Callaway X-forged UT 21
Callaway claimed to have packed in a lot of forgiveness into this club to broaden the appeal, so we were keen to see if it was at all playable for the relatively inconsistent golfer.
Utility irons place a high premium on ball-striking. While this club is surprisingly forgiving for its size, it still requires speed delivered in a relatively consistent manner to justify adding it to the bag.
Looks-wise, there is certainly lots to like. The satin chrome finish oozes class and it strikes the ideal balance of being compact without looking like a butter knife behind the ball.
Strike this club out of the middle and the feel is fantastic. You’re rewarded with distance, too – through the air and when it lands as well, depending on the loft you’ve chosen (it comes in 18°, 21° or 24°). We tested the 18° option and you can’t argue with the consistency of the spin numbers, hovering around the 2,800rpm mark, which was lower than we’d have liked but helped the ball chase when it landed.
This club could be a game-changer if you have control of your ball flight and can shape shots at will to match the design of the fairway that lies ahead. The levels of workability on offer here are sky high.
Despite the flatter ball flight, we still achieved average carry distances of 219 yards (topping out at 225 yards), which is more than comparable to the
The flat ball flight excelled into the wind
Looks
The limited offset will certainly appeal to the better player this club is aimed at. The overall finish is premium and elegant from every angle, but it’s a little intimidating at address.
A look at address that will please the better player competition. While you can get away with the occasional poor strike lower on the face, this club is still better suited to golfers who don’t use a big portion of the hitting area.
Opting for more loft will make this club more forgiving and versatile, which is why you need to think about the situations it will predominantly be used in.
But regardless of the route you go down, the X-forged UT 21 is sure to outperform your current model if it’s due an upgrade.