Ping i210 for sweepers

Looking for experiences from people with shallow angle of attack and the i210. How do they perform from tight lies? Thin shots? How is the spin with shallow swings?

Reason I'm asking is that the Maltby's measured vertical center of gravity is quite alarming to me, even though I love just about anything else on the irons.

I recently got rid of i25s and bought myself new 718 AP2s (after fitting, Ping i210 wasn't tested), but I already have regrets about that and want myself some Ping i's back. The AP2 just doesn't feel right, performance is pretty good but they feel very harsh and I have no clue where I hit the ball, e.g. compared to the old i25s.

p.s. been following the forum for years and finally had a good reason to creating an account!

Haha I've gone the other way. Sold my i200 and moved to AP2. I think the AP2 has way more feedback but that's just my opinion. That said, the i210 is the softest casting I've tried for sure. I like AP2 better though as the spin is super consistent and your number is bang on. The Ap2 is a more demanding iron though. For a shallow swinger I think the AP2 is better, but that's just me. I love i210 but I'd recommend going for a shaft with a bit more spin. KBS tour and PX LZ worked well for me in it. Didn't have great results with DG.

How many rounds have you played with Ap2? It took me a few to get used to them. I almost sold my 716 after one use. They felt harsh and terrible. I gave it a couple of range sessions and a couple of rounds and then they started to feel absolutely incredible. Not sure I'll play another model of irons until I go full blades.

I210s sure have tons of bounce. I am also curious how that works with sweepers. Seems like a combo to leave no marks on the fairways - but no prayer off any bare hardpan lies.

I bought at an older set of Mizuno blades to try out when I had the i200 to see if I could handle more club. I much preferred the way that the smaller sole interacted with the ground. The Pings are fantastic clubs. I can highly recommend them. If I was playing against people all the time it’s probably what I’d play. They’re silly forgiving. Prefer the Ap2 softness, feedback, consistency, and turf interaction though.

I have no issues with 210s from any lie. Lots of them on PGA/LPGA Tours. ;)

OP, go demo 210s vs. Mizuno(less bounce). Maybe Srixon might work with their V-Sole?

I210s sure have tons of bounce. I am also curious how that works with sweepers. Seems like a combo to leave no marks on the fairways - but no prayer off any bare hardpan lies.

Well I play the moderately bounced iblades and they work great off tight lies down here in Florida....

Why go with 210s cuz they’re soft for casting when you go Mizuno 919 forged and have a medium sole with low bounce and ACTUAL forged feel. It also has a fairly long blade so it doesn’t look demanding.

How many rounds have you played with Ap2? It took me a few to get used to them. I almost sold my 716 after one use. They felt harsh and terrible. I gave it a couple of range sessions and a couple of rounds and then they started to feel absolutely incredible. Not sure I'll play another model of irons until I go full blades.

To be honest I have only hit them indoors with Trackman, as we have a feet of snow here in Finland. I know myself too well by now, and having these early doubts on any product usually results in selling them rather sooner than later, so better cut the losses.

I have no issues with 210s from any lie. Lots of them on PGA/LPGA Tours. ;)

OP, go demo 210s vs. Mizuno(less bounce). Maybe Srixon might work with their V-Sole?

Good to hear! Comparing to tour players might not be too relevant here, as they usually have quite steep swings which I don't. But definitely going to demo the i210 against 919F for instance!

Why go with 210s cuz they're soft for casting when you go Mizuno 919 forged and have a medium sole with low bounce and ACTUAL forged feel. It also has a fairly long blade so it doesn't look demanding.

I'd say either Mizuno 919F or i210 will be in the bag for 2019 (and further?). Thing's I appreciate more in Pings are: the look at address with thinner top line and the fact that cast clubs wear slower. Nothing against the Mizuno 919F though, and it was actually the second best in my fitting after AP2.

Why go with 210s cuz they're soft for casting when you go Mizuno 919 forged and have a medium sole with low bounce and ACTUAL forged feel. It also has a fairly long blade so it doesn't look demanding.

 

I'd say either Mizuno 919F or i210 will be in the bag for 2019 (and further?). Thing's I appreciate more in Pings are: the look at address with thinner top line and the fact that cast clubs wear slower. Nothing against the Mizuno 919F though, and it was actually the second best in my fitting after AP2.

How many rounds have you played with Ap2? It took me a few to get used to them. I almost sold my 716 after one use. They felt harsh and terrible. I gave it a couple of range sessions and a couple of rounds and then they started to feel absolutely incredible. Not sure I'll play another model of irons until I go full blades.

 

To be honest I have only hit them indoors with Trackman, as we have a feet of snow here in Finland. I know myself too well by now, and having these early doubts on any product usually results in selling them rather sooner than later, so better cut the losses.

I get that but hitting indoors is simply not the same. I hit my 716 AP2 indoors and was less than impressed. After some time with them I fell in love. I really think that you should stick with the option you were fit for and at least give them a fair shot outdoors. All of the good golfers I know stick with the same set and don't flip. I get that this is WRX and I have been buying and selling clubs way too much this year but really if you want to improve take the set you were fit for a run with them. We worry too much about losing a couple hundred bucks here and there. You hit those the best and got the best numbers so hit them outside.

I dont think the bounce will hurt a shallow swing. I bought just a 9 iron off the Bay to goof around with because I love my Glide 2’s so much. The sole is fairly wide but the actual slope itself from front edge to back edge is not terriblly severe.

The “measured bounce” is very high at 12 degrees because of that width, but I don’t think it will play that high, especially if you get the power spec lofts and they are bent a hair stronger.

I even ground a bit off the leading edge and gave it a serious pre worn leading edge. Almost like some bounce before the bounce. I love bounce though . I’m steep. I take out giant 8 inch beaver pelts. I need all the anti digging help I can get. Mizunos are nice but their narrow low bounce soles terrify me.

I dont take much of a divot and I have had no issues with either the i200s or i210s (have had both sets).

In between I also played MP-15s with less bounce and barely noticed any difference on course, lush or bare lies.

I’m pretty shallow and have loved the i210s. I actually find them to be very forgiving on thin shots, which tends to be my miss. Plenty of other great irons to choose from but liked the look, feel, and price of the i210s.

Went and had an hour with my two finalists: Mizuno JPX 919 Forged and Ping i210. The winner is crystal clear, and I can now answer to myself regarding the original question. The i210 works very well for my shallow swing. Pluses for each club:

i210:

• Better looks at address with thinner topline and shorter blade length, and nicer shape of the head
  
• super soft feel, borderline too soft as it hides the feedback of misses. Overall felt addictingly good
  
• Very consistent numbers
  
• About 1000 rpm more backspin than the 919F, and I needed that
  
• Less sidespin than 919F
  
• 1-2 degree higher launch than 919F
  

JPX 919F:

• Nice Explosive feel off the face
  
• A few yards longer (ball speed + less spin)
  

I will be treating myself with some new Pings in the bag for 2019!

Why go with 210s cuz they're soft for casting when you go Mizuno 919 forged and have a medium sole with low bounce and ACTUAL forged feel. It also has a fairly long blade so it doesn't look demanding.

 

I'd say either Mizuno 919F or i210 will be in the bag for 2019 (and further?). Thing's I appreciate more in Pings are: the look at address with thinner top line and the fact that cast clubs wear slower. Nothing against the Mizuno 919F though, and it was actually the second best in my fitting after AP2.

How many rounds have you played with Ap2? It took me a few to get used to them. I almost sold my 716 after one use. They felt harsh and terrible. I gave it a couple of range sessions and a couple of rounds and then they started to feel absolutely incredible. Not sure I'll play another model of irons until I go full blades.

 

To be honest I have only hit them indoors with Trackman, as we have a feet of snow here in Finland. I know myself too well by now, and having these early doubts on any product usually results in selling them rather sooner than later, so better cut the losses.

 

I get that but hitting indoors is simply not the same. I hit my 716 AP2 indoors and was less than impressed. After some time with them I fell in love. I really think that you should stick with the option you were fit for and at least give them a fair shot outdoors. All of the good golfers I know stick with the same set and don't flip. I get that this is WRX and I have been buying and selling clubs way too much this year but really if you want to improve take the set you were fit for a run with them. We worry too much about losing a couple hundred bucks here and there. You hit those the best and got the best numbers so hit them outside.

I understand, agree with most of what you said and thank you for the contribution. However, one miss with the original fitting was that I didn't hit the i210, and now that I did it was a clear winner. I did get pretty good results with the AP2, but I'm sure the adjustment would've taken time as I didn't fancy the feel. Now with the i210 I can hit the ground running!

Out of the three discussed here I preferred the 718 ap2 and then the i210 from a feel standpoint. The 919 forged felt harsh to me but I didn't feel like I was striking them as well either.

Glad you settled on the i210 I am also shallow with the irons (I'm a much better driver and hybrid player than iron player) and I always have fared better with a thinner sole. The bounce didn't affect me as much, and I hit the i210 well and could easy play them. Congrats

Play on hard pan in Texas and am a sweeper. 210s work well for me. Tried the Mizuno forged and struggled with them. Low flight and lots of thinned shots.

I wanted to like my 210’s but sold them for this very reason. I found it very easy to thin shots from tight lies. YMMV

Went to work today and hit the 210 off the mats, and is still the winner so far for me(being a sweeper). Just have to find my shaft to best fit with the 210 for me and place an order. ;)

Very much enjoy mine and am a shallow swinger. I press just a bit if I'm on hard dirt/no grass to make sure I get the ball up, but they are good from all lies I've seen so far.

Went from s56s to i25s to Ap2s and oddly felt the i25s to be the softest as well. The AP2/CTaper combo had a distinct click feel to em. Could never get used to it. Like you, once it was in my head, it was over.

Not shallow myself but passed my i25s along to my buddy who never takes a divot, he played them for years, has since moved onto the 210s with even better results.

I'm a shallow guy as well and I find from time to time the 210s arent quite as good for me, but I think that its more a shaft issue than anything. The DG 120 X100 seem to be really tip stiff and according to some, its stiffer than the regular X100. So i'm thinking about a shaft change. When i tested the I200, the Modus 130X worked really well for me, so I think that I'm either going with the 130 or the Modus 125 since I was a longtime X100 player.

I'm a swallow guy as well...

Wrong forum? ;) Sorry too easy to pass up.

I had the i210s really briefly - eBay purchase where not keen on the shafts and returned - and found them to be just find and I'm definitely more a sweeper.

They respond to a good pass at the ball, just as nicely as the S55s or 919Ts I currently have.

I definitely wouldn't be put off by them if you are a sweeper.

I wouldn't put any value into the Maltby numbers when selecting which iron to purchase. I've hit high MPF heads poorly and low MPF heads well. Lots of pros all the way up to higher hdcp players as well as sweepers/diggers using i-series irons. Can't go by numbers, you have to hit them and find out for yourself.

Went from s56s to i25s to Ap2s and oddly felt the i25s to be the softest as well. The AP2/CTaper combo had a distinct click feel to em. Could never get used to it. Like you, once it was in my head, it was over.

It's terrible, but once you learn how to notice when the doubt kicks in.. Anyhow, I just can't understand how anyone can claim the AP2 to be soft, which is said more often than not. Maybe I just haven't found the sweet spot with them ever, but definitely wouldn't call them soft in any case. Ping i25 felt so much better.

I wouldn't put any value into the Maltby numbers when selecting which iron to purchase. I've hit high MPF heads poorly and low MPF heads well. Lots of pros all the way up to higher hdcp players as well as sweepers/diggers using i-series irons. Can't go by numbers, you have to hit them and find out for yourself.

Luckily I went and tried different options to make my mind. I'm sure that is the only sensible way to pick clubs. For instance, the higher bounced and high vertical center of gravity (according to Maltby) i210's produced higher flight with more spin than the low bounce and possibly lower center of gravity 919F, which on paper shouldn't have been so.

I'm a shallow guy as well and I find from time to time the 210s arent quite as good for me, but I think that its more a shaft issue than anything. The DG 120 X100 seem to be really tip stiff and according to some, its stiffer than the regular X100. So i'm thinking about a shaft change. When i tested the I200, the Modus 130X worked really well for me, so I think that I'm either going with the 130 or the Modus 125 since I was a longtime X100 player.

That is what I love about the DG 120 X100. With the i200/210 series it really adds power and a better flight for me. Did not notice any extra tip stiffness, but I soft-step them in standard or 120. The 120 is a little lighter but otherwise seems the same. I have not tried the AMT white X100 but will sooner or later. I like the X100 feel more than the S300 and I am not a typical x-stiff player.

Turf interaction with i210 is outstanding and you'll hear that from folks over a wide range of steep/shallow.

Only things that bug me are (1) the i210 spin (for me) is super high to the point where I practically plug in greens...I'm not playing Augusta and would prefer a few feet of release and (2) the heavier shaft that made i200s deadly straight and consistent yielded mediocre gaps on long end.

I demoed HM 919 Pros and thought the feel was comparable to i210s. Spin was high enough on the Mizunos but not so high to overly stick or lose distance. Concern about gapping is probably solved by strong lofts on long end. Maybe too strong. Have been reading about bounce (I demoed on mats, not good).

Might stick with i210 and just diddle with shafts. The 919 hm pro is interesting though and I'm probably a players/power candidate as I'm not getting younger.