By Christian Nicolini, Equipment Writer

With its new i25 irons, PING introduces a new level of playability and forgiveness to its already impressive lineup. Ping has demonstrated with the i25 that a single iron can be versatile, forgiving, and provide exceptional distance without sacrificing appearance or feel.

The i25 irons are what I like to call a “Smart- Iron” mainly because each iron in this progressive set serves a different function. As you look at each iron in this set, you will notice that each iron has a different center of gravity, bounce, offset, and head size depending on what club you’re looking at.

The shorter irons in this set have a more compact head and less offset to allow for more control and versatility. However, as you progress to the longer irons, you will notice that the heads become a little larger and the offset a little more pronounced, allowing the clubs to becoming easier to hit.

FIRST REACTION

I have seen many progressive sets on the market in last couple years; however, I have yet to come across a set that transitions as smoothly as the PING i25 irons. During testing, there wasn’t much to say other than “these irons are great”. Don’t count these irons out just because you are worried you will miss out on that soft forged feel. Striking these “bad-boys” on the sweet spot will deliver the same tingling sensation down your spine as the forged competition.

FEEL/SOUND/APPEARANCE

Like I said before, the Ping i25 irons have all the forgiveness of the 17-4 stainless steel but with the forged iron feel. In fact, even off-center hits with the i25 felt softer than some forged clubs when stuck off the center.

The sound is what you expect from a performance iron; a very clean and subtle “wack” at impact. If you’re familiar with PING irons then you would know about their foggy chrome finish. Personally I think this finish creates a cleaner and more desirable look at address.

PERFORMANCE

I used PING’s fitting system to ensure that my numbers in the simulator would be as accurate as possible. Roughly 100 shots later, I found that these clubs are truly one of the most forgiving and consistent iron sets on the market.

After hitting roughly 20 balls with the 8-iron off the toe, center and heel (purple dot) I consistently carried the ball between 165-168 yards. I moved to the 4-iron (purple-dot) to see if I could get the same results; 20 balls later, I was constantly carrying the ball 205-210 yards with a similar impact dispersion as the 8-iron.

Compared to the competition and last year’s i20 irons, the i25 irons offer a lower trajectory with the low irons but a much higher and soft flight with the long irons.

I also have to give PING a pat on the back for their stock CFS shaft. The standard CFS shaft on the i25, delivers a mid-trajectory, soft feel, and is very stable.

Lastly, getting fit with PING couldn’t be easier. Their patented color code system will get you in a set of irons that fits both your swing and body type quickly and correctly.

PRICING/AVAILABILITY

The Ping i25 irons are available now and retail at $699 for seven irons.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The Ping i25 irons fall into a specific class of irons. You’re not buying a full cavity back set, or a full muscle back set, but a set that progressively moves from a muscle back to a cavity back.

In my opinion, this iron offers it all: performance, versatility, forgiveness, and appearance.

Regardless of the non-forged head, the i25 delivers a forged feel with the forgiveness that you would expect from a larger cavity back with the top line of a player iron.

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