Gear: Titleist U505 utility irons (2021)
Price: $249 each with Project X HZRDUS RDX shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grips.
Specs: Cast stainless steel with internal tungsten weights, internal polymer insert and forged SUP-10 stainless steel face. 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-iron available.
Available: August 26
When Max Homa, winner of the 2021 Genesis Invitational, first saw and hit Titleist’s newest utility iron named the U505, he nicknamed it The Unit. Regardless of what other golfers might call it, the U505 is designed to give more speed and distance to iron lovers at the top of their bag.
Compared to the U510 it replaces in Titleist’s lineup, the U505 has a shorter blade length to allow it to blend more smoothly into a better player’s set.
From a construction standpoint, think of the U505 utility iron as a T100 iron on steroids. It has a wide sole and a forged SUP-10 stainless steel face that is shaped like an L and wraps under the leading edge, which allows the face to flex more efficiently on low-struck shots.
The SUP-10 stainless steel face wraps under the leading edge and into the sole. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
To boost ball speed and distance across the whole hitting area, Titleist added its Max Impact system that debuted in 2019’s T200 and T300 irons. Inside the head, engineers added a highly resilient polymer core that is held in place by a support beam attached to the topline. When a shot is hit, the face flexes back and presses against the polymer, which compresses. Then the polymer and face rebound back into shape together, magnifying the energy redirected back into the ball to increase distance.
A polymer cover on the back of the U505 hides large internal tungsten weights. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
To make the U505 more stable while keeping the blade length short, Titleist added internal tungsten weights to the heel and toe areas. The added mass increases the moment of inertia and makes the club more stable on off-center hits. The weights also lower the center of gravity and encourage a higher launch.
Titleist U505 has a short blade length to make blending it into a better-player’s set easier and to encourage shot shaping. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
The U505 should hit shots higher than traditional long irons but lower and with less spin than might be expected with a hybrid.
from Golfweek https://ift.tt/3ibzvak