PING Reinvents i-series with i iron

Written By: Tony Covey

PING i-series irons are for…well, it’s perhaps not as cut and dry as it used to be. Always slotted between PING’s player-centric S-series, and the more-forgiving G-series, the i-series is a textbook example for neither a better player iron, nor a game-improvement iron.

It lives the middle.

i25, and now just plain i occupies a space that’s not easily defined. It’s a nebulous middle ground where not only is PING content, but it believes there’s an opportunity to expand the reach of the i-series to impact a broader range of players.

Where does i actually fit? Nearly everywhere.

i is a Game-Improvement Iron

While definitely not a G-series design, i offers a progressive design where the long irons have a larger footprint, which provides more forgiveness while making it easier to get the ball in the air.

In what could be considered a nod to modern game-improvement design, the shaft lengths in the i’s 3-9 irons have been increased by 1/4″ (compared to i25) and lofts in the 3-8 irons have been strengthened by 1° (also compared to i25). i25 has a reputation for being a bit on the short side, i will play a bit more like a game-improvement iron from a distance perspective.

While not as broad as those found on many game-improvement designs, soles on the i have been widened through the entire set to provide better turf interaction for a broader range of players.

By using 431 stainless steel for the first time PING was able to save weight. That savings along with a deeper position for the custom tuning port, allowed for more weight to be placed around the perimeter. That along with Tungsten toe weighting increases forgiveness in the 3-7 irons.

If that’s not a game-improvement story, then I’ve never heard one.

That 431 material along with a softer CTP insert contribute to an iron that offers an overall softer feel than its predecessor.

Softer feel? That’s not something we talk about a lot when we talk game-improvement. Softer feel makes sense because…

i is a Player’s Iron

PING put a lot of effort into reshaping the i iron to make it more appealing to better players. Even with the broader soles, the top rail is over 5% thinner than it is on the i25. Offset has been reduced too, and by pushing the custom tuning port deeper, PING has made it nearly invisible. The sum total of those three things is an iron with much cleaner lines than its predecessor.

And while it’s true that some better players may not like the bigger long irons, the scoring clubs are comparatively more compact and workable.

Toss in PING’s new satin brushed finish and well…i is starting to sound like an offering for better players, isn’t it?

i Iron Specs

Contradiction or Clever Design

There are some apparent contradictions within i iron’s design. Depending on your perspective you may see an iron that doesn’t fit cleanly in any category, or you may see something with near universal appeal. In all likelihood the contradiction is by design.

“New technology and clean and traditional are often at odds with each other.”, said PING’s Paul Wood. “i gave us the opportunity to come up with clever ways to combine the two.”

As you might imagine, the broad reach of the i iron does blur the lines between models, but PING seems entirely comfortable with that.

Potential S55 customers may find the i iron workable-enough and be drawn to the added forgiveness and distance of the i iron, while the potential G30 customer may find it forgiving-enough and long-enough, while being drawn to the added workability of the design.

In truth i is a little bit of everything, so for many the decision may simply come down to which design works best or perhaps even what looks right at address.

Zero Upcharge Shafts

Like the GMax iron, the stock shaft for the i iron is PING CFS steel or CFS graphite. Dynamic Gold (S300, X100), Project X (5.0, 6.0), DG XP 95 (R,S), and Nippon Modus³ 105 (stiff,x) are now available as no cost upgrades.

Textbook PING

While the i may not fit cleaning in any one category, the company’s approach to the new iron is emblematic of much of what we appreciate about PING. Just because something new is here, doesn’t mean what you have is obsolete.

i is incrementally better technology that isn’t likely to make you feel like what you already have is totally obsolete. Like most new PING products, i is a progression that builds upon what came before it without diminishing it.

Pricing and Availability

PING i irons are available for pre-sale today with finished product shipping to customers on July 30. Per club MSRP is $135 steel and $150 graphite.