I don't care what golf channels and Pro's there are on UA-cam - your reviews are the best, bar none. Always insightful and honest; keep them coming bruh.
From the back, one of the best looking irons out there. Really interesting technology packed into this club. And love that they’re offering retro-lofts amidst this “distance” trend. Ping is still the leading innovator in the industry.
Those irons look absolutely stunning. I have never been a fan of PING in the past as I thought their clubs looked ugly, cheap and felt terrible. Love the new direction they are headed and I can’t wait to demo them myself. The three different loft choices is brilliant as well. Way to go PING!
Just got fitted for a combo set of the i500 and i210’s.Perfect combo of distance and forgiveness in the lower lofts and feel and control in the higher lofts.
I got fitted about a week ago for these. It wasn’t my preference but I said put me with what’s best, I launched it higher and kept the spin I had with my psi tours. I’m a digger with a steep swing and I’m excited to have the distance and spin.
Great review. I tried them a few days ago and I was blown away. After the first few strikes I was excited. As a 60 plus year old looking for the elixir of youth to take me back 20 years or more these are the answer. I immediately ordered a set and am awaiting delivery now.
As for me, it's retro lofts. I play Mizuno T-Zoid Pros. Completely forged, no gimmicks, with traditional lofts. Personally, I don't care if my mates outhit me. My handicap is low enough that I'm concerned about launch and decent angles. The only thing that produces that is an old school loft. As you said, Mark, about giving spin to the course, I can't manipulate a low lofted club like a high lofted because there isn't enough to "play" with. I get you Mark. Great review. In this world of pc, I appreciate your diplomatic conclusion.
Tried these today Mark. I was getting 6500-7000 spin with the 7 iron. I really liked the feel as well. I also tested the AP2s and P790s. I liked all three but the numbers were best with the P790, i500 was second and the AP2s were 3rd. Thanks for the review. Very helpful!
Great review mark, I personally think that this new breed of iron is great for golfers, It gives the feeling that even the mid to higher handicappers can now play a more desirable players iron without sacrificing to much forgiveness.
Great to see the club reviews back, have always been a fan of this video series. Love the loft ideas Ping have brought to the table with the i500. Will be interesting to see if any other manufacturers pick up this idea in the future.
I appreciate your attention to hitting different shots when testing clubs and your reference to having clubs custom fit. I agree the marketing hype golf broadcasts and social media have pushed companies like Ping to change equipment presentation. The great thing about the i500 is the offset and topline mesh seamlessly with the iBlade. I have chosen to do a combo set 3-5 i500 and 6-w iBlade with retro lofts. After playing iBlades, I want the help in the longer approach shots.
Amazing review. Love the bit where you establish you are at the 9 iron distance then proceed to hit a 7 iron and roll your eyes when it's long 👍🏻. Superb #DPlane #262 #Opinions
Great honest review and thumbs up to Ping for acknowledging the lofts on irons these days are getting stronger and stronger and giving you options to go back to 'true' lofts. Well done Ping for standing up and being counted. This goes a lot further than a brand being popular, it gives you an honest and believable focus and direction from Ping. Fair play!
I just got fitted into the i500’s and received them last week. They are a fantastic set of irons. It came down to the i500’s and the TM 790’s. The i500’s felt better to me. The 790’s felt more firm.
It would be great to test these on the course. The problem lies with being able to find a set to use for a round! Thats not always an option Mark, thats what we have you for. Keep up the great work mate!
Go out and try these Mike, i=ve had S55 as well in my bag but yesterday when i hit the I500, dear lord i was sold! the feel when you hit it is just so pure! Ordered them immediately
Film i Österbotten They do look amazing and then being forged is a plus too but the profile of the iron is a little big from what I'm used too. Also the spin numbers would be a concern. They do look great tho
Very perceptive comment about Ping and their custom fit heritage. It’s great that they’ve added design and looks to the mix. At first glance, these look like clubs Nick Faldo was playing back in 1988. That’s the Holy Grail for me. Thanks for another refreshingly obsessive look at a golf club. That’s what we want.
Hi Mark, great review will definitely try these out when I'm in the market for some irons, I met you at Dawlish when you were filming, I'm going to change my driver (915) first as I hit yours 10 ft from the green on the14th, 915 was 78 yards. Nice to meet you yesterday. Cheers Colin
Got fitted today. Thought I would end up with P790. Gave AP3 and the new i500 a try. Kept coming back to the i500. The consistancy was the best for me. Seems like the face is more forgiving somehow. Even on toe or other misfires, still hits the distance number. Tried i210 also...wasnt for me. Only downside is it flies the ball higher, which could be more of a problem in wind. I was using the standard i500.
Great review! I'm glad that you are emphasizing on course playability rather than just launch monitor data. Loving the three different loft options, as well.
Is it really a need or is this something that the club marketeers have created to simply sell more clubs? Why can't we be content to be a little shorter as we get older? If I buy into this power loft thing then I have to now be able to control my side spin which is going to be even greater since I'm even longer. I think Mark is the only channel out there that is calling it for what it is. Good comment Howie!
If I was PING I'd be so tempted to bring out a cast iron with 'forged' written on it to demonstrate how some people are conditioned to associate the word 'forged' with 'softness' even when there's almost no mass behind the sweet spot. Good review.
Great as usual Mark, you have developed a great formula for reviewing clubs and it’s been great to watch your evolution. Players distance irons seem to be the fad probably starting with pxg (although they never marketed it like that) then P790, AP3s etc etc. They are being a little loose with the word forged though as you stated, sure a part of the club head is forged but not a true forging which is why the spin is what it is as well as the feel. It does give them carte blanche to charge a premium price though. As always keep up the good work!
Nice self gimme on the 5th. i birdied that and my wife parred it. prior to us walking off the course. ( where we bumped into you ) glad you had a good day.
I get why these type of clubs are being made... but at the same time I don’t. Surely it’s what most people want (which is obviously why they’re making them) but not what most people actually need...? Another top review! 👍🏼
Who's giving this a thumbs down? Wow. Good stuff. Love the idea of retro lofts! How do you spell Brah? Bruh? As a side note, was in England two summers ago for 7 days (from the US). Loved it!
great info as always. One thing I find interesting is that people always knock on distance irons due to reduced spin and shot holding. for example the 7 iron in this set spins less than the i210 7 iron. It also goes about a club further. I think a better comparison would be to look at the spin rate for distance carried. Under that scenario, you'd likely be comparing the i500 8 iron to the i210 7 iron. I have no idea if the spin rates under those comparisons would be similar or not. The reason I think this is important is I'd like to know the answer regarding the spin rates on a shot from 150 yards for example. The number on the bottom on the club doesn't mean that much to me. my guess is that the i210 would still spin a little more.
I agree 100%. Sometimes I believe Mark Crossfield gets hung up on spin for what the club is.. for instance, a 7 iron traditionally we've always thought about it spinning 7 x 1000, or 7,000 rpms. For Mark, he normally spins a 7 iron blade closer 6,500. But he carries his bladed 7 around 155 or so. For him to hit the shot above in the video closer to 167 from his bladed irons, he's going to have to take his 6 iron. Because of that, from that distance, with his blade, his spin is going to be about 5,500. With this club, he's going to take the 7 iron, and the spin is going to be 5,270.. I guess the bottom line is if he's approaching a flag that is 167 out, he's going to be spinning close to the same rate with either club--his Titliest MB's or the Ping i500. Now one will say a 7 on the bottom while the other will say a 6. Now what's interesting, he probably will come in with close to the same spin with the Ping i500, but will fly it higher that his bladed 6 from the same distance.. so argueably, he will have greater stopping power with the "delofted" club that he would with his blade... For me, the bigger issue isn't stopping power, or spin rates, etc.. because for given distances as stated above your rates will be relatively the same since you'll probably use different clubs. The big issues become gapping. Many times with PW to 9 to 8.. the lower half of the bag they decreasing each club by 5 degrees in some cases, then by the time you get to the 6 oto 5 to 4, they are decreasing by 2.5 or 3 degrees between clubs sometimes.. so you don't get the nice 10 to 12 yard difference between each club as you'd typically like. So you have gaps as you progress through your set, and then your longer clubs tend to bunch together in terms of distances. Although in this case with the Ping i500, they did seem to progress pretty decent from the 7 to the 5.. but many other "delofted" clubs don't seem to get a nice progression of distances between clubs. These aren't as strong as many other sets today out on the market.
excellent points. I don't even carry my 4-iron any more (I skip it and carry the 3-iron and 5-iron). Also, part of this distance on this i500 is tech, and part of is de-lofting (see Ping.com's spec sheets to see what i'm talking about). I've got the power-spec version in a set of iblades i bought earlier this year, and the power-spec in mine match the "standard" lofts (or close to it) in these new i500's. Golfers in general would be so much better off if they just went to the range and figured out what distance they hit their clubs and tried to just repeat this action on the course, and just totally disregard the club a "stronger" member of their group hits.
20 year old technolgy .. maraging face ... still got my Orlimar tri-metals.... my pro can hit my 6 iron 220 yards !!!!..... but awesome looking club ... forged they are not .... you wont be distance consistent with these ... they look amazing ... excellent review ....
Rick shields says soft feeling, you say not really. 🤦🏻♂️ I watch you both, great breakdown of all clubs but I guess it all boils down to what feels best for you as the golfer, Keep doing what you’re doing. 👍🏻
I hit them today (inside). I agree with your conclusion, namely, that Ping has executed better in the player's distance category than anyone else, which makes sense, given it had the last crack at it. FTR, I thought these were the best feeling hollows I've hit and I've hit them all. That said, I would genuinely appreciate your opinion on the 500s versus the 718 T-MB. Please?
Bit late to the game but I went to Gainsborough for fitting. Never been a ping cast fan but I won free fitting and clubs at a golf event. Anyway I got brilliant consistant numbers with these over the Iblades but hated the 'tinny' sound and feel. I can't bring myself to buy them even though the trackman numbers were so great!
Good to see Ping offering different lofts and pulling the curtain back a little on the other manufacturers out there trying to sell you clubs by putting a no. 7 on the sole of a 5 iron.
Mark, would like you to discuss this with AVG - they produced a video a few months ago showing that, for the same loft, there was no difference in spin between blades and cavity back irons
Awesome review but I think I like the iBlade more. I currently play s55, I am looking for a second set to keep at a friends house so I can ride motorcycle to course and meet him there.
And I would totally fit this demographic. I'm a good ballstriker with a 95 mph driver swing. Hdcp 9. Because the carry is consistent, extra length is a gift... Just chuck an extra gap wedge in Between UW and SW and ditch the 5 iron
Top vid Mark! Really interesting this from Ping. Good looking clubs and just like you say, they've thought about the NO BS perspective that Mark Crossfield followers are looking for.
Hey Mark, massive fan. However 151 down off your breeze likely a 9 iron with this set. Who cutting one back takes 2 extra clubs and then is surprised when it flies long? Hmm. Odd. Reminder I absolutely think you are the best at giving great and honest reviews.
I would describe the "power" lofted set for the older, lower handicapper player. Who still hits a baĺl consistent and still wants the bladed look. Now requiring a little help in the distance department.
Great review. Wonder of Ping and Titleist don't use foam to avoid a lawsuit from PXG? The foam would help on the sound. Should still flex in the face similar to Taylor or PXG....hmmmm? You touched on the spin of the 5 compared to the 7. Maybe a good thing for a slightly slower swing. The extra spin of the 5 iron combined with the stronger loft will help that stronger loft stay in the air longer for the slower swing. Most golfers would want a little extra in the 7, so the lower spin higher flight could help with that. Of course not holding the green on a 3/4 swing cut into the wind is concerning...always a trade off....
I like that Ping are honest about the jacked lofts and offer the "retro" loft option as well. I just don't like the sound/feel of this type of hollow irons with the exception of the MP-H5 long irons I used to own that sounded/felt quite nice. For the older, better player golfer who has started to lose some of the zip on their swing - these could be just the ticket to dial back the clock a few years for them.
Don't want to hog this but I love the fact that you mentioned how much of a penalty you paid for a mis-hit and I would like it if you always do that on purpose to let us know that. I am playing my old PIng=Zings right now. I know I am giving up some distance,probably 1/2 to a club depending, but a mis-hit isn't penal to the point of alot of clubs. A low strike on my tailor made 6 might add 15-20 yards, and a high one might take off 20-30. My zings will be 10 yards max either way.
Great review Mark! I think these will make a nice 3 or 4 iron replacement. I'm not so sure about the middle and bottom of the set. In any case, they are very interesting.
Bridgestone did this years ago with the j15df. Phenomenal irons that can be had used for very cheap now. Too bad Bridgestone club presence in the US is minuscule.
Fascinating offering from Ping, watch this space for all the other manufacturers to copy the ideas. They look gorgeous but are probably too expensive for my pocket sadly.
What the hell. Who saved the channel? Great review Mark. They do look good and being hollow with a screw port I have somewhere to put my 20 yr old scotch while I'm playing. The 3 different lofts is a great idea because I think gapping could be a problem if they do what I'm reading. Just my opinion.
Currently waiting for the arrival of this beauties .... 1/2 inch longer dynamic gold stiff black dot setup.... happy to share the experience at my home club Tall Pines, next to Bristol Airport, if you’re man enough to brave the wind 😂🏌️♂️😂
They should call them the ‘Ping Club Pro’. They look like a blade/players iron with little offset. But you can still hit them when you haven’t been on the course in 3 weeks.
What a nice clear review. I am confused about loft wars because I grew up playing a 44 degree 9 iron and a 36 degree 7 iron and I still prefer those lofts. Surely a lot of this is just calling the irons something that they are not? There must be a huge amount of launch monitor data around to show the causal relationships between clubhead speed, ball speed, iron lofts and distance? What does that show, Mark? It would be interesting for sure. Probably the simple relationship is that higher ball speeds with lower lofts equals more distance (and less spin)? Probably a straight line relationship? Is spin always lower with lower lofts? I suppose it should be. Anyway, I think that the word from Einstein was that you can't create energy from nothing! My suspicion is that the Retro i500 seven iron would probably go much the same distance as an old Eye 2 seven iron. The i500s look fabulous however. Nice, like all Ping stuff.
Great review. You express very well all the interesting questions that product is asking. Beautiful irons really, not sure I want to sacrifice any spin. It almost looks like Ping guys felt compelled to play the stupid distance game other makers are playing, but didn't feel like going all the way...
Fantastic review as always. Beautiful looking iron, with the lofting idea being a stroke of genius. Chuck my ego to one side, forget the power spec...I'd defo love to try a set of these. Can see these being a massive hit, but how many people will they actual suit? I aren't sure. Top work though as usual by the top club manufacturer in golf IMO.
Thanks Mark - great review as always bruh! Very interesting to see Ping’s evolution of their iron offerings over the last couple of years. I think iBlade was a huge game changer for them and has kind of spurred this venturing into cool new areas, pushing the proverbial envelope all while still staying honest to their heritage. If I’m looking at this iron as a stand-alone set, I think it could just slide in the bag as a very neat 4-PW set and then throw in 2 to 3 Glide forged wedges. Blending it say with iBlade might be interesting. I never truly felt like i200 blended well with iBlade due to the big difference in offset of the 200. We’ll have to see if iBlade 2.0 is on the near horizon and if it will align more in terms of blending with i500 or i210. My only issue with their offering is the G400. It just looks like a complete misfit now in terms of style and design with the rest of these gorgeous looking satin irons. Might not hurt Ping to also throw a few marketing dollars at hiring a brand naming consultant. Their numbering and naming system is so strange. IBlade, i210, i500, G400, G700. Do these numbers even make any sense? Wouldn’t i400 have made more sense or G500. I’m not by any means brainwashed by TM, but you have to respect the smart and cohesive marketing in the P series irons and M series irons/drivers. And finally huge kudos to Ping for biting the bullet and throwing that all important “forged” stamp on a set of their irons. That is smart. Tell me they didn’t just turn a few million golfer’s heads now who would never look at Ping twice bc they are cast clubs. Maybe it is just a forged face insert, but we do love our little forged stamping son our irons and you can bet there’s a boat load more market share coming their way now due to that one little word etched on the back of that smooth satin finish! 😂
if your a skilled golfer no doubt you cqn make these work , the sound is barely anything honestly , but you obviously had a negative thought before you even tested them I guess, Ive played a year with them and thought they were better easiy than the i200 which some tour pros even used , just saying love them and hit them a lot higher when comparing a 6iron to these 7 irons and still higher , great club blows away p790 easily because distances are so true compared to other distance irons that jump in that area
Does speed go into what loft spec I should get? What is desired descent angle for a 4-PW set? Is there a source for this info? Thanks again for being so informative!
I don't care what golf channels and Pro's there are on UA-cam - your reviews are the best, bar none. Always insightful and honest; keep them coming bruh.
From the back, one of the best looking irons out there. Really interesting technology packed into this club. And love that they’re offering retro-lofts amidst this “distance” trend. Ping is still the leading innovator in the industry.
Those irons look absolutely stunning. I have never been a fan of PING in the past as I thought their clubs looked ugly, cheap and felt terrible. Love the new direction they are headed and I can’t wait to demo them myself. The three different loft choices is brilliant as well. Way to go PING!
Just got fitted for a combo set of the i500 and i210’s.Perfect combo of distance and forgiveness in the lower lofts and feel and control in the higher lofts.
Great idea Ping. What gorgeous clubs. Very tempted but not sure I could leave my Wilson irons.
I got fitted about a week ago for these. It wasn’t my preference but I said put me with what’s best, I launched it higher and kept the spin I had with my psi tours. I’m a digger with a steep swing and I’m excited to have the distance and spin.
What a thorough, well thought out, and well presented review Mark. Your reviews keep getting better and better!
Just got these delivered to the shop, can't wait to have a play after work, they look amazeballs
Great review. I tried them a few days ago and I was blown away. After the first few strikes I was excited. As a 60 plus year old looking for the elixir of youth to take me back 20 years or more these are the answer. I immediately ordered a set and am awaiting delivery now.
As for me, it's retro lofts. I play Mizuno T-Zoid Pros. Completely forged, no gimmicks, with traditional lofts. Personally, I don't care if my mates outhit me. My handicap is low enough that I'm concerned about launch and decent angles. The only thing that produces that is an old school loft. As you said, Mark, about giving spin to the course, I can't manipulate a low lofted club like a high lofted because there isn't enough to "play" with. I get you Mark. Great review. In this world of pc, I appreciate your diplomatic conclusion.
Tried these today Mark. I was getting 6500-7000 spin with the 7 iron. I really liked the feel as well. I also tested the AP2s and P790s. I liked all three but the numbers were best with the P790, i500 was second and the AP2s were 3rd. Thanks for the review. Very helpful!
Just got fit for these and got them in the bag! So far I love them.
Great review mark, I personally think that this new breed of iron is great for golfers, It gives the feeling that even the mid to higher handicappers can now play a more desirable players iron without sacrificing to much forgiveness.
These last few sets from ping have upped the ante in the look of the clubs when compared to other so called players irons. Very slick. Thanks mate.
Great to see the club reviews back, have always been a fan of this video series. Love the loft ideas Ping have brought to the table with the i500. Will be interesting to see if any other manufacturers pick up this idea in the future.
I appreciate your attention to hitting different shots when testing clubs and your reference to having clubs custom fit. I agree the marketing hype golf broadcasts and social media have pushed companies like Ping to change equipment presentation. The great thing about the i500 is the offset and topline mesh seamlessly with the iBlade. I have chosen to do a combo set 3-5 i500 and 6-w iBlade with retro lofts. After playing iBlades, I want the help in the longer approach shots.
Amazing review. Love the bit where you establish you are at the 9 iron distance then proceed to hit a 7 iron and roll your eyes when it's long 👍🏻. Superb #DPlane #262 #Opinions
Great honest review and thumbs up to Ping for acknowledging the lofts on irons these days are getting stronger and stronger and giving you options to go back to 'true' lofts. Well done Ping for standing up and being counted. This goes a lot further than a brand being popular, it gives you an honest and believable focus and direction from Ping. Fair play!
It’s 2020 and I’m still watching this!!! Would love to try these bad boys even being from 2018
That's why I'm here lol
Had to check out a couple of ping reviews. Got fitted a couple of days ago and while I didnt end up with i500, they got me curious =)
I just got fitted into the i500’s and received them last week. They are a fantastic set of irons. It came down to the i500’s and the TM 790’s. The i500’s felt better to me. The 790’s felt more firm.
5 minute mark swing w ball flight. thing of beauty
It would be great to test these on the course. The problem lies with being able to find a set to use for a round! Thats not always an option Mark, thats what we have you for. Keep up the great work mate!
Three different lofts. Brilliant, Gutsy, Innovative. Reminds me of Beefed Up S 55.
Great Review!
I still game the s55 gonna take one hell of a club to get them out of my bag!!
Go out and try these Mike, i=ve had S55 as well in my bag but yesterday when i hit the I500, dear lord i was sold! the feel when you hit it is just so pure! Ordered them immediately
Film i Österbotten They do look amazing and then being forged is a plus too but the profile of the iron is a little big from what I'm used too. Also the spin numbers would be a concern. They do look great tho
Very perceptive comment about Ping and their custom fit heritage. It’s great that they’ve added design and looks to the mix. At first glance, these look like clubs Nick Faldo was playing back in 1988. That’s the Holy Grail for me.
Thanks for another refreshingly obsessive look at a golf club. That’s what we want.
Hi Mark, great review will definitely try these out when I'm in the market for some irons, I met you at Dawlish when you were filming, I'm going to change my driver (915) first as I hit yours 10 ft from the green on the14th, 915 was 78 yards. Nice to meet you yesterday. Cheers Colin
Got fitted today. Thought I would end up with P790. Gave AP3 and the new i500 a try. Kept coming back to the i500. The consistancy was the best for me. Seems like the face is more forgiving somehow. Even on toe or other misfires, still hits the distance number. Tried i210 also...wasnt for me. Only downside is it flies the ball higher, which could be more of a problem in wind. I was using the standard i500.
Great review! I'm glad that you are emphasizing on course playability rather than just launch monitor data. Loving the three different loft options, as well.
Just been fitted for these irons. Look amazing! Def slightly low spin numbers but I’m fine with that
Very fair review, Mark. I don't like the power irons trend, because of gapping and spin issues, but I'm sure they fill a need for lots of golfers.
Is it really a need or is this something that the club marketeers have created to simply sell more clubs? Why can't we be content to be a little shorter as we get older? If I buy into this power loft thing then I have to now be able to control my side spin which is going to be even greater since I'm even longer. I think Mark is the only channel out there that is calling it for what it is. Good comment Howie!
If I was PING I'd be so tempted to bring out a cast iron with 'forged' written on it to demonstrate how some people are conditioned to associate the word 'forged' with 'softness' even when there's almost no mass behind the sweet spot. Good review.
Great as usual Mark, you have developed a great formula for reviewing clubs and it’s been great to watch your evolution. Players distance irons seem to be the fad probably starting with pxg (although they never marketed it like that) then P790, AP3s etc etc. They are being a little loose with the word forged though as you stated, sure a part of the club head is forged but not a true forging which is why the spin is what it is as well as the feel. It does give them carte blanche to charge a premium price though. As always keep up the good work!
Nice self gimme on the 5th. i birdied that and my wife parred it. prior to us walking off the course. ( where we bumped into you ) glad you had a good day.
most intriguing iron set from Ping to me. Thanks for the good review always.
I get why these type of clubs are being made... but at the same time I don’t. Surely it’s what most people want (which is obviously why they’re making them) but not what most people actually need...? Another top review! 👍🏼
Fantastic review as always... so many important points for us to take on board before going and trying for ourselves 👍
Love the idea of a players distance iron, its what ping needed
Tried them today and really liked them. Great review.
They certainly look the tommys....id love a set!!!
Would be really interested in seeing these reviewed with the retro loft
Who's giving this a thumbs down? Wow. Good stuff. Love the idea of retro lofts!
How do you spell Brah? Bruh?
As a side note, was in England two summers ago for 7 days (from the US). Loved it!
great info as always. One thing I find interesting is that people always knock on distance irons due to reduced spin and shot holding. for example the 7 iron in this set spins less than the i210 7 iron. It also goes about a club further. I think a better comparison would be to look at the spin rate for distance carried. Under that scenario, you'd likely be comparing the i500 8 iron to the i210 7 iron. I have no idea if the spin rates under those comparisons would be similar or not. The reason I think this is important is I'd like to know the answer regarding the spin rates on a shot from 150 yards for example. The number on the bottom on the club doesn't mean that much to me. my guess is that the i210 would still spin a little more.
I agree 100%. Sometimes I believe Mark Crossfield gets hung up on spin for what the club is.. for instance, a 7 iron traditionally we've always thought about it spinning 7 x 1000, or 7,000 rpms. For Mark, he normally spins a 7 iron blade closer 6,500. But he carries his bladed 7 around 155 or so. For him to hit the shot above in the video closer to 167 from his bladed irons, he's going to have to take his 6 iron. Because of that, from that distance, with his blade, his spin is going to be about 5,500. With this club, he's going to take the 7 iron, and the spin is going to be 5,270.. I guess the bottom line is if he's approaching a flag that is 167 out, he's going to be spinning close to the same rate with either club--his Titliest MB's or the Ping i500. Now one will say a 7 on the bottom while the other will say a 6. Now what's interesting, he probably will come in with close to the same spin with the Ping i500, but will fly it higher that his bladed 6 from the same distance.. so argueably, he will have greater stopping power with the "delofted" club that he would with his blade... For me, the bigger issue isn't stopping power, or spin rates, etc.. because for given distances as stated above your rates will be relatively the same since you'll probably use different clubs. The big issues become gapping. Many times with PW to 9 to 8.. the lower half of the bag they decreasing each club by 5 degrees in some cases, then by the time you get to the 6 oto 5 to 4, they are decreasing by 2.5 or 3 degrees between clubs sometimes.. so you don't get the nice 10 to 12 yard difference between each club as you'd typically like. So you have gaps as you progress through your set, and then your longer clubs tend to bunch together in terms of distances. Although in this case with the Ping i500, they did seem to progress pretty decent from the 7 to the 5.. but many other "delofted" clubs don't seem to get a nice progression of distances between clubs. These aren't as strong as many other sets today out on the market.
excellent points. I don't even carry my 4-iron any more (I skip it and carry the 3-iron and 5-iron). Also, part of this distance on this i500 is tech, and part of is de-lofting (see Ping.com's spec sheets to see what i'm talking about). I've got the power-spec version in a set of iblades i bought earlier this year, and the power-spec in mine match the "standard" lofts (or close to it) in these new i500's. Golfers in general would be so much better off if they just went to the range and figured out what distance they hit their clubs and tried to just repeat this action on the course, and just totally disregard the club a "stronger" member of their group hits.
20 year old technolgy .. maraging face ... still got my Orlimar tri-metals.... my pro can hit my 6 iron 220 yards !!!!..... but awesome looking club ... forged they are not .... you wont be distance consistent with these ... they look amazing ... excellent review ....
Finally PING have a really good way to combo up a set. Not many friendly low offset clubs to choose from out there.
Rick shields says soft feeling, you say not really. 🤦🏻♂️ I watch you both, great breakdown of all clubs but I guess it all boils down to what feels best for you as the golfer, Keep doing what you’re doing. 👍🏻
Great review. I agree that Ping is playing the game smart by providing 3 sets of lofts. Great thoughts Mark. Cheers.
Greens looking lovely at Dawlish 👍
Another genuine...no BS review. Keep on keeping it real Mark!
Props to ping for the lofts no silly set up where your 3 iron is tradition but your pw is the loft of a traditional 9 iron.
Great unbiased review, great looking clubs, not for me, but I hope people buy them and enjoy using them.
Best review i have seen from you in a long time
Great review Mark, keep up the good work!
Good review. Can you compare against the taylormade P790 as they seem to be aiming at the same market.
Good video mark, I see what you mean about the feel. Will be interesting to see how customers interpret the forged badge
Just received the mygolfspy-review and you're up next: great speed mr Crossfield! You don't need these irons!
Stunning clubs. Would look even better without that little screw. Great review. Loving the loft option too.
I hit them today (inside). I agree with your conclusion, namely, that Ping has executed better in the player's distance category than anyone else, which makes sense, given it had the last crack at it. FTR, I thought these were the best feeling hollows I've hit and I've hit them all. That said, I would genuinely appreciate your opinion on the 500s versus the 718 T-MB. Please?
Bit late to the game but I went to Gainsborough for fitting. Never been a ping cast fan but I won free fitting and clubs at a golf event. Anyway I got brilliant consistant numbers with these over the Iblades but hated the 'tinny' sound and feel. I can't bring myself to buy them even though the trackman numbers were so great!
Did you win a fitting and clubs or do you have to buy them?
Hmmmm my Ping Eye 2's might be in some serious trouble. Retro loft is looking really really good to me! Thanks Mark
Great Job MC. I want to try these but hard to find a used set
Would love a set up of the iblades in 8-pw, 7-5 in I-210, and 4 and 3 in these.
Excellent honest review Mark.
Good to see Ping offering different lofts and pulling the curtain back a little on the other manufacturers out there trying to sell you clubs by putting a no. 7 on the sole of a 5 iron.
As you say ' Putting forged on the club is a way of charging forged prices'. They do seem to be priced highly. Very useful review for us though
Mark, would like you to discuss this with AVG - they produced a video a few months ago showing that, for the same loft, there was no difference in spin between blades and cavity back irons
Awesome review but I think I like the iBlade more. I currently play s55, I am looking for a second set to keep at a friends house so I can ride motorcycle to course and meet him there.
And I would totally fit this demographic. I'm a good ballstriker with a 95 mph driver swing. Hdcp 9. Because the carry is consistent, extra length is a gift... Just chuck an extra gap wedge in Between UW and SW and ditch the 5 iron
Top vid Mark! Really interesting this from Ping. Good looking clubs and just like you say, they've thought about the NO BS perspective that Mark Crossfield followers are looking for.
Hey Mark, massive fan. However 151 down off your breeze likely a 9 iron with this set. Who cutting one back takes 2 extra clubs and then is surprised when it flies long? Hmm. Odd. Reminder I absolutely think you are the best at giving great and honest reviews.
I would describe the "power" lofted set for the older, lower handicapper player. Who still hits a baĺl consistent and still wants the bladed look. Now requiring a little help in the distance department.
they look great must be said and think the different loft point is a brilliant idea from ping
Great review. Wonder of Ping and Titleist don't use foam to avoid a lawsuit from
PXG? The foam would help on the sound. Should still flex in the face similar to Taylor or PXG....hmmmm? You touched on the spin of the 5 compared to the 7. Maybe a good thing for a slightly slower swing. The extra spin of the 5 iron combined with the stronger loft will help that stronger loft stay in the air longer for the slower swing. Most golfers would want a little extra in the 7, so the lower spin higher flight could help with that. Of course not holding the green on a 3/4 swing cut into the wind is concerning...always a trade off....
I like that Ping are honest about the jacked lofts and offer the "retro" loft option as well. I just don't like the sound/feel of this type of hollow irons with the exception of the MP-H5 long irons I used to own that sounded/felt quite nice. For the older, better player golfer who has started to lose some of the zip on their swing - these could be just the ticket to dial back the clock a few years for them.
Don't want to hog this but I love the fact that you mentioned how much of a penalty you paid for a mis-hit and I would like it if you always do that on purpose to let us know that. I am playing my old PIng=Zings right now. I know I am giving up some distance,probably 1/2 to a club depending, but a mis-hit isn't penal to the point of alot of clubs. A low strike on my tailor made 6 might add 15-20 yards, and a high one might take off 20-30. My zings will be 10 yards max either way.
Great review Mark! I think these will make a nice 3 or 4 iron replacement. I'm not so sure about the middle and bottom of the set. In any case, they are very interesting.
Love the look of those
Bridgestone did this years ago with the j15df. Phenomenal irons that can be had used for very cheap now. Too bad Bridgestone club presence in the US is minuscule.
Good review. I am in the market so I am going to try them along with the TM P790.
Fascinating offering from Ping, watch this space for all the other manufacturers to copy the ideas. They look gorgeous but are probably too expensive for my pocket sadly.
Would be interesting to review the retro set to see the difference between the sets ?
What the hell. Who saved the channel? Great review Mark. They do look good and being hollow with a screw port I have somewhere to put my 20 yr old scotch while I'm playing. The 3 different lofts is a great idea because I think gapping could be a problem if they do what I'm reading. Just my opinion.
Those greens look *so* good ⛳
would love to see these vs p790 - very similar?
They look stunning. You reckon the reason for the spin getting closer to “real” numbers in the 5iron is so you can blend with the i210?
Currently waiting for the arrival of this beauties .... 1/2 inch longer dynamic gold stiff black dot setup.... happy to share the experience at my home club Tall Pines, next to Bristol Airport, if you’re man enough to brave the wind 😂🏌️♂️😂
Definitely going to give a go. Have s55 at the moment. It will be an interesting comparison. Great review as usual👌
Very like the TM P790 ish .. 😉🏌️⛳️🍻
They should call them the ‘Ping Club Pro’. They look like a blade/players iron with little offset. But you can still hit them when you haven’t been on the course in 3 weeks.
Great review Mark as always nice plain looking club. I like them 👍
What a nice clear review. I am confused about loft wars because I grew up playing a 44 degree 9 iron and a 36 degree 7 iron and I still prefer those lofts. Surely a lot of this is just calling the irons something that they are not? There must be a huge amount of launch monitor data around to show the causal relationships between clubhead speed, ball speed, iron lofts and distance? What does that show, Mark? It would be interesting for sure. Probably the simple relationship is that higher ball speeds with lower lofts equals more distance (and less spin)? Probably a straight line relationship? Is spin always lower with lower lofts? I suppose it should be. Anyway, I think that the word from Einstein was that you can't create energy from nothing! My suspicion is that the Retro i500 seven iron would probably go much the same distance as an old Eye 2 seven iron. The i500s look fabulous however. Nice, like all Ping stuff.
Beautiful looking clubs, get idea with the lofts, ping leading the way again imo
Nice looking clubs, so they directly compete against the PXG 0311 and TaylorMade P790 then.
Beautiful irons!
Great review. You express very well all the interesting questions that product is asking. Beautiful irons really, not sure I want to sacrifice any spin. It almost looks like Ping guys felt compelled to play the stupid distance game other makers are playing, but didn't feel like going all the way...
Class swing on the intro lad, love it, keep it up x
Maybe PXG are making Ping think differently! I love my Mizuno MP69 blades but will always consider another brand if they are good. Good video.
Fantastic review as always. Beautiful looking iron, with the lofting idea being a stroke of genius. Chuck my ego to one side, forget the power spec...I'd defo love to try a set of these. Can see these being a massive hit, but how many people will they actual suit? I aren't sure. Top work though as usual by the top club manufacturer in golf IMO.
Thanks Mark - great review as always bruh! Very interesting to see Ping’s evolution of their iron offerings over the last couple of years. I think iBlade was a huge game changer for them and has kind of spurred this venturing into cool new areas, pushing the proverbial envelope all while still staying honest to their heritage.
If I’m looking at this iron as a stand-alone set, I think it could just slide in the bag as a very neat 4-PW set and then throw in 2 to 3 Glide forged wedges. Blending it say with iBlade might be interesting. I never truly felt like i200 blended well with iBlade due to the big difference in offset of the 200. We’ll have to see if iBlade 2.0 is on the near horizon and if it will align more in terms of blending with i500 or i210. My only issue with their offering is the G400. It just looks like a complete misfit now in terms of style and design with the rest of these gorgeous looking satin irons. Might not hurt Ping to also throw a few marketing dollars at hiring a brand naming consultant. Their numbering and naming system is so strange. IBlade, i210, i500, G400, G700. Do these numbers even make any sense? Wouldn’t i400 have made more sense or G500. I’m not by any means brainwashed by TM, but you have to respect the smart and cohesive marketing in the P series irons and M series irons/drivers.
And finally huge kudos to Ping for biting the bullet and throwing that all important “forged” stamp on a set of their irons. That is smart. Tell me they didn’t just turn a few million golfer’s heads now who would never look at Ping twice bc they are cast clubs. Maybe it is just a forged face insert, but we do love our little forged stamping son our irons and you can bet there’s a boat load more market share coming their way now due to that one little word etched on the back of that smooth satin finish! 😂
if your a skilled golfer no doubt you cqn make these work , the sound is barely anything honestly , but you obviously had a negative thought before you even tested them I guess, Ive played a year with them and thought they were better easiy than the i200 which some tour pros even used , just saying love them and hit them a lot higher when comparing a 6iron to these 7 irons and still higher , great club blows away p790 easily because distances are so true compared to other distance irons that jump in that area
Does speed go into what loft spec I should get? What is desired descent angle for a 4-PW set? Is there a source for this info? Thanks again for being so informative!
Great video bruh, very interesting with the 3 loft choices.
They look so good!