Equipment

PING i20 Driver Featured Review

Published

12 years ago

May 5, 2012

Editor Review By: topekareal

Pros:
Ping touts this driver as the low-spin , lower launching companion to the G20 driver. Check. Tungsten weights provide a higher MOI and increased forgiveness. At address, the 460cc head sets up much smaller and the matte black finish is wonderfully inconspicuous. This driver just begs to be hit…hard.

Cons:
This is the not the driver for someone who struggles to elevate the ball or wants adjustability. While delivering a nice penetrating trajectory, this is not the ball flight everyone likes to see and if you are in search of the high-launch/low-spin combination, other drivers might serve your needs better.

Bottom Line:
I’ve been waiting for this driver for quite some time. Reminiscent of other legendary deep-faced drivers, the I20 is more forgiving (thank you tungsten) and retains freakishly low spin numbers, while maintaining high ball speed numbers across the face. Given invention and innovation, driver technology is tending towards the later. Not by choice, but by necessity , our game was once filled with seemingly unlimited variables and is now being driven by the constants. OEM’s all offer drivers which are long, forgiving and come with a range of custom options. Where Ping hits the mark on the I20 is that they have produced a driver which is all business and somehow still all pleasure.

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Full Review:
A low density titanium alloy saves weight to allow Ping engineers to strategically place tungsten weights to increase forgiveness while optimizing COG for low, penetrating tee shots. The classically shaped head is 460cc and utilizes improved aerodynamics to promote increased swing speed and ball velocity. The matte black finish is unique and purposeful. In a market dominated by adjustability, Ping makes quite a case that a driver doesn’t have to require a toolbox.

Looks:
The looks of the I20 driver are classy, classic and a bit raw. The matte black finish on the crown helps hide the 460cc head and displays a tough, industrial look. Because of this approach, the head does not glare and actually absorbs light. Players wanting a stark contrast between ball and clubface at set up might be a little disappointed as the I20 has ninja-esque qualities as you know it is there and you can sense it’s power, but it remains rather enigmatic.
Some larger drivers look like an orange on the end of a toothpick and I think are the impetus for OEM’s to reintroduce sub-460cc heads. If this club is any indication, you can certainly offer 460cc of forgiveness in a visually smaller package. The rounded profile suggests more of a 400cc-420cc head. The traditional half-moon alignment aid is something I’d rather do without, but it isn’t distracting. At address it is at most a subtle hint and nothing more. The white scoring lines on the face sit in nice contrast to the black face and form a U-shaped reminder as to where the sweet spot on the club sits.

Performance/Playability:
One great leap for man….uh, I digress. As we know, great leaps are not the modus operandi in the driver world right now. Two custom-fit drivers should yield similar results and should differentiate themselves based on playing characteristics and other subtle refinements. I tested the 8.5* I20 at 45” in length, SW at D2, and had the GD-DI 6x tipped ½”. The face was dead square and lie angle was 1* upright (59*) After several range sessions the most noticeable points of comparison were feel (more in the next section) and launch angle. The I20 didn’t want to go left, ever (insert political joke here __________), and it took me a bit to get used to the more boring trajectory. Despite the difference in launch angle, on course results (with the 2012 Bridgestone B330) confirmed my range experience. The I20 did a phenomenal job taking the left side out of play for me. In terms of distance, the I20 was as long as anything I’ve had in the bag. Depending on how firm the fairways were I was pushing 300 quite often . Finally, I took the I20 to the launch monitor to see if we could put some hard numbers to provide empirical evidence:

I20 – SS – 110 – Ball Speed -158 Launch Angle – 12.2 – Back Spin – 3000 Carry – 264-268

Some like the performance of a BMW, some like Mercedes – Either way, you’re driving something special.

Feel:
I did not hit the I20 with either of the stock shaft offerings and we all know how much a shaft can alter the feel of a particular club. With the DI-6x at D2 the club felt perfectly balanced and I could feel the head during all portions of my swing. I really abhor clubs which are too light and at D2, this club felt poised and secure. At this point, I should probably try and objectify “feel.” I like a driver with a bit more Cee Lo Green and an ounce less Blake Shelton…that is, a bit more soul and a bit less twang. The solid “thwack” of a wooden bat is always preferable to aluminum. Again, I digress. The I20 is exceptionally solid and offers a feel of substance sure to please even the most discerning player. It may not be in my all time top 5 for feel, but that’s like being a step below Kate Upton. Are you willing to “settle” for Sofia Vergara? Anywho, this driver is a hot-knife-through-butter pure and the sweet spot is money (and there is a possibility it might not even know it) What’s more, is while both heel and toe hits lacked the feel a pure strike (as you’d expect), ball speed was still more than you’d hope for…or deserve! In summation, the feel is solid and hot, while resisting the urge to be too metallic or clincky. Think liquid metal.

Overall bottom line:
Ping driver fans have long lamented the passing of the Rapture V2. The 120 has everything needed to make them forget. Low spin with a piercing trajectory for the stronger player, this driver is forgiving, sufficiently workable and as deep as anything on the market. Paired with either stock offerings or a host of wonderful upgrades, the I20 might be the darkest place you’ve been hoping to be. Back in black…most definitely.

CLICK HERE TO DISCUSS THE PING I20 IN THE FORUMS

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

4 hours ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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