Ping i20 Irons Review - Forum Testing Review Thread

[golfingcop]

Does anyone here have an i20 in dynamic gold stiff shafts? How do you like them? I've been hitting the i20's in CFS stiff shafts for about a month now- recently the shots have been ballooning on me. I went to my pro/fitter today and he recommended I go with te dynamic gold s300's. I saw my numbers on the monitor improve and my ball flight go better. I felt a good crack with the DGs myself. I tried the KBS and I didn't feel it was for me. Ordered them today and now the waiting game begins again. At least I still have the i20s in CFS until the new sticks arrive! I know someone on this thread must have written about this but I can't go through 125 pages of all this...again. Thanks for your help!

 

[InHartWeTrust]

I got 30 per club from golfsmith


Tappin' dat pad on tapatalk

Thanks man. I might have to go that route, $17 a club savings.

Anyone else?

 

[Griff]

I am really hoping these will be what puts me "over the hump" to more consistent rounds in the 60's. Coming from blades that have plagued me since I've not been able to play and hit balls daily, I am optimistic they will be a move in the right direction. My US Amateur hopes and dreams are banking on it!

I've noticed the same thing as you in this thread - I read the scores, glance at the GHIN's, and think "damn these guys are consistently playing much better than their handicap would indicate". After demoing these for myself (and thus deciding I must have a set), I'm not surprised.

Awesone, GD. I keep reading through these and thinking "ok" - some good and some not so good- mediocre score, right? until I see "79" with an 11 GHIN. just seems like a lot of us are shooting lower scores more often since getting these - whether it is the irons or not. I used to break 80 a few times a year - now I'm bummed when I don't. Anyone agree?

What I've noticed is when I'm average or playing a little better things are a lot easier. Everything is that much better if that makes any sense. Having better 1st putts after a GIR has been a big deal as well. Some of that is putting, but most of it I attribute to being closer to the pin and in my target area. I've been much sharper since I started using the i20s because the results reinforce my efforts.

 

[nicedivot]

with my newly arrived clubs went to the range.. 6i, 8i and pw.
what I can say so far is that CFS stiff shaft is about the same as royal precision 5.5 (which was the shaft I had in my mizuno) but slightly better feel. I can feel better when it kicks in just before getting to the ball.
I will be playing a full round this sat. and my report after that round would be probably about the same as what other have said here

 

[Jman]

Awesone, GD. I keep reading through these and thinking "ok" - some good and some not so good- mediocre score, right? until I see "79" with an 11 GHIN. just seems like a lot of us are shooting lower scores more often since getting these - whether it is the irons or not. I used to break 80 a few times a year - now I'm bummed when I don't. Anyone agree?

I've noticed the same thing as you in this thread - I read the scores, glance at the GHIN's, and think "damn these guys are consistently playing much better than their handicap would indicate". After demoing these for myself (and thus deciding I must have a set), I'm not surprised.

I put up my personal best 76 today with the i20's. Hit 10 GIR's...but also 4 fringes. Hehehe

I now have TWO updates to get in asap.

 

[HjHay22]

I'm thinking the scor's win out. They're just solid performers from every lie IMO. I don't even use my other wedges any more as I can work my 53* through almost most any situation within 120 yd of the green!! My ping set W is great but I don't feel it is as precise as my scor. Gonna order a few more to even out my gaps now.

I know this is the i20 board so sorry for my digression... Lookin forward to your comparisons guys!!

 

[JK]

Fringes count - nobody designs the greens big enough! Congrats, Jman. A personal best is certainly an outstanding feat and I'm not surprised by the way you've obviously played well with these. Look forward to the details.

I put up my personal best 76 today with the i20's. Hit 10 GIR's...but also 4 fringes. Hehehe

I now have TWO updates to get in asap.

 

[JPaul]

I put up my personal best 76 today with the i20's. Hit 10 GIR's...but also 4 fringes. Hehehe

I now have TWO updates to get in asap.

Awesome Jman! 10 greens and 4 fringes is great shooting and 76 is a dang respectable score. Well done!

 

[Chapity]

Well, technically jman, anything on the collar is considered a gir (my stepmom the OU all big eight golfer told me that one, far be it from me to question the all conference player). Congrats cat, I am waiting with anticipation to hear about this.

 

[Chunkylover77]

JMan you are playing very well. Congrats dude.

 

[InHartWeTrust]

I'm a very impatient person, but also cost conscious (I need to be, being a recent grad) and a perfectionist when it comes to the proper fit...so waiting to order these damn sticks is absolutely agonizing.

It is killing me having to search around for the best cost on the i20's with C-Tapers, and waiting for my second fitting session to confirm what I saw in my first was correct. REALLY hoping to order these by Saturday, I want them for an annual outing I play in with all my high school friends at the end of the month. Gonna be cutting it close, but I don't want to rush into anything.

 

[Jman]

Fringes count - nobody designs the greens big enough! Congrats, Jman. A personal best is certainly an outstanding feat and I'm not surprised by the way you've obviously played well with these. Look forward to the details.

Awesome Jman! 10 greens and 4 fringes is great shooting and 76 is a dang respectable score. Well done!

Well, technically jman, anything on the collar is considered a gir (my stepmom the OU all big eight golfer told me that one, far be it from me to question the all conference player). Congrats cat, I am waiting with anticipation to hear about this.

JMan you are playing very well. Congrats dude.

Thanks all. It really is coming together. Crazy to think back a year and a half ago I couldn't break 80 to save my life, the change in my swing and confidence over time is astounding and the i20's have only helped in the confidence department.

I like the thoughts on fringes, I've always just not counted them.

 

[TC]

Jman, do you find that when you have an iron you truly believe in and truly trust that it just makes getting off the tee a little easier? I sure do. I figure if I'm anywhere inside 190 yards, I have a really, really good chance of a GIR or the FGIR (that's fringed green in reg). It just changes golf.

 

[Jman]

Jman, do you find that when you have an iron you truly believe in and truly trust that it just makes getting off the tee a little easier? I sure do. I figure if I'm anywhere inside 190 yards, I have a really, really good chance of a GIR or the FGIR (that's fringed green in reg). It just changes golf.

I seriously do. I was thinking about that as I was walking yesterday (and trying like hell to not look at my score). When I can put my tee shot into the fairway or at least near the fairway without any extreme deviations I genuinely BELIEVE I am going to hit every green. Even if I miss, it hasn't been by much and leaves a super playable chip.

I have HONEST TO GOODNESS never had this much confidence in an iron. I always thought I had it in my 2.0's but then with the J40's I found more, bit neither are anything like this. I'm fearful it makes me sound like a suckup since I'm a tester, but its just the honest truth, it really and truly is.

 

[TC]

I don't think you sound like a suck up Jman. Just reporting what you're finding. That's the whole point.

 

[Jman]

I don't think you sound like a suck up Jman. Just reporting what you're finding. That's the whole point.

I appreciate that. Fact is though, it fees strange to find so much good and to see so much that works...messes with my simple brain LOL

 

[Joshzilla]

I appreciate that. Fact is though, it fees strange to find so much good and to see so much that works...messes with my simple brain LOL

I think you're sucking up to the irons so that they will keep treating you so well!

Seriously, I think your feedback has been great and not suck up-y at all.

 

[Jman]

I think you're sucking up to the irons so that they will keep treating you so well!

Seriously, I think your feedback has been great and not suck up-y at all.

Hahaha, thanks Josh. I've waited for the wheels to fall off and an end to the honeymoon but its just not happening, if anything my iron play is getting stronger and LONGER too. As I've built more confidence I've started to bring it more with my attack on the golfball and its paying off in spades.

 

[paleface]

Great scoring Jman. To be honest, i'm finding the same thing with my irons. If i'm on the fairway i just feel i can hit the green now and am even sometimes disappointed if it hits the green but isn't inside 10ft. If i could only sort out my horrible driving, which is so wayward at the moment, i'd be putting in some handsome scores. I was +1 for 10 yesterday and then my driver just packed it in on me and put me in horrible places.

Well done again on the 76!!

 

[Jman]

REFERENCE LINKS:

Spoiler

• Unboxing: CLICK HERE
• Initial thoughts: CLICK HERE
• First Round: CLICK HERE
• First Range Session CLICK HERE
• Second Round: CLICK HERE and HERE
• Second Range Session: CLICK HERE
• Third Round: CLICK HERE
• Wear Report: CLICK HERE
• Fourth Round: CLICK HERE
• Third Range Session: CLICK HERE
• Fifth Round: CLICK HERE
• Sixth Round: CLICK HERE
• Seventh Round: CLICK HERE
• Wear Report #2: CLICK HERE
• Eighth Round: CLICK HERE

ROUND/RANGE RUNDOWN:

Date: 5/8/12
Played: 18 Holes
Weather: 72* and 5-10 MPH Winds

Round Rundown:

• GIR's: 11/18

Hole 1: Par 4 - 371 - 4

• UW from 110 in the fairway. Striped it. STRIPED it, cut through the turf like a knife through butter. What a way to start the round too! Left myself 8 feet to the cup.

Hole 2: Par 3 - 157 - 3

• 9i to a middle pin, got a little left with it as I flipped my hips open a bit quick but nothing terrible. Still wound up green bound though to about 30 feet.

Hole 3: Par 5 - 457 - 4

• After a terrific drive cutting the corner I set myself up with 150 in which is an easy 8i for me with the i20's. I love the 8i, love. Excellent ball, trapped it really well and on the green with an eagle opportunity from 31 feet.

Hole 4: Par 4 - 396 - 4

• UW from 110 out to a middle pin over a tree. No problem. I'm getting better at hitting down more to go higher on wedge shots and its paying off, I credit the confidence I've got now. On to 8 feet.

Hole 5: Par 4 - 409 - 6

• 4i from under a tree with a hooded punch runner attempt, decel'd on it a bit and wound up about 10 feet short of the green.
• LW from about 10 yards to the cup easy little pitch here on really tight lie and I bladed the hell out of it. Terrible. 28 feet to the cup.

Hole 6: Par 4 - 370 - 4

• Played the 3W off the tee to leave 150 in. 8i aaaaaaall the way there baby! I love this distance, I KNOW I'm going to go green form here. Faded this one around the green-side bunker and on to 6 feet form the cup, gorgeous shot (that I would two putt).

Hole 7: Par 3 - 166 - 3

• 9i off the tee here, used to never hit a 9 here, was always an 8...anyways. Pulled this one off the tee a bit and wound up in the little valley next to the green about 20 feet from the cup.
• LW again from a tight lie and I bladed the snot out of it again. This has NOT been happening at all until this round. Luckily it bladed so bad it bounced off the hill in front of me and killed some of the momentum and I ended up 19 feet for par.

Hole 8: Par 4 - 418 - 4

• SW from 100 out and I chunked it. Too tight of a lie for the SW and I knew it but with the pin where it was it was the one for the number. 10 feet short.
• UW to ship/pitch on, little putting stroke and it was beautiful. Played the hill decline nicely and it settles to 1 foot.

Hole 9: Par 5 - 530 - 5

• No iron/wedge shots. 3 putts though. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.....

Hole 10: Par 3 - 170 - 4

• 7i on tee and I toed it. Its one of those things you just KNOW where it was when you hit it. Amazingly (as always) the flight was still pretty pure for being toe bound. It did settle about 15 feet short and right of the green though.
• LW from 35 feet on a fluffy lie this time and I sat it down to 4 feet. Sweet and smooth little pitch.

Hole 11: Par 5 - 494 - 5

• UW from 119 out on a tight lie. Left this one a bit open and luckily it barely caught the right edge of the green, about 39 feet from the cup though.

Hole 12: Par 5 - 491 - 5

• 6i from about 175 out to a downhill green, little fat on it and I got lucky....luuuuuuuuuuuuuucky to be dry as I caught the front edge uphill rough and it stopped rolling toward the water about 1 foot from the edge.
• LW from the fluffy and inclined lie. NO follow through on my pitch, none, zip, zilch, nada. Landed about 10 feet in front of me on the edge of the green and died.

Hole 13: Par 4 - 353 - 6

• SW from about 95 out in some serious rough, so I went with the larger bounce club. Caught it really well all in all even though I torqued on my elbow a bit in the chunky arse rough. Ended up a bit long and on the back edge of the green 36 feet to the cup.

Hole 14: Par - 4 - 410 - 3

• Again, I played the tee shot to set me up about 150 out and here I was actually 153 out. 8i all the way again. Just murdering this club. Dropped it and released about 2 feet to end up 5 feet form the hole.

Hole 15: Par 4 - 426 - 4

• UW from 111 out, in the fairway but I had to clear a tree. Like I said earlier I've gotten really good at trapping the ball hard and getting the wedges up. Cleared it easily and on to about 22 feet. I really am loving the UW.

Hole 16: Par 4 - 370 - 5

• UW sitting at about 114 according to golfshot. Pulled it hard left and in the damn trap.
• SW from the greenside, WAY under the ball and I was fortunate it got out. Settled on the fringe, damn shot went about 8 feet.

Hole 17: Par 3 - 169 - 3

• I hate this hole. I ALWAYS club up here because of that. Today's tees read at 154 downhill to a front pin though so I went 8i because I've been striping it. Best 8i of the day, sat that sucker down at 4 feet!!! It was one of those where in the air I was saying "oh! oh! woah!" because it looked on line. Sadly I missed the birdie....AGAIN.

Hole 18: Par 4 - 414 - 4

• Took 5i from 170 to an uphill green. Not enough club. Good solid and clean strike but left me about a club short.
• LW from the tight uphill lie 25 feet form the cup, bladed the shot again on the tight lie which never happened until this round. On to 26 feet sadly, thank goodness I finally hit a BIG putt on this one or I would have been livid.

GENERAL THOUGHTS:

First off, I brought my SCOR's with me on this round but knowing I was going to get to play the next day I decided to go i20 wedges this round and follow that up with the SCOR's the next. So, that comparison will be in the next write up I should get up tonight or tomorrow.

Second, TC and I discussed this a bit in here and what he said rings true. I honest to goodness just believe I am going to hit every single green if I leave myself a distance form 190 in off the tee. I really do. They have made me bring more focus to my swing because the results are always just so damn impressive again and again. YES I had a couple of chunks, thins, toes in this round but even those are always not all that terribly punished, no where near what my J40's or even the 2.0's were in my most honest and sincere opinion.

Its just so much fun to play with these AND they make it fun to play at the same time. I know that sounds nuts, but its what I keep coming to in my head again and again. More amazing is that this round and the one prior I'm honestly starting to get longer. I really account this to the fact that I'm more confident in the clubs so I've become more confident in my swing, pre round on the range I was hitting my 9i 145 consistently with a couple at about 149, that's just stupid long for me and what I have always seen. I know this is confidence more than the club, but the club is the one CREATING the confidence. Crazy loop there I know but it makes sense to me! lol

I've got a 7i, 8i, 9i video from when I was waiting on #2 teebox that I'll get uploaded tonight I hope. You'll all have to excuse the athletic shorts though as it is within course rules and not to mention is was all I had in my car for the last second decision of a round.

 

[TC]

You're getting better and better with them Jman. Good stuff dude.

I played today. Hit 15/18 GIR's which is pretty sweet but in all honesty, I'm almost expecting those these days.

 

[Jman]

You're getting better and better with them Jman. Good stuff dude.

I played today. Hit 15/18 GIR's which is pretty sweet but in all honesty, I'm almost expecting those these days.

Thanks good sir. I hear ya though, I only hit 10 in my 76 yesterday and after the round I was actually kinda like WTC? I've never been that way before, ever. If I hit 7 GIR's I was thrilled in the past.

 

[TC]

Thanks good sir. I hear ya though, I only hit 10 in my 76 yesterday and after the round I was actually kinda like WTC? I've never been that way before, ever. If I hit 7 GIR's I was thrilled in the past.

That's pretty much how I feel too man. Anything less than 12 and I felt like it wasn't a great day. These irons spoil us.

 

[Jman]

That's pretty much how I feel too man. Anything less than 12 and I felt like it wasn't a great day. These irons spoil us.

Couldn't agree more. They are just so all-around good its crazy, just really really balanced in all aspects.

 

[TMElectric]

I am a high handicapper and because of that, I bought the G20. After reading all the reviews on the I20, I decided to try them to see if I made the right choice. The golf shop gave me a 7 iron with the same shaft as my G20's. I also had my 7 iron as well. Out of 20 ea. balls, I did hit my G20 better, but not by much. BUT, I left with the feeling that the I20 was what a golf iron should feel like. Now, when I stand for a shot with my G20's, I feel like I have an iron hybrid or a big shovel. I am hitting good with them so I am not complaining. I can certainly see why they will give you confidence because the little time that I had with one, I felt like I was going to hit it well. When I break 85 three times, I will have these irons. (Unless something better comes out)