Ping G430 Lofts - Really PING? Other MFGs please note also!

[hd.softail]

Had been holding out to see the G430s before ordering new game improvement Irons. Have to say I'm very disappointed. How do you even do a set makeup with the G430?

 

In the G430, the PW is 41 and 6I is 25.5? To cover the minimum range of lofts I want in my iron set which is 46-24, for PING, I need 8 irons. Taking Hot Metal or T300 for example I can cover this range in 7 irons leaving me room at the top for a 23-22 Hybrid (to replace 3i/4i). Bottom line, the G430 irons are out for me purely because I can't get a good set makeup given this new messed up loft range.

 

Furthering frustration with MFGs these days, my new set of irons for 2023 will be T300s for the following reasons. I can order them at modern day historical standard lengths (38" 5i, 35.5" PW), with lighter 100g shafts while maintaining D2 swingweights. Mizuno Hot Metals can't be order 1/4" short (which makes them same length as Titleist Std) and get to D2. Neither Wilson or Srixon make any adjustments for swingweight. Can't get a straight answer from TM as to what they will and won't build and given custom order horror stories I've heard, not going to attempt a TM custom build. The T300s are really the only GI set in the market that I can get built to the specs I want, fortunately I also like the look of them.

 

Just taking the time to vent a little, with such technology advancements in the golf world, it's frustrating to run into these issues in current times. I know probably at my hdcp level none of the above probably makes a difference but I know what I like and in today's world of weight ports, screw weights, etc, how is it a company can't build to these specs which I don't feel are way out of bounds.

 

...8 hdcp who prefers a big forgiving GI iron to make the game easy!

[SagedCrusader]

27 minutes ago, hd.softail said:

Had been holding out to see the G430s before ordering new game improvement Irons. Have to say I'm very disappointed. How do you even do a set makeup with the G430?

 

In the G430, the PW is 41 and 6I is 25.5? To cover the minimum range of lofts I want in my iron set which is 46-24, for PING, I need 8 irons. Taking Hot Metal or T300 for example I can cover this range in 7 irons leaving me room at the top for a 23-22 Hybrid (to replace 3i/4i). Bottom line, the G430 irons are out for me purely because I can't get a good set makeup given this new messed up loft range.

 

Furthering frustration with MFGs these days, my new set of irons for 2023 will be T300s for the following reasons. I can order them at modern day historical standard lengths (38" 5i, 35.5" PW), with lighter 100g shafts while maintaining D2 swingweights. Mizuno Hot Metals can't be order 1/4" short (which makes them same length as Titleist Std) and get to D2. Neither Wilson or Srixon make any adjustments for swingweight. Can't get a straight answer from TM as to what they will and won't build and given custom order horror stories I've heard, not going to attempt a TM custom build. The T300s are really the only GI set in the market that I can get built to the specs I want, fortunately I also like the look of them.

 

Just taking the time to vent a little, with such technology advancements in the golf world, it's frustrating to run into these issues in current times. I know probably at my hdcp level none of the above probably makes a difference but I know what I like and in today's world of weight ports, screw weights, etc, how is it a company can't build to these specs which I don't feel are way out of bounds.

 

...8 hdcp who prefers a big forgiving GI iron to make the game easy!

I could be wrong but your could go 5i to 45, the 5i is a little lower than you want at 22 but the 45 is close enough at 45.5 degrees, and is still the 7 clubs you want

[animalgolfs]

Retro

Standard

PowerSpec

 

I'd be sorta shocked you couldn't cover that gap, using any combination of the above.

 

[Anser3]

4 minutes ago, animalgolfs said:

Retro

Standard

PowerSpec

 

I'd be sorta shocked you couldn't cover that gap, using any combination of the above.

 

 

 

Exactly.  I don't like the Vanishing Loft Syndrome  (VLS) either.  However, Ping is one of the easier manufacturers to work with to get around the issue.  You can order the Retro, Standard, Power Spec lofts as you see fit.  In addition, you can buy them per club instead of as a set (or place an order for 7 individual clubs).  Additionally, you can request the lofts tweaked and additional degree or two on top of the existing specs.  A 41 degree PW is criminal.

[hd.softail]

Fair points, just not crazy how Titleist goes 48-23, Mizuno goes 48-22 and PING goes 45.5-22.

 

Again, probably not a huge issue at my hdcp level but sure helps with gaps down low where Titleist and Miz get to 48 degrees with the same number of clubs. It's a 1/2 club difference in the wedges.

 

Maybe it's more of a factor that PING is seeing more sets stop at 6i vs 5i, just seems awkward to me...

[DFS PFD]

Just grind the 4-PW off the bottom of the club, stamp it with loft and not much else has changed. Add retro loft and you are right where you want to be. And Titliest T300 loft for 4-PW is 20*-43*, so no argument there either. Can't compare G430 lofts to T100 or players irons. 

Edited October 13, 2022 by DFS PFD

[SlothofDespond]

Are these Ping numbers true? Ping does not have the G430 specs on its website yet. These are the default lofts of the previous G models (i.e., not power or retro spec):

• 425 - 44.5
• 410 - 44.5
• 400 - 44.5

Going to 41 would be a heck of a jump. I agree with the general sentiment that slapping a higher number on a lower loft is dumb even if harmless.

 

 

Edited October 13, 2022 by SlothofDespond

[hd.softail]

58 minutes ago, SlothofDespond said:

Are these Ping numbers true? Ping does not have the G430 specs on its website yet. These are the default lofts of the previous G models (i.e., not power or retro spec):

• 425 - 44.5
• 410 - 44.5
• 400 - 44.5

Going to 41 would be a heck of a jump. I agree with the general sentiment that slapping a higher number on a lower loft is dumb even if harmless.

 

 

 

Yes here are the G430 Iron Lofts:

 

5i - 22

6i - 25.5

7i - 29

8i - 33

9i - 37

PW - 41

UW1 - 45.5

UW2 - 50

SW - 54

LW - 58

 

Edited October 13, 2022 by hd.softail

[SlothofDespond]

4 minutes ago, hd.softail said:

 

Yes here are the G430 Iron Lofts:

 

5i - 22

6i - 25.5

7i - 29

8i - 33

9i - 37

PW - 41

UW1 - 45

UW2 - 50

SW - 54

LW - 58

 

 

So they're basically stamping PW on the bottom of a 9I? That doesn't seem like a big deal. Again, I agree it's dumb but they must think some buyers like to puff their chest because they can say they can hit their 7 iron that's really a 5 iron some particular distance. 50 -> 54 -> 58 is a pretty common end of the bag.

[Jeff58]

I think that the loft progression is actually quite good, but the labeling needs work. The 5i is actually a 4i, and the UW1 is a good loft for a PW.
You can still make the standard choice between three additional wedges or top end clubs as usual. The only apparent oddity is the appearance of a gap between the “5i” and the next longer club. In reality, a 3 hybrid at 19 still appears to be the next step.

[dekez]

2 hours ago, hd.softail said:

Fair points, just not crazy how Titleist goes 48-23, Mizuno goes 48-22 and PING goes 45.5-22.

 

Again, probably not a huge issue at my hdcp level but sure helps with gaps down low where Titleist and Miz get to 48 degrees with the same number of clubs. It's a 1/2 club difference in the wedges.

 

Maybe it's more of a factor that PING is seeing more sets stop at 6i vs 5i, just seems awkward to me...

It's becoming such that iron sets should stop at 7 iron.  Getting ridiculous.  Soon will have the same amount of wedges as irons.

[boggyman]

They’re just playing catch-up. Unless one decides to play a so called “players” iron, jacked lofts are the norm and here to stay, thin faced and all. Get over it and/or move forward folks! 

Edited October 13, 2022 by boggyman

[dekez]

5 minutes ago, boggyman said:

They’re just playing catch-up. Unless one decides to play a so called “players” iron, jacked lofts are the norm and here to stay, thin faced and all. Get over it and/or move forward folks! 

Oh I know.  I subscribe to Wishon's guidance that average golfers should not be playing irons with 28* of loft.  There are less and less irons with 28* with loft.

[JAM01]

Basically 4 (22*) to GW (50)* 

[ShowMe]

Having played the G425s with Power Spec lofts for the past year, the short irons still flight very, very high.  Perhaps too high.  I think that lowering the flight a little by reducing the loft would be a good thing.

[CROUSE99]

The 5 thru UW2 covers 22 degrees to 50 degrees. That’s 8 irons which is the same number of irons as my Wilson FG17 irons covering the same loft range. The difference is that, for most, the 430’s will be easier to hit and launch higher when comparing loft to loft, so I don’t have any problem with it. However, I can see where it could be difficult for a shop owner to convince someone with moderate speed that he needs to go 7 iron thru the UW2. 

[5nowflake]

Looking at the lofts on these I’d say they are maybe a degree or two weaker across the 10 club range than my 2-sw set (probably 20-56, never seen the actual specs). 
 

the most striking thing for me is that we now have an equal number of “wedges” as we do “irons” (pretty sure this isn’t the first time either) - so will anyone dare to go further? Or is a “set of irons” with six wedges and four irons just too much? 
 

As you can probably guess I think loft jacking is a massive con and I’d struggle to ever buy a set with silly strong lofts but have a question/theory….
 

loft, lie, length and head weight all come into it; so (ignoring technology, which can be applied to either) is the 29 degree “7 iron” in this set, which presumably has a much heavier head, more upright lie, and a slightly shorter shaft, a better way of doing a thirty degree iron than than my 1980s “5 iron”? 

[Radeon962]

7 hours ago, hd.softail said:

Had been holding out to see the G430s before ordering new game improvement Irons. Have to say I'm very disappointed. How do you even do a set makeup with the G430?

 

In the G430, the PW is 41 and 6I is 25.5? To cover the minimum range of lofts I want in my iron set which is 46-24, for PING, I need 8 irons. Taking Hot Metal or T300 for example I can cover this range in 7 irons leaving me room at the top for a 23-22 Hybrid (to replace 3i/4i). Bottom line, the G430 irons are out for me purely because I can't get a good set makeup given this new messed up loft range.

 

Furthering frustration with MFGs these days, my new set of irons for 2023 will be T300s for the following reasons. I can order them at modern day historical standard lengths (38" 5i, 35.5" PW), with lighter 100g shafts while maintaining D2 swingweights. Mizuno Hot Metals can't be order 1/4" short (which makes them same length as Titleist Std) and get to D2. Neither Wilson or Srixon make any adjustments for swingweight. Can't get a straight answer from TM as to what they will and won't build and given custom order horror stories I've heard, not going to attempt a TM custom build. The T300s are really the only GI set in the market that I can get built to the specs I want, fortunately I also like the look of them.

 

Just taking the time to vent a little, with such technology advancements in the golf world, it's frustrating to run into these issues in current times. I know probably at my hdcp level none of the above probably makes a difference but I know what I like and in today's world of weight ports, screw weights, etc, how is it a company can't build to these specs which I don't feel are way out of bounds.

 

...8 hdcp who prefers a big forgiving GI iron to make the game easy!

Try a set of PXG Gen4 0311XP as they are the easiest to swingweight and feel excellent.

 

Play mine 1* weak and based off 38” 5 iron which is 1/2” short of the XP standard so the big center weight makes it easy to hit a swingweight #

[NoTalentLefty]

3 hours ago, dekez said:

Oh I know.  I subscribe to Wishon's guidance that average golfers should not be playing irons with 28* of loft.  There are less and less irons with 28* with loft.

Great recommendation by Wishon. My last iron is at 27. The next are 3 hybrids. 

[nsxguy]

5 hours ago, hd.softail said:

 

Yes here are the G430 Iron Lofts:

 

5i - 22

6i - 25.5

7i - 29

8i - 33

9i - 37

PW - 41

UW1 - 45.5

UW2 - 50

SW - 54

LW - 58

 

 

May I ask where you got these specs ?

 

Also, is it possible these are the "power loft" specs ?

 

425s are 44.5 PW with 42.5 being power loft. Seems strange they'd go from 44.5 down 3.5 to 41.

[hd.softail]

1 hour ago, nsxguy said:

 

May I ask where you got these specs ?

 

Also, is it possible these are the "power loft" specs ?

 

425s are 44.5 PW with 42.5 being power loft. Seems strange they'd go from 44.5 down 3.5 to 41.

Not sure if I'm allowed to link but if you google "Ping G430 Iron Specs" you'll see Australian and other non US sites with youtube videos and pre-orders. Pretty sure what I listed are the standard specs, power loft go even stronger. 

[JungleJimbo]

2 hours ago, hd.softail said:

Not sure if I'm allowed to link but if you google "Ping G430 Iron Specs" you'll see Australian and other non US sites with youtube videos and pre-orders. Pretty sure what I listed are the standard specs, power loft go even stronger. 

Tweaked your google search term to say “Loft” to find this listing (instead of specs... which oddly got No search hits for me?)

 

https://www.golfbox.com.au/golf-blog/ping-g430-drivers-fairways-hybrids-irons

 

 

Edited October 14, 2022 by JungleJimbo

[Christen_The_Sloop]

6 hours ago, Jeff58 said:

I think that the loft progression is actually quite good, but the labeling needs work. The 5i is actually a 4i, and the UW1 is a good loft for a PW.
You can still make the standard choice between three additional wedges or top end clubs as usual. The only apparent oddity is the appearance of a gap between the “5i” and the next longer club. In reality, a 3 hybrid at 19 still appears to be the next step.

 

My 4-iron is 24 degrees. I have sets where the three iron is 23 degrees. This is just another layer of the clown world we live in.

[Christen_The_Sloop]

5 hours ago, dekez said:

Oh I know.  I subscribe to Wishon's guidance that average golfers should not be playing irons with 28* of loft.  There are less and less irons with 28* with loft.

 

Generations of golfers will never know the testes swell that comes with a pured long iron. 

[ShowMe]

Alex Etches has a review of the G430 irons.  He hit the 7 iron about 7 yards further than a previous review of the G425s.  That's really good considering that it's only 1 degree stronger in loft.  Plus he was getting pretty good spin with the 7 iron...5600-5900 RPMs, with a 51 degree descent angle.

 

 

Edited October 14, 2022 by ShowMe

[Nessism]

If these lofts are true, this is what I was afraid of for this set.  As a confirmed G-man, and having owned almost every model going back to G5, I can say that I won't be buying these. 😑

[Nessism]

1 hour ago, Christen_The_Sloop said:

 

Generations of golfers will never know the testes swell that comes with a pured long iron. 

 

Not true.  It's just that the 2 iron (or 1) you so love will have a 4 number on it.

[Radeon962]

8 hours ago, Nessism said:

 

Not true.  It's just that the 2 iron (or 1) you so love will have a 4 number on it.

And the reason why I start my PXG Gen4 0311XP irons at 6 iron.  
 

Same loft and length as my old 5 iron which is nearly the same loft and length as 4i as my reference set: Ping G25 irons.

 

Ping G425 4i - 38.25” @ 23*
 

PXG G4 0311XP 6i - 38.13” @ 23*

 

I stopped caring about the # on the sole and more about the actual loft and length to give me the yardage gaps I want.  

[dsmil]

I think you just have to start ignoring the club # and think about the lofts.  You can still cover a similar loft range with the same amount of clubs, it's just that one of them is now a wedge.  And you can bend the 5 or 6 iron if you need to.  The other thing that is possible is that these chunkier irons naturally launch the ball higher, so a 24* chunky iron might play similar to a less forgiving 26* club.

[bcjim]

As I've said before,  the goal is to shorten the range covered by "your irons" so that you also have to buy several (expensive) hybrids and wedges.