PING has long been seen as a premium golf club brand and for good reason. From their irons to wedges to woods, they make a high-performing product. Most importantly, they do it their way and ensure they offer a product to meet every golfer’s needs.
In this PING Golf Irons Model-by-Model Overview, we will go through and explain each iron, what it is made of, the technology story and for whom it is intended. However, we need to cover a few PING-related items first.
PING Release Cycle:
PING irons, in most cases, don’t release every season. This interval can be as short as 18 months or as long as three years or even more, as was the case for the PING i210 irons that were only just replaced by the PING i230 irons.
Cast Versus Forged
PING has traditionally limited their forged offerings. While they do make forged irons, they have a long history of making high-performing, good-feeling cast irons. The difference between forged and cast irons can be debated until we are blue in the face but one thing is for certain: Cast irons last longer and don’t nick or ding nearly as easily as softer forged irons. For the general consumer looking to purchase irons every few years, this is a huge advantage.
PING Fitting and Color Codes
PING is also very big on club fitting, having been one of the first manufacturers to do so. They have an extensive custom fitting program with certified fitters available at a wide variety of locations and shops. The signature “notch” in the hosel is there exactly for this purpose, allowing both cast and forged irons to be bent with greater ease to suit the swing of the golfer playing them.
They also have their signature color code system where different colors designate different lie angles. Lie angle can help influence the direction of your shots and aid in mitigating fades or draws. Change your swing and need a new lie angle on your PING irons? Simple. Send them to PING and they will bend them to your specs and it will only cost the shipping!
Other Technologies and Offerings
High-Density Toe Weight: This helps improve moment of inertia (MOI), otherwise known as forgiveness, by pushing the center of gravity (CG) closer to the toe while increasing the sweet spot for an iron. This weight is typically made of tungsten.
Arccos Swing Sensors: Included with most PING irons is a 14-piece, 45-day free trial of the Arccos app and smart sensor kit. This also includes a putter sensor.
Hydropearl 2.0 Finish: A special coating that helps improve spin and consistency in wet weather conditions. Based on Most Wanted Wedge Testing, it works incredibly well.
Loft Options
- Standard Spec: Normal standard lofts for each iron set.
- Power Spec Loft: Stronger lofts, varying from iron to iron, for more distance through decreased loft. It will lower trajectory, decrease spin and increase overall distance.
- Retro Spec Loft: A more classic loft spec achieved by weakening lofts by two degrees or more thus aiding golfers to achieve their desired trajectory window and ball flight and increase stopping power.
Stock Shafts
For each iron set, there will be a series of no-upcharge stock shafts in graphite and steel. These options allow the club fitter to optimize what shaft flex is best for each golfer and their swing specifications.
PING Grips
There are a variety of grip sizes and offerings available. A golfer can use the PING color-coded chart to help identify the proper grip using hand measurements and texture preferences.
PING has a long history of breaking barriers and making exceptional irons. Now we get to walk through their lineup and help you find what PING iron is best for your game.
PING Irons: Model-by-Model Overview
PING Blueprint T Irons
Release Date: Jan. 25, 2024
Meant For: The elite-level ball striker seeking extreme accuracy and workability.
Hydropearl 2.0 finish: Yes
Available Irons: 3-iron to PW
Shafts: Steel only
About the PING Blueprint T Irons
PING says this is a “refinement of the original Blueprint currently found in the bags of many of our top Tour staffers who prefer the look and feel of a compact, muscle back-style iron.”
The Blueprint T is a single-piece 8620 carbon steel forging that includes “Machined Face & Grooves” as well as a narrower sole for clean turf interaction. The compact shape and look are appealing to those looking for a small blade-style iron with a thinner topline. The PING Blueprint T is a high-performing iron for elite ball strikers such as PING staff player Louis Oosthuizen.
PING Blueprint S Irons
Release Date: Jan. 25, 2024
Meant for: The elite-level ball striker looking for just a bit of additional forgiveness.
Hydropearl 2.0 finish: Yes
Available Irons: 3-iron to PW
Shafts: Steel only
About the PING Blueprint S Irons
Like the Blueprint T, the S was designed with Tour players in mind. However, this fully forged 8620 carbon steel head is not a muscle-back. It has a cavity-back design that works to optimize CG for optimal distance and control.
PING claims to achieve this by their “Precision-Pocket Forging” that is built to improve forgiveness within the long irons. The Precision-Pocket Forging takes weight away from the head and allows an elastomer insert to be added to improve sound and feel. Similar to the T model, the Blueprint S has a smaller look with minimal offset, “Machined Face and Grooves” as well as a narrower sole for elite precision in the long and short irons.
PING i230 Irons
Release Date: Oct. 25, 2023
Meant for: Skilled golfers looking for consistent performance, forgiveness and control.
Hydropearl 2.0 finish: Yes
Available: 3-iron to UW
Shafts: Graphite and steel available
About the PING i230
The PING i230 is a multi-material, five-piece player’s iron with 431 stainless steel, tungsten toe and tip weights as well as an elastomer insert with a multi-part cavity badge. What does all this mean? It means the i230 has a unique construction which allows for a lower CG with more forgiveness, also known as MOI.
While not a forged iron, these boast premium feel and sound due to the four-layer cavity badge that works in tandem with the elastomer insert to dampen undesirable frequencies. That’s combined with a rounded leading edge for better turf interaction and “MicroMax Grooves” to help with consistent spin and ball flight.
A great overall option for those looking for a little added forgiveness in an iron without too much offset or being too big or too small.
PING i530 Irons
Release Date: April 4, 2024
Meant For: Golfers looking for more distance, added forgiveness and not overly concerned about feel.
Hydropearl 2.0 finish: Yes
Available: 3-iron to UW
Shafts: Graphite and steel available
About the PING i530
The i530 is the newest iron we will cover here, along with the G730. This is PING’s player’s distance iron and is their third generation in this category. The PING i530 includes a forged maraging steel C300 face with variable thickness. The body is made of 17-4 stainless steel and, combined with the forged face, allows the hollow body to flex for increased launch and faster ball speeds.
As with other models in the PING lineup, the i530 includes tungsten toe and shaft tip weights for increased MOI as well as to help with ball speed retention across the whole face. The inside of the hollow body is made smaller than the previous generation in order to help improve sound and feel. Finally, the i530 was updated with a player preferred shape to be more appealing for more golfers. PING says these technologies will help with fliers and the extra grooves in higher-lofted clubs will offer more consistent overall distance.
These are a great all-around option for golfers looking to add distance to their irons while still getting premium PING performance. With a pleasing size that is not too big or includes too much offset, the PING i530 is a very playable iron for many skill levels.
PING G430 Iron
Release Date: Jan. 26, 2023
Meant For: Golfers looking for distance and forgiveness in a larger profile iron.
Hydropearl 2.0 finish: Yes
Available: 4-iron to PW. 45.5-, 50-, 54-, 58-degree wedges
Shafts: Graphite and steel available
About the PING G430 Iron
This iron is targeted towards the mid to high handicap golfer looking for added distance and forgiveness. The G430 is packed full of technology including a “proprietary heat-treating process that creates Hyper 17-4 stainless steel and strengthens the face.”
The goal is to allow for more flexing, creating faster ball speeds and higher maximum flight. Combined with their “PurFlex Technology,” it creates more areas of face flexibility in various areas while retaining its integrity, while contributing improved sound and feel.
While the G430 will not magically fix hooks or slices, its perimeter-weighted cavity-back design offers a lot of forgiveness.
The PING G430 also includes a High Launch (HL) version with lighter components. It is intended to help golfers with slower swing speeds increase speed and distance.
The PING G430’s technology, distance and forgiveness make it an all-around performer for a wide range of handicaps.
PING G730 Iron
Release Date: April 4, 2024
Meant For: Golfers looking to maximize distance and in search of an iron that is easier to hit with confidence inspiring shape and size.
Hydropearl 2.0 finish: Yes
Available: 5-iron to U. 50-, 56-degree wedges
Shafts: Graphite and steel available
About The PING G730 Iron
Released alongside the PING i530 irons, the PING G730 is the newest game improvement iron from PING replacing the older G710. It is packed full of technology and built with forgiveness being top of mind.
Some of the technologies that are included in the G730 are carried over from other models. This includes the flexing 17-4 stainless steel face that is heat treated and thinned for maximum ball speed and distance. The G730 is a cavity-back design that implements their “PurFlex” cavity badge which aims to help produce a better sound and creates flex zones, that again help with ball speeds.
The remaining technologies within the G730 work to add control and forgiveness. With machine milled grooves in the four wedge options, opimitzed lofts and a larger head design with more offset. All of this combines to make what PING claim to be their most forgiving iron ever.
Those with slower swing speeds or just wanting more distance and forgiveness definitely deserve to give these a look to be their next new iron set.
PING G Le3 iron/hybrid combo
Release Date: July 18, 2023
Meant For: Purpose-built set for female golfers
Hydropearl 2.0 Chrome Finish: No
Available: 4-7 hybrid, 6-iron to SW
Shafts: Graphite only
About the PING G Le3
These graphite-shafted clubs for female golfers were created to help with gapping and performance. The G Le3 are lightweight irons with a lower CG to help produce more ball speed and a higher trajectory. The inclusion of hybrids aids in the performance gapping throughout the set.
The irons are available with three different loft options while the hybrids have standard loft as the only option. PING includes their two graphite shaft options with two different weights and flexes for a total of four graphite shaft options.
Mike
2 months ago
I used to Ping iron guy until they released the 710 series late in the last decade at $170 each. I was done with things at that point, & I noticed from the clubs above that model of club isn’t there anymore & the “regular” Ping irons, the g430s, are back down to a competitive price.