Ping Eye 2 - How Does is stack Up vs Today’s clubs

[LowAndLeft32]

Wondering what if anything is materially better in today’s new supposedly hi tech irons vs Ping Eye 2 irons. Will todays clubs result in better performance, better forgiveness, straighter ball flight, etc? Obviously, today’s irons have more jacked up lofts. But could the Ping Eye 2 be played successfully today? What about tour pros using cavity backs today? Could they game the Eye 2 with little difference? Ultimately should I put my old Ping eye 2 set back in play? Thanks.

[Mudguard]

I don't know if there would be big difference. Lofts as you say. I can't remember but are the Eye 2 affected by the groove rule? I'm sure the + were illegal at some point but I can't remember their exact status. I know some younger Bridgestone irons are non conforming shortly (J33 combo maybe?)

I don't actually think there's that much more tech to modern irons. You can test them against other irons of course. Just hard getting an apples vs apples test, IE same shaft, same loft, same swingweight etc.

[boggyman]

Loft for loft, the EYE 2 can be played today. My irons are from the early 80’s and serve “me” quite well. Use the search function, you’ll find numerous threads in the EYE 2.

[Golf64]

There a few YouTube vids already out there on this subject. Check them out.

[WristySwing]

Some Tour Pros still do use the Eye2 last time I checked. Tim Herron has a new set made for him every year. I can't remember the last time he contended or won. I think you can do a lot better than the Eye2. Has technology really gotten better since the release of the 1982 Ford Tempo? Yet you don't see too many of those on the road for the same reason they have weak horsepower and bad gas mileage comparatively to today's cars. The same can be said for the Eye2, it lacks ball speed, and compared to some modern Ping irons is less playable according to Maltby (note: I put zero stock in the MPF but some live and die by it so I put it on here).

[Righty to Lefty]

Irons have not progressed very much and you and easily get away with playing and older set of irons and if your woods are within 6 maybe even 10 years of 2020 then you probably aren't giving up too much in performance. The marketing machine is strong these days for sure but I think we as consumers are getting better at seeing through the smoke. Find what you like and beat the face off the clubs and then repeat is my opinion.

 

[dekez]

I played Eye 2+ for many many years and still have nostalgia for them. They are still great clubs. Golf course conditions have changed in 30 years, however. Generally speaking, fairways are cut much shorter. I've not looked into this but wonder if one might pay a penalty with the leading edge and bounce of these vs. modern clubs?

[North Butte]

I bought a set of Eye2 irons and played a few rounds with them off and on. In terms of heel-toe mishit, ease of elevating the ball and so forth I'd say they are moderately "forgiving". Maybe not quite G400 level of MOI but at least as good as i-Series or something like that.

But they have skinny, digging soles. For me the most important type of "forgiveness" is being able to get a bit steep or slightly fat or play off tight-and-soft lies without duffing shots. I found the Eye2 were inferior to almost any modern irons in that regard. I play Titleist AP2's and the soles on those are far more forgiving of imprecise turf contact than the Eye2's. Something like a G400 iron is just off the charts better at avoiding fat shots and letting me get away with a steep swing (my dominant swing flaw).

So if you're a picker or have scratch-golfer level of control over your low point you could easily play Eye2 irons if you like. But over the past 30 years the industry has evolved to the point where even "player" irons have "pre-worn" or rolled leading edges and/or added bounce and camber to make perfect contact less crucial.

[nhaun2]

I think it would be real interesting to have a modern day version built. Different lofts as you mentioned OP and adjust the weighting in the heads to accommodate the newer shaft options and I think you might be on to something. I do think they would lack a little forgiveness but especially for better players the difference would be negligible.

[double_d]

I would bet any difference other than a decrease in loft throughout the set, and more distance from that alone, would be minimal except on the absolute worst of hits.

 

[2Down]

The face is not a trampoline. But loft for loft with any blade and most cavity back forged I would say even. It’s only when you add the modern face that you lose distance.

I wonder how a modern trampoline face vs pings grooves would have faired back when the usga declared them bad for the game.

 

[NRJyzr]

 

The Eye2 were typical of irons of that era in that they didn't have the bounce we see in so many such clubs today. The bounce angles are progressive, not unlike what we see today in Ping's sets, but it's 0* in the 5 and 6 irons, negative in the longer irons, 3* in the 7-9 irons, and 9* in the PW.

[North Butte]

There is some positive bounce angle on the short irons but the soles are narrow and the leading edge is sharp. The PW of my Eye2 set had more tendency to dig than the 7 or 8 iron in my AP2 set. The effective playing bounce was pretty small on the whole set.

I think it's more about the leading edge. Anything short of out-and-out blades today has some roll on the leading edge throughout the set.

[achappy]

Last Fall I managed to pick up a set of Ping Eye2+ and played about 10 rounds with them. I had been playing the 745s before them. Once I adjusted to the loft differences, I played some of my best golf with them (several even par rounds and the rest a few over). They were very easy to hit, straight (but could be worked) and performed as well as the 745s. The long irons were actually much better than the 745s. The ONLY reason I sold them was there was one shot that I wasn't comfortable hitting because of the offset and it was the low punch 3/4. It was all mental but I was so fearful of pulling it that I would often then hang on. And I also struggled with a baby cut with the short irons. They just went straight.

I now have a set of RBZ Tours "F" heads and lack of offset makes such a difference for me. But raw performance (mishits, distance, etc) I lost nothing with the Eye2. As a matter of fact, I still have the 2I in my bag. Can't seem to find anything better (tried u45/u65, T-MB, H-05, Maltby KE-Tour). I am trying out a Ping 410 Crossover which is showing much more promise than the other driving irons I tried, mainly forgiveness.

[hammergolf]

Loft for loft they would perform as good as any of the modern irons. The Eye 2, like many of Karsten’s inventions (custom fitting for iron length and lie angles, lob wedges, high toe wedges, heel toe weighted putters, adjustable lie and face angle hosels for woods, perimeter weighted irons) were completely revolutionary to the game. In fact, I would go so far to say that if they were to release an identical set but include today’s stronger lofts they would be a top performer.

[stingerfade]

I started out with them and took them out a year or so ago. Was shocked at the amount of offset and how light they were

[Sgidurango]

What matters for me is knowing what distance each iron will play to. I know what distance my BeCu Eye 2s play to and have confidence in them for the level of my game. Plus, the BeCu Pings are the best looking irons ever made, IMO. Of course, YMMV.

[LowAndLeft32]

I just got out my old set of Pings Eye 2. I cant believe how good I was hitting these irons. It was off mats but I might have to take the out to course for a spin. Questions for the group:

 

1. Who still gaming these?

2. Due to the lower bounce are these good for pickers?

3. Are these just as good as any of todays irons?

[JAM01]

I believe the original Ping Eye 2 was introduced in 1982. Would love to see a modern version as a 40th anniversary edition. That said one of my golf partners removed a newer set of G irons and put his Eye2s back in the bag and his striking improved significantly. Was fun to watch. 

[LowAndLeft32]

40th anniversary would be interesting. I wonder what the difference between his Eye2s and g irons resulted in him hitting it better? It sure is interesting. Maybe the eye2s are still just that good? 
 

 

15 hours ago, JAM01 said:

I believe the original Ping Eye 2 was introduced in 1982. Would love to see a modern version as a 40th anniversary edition. That said one of my golf partners removed a newer set of G irons and put his Eye2s back in the bag and his striking improved significantly. Was fun to watch. 

 

[RobotDoctor]

Tour players play for endorsements and Ping isn't going to pay anyone to play an iron that is out of production, especially the Ping Eye 2 irons.  It would be interesting if all club endorsement money ceased to see what players would actually be playing.  I would bet some would revert back to clubs that are out of production because of familiarity and that those clubs simply perform.  I am sure some older players might revert back to the Eye 2 irons.

[JAM01]

1 hour ago, LowAndLeft32 said:

40th anniversary would be interesting. I wonder what the difference between his Eye2s and g irons resulted in him hitting it better? It sure is interesting. Maybe the eye2s are still just that good? 
 

 

 

Distance control with the newer g irons. One one hole in particular he flew the green nearly every approach, even if he clubbed down. That and he had played the Eye2 for some years. 
 

 

[LowAndLeft32]

On 5/22/2021 at 7:17 PM, LowAndLeft32 said:

I just got out my old set of Pings Eye 2. I cant believe how good I was hitting these irons. It was off mats but I might have to take the out to course for a spin. Questions for the group:

 

1. Who still gaming these?

2. Due to the lower bounce are these good for pickers?

3. Are these just as good as any of todays irons?

Any other club tec guru care to comment? Thanks. 

[TonyDAnnunzio]

On 5/23/2021 at 12:21 PM, RobotDoctor said:

Tour players play for endorsements and Ping isn't going to pay anyone to play an iron that is out of production, especially the Ping Eye 2 irons.  It would be interesting if all club endorsement money ceased to see what players would actually be playing.  I would bet some would revert back to clubs that are out of production because of familiarity and that those clubs simply perform.  I am sure some older players might revert back to the Eye 2 irons.

 

Austin Cook and Bubba Watson both play PING s55's.  The s55 has been out of production for 6 or 7 years now...

[jpbova]

I have a set of eye 2’s. They are the only irons I had ever played before my i210s. There is absolutely no way I could miss my eye 2’s on the toe and get the same flight as I do from my i210s on a toe miss. 
 

the feel is way better as well

[MountainKing]

I played my Eye 2's up until 2013 when I replaced them with the Rocketbladez Tour's.  Loft for loft the yardages are very close between the sets. They're about one club off from a modern set if you go by the number on the bottom. Updating to the RBT's didn't improve my score in any fashion, and I doubt if I went back to a set that I would all of a sudden be losing strokes because of them..  The only reason I made the jump is the grooves on the shorter irons were pretty well worn out after a couple decades of play and practice.   The irons have stood the test of time. 

[braincramp52]

I just played a round with my old Eye2's this week. Compared to my ZX5'S they don't come close. They immediately went back in the basement. 

[BHI 99]

Back in the day it seemed like the standard “bag” was Ping Eye 2’s, Callaway Big Bertha woods, and a Ping Answer 2. 

[jplroper]

15 hours ago, BHI 99 said:

Back in the day it seemed like the standard “bag” was Ping Eye 2’s, Callaway Big Bertha woods, and a Ping Answer 2. 

   Could easily put that bag together at my house right now.

Edited May 30, 2021 by jplroper
spelling

[NHpro]

I have started playing with my dad's set of 1985 Ping Eye 2's and love them.

I have delofted them 2-3 degrees.

 

The stock ZZ-lite shafts feel great.

Edited October 4, 2021 by NHpro