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Ping G425 irons: Smaller and faster for 2021

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If you looked up “forgiving irons” in the golf dictionary (not a real thing, but it should be), you would be greeted with pictures of Ping G Series irons. Since the initial launch of the G2 in 2003, Ping has continually innovated and improved its most popular and best-selling iron family, and the company is doing it again with the all-new Ping G425.

The new 2021 G425 iron builds off the success of the G410 by packing more forgiveness into a smaller package designed to not just shout from the rooftops about distance but give golfers the ability to reduce dispersions and land the ball softer into greens. An iron that goes longer isn’t very helpful if the golfer using them cant hold a green with anything over an 8-iron, and the engineers at Ping have added some very interesting technology to the G425 irons to accomplish just that.

2021 Ping G425 irons: Technologies

The most important new element of the G425 irons is the new metal wood style VFT (variable face thickness), used to increase ball speed, consistency, and launch. The new VFT is possible thanks to the Hyper 17-4 stainless steel material, which allows engineers to go thinner while still maintaining structural integrity and feel.

The most interesting aspect which separates the new VFT from the previous generation Cor-Eye technology is it is not symmetrical and is instead a more sideways egg-shaped oval. The reason for this new geometry is based on optimizing and equalizing speeds around the face to deliver better results from club to club. This allows the G425 iron to have more face deflection than Ping has ever been able to create with a cast design. When you add in the new face with an improved hinge (notice the small notch on the toe to also increase deflection) you get a diving board-like effect to send the ball higher to stop sooner.

G425 forgiveness and feel

Like the G410 from the G400, the G425 irons have gotten smaller yet more forgiving, thanks to smart engineering from the team at Ping. The weight saved from around the body has been positioned to the far heel and toe thanks to the visible tugsten weight screw in the toe and in the hosel using a tip weight.

Let me explain: Every iron on the market utilizes a tip weight, either inserted into the shaft or into a port in the bottom of the hosel. (We’re about to go deep into the weeds from a design standpoint, but stick with me). There is 100 percent nothing wrong with OEMs using tip weights to achieve desired swing weight, but when you use them you move the CG closer to the hosel/heel side of the club—not on a humanly noticeable level but certainly from a definite engineering perspective.

This is why Ping has always placed the CTP (Custom Tuning Port) in the middle of the clubhead, behind the CG. But the custom tuning ports have been replaced with better-performing, thinner badges to increase MOI while still producing a soft feeling iron. Less weight in the middle of the head allows more mass to be positioned around the perimeter, and boom—an iron with a three percent higher MOI in a smaller package.

Going from distance to precision, Ping utilizes the same machining and groove geometry of the Glide 3.0 wedge in the G425 wedges from pitching wedge to lob wedge to offer “G” golfers the same short game control and accuracy in their matching wedges.

This is not new, but it’s a unique option to be found in the game improvement category, where matching wedges are usually a bit of an afterthought in the design process.

Specs, pricing, and availability

The Ping G425 irons will be available for pre-sale starting today and will be available at retail starting February 4, priced at $137.50 each in a stock steel configuration and $150 in graphite.

G425 Specs

Shafts

The stock shaft options for the Ping G425 irons are the proprietary steel AWT 2.0, and ALTA CB slate in graphite. There are also a number of other no charge, and upcharge option available including Nippon 105 and True Temper Dynamic Gold 120.

Like the rest of the Ping G425 line, the irons will come stock with PING X Arccos GP lite Caddie Smart Grip, which features an embedded sensor to record and analyze every shot taken during a round when paired with the Arccos Caddie app. With the purchase of a G425 club, golfers will get a 90-day free trial of the app, and then the option of a $99.99 annual subscription.

Golf Pride 360 Tour Velvet/Arccos Caddie Smart Grip is available in Aqua (-1/64″) undersized, White -standard, and Gold (+1/32″) oversized.

Ryan Barath is a club-fitter & master club builder with more than 17 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. He is the former Build Shop Manager & Social Media Coordinator for Modern Golf. He now works independently from his home shop and is a member of advisory panels to a select number of golf equipment manufacturers. You can find Ryan on Twitter and Instagram where he's always willing to chat golf, and share his passion for club building, course architecture and wedge grinding.

8 Comments

8 Comments

  1. Pingback: Best irons in golf of 2022: Pure enjoyment – GolfWRX

  2. Pingback: Best irons in golf of 2022: Easiest to launch – GolfWRX

  3. Pingback: Best irons in golf of 2021: Pure enjoyment – GolfWRX

  4. Pingback: Best irons in golf of 2021: Top overall performers – GolfWRX

  5. Kevin Ricciardelli

    Jan 12, 2021 at 4:25 pm

    Notice the 3 lofts for each iron – New Standard, Power Spec (jacked) and Retro Spec (old school).

  6. Risky Plan

    Jan 11, 2021 at 5:21 pm

    PING has held it’s minimum 7 iron loft at 30 degrees, better than PXG at 28 degrees, but still absurd.

    It’s like in Spinal Tap when Nigel Tufnel claims their amps are 1 louder because they go to “11.”

  7. Steve C

    Jan 11, 2021 at 10:27 am

    Long story short…Ping has once again achieved the ultimate, newest, must have clubs for anyone truly wanting to improve their game. Of course, if I wait only a few months, I’m sure sure they will be offering a newer, more ultimate, must have club that I cant live without!

    • steve C

      Jan 11, 2021 at 10:52 am

      Also…Just last week there was an article right on this same site saying newer irons weren’t necessarily better than older irons.

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Equipment

Best ‘forgiving’ wedges – GolfWRXers discuss

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In our forums, our members have been discussing the most forgiving wedges on the market. WRXer ‘aaronpoling’ lays out his current setup and what he’s currently considering, saying:

“I am looking at getting new wedges, but looking for a forgiving wedge.

I currently play Ping G25 50°, MD4 54° and 58°. I used to play the CBX2 in the 50°, 54° and 58° and liked them a lot; but like any good dad, my son took them.

I am currently looking Callaway’s CB12 and Cleveland’s CBZ. Anyone have thoughts on these? Or recommendations of other wedges that I should check out?”

And our members have been weighing in with their thoughts and recommendations in response, with one brand coming out emphatically on top.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • boggyman: “CBZs are amazing wedges!”
  • drewbens: “Agreed, the Cleveland CB wedges are great! Already had a CBX Full Face 2 54 and recently added a 50 and 58 (for well under $100 a piece). Was chipping so well last week that my brother-in-law asked if the wedges were legal. Definitely underrated wedges for those of us that are not scratch golfers.”
  • BogeyTed: “Get Cleveland CBX/CBZ. Very underrated clubs.”

Entire Thread: “Best ‘forgiving’ wedges – GolfWRXers discuss”

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From the GolfWRX Classifieds: Ping PLD Ally Blue Onset putter

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @negncic has a Ping PLD Ally Blue Onset putter up for grabs.

From the listing: “34” Ping PLD Ally Blue Onset. Ping composite shaft Ping PLD Pistol grip. No issues. $345 shipped.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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Equipment

I built the worst fitting clubs ever – GolfWRXers discuss

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In our forums, our members have been reacting to a WRXer who claims to have built the “worst fitting clubs ever.” ‘dlow206’ recounts his experience with plenty of insightful findings for where he can go better next time in a detailed post, saying:

“Here’s my story of building the worst fitting clubs ever (for me). And my findings of what a better fit is.

I am short in stature, as well as a very short wrist to floor of 30.5″. I went down a rabbit hole of wanting to try irons 1″ shorter of more than standard length. Given the shorter lengths, the swingweights would be super light unless I added back a ton of weight to the heads, but I don’t like adding an extreme amount of weight back to the heads, so I decided to compensate with heavier shafts (115 grams instead of 95). Played with this set for a while and was hitting all irons extremely poorly. Thin, fat, right, right, left. My swing didn’t deteriorate that much because I was hitting my driver well, woods well, etc.

Went back to my older set of irons, playing at standard length, and my iron play improved immediately. Since then, have been doing more testing, while paying more attention to different possible variables. What I have found is I actually prefer lighter total weight with relatively normal or slightly heavier swingweights. Did a recent fitting and found that 85 gram shafts were better for me than 95 grams with standard length and relatively standard swingweights. 

Still trying to dial in a final iron shaft choice, so have a few contenders that I will be testing. Will be moving away from my current Steelfiber i95 S parallel to lighter and softer

  • MMT 80 parallel R – worked pretty well in a limited number of swings at a fitting
  • Fujikura Travil 85 R – the fitter liked the Axiom 95 R for me at Club Champion, but i didn’t love the effort required to swing them. If there was a 85 Axiom, that would probably have been a great fit. So i am going try a Travil 85 R which is japan only
  • Steelfiber i80 CW R – i have been playing Steelfibers for a long time, so need to give one Steelfiber shaft a shot

Given I do club building work, I am going to build all of these shafts with the All-Fit universal iron adapters to pair with a Srixon 7 iron head for testing. With these adapters, there isn’t a swingweight issue because the amount of weight from drilling out is about equivalent to the universal adapter components.”

And our members have been sharing their reactions in our forum.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • Mikey_HACKilroy: “That length cut costs you a fair amount in swing points. I’d posit the length mattered more than the weight because a 115g shaft isn’t going to actually add enough back after cutting an inch off. Does it mean 115 would ultimately work? Hard to say. Maybe try a 1/2″ cut and add 2g to the head to compensate assuming the 7i is 37″ long. Maybe that will feel better. It translates to the same ~D2 you’re swinging at with the 95g shafts (estimated based on common weight, but you can weigh your parts on your own obviously).”
  • Stuart_G: “Your process is good – keep at it and trust it.”

Entire Thread: “I built the worst fitting clubs ever – GolfWRXers discuss”

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