For a complete 5 years, Ping’s reply to the bladed iron market was the iBlade. An excellent iron although it was, that’s an exceptionally lengthy lifespan for any {hardware} product in at the moment’s recreation. This all modified late final yr when the model new i59 was launched, prompting many gear fans like myself to need to try it out!
8.4TotalLooks9.0Forgiveness8.0Distance7.5Feel8.5Control9.2
Test Worth
Desk of Contents1 Looks2 Really feel 3 Distance4 Control5 Forgiveness6 Shaft options7 Golf Insider verdict – Ping i59 irons review8 Incessantly requested questions8.1 Options to the Ping i598.2 Are Ping i59 blades?8.3 Are the Ping i59 irons appropriate for mid-high handicappers?8.4 Which Ping irons are most forgiving?9 Ping i59 Spec
Seems to be
First impressions are that it follows Ping’s current development of understated, minimalistic aesthetics, significantly within the higher participant iron classes. Assume iBlade, i210, and possibly closest of all on this case – i500.
Put it behind the ball and two issues soar out instantly. 1 – That’s a small head, and a pair of – There’s numerous grooves on the face! I’m unsure whether or not the latter enhances the previous on this case, however definitely, the 4 further grooves take a little bit of getting used to initially.
Apart from the above, the pinnacle is complemented by a modern topline. Offset is minimal as you’ll count on, though it’s price noting that Ping have opted for a progressive offset design with i59, which means that it will increase as you go into the longer irons, and dramatically reduces into the shorter irons and wedge.
All units will do that to some extent, however the variance by the set is sort of excessive. To offer context (3 iron to PW), the quantity of offset ranges from 0.17 to 0.02 inches, whereas within the Mizuno MP221 irons, it spans from 0.10 to 0.07 inches.
The comparability to MP221 is one which I’ll make fleetingly all through this assessment, as of all of the current bladed iron merchandise I’ve tried, this has impressed me probably the most to date. You may learn our full Mizuno Professional irons assessment right here.
Really feel
On the uncommon events I managed to search out the center of the golf membership, it produced a splendidly satisfying feeling. No shock given this head is constructed from the identical 1025 carbon metal utilized by Mizuno, whose repute is partly constructed on the texture of their irons.
What I might say nonetheless is that the above was laborious to return by*. A strong 8 out of 10 strike doesn’t essentially produce such good suggestions, so it must be a extremely well-centred contact to learn on this respect.
That’s honest cop although, isn’t it? The membership is designed for use by pure ball strikers for whom precision and management are their precedence. In a manner, you might argue it’s coaching assist/motivator to strike the ball persistently properly. Everyone knows it’s not that simple although!
*A side-note from Will Shaw (editor) – Ali is a really constant ball-striker. For him to focus on this implies it’s best to take word.
Distance
With conventional lofts and a rise within the variety of grooves on the face, I wasn’t anticipating this to be the longest of irons, and it isn’t – it’s not designed to be.
I used to be capable of common a carry distance of round 155 yards throughout the check with the 7 iron. This can be a little down on different comparable bladed irons I’ve hit which have usually acquired me nearer to the 160 mark by the air, although my sweetest strike did make it simply north of 160.
When you’re evaluating efficiency variations in irons like these, it’s the smallest information margins at affect you’re looking at to elucidate the change in ball flight.
For instance, I discovered ball velocity to be slightly on the low aspect (common 113.1, greatest 115.2) with a mean smash issue of just one.32. The launch angle was barely increased than I’d count on (common 18.2 levels), with spin charge averaging above 6200.
Membership velocity (mph)Ball velocity (mph)Smash factorCarry (yds)Spin charge (rpm)Launch angle (º)Peak top (ft)85.9113.11.32155.7622118.288Average information from all pictures hit throughout testing utilizing TrackMan.
All these components mixed, marginal although they’re, have most likely contributed to that loss of some yards. The query is, does this iron make up for it in different areas reminiscent of management and consistency?
Management
Spin charge will usually be figuring out issue of management, and with these further grooves, it’s not laborious to return by. As touched on above, averaging above 6200 with a high-ish launch angle, means the ball will all the time have stopping energy on touchdown. Not solely that, it permits a greater participant to form and work the flight of the ball on demand.
As well as, Ping level out that these extra grooves will assist retain spin and management when hitting balls from the tough, and their signature Hydropearl 2.0 end is designed to cut back the danger of fliers in moist situations. I’ve not managed to check this but, however the argument is logical and may maintain true.
In a single sense, I did discover consistency in distance management, with the strikes of the identical comparative high quality touchdown largely on prime of each other. That mentioned, a spot of over 10 yards between back and front is slightly excessive for one of these membership, however this extra is reflective of the following part – forgiveness.
A greater, extra constant ball striker than myself could be greater than impressed by the consistency of distance management this iron affords. The skinny sole additionally affords wonderful turf interplay to assist that higher participant produce the crispest of strikes, even from less-than-ideal lies.
Forgiveness
While on the one hand, you aren’t anticipating to have an enormous quantity of forgiveness in an iron like this, even the very best gamers on the earth miss the centre of the membership greater than you would possibly suppose. With consistency and precision being one of many cornerstones of an elite participant, it’s nonetheless vital to have some degree of forgiveness even in a bladed iron.
While I don’t suppose this membership essentially performs badly on this space, I feel it’s barely outperformed by different opponents, that regardless of the tungsten toe screw and 17-4 metal face that Ping say affords increased MOI and dependable distance.
A great way to take a look at this could be smash issue (ball velocity / membership velocity), which provides effectivity of strike. For instance, I used to be capable of obtain a mean smash issue of 1.32 with the i59, versus round 1.34 with the Mizuno MP221 (utilizing the identical ball – Titleist Professional V1, albeit on totally different days).
Shaft choices
The inventory shaft choice with the i59 is the Mission X LS (low spin). An odd alternative you would possibly suppose, for a membership that’s designed to provide extra spin and management. When these first arrived, I put this level to the rep, asking whether or not the LS shaft was required as a result of the additional grooves on the face nearly spin the ball an excessive amount of. His response was that it was alternative to introduce this shaft to the line-up. That’s rep converse for “Sure, however I’m not going to instantly agree”.
I definitely suppose there’s a giant ingredient of the above concerned, as a result of producers will all the time select the simplest shaft choice to go with the pinnacle design. Even with that LS shaft, I used to be nonetheless comfortably producing north of 6000 spin, which is an effective benchmark for a 7 iron at my ball velocity. For people who hit the ball tougher nonetheless, and generate extra velocity and spin, this shaft will stay choice to preserve the spin in the appropriate window.
Different shafts are in fact obtainable, to go well with numerous swing sorts and traits, nonetheless I might counsel that the properties of this iron are actually geared in the direction of the stronger, extra exact golfer, and so sometimes will probably be the firmer shafts which are usually used with this head. Different low launch choices would come with the Dynamic Gold S300 and X100 and KBS Tour in X-Stiff. These trying to obtain a better trajectory might look in the direction of the Modus 105 X or AWT 2.0 X.
Golf Insider verdict – Ping i59 irons assessment
8.4TotalLooks9.0Forgiveness8.0Distance7.5Feel8.5Control9.2
Test Worth
In abstract, this can be a area of interest iron with a really particular goal – optimising for ball flight management, precision and workability.
This can be a good iron for the appropriate golfer. That golfer is an elite participant who produces sturdy clubhead velocity, along with constant ball-striking capability. For one of these participant, the i59 will afford very good management, supreme for organising extra birdie probabilities throughout a spherical.
For the participant that’s lifeless set on the i59 however would love slightly extra distance out of them, they may think about having the lofts strengthened (see energy spec lofts beneath), and enjoying round with shafts which could assist to shift the stability barely.
There are nonetheless different bladed irons in the marketplace, that maybe supply slightly extra efficiency when it comes to velocity and effectivity while producing ample management for the higher golfer.
Worth-wise, the Ping i59 sits above the worth level of a few of its opponents (Mizuno MP221, Titleist T100, TaylorMade P7 MB). After all, all of those units are amongst the upper value factors, and I feel it is going to come all the way down to the person golfer to resolve which mannequin fits them greatest.
Incessantly requested questions
Under are some ceaselessly requested questions when shopping for the Ping i59 irons.
Options to the Ping i59
There are a plethora of high quality blade-style irons in the marketplace in the meanwhile. If ball velocity and forgiveness is vital, I’d totally suggest golfers to cross-compare with the Titleist T100, and Mizuno MP221, the latter of which I nonetheless really feel affords a wonderful stability of management and distance, together with really feel.
I’ve not had the pleasure of attempting the Taylormade P7 MB, however with its weaker lofts, I can think about this might carry out properly within the management stakes and be one other good choice for the stronger participant who’s prioritising accuracy above distance.
Are Ping i59 blades?
Sure, the Ping i59 definitely falls underneath the class of bladed irons.
Are the Ping i59 irons appropriate for mid-high handicappers?
I wouldn’t counsel the i59 is greatest suited to mid-handicappers or above. In reality, I’d counsel these will solely go well with a small share of golfers, particularly those that produce sturdy clubhead velocity (7i – excessive 80’s into 90’s mph) and marry that with constant ball placing. That is more likely to be a low handicapper or skilled golfer.
Which Ping irons are most forgiving?
Of their present vary, the Ping G425 is probably the most forgiving iron, however for these searching for one thing within the center between i59 and G425, perhaps think about trialling the brand new i525 which boasts a modern head (though bigger than i59) with distance and forgiveness properties extra intently aligned to the G425.
Ping i59 Spec
Under is a desk with the Ping i59 Specs. Extra info will be discovered at Ping.com
ClubLengthLoftPower spec loftRetro spec loftLie angleOffsetBounceSwing WeightDexterity3-iron39″20.0°19.0°21.8°59.0°0.17″4.0°D1RH/LH4-iron38 1/2″23.5°22.0°25.3°59.8°0.15″5.0°D1RH/LH5-iron38″27.0°25.0°28.8°60.5°0.12″6.0°D1RH/LH6-iron37 1/2″30.5°28.5°32.3°61.3°0.10″7.0°D1RH/LH7-iron37″34.0°32.0°36.0°62.0°0.08″8.0°D1RH/LH8-iron36 1/2″38.0°36.0°40.0°62.8°0.06″9.0°D1RH/LH9-iron36″42.0°40.5°44.0°63.5°0.04″10.5°D1RH/LHPW35 1/2″46.0°45.0°48.0°64.1°0.02″11.5°D2RH/LH
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