About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the iron, which I purchased with my own money in June of 2021.

My take

The TaylorMade SIM UDI driving iron is perfect for low-handicap golfers looking for a versatile long iron. This iron is great for finding fairways and going for the green on a par 5 due to the ability to hit high and low shots.

About the club I own

• Model: 2020 TaylorMade SIM UDI
• Loft setting: 20 degrees
• Shaft type: Project X Hzrdus Black 6.5
• Shaft flex: X-Stiff

About me

• Average score: 70
• Handicap: +2
• Experience: 5 years of playing golf
• Right/Left-Handed: Right-Handed
• Typical ball flight: Mid-High
• Golf ball used: TaylorMade TP5x
• Club swing speed: 120mph, driver

Test conditions

• When I bought the club: June 2021
• Days tested: 100+
• Where I’ve used it: Driving ranges, TrackMan and GC4 simulators, and various golf courses.
• Weather and wind conditions: Warm, cold, rain, high wind, low wind, and dry climates.

How it performs

What I was looking for

I was looking for a driving iron to put in my bag to help me find more fairways off the tee. I also wanted a club that would be able to spin and hold a green if needed.

Why I chose this club

I chose this club over the Titleist U505 and TaylorMade P790 UDI. I chose the SIM UDI because it was more accurate and had more distance than the other two options. Additionally, I had better launch numbers than the P790, which gave me the ability to hold a green.

What I love about it

• Distance: The TaylorMade SIM UDI is the longest-distance driving iron I have ever tested. I consistently hit this club 10 yards further than any of the competitors’ driving irons. This helps a lot because I can hit this club off of any tee where there is a tight fairway without sacrificing too much distance.
• Forgiveness: This club is extremely forgiving to me, which is exactly what I need. I have hit shots out of the toe and the heel that still finds their way into the fairway. Even when I miss a fairway, I only end up just a few yards into the rough at most, giving me more opportunities to hit the green and minimize double bogeys.
• Sound: The SIM UDI sounds amazing and makes me feel like a professional golfer. A few times I hit this club on the range, people looked over because the club sounded so fast, and the ball sprang off the clubface. I love hitting this iron just because of how good it sounds when I hit it well.
• Workability: I have no problems with workability. I can hit draws and fades with no problem. Additionally, this club is great for hitting low punch shots below tree branches which is extremely helpful. I have also noticed this club is extremely helpful when playing in the wind because I can flight it low with minimal spin to help hit fairways and get a lot of rolls.
• Shaft Feel: The Project X Hzrdus Black 6.5 shaft feels great when I hit the ball well. The shaft has a strong tip section which helps me feel more in control of the clubface and then helps the ball jump off the face at impact.
• Shaft Performance: The Project X Hzrdus line of shafts is one of my favorite shaft brands on the market. There are various different options to fit any player's swing speeds and desired ball flight. I have the X stiff 80g Hzrdus Black shaft, a low spin shaft to help maximize my distance and create a lower ball flight.
• Aesthetic Appeal: I personally love the look of the TaylorMade SIM UDI. Due to the very large sole and top lines, many driving irons like the SIM DHY do not look appealing to me. However, the UDI has the perfect blend of a smaller head shape while providing lots of forgiveness to hit the ball longer and more accurately.
• Grip Feel: The Golf Pride Tour Velvet cord grip is my favorite golf grip. I have it on all my clubs due to the cotton cord weaving through the grip to repel moisture. This helps keep the grip dry and tacky throughout the whole round. Additionally, this is a firm grip which I personally love, but it is not the best for players who like a softer grip feel.
• Spin: This driving iron fits the perfect spin numbers for my golf swing. I have just enough low spin ability to help maximize distance and shot shaping off the tee. However, there is enough spin to help hold the green when hitting this club into greens. The only problem is that on a very firm golf course and green, this club does not spin enough to hold the green. Therefore, I often try to land the shot just before the green to help slow down the golf ball.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Feel: This club feels great when I hit it from the center of the clubface. However, mishits generally feel very dull. I have hit this club off the toe, heel, and low off the face, and it does not feel nearly as good as the center of the face. These misses have a very dead and dull feeling, which certainly hurts the hands when in the cold.
• Adjustability: Unfortunately, there is no option for adjustability in the shaft or loft. The only way is to go to a local golf shop and use the loft and lie machine to adjust that or to reshaft the club.
• Launch Angle: I personally have a low spin low launch shaft in this club which creates a lower launch angle. I did this to help hit punch shots and stingers and a penetrating ball flight off the tee to find the fairway quickly and cut through the wind. However, I struggle to try and hit higher trajectory golf shots with this club to hold greens.

Best shot with this club

The best shot I hit with this golf club was on a par 5 at my home course. The par 5 is 565 yards, and after I hit a great drive, I was left with 250 yards into the green. Unfortunately, the greens were very firm, and I had skipped through on previous holes. As a result, I chose to land my shot 5 yards short of the green and try to run the ball to the back right hole location. I could do exactly that with this TaylorMade SIM UDI 3 iron by hitting it directly at the pin but choking down on the shaft to hit the ball 245 and let the ball run back to the hole. I was left with a flat 12-foot putt which I made for an eagle.

Value for the money vs. other options

The TaylorMade SIM UDI still costs around $250 almost three years after the initial release. However, TaylorMade has come out with a new driving iron, the Stealth UDI. The Stealth costs approximately $250 and is, statistically, about 5 yards longer than the SIM and has better launch angles to hit the ball higher. Additionally, Mizuno released their own driving iron, the Fli-Hi, which is roughly $225. This club does not go as far as the TaylorMade driving irons but has a much better feel and ball flight. As a result, I recommend looking at the Stealth UDI for distance or the Mizuno Fli-Hi for accuracy, flight, and feel.

Final verdict

The TaylorMade SIM UDI will help all golfers find more fairways when choosing to use a club other than driver off the tee. This club also is great for flighting golf shots to punch out from the trees and to go for par 5 greens in two shots.