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.
