "that time". 

 

I play New Level's NLU-01 driving iron and it's definitely on the larger side. I'll admit that it does bother me a bit but it just flat out performs so it's easy to get by that. Perhaps thats why the HMB seemed much smaller/compact looking to me in comparison. During my iron fitting a few weeks ago I ended up with the MP20 MMC/MB set but I was swapping in the HMB long irons to test out, too. They looked pretty close to a regular iron at address to me.

Edited October 26, 2020 by cflo2382

[tmax77]

How about the x forged ut? That’s my favorite one 2.159 offset on the 21 degree

[NRJyzr]

Tour Edge EXS 220 Ti Utility?  <shrug>

 

Pic from their site:

[Jackal66]

17 hours ago, No_Catchy_Nickname said:

Off the top of my head:

Probably the Titleist U500.

Also, the Honma TW-U forged from a couple of years ago might be worth a look. Not the current model.

 

Edit: The Titleist 716-TMB and 718-TMB could be used as a driving iron. Hollow head, thin sole, and not much offset from what I remember.

I have a T-MB 3 iron.

Haven't been able to hit long irons in a long time.

This one has a Kuro Kage graphite stiff shaft.

It practically swings itself.

Off of a short tee, or decent grass.

[rbpwrx]

I play the U500. And that has too much offset for me. I think the TM Tour Preferred UDI from a few years ago may have the least offset of any modern driving iron. Let me know if you've found something better in the interim.

[SC-TX 88]

P770 3 iron. 

[sshadow2]

Srixon ZX Utility Iron

[LoopySwing13]

PXG Gen 4 X iron head has 2.5MM offset and pretty small for a DI. 

Edited May 31, 2022 by LoopySwing13

[Nixhex524]

6 hours ago, sshadow2 said:

Srixon ZX Utility Iron

 

 

This.

[rbpwrx]

I guess U500 and X-Forged UT still leading the pack at just over 2mm.

Any others for the list?
 

Low-offset driving irons (3i/20°):

Cally UT X-forged 2.16mm

Titey U500 2.2mm

Taylormade Tour Preferred UDI 2.3mm

PXG Gen 4/5 X iron 2.54mm

Taylormade P770 3i 3.2mm

Srixon ZX7 II 3.5

Srixon ZX 3.6mm

[ilikegolf26]

Callaway UT X-Forged

[ilikegolf26]

On 7/25/2023 at 4:54 PM, TitleistBalata said:

If low offset is the goal, how about buy one that is a few degrees stronger than you need, then bend it weaker?  When you bend it weaker you’ll lose some of the offset of the head. Just a thought. 

Are driving iron heads usually the same size or do they get smaller as loft increases like irons? Offset isn’t a huge deal to me so if I wanted a little larger head size I’d go 24* over 21*?
 

[Malc]

I've had the same problem. Just can't get used to the fat backs on them. Yes it gets them up easily but what do you do into the wind. I already had a P790 2 iron and i've bought the 3.