Good review. They seem to be equally forgiving so the question would be whether one prefers to hit 160 yards with a 7 or a 6 iron. In practice you have to re-learn your distances with each club from scratch given that a 6i is about half an inch longer than a 7, so goes farther too. An issue with the strong lofted sets is the gapping at the low end of the bag where 5 deg of loft or even 6 are common, and might require some tweaking and tricky fitting.
Hi radam2818! As always you offer excellent points with your comments - things that are hard for me to prove when you only have a 7 iron to test with or the time to discuss without the video going on forever (haha!) but definitely valid considerations! I also think it depends what your current games do too right(?) as you could end up with needing an extra wedge or hybrid/fairway depending on which route you go and how they compare to your longest/shortest iron today? Thanks for continuing to support the channel! All the best!
@@weekendtourproa good thing with Ping, as u mention in the video, is their offer of 3 different lofts for each iron across the set which mitigates potential gapping issues and fitting.
This was a review I was excited to see and you certainly did not disappoint. Fantastic review! Your findings were very similar to my own with respect to spin, peak height, dispersion and overall control. As you know, I bought a set of i230s from PW to 6i. They are standard loft. I was even more impressed when I got them and tested the full set. Every iron from PW through 6i has literally the same peak height. I love hitting shots through the same window. The stopping power is incredible with me being able to actually get the ball to spin back a little which I was rarely able to do with my previous set. Cheers Luke!
Hi Gary! Thanks for watching and glad the video delivered what you were hoping to see! I do love hearing from people's real world experiences, because as you know, I only get to test one iron from each set so I'm trying to make an objective and balanced view based on one club - and I therefore think experiences like yours really add to the videos and helping the community out, so thank you for sharing! I do see that Ping claim the flight window will be consistent through the bag with i230 so great to hear you've had that experience too! All the best!
I went to Gainsborough to be fitted for a new set of irons,Ping Zing 2. It was a long time ago. Best clubs I ever owned and why in the world did I trade them in for a set of TaylorMade clubs. With Ping, you get what you pay for. Great clubs.
Hi John! Hope you're doing good? Are you back out playing yet? Like me John, I think you respect the quality of Ping products. It's rare they don't impress me!
I currently play the i230. Very forgiving with plenty of sole bounce and great turf interaction. I like the idea that with the i530 I could hit an 8 iron that would likely match the i230 performance data.
Hi Peter! Thanks for watching and for sharing your own longer term experiences with the Ping i230's! A brilliant iron in my opinion after filming this video! I hear you - it's sometimes easy to chase the distance at times isn't it! All the best!
I appreciate your time and effort Luke. Good episode. Of the two, I'd prefer the i230, both for looks and control. Thick toplines turn me off, I'm used to a blade like look. Have a good weekend.
Good information. Had I210 with DG s300 120 for 4 years now and now thinking of switching to either i230 or i530 in next few months. Thinking that i530 might have larger gap at wedges to my glide 4 ones.
Hi Jason! Thanks for watching! I really like both irons and think they’d make a logical upgrade! The PW loft on the i530 is 42 degrees vs 45 in the i230 so I get your point! There is an option to add a gap wedge in the i530’s but that’s 47 degrees so might overlap with your current gapping! A tough decision but I’m sure you’ll get the right combination for you! 👍🏼
Good review I have i230 now and was thinking about trying i530. I had to power spec i230 as they were flying too high and spinning too much. Also about a 80 mph 7i 155-160 carry
Hi Jkan2001! Thanks for watching! I think with the three loft options and the two heads there is definitely a right option for you! Standard or Retro Lofts in Ping i530 could be just what you need if you've currently got i230 in Power spec! Definitely worth a test as they were forgiving and felt and looked great in my opinion!
First, great video. In the fittings I’ve done I find similar stats. I game both sets and power spec the 230 but only bent the 530 a degree weak. The distance difference is 7-8 yards and I only go to the 7 iron. I play a higher spinning ball with the 530 and a lower spinning ball with 230 and adjust the loft of my driver to compensate for the spin difference in the driver so general distance stays close to same there. I use the Ping Gapping App Co Pilot to keep my yardages straight so no confusion there. I also only go to PW in both sets and then tighten the gaps with the S159 wedges.
Hi Golfranchshop552! Thanks for watching and for sharing your own in depth experiences! That was super interesting to read! Great point about being able to adjust the ball too as well as the Retro vs. Standard vs. Power lofts to get that spin window right for you! All the best!
Nice review. I am curious if anyone has tested the spin numbers on the i230 in power spec form? Would be interesting to see if they were closer to the standard i530 numbers. I need more help with distance, but am coming from a thinner top line in my irons so I like the thinner look at the top.
Hi Andy! I’d love to do that exact test! Sadly as a leftie I can only get hold of the normal lofts in both but I think either a test with 7i i230 vs 8i i530 or better still power spec i230 or retro spec i530 would be great to see. I’m sure someone has filmed one somewhere! Thanks for watching my video though! Really appreciate it and your comment! 👍🏼
Both great Irons..I played the i230 for a year , Power spec. loft .......since April , am now playing i530. retro spec loft.. ( so the lofts are similar )and l kept thei230 PW..had it bent to 46 * to gap properly with the i530 PW . ..could not be happier.. consitsenly a few yards more distance and more consistent generally... Ditched the 6 iron and got a G430 .6 HYBRID...so easy to hit...175 -178 yrds. all Recoil Dart Shafts..
Hi Jack! Thanks for watching and sharing your own experience! Really cool to hear someone who has been through the i230 power loft spec to i530 retro loft spec change! Ping do make some great clubs don’t they? All the best!
@@weekendtourpro Yep, they are great .very happy, personally I really like the sound from the i530. I really play well with the hybrids and the woods G430, 9 AND 7 But my driver is still the Titleist TSR3 , 10 , with a Brava shaft..and 4 wood TSR2 .also brava shaft.
I like the review very much, however it seems like the difference in launch angle correspond exactly the difference in loft. Also length is what you would expect to have between two irons. What do you think difference is between a i230 6 iron vs the 7 iron in the i530 when it comes to height and land angle?
Hi Mats! Thanks for watching! I don’t think there’s a lot in it to be honest and it’s always the challenge when you’ve only got the 7 iron with both to test with that you can’t do that test! Both are great though and at my level not a lot in it. I think i530 in retro loft would be my choice just for that touch more forgiveness and I think I’d get similar numbers to the i230 numbers. 👍🏼
I currently play the i525, 5 hanicapp witha swing speed of 77 mph with a 7 iron. Im looking into testing the new i530. At 61 I'm concerned with the spin rate. I have no problem stopping the ball with my current gamers. The set angle is what i'm mainly concerned with, But I will have to try now the i 230's. Informative video
Hi Robert! Thanks for watching! As I touched on in the video Ping do now offer the Retro Lofts so if you want the forgiveness of the i530 but more spin and descent angle that could be an option for you as well as the i230 in standard lofts! All the best!
Great review Luke. Not currently in the market for new irons since I still really like my PING G425’s, but I did notice the specs for the i530’s when they came out and was surprised how strong lofted they were. If I were to buy the i530, I’m pretty sure I would go with the retro specs.
Hi Jeb! And in truth, I think that will be the answer for many golfers I think! I may be wrong but Ping often get criticised for prioritising control/consistency/forgiveness over distance and my gut feel is the i530 is a response to that knowing they have the retro loft which probably is where most 6-18 handicappers might feel more comfortable. Given what I saw from the i530 in the standard loft, if I could test the retro loft and only lost 3-5 yards and gain 1000rpm of spin off the mat (+1000rpm again when we get on the grass), they could be very very interesting! All the best pal!
Looking at these two clubs your number with i230 are amazing , little shorter but the control spin , dispersion is great . I have a 82mph 7iron swing . You think the i230 or Zx5 would be better ? Zx5 7 iron 31’ . Any suggestions or thoughts bettwen these two clubs be great 👍
Hi Toby! Thanks for watching and for your comment/question! Sadly I haven't been able to get my hands on any left handed Srixon in the last year or so, so I can't offer any insight! I do know from a few friends who play the various models that they speak highly of the feel of Srixon but I do think the i230 and i530 are a positive leap forwards in terms of feel for Ping irons too. I'd always recommend trying to get custom fit if you can as that should give you the definitive answer and confidence in the decision you make! All the best and let me know how you get on!
Hey Toby, I currently have a set of the i230s and did demo the ZX5s and ZX7s from Srixon before settling on the i230s. I really struggled with the Srixons despite other people telling me how great they are. I'm a picker i.e. take little to no divot and found I just can't hit the Srixons properly due to their V sole. On the other hand the i230s had great interaction with the ground and allowed me to compress the ball well. I can't say enough about the importance of trying a variety of irons to ensure you are fit into what works best for you. I hope this helps!
Hi Craig! I really struggle to get hold of Srixon irons in leftie to test at the moment so I can’t say for certain. I hear very very good things about the Srixon irons though! Best of luck making your decision! 👍🏼
Hi Frank! Thanks for watching! Split set definitely is an option with these provided you get the lofts merging nicely so might need to Power Spec the i230 with normal i530 lofts if you want more distance or if you need more spin normal lofts in the i230 with Retro Loft in the i530! I think if I gamed these I’d go retro loft in i530! I really like both! 👍🏼
I got fitted and got i230 with power spec, apex hight is so much higher then my old irons . I'm afraid I'll lose distance when I have such a high apex. what do you think?
Hi Patrik! Did you compare distances to your old irons? I found when I tested these irons that I had a really high apex height and really long distance! So I definitely didn't suffer from it! If it was a high apex and high spin, then possibly, but I think the combo of ball flight and spin didn't cost me distance! I hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
@@weekendtourpro apex on my old i7 is about the same as on i230, but from i8 to GW apex is so much higher. I'm going to check with my trainer tomorrow. I really appreciate your page as you have a more normal swing speed. It is easier to recognize my self in your videos.
@patrikjohansson9743 definitely worth checking on a TM but I think you’ll be fine! Thank you for the kind words about my channel! I’m glad you find it relatable! 👍🏼
Hi thank you for the great review, thoughts on me - I'm 62 so getting slower and shorter in swing , but do get good distance - similar to your tests with i530. I have been fitted with retro loft to reduce distance and gain spin. Do you think based on age and flexibility it would be 'false hope' to try the i230s ? ( I gamed i200s 5-7 years ago but feel maybe now i530 is more where I am at. I play of circa 8-10 H/c) Cheers
Hi Simon! I don't think there's anything against testing the i230's... You're clearly a good player based on your handicap and therefore might be more used to the looks etc. of the i230's. Especially with Ping offering you the 3 loft options, you might find that an i230 in standard or even power lofts gives you the best of both worlds. I play off 11 and was surprised how easy I found it to hit the i230's. I'm also very much 'average' handicap golfer swing speed and you saw I got good ball flights out of both! I personally would edge towards an i530 in potentially retro spec for me (to get the spin up!). Best of luck with your decision!
Hi bloggs730! I wouldn’t know for certain, however you definitely can have the lofts bent… but I just don’t know by how many degrees! It might be worth emailing Ping, they are usually really good at replying! Thanks for watching! 👍🏼
i230 the clear winner here simply due to vastly superior stopping power. A 42 degree descent angle on the i530 7 iron is not going to stop quickly. Spin always tests lower off mats but it’s still going to be low off turf. Those 530s need more loft and would be a better fit for an 80 mph swing at retro spec lofts.
Hi David! Thanks for watching and for your great comment! I did a separate review of the i530 and was surprised by the lower spin on the regular lofts of the i530 and like you think I’d have to play them in a retro loft! The i230’s are great but for me personally I’m not sure if they are forgiving enough for me on a bad day haha! 👍🏼
Hi Craig! Thanks for watching and for your comment! I’m actually using Titleist Pro V1 in this video (I use it in all my product reviews for consistency!)! In all my testing it is consistently one of the highest spinning golf balls in my hands - which is why I had the concerns! 👍🏼
I love the i230s but one thing that is not really talked about is the 5 and 4 iron being so dang hard to hit and different from 6-W! They constructed these 2 heads different I assume for for speed and less weight but they are really hard to hit compared to 6-W
Hi! Thank you for watching and for sharing your comment! I wasn’t aware that the i230 4-5 iron were so different! That’s really interesting! As a mid handicap golfer I’m probably closer aligned to the i530 and even then I use hybrids to avoid the long iron issue! But I’m sure your comment will be helpful to other golfers watching this video so thank you! 👍🏼
@@weekendtourpro The issue is most vids and people testing clubs are comparing 6i,7i, and higher. I love Irons and am grabbing (2) Cleveland UHXs in 6i and 5i to replace my 4 and 5 i230 irons (UHX 6i loft is the same as i230 5i loft). I am a 10 handicap. Hitting such bad shots with them made me reflect on what I actually want when trying to hit 185-210 yards.... and that is I could care less about head type or "workability" at this distance. Before I had these clubs I would say i530 for 4 and 5 split set would be the best option. Now I am just really thinking on what is most important and am completely content with straight super game improvements for 4 and 5i. In this case, the UHX is a hollow body head like a driving iron almost.
@@imejandiskate totally get your point about the testing/videos being 6i or 7i. Unless you own a set the manufacturers all test with those two clubs and that’s what people like me can get our hands on. It caught me out a few sets ago when I bought the 5i in my original T200’s. Used it a few weeks and regretted buying it and got a hybrid instead. So I’m with you! Sounds like you’re making a great decision for you! 👍🏼
Let me start with the obvious, i530 7i has a loft which is slightly stronger than the i230 6i (29 degrees v 29.5) so the correct comparison is probably i230 6i v i530 7i. Given that I have a very similar swing speed to Luke, so comparing the results I get with what Luke has got is interesting, at least to me. I play i210s and have tested i230s in the past but in my hands I preferred the i210s. I would want spin rate with a 7i of around 5700-5800 rpm and c. 5200 rpm with a 6i - Luke may typically get slightly different spin numbers depending on delivery. Looking at the numbers, the i230 7i data is almost exactly what I expected. Spin rate is a little down on what I get with my i210 but that is also what I saw when I tested the i230, . The i530 performance is a mirage. It goes only slightly further than my 6i (5 yards) but spins over a 1000 rpm less with lower peak height and less descent angle. To put it into context that is noticeably less spin than I get with my 5i and not far off what I get with my 7w! I can think of 2 interesting follow up tests for the i530: try them with a golf ball that spins a lot more and try them in the retro loft
Hi Justin! Thank you for watching and for sharing your own experiences too! I love that about the comments section of my videos and the community we're building here at WTP! I absolutely agree that a i230 7 iron vs. i530 6 iron would have been a great test and it's frustrating but understandable that manufacturers only make the single iron available for testing! Otherwise, like you I'd love to see that test! All the best!
It's very interesting, I've seen several videos comparing these 2 irons and the Ping i530 was spinning higher on a lot of those videos. Now most of these reviewers have a higher swing speed than you so maybe that has something to do with it or maybe the shaft there using.
Hi Troy! Thanks for watching and your comment! I’ve got a full in depth review of the i530 on my channel filmed a few weeks before this and I had a similar result with the spin rate! Compared to other Players Distance irons I’ve reviewed lately they are definitely on the lower end in my hands meaning I’d probably go for the retro loft to help knock that up if I played them! So like you say might be my slower swing speed! 👍🏼
Absolutely Pete! Like I said in the video I think a Power Spec i230 or a Retro Spec i530 could be the perfect spot for me! I really liked both but particularly enjoyed my first experience with i230! Ping do make some brilliant golf clubs! All the best pal!
Hi Andrew! Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts! I think you've summed up the 20 min video quite nicely there! Haha! The difference, I guess, would be that for many golfers using the Ping i530 they'd go from hitting a 7 iron to an 8 iron into a green and that should come with a spin/descent angle similar to the 7 iron in the Ping i230? Like I said in the video I'd have loved to test this! Alternatively you have the option for retro lofts in the i530 as I touched on or the option to play a high spinning ball (or both!). I can't remember if I said this in the video - always worth remembering Trackman plays ridiculously firm and fast so roll out numbers are always excessive and nothing like I ever see on the golf course in the UK. Thanks for watching!
@@weekendtourpro no problem I really like your content mate. I just recently got fitted and went P790 over the Ping I530 because of the better spin numbers I was getting as holding greens is so important. I’m an average golf (13 handicap) and the Ping felt great but went miles with no stop. i230 looks awesome but intimidated me a bit 😂
I hear you! From my testing of the P790’s I think you’ve made a great choice! Definitely feel like the i230 are closer to p770 so if the p790 were right for you then it sounds like a great decision! Thank you for your kind words about my content! 👍🏼
@@weekendtourpro Agree! when it comes to descent angle one should really compare the 230 to a 530 8 iron. At 55, last year I came off an old classically lofted Mizuno cavity back to i530's predecessor the i525. My 7i swing speed is a couple of miles faster (literally 2 😃) than Luke's, but I could not get my old 5 iron to go past my 6 iron anymore on average. So for me the argument in choosing between one or the other also has to take gapping into account relative to swing speed. I've seen YT reviewers around 90 mph on a 7i getting too large gaps between irons when testing these hollow bodies like the i530. That won't work for them. The way I worked it out: i525 is a club stronger than my old Mizuno set, so...the new 6 iron has a healthy gap again to the new 7 iron, and instead of a 5 iron I went 5 hybrid as alternative to my old 4 iron. from there up it's 5 wood and driver, which works well for me. Another element I would advise people to take note of: try and test a PW too when going to hollow body irons. The face tends to be so hot that it becomes difficult to play delicate chip shots. I had to get me a second PW (nice excuse to pick a Mizuno once more, the S23) for that type of shot, because the i525 just catapulted balls across the green when swung just a fraction too hard.
Sadly quistador7 we can’t all swing it like Rory! It also makes me laugh because I get a lot of comments saying they like my tempo! But appreciate you going to the trouble to tell me! 🤣😭👍🏼
Good review. They seem to be equally forgiving so the question would be whether one prefers to hit 160 yards with a 7 or a 6 iron. In practice you have to re-learn your distances with each club from scratch given that a 6i is about half an inch longer than a 7, so goes farther too. An issue with the strong lofted sets is the gapping at the low end of the bag where 5 deg of loft or even 6 are common, and might require some tweaking and tricky fitting.
Hi radam2818! As always you offer excellent points with your comments - things that are hard for me to prove when you only have a 7 iron to test with or the time to discuss without the video going on forever (haha!) but definitely valid considerations! I also think it depends what your current games do too right(?) as you could end up with needing an extra wedge or hybrid/fairway depending on which route you go and how they compare to your longest/shortest iron today? Thanks for continuing to support the channel! All the best!
@@weekendtourproa good thing with Ping, as u mention in the video, is their offer of 3 different lofts for each iron across the set which mitigates potential gapping issues and fitting.
@radam2818 absolutely! 👍🏼
This was a review I was excited to see and you certainly did not disappoint. Fantastic review! Your findings were very similar to my own with respect to spin, peak height, dispersion and overall control. As you know, I bought a set of i230s from PW to 6i. They are standard loft. I was even more impressed when I got them and tested the full set. Every iron from PW through 6i has literally the same peak height. I love hitting shots through the same window. The stopping power is incredible with me being able to actually get the ball to spin back a little which I was rarely able to do with my previous set. Cheers Luke!
Hi Gary! Thanks for watching and glad the video delivered what you were hoping to see! I do love hearing from people's real world experiences, because as you know, I only get to test one iron from each set so I'm trying to make an objective and balanced view based on one club - and I therefore think experiences like yours really add to the videos and helping the community out, so thank you for sharing! I do see that Ping claim the flight window will be consistent through the bag with i230 so great to hear you've had that experience too! All the best!
Excellent representation of the capabilities of each model.
Thanks Mark! Appreciate you watching and your kind comment!
I went to Gainsborough to be fitted for a new set of irons,Ping Zing 2. It was a long time ago. Best clubs I ever owned and why in the world did I trade them in for a set of TaylorMade clubs. With Ping, you get what you pay for. Great clubs.
Hi John! Hope you're doing good? Are you back out playing yet? Like me John, I think you respect the quality of Ping products. It's rare they don't impress me!
@@weekendtourpro not played since my operation but will do within the next 2 weeks.
@user-oo9zf1hx6n brilliant John! Can’t wait to hear how you get on! 👍🏼
And they always hold their value well .like titlest , when you come to sell you get plenty for them.!
@jackwest5295 spot on Jack! Thanks for watching! 👍🏼
I currently play the i230.
Very forgiving with plenty of sole bounce and great turf interaction.
I like the idea that with the i530 I could hit an 8 iron that would likely match the i230 performance data.
Hi Peter! Thanks for watching and for sharing your own longer term experiences with the Ping i230's! A brilliant iron in my opinion after filming this video! I hear you - it's sometimes easy to chase the distance at times isn't it! All the best!
I appreciate your time and effort Luke. Good episode. Of the two, I'd prefer the i230, both for looks and control. Thick toplines turn me off, I'm used to a blade like look. Have a good weekend.
Thanks for watching Petro! I think you are spot on with the right option for you! Ping i230's were LOVELY! I'd hit them again if I could haha!
Good information. Had I210 with DG s300 120 for 4 years now and now thinking of switching to either i230 or i530 in next few months. Thinking that i530 might have larger gap at wedges to my glide 4 ones.
Hi Jason! Thanks for watching! I really like both irons and think they’d make a logical upgrade! The PW loft on the i530 is 42 degrees vs 45 in the i230 so I get your point! There is an option to add a gap wedge in the i530’s but that’s 47 degrees so might overlap with your current gapping! A tough decision but I’m sure you’ll get the right combination for you! 👍🏼
Good review I have i230 now and was thinking about trying i530. I had to power spec i230 as they were flying too high and spinning too much. Also about a 80 mph 7i 155-160 carry
Hi Jkan2001! Thanks for watching! I think with the three loft options and the two heads there is definitely a right option for you! Standard or Retro Lofts in Ping i530 could be just what you need if you've currently got i230 in Power spec! Definitely worth a test as they were forgiving and felt and looked great in my opinion!
First, great video. In the fittings I’ve done I find similar stats. I game both sets and power spec the 230 but only bent the 530 a degree weak. The distance difference is 7-8 yards and I only go to the 7 iron. I play a higher spinning ball with the 530 and a lower spinning ball with 230 and adjust the loft of my driver to compensate for the spin difference in the driver so general distance stays close to same there. I use the Ping Gapping App Co Pilot to keep my yardages straight so no confusion there. I also only go to PW in both sets and then tighten the gaps with the S159 wedges.
Hi Golfranchshop552! Thanks for watching and for sharing your own in depth experiences! That was super interesting to read! Great point about being able to adjust the ball too as well as the Retro vs. Standard vs. Power lofts to get that spin window right for you! All the best!
Nice review. I am curious if anyone has tested the spin numbers on the i230 in power spec form? Would be interesting to see if they were closer to the standard i530 numbers. I need more help with distance, but am coming from a thinner top line in my irons so I like the thinner look at the top.
Hi Andy! I’d love to do that exact test! Sadly as a leftie I can only get hold of the normal lofts in both but I think either a test with 7i i230 vs 8i i530 or better still power spec i230 or retro spec i530 would be great to see. I’m sure someone has filmed one somewhere! Thanks for watching my video though! Really appreciate it and your comment! 👍🏼
Both great Irons..I played the i230 for a year , Power spec. loft .......since April , am now playing i530. retro spec loft.. ( so the lofts are similar )and l
kept thei230 PW..had it bent to 46 * to gap properly with the i530 PW . ..could not be happier.. consitsenly a few yards more distance and more consistent generally... Ditched the 6 iron and got a G430 .6 HYBRID...so easy to hit...175 -178 yrds. all Recoil Dart Shafts..
Hi Jack! Thanks for watching and sharing your own experience! Really cool to hear someone who has been through the i230 power loft spec to i530 retro loft spec change! Ping do make some great clubs don’t they? All the best!
@@weekendtourpro Yep, they are great .very happy, personally I really like the sound from the i530. I really play well with the hybrids and the woods G430, 9 AND 7 But my driver is still the Titleist TSR3 , 10 , with a Brava shaft..and 4 wood TSR2 .also brava shaft.
I like the review very much, however it seems like the difference in launch angle correspond exactly the difference in loft. Also length is what you would expect to have between two irons. What do you think difference is between a i230 6 iron vs the 7 iron in the i530 when it comes to height and land angle?
Hi Mats! Thanks for watching! I don’t think there’s a lot in it to be honest and it’s always the challenge when you’ve only got the 7 iron with both to test with that you can’t do that test! Both are great though and at my level not a lot in it. I think i530 in retro loft would be my choice just for that touch more forgiveness and I think I’d get similar numbers to the i230 numbers. 👍🏼
I currently play the i525, 5 hanicapp witha swing speed of 77 mph with a 7 iron. Im looking into testing the new i530. At 61 I'm concerned with the spin rate. I have no problem stopping the ball with my current gamers. The set angle is what i'm mainly concerned with, But I will have to try now the i 230's. Informative video
Hi Robert! Thanks for watching! As I touched on in the video Ping do now offer the Retro Lofts so if you want the forgiveness of the i530 but more spin and descent angle that could be an option for you as well as the i230 in standard lofts! All the best!
Great review Luke. Not currently in the market for new irons since I still really like my PING G425’s, but I did notice the specs for the i530’s when they came out and was surprised how strong lofted they were. If I were to buy the i530, I’m pretty sure I would go with the retro specs.
Hi Jeb! And in truth, I think that will be the answer for many golfers I think! I may be wrong but Ping often get criticised for prioritising control/consistency/forgiveness over distance and my gut feel is the i530 is a response to that knowing they have the retro loft which probably is where most 6-18 handicappers might feel more comfortable. Given what I saw from the i530 in the standard loft, if I could test the retro loft and only lost 3-5 yards and gain 1000rpm of spin off the mat (+1000rpm again when we get on the grass), they could be very very interesting! All the best pal!
Looking at these two clubs your number with i230 are amazing , little shorter but the control spin , dispersion is great . I have a 82mph 7iron swing . You think the i230 or Zx5 would be better ? Zx5 7 iron 31’ . Any suggestions or thoughts bettwen these two clubs be great 👍
Hi Toby! Thanks for watching and for your comment/question! Sadly I haven't been able to get my hands on any left handed Srixon in the last year or so, so I can't offer any insight! I do know from a few friends who play the various models that they speak highly of the feel of Srixon but I do think the i230 and i530 are a positive leap forwards in terms of feel for Ping irons too. I'd always recommend trying to get custom fit if you can as that should give you the definitive answer and confidence in the decision you make! All the best and let me know how you get on!
Hey Toby, I currently have a set of the i230s and did demo the ZX5s and ZX7s from Srixon before settling on the i230s. I really struggled with the Srixons despite other people telling me how great they are. I'm a picker i.e. take little to no divot and found I just can't hit the Srixons properly due to their V sole. On the other hand the i230s had great interaction with the ground and allowed me to compress the ball well. I can't say enough about the importance of trying a variety of irons to ensure you are fit into what works best for you. I hope this helps!
@garymacdonald2596 thanks Gary! Brilliant insight! 👍🏼👏🏻
@@garymacdonald2596 thanks Gary for insight . I’m also a picker . Think the i230 is the one for me .thanks !
How do they compare to the Srixon zx4 mk ii?
Hi Craig! I really struggle to get hold of Srixon irons in leftie to test at the moment so I can’t say for certain. I hear very very good things about the Srixon irons though! Best of luck making your decision! 👍🏼
Good video, I’m glad to hear what you think. I’m debating on a split set of i230 and i530.
Hi Frank! Thanks for watching! Split set definitely is an option with these provided you get the lofts merging nicely so might need to Power Spec the i230 with normal i530 lofts if you want more distance or if you need more spin normal lofts in the i230 with Retro Loft in the i530! I think if I gamed these I’d go retro loft in i530! I really like both! 👍🏼
I got fitted and got i230 with power spec, apex hight is so much higher then my old irons . I'm afraid I'll lose distance when I have such a high apex. what do you think?
Hi Patrik! Did you compare distances to your old irons? I found when I tested these irons that I had a really high apex height and really long distance! So I definitely didn't suffer from it! If it was a high apex and high spin, then possibly, but I think the combo of ball flight and spin didn't cost me distance! I hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
@@weekendtourpro apex on my old i7 is about the same as on i230, but from i8 to GW apex is so much higher. I'm going to check with my trainer tomorrow.
I really appreciate your page as you have a more normal swing speed. It is easier to recognize my self in your videos.
@patrikjohansson9743 definitely worth checking on a TM but I think you’ll be fine! Thank you for the kind words about my channel! I’m glad you find it relatable! 👍🏼
Hi thank you for the great review, thoughts on me - I'm 62 so getting slower and shorter in swing , but do get good distance - similar to your tests with i530. I have been fitted with retro loft to reduce distance and gain spin. Do you think based on age and flexibility it would be 'false hope' to try the i230s ? ( I gamed i200s 5-7 years ago but feel maybe now i530 is more where I am at. I play of circa 8-10 H/c) Cheers
Hi Simon! I don't think there's anything against testing the i230's... You're clearly a good player based on your handicap and therefore might be more used to the looks etc. of the i230's. Especially with Ping offering you the 3 loft options, you might find that an i230 in standard or even power lofts gives you the best of both worlds. I play off 11 and was surprised how easy I found it to hit the i230's. I'm also very much 'average' handicap golfer swing speed and you saw I got good ball flights out of both! I personally would edge towards an i530 in potentially retro spec for me (to get the spin up!). Best of luck with your decision!
If I buy a second-hand set of i230, can I have the loft adjusted to say a power loft?
Hi bloggs730! I wouldn’t know for certain, however you definitely can have the lofts bent… but I just don’t know by how many degrees! It might be worth emailing Ping, they are usually really good at replying! Thanks for watching! 👍🏼
Thank you
i230 the clear winner here simply due to vastly superior stopping power. A 42 degree descent angle on the i530 7 iron is not going to stop quickly. Spin always tests lower off mats but it’s still going to be low off turf. Those 530s need more loft and would be a better fit for an 80 mph swing at retro spec lofts.
Hi David! Thanks for watching and for your great comment! I did a separate review of the i530 and was surprised by the lower spin on the regular lofts of the i530 and like you think I’d have to play them in a retro loft! The i230’s are great but for me personally I’m not sure if they are forgiving enough for me on a bad day haha! 👍🏼
What if you used different golf ball with more spin instead a range ball?
Hi Craig! Thanks for watching and for your comment! I’m actually using Titleist Pro V1 in this video (I use it in all my product reviews for consistency!)! In all my testing it is consistently one of the highest spinning golf balls in my hands - which is why I had the concerns! 👍🏼
I love the i230s but one thing that is not really talked about is the 5 and 4 iron being so dang hard to hit and different from 6-W! They constructed these 2 heads different I assume for for speed and less weight but they are really hard to hit compared to 6-W
Hi! Thank you for watching and for sharing your comment! I wasn’t aware that the i230 4-5 iron were so different! That’s really interesting! As a mid handicap golfer I’m probably closer aligned to the i530 and even then I use hybrids to avoid the long iron issue! But I’m sure your comment will be helpful to other golfers watching this video so thank you! 👍🏼
@@weekendtourpro The issue is most vids and people testing clubs are comparing 6i,7i, and higher. I love Irons and am grabbing (2) Cleveland UHXs in 6i and 5i to replace my 4 and 5 i230 irons (UHX 6i loft is the same as i230 5i loft).
I am a 10 handicap. Hitting such bad shots with them made me reflect on what I actually want when trying to hit 185-210 yards.... and that is I could care less about head type or "workability" at this distance. Before I had these clubs I would say i530 for 4 and 5 split set would be the best option. Now I am just really thinking on what is most important and am completely content with straight super game improvements for 4 and 5i. In this case, the UHX is a hollow body head like a driving iron almost.
@@imejandiskate totally get your point about the testing/videos being 6i or 7i. Unless you own a set the manufacturers all test with those two clubs and that’s what people like me can get our hands on.
It caught me out a few sets ago when I bought the 5i in my original T200’s. Used it a few weeks and regretted buying it and got a hybrid instead. So I’m with you!
Sounds like you’re making a great decision for you! 👍🏼
Let me start with the obvious, i530 7i has a loft which is slightly stronger than the i230 6i (29 degrees v 29.5) so the correct comparison is probably i230 6i v i530 7i.
Given that I have a very similar swing speed to Luke, so comparing the results I get with what Luke has got is interesting, at least to me. I play i210s and have tested i230s in the past but in my hands I preferred the i210s.
I would want spin rate with a 7i of around 5700-5800 rpm and c. 5200 rpm with a 6i - Luke may typically get slightly different spin numbers depending on delivery.
Looking at the numbers, the i230 7i data is almost exactly what I expected. Spin rate is a little down on what I get with my i210 but that is also what I saw when I tested the i230,
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The i530 performance is a mirage. It goes only slightly further than my 6i (5 yards) but spins over a 1000 rpm less with lower peak height and less descent angle. To put it into context that is noticeably less spin than I get with my 5i and not far off what I get with my 7w!
I can think of 2 interesting follow up tests for the i530: try them with a golf ball that spins a lot more and try them in the retro loft
Hi Justin! Thank you for watching and for sharing your own experiences too! I love that about the comments section of my videos and the community we're building here at WTP!
I absolutely agree that a i230 7 iron vs. i530 6 iron would have been a great test and it's frustrating but understandable that manufacturers only make the single iron available for testing! Otherwise, like you I'd love to see that test! All the best!
It's very interesting, I've seen several videos comparing these 2 irons and the Ping i530 was spinning higher on a lot of those videos. Now most of these reviewers have a higher swing speed than you so maybe that has something to do with it or maybe the shaft there using.
Hi Troy! Thanks for watching and your comment! I’ve got a full in depth review of the i530 on my channel filmed a few weeks before this and I had a similar result with the spin rate! Compared to other Players Distance irons I’ve reviewed lately they are definitely on the lower end in my hands meaning I’d probably go for the retro loft to help knock that up if I played them! So like you say might be my slower swing speed! 👍🏼
Great vid luke...yeah maybe power spec the 230 a degree or so ...love ping irons 👍👍👍
Absolutely Pete! Like I said in the video I think a Power Spec i230 or a Retro Spec i530 could be the perfect spot for me! I really liked both but particularly enjoyed my first experience with i230! Ping do make some brilliant golf clubs! All the best pal!
I230 much better with spin and decent angle, i530 is not holding greens mate with those numbers
Hi Andrew! Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts! I think you've summed up the 20 min video quite nicely there! Haha!
The difference, I guess, would be that for many golfers using the Ping i530 they'd go from hitting a 7 iron to an 8 iron into a green and that should come with a spin/descent angle similar to the 7 iron in the Ping i230? Like I said in the video I'd have loved to test this! Alternatively you have the option for retro lofts in the i530 as I touched on or the option to play a high spinning ball (or both!). I can't remember if I said this in the video - always worth remembering Trackman plays ridiculously firm and fast so roll out numbers are always excessive and nothing like I ever see on the golf course in the UK. Thanks for watching!
Descent angles you'd hold greens 👍
@@weekendtourpro no problem I really like your content mate. I just recently got fitted and went P790 over the Ping I530 because of the better spin numbers I was getting as holding greens is so important. I’m an average golf (13 handicap) and the Ping felt great but went miles with no stop. i230 looks awesome but intimidated me a bit 😂
I hear you! From my testing of the P790’s I think you’ve made a great choice! Definitely feel like the i230 are closer to p770 so if the p790 were right for you then it sounds like a great decision! Thank you for your kind words about my content! 👍🏼
@@weekendtourpro Agree! when it comes to descent angle one should really compare the 230 to a 530 8 iron. At 55, last year I came off an old classically lofted Mizuno cavity back to i530's predecessor the i525. My 7i swing speed is a couple of miles faster (literally 2 😃) than Luke's, but I could not get my old 5 iron to go past my 6 iron anymore on average. So for me the argument in choosing between one or the other also has to take gapping into account relative to swing speed. I've seen YT reviewers around 90 mph on a 7i getting too large gaps between irons when testing these hollow bodies like the i530. That won't work for them. The way I worked it out: i525 is a club stronger than my old Mizuno set, so...the new 6 iron has a healthy gap again to the new 7 iron, and instead of a 5 iron I went 5 hybrid as alternative to my old 4 iron. from there up it's 5 wood and driver, which works well for me.
Another element I would advise people to take note of: try and test a PW too when going to hollow body irons. The face tends to be so hot that it becomes difficult to play delicate chip shots. I had to get me a second PW (nice excuse to pick a Mizuno once more, the S23) for that type of shot, because the i525 just catapulted balls across the green when swung just a fraction too hard.
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Man that is a stiff ass swing holy shit.
Sadly quistador7 we can’t all swing it like Rory! It also makes me laugh because I get a lot of comments saying they like my tempo! But appreciate you going to the trouble to tell me! 🤣😭👍🏼