Last Updated on January 14, 2024 by Matt Greene
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This is Golf Sidekicks review of the best PING irons in 2024.
I’m a long-term golf addict and rabid golf club tester for 7 years.
I got the latest PING irons in hand recently and took them onto the driving range and out on the golf course to give you the rankings of the best Ping irons on the market.
Best PING Irons on the market in 2024
- PING i230 irons (Good for ball strikers)
- PING G425 irons (best Ping iron for golfers over 9 handicap)
- PING i59 irons (for golfers who want a higher ball flight)
- PING G430 irons (2nd place for over 9 handicap)
- PING i525 irons
The better players Ping
The Ping i230 is my recommended low-handicap Ping iron.
- Excellent control of the ball flight
- Feedback off the face makes it clear where you hit the ball
- High launching and penetrating flight
- Excellent ability to hit the target after a bad strike for a players iron
The i230s have a smaller club head than the i210 model yet Ping upgraded the MOI.
The 4 degree gapping between each iron from pitching wedge to 7-iron keeps distance gaps consistent. Using 3.5 degrees between each iron from 7-iron to 3 iron helps to stretch out distances to cover long approach shots.
I recommend the i230s instead of the i525s is just based on the sound and feel. The heads in the 1230 are larger than the i525 so hitting ehm reminded me of the Ping set I had growing up as a kid, hitting balls for hours on my local goat track.
Verdict: The best looking Ping iron and great performance.
PING G425
Best ping iron for intermediate players
Ping G425 irons are my choice for mid handicap golf irons from Ping:
- So easy to get airborne
- Biggest distance out of any iron
- You can hit the ball all over the club face and get a good result
- Amazing sound and feel
- If you like shot-shaping, these will shape
I usually play blade irons and I thought the 425 would be wooden and hard. Instead I found them to be very workable and out the sweet spot, the ball rockets off the face!
Center strikes felt pure and even when i missed the sweet spot, I didn't notice much distance loss.
As with most game improvement irons, the lofts are strong.
Conclusion: The G425s are in the top 5 irons I have tested for average golfers.
Verdict: If anyone wants a new iron and plays over a 14 handicap, I would heavily push them toward the G425.
Ping i59 irons
For golfers who want a higher ball flight with blade styling
I believe the i59 are in second place only to the i230 for the skilled golfer because:
- I like how they look at address - a nice top line
- Very nice feeling through the entire blade - the iron doesn't feel toe or heel biased.
- My shots went long and distance was consistent.
I found the i59s were very easy to shape but I didn't find the contact as precise and pleasing as the i230 irons above. I was in line with the pin on the greens but perhaps the shafts did not suit me. I just couldn't dial in the radar to get the ball more on line.
They are better looking than the i230 but I did not enjoy the sound of the irons at contact.
Verdict: Good-looking irons are nearly as good as the i230 but I found more precision with the i230.
PING G430 irons
Cavity back Ping players iron
Ping G430 irons are as playable, and feel about the same as the G425s, but it is the latest iteration.
- Very easy to find the sweet spot
- The irons give a high and straight flight instead of curving too much right to left
- The feel is the same as the G425
Ping decreased the lofts in the G430 compared to the G425 but they have added new technology for higher ball flight at lower lofts.
Conclusion: The G430 are a little bit longer then than G425.
Verdict: If you don't own any G series Ping irons, go for the G430, but if you have a set of G425 or G420, there is no need to upgrade.
PING i525 irons
Good looking Ping clubs
The Ping i525 are much more hittable than the i59 but the sound is not as good as the i59.
I cannot fault the performance of these irons other than the clangy sound. It sounds much firmer than the i59.
Verdict: We prefer the higher choices on the list but these are solid irons that would compete with any of the Callaway or Taylormade offerings.
Understanding the Best Ping irons
Ping's Unique Fitting System
You can take measurements of your body and your body in relation to the floor and match them up to the Ping fitting chart.
It's unique and easy for you to fit yourself into a set of Pings.
Shafts used in Ping
For faster swinging players, you want to go stiffer, and normal swing speed (85-95 mph with the driver), you'll find regular shafts work best.
For the slower swing speeds, you can try graphite shafts to increase your swing speed to get the ball flying higher and further.
Often steel shafts are used by moderate to high swing speeds, ranging from regular to extra stiff. If your swing could use some speed gains, a graphite shaft can shed grams off the weight, bringing your speed up.
The good news is that Ping use great shafts in their stock issue clubs. I have three Ping clubs and I have not felt tempted to change the shafts at all since having them, and I have had them since December 2021.
Iron Head Shape and Type
Ping has forged and cast irons as well as blade and cavity back irons.
The forged irons from Ping are more for the shot shapers while the cavity back are made being forgiving on mis-hits.
Because this guide is about the best Ping irons, it would be best to get a cavity back iron so you can enjoy the mis-hits not being so punishing.
Keep in mind that forged clubs can be bent multiple times for lie and loft while cast irons cannot.
Cast irons do feel firmer but you need to flush the blade forged irons right in the sweet spot to make them work.
Why do Ping irons cost much more?
The main reason is because Ping does not allow vendors and distributors to undercut each other on pricing.
Ping is very strict about competition and pricing. If you are a certified Ping distributor, you must follow the exact pricing guidelines set forth by the Ping brand or else you may lose your ability to sell Ping clubs.
Ping hold their value as well because they release so few clubs. Much like Srixon, you only find new models every 2 years or so. When Ping release something new, you know they have put in some effort to create something special.
Generally people very rarely get rid of their Ping sets because the quality of the product is so good. You'll see golfers playing the same set of Ping irons for 10 years.
What Are The Best Ping Game Improvement Irons?
Currently the Ping G425 are the best game improvements from Ping.
Game Improvement irons have received a bad reputation lately as some sort of high handicap or unskilled players clubs.
The truth is, that the majority of golfers can play Game Improvement irons all the way down to single figure golf. Ping offer longevity in their irons and your set will last you for years. Very often, Ping enthusiasts are rabid, only ever buying Ping for the rest of their life.
PING’s dot system explained
It’s worth going over Ping’s unique dot system.
On all Ping irons, there is a little colored dot somewhere on the head. This dot is to identify the lie angle of the club and with 10 possible colors/lie angles, it’s important to understand the system so you get the right irons for you.
A professional club fitter will be able to fit you into the correct color easily, but if you’re buying off the rack, the chart should give you a good indication of which color is best suited to you.
Which PING irons are right for you?
If you shoot in the 100’s or 90’s, you are probably looking for a club which will get the ball in the air quickly and maximise your distance.
Ping offers a range of clubs which could be suitable for this type of player each with subtle differences.
Generally the G425 will be excellent for most mid to high handicappers.
For advanced players, the blade Ping irons will be fantastic options.
But like all golf clubs, how they look and feel is just as important as the tech which is built in. You have to look down at your clubs and LOVE them. If you don’t, you need to think about why and reassess your tools. With this in mind, you might find that the best Ping iron for YOU is a blade. It probably won’t be but it could be.