How they compare

We’ve tested both of Ping’s new irons

Ping and “forged” are two words rarely uttered in the same sentence. It’s so rare, in fact, that we believe the i500s are only the second Ping iron model in the last three decades to incorporate any form of forging (albeit on this occasion it’s only the face that’s stamped into shape, as the body is still cast).

Almost as rare as forged Ping irons are beautiful Ping irons. Don’t get us wrong, the company’s brilliant at making super-forgiving and playable irons which can be custom fitted to any golfer on the planet. But we can’t remember the last time one of their iron’s beauty bowled us over... until, that is, we saw the i500, which is stunning.

To illustrate where each new model fits into Ping’s range, we got TG test pro Kevin Hale to hit both, along with the current iblade and outgoing i200 (all of which fall into the better player category) to reveal how all four models compare on a launch monitor.

i500

LOOKS: Simply a stunning looking iron. Who doesn’t want a sleek blade design that’s really playable? It’s exactly what reasonable ball strikers and half-decent club golfers have hankered after for years. Gone is the typical Ping boxy head shape and what’s left behind is quite possibly Ping’s best looking iron ever, with a narrow top line, thin sole and beautifully shaped head that appeals to a wide audience of golfers.

PERFORMANCE: Ping says the i500 is on average eight yards longer (but can be up to 15 yards longer with the 7-iron) than the i210, which is unheard of from a manufacturer. Who says one of their two new irons doesn’t go as far as the other? It’s a bold statement, but our numbers completely support Ping’s data, with the i500 7-iron carrying seven yards further than the i210. Our test pro reckoned impact sound was a little louder than the i210 which is down to the hollow head.

THE NUMBERS: Just as Ping promised, i500 produced the fastest ball speeds of all four models – 6mph extra over the iblade (and 2-3 mph over the i200 and i210) is seriously impressive. i500 launched shots into the air at a similar angle and peaked shots out at the same height as the other irons, meaning even though they span less you’d still stop shots on a green. Incredibly i500 (with the 7-iron) was 16 yards longer than the iblade which in part can be explained by the 3.5° stronger loft. But if hitting almost two clubs less into a green isn’t the perfect demonstration of how far iron tech has come, we don’t know what is.

i210

LOOKS: Sit the new i210 beside the i200 and to the untrained eye there’s not a massive difference. It’s a solid decision from Ping to not reinvent the wheel; they know the i200 has been successful so it makes sense to opt for updates and improvements on what’s already working. i200 has always been a good looking iron and the refinements just make it even more desirable.

PERFORMANCE: Don’t be under any illusions the i210 is in anyway comparable to the i500, the pair are light years apart when it comes to ball speed, backspin and carry distances – and they’re supposed to be. There is, though, a decent degree of forgiveness. In fact Ping say playability is pretty much level between the i210 and i500. We reckon i210 will be a big hit in tour bags. Tyrrell Hatton already has a set and Lee Westwood is likely to join him, but where full sets of i210s will be played by the elite, it’s highly likely you’ll only spot an odd i500 long iron in a tour pro bag, as those guys just aren’t chasing distance.

THE NUMBERS: Our data shows just how closely the outgoing i200s are matched to the new i210s. We removed any shots from our data that our test pro wasn’t happy with, but on another day the numbers between the pair could easily be switched. It says to us that if you already own a set of i200s they’re still a great iron and you’re unlikely to see big gains trading up to the i210s. We reckon golfers are less likely to buy i210s on data alone, which makes how our test pro loved the premium feel and sound pretty significant.