Equipment
Ping G425 irons: Smaller and faster for 2021
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.
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Whats in the Bag
Chesson Hadley WITB 2024 (March)
- Chesson Hadley what’s in the bag accurate as of the Texas Children’s Houston Open. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 70 TX
3-wood: Titleist TSR2+ (14.5 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
Irons: Titleist T200 (3), Titleist 620 CB (4, 5), Titleist 620 MB (6-PW)
Shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 105 X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG 2-Ball
Grip: Odyssey
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Check out more in-hand photos Chesson Hadley’s clubs here.
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Whats in the Bag
Gary Woodland WITB 2024 (March)
Driver: Cobra Darkspeed X (8 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TZ5 70 M5
- The white circle that appears at the top of the face a removable sticker that’s used for launch monitor tracking, and Woodland removes it for competition!
3-wood: Cobra Darkspeed X (14 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TZ5 GW100 Prototype
7-wood: Cobra LTDx LS prototype (20 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TZ5 GW100 Prototype
Irons: Wilson Staff (18 degrees), Cobra King MB (4-PW)
Shafts: KBS Tour C-Taper Limited X
Wedges: Cobra SB (48), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-08F, 56-14F), Cobra King (60)
Shafts: KBS Tour C-Taper Limited X (48 degrees), KBS Tour V-Ten 125
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour 3.0P
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
See more in-hand photos of Gary Woodland’s WITB in the forums.
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Equipment
Q&A: Martin Trainer on his Bobby Grace “Greg Chalmers” putter, 6.5-degree driver, and “butter knife” 2-iron
As unbiasedly as I can put it, Martin Trainer has one of the coolest club setups in professional golf. (At some point soon, I’ll put together a top-10 list of “coolest club setups on Tour,” but I know that Trainer will be in the top-10)
What a lineup. He plays a 6.5-degree Wilson prototype driver, a 13-degree Wilson prototype 3-wood, a true blade Wilson Staff Model 2-iron, and a Bobby Grace “Greg Chalmers Commemorative” putter!
View this post on Instagram
I mean, look at this 2-iron from address…
To quote the great author R.L. Stine: “Goosebumps.”
On Wednesday at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open, I caught up with Trainer to learn more about his bag setup.
Here’s what he had to say:
You have the Internet going crazy over your bag setup, and your putter. Where’d you pick the Bobby Grace-Greg Chalmers putter up? How long have you had it?
MT: This was from when Bobby Grace came to my course in California: Cal Club. And for whatever reason, they just started having them in the shop. So then I took my buddy’s, started using it, and made, like, a million putts in a row, which is how every putter story begins, I guess.
And then, I bought a couple of my own, used it for years, got to the Tour with it, won on Tour with it (the 2019 Puerto Rico Open). Then, about a year later, started using another putter, did that for a couple years, but now it’s back in the bag.
When did it come back in the bag?
MT: December of this past year. So a few months ago.
What year would you say was the first time you threw that in the bag, or, like, when you bought it?
MT: God…Probably, 2016, maybe? 2018?
Do you remember how much you paid for it?
MT: I don’t know, actually. Maybe $100-150 bucks or something. I think that’s the only golf club I’ve bought between high school and now. Well, two, since I bought two of them.
The driver is interesting, too. What went into the prototyping process?
MT: That was a version of the current driver, but it was the prototype that they first came out with for Tour guys to try. And for whatever reason, I just never switched out to the new one.
It’s just 6.5 degrees, right?
MT: Yeah. Very low loft, yeah.
What kind of ball speed do you have with that these days?
MT: Like high 170’s.
Yeah, that’ll work. And then a 2-iron blade? We’re seeing fewer and fewer of those out here.
MT: Yeah. The butter knife.
Very cool thing to have in the bag. Have you done any testing with driving irons?
MT: Yeah, I used to have a thicker one, but it was a little offset, and I never hit it that well. And then finally, I started messing around with the butter knife. And I remember the first time I looked down at it, I was terrified. And then I ended up getting used to it, putting it in play, and it’s been in place since. It’s a pretty good club for me.
How far do you carry that?
MT: Like 235.
A good little wind club, I’m sure.
MTL Yeah, exactly. I can hit it very low. It’s great.
I love it. You have people shook looking at that. Thanks for the time, man.
MT: Absolutely.
To see more photos and discussion of Trainer’s bag, click here.
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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).
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.”
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.