PING Anser Irons – Story, Video, and Pictures Inside!

[bjackson]

For an overview of GolfWRX’s trip to Phoenix, read this linked thread.

 

Having arranged plans to travel to Phoenix, I was fully expecting to see the successors to PING’s S56 irons. It seemed a natural fit as October marks 2 years since the S56 release and with rumors surrounding an ‘S55’, well...turns out I was dead wrong. While at PING headquarters, Wyatt (SheriffBooth), Greg (pga43), and myself were able to get a preview of the forthcoming Anser line. Boy were we surprised!

 

Initial impressions are simple - S56 meets i20, but forged. It's a slimmed down version of the previous Anser iron. Personally I have gamed S56s, i20s, and currently have 712 AP2s. These new Anser irons remind me exactly what I've been looking for - they remind me exactly of Titleist's AP2s. I know that many complaints surrounding the previous Anser irons involved them being too large, too much offset, etc. Well trust me when I say that PING addressed those complaints. They have soft lines, low offset (just barely more than S56, less than i20), and a crisp feeling at impact and going through the turf. Forged from 8620 steel, with some tungsten in the sole, the feeling at impact made me think of a cross between i20 and a typical forged blade. Very solid. It comes in a brushed satin finish, come stock with your choice of PING CFS or Project X shafts - but get this - can be ordered with ANY shaft offered through PING WRX at no upcharge, save Project X PXi. That's right, ANY SHAFT upgrade, as offered by PING WRX (they have a rather large selection), except PXi, free of charge. Pretty cool, eh?

 

As for performance, I had limited time with them. Just a little warm up in the morning before hitting drivers and the game of 'WRX' Wyatt and I played against Marty Jertson. I did enjoy my time with them at PING's range, but would really benefit from more time with them to give a fair review. Let me say I find them very intriguing, very similar to my AP2s, and a set I really, really want to try out. I think this is a set of clubs that will get plenty of positive feedback from those that use them. An overall balanced, stylish, performance based set of irons that provide the best of everything possible from a technological and aesthetic perspective. Multi-material, high MOI, stabilization bars that help flight the irons so long irons fly higher and short irons fly lower. These clubs are really the complete package and I only wish I had more time to test them out side by side with something I'm more familiar with to get a baseline comparison.

 

That all said, here is what you boys want, pictures! Included at the bottom are comparison shots with the previous generation Ansers. Feel free to ask away your questions and post your comments!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abn-ZOpzrgM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Asleep]

Wowzers, I'm [i]really[/i] digging the looks of those!

Would've thunk Ping would really commit to forged irons. I like it.

[golfware]

Whoa. My next set of irons unless Cally releases the Legacy Blacks to us.

[JoHowdy123]

OH BUDDY! Game on.. .lol

[SheriffBooth]

The pictures and even the Ping product shots don't really do them justice, imo. The irons were stunning in person to me.

[SouthPaw87]

Wonder what kind of price tag these puppies will carry... Look nice!

[Sean25rp]

Look nice. Great news about the shaft offerings too! Will these be more affordable than the previous anser irons?

[RonSwanson]

Do we know a release date and price point?

[swanry30]

Look incredible! No upcharge on any shaft is the right way to go for a premium iron... Looking forward to seeing the s56 replacement!

[SheriffBooth]

Golfsmith is showing $1270 for 4 through PW and a Mid-August ship date. So around $180 per club, MSRP.

[bama11]

Thanks for the pic's! These will be in my bag!

[SuaSponteMn]

Love my i10's... Love my i10's... Love my i10's...

Aw hell, it's not working

Sure hope they come in LH!!

[richard t]

To bad, my bag is set. Uh, well, I could be persuaded to re-evaluate the iron portion. I am happy with my I15s, but they are beautiful clubs.

[golfware]

Holiness!! MSRP of $1449!! Wow!!! I'm speechless. Well I'll be bagging these sometime in 2015.

[Dscvrr St Louis]

Wowsers!! I like the look, they have the tech, they are forged..but man...Ping needs to get the pricing in tune with reality...don't get me wrong, I am hoping they are better than the Anser's last incarnation, and it looks like they are to my eye's tastes...but the price is insane. Compared to all the good forged irons out there right now, namely the Adams CMB's, New Mizzy coming out, etc... I just can't see the justification in $180 per club!! They better feel amazing, because at the price you are bringing Scratch, Miura, etc into the mix.

just sayin...

[gators78]

[quote name='Asleep' timestamp='1343229609' post='5350592']
Wowzers, I'm [i]really[/i] digging the looks of those!

Would've thunk Ping would really commit to forged irons. I like it.
[/quote]

Aren't the clubs made overseas now? Committing to forged is as simple as changing supplier...

[TheMoneyShot]

[quote name='Dscvrr St Louis' timestamp='1343235967' post='5351384']
Wowsers!! I like the look, they have the tech, they are forged..but man...Ping needs to get the pricing in tune with reality...don't get me wrong, I am hoping they are better than the Anser's last incarnation, and it looks like they are to my eye's tastes...but the price is insane. Compared to all the good forged irons out there right now, namely the Adams CMB's, New Mizzy coming out, etc... I just can't see the justification in $180 per club!! They better feel amazing, because at the price you are bringing Scratch, Miura, etc into the mix.

just sayin...
[/quote]

You get what you pay for. Buck up baby!!!!

[TheMoneyShot]

These irons are great looking! They are definitely on the list now!

[jnradioactive]

at that price there better not be an up-charge for any shaft...

[Dirtsniff]

Love the look. Somebody buy these so I can buy them off the classifieds!

[TheMoneyShot]

$1500 for a set of 8 irons??? If they perform I will not blink an eye at that price and I know other Ping loyalists will not either.

[hoganhawk]

[quote name='SuaSponteMn' timestamp='1343234192' post='5351180']
Love my i10's... Love my i10's... Love my i10's...

Aw hell, it's not working

Sure hope they come in LH!!
[/quote]

If not LH then I will cry.

[xracer4844]

omfg i want them. i love my i15's - i was going to have a set of miura cb 501's built but now i dunno...might be waiting for these to come out....

[need2compress]

To me, Ping is walking a very thin line. Ping has always been known and loved for it's unique qualities. I understand they want to appeal to a broader spectrum of people with the release of an adjustable driver and forged irons but they have to be careful not to lose their identitly. I have always respected Ping for being Ping. I don't see the point of trying to be Callaway or Taylormade.

Just a opinion.

[Dizz]

I wonder if Bob57 will pop in here telling us that these are still closer to G20 than i20... His buddies saw them first!

[2putttom]

GO DUCKS!

[jnradioactive]

[quote name='michaeldaca' timestamp='1343242678' post='5352210']
omfg i want them. i love my i15's - i was going to have a set of miura cb 501's built but now i dunno...might be waiting for these to come out....
[/quote]

501's all day, am i the only one that thinks these look like glorified i20's?

[tygill2001]

Too much offset, all about the new Cobra Amp Forged those are what forged player cb should look like minus the Orange of course

[bjackson]

[quote name='tygill2001' timestamp='1343246393' post='5352596']
Too much offset, all about the new Cobra Amp Forged those are what forged player cb should look like minus the Orange of course
[/quote]

Seriously? I'd contest that. Of course they aren't an old school blade with zero offset, but there is hardly anything there. The first thing Wyatt and I noticed when going over the irons with the engineers and designers was how LITTLE offset there was. Yes there is some, but not much at all.

[SheriffBooth]

[quote name='tygill2001' timestamp='1343246393' post='5352596']
Too much offset, all about the new Cobra Amp Forged those are what forged player cb should look like minus the Orange of course
[/quote]

Too much offset, really? The 7-PW in the Anser have less offset than Titleist CB's and the same as Titleist MB's, and the longer irons have similar offset to AP2's. Cobra AMP Forged offset specs are not online, but I have trouble believing they are less offset than these.