Equipment Review:
MacGregor Golf MACTEC NVG2 Hybrid Utility Woods
by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioGolf.com

Previously this year, we’ve reviewed the new MacGregor Golf MACTEC Draw Driver and Fairway Wood, plus the outstanding MACTEC Mid-Irons. This time, we break down the aesthetics and design – and the great performance – of the MacGregor MACTEC NVG2 Hybrid Utility Woods.

Call me a dinosaur, but I refuse to abandon my 3-iron just yet. However, there’s usually a time during my round when I call upon a trusty hybrid. The reasons are many: a hybrid can be used from a variety of lies, offers ease of use similar to a high-lofted fairway metal, provides plenty of trajectory and lands the ball softly.

Impressed with MacGregor’s aforementioned offerings, I decided to test the legendary company’s utility wood – and it really does deserve this handle, rather than hybrid, because of the length of its shaft (longer than the typical hybrid shaft which emulates an iron shaft more than a wood). The result? Chalk up another winner from MacGregor.

Here’s the skinny on the MacGregor hybrid. First, it features a myriad of modern technology. Cup Face 360 degree design has no face welds, so the entire face is the sweet spot. The ball rockets off of this bad boy, even on mis hits. The use of 450 Maraging Steel helps in the accuracy department, too, and provides great feedback on every shot. I really like the Fujikura Triple Action shaft for added clubhead speed and extraordinary distance. It’s a little thicker than most shafts but doesn’t feel cumbersome. Quadra Tungsten Weighting for high MOI means less clubhead twisting, thanks to a design which keeps the face square through impact.

The MacGregor utility wood really stands out amongst the pack. A Tri-Plane sole reduces turf drag at ball impact for solid shotmaking in any turf conditions. This is a key design feature. As well, the face is slightly closed on this club, perfect for slicers. It you’re a low-handicap golfer like me, this will take a bit of getting used to, but the other features more than make up for this necessary adjustment. The MacGregor utility wood also features deep face construction for more vertical surface area. And that’s not all. The club sole has precision tungsten weights, 10 g each, toward the heel and toe for low CG, plus two 1.5 g weights in the extreme heel and toe for even more of a MOI boost.

I tested the 20-degree UT3 with 59.5-degree lie, and 41-in. shaft. This club gives me even more distance than a 2-iron but with a higher trajectory and more confidence. There’s a 17-degree UT2 with 41.5-in. shaft, a 23-degree UT4 with 40.5-in. shaft, and 26-degree UT5 with 40-in. shaft. I recommend a sweeping type of swing with this hybrid, in particular because of the shaft length. It really is a combination of a fairway metal and hybrid, rather than a typical iron replacement.

The MacTec NVG UT utility wood from MacGregor, with $229 MSRP, is also available with a Rifle Hybrid Utility Steel shaft ($199). For more information on all of MacGregor Golf’s offerings, visit www.macgregorgolf.com.