Equipment
Ping releases Rapture driving iron
Talk about good timing for a club release.
Ping’s new prototype “Rapture” driving iron will be available to golfers this week at the British Open and the PGA Tour’s Sanderson Farms Championship.
The move makes sense, as many British Open contestants decide to swap out their 5 woods and hybrids for clubs that offer lower trajectories such as driving irons.
According to a Ping press release, the Rapture driving irons have faces that are made from 455 Carpenter Steel: a strong metal that is used to make the faces of many of today’s high-COR fairway woods.
“455 Carpenter Stainless Steels’ high strength allowed designers to thin the face to create faster ball speeds,” the press release said. “Thinning the face increased discretionary mass, which was then re-positioned low and back on the club head.”
The Rapture is also designed with high-density tungsten weights in the rear portion of the sole. According to Ping, the weights account for a sizable 20 percent of the entire club head’s mass, and their low, rearward position boosts the Rapture’s moment of inertia (MOI) and perimeter weighting, adding forgiveness on mishits.
The sole of the club also includes what Ping calls a “Tungsten Polymer Blend Sole Weight,” a screw-in weight that adds even more mass into the club’s sole. It helps decrease spin and can be used to fine tune swing weight.
Technical specifications:
- 17-4 stainless steel body, 455 stainless steel face
- Tungsten heel and toe weights
- 39.75-inch length, 18-degree head
- Foggy-chrome finish
- Stock graphite shaft: TFC 949 with chrome PVD finish (R, S, X flexes)
- U.S. MSRP: $220.00
Click here to see more photos of the Rapture D.I. and to read more discussion in the forums.
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Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (10.5 degrees)
Mini driver: TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper (13.5 degrees)
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (19 degrees)
Irons: TaylorMade P790 (4-8, PW), TaylorMade P760 (9)
Wedges: TaylorMade MG Hi-Toe (52-09, 56-10, 60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2 Prototype
Check out more in-hand photos of Drew Brees’ clubs here.
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We always get some great photos of some phenomenal putters at tour events and love to share them. Here are a few from the 2024 Zurich Classic that caught our eye and seemed interesting. (And as a reminder, you can check out all our photos from New Orleans here)
MJ Daffue’s Scotty Cameron T-11 Prototype
MJ is going with the new Scotty Cameron T-11 Prototype this week. The putter is a multi-piece mallet that puts an emphasis on stability with the wings on the back. Daffue’s putter does have a design that differs from retail with a monotone finish, which eliminates the black paint on the aluminum parts that we see at retail. He also has a half siteline milled into the top and an L-neck welded on for some additional toe hang. The face features a deeper milling that should offer a softer feel and slightly quieter sound.
Scotty Cameron T-7.5 Prototype
We spotted a few different Scotty Cameron Phantom models with modified rear flanges. It looks like the straight black flange was cut into a half circle for a little softer look at address. On this T-7.5, you can still see the raw aluminum from the back view, so this might have been a last-minute job to get them out on tour. The semi-circle also has a white line on it, maybe to frame the ball differently.
Alex Fitzpatrick’s Bettinardi SS16 DASS
Alex’s SS16 is made from Bettinardi’s famous D.A.S.S., or double-aged stainless steel, for a softer and more responsive feel. The face has a unique diamond pattern milling and features a logo that I feel like I have seen before, but can’t put a name to. The putter is a classic mid-mallet style with a simple, single white siteline on the top. The sole is clean with just the SS16, DASS, and a green triangle logo on it.
Steve Stricker’s Odyssey White Hot No. 2
This putter has made some amazing putts in its long career! Stricker’s White Hot No. 2 might be in the top 10 of most famous putters in golf. When you see all the dents and lead tape, you know the heel will be up and it will be sinking putts! The soft White Hot insert looks to be in good shape and has less wear on it than the rest of the putter. We don’t know how much lead tape is on the sole, but it has to be multiple layers compacted down over the years.
Doug Ghim’s Scotty Cameron T-7 Prototype
This T-7 should win the award for “best color finish” in this list with its deep chromatic bronze. It looks like Scotty added a cherry bomb dot to the heel of the deep-milled face and filled it with a very dark blue paint. The rest of the putter looks pretty stock with its single site line on the topline and twin site lines down the “fangs” of the putter. Twin 5-gram weights are installed in the sole and the putter is finished off with a gloss black double bend shaft with a fill shaft offset.
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic
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Project X’s Denali wood shafts have been seen in more and more golf bags this year as we start off the season. As a refresher, Denali Blue is the mid-launch and mid-spin model while Denali Black is for players seeking lower launch and spin.
Denali combines great feel with stability and increased ball speed. Currently, Project X only offers Denali Blue and Black in wood shafts, but we spotted a hybrid shaft in Daniel Berger’s bag at the 2024 Zurich Classic.
The shaft looks to be a Denali Blue 105G – HY in TX flex. No word on details from Project X yet but we can assume that this is a mid-launching shaft that weighs around 105 grams in Tour X-Stiff flex.
Berger has this shaft in his TaylorMade P770 3-iron, likely for some added launch and spin to hold the green from longer distances.
Hopefully, this means we will see some more shafts coming under the Denali name in the future, as I think many of us would like to try one in a hybrid or utility iron!
- Check out the rest of our photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic
- Check out in-hand photos of Daniel Berger’s full WITB here.
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Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
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Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
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Drew Brees WITB 2024 (April)
View this post on Instagram A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx) Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (10.5 degrees)...
Daniel Berger WITB 2024 (April)
Daniel Berger what’s in the bag accurate as of the Farmers Insurance Open. More photos from the event here. Driver:...
Rasmus Højgaard WITB 2024 (April)
Rasmus Højgaard what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Callaway Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (10.5 degrees)...
Rory McIlroy WITB 2024 (April)
Rory McIlroy what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus...
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19th Hole2 weeks agoDave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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19th Hole3 days agoJustin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
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19th Hole2 weeks agoTiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
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19th Hole3 days ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
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19th Hole2 weeks agoTwo star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
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19th Hole1 week agoReport: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
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19th Hole1 week agoNeal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
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19th Hole1 week agoBrandel Chamblee has ‘no doubt’ who started the McIlroy/LIV rumor and why
Ivan
Aug 7, 2014 at 9:16 pm
Why not just go ahead and make the 1 iron again?
Mike from NR
May 24, 2014 at 5:28 pm
Last season I was frustrated with my inconsistency with using rescue clubs in the fairway on my second or third shot. Since I was constant with my irons I figured I would give the Ping 2 Iron a chance and it paid off HUGE. It took at least 5 strokes off my game. I look forward to hitting my second shot on all par 4 and 5 when I am around 200 yards out. The slower and smoother I swing the straighter and longer I hit this club. Trust me, put your rescue clubs up for sale and buy this 2 iron. You won’t regret it. I actually went out last week and ordered a second one to put it away so in 4 or 5 years from now I will have a new one to replace my current one. I don’t want to take the risk Ping changes or stops making this iron someday. Thank you Ping for solving my inconstant play.
TJ
Dec 5, 2013 at 1:55 pm
Good afternoon all,
I have to say that I am excited to test this out though I am partial to the Answer 2 Hybrid (stupid long), but if this performs better (launch angle)I will be putting in my order.
The real reason for my post is that the word on the street is that there will be a Rapture 3 wood at 14.5deg which is slightly oversized. has anyone else heard about this and if so do you happen to know any specs on it. I could be wrong but I was told its going to be a smaller version of the answer driver which would be great off the tee for my game anyways.
Any information on this would be welcome.
naflack
Dec 4, 2013 at 3:24 am
this club has wannabe scratch golfer written all over it…how long until 2nd swing has a whole rack of them? lol
Brian
Nov 29, 2013 at 5:16 pm
This looks awesome. Hopefully the 2 is a success and we see a 3 and 4 in another few months.
PatrickR
Nov 29, 2013 at 10:09 pm
Hope it compares to the titleist utilities by coming out with a 3 & 4. Honestly can’t wait to demo this when availble. Any one know if it will be available in any shaft besidea the tfc?
Patrick
Nov 26, 2013 at 4:18 pm
Looking forward to trying this out and potentially replacing the Adams Idea Pro currently in the bag.
Spengler
Nov 26, 2013 at 1:52 pm
anyone compare this vs. the callaway Utility?
Pingback: Desde el tee: semana 47/2013 | Golf76.com
JLeclair10
Nov 22, 2013 at 5:21 pm
Yous guys need to try this club…I can cruuush it 270 in the air!
Tyler
Nov 22, 2013 at 1:40 pm
Looks like they are available at 2nd Swing already…
http://www.2ndswing.com/p-238690-new-ping-rapture-driving-iron-graphite.aspx
Jezz
Sep 21, 2013 at 10:54 pm
Well,
Ping may even release this Iron in a set 18* & 21* Driving Iron with combo (if so desired). 4 Iron to PW in the new I25 player Irons. Haven for equipment junkies like myself. Also it would help a brother out, alot if less than a grand.
Cheers Jezz
Andy B
Aug 4, 2013 at 9:30 am
I play the i20’s but I put the callaway 24* x utility in the bag at the first of the season and just added the 18*. Looks like I will be sending those to the BST or the ebay. Can’t wait. I actually have a close friend who is a ping staffer (web.com) and he said they are more forgiving than his s56 irons. To bad he doesn’t live near me for me to try and he wont risk losing his contract by having one magically appear at my front door (I totally understand why he cant). It doesn’t hurt to dream. I will keep dreaming until january when they will be retail.
JEFF SMITH
Jul 22, 2013 at 5:33 pm
Ill be getting that I think. I cant hit a hybrid that well but pretty good w/ long irons…… well see!
Jeff Borders
Jul 22, 2013 at 12:45 pm
I wonder if the next Ping blade will look like a slimmer, narrowing version of this? I love the back of it.
tyler
Jul 20, 2013 at 11:07 am
Not a big fan of these utility irons.
IMO they look ugly at address.
Deaus666
Jul 18, 2013 at 2:55 pm
Very very nice, Ill put one in my bag if they release a 19-22* version, This actually reminds me more of the Yonex Zero driving iron with a Callaway style weight in the bottom. The only thing i wonder is how is it going to feel with that HARD face on slight miss-hits. I have a 20* old school Nike Pro combo utility in the bag right now.
golfing badger
Jul 17, 2013 at 1:42 pm
ping copying callaway…that’s a new one!
McCleery Crow
Nov 22, 2013 at 5:04 pm
My buddy had a Mizuno driving iron in 97. Who’s copying who?
http://silysavg.com/images/ebay/sporting/mizunodrivingiron_bottom.jpg
David Smith
Mar 7, 2014 at 10:28 am
I hope you’re just kidding around lol. If not, you’ve been under a rock for a very long time or are new to golf. I suspect the latter.
thefullsp
Jul 17, 2013 at 1:54 am
I have the cally x utility in 18 with GDesign shaft. It’s pretty fantastic off the tee. If I were playing Muirfield this week and were a Ping Staffer, this would be solidly in the centre of the bag!!!! Go G-Mac!
cg
Jul 16, 2013 at 1:27 pm
golf club makers exec meeting”
okay, here is the plan, first we tell golfers to buy fairway woods to replace hard to hit irons…then we tell them that hybrids are the way to go..easier to hit than fairway woods…then we wait a bit…then tell them we now have driving irons that they have to have because hybrids go too high….
Blanco
Jul 16, 2013 at 8:41 pm
Thats not what any manufacturer is saying about driving irons… They have all maintained, rightly so, that these are a specialty item for the better player/high ball hitter.
I’ll take a 24* Mr. Solheim… Yellow dot.
Steve
Jul 15, 2013 at 10:35 pm
@billyho_golf
Peter
Jul 15, 2013 at 6:46 pm
Looks very similar to the Titleist 712U…could be a great addition to my i20s in the future
Paul
Jul 15, 2013 at 2:37 pm
Looks like an AP2 and the X Utility got together in Phoenix.
Steve
Jul 15, 2013 at 1:30 pm
From a sole and address perspective, that looks a lot like the X utilities from Callaway.
t120
Jul 15, 2013 at 10:02 pm
+1 looks identical from top view to the Cally…which I didn’t really hit well, so it’s almost instant “pass on it”
Boo
Jul 15, 2013 at 12:00 pm
Good looking, but will not dethrone my Mizzy H4 2 iron (IMHO)!
Stephen
Oct 8, 2013 at 5:36 am
Fact. 270 yards of straightness. No need to hit driver 320 anymore.
Brian Wilson
Nov 22, 2013 at 6:19 pm
Nice!
Big_5_Hole
Jul 15, 2013 at 11:03 am
Need.
Blanco
Jul 15, 2013 at 9:11 pm
you need?
ME need
bandrz
Jul 16, 2013 at 12:27 pm
left handed, PLEASE
Blanco
Jul 16, 2013 at 8:38 pm
I love the guys who beg PING to release lefty versions… When was the last time ANY Ping club in ANY loft/style was not made for us southpaws?? I dont know of ANY in my lifetime.
bandrz
Jul 16, 2013 at 9:52 pm
Sorry i didn’t research their entire company history prior to my post. I will do better next time.