Ping i20 Irons Review - Forum Testing Review Thread
JK
Living the Dream
Nice, Griff, congrats! LOL I was just about to post that I've played 2 rounds with my new all Ping bag and shot 78 and 79 - and definitely leaving some strokes out there on poor decision making and adjusting to yardage, etc. The anchor is definitely the G20 driver (hitting 2/3 of fairways) and these irons, which are just plain so forgiving that I am recovering for par much more often simply because the misses are not as bad. I'm trying to control my excitement to make sure this is not another honeymoon period, but I have not been this pumped about playing the next round ASAP in a long time.
Hawkeye
New member
As you can see this is my first post and thanks to you guys on this forum I wanted to see these i20's. So I stopped by the local driving range over lunch to look at the i20's in person which proceeded to talking to the club fitter/builder for about 20 mins which turned into hitting a small bucket a balls with a i7, black dot, CFS Shaft. By the way turned into the Ping Tech Van being there next tues, so I have a 4:30 club fitting slot!!! All because I have read 42 pages of posts....:bulgy-eyes:
I've been hacking around with a set of Hogan Forged for about 8 years. When I played 2-3 times week, one less kid and a different job, keeping a 6.7 GHIN felt pretty dang good. Well as we know everything changes and it's time to see if some new irons won't make golf a little more enjoyable and forgivable.
By the way the small bucket of balls off of mats felt great. Just hitting about 35 balls I could def. tell that shots not well struck went way further. But balls that were squared up felt almost as if I didn't hit a ball at all, other than the sweet sound to your ear. I was in the 170-175 yard range on good shots with 2-8 O'Clock wind. Anyway thanks again for everyone's work on here. Can't wait to read more and who knows what will happen next week!!!
I've been hacking around with a set of Hogan Forged for about 8 years. When I played 2-3 times week, one less kid and a different job, keeping a 6.7 GHIN felt pretty dang good. Well as we know everything changes and it's time to see if some new irons won't make golf a little more enjoyable and forgivable.
By the way the small bucket of balls off of mats felt great. Just hitting about 35 balls I could def. tell that shots not well struck went way further. But balls that were squared up felt almost as if I didn't hit a ball at all, other than the sweet sound to your ear. I was in the 170-175 yard range on good shots with 2-8 O'Clock wind. Anyway thanks again for everyone's work on here. Can't wait to read more and who knows what will happen next week!!!
Welcome to thp hawkeye.
So I was bored during a conference call so I called golf galaxy to harass them about my i20's and was told they arrived today. Should be dritac'ed up and ready for pick up when I drive by on my way home.
Beast mode from tapatalk
So I was bored during a conference call so I called golf galaxy to harass them about my i20's and was told they arrived today. Should be dritac'ed up and ready for pick up when I drive by on my way home.
Beast mode from tapatalk
Schweitzer_07
Active member
That's awesome! I'm still trying to find somewhere to hit these. The cheap side of me says that I just need more practice with my Razr's but you know how the other side feels...
Nonsense! You need to hit these and be prepared to OEM them.
Schweitzer_07
Active member
Hmmm... I have training in Nashville next Tuesday and it just so happens that a golf shop there has the nflight fitting system. Sounds like fate.
Hawkeye
New member
I know the felling, I thought the Ping Van just so happened to be coming next week and they just started taking slots this morning and he said they will be filled by the end of the day! FATE is the word!
Id say so. Who are you to tempt fate? lol
JK
Living the Dream
Just make sure to bring a credit card into the store when you try them - much more efficient than a trip back out to the car.
FrankA
Catch ya on the flip side
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Awesome man. What was your time on delivery?
Griff
Hey Man, Nice Shot
Decided at the last minute to hit a course I haven't been to in 10 years or so. Ball was Bridgestone B330 RX, conditions described above. Wanted to do something different for this writeup, something other than a round recap. Since I shot a freakin 76 I'll go ahead and do the recap.
Hole 1 387 par 4
Driver to FW bunker on right. Woohoo, great start. 162 to pin lie was not an issue, ball sitting up nicely. Little tail wind, went with 6I. Picked it perfectly, felt nice. Strong trajectory, ball dropped and stopped 12 under hole. 2 putt par. Wasn't at all intimidated with the sand. Went after it and the i20 delivered.
Hole 2 430 dogleg right par 5
Easy right? Pushed drive way right, precisely next to the bunker I hit out of on the 1st hole. Lie was garbage in the rough. Pulled the 5I to get back in play and hit it way heavy. Only 120 or so and even farther right. 3rd from 131 over a bunch of trees next to the 1st tee. 9I caught a branch and came up short. Short sided pitch with the LW only got to fringe. Just didn't hit it hard enough. 2 putter strokes later, bogey.
Hole 3 388 yard par 4
Hybrid + Hybrid to this......
[video=youtube;X6-X5yKgiLM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6-X5yKgiLM[/video]
Hole 4 184 yard par 3
Used 4I and pulled it off line enough to miss green. Chipped with the UW and got a really weird bounce to the left. 2 putts from 10 feet for bogey. UW is very consistent for chips.
Hole 5 330 yard par 4
Plan was 5I + 6 or 7 here. Water to left and the reward is not worth risk with a big stick. 5I tee shot was way out on toe, left with 173 to pin from thin rough. Had to go 5I again, hit a beauty. Nice flight and dead straight. 2 putts from 15 feet or so, par.
Hole 6 375 yard par 4
3W off tee to 181 yards to pin. Wind gust kinda killed my tee shot. From FW use the 4I and hit it pretty bad. Wound up a little short and right. LW saved me. 1/2 shot from 30 or so yards to 8 feet. Couldn't make the putt, bogey.
Hole 7 505 yard par 5
3W + hybrid to 123 to pin. Had a crappy side hill lie and a pond in front of the green. Choked way down on the 9I and pulled the heck out of it. Made good contact, just a tough lie. Had a crazy long birdie putt, got it close enough for 2 putt par. About this time I'm feeling really good about the irons. I've hit some really iffy shots to this point and in the back of my head I know my score isn't that bad.
Hole 8 157 yard par 3
In to a little wind and used the 6I. Pull AGAIN, but I stuck the green. Drop and stop just like all the iron shots today. From 30 feet, 2 putt par.
Hole 9 393 yard par 4
3W hit to left side of FW. 175 to pin. Used the 4 and guess what....pull into the tip top of a tree. Ball kicked left back to my favorite spot, that first tee. 89 yards to pin, lie was fine. Had a tree to clear, chose to go w the UW. Didn't go crazy with it and choked down a little. Felt great and the ball got up nice and high. Stared it down as I knew I was all over it. Plop, 3 feet behind pin. Didn't even think miss and hit the putt straight through the break for par.
Didn't check my score (+2 38), just kept rolling. Seems like I was a little erratic with the irons, but I was thrilled with the performance as I didn't feel like my stroke was all there. When I needed them the most they got the job done. Onto the back....
Griff
Hey Man, Nice Shot
Hole 10 335 yard par 4
Big dogleg left. Hit my 3W through the FW on right to 156 to pin. First hardpan shot. Used the 6I and felt great off the hard turf. No issues with too much bounce. Ball was all over the pin, but long. Love the trajectory on these irons! Drop and stop. 2 putts from 15 or so feet for par.
Hole 11 163 yard par 3
6I that I caught inside. Ball still flighted well, drifted a tiny bit left. Lost some distance due to off center hit. Still had makeable 25 footer that I missed. Par. Like I've said before, a miss with the i20s is not at all bad.
Hole 12 336 yard par 4
Driver next to FW bunker, 96 to pin from fluffy uphill lie. This one worried me a little. Went with the UW and my worries were realized. Ball went way high and I came up a little short. Chipped with the UW to 6 inches. From 6 inches UW sunk the putt for par.
Hole 13 425 yard par 4
Not sure why I thought I was on a par 5, how's that for course management. 3W down the middle, easy PW layup that stopped before the creek. Tough side hill lie from 102. Choked all the way down on the PW and caught it super clean. Ball about 10 feet below hole. Missed putt for what I thought was a 2 putt par. Nope, bogey.
Hole 14 351 yard par 4
Realize now I goofed up the previous hole, oh well. Dead straight 3W down the middle to 112 to pin. Perfect FW lie, used PW. No clue what happened here. Caught it clean, felt right, but only got 100 yards out of the shot. Was I choked down? Really not sure what happened. Chipped with the UW and ran it 8-10 feet past hole. Green was a little quicker than I was expecting. 2 putt bogey.
Hole 15 521 yard par 5
Driver + 3W to FW bunker. Was 70 yards from pin, location was tucked back left behind another bunker. Decided to play safe and used the UW hoping to roll it back there. Again, I didn't even give the sand a 2nd thought. So comfortable that these will deliver. Caught it really nice and I did get some roll, just a little too much release, 20 ft behind pin. 2 putt par.
Hole 16 160 yard par 3
Nice huge green. Nothing fancy, 6I 15 or so feet to the right, pin high. 2 putt par.
Hole 17 427 yard par 4
Crushed drive to 144 to pin. Ball wound up a foot into the rough. Hit a very nice 8I that landed left of the pin, pin high, 10 feet. 2 putt par.
Hole 18 526 yard par 5
Dangerous hole that has a creek down the middle of hole that feeds a pond in front of the green. Not much i20 here. Low hook drive, 7I layup back in play, 3W to 15 under hole. 2 putt par.
Thoughts to follow....
Griff
Hey Man, Nice Shot
I will follow with more specifics as the thread progresses concerning this round.
The i20s are workhorses for me. Dead on reliable. Misses are controlled and when I needed a shot they delivered. As I was typing the round recap I realized they may not look like they are working too well. Performance on the course is where it's at. Whatever shot I want to utilize I have 100% confidence in the i20s. Maybe that's part of what's going on.
Just cover a couple things instead of trying to hit everything. Accuracy and ball flight.
Accuracy
The i20s are incredibly accurate. There's something going on and I can't put my finger on it. Where ever I aim they go. I pulled several shots, but aside from that they went where I aimed. Precise is the word I would use. Distance control is dead on. Combine this with the spin I get and I'm left without words.
Ball Flight
Perfection. Nothing gets too high, nothing too low. It's powerful with a nice finish that doesn't leave balls running off the back of the green. The way they hold the line gives me tons of confidence. Piercing, penetrating, whatever cliche I can think of applies to what I am seeing.
Concern
Found myself a little at odds with what club to hit in the PW 9I range. The gap is 5* which is fine for a lot of sets. The i20s have very precise gaps everywhere else except here. I will have to manipulate the 9I more than I would like.
Have enough to share this:
Low Handicapper - These could be the answer to go even lower
Mid Handicapper - This is me I guess. Enough forgiveness to cover a miss and enough precision to put up a score
High Handicapper - Usable for sure. If you struggle to get the ball in the air there are better sets. If you hit your irons OK I think the i20s are worth a look and could help you get some scores down. Be sure to demo these, don't rush out and get em.
Getting to the point that you may have to take these from my cold dead hands.
The i20s are workhorses for me. Dead on reliable. Misses are controlled and when I needed a shot they delivered. As I was typing the round recap I realized they may not look like they are working too well. Performance on the course is where it's at. Whatever shot I want to utilize I have 100% confidence in the i20s. Maybe that's part of what's going on.
Just cover a couple things instead of trying to hit everything. Accuracy and ball flight.
Accuracy
The i20s are incredibly accurate. There's something going on and I can't put my finger on it. Where ever I aim they go. I pulled several shots, but aside from that they went where I aimed. Precise is the word I would use. Distance control is dead on. Combine this with the spin I get and I'm left without words.
Ball Flight
Perfection. Nothing gets too high, nothing too low. It's powerful with a nice finish that doesn't leave balls running off the back of the green. The way they hold the line gives me tons of confidence. Piercing, penetrating, whatever cliche I can think of applies to what I am seeing.
Concern
Found myself a little at odds with what club to hit in the PW 9I range. The gap is 5* which is fine for a lot of sets. The i20s have very precise gaps everywhere else except here. I will have to manipulate the 9I more than I would like.
Have enough to share this:
Low Handicapper - These could be the answer to go even lower
Mid Handicapper - This is me I guess. Enough forgiveness to cover a miss and enough precision to put up a score
High Handicapper - Usable for sure. If you struggle to get the ball in the air there are better sets. If you hit your irons OK I think the i20s are worth a look and could help you get some scores down. Be sure to demo these, don't rush out and get em.
Getting to the point that you may have to take these from my cold dead hands.
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Ole Gray
Mayor of the Woodshed
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Griff you are doing a super duper job on your reviews man :blob::clapp:! Dang I need to sale all my cats (five of them) and go buy me some I20 irons :bulgy-eyes:
Griff
Hey Man, Nice Shot
Thanks much OG! Don't let Kbo read the cat thing!
InHartWeTrust
Ball Go Far.
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Can't even put my jealousy into words. I'm waiting on a "contact" of mine to let me know if he will be able to put me in connection with the owner of GolfWorks to get these for me at cost.
To the testers, great detail and info so far. This thread is money.
Griff
Hey Man, Nice Shot
InHartWeTrust
Ball Go Far.
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Thanks man! Hate to quote myself but it could apply to you
That is actually what I am going for. I have my old Mizuno MP-37 blades that I am playing currently, and I feel like the added forgiveness of the i20's without sacrificing any feel could really work out well for me.
I don't try to work the ball too often (unless it is necessary), and I am naturally pretty good at moving it either way when I need to, so I really don't see there being any reason NOT to make the switch.
JK
Living the Dream
I like your thoughts here and think you'd be very happy with the i20's. Really looking forward to getting mine out.