PING Drops Hints on New i240 Irons and iDi Utility Irons

Teaser season (AKA: TZR SZN) is officially upon us.

Last week, Titleist kicked off the tour seeding and validation process for its upcoming T-Series irons. Now it’s PING’s turn to drop breadcrumbs about what’s presumably coming next—the i240 irons and something called the iDi.

PING i240 Irons

The i240 will almost certainly prove to be the replacement for the i230, and if PING’s history is any indication, we’re looking at another PING iron that punches well above its weight class.

PING’s i-series has always occupied an interesting middle ground. It bridges the gap between the company’s true tour offerings (now the Blueprint series) and its players distance (i530) and game-improvement (G440) irons. What makes the i-series compelling is that it works for a surprisingly broad range of golfers—anywhere from elite players down to low double-digit handicappers.

The i230 is one of those rare irons that fits more players than its profile might suggest. While we’re still waiting for PING to spill the details on what improvements they’ve made, the company is keeping things characteristically close to the vest while their tour staff puts the new sticks through their paces.

PING iDi

Here’s where things get interesting. For now, we’re assuming the iDi is the replacement for PING’s Crossover utility iron, though it’s certainly possible the company is expanding its utility offerings rather than simply replacing what’s already there.

The naming convention might tell us everything we need to know. When the first Crossover launched, PING’s Marty Jertson was adamant about one thing: “It’s not a driving iron.” If we take a small leap and conclude that iDi is short for i-series Driving Iron, then perhaps PING has had a change of heart.

Fine. It’s a driving iron.

If the iDi is indeed set to replace the i-Crossover, it’s got some serious shoes to fill. The i-Crossover is a Most Wanted winner that’s become something of a cult classic inside the walls of MyGolfSpy. While it may not win any beauty contests, it’s almost certainly the easiest utility iron to hit on the market. Relative to its category, the Crossover is one of the most dominant products we’ve ever tested.

That’s a tough act to follow, but that just makes iDi all the more intriguing.

What comes next

Tour seeding is always the first domino to fall in the equipment release cycle.

With both Titleist and PING now testing new irons on tour, expect the official announcements to follow in the coming months.

One thing’s certain: if the i240 can build on the success of the i230, and the iDi can match the performance of the Crossover, PING’s iron lineup is about to get even stronger.

More info as it becomes available.