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Review: Ping i25 Irons

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Pros: Ping packed tons of technology in the i25s while maintaining clean looks. Their progressive design offers higher-launching, more forgiving long irons and short irons that are smaller and more versatile.

Cons: Better players might prefer a more compact look at address.

Bottom Line: Tour players and average golfers love the i25 irons, and so do we. They’re reasonably priced ($699 for a seven-piece set) and offer great forgiveness, distance and consistency through the set.

Overview

Ping’s i25 irons are the next generation of Ping’s very well received i20 irons. The i20s marked the beginning of a strong run of success by Ping, so the idea then is to just give the i20s a cosmetic makeover and push them out to the public as “new,” right? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Well, yes and no.

Ping’s design team set out to make them better. Want more consistent distance control? How about a higher launch without higher-spinning long irons? Then how about more forgiveness? And more workability?

[youtube id=”9EmuUeSBzzU” width=”620″ height=”360″]

Marty Jertson, director of product development for Ping, said the biggest challenge most golfers face is hitting their long irons high enough. That’s why Ping’s new i25 long irons are designed more like the company’s larger G-Series irons: they have longer blade lengths, wider soles and more offset, which helps golfers hit them higher, farther and closer to the target line on mishits. The irons also have thinner, more narrowly spaced stability bars in their cavities that make their faces livelier than their predecessors.

Ping i25 irons

The most noticeable change between the new irons and their predecessors is their vertical Custom Tuning Port (CTP), an thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) insert that is positioned much lower in the head, freeing up precious grams of discretionary weight that designers used to fine tune ball flight across the set. In the long irons, the weight was placed low and deep in the head, boosting ball speed by about 1 mph and lowering spin by about 100 rpms.

“Golfers will get more ball speed, more distance and more max height, especially from the 7 iron down,” Jertson said.

In the short irons, the weight was used to move the center of gravity lower and more forward, creating a flatter trajectory for better control.

The short irons more closely resemble the S-Series irons, with shorter blade lengths and narrower soles for added versatility and less offset for more trajectory control. The stability bars in their cavities are thicker and wider-spaced, adding consistency and creating a softer feel at impact.

The i25 irons ($699 for a seven-piece set) come stock with Ping’s are cast from 17-4 stainless steel and have Ping’s “Foggy Chrome” finish. They’re available in 3-9, PW, UW, SW and LW and come stock with Ping’s CFS shaft in Soft R, R, S and X flexes. The stock graphite shafts are Ping’s TFC 189i shaft, which is available in Soft R, R and S flexes.

The Review

ping i25 irons review

 

ping i-25 irons review

 

i25 and i20 comparison


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Ping i25 and the Ping s55 irons pictured above (i25 iron on the left). Click the images to enlarge them.

Tester: Todd Hibbert (asleep)
Handicap: 5
8 iron carry: 150 yards
Swing Speed (driver): 100 mph

Houston Country Club’s Par 3 14th hole was playing 197 yards across the ravine into the slightly uphill green. The dusk air was cool, but not blowing. I pulled the i25 4 iron, added some spine tilt and the result was a high arching ball that stopped light-footedly 15 feet below the hole.

2014 i25
ping i-25 ironsping i25
Ping facePing’s i25 7 iron. Click the images to enlarge them.

Not all my shots were like that, however. My first rounds with the i25s were accompanied by poor setups and rusty swing mechanics that resulted in some, ahem, bottom groove shots. What I noticed while stinking-up-the-place was the frame of the i25s is very sturdy and held those shots on line to or through the green, depending on how low I made contact.

ping i25 reviews
Ping’s i25 3 iron.

On the par-5 13th hole at Memorial Park Golf Course, I thinned a 3 iron out of the sparse left rough that held its line dead straight well past my intended layup distance. Again, I felt the structural sturdiness of the frame keep my ball on line and moving out there. There was much less of a clang and twist on these mishits, a notably more solid feel and outcome.

i25 and i20 comparison2Y9G0460
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Ping i25 and the i20 comparison photos above. The i25 irons are on the left. Click the images to enlarge them.

Like the i20s, the i25s are a blended set with compact heel-to-toe dimensions and minimal offset in the shortest irons that allows for ultimate control and the better look many golfers ask for in shorter irons. Moving out to the mid and long irons, Ping introduces more offset and thicker toplines for added forgiveness and launch.

The 6th hole at Memorial Park is a short par 4 that requires a layup off the tee unless you want to risk water that cuts well into the majority of the fairway. I pulled my new 4 iron and found the center of the face for a towering (for me) 228 yard tee shot that came to rest on the fairway. My buddy Tom let out a “Wow!” after that strike, which felt like buttah and flew like Boeing Jet.

My yardages increased about three yards with the PW up to six yards in the longer irons going compared to the i20s, with the aforementioned higher ball flight in the longer irons. My distance spacing improved with the longer irons and did not deteriorate with the shorter irons. There were no “hot-face flyers” at all through 15+ rounds with the clubs, which matters most to me.

While pulling a PW from 150 yards sounds fun and all, I have zero interest in giving up one yard of distance precision because an iron’s “trampoline” face yields variable results. Zero. Thanks to improved face stabilization bars it is not a problem here, so no worries. Trajectory control is also improved. I can hit any of these irons high or low, whereas before high, long iron shots were more challenging.

Looks and Feel

The sound and feel of the i25s is a bit improved over the i20s overall, and noticeably better on pured shots. I’m able to more easily discern where on the club I’m making contact, and with center strikes it all disappears into that Ahhhh! nothingness feeling we all yearn for.

ping 2014 irons
Ping’s i25 pitching wedge.

At address, the i25 are substantially larger than Ping’s S55 irons, particularly in the long irons. But Ping took care to add smoothness to the transition between the heel and top line, and rounded the toe of the irons to give them a very pleasing, traditional look. While the top lines get pretty thick in the long irons, the back of the iron stays invisible, a pet peeve for many good players. In the short irons, the top lines and blade lengths get thinner, giving better players the more compact look they’re used to seeing.

In the bag, the i25 irons look awesome, with a “Foggy Chrome” finish that removes glare at address and looks majestic in the bag. The new CTP also adds a clean look to the cavities of the irons, as well as a bit of bling that is trending in the golf equipment world.

My gamer irons are Ping Anser Forged with C-Taper shafts in them. They’re expensive, but worth it in my opinion. After too much back-and-forth, I decided to order the i25s with the same C-Taper shafts to get a truer comparison. But comparing this set to the set I demo’d at Ping with the CFS shafts I have to say I personally prefer Ping’s CFS shafts in the i25s, which was what I had in the i20s. The CFS shafts give me optimal spin across the set with the i25s, while the C-Tapers are better for the Anser Forged. Your mileage may vary.

i25 irons
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2Y9G0438Ping i25 3 iron. Click the images to enlarge them.

What about the diggers and sweepers out there? Diggers get an improved sole grind that gets through Earth’s mantle more easily than the i20s. This was readily noticeable to me when I was setting up too much on my left side and coming in steep early on in the review process. Video resolved that eventually, but the i25s handled it well.

ping i25 review
ping i25 irons review2Y9G0451
2Y9G0453Ping i25 pitching wedge. Click the images to enlarge them.

If you’re a sweeper who tends to release the club early you might request that Ping to put a heel grind, back grind or bounce grind on your set to suit your needs and playing conditions. Sweepers/early-releasers should consider the i25s, as they perform admirably with low-face strikes.

The Takeaway

In my piece on Ping’s Play Your Best philosophy, I left you hanging with the question, what’s in Ping Chief Designer Marty Jertson’s bag for 2014? Well, I can tell you Marty will be hitting his second shots with the Ping i25 irons if he again qualifies for the PGA Championship. That’s a move from the G25s he designed, and a pretty good endorsement.

i25 and g25 comparison
2Y9G0464Ping’s i25 (left) and the G25 (right) irons. Click on the photos to enlarge them.

As for me, I’m torn between my Anser Forged and the i25s as to which to set I’d have in the bag at Augusta National Golf Club. Considering the sneaky and variable winds, the crowd and cameras all around me, and the ultimate second-shot golf course with tiny optimal landing zones on those greens… aww, heck man, I’m taking all the forgiveness I can get while preserving shot making capabilities. The i25s at the Masters. Wish me luck.

[wrx_buy_now oemlink=”http://ping.com/clubs/ironsdetail.aspx?id=16359″ oemtext=”Learn more from Ping” amazonlink=”http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L1OMU48/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00L1OMU48&linkCode=as2&tag=golfwrxcom-20&linkId=34LZKFFX67DVVJZX”]

To Click here to say what GolfWRX Members are saying about the review in our forum.

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29 Comments

29 Comments

  1. killerbgolfer

    Dec 27, 2014 at 2:35 pm

    Anyone know when the i30 irons will come out?

  2. Ray

    Oct 1, 2014 at 2:36 pm

    ordered a new set of i25’s and they came with irons swingweighted C4 and wedges at C7. They are supposedly redoing them now, but was a little taken aback with the lack of quality control at Ping UK. By the way, I hit them before returning and they still performed better than my Mizuno mp32’s – go figure.

    • Mike

      Nov 2, 2014 at 12:11 pm

      You can specify ANY swingweight you want from Ping. The will change the backweight to accommodate oversize grips and such.
      I’ve ordered at least 6 to 8 sets over the years all with +1/32″ grips at std lengths. I specify D2 in irons and D4 in wedges. All have come spot on.
      Their irons do come in lighter swingweights std unless heavier is specified.

  3. Jungho

    Sep 26, 2014 at 8:23 pm

    Fantastic irons. Coming from Callaway X22 Tours and these feel and perform much better. Very happy with them.

  4. Dre

    Aug 6, 2014 at 12:57 am

    Thinking about getting the i25 irons,I’m playing the g20’s now and I think my game will improve with a smaller head club,any input on this?

  5. Rob

    Aug 1, 2014 at 12:53 pm

    Just bought a set of i25 Irons and have to say I love em, not played the game for yrs then started using borrowed clubs (Cobra s9)to see if the interest was still there. Only been out a few times with them but they are well worth the money spent, also got the ss60 gorge wedge, I new there was a reason I liked pings.

  6. JEFF

    May 16, 2014 at 2:20 am

    I believe that only morons use the term “gaming” a club…… dumb!

  7. Willy

    May 9, 2014 at 9:03 pm

    Hit the i25’s. Liked them, but I’m sticking with my i20’s. I didn’t really notice much difference and I’m of the mind not to change something if it isn’t broke and the i20’s are staying in the bag. Like the CFS shafts also.

  8. tyro

    May 5, 2014 at 8:56 pm

    I tried the i25’s at a recent demo day and liked them. I can feel a difference between these and my i20’s. Softer at impact and little bit better look to them.

  9. s2s

    May 3, 2014 at 12:18 am

    Great review – well thought out and verbalized…such things as feel and translating forgiveness into something literary.

    Thanks.

  10. Golfraven

    May 1, 2014 at 7:47 am

    will keep my i20s for at least another 2 years and then see if any new Titleist, Ping, Callaway irons excite me. I25 don’t really win on looks unfortunately which is another reason I am pleased with my i20 set.

  11. Sean

    Apr 30, 2014 at 5:52 pm

    I hit the i25 irons and they didn’t do too much for me. I preferred the i20’s. That said, I really, really like the irons I am currently playing.

  12. W

    Apr 30, 2014 at 12:40 pm

    I currently game the i20 and am wondering if there is enough difference to change. Playing my best ever with the i20’s

    • Mason

      Apr 30, 2014 at 3:44 pm

      I had the i20s, and really liked them. I took them to Edwin watts looking for any reason to get the i25s. I would hit 5 with each set, with each club and compare . There was nothing to differentiate between the two other than looks. Same distance, dispersion, almost the exact feel. The salesman( who I trust) talked me out of the i25s and even said their ping rep admitted to little difference .

  13. enrique

    Apr 30, 2014 at 9:58 am

    The delimitation problem is real. The flaking of the plating on the outside of these irons happens too often. PING will replace them if you send them back but the hassle of doing that a THIRD time forced me to buy other irons this year. My i20’s flakes twice and my Wedge was starting to do it yet again when I dumped them. My buddy sent 3 of his i25 clubs in this year for replacement. Good playing irons but in this age there are lots of good playing irons to choose from.

  14. tommythek42

    Apr 30, 2014 at 8:55 am

    I have the i25’s new for this year, I have only played 5 rounds with them, but these are game changers for the better. I like the CFS shaft too, I had KBS-S in my old Mizuno’s and I liked them, but they were a little stiff for my swing speed. These are some of the easiest to hit clubs I have ever owned

  15. Knickerbocker

    Apr 30, 2014 at 7:33 am

    I have the i25s in the bag for about a week and they are terrific. Long irons are easy to hit and short irons just flat out perform. I find the CFS shafts in these irons to be too high of launch and spin for me – these paired with the C-Tapers are really nice.

  16. Banger

    Apr 30, 2014 at 3:15 am

    I’m surprised that more people aren’t playing these irons. These are classic Pings with all the tech and engineering. Forgiveness, distance and workability.
    Ping needs to do a better job of their TV commercials and get away from the stupid comedy ones starring their players as bad actors, and instead actually show the clubs’ winning awards and tournaments, and show the world what went into the design and technology. Not everybody actually bothers to use websites to get all the info, but they will watch TV.

  17. Taylor

    Apr 29, 2014 at 10:49 pm

    That’s the equipment these days, all the manufacturers are coming out with quality products. It’s really all based on marketing and personal preference on which clubs you buy.

  18. Jim

    Apr 29, 2014 at 10:27 pm

    Its a little off topic but does anyone know what the upcharge is for a motore speeder 7.2 tour spec in the ping i25 driver i hit this combo at a demo day but cant remember what the guy told me for the life of me

    • enrique

      Apr 30, 2014 at 10:00 am

      Exotic upcharge (speeder) is around $289 I believe – that was a quote I got last year.

  19. Bobby Bottleservice

    Apr 29, 2014 at 10:18 pm

    not sure if there’s a huge difference from the i20 to the i25 like there was with the g20 to the g25, but still they are great clubs.

  20. GMax

    Apr 29, 2014 at 9:22 pm

    One thing I noticed about the i25 irons was my distance increase. I had gamed Taylormade T360 irons up until a week ago. I could hit my 7 iron a good 155….With the i25’s, I averaging about 200 with my 7 iron. Needless to say, this summer and college golf in the fall will be fun

    • Dave

      Apr 29, 2014 at 11:15 pm

      At that rate, the 3 iron will probably get you 295

      • GMax

        Apr 29, 2014 at 11:58 pm

        It’d be more like 260 if I had one….only order 5-PW

    • G

      Apr 29, 2014 at 11:28 pm

      So do you have to bag a 72* wedge with that distance gaping?

      • GMax

        Apr 29, 2014 at 11:57 pm

        HA…..gonna have to add some more wedges for sure

  21. thefullsp

    Apr 29, 2014 at 8:08 pm

    Nice review! Thanks for the intel…

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Club Junkie

Club Junkie Review: Cobra’s new King Tour irons

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The Cobra King Tour irons have been proven on the PGA Tour already and will be in bags of better amateur players this year. The previous King Tour MIM irons were very underrated and offered great precision with a solid shape that many players liked. Cobra went away from the Metal Injection Molded construction and went with a five-step forging process for soft and solid feel.

Make sure to check out the full podcast review at the links below and search GolfWRX Radio on every podcast platform.

I was a big fan of the previous Tour MIM irons and played them in rotation throughout the last two years. Out of the box, I was impressed with the more simple and clean look of the badging on the new King Tour. Badging is mostly silver with just small black accents that should appeal to even the pickiest golfers. I didn’t notice the shorter blade length in the new irons but did notice that the leading edge is just slightly more rounded. Topline is thin, but not razor thin, but still has enough there to give you the confidence that you don’t have to hit it on the dead center every shot.

Feel is solid and soft with just a slight click to the thud on well struck shots while mishits are met with a little more sound and vibration to the hands.

These King Tour irons are built to be cannons and place more emphasis on consistent and precise shots. I also felt like the new irons launch easily and maybe a touch higher than some irons in the same category.

My launch monitor showed my 7 iron with an average launch angle of 22 degrees and spin right around 5,800 with a Project X LZ 6.0 stock shaft. Ball speed isn’t the ultimate focus of this iron but it did well with an average around 108mph and the iron was able to keep the speed up well when you didn’t strike the center. You will still see a drop off in speed and distance when you miss the center, but you don’t have to be Navy SEAL sniper accurate on the face to achieve a good shot. Dispersion was very tight, and while there are bigger irons with more forgiveness, this players cavity still allows good playability when you aren’t bringing your A-plus game to the course.

Cobra lists the King Tour as an iron for a Tour level player up to a 7 handicap and I think this iron could see the bags of more golfers than that. I am a 9.4 handicap, and I felt more than comfortable playing this iron even on less than perfect days.

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Iron Reviews

Review: Honma TW737-Vs Forged Irons

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Equipment

GolfWRX Member Reviews: TaylorMade 2017 M1 and M2 Irons

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One of the many benefits of being a GolfWRX Forum Member is exclusive access to Giveaways and Testing Threads. For Giveaways — we give away everything from golf clubs to golf balls to GPS units — all it takes is a forum name. Enter any Giveaway, and we select winners randomly. You’re then free to enjoy your prize as you wish.

For Testing Threads, the process a bit more involved. GolfWRX Forum Members sign up to test the latest and greatest products in golf, and then they provide in-depth reviews on the equipment. Being the intelligent golf-equipment users they are, GoflWRX Members are able to provide the most-informed and unbiased reviews on the Internet.

df5745825623a9697f92315cd9d8f1d7

In this Testing Thread, we selected 75 members to test a TaylorMade M1 2017 7-iron and TaylorMade M2 7-iron. Each of the clubs were built with the stock lofts and shafts — M2 2017 (28.5 degrees) with a TaylorMade Reax shaft, and M1 2017 (30.5 degrees) with a True Temper Dynamic Gold S300 shaft — and the testers were instructed to post their review of the clubs here.

Below, we’ve selected what we’ve deemed the most in-depth and educated reviews out of the 75 testers. We have edited each of the posts for brevity, clarity and grammar.

Thanks to all of those involved in the testing!

Brock9007

To be honest, looking down on the TaylorMade M1 and M2 irons at address, there is really not much difference. I would have to pick one up to see which is which.

The first 10 balls I hit were with M1 and 6/10 felt great, while the other 4 were toe hits, which I felt and the distance reflected that. Kinda what I expected with a club design for lower-handicap players. Distance was about 1/2 longer than my Srixon iron and dispersion was close, as well. I will say they did not feel as good as the Srixon on center hits.

Next 10 (ok, 15) balls were with the M2. Wow, can you say “up, up and away? The ball really popped of the club face, but wasn’t a ballon flight. Waited for the ball to come down and WTH, with the roll out it was 5-8 yards longer than balls hit with M1, and that is with a few toe shots. I did some smooth swings and then very aggressive swings and was a little amazed at this iron. Just like the M1, it does not have the forged feeling and does have a clicky sound (which I hate).

Bottom line: M2 is the longest iron I have ever hit. I love my 545s, but I could see myself playing M2 very easily. Matter of fact, I will be taking this M2 7 iron in my bag and play it more head-to-head against my Srixon 545 on the course.

deathbymuffin

These are both beautiful clubs. What surprised me the most is how much alike the two clubs look at address. I was expecting a chunky topline and significant offset in the M2, but it’s footprint looked almost exactly the same as the M1, outside of the chrome finish on the M2 versus the frosted finish of the M1. The M2 could almost pass as a player’s iron to my eye at address. These clubs both get A’s from me in the looks department.

The M1 felt a tad thicker than most player’s irons I’m used to, but it seemed to come with a bit of added forgiveness too. Well-struck shots felt good, with a nice mid-trajectory and with the workability that I’ve come to expect from a player’s iron. But true to TaylorMade’s claims, the M1 seemed more forgiving than a traditional player’s iron. Had a nice soft feel at impact, mishits didn’t sting and left you with a more playable result. A really nice combination of the better attributes of both player’s and game improvement irons. I’ve been playing with an old set of Tommy Armour blades, but I’ve been recently wanting more forgiveness for when I’m stuck with my B or C swing. Based on the early returns, I could definitely see myself bagging these.

I’m not sure if it’s the shaft, the design of the clubhead, or a combination of both, but the M2 is definitely a different animal than the M1 at impact. This club launches the ball high, arguably ridiculously so. I was hitting Jason Day moonbombs with this bad boy. Didn’t seem to matter what kind of swing I put on it, the ball launched high, flat and dead straight. The club was super forgiving and if not for the insanely high ball flight, I would love to have a set of these for when my swing is out of sorts. I didn’t really try to flight it at all, so I’m not sure what it’s capable of at this point. One other note was that the M2 had a clicky feel at impact. It didn’t bother me since it still felt so sweet… so strange as it sounds, clicky, but smooth and sweet at the same time. I think these clubs will be big winners with the mid-to-high handicap set.

The M1 is a fine iron, but doesn’t really stand out in any way from other irons of its class.

The M2, on the other hand, is an iron on steroids. I’m really starting to love this thing. It’s super forgiving and just goes and goes. According to my laser, flush shots were going 195 yards (my usual blade 5 iron distance) and very high. I can’t help but think golf would be a whole lot easier, particularly longer courses with long par 3s, with a full set of these in my bag.

poppyhillsguy

M1 feels softer than the M2 and I felt the ball flight was more consistent and what I want in an iron. The M1 did have a harsher feeling in my hands than I typically like, but I’m going to credit a lot of that to the range balls.

M2 flies very high. It was a windy afternoon and about 100 degrees. I love the high ball flight on the range, but I have a concern what that ball flight would be like on the course. I like to hit the ball different heights for different shots and I don’t think I could do that confidently with the M2, but I could with the M1. I don’t like the sound of the M2. It sounded “clicky” to me.

Fourpar18

Initially on the range I was scared because the M1 had a regular flex in it, so I took it easy for my initial 10-15 swings with it. Ball SHOT off the face, loud crack (didn’t care for it, but not too bad) and ball just kept rising and rising but didn’t balloon. I thought, “whoa,” that’s not what I expected…did it again…another CRACK and the ball just flew. I set another down and I paid attention to how it looked behind the ball, not much offset for a game improvement and I thought…”I could actually play this club!”  The 5-7 were EASY swings, aimed at a target of 170 yards away (my normal 7 iron distance) and with a EASY swing I was flying it by 20 yards or so. The next 5-10 I really went after it, same CRACK and ball just flew but to my surprise it was a nice draw, harder draw than the first but it was a nice 10-yard draw. This time the balls were landing just short of the 200 yard marker. Damn, 200 yards with a 7 iron! I know they are jacked lofts but it feels good to say “my 7 irons just few 190-200 yards!”

P.S. LOVE the Lamkin UTX grip!

Now, this was interesting, the M2 was quieter then the M1… weird!  Now, there is more carbon fiber added to this one and there is a “Geocoustic” label on the back. I am sure that it has something to do with all that carbon fiber but it does have a better sound. Other than the sound, it played exactly like the M1: long and straight. The REAX shaft felt a little weaker than the True Temper shaft and it flew a little higher but nothing else I could pick up.

noahdavis_7

Finally got out to the range after getting these bad boys in on Friday. My first impression of them is that they look really sharp. The graphics and design really stand out and really give these clubs a cool, modern look.

They were both a little to big IMO, as I am currently bagging Mizuno MP-68s. The M2 isa definite “game improvement iron”, while the M1 was similar in size and shape to my previous irons, Titleist AP1s.

They both really launch it, high and far. Ridiculous for 7 irons. I don’t have access to a launch monitor, but it was about a 20-yard difference between my gamer 7 iron and these (stronger lofts, as well).

The M1 definitely was more suited for my eye, and produced more consistent ball flights. It felt much more smooth and solid as the M2 had a clicky, cheap feel.

The M2 just isn’t for me. I felt like it was launching too high and ballooning, which could be due to the shaft (the M1 had the S300, while the M2 just had a stock “Reax” shaft). The feel off the face of the M2 just turned me off, to be honest.

While I don’t think I’ll be putting either model in play, I can definitely see the appeal for mid-to-high handicaps. Both irons were super forgiving, and they should be a dream to the average weekend golfer who has trouble with ball striking consistently.

golfnut5438

Looks: As expected, I preferred the M1 with less offset, slightly smaller sole and a smoother finish. Less glare looking down on the iron. I must say the M2 did not look as bulky, or have as much offset as I thought it might have.

Feel: This was a close race, probably due to the shafts as much as the heads. The M1 was just a slight bit smoother feeling on solid shots. But the M2 was not bad at all, just not quite as smooth.

Distance and performance: Our range has a slight incline up the length of the range, so specific yardage gains or losses were difficult to measure. Both irons had a higher trajectory than my gamer 7 iron. Neither sole dug onto the turf either. The lofts for both irons are a degree or two stronger than mine, so I would think they probably flew a little further than my gamers. Neither iron flew “too” high, however. Might be a little harder to hit knock down shots, though.

Final thoughts: I had hit both the M1 and M2 irons last year during a fitting day, but did not like either. This year’s model were both better in my eyes. I asked a fellow member at our club to hit both and he felt the M1 was his preferred model, and he is a 20-index player. So coming from both a single digit, and a high double-digit, the M1 won this battle of wills. I will try and see if I can locate both a 5 iron and 9 iron to see if a full set might be a winner for me.

DblEgl

I was surprised that the M2 was the winner in this brief session. It felt better, flew higher, easier to hit and about 1/2 club longer that my gamer Apex CF16. The feel/sound was better than I thought it might be, but really not up to the CF16. I could, however, easily game the M2’s.

Bstein74

Feel: I hit the M2 first, and found it to be very solid when hit on the screws. There was almost no feel off the club face at all. When I mishit it, you knew it was, but it wasn’t harsh at all. Hit the M1 next, and same type of feel when hit solid. Much more harsh when mishit though, but I knew that was coming.

Distance and performance: This is was where I was curious to see how they would play. The M2 went out high in the air, and just kept going forever. Now granted my eyesight isn’t that great anymore, but it looked like I got about 10-15 yards more from the M2 compared to my Wilson D300. The only thing I didn’t like about the M2 was how much I was able to turn it over. Got a lot more hook compared to my D300. Don’t know if that was from the REAX shaft, but would love to find a less spinning shaft to correct that.

The M1 wasn’t a great performer for me. Same height as the M2, but much straighter off the club face. Didn’t get any great distance advantage as compared to my D300. Can’t game a player’s iron anymore, and testing this one just reaffirmed that.

Final thoughts: Was very happy with the distance I gained with the M2 compared to my current gamer. Very good-performing iron for me, and something I would definitely consider changing them out if I could reduce the spin off the face. If you’re looking for more distance, you need to try these out. The M1 just wasn’t for me, but as a player’s iron, I can see it as a great option.

Bobcat271

Like the other testers, I found the M2 to launch the ball much higher and is 10-to-15 yards longer than my Adams XTD forged 7 iron. Of the two 7 irons I prefer the M1. I like the design of the M1 and its visual appearance at address. I feel more confident in trying to work the ball with the M1. The M1 gave me more feedback as to where the club head was in relation to my swing plane. If I had my druthers I would put the M1 in the bag as it stands now. Will continue to test, what a treat to compare the two irons.

myurick2

Once I started making solid contact with a decent shoulder turn, the M2 really came alive in my hands. Towering flat height, for me, and very long. No more clacky hollow feel, just a very mild pleasant sensation… then zoom. Once I started making better swings, back to the M1, which was a very nice iron. Shorter than the M2 (though not short) and a little lower ball flight. Felt nice and substantial without being heavy. Very forgiving on slight mishits.

But the M2 was the star for me. High trajectory and very long. Club felt lively and fun. Frankly, unless a player wanted a lower trajectory, or likes to hit a lot of knock downs or feel shots, I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t choose the M2. They are very attractive and a very fun iron. I think folks who say that the M2 feels and/or sounds clicky, clacky or hollow may be mishitting the iron toward the toe. I am not judging — I mishit a lot of shots at first. I agree on toe mishits the iron did not feel great. It almost felt like plastic. The ball still flew pretty well, but it wasn’t a very enjoyable experience. Not painful, just felt very dead. But when hit nearer the center, the iron felt fantastic. Light, springy and very lively. 

hammergolf

They are both good-looking clubs. Not too long heel to toe and toplines were not that distracting. M1 is more what I like to see shape wise, but M2 was not bad at all. Personally, not a fan of seeing the face slots. But I could see how some people may like how they frame the ball. 

Ace2000

M1 

– Has a very odd sound on contact, almost sounds a tad like a fairway wood “ting. Not a fan
– Looks very good at address with the brushed finish
– Most shots I hit with it seemed to fall out of the sky (very likely a lack of spin). Ball flight was much lower than I would have expected (not super low, just not much different than my 7 iron)
– Inconsistent misses. Next to no distance gains vs RocketBladez Tour 7 iron

M2

– Doesn’t look as good at address as the M1. Chrome finish at address is not an issue in even direct sunlight for me
– Feels and sounds quite nice to my ears at impact. Not a classic sound but very good considering what type of club it is
– Ball flight is very strong (comes off hot). Ball stays high in the air for awhile. Very high and lands soft
– 10-12 yards longer on average vs my 7 iron, it even had the horsepower to hang with my 6 iron
– VERY forgiving on thin strikes. Couldn’t believe how a near-top still traveled to nearly the front edge in the air and still went as far as the M1 did on a good strike
– Shaft is too light

Even though I’m a 2-handicap and don’t fit the M2 “mold,” I could see myself playing this club from 4-6 iron (although gapping would be a major issue mixing these with almost anything else) if it had a heavier shaft in it (I can only imagine how far this 4 iron must go… yikes)

M1 = 2.5/5 stars
M2 = 4.5/5 stars

tpeterson

Visual first impressions: The M1 7-iron is visually appealing to me as far as the finish and overall look. Even though it is classified as a player’s iron, it doesn’t seem so tiny that it would be tough to hit. I am not a huge fan of the bright-yellow badging, but I probably could get over it. The iron inspires confidence with its topline and a little bit of offset. The “rubber” piece on the hosel is a little bit funky to me.

I thought the M2 7-iron would look clunkier than it really is. Besides the finish being a little bit different, the difference between the M1 and M2 is actually pretty small. The M2’s topline and sole are a touch wider, but not by much. Not a huge fan of the fluted hosel since it can be seen at address. The M1’s fluting is only on the rear of the club.

I did notice that the sole’s finish did scratch pretty easily. Overall, I thought the M1 and M2 are pretty good looking, but I would definitely give the edge to the M1. I also preferred the stock Lamkin grip on the M1 vs. the ribbed M2 grip.

On course action: They both feel solid. I tried hitting both irons in all different types of on-course situations over a two week period. Both clubs launch the ball high but I would not say they balloon. For me, the M2 was about 10 yards longer and higher than the M1. Compared to my Cleveland irons, they are 1 to 1.5 clubs longer.

M1 loft = 30.5
M2 loft = 28.5
Cleveland TA7 loft = 33.5

I know this accounts for the distance gain but the ball definitely comes off hot compared to my set. I was hoping I would hit the M1 better since I like the appearance better, but that was not the case. The M2 definitely felt better for me and I felt more confident with it in my hands.

Discussion: Read all 75 reviews and the responses in our Testing Thread

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