TaylorMade has released two brand new utility irons into the wild. Alongside the new ‘better player’ driving iron, the P-UDI, we also have the P-DHY. Supposedly easier to launch and with high levels of forgiveness, TaylorMade is pitching this at the mid-handicap market as a friendly long iron alternative. Looking to sit alongside some of the best utility irons in the game, I took it out for a spin to see if it could help your game.
Out of the box, the visual is extremely premium. The pearl satin finish is nicely contrasted by a new mirror-black ridge that stretches across the middle and the topography of the back is excellent. Those who have read any of my reviews before will know I love a more minimalist approach to club design and that is what we have here, no unnecessary bells and whistles, just high-quality, clean finishes.
Down behind the ball, I was surprised by how much I liked this club. Normally one of my biggest turn-offs in a utility iron is being able to see too much of the back sticking out at address, but for some reason, despite that being very much the case, I still really enjoyed this profile. My hunch is that because the front part of the head is so well proportioned and shaped, my eye was drawn there rather than to the bulge, and as such it became less apparent to me. However, for those who enjoy the confidence boost of a large footprint, it is still very much there, and the blade length will enhance that feeling of confidence, coming in a full 5mm longer than the P-UDI.
In terms of technology, once again, we are talking refinements rather than wholesale changes. In addition to the shaping a new internal weighting structure has been added to deliver increased forgiveness and enhanced consistency, with each gram strategically placed to to achieve the required launch and spin characteristics. TaylorMade tried and tested technologies such as SpeedFoam Air and Thru Slot Speed pocket remain. The P-DHY is all about the CG story, however. Through shaping with a slightly taller toe height, a more visible back bar, and a lower face profile, TaylorMade has driven the CG low in the clubhead for easier launch.
The performance of the P-DHY was pretty much everything I was hoping for. I tested the utility iron on the course and practice ground of Saunton Golf Club using my FullSwing KIT launch monitor and TaylorMade TP5 golf balls and I really enjoyed my sessions. While the data was strong with high ball speeds, strong distance output, and a high, soft flight, the real story for me was forgiveness. For context, I requested and tested the 2-iron model at 18˚ as I wanted a good comparison with the P-UDI that I had also requested in the 2-iron model, albeit the P-UDI 2-iron is set at 17˚.
Before I get onto the forgiveness, I should also note that this is a brilliantly easy club to launch high into the air. The low CG and wide sole just seem to pop the ball up with such minimal effort, that this will be a real game-changer for some.
But as I said, the highlight for me was the sheer playability of this club. I have to admit to not being at my best in terms of my swing during testing, but it hardly seemed to matter! Regardless of where I struck this P-DHY on the face, I barely witnessed any drop off in speed and my dispersion remained steadfastly tight. I can hand-on-heart say that this might well be the most user-friendly utility iron I have ever tested.
One other plus point to note is that the wide sole provides even more playability, sliding effortlessly through the turf, and offering a touch of insurance if you do happen to catch one a little heavy.
The P-DHY is available at retail from May 3rd for £229. It comes in RH and LH offerings and is equipped with UST Mamiya’s Recoil DART shaft in 105 X, 90 S, and 75 R, with Golf Pride’s Z-Grip 52g 0.580 (Black/Grey). Additional shaft and grip options are available through custom ordering.
The P-DHY has achieved exactly what it set out to in my opinion. Powerful, incredibly easy to use, and wrapped up in a very attractive visual package, this should be high on your list to try if you are in the market for a new high-launching utility iron.
