There is a lot of cool gear in the golf world that doesn’t always fit into Most Wanted Tests or Buyer’s Guides. You still want to know how it performs. In our We Tried It series, we put gear to the test and let you know if it works as advertised.
What We Tried
We Tried It: PING s159 Wedge Custom Program
Your Wedge Crafter
Dave Wolfe – MGS’s Crafty Crafter of Customs (and alliteration artiste)
We Tried It: We Tried It: PING s159 Wedge Custom Program
Don’t you love it when your golf gear looks exactly like your playing partners’ golf gear?
Me neither.
I know the look of your gear (probably) doesn’t change how you play but it does change your mental state when you look at it.
I love custom golf clubs. There is a bit of a dopamine hit when I pull the custom putter or wedge out of the bag while thinking, “Man, that looks cool.”
That little pop of pleasure pushes my mind into a more positive place when I approach a intimidatingly long putt or tight lie. Who’s to say this attitude adjustment doesn’t help me play better as well?
Some of you don’t get the appeal of customizing golf clubs. That’s fine. I’m sure there are lots of things other people love that I don’t see the appeal of, either. How great is it that we all get to like what we like?
Anyway, on today’s customization docket, we have PING’s new s159 custom wedge design program. This will be my second time building custom PING wedges. About two years ago, I ran PING’s Glide Forged Pro customizer through its paces.
Let’s see what this new PING s159 customizer is all about.
The PING s159 Wedge
Before we get to the customization, let’s rehash some of the key features of the PING s159 wedge.
- 25 loft and grind combinations
- Cast 8620 steel with elastomer insert construction
- Tour-refined shape featuring less offset and a straighter front edge
- PING’s hydrophobic Hydropearl 2.0 finish
- Wheel-cut variable dimension grooves to promote spin
- Friction-adding Face Blast finish and in between groove milling
- WebFit Wedge fitting app compatible
PING’s s159 wedge line is one of the most comprehensive lines in golf today. Even without adding the custom options I am exploring today, PING is offering ample variations of the s159 wedge to fit seemingly every golfer’s needs.
You can read Tony’s full launch article here if you want a more detailed accounting of the s159 wedge.
Which PING s159 Wedge Fits?
Wedge grinds confuse me. Not what they are or what they do but more so which grind is appropriate for me.
(OK, so maybe what they are and what they do as well.)
Ideally, I could go to a wedge fitter and we could work together to figure out my ideal grinds. I love having a trusted expert assist me. That way I don’t have to care what the grinds are—I just want to know I have the right ones.
If an in-person wedge fitting is not an option, PING’s WebFit Wedge software may be the next best thing. John Barba recently chronicled all the ins and outs of WebFit Wedge. Click that link for the full story.
To summarize, the WebFit Wedge program asks you questions about your game and where you play. From that data, it recommends the top two grinds for your wedges.
PING’s WebFit Wedge program tells you why it made the selection and also what lofts you should choose for proper gapping.
The standard (S) grind was determined to be the best fit for me. Seems like a middle-of-the-road choice but my turf conditions, sand coarseness and divot sizes were all middle of the road so it makes sense.
PING s159 Custom Wedge Options and Pricing
- Custom graphic = $15.75 additional
- Custom “standard” stamping = $15.00 additional
- Custom “scattered” stamping = $25 additional
- Custom paint fill = $15 additional
Unlike some other customization programs where “going custom” comes with a single set price, the custom options for the PING’s s159 wedge can be ordered a la carte.
This way, you only pay for the options you want.
If you just want to change the paint on your wedge, that’ll be $15. Should you want new paint and a custom graphic, that will run you $30.75.
I see this as a very consumer-friendly way to price the customization program. Pay for what you want, not for what you don’t. If you want minimal customizations, your wedge price should not creep too much above the retail price of the wedge.
Dave’s PING s159 Custom Set Build
Based upon my normal gapping preference, I went with a loft scheme of 50/54/58 degrees. As I mentioned, the WebFit Wedge software put me into a S-grind for all three.
It’s a little boring to be “standard” but if that is the grind that suits my game and where I usually play, I’m OK with it being boring.
My plan in terms of aesthetics was to follow the theme of my previous PING custom wedge build. I wanted to make the 50 patriotic, the 54 fun and purple and the 58 Sun Devil-themed.
I had to alter the plan slightly as the “Bite” graphic I had previously added to the Glide Forged Pro 54 degree was no longer an option. I thought about adding one of the other graphics, like a dollar sign, but ultimately I doubled up with the scattered dancing Pingman graphic since that is my favorite.
As for the more construction options, I had all three wedges bent two degrees up and shafted with Dynamic Gold 105 shafts. In both cases, this was done to match my current iron specs.
PING’s elongated wedge grip is one of my favorite PING wedge options, custom or otherwise, making its inclusion in the build an obvious choice.
You’ll Still Need To Go To Your Local Shop.
Just like with PING’s PLD Milled Plus custom putter program, you will need to place your wedge order at an in-person or online PING retailer.
While this may seem annoying, it is actually a great way to be sure your build is correct before sending it to PING.
You’d hate to go through all the trouble of designing your wedge only to have it show up left-handed.
As I mentioned when talking about the PLD Milled Plus program, I also appreciate that this is a way that PING can maintain a relationship with their retailers. If the custom wedge program was strictly direct to consumers, that relationship would be diminished.
The Finished Products
My first thought when I opened the box of wedges was that I did not want to hit balls with them. Seriously, the last thing I wanted to do was to scratch these beauties.
Obviously, I did throw them in the bag. Clubs need to be hit. Still, the first time I hit the 54 out of the sand I did feel like The Narrator pummeling Angel Face in a basement scrap.
Overall, I found the wedges to be very similar-looking in hand to what was shown on the computer screen. I’m glad I doubled up on the Pingman graphic.
Initially, I thought the repeated graphic could prove confusing in the golf bag but the different paint colors make it easy to differentiate between them.
Going with the same shaft as my irons proved to be a recipe for immediate comfort. In the past, I’ve played wedges that were a bit stiffer and/or heavier than my irons.
Someone recommended that build concept to me at some point and I just went with it for the next decade or two.
Regardless, going with the same shaft as my irons was the correct call this time.
The PING wedge grips are once again standouts. In the couple of rounds since I’ve added the s159 wedges to my bag, I’ve had a couple of situations where choking down to the bottom of the grip was the right play.
So far, I am finding the PING s159 wedges to be an improvement over the 2021 Glide Forged Pro model. The s159 has a more appealing shape and seems to be more forgiving.
The PING s159 wedges are doing what I tell them to do, especially on short shots around the green. I wish they could tell the rest of my clubs to behave as well.
(Yes, I’m calling you out in public, Mr. Pulled 8i Approach Shot.)
Final Thoughts on the PING s159 Custom Wedge Program
If you are in the market for new wedges and you want to give them a bit of your own flavor, the PING s159 Wedge Customizer is the way to go.
You can use the WebFit Wedge software to determine exactly which wedges you should be playing for your game and then customize the looks of the wedges to your liking.
Remember, you’ll only be paying for the options you want this time around.
PING has done a great job of making the wedge selection and the wedge customization process very consumer friendly. Realistically, you don’t need to know anything about the differences between the grinds.
If you’ve entered your play and course information correctly, PING will let you know what you should be playing. There are explanations available but if you want to go with what PING says and slap on a bit of purple paint, I’ll not be the one to judge you harshly.
Build you own custom PING s159 custom wedge at: PING.com
FAQ: PING s159 Custom Wedge Designer
What happened to the “Bite” teeth engraving?
I know! Maybe I was the only person who picked that option with the Glide Forged Pro custom designer so PING dropped it. I loved it as it was random and the teeth made me laugh. If I had a suggestion for the current program, it would be to expand the laser-engraving options.
Is there a raw finish option?
Nope. You are looking at black or silver as your finish options. Rust doesn’t add spin anyway.
When are you choking down to the bottom of the grip?
Typically, this is a tight pin solution. I call them “baby shots”, gripping the club at the bottom of the grip and hitting very short chips or pitches. I suppose you could also take baby flop shots but I’m not that brave.
When are the Most Wanted Wedge results coming?
That I don’t know but I expect that the s159 wedges will do well.
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