Ping Anser Forged Irons Review

[radtech]

I think they are just fancy looking i15's

[BenSeattle]

Richard:

Excellent review as it's designed to tell enough to the interested buyer that "this is something you might want to see."

Having said that, and at the risk of sounding like some school-marmy nit-picker, you also included items such as this:

[b]caparison

hozel[/b]

Yeah, yeah... I'm sure correct spelling is meaningless and just "too much trouble" to some, but you've got a professional-looking website here; it can't be that much toil to either proofread carefully or use a Spell-Checker. (You only subtract from your own credibility with that kind of sloppiness.)

Thanks!

[BullBear]

Very very nice. Great post. Thx Golfwrx.

[Bob57]

[quote name='easyyy' timestamp='1292372238' post='2841156']
Exotic was the tungsten nickle addition. Play on words in my enthusiasm. Difference of opinions. You and I play and demo more than most and I disagree with your opinion on the feel of these. Are they compatible to a traditional forged one piece minimal cavity? Not to that level no. To they feel softer than the cast pings? Yes.

That is what is great about this place. Opinion comes, then another ones comes behind it. Good bad or indifferent.

I think any design like this with so much mass removed behind the hitting area will suffer the same fate. That being the case these still gave me a muted softer feel. Ap2 type as I said.

As for sales. G15 is the bread and butter I thought. The guys at miles of golf told me that.
[/quote]
That is all it is, a difference of opinions. We can argue all day about it being a true traditional forging, but I think everyone can agree they are one of the most beautifully machined and finished irons out there today. I did try sets with various shafts (DG, KBS, Project X, ZZ65, AWT) but try as I would the later sets felt about the same as the earlier set I got from Japan. I think they feel about the same as the i15s but to my touch the S56s feel softer. As a further comparison I tried a couple of Pings original forgings (something I don't often do trying to keep them pristine) and those did feel very comparable to a traditional forging (but those were done in the days of copper underlayment which added a softer feel compared to todays double nickel. Some things I did like about them was less offset than the i15s. They also had a longer ferrule that made the iron look finished--where the S56 they went to production with this tiny little ferrule that makes the club look dorky. The originals on tour had a decent length ferrule and you can't get ping to build a set with the ferrules used on the Anser irons because they changed the hosel and some of the ferrule extends below the upper surface of the hosel. I guess they did that to standardize with the ferrules used on the woods, hybrids etc. but it just looks dumb. Probably part of no longer having a Wrx department (except for custom putter builds and special grinds) and everything else is being done by the production workers.
I would bet that if you asked miles of golf they might also have the same answer others have that only a handful of these (and the S56s) are sold to date. I must not be seeing the bigger picture as I can't see how they can recover their R&D costs. Probably have on the Ansers with their popularity in Asia, but the S56s have to be a loss. Maybe the advertising credibility they get with all the tour wins helps with name recognition but certainly doesn't translate to direct sales of that model. They obviously feel they gain something from it as they are now on their 4th generation of S irons. I also can not find anyone playing the Anser irons on the pga tour. Anna Nordquist seems to be the best female player still using them.

[drugazi]

they look pretty sweet, but i'm not sure why ping would forge an iron that's practically oversized before forging the s56, etc.

[Skaffa77]

I appreciate the review and photos. I think these look like great irons...just well crafted, but I hope this doesn't become an expensive effort for PING without much return. Hearing a few comment that they are selling slowly and that customers by-pass the irons when they hear the price concerns me.

I think most of us recognize that they can create some of the best golf equipment, but it just doesn't seem like they get the return when they create these super premium offerings. I'm reminded of their JAS and Redwood putter lines. Both were great putter lines with superb craftsmanship, but they just didn't seem to be super successful from a retail sales perspective at their original pricing.

[radtech]

Well no one sells high priced or high end items to the masses. The masses what bang for the buck products. The JAS and redwood putters were just fancy expensive Anser putters that you could get the same head design for half the price. Example would be if Mercedes were to sell a 35,000 dollars version of a 75-80K SLK model the masses WILL buy the 35K version. Anything that is high end will never sell in quantity. How many $1,000 golf shafts have you played in your clubs, but they do make them.

I feel the the ANSER irons are a product that is to cater to the Asian market. That they choose to release to the American market also. I feel the ANSER irons are just high end i15's. Just look at the two side by side 3 iron through PW. It is 95% the same club. That being said I will most likely pick up a set in a couple years when I can get slightly used for $350.

[herrsonic]

Nice review.

I'm one of those person who appreciate Ping golf equipment, have played but currently do not play Ping.

I think that most people and certainly Ping fanatics who choose to play ping can really care less if their clubs are forged. Ping can make almost anything and these people will play them.

For those who are forged "snobs," they are likely already playing some other offerings from Titleist, Callaway, and Mizuno. It will be interesting to see if Ping can win some of these customers.

[garcia51694]

[quote name='radtech' timestamp='1292454699' post='2842730']
Well no one sells high priced or high end items to the masses. The masses what bang for the buck products. The JAS and redwood putters were just fancy expensive Anser putters that you could get the same head design for half the price. Example would be if Mercedes were to sell a 35,000 dollars version of a 75-80K SLK model the masses WILL buy the 35K version. Anything that is high end will never sell in quantity. How many $1,000 golf shafts have you played in your clubs, but they do make them.

I feel the the ANSER irons are a product that is to cater to the Asian market. That they choose to release to the American market also. I feel the ANSER irons are just high end i15's. Just look at the two side by side 3 iron through PW. It is 95% the same club. That being said I will most likely pick up a set in a couple years when I can get slightly used for $350.
[/quote]

Exactly.

[reg1900]

[quote name='radtech' timestamp='1292454699' post='2842730']
Well no one sells high priced or high end items to the masses. The masses what bang for the buck products. The JAS and redwood putters were just fancy expensive Anser putters that you could get the same head design for half the price. Example would be if Mercedes were to sell a 35,000 dollars version of a 75-80K SLK model the masses WILL buy the 35K version. Anything that is high end will never sell in quantity. How many $1,000 golf shafts have you played in your clubs, but they do make them.

I feel the the ANSER irons are a product that is to cater to the Asian market. That they choose to release to the American market also. I feel the ANSER irons are just high end i15's. Just look at the two side by side 3 iron through PW. It is 95% the same club. That being said I will most likely pick up a set in a couple years when I can get slightly used for $350.
[/quote]

95% is a bit much, for starters the anser doesn't have a massive tungsten toe weight. It's forged and milled and has less offset, it may be based on the i15 but it's not 95%. 40% at the most.

I think I saw Westwood play a G10 driver and i10 irons in the last tournament he played this year, earlier this year I remember him playing G15 driver and i15 irons

[radtech]

[quote name='reg1900' timestamp='1292457952' post='2842809']
[quote name='radtech' timestamp='1292454699' post='2842730']
Well no one sells high priced or high end items to the masses. The masses what bang for the buck products. The JAS and redwood putters were just fancy expensive Anser putters that you could get the same head design for half the price. Example would be if Mercedes were to sell a 35,000 dollars version of a 75-80K SLK model the masses WILL buy the 35K version. Anything that is high end will never sell in quantity. How many $1,000 golf shafts have you played in your clubs, but they do make them.

I feel the the ANSER irons are a product that is to cater to the Asian market. That they choose to release to the American market also. I feel the ANSER irons are just high end i15's. Just look at the two side by side 3 iron through PW. It is 95% the same club. That being said I will most likely pick up a set in a couple years when I can get slightly used for $350.
[/quote]

95% is a bit much, for starters the anser doesn't have a massive tungsten toe weight. It's forged and milled and has less offset, it may be based on the i15 but it's not 95%. 40% at the most.

I think I saw Westwood play a G10 driver and i10 irons in the last tournament he played this year, earlier this year I remember him playing G15 driver and i15 irons
[/quote]

OK reg1900 95% might have been a bit high but 40% come on you can do better than that..... 70% than and it is a deal!

[bjackson]

Richard, this is an amazing write up! Anser's look amazing!

[TheMoneyShot]

Great review here. The answers are on my radar for 2011, I like the look and the bling factor!

[jeonmin]

Sick clubs!
I've been hearing a lot about how the feel of Anser and i15 are "muted" ...then is the feel muted also?

[TapTap]

Beautiful. I prefer the Anser look compared to I15. Yes, similar in look, but much more tech built in than the I15. I guess I found a replacement for my older Japan issue PING's.
In 2012 when I can afford them

[duckhook]

Lovely clubs. Just too much coin for me.

[TheMoneyShot]

I wish the would of made a gap, sand and mob wedge in this set!

[Skaffa77]

[quote name='radtech' timestamp='1292454699' post='2842730']
Well no one sells high priced or high end items to the masses. The masses what bang for the buck products. The JAS and redwood putters were just fancy expensive Anser putters that you could get the same head design for half the price. Example would be if Mercedes were to sell a 35,000 dollars version of a 75-80K SLK model the masses WILL buy the 35K version. Anything that is high end will never sell in quantity. How many $1,000 golf shafts have you played in your clubs, but they do make them.

I feel the the ANSER irons are a product that is to cater to the Asian market. That they choose to release to the American market also. I feel the ANSER irons are just high end i15's. Just look at the two side by side 3 iron through PW. It is 95% the same club. That being said I will most likely pick up a set in a couple years when I can get slightly used for $350.
[/quote]

Yeah, I understand the economics of higher margin for premium products. Those business concepts aren't foreign to me.

I think you might be missing my point. You produce and sell a product to make money whether that be smaller quantities of high margin products (Ferrari) or large quantities of lower margin products (Kia). The JAS and Redwood lines are examples where Ping created a premium product offering which required different and more intricate production processes than their typical product lines. Anyone with experience in production management could tell you that a change in a production process or adding more intricate steps equates to higher cost. The point being, you don't do these things unless you can make money since that is the point of running a business.

Both of those putter lines were not continued too much longer after their inception. From everything I've heard , neither putter line were very successful in the retail market and now the Redwood line is being cleared out for at over half of their original retail price. There went the huge margin. They established a new production process to create a high premium product that honestly didn't sell well enough for them to continue...now that production process is being abandoned. All costs that Ping has to incur as part of running their business.

Now we have a new forged iron product offering from Ping that sells at a 33-50% premium over the premium irons in the US retail market. As you said, it's very similar to the I15 irons and will consumers feel that it's worth a $300-$350 premium over I15's or other premium forged clubs from Callaway, Titleist, Nike, TaylorMade, Bridgestone, Mizuno???

You are correct, this was intended for the Asian market which may allow the Anser to compete with the price premiums they charge. Shoot...the Japanese make clubs with art painted/etched on the crown, but as is the case with most premium products (especially in Asia), it's all about image and prestige. How is Ping viewed in the Asian market? Are they seen as a premium forged producer to compete with their domestic offerings? Does the current Asian market present opportunity for a new premium product line? I can't answer those questions because I'm honestly not an expert on the Asian golf market, but what I'm hearing today is that they aren't selling super well here domestically when compared to other irons.

I applaud Ping for making a forged iron. I really do. I think their craftsmanship is excellent and they've always stood behind the great products they make. I've owned a JAS putter and I currently own a Redwood Anser which I've continously praised on GolfWRX. I've honestly always wished they would make a forged iron, but I just hope that history doesn't repeat itself. With the pricing on this product line, my fear is that they've gone through the high costs of establishing a new premium product that just doesn't offer enough distinguishing characteristics that separate it from other premium irons priced at a much lower price.

But...cheers...it is a great looking iron...

[drpino]

As of right now, the Redwood series of putters are still current and retail for $249ish. It's only in the secondary market where the value has dropped the 50%. PING also has the new JAS line (high-MOI, multi-material) at $199ish retail.

[Skaffa77]

I appreciate the correction drpino. I was under the impression (previous threads) that Ping was not going to continue selling the Redwood beyond 2010. I had thought I saw a couple shops clearing out their remaining Redwood putters recently...

I don't believe the JAS line today (production process, "technology", etc.) is not quite the same as the original JAS line.

Anyway...I don't want to spell "doom and gloom" on Ping's Anser irons. I honestly think they look great, I just have fears on their ability to sell them...

[drpino]

I don't know for sure if the Redwood line will continue into 2011.

I agree with you that the pricing and positioning of the Anser Forged are a little risky given the current economy. Going back to what I wrote earlier, PING and Callaway both saw good sales for $1K+ irons sets a few years ago in the form of the Raptures, Rapture V2s and Fusion/FT irons.... but then again, there was a lot more disposable income being spent back then.

[Bob57]

I wish the would of made a gap, sand and mob wedge in this set!

Many people wish they had done a sand and mob wedge as well for the i15s but they only want to sell the new S tours and retro eye2s.

 

 

[TheMoneyShot]

I wish the would of made a gap, sand and mob wedge in this set!

Many people wish they had done a sand and mob wedge as well for the i15s but they only want to sell the new S tours and retro eye2s.

Lol, I hate it when my iPhone back fires on me... Both of the other sets of wedges you have mentioned are cast. You would think Ping would have released the wedges that were forged like the irons.

[JD3]

Im sorry, but those clubs (forged or cast) look horrible at address. The shorter irons more so than long. Unplayably bad, imo

[TheMoneyShot]

[quote name='JD3' timestamp='1292542691' post='2844475']
Im sorry, but those clubs (forged or cast) look horrible at address. The shorter irons more so than long. Unplayably bad, imo
[/quote]
I think the look great at address, and this is coming from a forged muscleback blade guy. I guess to each his own...

[schmidlack]

I beleive these irons were developed primarily for the Japanese market where they demand multi-metal and forged designs with cost being of little concern. I'm sure Ping knows the U.S. market is very small for something like this and won't sell many - more of a collectors item here.

[nitram]

Thanks for the review Easyyyyyy. I'm gonna have to hit 'em now.

[Ballhound]

There's guys on here talking about owning two Cameron putters at $300. each a pop, quick fit drivers with a couple extra shafts also at an extra $300. a pop. But an extra $400. for a set of irons is a big deal. These are meant for the guys with the +$5000. per year memberships pulling into the club in their Bimmer.... they are still around. I'm not one of them but if $1500 was a drop in the bucket, I'd own a set of these status symbol statements by now > green dot, 1/2" longer, stiff KBS shafts.

[TheMoneyShot]

[quote name='Ballhound' timestamp='1292549216' post='2844642']
There's guys on here talking about owning two Cameron putters at $300. each a pop, quick fit drivers with a couple extra shafts also at an extra $300. a pop. But an extra $400. for a set of irons is a big deal. These are meant for the guys with the +$5000. per year memberships pulling into the club in their Bimmer.... they are still around. I'm not one of them but if $1500 was a drop in the bucket, I'd own a set of these status symbol statements by now > green dot, 1/2" longer, stiff KBS shafts.
[/quote]
Agreed! Great post man!

[DieHard519]

When I saw the topline photos I wasn't sure if I was looking at an iron, or a piece of Texas toast.