Ping Glide 3.0 Wedges

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Not exactly a well kept secret, but these became official today. Here is the release with some info.

In developing the new Glide 3.0 wedges, PING’s engineers took a grip-to-grind approach, re-designing every component of the club to create a higher-spinning, more forgiving, lighter overall design that offers multiple sole grind options to custom-fit golfers of all skill levels.

The tour-proven Glide 3.0 wedges are available for custom fitting and pre-sell beginning today at authorized PING golf shops around the world.

“In the Glide 3.0 series, we’re broadening the appeal of our wedges and providing more differentiation within our own line and the rest of the marketplace,” said John K. Solheim, PING President. “We approached the design with a goal of creating higher-spinning, great-looking wedges that also deliver more forgiveness with the improved feel from our other proven technologies. Every detail in the Glide 3.0 is designed to improve short-game performance, from the longer grip for choking down to the Hydropearl 2.0 chrome finish that helps the wedge glide through the grass.”

“From a fitting standpoint, we engineered four distinctly different sole grinds, including an Eye2 sand-wedge-inspired option, to ensure that trained PING club fitters can properly match a Glide 3.0 to a golfer’s swing and playing conditions,” Solheim said. “We’re excited about getting it into golfers’ hands. It had a win its first week on the PGA Tour when Nate Lashley used one in his amazing and inspiring victory at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.”

Improved Feel and Forgiveness
In the Glide 3.0 wedges, PING’s engineers put a premium on the feel and forgiveness by leveraging the multi-material construction that combines a 431 stainless steel head with a larger and softer elastomer Custom Tuning Port (CTP) insert. Similar to the popular i210 irons, the additional volume of the CTP allows for a larger insert covering more of the back of the face, resulting in activation of the elastomer at impact to produce a soft yet solid feel. The new, patented cavity design and larger CTP expand the perimeter weighting to increase the MOI and position the center of gravity higher to yield lower-launching, higher-spinning trajectories for more control.

“The Glide 3.0 wedge is a great blend of a players-style design and game-improvement technology,” said Solheim. “At address, it provides the clean look of a tour-style wedge. We’ve added some offset based on tour player feedback to provide a more captured look. At the same time, we’ve increased the perimeter weighting and improved the feel with the softer insert material to ensure golfers have the forgiveness they need to play with confidence on approach shots. The combination of those attributes really sets the Glide 3.0 wedges apart and gives them a much broader appeal.”

Precision-Milled Grooves
Patented wheel-cut grooves developed by PING’s engineering and manufacturing teams enable grooves with a sharper edge radius, which increases interaction with the ball at impact, creating more friction for improved spin and trajectory control. The grooves in the lower-lofted wedges (46°, 50° & 52°) are milled with a 20° sidewall and a .005" edge radius for optimal full-shot performance. The higher-lofted versions (54°, 56°, 58° & 60°) feature an extra ½ groove at the bottom of the face for added spin and are milled to a .004" edge radius with a 28° sidewall to impart more spin, especially around the greens.

A Focus on Fitting
With an emphasis on expanding the wedge sole options to better custom-fit golfers, PING engineers crafted four differentiated sole grinds in the Glide 3.0 series. Each is designed to best match a player’s angle of attack and typical turf conditions while providing performance and versatility on full and partial shots around the green.

“We see tremendous opportunity in wedge fitting in general,” said Solheim. “It starts by focusing our product designs on meeting the needs of golfers of all abilities and swings. With the new sole grinds and multiple loft options, a fitter can really dial in the wedges to help improve the player’s performance based on how they dynamically deliver the clubhead and the type of conditions they typically play in. During the process, they can also determine the best combination of wedges to provide proper distance gaps between each club.”

Grind Options:
Standard Sole (SS) grind (46°/12°, 50°/12°, 52°/12°, 54°/12°, 56°/12°, 58°/10°, 60/10°)
Mid-bounce sole with heel relief. Engineered for golfers with a moderate angle of attack. Exceptional performance in a variety of turf and sand conditions. Fits most golfers.

Wide Sole (WS) grind (54°/14°, 56°/14°, 58°/14°, 60/14°)
Most forgiving through the ground. Round and cambered sole with significant bounce. Recommended for golfers with a steep angle of attack who typically play in soft turf and sand conditions.

Eye2 grind (54°/10°, 56°/10°, 58°/8°, 60°/8°)
With the high toe design pioneered by Karsten Solheim nearly 40 years ago, it matches the original Eye2 SW sole/face profiles and narrow hosel transition for the ultimate in bunker performance and touch shots near the green.

Thin Sole (TS) grind (58°/6°, 60°/6°)
Facilitates precise shot-making and versatility from tight lies. Extreme heel relief with PING WRX-inspired bounce grind. Ideal for firm conditions and a shallow angle of attack.

Lighter Shaft and Grip
The Glide 3.0 wedge’s grip and shaft have been lightened by six and five grams, respectively, contributing to an overall weight reduction of 15 grams for the entire club. The Dyla-wedge Lite grip, which is ¾-inch longer than a traditional grip and features a reduced taper, allows golfers to choke down for more versatility and trajectory control. The PING Z-Z115 wedge shaft is made by Nippon and custom engineered with a lower balance point closer to the tip to provide lower launch with more control and enhanced feel.

“The lighter overall weight allows the Glide 3.0 to better blend into a golfer’s full set and help them swing the club easier,” said Solheim. “We’ve also reduced the head weight by approximately four grams while maintaining our traditional wedge swing weights to ensure golfers still benefit from the clubhead feel they need to play with control and precision.”

Specifications:
Multi-material construction: 431 stainless steel head, elastomer insert, Hydropearl 2.0 finish
Available in 10 color codes (lie angle). Black is standard.
Swingweight: D2 – D4, depending on loft
Stock grip: PING 360 Dyla-wedge Lite in three sizes (Aqua -1/64", White Std., Gold +1/32")
Stock steel shaft: PING Z-Z115 Wedge made by Nippon

Stock graphite shaft: Alta CB Red (SR, R, S)
Aftermarket shaft options (no upcharge): True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 (R300, S300), True Temper Dynamic Gold (S300, X100), True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 (S300, X100), Project X LZ (5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5), True Temper XP95 (R300, S300), Nippon Pro Modus Tour 105 (S, X), KBS Tour (R, S, X)
U.S. MSRP: $160 per club w/steel shaft; $180 per club w/graphite shaft

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Just not my favorite looking wedge
 
Looks great. It will be interesting to see the testing on these. Ping makes some great stuff.


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They sound like very solid options. I like the simplicity of the head without a bunch of badging or extra stamping.
 
Man I wish they stayed with the 8620 CS they had in the 2.0 stealth instead of reverting back to the 431 SS. Stealth felt better to me than the normal glide 2.0. With that said, plenty of options here and something I be certain to give a look at.
 
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Man I wish they stayed with the 8620 CS they had in the 2.0 stealth instead of reverting back to the 431 SS. Stealth felt better to me than the normal glide 2.0. With that said, plenty of options here and something I be certain to give a look at.

If I was a betting man I would say they will end up releasing the Stealth again.
 
The 3.0 and Eye2 will be on the must try list. Sometimes how they look in pictures compared to in-person are very different. I always like the "original" Eye2.
 
Am I the only one that finds it odd they skipped 48* in the standard sole offering?
 
I like what I see, but I may wait on the stealth to come out (if it does)
 
They don't fit my eye but neither did the previous generation

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This year I put a glide 2.0 54* in the bag and love it, first wedge I actually have confidence in when full swinging. I have a Callaway Forged 58 that I use around the green. It's easily the most used club in my bag and is due for replacement. I was going to get the 2.0 but after seeing some talk of the 3.0 a couple weeks ago I'm holding off until the 3.0 is released and then replacing the Callaway forged.
 
I love the look of the Eye2 wedge but the rest of the lineup doesn't do too much for me. I was a little disappointed in the feel of their last lineup, hopefully they're a little better in that regard.
 
The Eye 2.0 is classic but for some reason just does not fit my eye like a high-toe or PM grind does. The 3.0 back of the wedge as well really make sit look like an SGI wedge.
 
I'll give these a try when I decide to get fit for irons again. Things are going well and I would prefer them to release these in "stealth" again. I am sure the results from these will be solid.
 
I got to hit the new Glide 3.0 wedges over the range last night (they're a Ping fitting range).

The 3.0's all swung nicely, if you know what I mean, not overly heavy or light, head wasn't too heavy either, standard shafts weren't overly stiff like some wedges I've seen and tried.

They all felt pretty nice at contact, that insert in the back does do something, they felt/sounded softer and springier (even with Srixon Range Balls) than my current CBX in general, could have been strike influenced admittedly. Even toe shots didn't feel too harsh and seemed to go roughly the distance. The grooves on all I tried were shedding the balls quite nicely on crisp strikes.

The "normal" Standard Sole was nice, I'd say a touch more forgiving than a normal bladed edge, the Wide Sole felt most like hitting my CBX wedges off the mat with the bounce/sound etc, didn't try the Thin Sole as that's not my preference....but then there's the Eye2.

The grip took me a few swings to adjust to visually as it's that little bit longer and looks odd at my normal grip point, but that soon disappeared when I utilised the lower grip points.

I know it's looks aren't for everyone, but it's basically exactly what I've been waiting for since I started playing again - Eye2 shaping and sole which I always loved in my old second hand ones, simply nothing better out of sand, but now with brand new grooves. I think Birthday and Christmas is sorted for me this year.

#OGHiToe
 
I went to Golf Galaxy last night (for something else) and was surprised to see about 20 of the 3.0's on the rack. Unfortunately, they all had plastic on them which throws my eye off just a bit when comparing them to the previous generation. The specs say they've increased the offset a little bit, which is interesting. The Glide 2.0's hardly had any but these have a little. I wanted to see if the cavity was a bit deeper but it's hard to tell with the plastic on them. I feel like these could strike an excellent balance of having a little game improvement built into them without being large or chunky at all. The back of the club (the "cavity") gives the impression it'd be a little chunky but head size and shape at address is absolutely not (several of their pro's put the 3.0's right in the bag).
 
Intrigued by these, for sure. I'm not due for wedge replacements quite yet, but probably around the end of the year.

I haven't been confident in full swing wedge shots in a fair amount of time, and I'm thinking these might help with that. No funky looks or colors, just a standard looking golf club....like my irons. And from what I gather, a little more forgiveness built in than the Mack Daddys, Vokeys, Milled Grinds, etc.
 
This is interesting. Apparently there is something to the hydrophobic coating Ping used on these wedges:

 
-CRW-;n8881923 said:
This is interesting. Apparently there is something to the hydrophobic coating Ping used on these wedges:



I just watched the video! It's very cool, a bit long at 18 minutes.
 
-CRW-;n8881923 said:
This is interesting. Apparently there is something to the hydrophobic coating Ping used on these wedges:

Science!
 
TrojanMan;n8881250 said:
Intrigued by these, for sure. I'm not due for wedge replacements quite yet, but probably around the end of the year.

I haven't been confident in full swing wedge shots in a fair amount of time, and I'm thinking these might help with that. No funky looks or colors, just a standard looking golf club....like my irons. And from what I gather, a little more forgiveness built in than the Mack Daddys, Vokeys, Milled Grinds, etc.

I think forgiveness in a wedge is very helpful, even more so than for the longer clubs. For example, lots of times of times wedge shots have sloped, grassy, sandy, hardpan, sloped or other less than ideal lies. This means square-quality contact is especially challenging, so a forgiving wedge design makes good sense. My PW, GW, and SW are Ping G700, and my LW is a G400.
 
I'm really curious about these as potential replacements for my current CBX gamers. Not that I really NEED to replace them but I enjoyed hitting the Glide 2.0 and these appear to have some updates to add more forgiveness.
 
First, a little context. I'm a senior golfer and with a slow swing speed not terribly long... I mean at all. Consequently, my wedges and putter are the most important clubs in my bag because I expect to have 3 - 4 up and downs every round. For the last couple years, I've been playing Callaway MD3 and MD4 wedges. I know what my distances are with each one and the 54* is my most used club in the bag. I used for full swings and pitches around the green, and also for bunker shots. I have a 58* but I just found that I could do everything with the 54* so the 58* is just gathering dust.

I've played the Ping Glides and Ping Glides 2.0 in the past and had really good luck with them, but just felt like the MD4's were more reliable. When the Ping Glide 3.0's were announced, I read the reviews and felt they might be something to consider but would wait until I read some reviews. I watched the video that TXG did showing the spin numbers between the Vokey wedges and Ping Glide 3.0's when wet and decided that they might give me a little more spin and allow me to get more drop and stops that I was not able to do with the MD4's.

I carried a 48* and 54* MD4 most of the time. Sometimes, I would put the 58* in the bag, but as I said, I'd never get the chance to use it. I ordered a Ping Glide 3.0 46*, 50*, and 54* Eye2. The 46* and 50* are the SS grind. I practiced a little bit at the range with the 50* and 54* Eye2 just to get the feel for them. Seemed pretty good. Last Saturday, I put them in the bag in place of the MD4's.

I was most concerned with the 46* and 50* and whether I'd be able to determine which one to use in the 75 yard range. I had one shot that was about 74 yards from the green and pulled the 50*. Hit a full swing shot that landed next to the cup and released to the edge of the green about 12 feet from the cup. If I had the MD4's in the bag, I would have used the 46* for that shot.

I had a number of shots from around the green and one out of the bunker and the 54* Eye2 was superb. I was getting the ball to check up much better than with the MD4 so I know I'm getting more spin. The head feels heavy on the Eye2, but I really like that because it really helps on shots out of the rough. The MD4 would occasionally catch on the grass and the club face would open up on me and I'd hit the shot to the right of my target. With the Eye2, this is all but impossible because the head just seems to glide (no pun intended) through even the thickest rough.

I also had some shots where the grass was still wet from the dew in the morning and just as the TXG testing showed, it performed just as well when the ball or grass was wet.

I'm still getting accustomed to the different feel of the 3.0's but I think they will be stellar as time goes on. I've got 4 rounds this week to test them out a little more and instead of leaving the MD4's in the trunk of my car just in case, I'll be leaving them at home.
 
Saw the eye2 today. It looks odd to me but I'm sure if it performed I would love how it looks very quickly.

The glide 3.0 and cbx2 definitely have a solid profile at address with a lot of stuff going on under the hood.
 
A local shop let me borrow an LH Eye2 56 to demo. I'm planning on taking it to the range tomorrow night to get a feel for it outdoors. My 54 and 58 are very rarely used as full swing clubs so I'm more concerned about close range chipping action. I particularly like the round edge of the sole with the extra 1/2 groove on the bottom. It makes me feel like I can easily get the front edge of the club underneath the ball and closer to the ground. I had a few bad chips on the mat in the store but generally I was able to make decent contact. It did seem to launch lower but I can't do a direct comparison since the loft is between my other current wedges.

I'm still torn if I want the Glide 3.0 or the CBX2 but I can see where the Glide could be more versatile on the short game. Perhaps that might be the decider since I don't really give these club much full swing action.
 
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