In hand photos of the Ping i500 irons (MERGED)

[longbal30]

The guys hanging out last night said the same thing while I was hitting. I tried to make it clear, that just because I'm able to put a full swing on them and it goes that far, I can also slow it down for more control and hit them 185 like my gamers.

[SwooshLT]

On a side note, the yardages you quoted are pretty much what you see on tour, so if the yardages work for them, why not me?

 

 

Oh no, don't get me wrong ...we see it all the time.....gw from 140....I'm a little jelly that's all!

 

Sidebar, I hit a handful of shots with i500 and for some reason it felt much better than the initial attempt.....think i210 is still for me but will take a bit more time in making the decision.

[longbal30]

Trust me, I'm nobody to be jealous of. One downfall of long drives, is mishits go a long ways the wrong direction. My last round, I lost 6 balls, made a 10 on a par 5, made 3 birdies and 6 pars.

[SwooshLT]

Quick thought.....maybe addressed but I've noticed most of the reviews in which both i500 and i210 PW were hit, they're going roughly the same distance, trajectory and spin....so is the i500 advantage primarily in the long irons with higher launch despite the stronger lofts?

 

Asking for a friend

[BirdieBob]

Michael Newton Golf

The Ping i500

 

[SwooshLT]

Michael Newton Golf

The Ping i500

 

 

 

Can you load his i210 video?

[Wooderson]

Quick thought.....maybe addressed but I've noticed most of the reviews in which both i500 and i210 PW were hit, they're going roughly the same distance, trajectory and spin....so is the i500 advantage primarily in the long irons with higher launch despite the stronger lofts?

 

Asking for a friend

 

Remember that high Cor trampoline effects are generally only good up to certain lofts due to more glancing blows with the higher lofts. I believe Tom Wishon speaks to this in his thread regarding his single length clubs. I think he stopped the high Cor design at the 7 iron.

 

 

[SwooshLT]

Quick thought.....maybe addressed but I've noticed most of the reviews in which both i500 and i210 PW were hit, they're going roughly the same distance, trajectory and spin....so is the i500 advantage primarily in the long irons with higher launch despite the stronger lofts?

 

Asking for a friend

 

Remember that high Cor trampoline effects are generally only good up to certain lofts due to more glancing blows with the higher lofts. I believe Tom Wishon speaks to this in his thread regarding his single length clubs. I think he stopped the high Cor design at the 7 iron.

 

 

Old age..... I forget these finite details.....thanks!

[Kmac]

I'm pretty interested in hearing how the i500's are for the average swing speed players out there.

[Konklifer]

I'm pretty interested in hearing how the i500's are for the average swing speed players out there.

 

My 7i SS on GC2 tops out at 80mph. KBS Tour S was the best shaft for me. The i500 was 3-4 yds longer than the i210 with a lot less spin. Both had excellent dispersion but the i210 felt much better. I want to try both on grass but if I had to buy today, I would go i210 based on its exceptional feel and all other aspects being equal or very close..

[dhen9]

Can someone explain to me how a cast-iron is softer than a forged iron? I could understand if you were comparing an old club with a new club but two clubs released on the same exact day what was the point of even making the i500 forged if you could have made it cast it would have been softer and cost less to make?

 

Biggest myth in golf.

 

The coveted feel attributed to a forged muscle back blade is mostly due to the fact that it's a true MB blade, not because it's forged. In blades there is significant mass (metal) directly behind the sweetspot. That feels awesome on perfectly struck shots, but mishits really sting your hands and feel awful (feedback). In cavity back designs, that mass is removed and spread around the perimeter for forgiveness on mishits. Forged cavity backs feel no better than their cast counterparts as they too have had that mass removed.

 

Ping (and other OEMs including Mizuno) know this that's why they add light weight, vibration absorbing elastomer and other multi-material badges and inserts behind the sweetspot in their cavity backs. These designs enhance feel yet retain the benefit of a perimeter weighted/cavity design.

 

The i500, with its hollow construction, is essentially a cavity backed iron with a thin and presumably "springy" face, but lacks the elastomer that Ping has been perfecting in their 200 line. Some folks like that thin-faced powerful feel. Callaway made a maraging steel thin faced iron that was very popular for a while and had a unique feel (Diablo Tour I think).

 

Relative to forged being inherently softer than cast, why do forged blades sting your hands and rattle the fillings out of your teeth when mishit? If the soft forged metal was the reason for the feel we all covet, they should still feel softer and less harsh on mishits than cast/cavity designs, but in fact the opposite is true.

YYYEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!!!!

[Kmac]

I'm pretty interested in hearing how the i500's are for the average swing speed players out there.

 

My 7i SS on GC2 tops out at 80mph. KBS Tour S was the best shaft for me. The i500 was 3-4 yds longer than the i210 with a lot less spin. Both had excellent dispersion but the i210 felt much better. I want to try both on grass but if I had to buy today, I would go i210 based on its exceptional feel and all other aspects being equal or very close..

 

Thanks for the info! I will be hitting them hopefully friday when I'm "sick" and not at work. Very curious to see if I see something similar.

[Uberzz]

I am concerned about proper gapping with the i500s. My 7i carry distance is 155-160, if that jumps up to 175 that could create some odd yardage gaps in my wedges. Is this a situation where i210 would make more sense?

[SwooshLT]

I am concerned about proper gapping with the i500s. My 7i carry distance is 155-160, if that jumps up to 175 that could create some odd yardage gaps in my wedges. Is this a situation where i210 would make more sense?

 

 

Yes.....I still saw gains and better trajectory without completely overhauling my bag

[SeaIsland]

I have hit them in my street shoes off matts and figure the 500s are going to be about a club longer than my current set up --which they should be because they're 2.5 degrees stronger lofted. I love the clubs but am seriously considering going with the retro-spec. I've also reached back to Ping and asked for their suggestions on how to build a 500/210 combo set. Ping got back to me with a "see your fitter" response... which did not make me happy and I let them know it. Any ideas out there about retro or combos would be appreciated.... thanks

[longbal30]

I would be concerned with retrospec, just because now high they go with standard spec. Couple degrees weaker could lead to no control in wind.

[Drudersh]

I would be concerned with retrospec, just because now high they go with standard spec. Couple degrees weaker could lead to no control in wind.

 

I think the proper loft spec would depend more on your dynamic loft at impact than anything else. If you're an early release golfer with high dynamic loft the standard spec would probably work well, but if you're a lag machine then retro spec might be better suited. All things you can determine on trackman at a proper fitting.

[longbal30]

I have a gcquad, I understand all of that. But we are talking about a iron that is designed to go high with strong lofts. With my mp18 blade 7 iron at 34* loft I know I at delivery I'm at 27* loft and hit it 120ish feet high. I was getting about 125 feet high with i500 standard lofts which is 3.5* stronger. So if I was to weaken by 2*, it could be too high.

[SwooshLT]

I have a gcquad, I understand all of that. But we are talking about a iron that is designed to go high with strong lofts. With my mp18 blade 7 iron at 34* loft I know I at delivery I'm at 27* loft and hit it 120ish feet high. I was getting about 125 feet high with i500 standard lofts which is 3.5* stronger. So if I was to weaken by 2*, it could be too high.

 

 

But us "regular guys" might need more loft to create launch and spin that you enjoy,no?

[longbal30]

I'm just talking about myself, I realize this is a case by case basis. Regardless of swing speed, they are designed to go around true 7 iron etc peak heights or higher with the standard lofts.

[braincramp52]

I have hit them in my street shoes off matts and figure the 500s are going to be about a club longer than my current set up --which they should be because they're 2.5 degrees stronger lofted. I love the clubs but am seriously considering going with the retro-spec. I've also reached back to Ping and asked for their suggestions on how to build a 500/210 combo set. Ping got back to me with a "see your fitter" response... which did not make me happy and I let them know it. Any ideas out there about retro or combos would be appreciated.... thanks

 

Not really sure what other answer you could expect out of Ping. They are not going to blindly recommend a iron setup over the phone. I can't think of anyone who would unless they just don't care.

[chrisf60526]

I have hit them in my street shoes off matts and figure the 500s are going to be about a club longer than my current set up --which they should be because they're 2.5 degrees stronger lofted. I love the clubs but am seriously considering going with the retro-spec. I've also reached back to Ping and asked for their suggestions on how to build a 500/210 combo set. Ping got back to me with a "see your fitter" response... which did not make me happy and I let them know it. Any ideas out there about retro or combos would be appreciated.... thanks

 

Sounds reasonable to me. What did you expect them to say?

[longbal30]

I have hit them in my street shoes off matts and figure the 500s are going to be about a club longer than my current set up --which they should be because they're 2.5 degrees stronger lofted. I love the clubs but am seriously considering going with the retro-spec. I've also reached back to Ping and asked for their suggestions on how to build a 500/210 combo set. Ping got back to me with a "see your fitter" response... which did not make me happy and I let them know it. Any ideas out there about retro or combos would be appreciated.... thanks

 

Sounds reasonable to me. What did you expect them to say?

 

In his defense, when TM released the 790's, they also release loft charts to blend into their other sets.

[BlkNGld]

I have hit them in my street shoes off matts and figure the 500s are going to be about a club longer than my current set up --which they should be because they're 2.5 degrees stronger lofted. I love the clubs but am seriously considering going with the retro-spec. I've also reached back to Ping and asked for their suggestions on how to build a 500/210 combo set. Ping got back to me with a "see your fitter" response... which did not make me happy and I let them know it. Any ideas out there about retro or combos would be appreciated.... thanks

 

Sounds reasonable to me. What did you expect them to say?

 

In his defense, when TM released the 790's, they also release loft charts to blend into their other sets.

 

But just going on lofts is a simplistic way to do it. In fact, it that was all there was to it, Ping's got their loft charts too.

 

It's how the clubs launch combined with how the player hits them and getting the right gapping from it.

 

I don't know if Ping has these loaded into their nFlight system and if it would recommend a combo set, but that's where I'd expect their system to make this determination. Which again requires a trip to either a fitter or to Ping.

[2Bad4u]

I have hit them in my street shoes off matts and figure the 500s are going to be about a club longer than my current set up --which they should be because they're 2.5 degrees stronger lofted. I love the clubs but am seriously considering going with the retro-spec. I've also reached back to Ping and asked for their suggestions on how to build a 500/210 combo set. Ping got back to me with a "see your fitter" response... which did not make me happy and I let them know it. Any ideas out there about retro or combos would be appreciated.... thanks

 

Sounds reasonable to me. What did you expect them to say?

 

In his defense, when TM released the 790's, they also release loft charts to blend into their other sets.

 

Did TaylorMade offer multiple loft charts for the various shafts they offer? Personaly I think Ping's response was appropriate considering they didn't have any meaningful information to work with.

[longbal30]

Went back to same store today and hit the i210. Funny. Same ballspeed, same distance (205 7 iron) and same spin rates for me as the i500. So that being said, if they are going to be the same, I'd rather go i500 for looks and offset.

[SwooshLT]

Went back to same store today and hit the i210. Funny. Same ballspeed, same distance (205 7 iron) and same spin rates for me as the i500. So that being said, if they are going to be the same, I'd rather go i500 for looks and offset.

 

 

Feel?

[SeaIsland]

 

I was thinking that something like this (some help) might make sense from Ping, given 4 sets of irons and 3 different loft specs that present possible combinations. Ironically, probably as helpful to a fitter than to a direct customer.

[longbal30]

Went back to same store today and hit the i210. Funny. Same ballspeed, same distance (205 7 iron) and same spin rates for me as the i500. So that being said, if they are going to be the same, I'd rather go i500 for looks and offset.

 

 

Feel?

 

soooo subjective, but for me, They both felt soft, i210 slightly more solid, but i500 felt softer, probably due to being able to flex the face. Almost like the difference between a TM driver and a Callaway driver. Tm a bit firmer, but solid, Callaway a bit softer and feels like butter.

[Rpete33]

Anyone hit the 3 iron?