What's wrong with the i59's?

[cyr67]

Besides the the price.

 

Not much love for the i59's on the WRX, or at least nowhere near the love that is shown to T100's, i210/230's, ZX7, 223's etc. There's also the fact that the tour concurs... with very little full usage among Ping staff, with Blueprints and i210's dominating. 

 

For golf consumers, I get the price issue with the i59's, but that has seemingly not stopped people from buying the Blueprints. 

 

I think the i59's might be the best looking Ping iron...ever. Yet, they seem to have been snubbed by the golfwrxinati. 

 

Explain. 

 

Thanks.

[Rocky Ball-boa]

For me it's the same as all other ping irons. The finish! It's just so dull looking. I can never bring myself to even try a ping iron. I'm a sucker for a bit of chrome

[dmeeksDC]

Great clubs. I agree they might be the best looking Pings, but all the Pings with this finish look gorgeous. I think it is simply that the Blueprints are not hard to hit, also look great and get chosen more. And also the i59 somehow got tagged as lacking in distance, but it’s not true. Loft for loft they are the same as competitors. 
 

I have played them and I like them better than the iBlades or i230 or the ZX7. The shorter blade length and squat head shape of the i59 is appealing. A full set of i59 or a combo of i59 and Blueprint is pretty sweet.
 

The pros haven’t picked up i59 as much as other Ping models but that is no factor for me. I think that is only because they are fairly similar to other Pings such as iBlades and pros stick with what is comfortable. Stewart Cink gave the i230 a try and went back to the i210. Doesn’t mean the i230s are no good, simply that he likes what he is playing. 

[Ripken08]

I agree with the looks.  I really am interested in trying them, but I don't want to get bent over if I decide they don't work out.  I'm not sure a 9HC can handle 5-PW.

[nitram]

I'd at least it 'em if I were looking for a different set of irons.

[hackalot]

For me it’s they’re hollow and too expensive. That simple. Would have been much better seller if a solid cast with same shape and $400 less. 

[leftycabe]

3 hours ago, Rocky Ball-boa said:

For me it's the same as all other ping irons. The finish! It's just so dull looking. I can never bring myself to even try a ping iron. I'm a sucker for a bit of chrome

This again proves we all have our own preferences. The finish of these is one of my favorite things. I can’t stand a shiny finish on any clubs. I also feel that this finish wears better than anything else out there. 

[B.Easy]

It is, in my mind, the best looking ping iron of all time.  I fully expected to go in, test them, and order them.  I hit them for an hour on the range and out of the middle, it might be the worst feeling ping iron I've ever tried.  Hollow and springy feel and sound.  I do prefer solid forgings, but I've felt plenty of solid cast and foam filled clubs to know that they can feel great too.  

 

I guess I wanted them to clearly beat out my S55's in every way and they just didn't.  That's the player here and on tour that they should appeal to and they honestly don't in the sound/feel/feedback department.  To me it looks and performs like a premium product, but doesn't sound and feel like one.  So, I didn't buy.  They're too expensive to not tick that box for me.  If they felt closer to the i230's, iBlades, or Blueprints--They'd be in my bag for years.  Just like the S55's, which is my personal all time favorite.

[hammergolf]

For Ping, the i59 is kind of in no man’s land. For most players, the i525, i230 or Blueprint are going to fit the performance or preferences of almost all golfers. On top of that when you consider the higher price it’s understandable why it hasn’t sold well. 

[T_Golf_23]

So I am stuck between the i230 and the i59 irons. 
 

I have both sets. One of these will be my gamers this year. 
 

I come from playing blades like the wilson staff blades and the Miura MC501.

 

They are for different players… the i59 are blades…. Yes they are “hollow”. But they do not feel that way to me. They are are not Miura irons…. But the forgiveness and consistency  of these for the type of club they are is insane. 
 

all the disappointment comes from players trying to drop down into these from players distance irons. They are not that type of forgiving. 
 

the i230 are crazy consistent. Feel great. 
 

both of these are players clubs….. but the i230 has a bit more bounce and rounded leading edge with a larger sole. 
 

I have a -1 AoA. My miss is thin. 
 

the sole, bounce, and leading edge of the i59 is so much more forgiving on this miss. 
 

Plus I think the players used to distance irons can drop into the i230….. they can handle hits all over the face. especially if you power spec them. 

so…… they are just different,  but ping set tough expectations when they compared them to the MOI of the i210. 
 

I think this is why so many people were disappointed. 

[nitram]

6 hours ago, B.Easy said:

It is, in my mind, the best looking ping iron of all time.  I fully expected to go in, test them, and order them.  I hit them for an hour on the range and out of the middle, it might be the worst feeling ping iron I've ever tried.  Hollow and springy feel and sound.  I do prefer solid forgings, but I've felt plenty of solid cast and foam filled clubs to know that they can feel great too.  

 

I guess I wanted them to clearly beat out my S55's in every way and they just didn't.  That's the player here and on tour that they should appeal to and they honestly don't in the sound/feel/feedback department.  To me it looks and performs like a premium product, but doesn't sound and feel like one.  So, I didn't buy.  They're too expensive to not tick that box for me.  If they felt closer to the i230's, iBlades, or Blueprints--They'd be in my bag for years.  Just like the S55's, which is my personal all time favorite.

This is my feelings in a nutshell. The S55 is my favorite PING iron ever and these didn't even come close even though they are drop dead gorgeous.

Edited February 18, 2023 by nitram

[Avidswampthing66]

I think they are some of the finest irons on the market, BUT the feel is very clicky for being a "forged" iron at that price.  "Most" people who game compact players irons prefer a softer feel.  Ping nailed that with i230 and Blueprint.  Has to be a major contributing factor for why pros chose the other irons.

Edited February 18, 2023 by Avidswampthing66

[realmfg]

Agree with a lot said above. I think the i230 and BPs looks nicer and feel better. Also, the BPs are probably as easy to hit, so I'd go with the better looking and feeling iron.

Edited February 18, 2023 by realmfg

[puresurfr]

The Ping i59s just would not work for me, I tried several shafts and I really like the way they looked.  I love the T100 and T100S and I played those last year.  The Blueprints were brilliant irons and I hit those surprisingly well and bagged those when they first came out.  The Ping i230 do not look as nice as the i59 but for some reason, I hit these well and love them, they are currently my gamers.  

 

*Ping i230 have amazing distance.  They are very long if u take into account the loft and the spin rate.  U can always go much longer if u jack the loft or decrease spin but the i230 does not rely on that technology.  They are also extremely forgiving.  My bad strikes and my pure hits are less than a club difference and I do hit more than my share of off center strikes.  The sole turf interaction seems to work perfectly for me as well. 

Edited February 18, 2023 by puresurfr

[alittlethinboss]

I have the i59's after playing every ping player iron since the S56's. They have been crazy good. I play them 5-PW and then use a i525 4-iron that I swap out with the new iCrossover 4 iron occasionally. The current ping lineup is insanely good. I even switched to the Pro Glide Raw wedges and have been amazed by those compared to the stock vokeys I have been gaming around for years. 

 

[ChipNRun]

Two factors: 

1. Since Ping went to twin-digit designators for irons: G10, i15, the higher numbered i50 series had gotten lost in the shuffle. A decade later with the E1, iBlades and Blueprints, etc., The i5* gets the distinction of being a drop-in guest that is not E1, not iBlades, etc.

Back in 2009 I was switching out irons for the first time in 14 years, and the i57 got a look from me. The fitter suggested I could make it work with a DG R300 SL shaft. But, I ended up going with Callaway.

 

      2. Every year, the OEMs put out a couple of dozen irons in the Players and PD categories. Some

are hot, others are not. It's the law of averages that not all - even if solid irons - can be a hit.

 

Edited February 20, 2023 by ChipNRun
Typo.

[dmeeksDC]

From what I have read they are not hollow. They also are only “forged” in the same way Apexes and ZX5s are “forged,” hence the clicky feel some have noted. They are a 1025 body with a 17-4 steel insert face, so similar to a ZX5 in that way, but they also have an aluminum core insert in the head to replace heavier steel that was milled out so more weight could be moved to the perimeter. Supposedly the i59 has the same MOI as the i210 despite being a smaller head. They feel very stable and misses go straight. They may not be as workable as some clubs and maybe that is what the pros don’t want. Hard to say.
 

Anyway, I guess people either like the feel or hate it but they don’t feel harsh to me. I don’t like harsh or super soft feeling irons because soft is often more of a mushy feel to me. Some love the feel of the T100 but I do not seem to care for the feel of Titleist irons after trying several heads. I would take the Ping feel every time. The i59 feels crisp and solid. They actually do feel a bit like Srixon ZX5s or JPX 923 Forged to me.

 

I think what held back the i59 is the price is a stretch if you’re shopping around. Even now there are tons of new releases that are competitors (King Tour, JPX 923 Forged) and they’re all significantly less per club.

[animalgolfs]

Nothing

 

About the price of eggs.....whew

[mileslong]

I love mine, they look so good and are very forgiving for their size.  I’m not the best ball strike, and have no issues playing them.  If you don’t like the feel put some MMTs in them, I did wished I had done it sooner, amazing…

[MattM97]

I was looking at these earlier in the week, they're actually really nice at address for me. But that $2600 CAD price tag has me not even wanting to try them, they're like 800-1200 more than most other sets. 

 

That's more clubs or a lot of lessons you can buy. 

[Kale_m]

I have hit them. I like them, love the look of them. Love the satin finish. Feel great!  HATE the price, $2500 for 4-Pw here in Canada with the stock shafts 

[Red4282]

Imo, great looking iron. Thats where any positive ends. They feel like garbage. Like hitting rocks. It performs ok, but compared to the other irons in this category its easily one of the worst.

[iNeedMoreGolf]

I had 4 to pw i59 all of last year. Im a pretty good ball striker that lacks in any given area on any givin day. My best score is 79. Id say im about give or take a 14 handicap. I sold them and here is why. Before i had xforged| apex mb 18 the clubs i scored 79 with. Id say the i59 felt as good as them. Not the best ive ever felt but certainly not bad at all for filled in hollow.. best felt would go to my mizuno mp5 lol i agree best looking ping iron ive ever seen. Really amazing look and shape iron. Forgivness was strange to me. I hit one on the toe and end up pin high then a round later same shot but short. Thats whatever though... it happeneds. Overall id say forgiveness was good. The finish was cool but not that durable at the same time. In round one it looked like 5 rounds at least on them and im very carefull about my stuff. I found myself never really having a great round with them and allways trying to. It kinda sucked the fun out of it so i sold them. I could have easily kept playing them and been happy but the price tag and not really seeing anything too special or unique made me say bye. Id guess their is something more consistent to the i210 and blueprint then the i59 which is why most pros are still with them. Lots of other irons in the same range but cheaper also hurt them.

[NRJyzr]

22 hours ago, Ripken08 said:

I agree with the looks.  I really am interested in trying them, but I don't want to get bent over if I decide they don't work out.  I'm not sure a 9HC can handle 5-PW.

 

The i59 have an MOI that's equivalent with the i210.  Which is only very marginally behind the G25.

 

And I see dmeeks beat me to it.  🙂

 

Edited February 19, 2023 by NRJyzr

[Ripken08]

Just like the original Anser irons when they came out.  Overpriced and therefore never sold.

[mileslong]

The thing that really sold me on i59 is the 17-4 face.  It’s probably the same thing that turns most people off.  Here in NC I play in “sand”, which really takes its toll on a set of irons.  17-4 is as indestructible as you can get for an iron face.   I’m assuming this adds to the not so great feel some experience.  I’ll take the “firm” feel if it means they will hold up to the conditions here. 

 

 

 

[JAM01]

ChipNRun is on to something. Ping diverged from is S I and G designations. I get it in the woods I suppose, but some of my golf buddies swore by the i20 and i25 woods. 
 

S/B

Blueprints

S59

i230

G430

 

then a full hollow body 

i525 or G525 

 

 

[toddyc]

22 hours ago, mileslong said:

The thing that really sold me on i59 is the 17-4 face.  It’s probably the same thing that turns most people off.  Here in NC I play in “sand”, which really takes its toll on a set of irons.  17-4 is as indestructible as you can get for an iron face.   I’m assuming this adds to the not so great feel some experience.  I’ll take the “firm” feel if it means they will hold up to the conditions here. 

 

 

 

Durability is irrelevant to wrxers

 

I got a mint 4-9 set of i59 for less than 400 on eBay. Resale market seems quite weak.  Hope that isn’t because they are terrible since I just bought them.  haven’t tried them out yet. 

[Lloyd_Christmas29]

The price. They aren't "hot" like a P770 which they aren't intended to be, but I think that's what everyone was expecting.  They have a hollow sound which a lot of people mistake for not feeling good. However if you ignore the sound, they're some of the softest irons I've hit. I've tried T100, Apex Pro 21, ZX7, 921 tour, and i59 is the best for me all around in terms of forgiveness, looks, ball flight consistency, etc.

[kkennedy]

I don't think these felt as bad as everyone seems to be opining