142 replies to this topic

[minhjn]

Ltarin65, on 28 March 2011 - 08:28 AM, said:

PING, on 22 December 2010 - 06:51 PM, said:

ghsooner, on 01 December 2010 - 04:07 PM, said:

I gamed the S58 iron for about 1.5 years and played some of my best rounds (80 at Valhalla the Monday after the Ryder Cup from the tips - yeeha!) with them after switching from the ZZ65 to S300 shaft.  Loved the look, feel, and workability.  Unfortunately, I typically use my car trunk as my locker and those little plastic tuning port weights would fall out right and left.  My Ping rep wasn't very good about helping me out with that situation and after 2 shipments back and forth from Ping, I dumped them.

I'm still attracted to S56 stick, but I just cant do it because of the previous experience.  I hope they have increased thier QC, because it is a great player's club.

We came across your posting and wanted to take a moment and comment on the situation you described. We take your concerns very seriously and are always striving to improve on a daily basis. Karsten Solheim was quoted on several occasions saying, "We've got to produce quality merchandise. Because if we quit quality then we lose our customers and we can't afford to sacrifice the quality on our merchandise." PING believes that our customer is our number one guide. In the future, please reach out to one of our product specialists at 1-800-4-PING-FIT if you have any questions about your PING products.

Just Ordered a set of S56, very specific order 6.5 rifle +1/4", blue dot, 1 degree strong loft. This was my first set of new clubs in a long time and was really looking forward to it. I lived in Charlotte NC for a while and the Ping rep i knew there worked in R&D for a long time and always bragged about Ping's Quality and Precision of custom club orders so when i ordered my set i thought Ping could handle this no problem. But i think since things have been shipped overseas things are not as "Quality" as Ping used to be. I was very disapointed when i checked all my irons in my Mitchell Machine, The short irons were close to being the specs i ordered, but the long irons were not even close the 4 iron was almost 2 degrees flat from what i orded and the loft as also 2 degrees off. Very disapointed by this. I have had only one range sesson with these off mats and they were ok for me, felt like i could work my 09 X-forged better and are a little more forgiving.  So for now i will stick with my Callaway 09 X-Forged. So i have a set Brand New S56 6.5 rifle +1/4" 4-PW blue dot, and 52,56 Tour S rustique same specs and  all clubs have the same serial #, wedges have D5 swingweight and irons are D3 all with ping White color grips. I have $850.00 in them if any one is interesed. Thanks

i find this extremely hard to believe as sets purchased from PING WRX have lie and loft tolerances of +/- 0.25*

mitchell machines can give difference measures for different people. is it possible that you or your machine messed up?

[kvnhlstd]

minhjn, on 28 March 2011 - 09:16 PM, said:

Ltarin65, on 28 March 2011 - 08:28 AM, said:

PING, on 22 December 2010 - 06:51 PM, said:

ghsooner, on 01 December 2010 - 04:07 PM, said:

I gamed the S58 iron for about 1.5 years and played some of my best rounds (80 at Valhalla the Monday after the Ryder Cup from the tips - yeeha!) with them after switching from the ZZ65 to S300 shaft.  Loved the look, feel, and workability.  Unfortunately, I typically use my car trunk as my locker and those little plastic tuning port weights would fall out right and left.  My Ping rep wasn't very good about helping me out with that situation and after 2 shipments back and forth from Ping, I dumped them.

I'm still attracted to S56 stick, but I just cant do it because of the previous experience.  I hope they have increased thier QC, because it is a great player's club.

We came across your posting and wanted to take a moment and comment on the situation you described. We take your concerns very seriously and are always striving to improve on a daily basis. Karsten Solheim was quoted on several occasions saying, "We've got to produce quality merchandise. Because if we quit quality then we lose our customers and we can't afford to sacrifice the quality on our merchandise." PING believes that our customer is our number one guide. In the future, please reach out to one of our product specialists at 1-800-4-PING-FIT if you have any questions about your PING products.

Just Ordered a set of S56, very specific order 6.5 rifle +1/4", blue dot, 1 degree strong loft. This was my first set of new clubs in a long time and was really looking forward to it. I lived in Charlotte NC for a while and the Ping rep i knew there worked in R&D for a long time and always bragged about Ping's Quality and Precision of custom club orders so when i ordered my set i thought Ping could handle this no problem. But i think since things have been shipped overseas things are not as "Quality" as Ping used to be. I was very disapointed when i checked all my irons in my Mitchell Machine, The short irons were close to being the specs i ordered, but the long irons were not even close the 4 iron was almost 2 degrees flat from what i orded and the loft as also 2 degrees off. Very disapointed by this. I have had only one range sesson with these off mats and they were ok for me, felt like i could work my 09 X-forged better and are a little more forgiving.  So for now i will stick with my Callaway 09 X-Forged. So i have a set Brand New S56 6.5 rifle +1/4" 4-PW blue dot, and 52,56 Tour S rustique same specs and  all clubs have the same serial #, wedges have D5 swingweight and irons are D3 all with ping White color grips. I have $850.00 in them if any one is interesed. Thanks

i find this extremely hard to believe as sets purchased from PING WRX have lie and loft tolerances of +/- 0.25*

mitchell machines can give difference measures for different people. is it possible that you or your machine messed up?

The quality is still in every PING product... Your S56's were assembled in Phoenix, not overseas... Also I would tend to trust a loft and lie computer verses a Mitchell. But with that said I do not know what to think of your adding the PING response to your post. Looking for something from them???

[duffymoon]

Just been to the Ping Demo day and ordered my set of  s56 irons.
Really wanted to demo the Mizuno MP63s but ran out of patience.

For anyone out there who's interested, I was fitted for;
S56 4-PW
Yellow dot (+1.5 degree upright)
Standard length
Standard Grip
DG S300 (tipped 1/4 of an inch.... to keep the trajectory down (apparently)......anyone who knows what that means please explain it to me!!!)

I demoed the s56 in a KBS Stiff which I found too light (hit it all over the place), and a PX 6.0 which upped my 7 iron clubhead speed to 102 mph average (from 95mph average with DGS300) but actually led to a LOSS of distance (161yd carry average carry down from 168yd carry) as I apparently 'put too much spin on it'...... whatever that means. Again, any explanations very welcome. And x100s which I had to 'go after' a bit too much to make it work, if you catch my drift.

A word about these Flightscope figures; In my old set of Titleist blades I reckon my 7 iron carry was about 155 yds (I play off a 5 hcp). To jump up to 168 average either means that the computer is lying or that the S56 realy is that good. I hope it's the latter. Time will tell and I'll let you know in due course.

As far as shafts to suit the s56 goes I'm sorry but you really have to get personally fitted. If anyone is interested here's what I think/felt:

KBS S ; Felt very nice, very light,  but sent the ball very high and inconsistently for me.
PX 6.0 ; Lovely feel to it. Not at all 'boardy' as I've seen some comments. Again for me though it flew a bit too high. Actually WAY too high!
DGS X100 ; I found it hard to 'time' this shaft correctly. And the loss of distance/accuracy quickly became evident.
DGS S300 ; Felt the best and had a lovely penetrating trajectory

I didn't demo the Ping Steel Shaft. I don't know why, but the Ping dude didn't even try to fit me into one. Sorry to all you zz65 guys out there.

Should pick up the new clubs in about a week and can't wait to unleash them on the links. Will post again once I've hit them in anger.

[bunter101]

duffymoon, on 03 May 2011 - 05:55 PM, said:

Just been to the Ping Demo day and ordered my set of  s56 irons.
Really wanted to demo the Mizuno MP63s but ran out of patience.

For anyone out there who's interested, I was fitted for;
S56 4-PW
Yellow dot (+1.5 degree upright)
Standard length
Standard Grip
DG S300 (tipped 1/4 of an inch.... to keep the trajectory down (apparently)......anyone who knows what that means please explain it to me!!!)

I demoed the s56 in a KBS Stiff which I found too light (hit it all over the place), and a PX 6.0 which upped my 7 iron clubhead speed to 102 mph average (from 95mph average with DGS300) but actually led to a LOSS of distance (161yd carry average carry down from 168yd carry) as I apparently 'put too much spin on it'...... whatever that means. Again, any explanations very welcome. And x100s which I had to 'go after' a bit too much to make it work, if you catch my drift.
Too much spin loses distance as does too little spin.
A word about these Flightscope figures; In my old set of Titleist blades I reckon my 7 iron carry was about 155 yds (I play off a 5 hcp). To jump up to 168 average either means that the computer is lying or that the S56 realy is that good. I hope it's the latter. Time will tell and I'll let you know in due course.
Your old blades will be of weaker lofts than the S56's.
As far as shafts to suit the s56 goes I'm sorry but you really have to get personally fitted. If anyone is interested here's what I think/felt:

KBS S ; Felt very nice, very light,  but sent the ball very high and inconsistently for me.
PX 6.0 ; Lovely feel to it. Not at all 'boardy' as I've seen some comments. Again for me though it flew a bit too high. Actually WAY too high!
DGS X100 ; I found it hard to 'time' this shaft correctly. And the loss of distance/accuracy quickly became evident.
DGS S300 ; Felt the best and had a lovely penetrating trajectory

I didn't demo the Ping Steel Shaft. I don't know why, but the Ping dude didn't even try to fit me into one. Sorry to all you zz65 guys out there.

Should pick up the new clubs in about a week and can't wait to unleash them on the links. Will post again once I've hit them in anger.

I was a 'baw hair' away from picking the S56's at a recent fitting session but went with the MP63's. The reason being I tried a few clubs, all 6 irons except the Pings. Why do Ping put out 7 iron demo clubs? I want to be able to compare like for like.
That said, i'd still be a very happy man if the s56's were sitting in the bag.

Edited by bunter101, 03 May 2011 - 06:24 PM.

[duffymoon]

Cheers Bunter101.
That explains pretty much everything for me.

And I'm sure I'd be just as happy with MP63s in the bag but as my wife got me vouchers for a golf store that no longer sell Mizuno...

[duffymoon]

s56 first impressions.

I played my first round with these beauties yesterday.

It was a very windy day on the links and because of these irons I managed a very respectable (for me) 81 which, but for my putting and driving could easily have been a mid 70s round. Mind you I was lucky to find the ball on at least three occasions from off the tee so maybe the 81 was about right:)

What can I say....I hit some lovely shots with the s56 including a 7 iron to 15ft from 200 yds (massive tailwind) to set up an eagle chance. Easily the best 7 iron I've ever hit. And a great 'full on' 4 iron 150 yds (I told you it was windy!) to 10 ft on a par three.
Missed both putts though.......not a great day on the greens!

I never hit any really bad shots with these irons, I found them to be really solid off the face.  Not as buttery as a mizuno blade but the forgiveness they provide more than makes up for that very minor compaint. Nice piercing trajectory with the dgs300 shafts.
They work well through the firm links turf and were superb out of the rough. They're not as 'workable' as my old Tileist blades but, for me, that's a good thing.

To sum up, after one round and one session at the range I am absolutely DELIGHTED with my new irons.

[rhyno777]

Looking for advice on shafts for a new set of s56's...having trouble deciding between the KBS X-stiff and DG X100s. My driver ss is 115 on average, and I have always played the X100s,  but I was recently fitted for the KBS Tours at a demo day and noticed a much higher ball flight than with the X100s. It was a consistent, boring ball flight, but the demo was only with a 7-iron, so I'm not sure how the KBS will play in the other irons. With the higher swing speed, I'm afraid if I go after a shot with the KBS, it might come off much higher than desired. Anyone have good experience with the KBS Tours? I really liked the feel and feedback given from the shaft, but I'm not set on the high ball flight. ANyone who plays in windy conditions have any trouble with the KBS ballooning? Thanks for the help.

[Blaiser]

rhyno777, on 15 June 2011 - 08:13 PM, said:

Looking for advice on shafts for a new set of s56's...having trouble deciding between the KBS X-stiff and DG X100s. My driver ss is 115 on average, and I have always played the X100s,  but I was recently fitted for the KBS Tours at a demo day and noticed a much higher ball flight than with the X100s. It was a consistent, boring ball flight, but the demo was only with a 7-iron, so I'm not sure how the KBS will play in the other irons. With the higher swing speed, I'm afraid if I go after a shot with the KBS, it might come off much higher than desired. Anyone have good experience with the KBS Tours? I really liked the feel and feedback given from the shaft, but I'm not set on the high ball flight. ANyone who plays in windy conditions have any trouble with the KBS ballooning? Thanks for the help.

I just went through the same process. Ended up with the trusty X100's. Although I should definitely mention that I demo'd the Nippon Modus 3 Tour X and they were freaking fantastic. Felt so buttery through the swing that I had to make sure they were indeed X's. Ball flight was great with them too, just could not afford the upcharge.

[shark101au]

I received my Ping S56's about 2 weeks ago. My set up is as follows:

Set comp.: 2-PW, Ping Tour-S 60*
Length: +1/2"
Lie: White 3.0* upright
Lofts: Standard
Shaft: DGS300
Grips: ID8-Gold
   I was around a 8 handicapper although I hadn't played often in the last few years and when I was playing 'regularly' it was maybe once every few weeks.. My previous set of clubs were the venerable Maxfli Midsize Black Dots with DG X-100, which I had for many years. I tested the usual assortment of irons from the Ping S56's to the Mizuno Mp 58/62/68's through to the TM MB's. They were all good offerings but I decided to go with the S56's they had a nice combination of looks, feel and forgiveness. I was a bit skeptical about using S-300 shafts, as I am used to stiffer shafts, however I decided to give the S-300 a go.     My first outing with these clubs was a quick 9 holes at my local course in 15-20 mph winds. The first 9 measures about 3300 yards (so not particularly long), I hit the fairways about 50 % of the time and shot a -1 35 !!. I was very happy with the results, I was able to shape the ball agains the wind nicely and shots straight into the wind had good penetration. I felt confident with every shot, that I could play the shot I was intending and for the most part I did. My 2nd outing was a full 18 on the same course in 100F heat. Once again the irons performed very well with very nice ball flights and nice stopping power on the greens. Hitting the ball just feels very solid. On shots which I missed (normally a little thin) the ball still got plenty of distance and was for the most part straight. After about 13 holes the heat was starting to fatigue me and my swing started to get a little sloppy (in part because my shirt was sticking to my back), but I still felt confident with the S56's. I ended up shooting a +5 77, which I was very happy with. I could definitely recommend these irons to anyone wanting a solid feel, nice shot making capability and looks. For me they were the only choice.

[BirdieBob]

rhyno777, on 15 June 2011 - 08:13 PM, said:

Looking for advice on shafts for a new set of s56's...having trouble deciding between the KBS X-stiff and DG X100s. My driver ss is 115 on average, and I have always played the X100s,  but I was recently fitted for the KBS Tours at a demo day and noticed a much higher ball flight than with the X100s. It was a consistent, boring ball flight, but the demo was only with a 7-iron, so I'm not sure how the KBS will play in the other irons. With the higher swing speed, I'm afraid if I go after a shot with the KBS, it might come off much higher than desired. Anyone have good experience with the KBS Tours? I really liked the feel and feedback given from the shaft, but I'm not set on the high ball flight. ANyone who plays in windy conditions have any trouble with the KBS ballooning? Thanks for the help.

That is the complaint with the KBS Tours.  That's why they have recently been prompting their new KBS c-taper that is 5% less height and 5% more distance (less spin).

I have the S56 with DG x100's and am now replacing them with DGSL x100's.  A little less weight (about 5% overall) but same results from the x100.

[Sartorial]

BirdieBob, on 16 June 2011 - 02:27 PM, said:

rhyno777, on 15 June 2011 - 08:13 PM, said:

Looking for advice on shafts for a new set of s56's...having trouble deciding between the KBS X-stiff and DG X100s. My driver ss is 115 on average, and I have always played the X100s,  but I was recently fitted for the KBS Tours at a demo day and noticed a much higher ball flight than with the X100s. It was a consistent, boring ball flight, but the demo was only with a 7-iron, so I'm not sure how the KBS will play in the other irons. With the higher swing speed, I'm afraid if I go after a shot with the KBS, it might come off much higher than desired. Anyone have good experience with the KBS Tours? I really liked the feel and feedback given from the shaft, but I'm not set on the high ball flight. ANyone who plays in windy conditions have any trouble with the KBS ballooning? Thanks for the help.

That is the complaint with the KBS Tours.  That's why they have recently been prompting their new KBS c-taper that is 5% less height and 5% more distance (less spin).

I have the S56 with DG x100's and am now replacing them with DGSL x100's.  A little less weight (about 5% overall) but same results from the x100.

Yup - balloon balls with the KBS tours for me.  This is why they made the C-tapers.  Do not forget about the Z-Z65 from ping.  Very solid shaft.  

[kvnhlstd]

Sartorial, on 17 June 2011 - 07:01 AM, said:

BirdieBob, on 16 June 2011 - 02:27 PM, said:

rhyno777, on 15 June 2011 - 08:13 PM, said:

Looking for advice on shafts for a new set of s56's...having trouble deciding between the KBS X-stiff and DG X100s. My driver ss is 115 on average, and I have always played the X100s,  but I was recently fitted for the KBS Tours at a demo day and noticed a much higher ball flight than with the X100s. It was a consistent, boring ball flight, but the demo was only with a 7-iron, so I'm not sure how the KBS will play in the other irons. With the higher swing speed, I'm afraid if I go after a shot with the KBS, it might come off much higher than desired. Anyone have good experience with the KBS Tours? I really liked the feel and feedback given from the shaft, but I'm not set on the high ball flight. ANyone who plays in windy conditions have any trouble with the KBS ballooning? Thanks for the help.

That is the complaint with the KBS Tours.  That's why they have recently been prompting their new KBS c-taper that is 5% less height and 5% more distance (less spin).

I have the S56 with DG x100's and am now replacing them with DGSL x100's.  A little less weight (about 5% overall) but same results from the x100.

Yup - balloon balls with the KBS tours for me.  This is why they made the C-tapers.  Do not forget about the Z-Z65 from ping.  Very solid shaft.

Bought a set with KBS Tours and hit the dreaded ballon ball, sold them and got a set with ZZ65... Luv Them.

[StevenF]

Just used my S56 with kbs tours yesterday, LOVED THEM.  First shot of my round with them was a 4 iron fairway bunker from 200 yards which I put right on the middle of the green.  Don't ask me what happened after that.   I was previously using Ping Eye 2's which I put up for sale on ebay and have no regrets.

[BCULAW]

I really can't say enough good things about these irons. I slapped a set of tour issue s400s in mine and they have performed better than anything I have ever owned. Shot a career low 69 yesterday and the irons did everything I asked of them. Long and forgiving but precise and consistent. I know some have complained that they don't feel as good as a premium forged iron, but I think these things feel fantastic. Such a solid club. I never thought I would move away from forged blades, but these are too good not to game.

[duffymoon]

Had the s56 for a couple of months now. Love them, love them, love them!

[dunn]

dsparob, on 18 November 2010 - 12:20 AM, said:

CasualLie, on 17 November 2010 - 05:16 PM, said:

I'm still giving them a try, but so far, not winning the bag for 2011.  It's too bad because I really wanted to like them.  I may have to get "re-fit" because it is either the wrong spec I have or the Tungsten toe weight is just a bad idea.  I never hit fades by accident with my X Forged, but with these goofy s56, I have a constant fade and lose yards.  I think I'll attribute the yard loss issue to the fact the so called black dot standard is 1/4" under.  I just find the Ping fitting approach disappointing.  I have played AP2s off the shelf with PX 6.0 and fired lasers, but Ping black dots are far from "standard".  Oh well, still yet to find a classic players CB as well designed as the X Forged '08.

Companies post their "standard specs" on their sites for a reason.  Almost every company has a different idea of what standard is, so instead of grabbing off the rack and assuming it will work, why not double check the website, do a little research and find out what Ping setup matches your off the rack AP2's.


Just a question about finding their fitting approach disappointing, did you actually get fit for your S56's buy a club fitter?  If so and this is
the result, I would be going right back to them...

Just cause he is Titleist guy doesn't make titleist the "'standard" ping has their own fitting technique....... It is the golfers responsibility to know what specs you need in lie, length.... Lol....... You can't go grab a cobra standard iron and then blame them because their standard isnt the same as your current clubs........ Really doesn't anyone take responsibility for their own crap, it's always someone else's fault or their wrong....... There is nothing wrong with pings fitting, there is something wrong with your fitting cause you don't know your own specs, go try a mizuno and see how flat their standard is, I am well aware of that and as a result I order them 2 degrees upright........ Not mizunos fault, they are " allowed" to build to whatever standards they see fit, it is up to me to know this and adjust accordingly!!!

[CosmosMpower]

This is really strange to ask but does anyone else feel like the S56 has a very low amount of feedback for this thin of a players iron?  I hit a few that felt ok, not sweet spot but not awful and looked down several times and the impact was way out on the toe.  On my i15's that kind of impact would've shaken up my hands and caused a weak hook.  Surprised to say the S56's felt a lot more forgiving/less feedback than the i15's?

[radtech]

CosmosMpower, on 12 March 2012 - 09:57 AM, said:

This is really strange to ask but does anyone else feel like the S56 has a very low amount of feedback for this thin of a players iron?  I hit a few that felt ok, not sweet spot but not awful and looked down several times and the impact was way out on the toe.  On my i15's that kind of impact would've shaken up my hands and caused a weak hook.  Surprised to say the S56's felt a lot more forgiving/less feedback than the i15's?

I understand what your saying, I wonder if it is the length of the head being the difference.  The distance from the hosel to the impact on the toe I think is greater for the i15 verus the s56 SO MAYBE that is the difference in the harshness.  

I know when I hit my s56's two grooves down from the sweet spot I "hear a difference"  but don't feel a difference in my hands.  And of course the ball flight is lower on those shots.

[mitchdoc]

Recently found a set used that I bought to backup my AP2 but quickly won  the spot in my bag.
They are orange dot Aqua grips ( I am 5'8 cadet small).They are forgiving workable and don't have the distance loss the s57 I once demoed did.
Plaiying them with dgs300.

Only issue I have is wear. The face of the iron particualrly the 7-9 look like a forged wearing. The centre seems to almost look a bit faintly rusted. Did these have some sort of finsih over the stainless steel?.
Is this something ping would refinish?

[cmcardle]

I have been playing the S56 irons for a year with KBS Tour regular flex. For perspective, I play once or twice a week to a 4 handicap, hit a 7 iron about 150. I also have a set of Titleist AP2s with PX5.5s, and they are great irons, but the S56s are the best irons I have played to date, including a couple of Mizuno sets. I can work the ball right and left with ease, and it may be partly the shafts, but they produce a great mid-range trajectory. I was a little surprised at how much bounce they have, but it makes them play well in the soft conditions I encounter in my area.

What really sold me is that I have more shots close to the hole (inside 15 ft.) with these irons than any other iron I have played. The other thing I like is that they give me the ability to go down after the ball or sweep it - pick it. The feel is not the same as a forged iron, but they do not feel harsh at all; pured, they feel good - and I'll take shorter putts for birdies over feel.

I would venture to say that anyone playing to a 12 or less would enjoy these irons. I think Ping did a great job in engineering. They are just great irons.

[penguined]

Went to Golf Galaxy last night and traded my Ping G/5 irons and fairway woods for a new set of S56 irons and i20 fairway woods..I've been playing the best golf of my life the past 3 years with the G/5s but I just thought it was time for some "newer" technology..I got fitted at the store and hit a couple dozen balls. I'm just a little apprehensive about the change in equiptment..My handicap stays 6 - 9, am I good enough to hit these clubs that are supposed to cater to "the better player"?

[Matt_Attack]

thinking of picking up a set of these fairly cheap for christmas... still like them everyone?

[gripandrip]

Just a quick question on the S57 vs. S56 comparison. Everyone seems to talk about a distance issue on the S57. Can anyone elaborate? I have been gaming these for about 2 years and really don't see much difference in distance from different sets of blade/players clubs I've had in the past. Compared to a lot of the new clubs, they are a little weaker in loft, so that distance factor is expected.

Anyone played the S57's and switched to the S56's that can give a comparison?

By the way.. love the clubs. One thing I really like about the clubs is distance consistancy.