Equipment
Ping G irons: What you need to know
Ping’s G irons (MSRP $110 per club with steel, $125 per club with graphite) will be in stores February 11. They’re available in 4-9, PW, UW (50), SW (54), LW (58). Default color code is yellow. Stock swing weight is DO-D4.
- Ping’s Stock Shafts: AWT 2.0 (R, S, X), CFS Graphite (65SR, 70R, 80S)
- No Upcharge Custom Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold (S300, X100), True Temper Project X (5.0, 6.0), True Temper XP 95 (R, S), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 105 (S, X)
What you need to know
- The G irons use Ping’s COR-Eye technology, which debuted on the company’s super-game-improvement G Max irons that were released in July 2015. The fast-face technology gives the irons higher ball speeds, as well as a higher launch angle because of the bending mechanics of the club face.
- Previous G-Series irons were known for their impressive forgiveness – Ping’s G30 irons were the top-rated irons for forgiveness in our 2015 Gear Trials Club Test – but they tended to fly shorter than their competitors. COR-Eye not only improves distance, but improves the overall forgiveness of the irons as well.
- The G irons have a moment of inertia (MOI), a measure of forgiveness, that is 1.5 percent higher from heel to toe, and 5 percent higher from top to bottom compared to the G30 irons, according to Ping.
- When comparing 7 irons, the G irons are approximately 5 yards longer than the G30 irons, according to Ping. The company’s testing of the new irons showed a ball speed increase of 1.25 mph, a 0.5-degree higher launch angle and 250 rpm less spin rate.
- Comparatively, most golfers will see even more distance from the G long irons. The distances the short irons fly will be more similar.
- The G irons are cast from 17-4 stainless steel. Their two-stage construction process takes six hours to complete, Ping says. The special heat treatment process used to make the G’s Hyper 17-4 club faces increases strength by 40 percent, compared to the G30 irons.
- To make room for the G’s increased face bending at impact, Ping pulled its CTP (custom tuning port) away from the clubface, creating a wide, deep undercut. A thicker badge in the cavity of the irons manages the added vibrations from the irons’ thinner, more flexible faces.
- The sound of the G irons is a cross between the company’s G Max and G30 irons. “The acoustics tell you there is more speed,” said Marty Jertson, Senior Design Engineer for Ping.
Ping’s G (6 iron) and G30 (right) at address.
- At address, the G irons appear to have thinner toplines than the G30 irons. While the width of the toplines is essentially the same, they were given a bevel that makes them appear about one-third thinner. The irons also have a slightly different toe shape, with a low toe that has been extended, and a higher peak.
The soles of Ping’s G (left) and G30 irons.
- Ping made the soles of the G irons slightly wider, but they play effectively thinner because of sole relief added to the back of the sole.
- Ping’s G irons debut the company’s new AWT 2.0 shafts, made by Nippon, which have an ascending-weight design. In the R flex, shaft weights range from approximately 95 grams (4 iron) to 105 grams (wedges). In the S flex, weights range from 100-110 grams. In the X flex, the weights range from 115-123 grams.
G Iron Specs
Related
- See more photos of the G irons, as well as what GolfWRX Members are saying about them in our forum.
- Review: Ping G, G LS Tec and SF Tec drivers
- Ping’s new G Fairway Woods, Hybrids and Crossover
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- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
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Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
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OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
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Jamz50
Jun 20, 2018 at 7:08 pm
I still use the I2 irons on my third set. A seven iron is a seven iron regardless of the number on the sole of the club.
Luke
Jun 14, 2016 at 2:46 pm
I agree they look ugly, but if they make the game easier who cares. There ain’t no pictures on the scorecard.
Ruth
Apr 1, 2016 at 5:51 am
I just got my fitted G irons today and tried it at the driving range. It added 10 meters to my distance and its so forgiving. Can’t really feel the ball on contact and added more height to the shots with added distance. Nice.
M-Herd4
Feb 19, 2016 at 3:43 pm
The back of the cavity looks eerily similar to the Cobra FLY-Z irons with the harmonic insert which were released at the end of 2014.
Adrian Thomson
Feb 10, 2016 at 2:50 pm
Playing Ping since 92 & had many sets, last Dec changed to the GMax, big mistake don’t like them, just waiting for the new order of the new G, Irons, not convinced any more that Ping are so great, if these don’t work then a switch to Callaway Irons, like a previous comment already made they are not fair G30 is still a new Iron really.
KoKo
Apr 22, 2016 at 10:27 am
GMax are max-game improvement irons and not comparable to the G series IMO. There is a huge feel difference having tried them I couldn’t possibly consider them for my own game (currently using G25). I’ll stick with the G25 or maybe move to the G – I tried the “i” as well which I really like but they are lower trajectory.
Birdiedog
Feb 6, 2016 at 8:00 pm
Just got fit for a set, took the seven on the range and striped 23 out of 25. That said, I’m older and have an artificial right hip, so my top club head speed was 85. I’m 61and have een playing since I was eight and this is by far the most forgiving golf club I’ve ever swung. For me to swing the club at only85 miles an hour And fly a 7-iron 155 yards with a slight draw is huge. Had no trouble working it left to right, either.
I’m all in. I ordered mine.
Mark Combs
Jan 29, 2016 at 9:00 am
After playing Ping irons for many years, I switched to Callaway and play their Apex irons. I always loved the look of Ping G series irons, I played the G10, G15, G20, and G25. I think these irons are just plain ugly. I don’t like the finish, which is something I always loved about their irons, the dark finish always wore well. Plus, the junk they’ve put on the head of the driver looks ugly as well. I also switched to the new Callaway Big Bertha driver, which has a smokey gun metal finish, which reminds me of something Ping used to make. I feel like Ping has really lost it’s way and is headed in the wrong direction. They should have come out with a G35 that was “better” and waited the appropriate amount of time. It should be noted they brought these out quicker (less than 2 years) to replace the G30, this is unusual for Ping, so obviously the G30s were not moving….Sad, this was a great company, I think Callaway is taking market share from everyone right now
frank freeze
Jan 22, 2016 at 11:18 am
If i was a buyer of the G 30 irons i would be quite pissed about the statement that those irons being 5 yards less and less forgiving than the new ones shown above. It seems to me that they should get it right and not keep coming out with a new “set” of clubs each year or every two when they charge you a grand for a new set of clubs. Or they should have a buy back program that allows a golfer to get 80% of the value of the old clubs towards the new set if a new set is released within two years of the old set…….Hmmmm just a thought!!! I do play Ping I-20 and love them but it seems to me that Ping is becoming a taylormade or callaway and just producing new clubs without really creating a new benefit to the average golfer…..Just saying!
Rich
Jan 14, 2016 at 7:22 am
“The acoustics tell you there is more speed”. This statement worries me. Callaway and TM have made some awful irons that sound like you’re hitting something so harsh. Hope Ping haven’t gone down the same path.
WILSON!!
Jan 20, 2016 at 6:08 pm
Are you crazy? Ping irons have always felt harsh. “heat treatment that makes them 40% harder” eh? I didn’t know that was possible.
Dave e
Jan 21, 2016 at 8:41 am
Got fitted for these at ping gainsborough. Really smooth irons with lots of forgiveness and good distance even on mishits. No harshness either. Needless to say mine are on order ready for the release date.
TMP
Jan 11, 2016 at 8:25 pm
Is it Taylorping or Pingmade? Either way, that is one fugly iron
jgpl001
Jan 11, 2016 at 4:43 pm
I seem to remember TM being slated for jacking up iron lofts….27 deg 6 iron here, but its Ping, so nobody will complain!!!
I sure they perform well (as all Ping clubs do), but God they do know how to do ugly
xring
Jan 11, 2016 at 5:30 pm
Looks like the 2008 TM burner as well. I am a Ping fan and currently play them but find the look recycled. Ditch the baby blue inlays as well.
WillyE
Jan 11, 2016 at 7:05 pm
Play PINGS and have for years. They are losin me..
Jim
Jan 11, 2016 at 12:17 pm
I don’t particularly like the Cor Eye badge but everything seems pretty nice including the new bezel and trimmed top line. Can’t wait to read some full playing reviews too.
Greg V
Jan 11, 2016 at 11:05 am
A Nippon AWT shaft – I’m quite interested.