Why can't I take a divot with PING irons/wedges?

[TheGolfingRealtor]

I have PING i230 irons and Glide 4.0 wedges and cannot take a divot no matter what! It's always thin to win - I mean my scores are pretty good but the vibration takes its toll. 

 

It's a pretty small sample but with my 50, 54, 60 SM8 wedges I take a very nice shallow divot and obviously it feels 100x better. How much do the thinner soles affect things? 

[phizzy30]

I'm thinking for you it may have to do with bounce and/or sole. 

[Sean124]

13 hours ago, TheGolfingRealtor said:

How much do the thinner soles affect things? 

It seems to affect things a lot for you, and that’s all that matters. 

[ThinkingPlus]

Ping uses a proprietary coating process on their irons and wedges that is infused with dark energy.

[bladehunter]

14 hours ago, TheGolfingRealtor said:

I have PING i230 irons and Glide 4.0 wedges and cannot take a divot no matter what! It's always thin to win - I mean my scores are pretty good but the vibration takes its toll. 

 

It's a pretty small sample but with my 50, 54, 60 SM8 wedges I take a very nice shallow divot and obviously it feels 100x better. How much do the thinner soles affect things? 

Irons like that are designed to be hit steep.  If you’re on harder turf , and a shallow swinger. Those are going to be tough to get along with.  
 

look no further than Victor hovland who had ping custom grind his i210 ( maybe 230 now ) to make them slice instead of bounce and glide. 

[pgatw]

I use the same combination, i230 irons and Glide wedges. I do not have any problem taking very shallow divots. My angle of attack is quite shallow and my launch is lowish. I am probably as close as you can get to the definition of a sweeper. Do not have any problems with this combination regardless of firm or soft conditions. I do use the thin sole grind in my higher lofted wedge which helps in very tight lies.

 

 

 

[JetSpeed79]

43 minutes ago, ThinkingPlus said:

Ping uses a proprietary coating process on their irons and wedges that is infused with dark energy.

That explains the excessive amount of paperwork I had to sign during purchase. 
 

“A notary? Really?”

[TheGolfingRealtor]

1 hour ago, bladehunter said:

Irons like that are designed to be hit steep.  If you’re on harder turf , and a shallow swinger. Those are going to be tough to get along with.  
 

look no further than Victor hovland who had ping custom grind his i210 ( maybe 230 now ) to make them slice instead of bounce and glide. 

It can't be taught or learned? I don't want to give up on them but I've also been eyeing the new T100. 

[bladehunter]

7 minutes ago, TheGolfingRealtor said:

It can't be taught or learned? I don't want to give up on them but I've also been eyeing the new T100. 

That’s a loaded question.  Sure. You can change a lot just to get along with an iron.  But why ?  Real talk.  If you were playing good with  something else , there’s no chance I’d change my swing to suit new irons. If they don’t work. They don’t work.  

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

As noted, it's not worth revamping your swing, just to accommodate these clubs.  I will ask though if they have the same:  lie, swingweight, shafts, and grips as the previous set that you, presumably, got along with. 

 

If same/same, just go on BST---both lines are quite popular and you shouldn't take too much of a hit---then go find a set at a place where you can try them on grass first.

[MattM97]

I don't think divots are necessary in all golf swings. If the ball is coming off fine and going the distance tou want you're good. 

 

Also this...

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/oWZM5P08mvs?feature=share

[phizzy30]

3 hours ago, bladehunter said:

Irons like that are designed to be hit steep.  If you’re on harder turf , and a shallow swinger. Those are going to be tough to get along with.  
 

look no further than Victor hovland who had ping custom grind his i210 ( maybe 230 now ) to make them slice instead of bounce and glide. 

I remember reading that the VCOG for the i230 are pretty high up on the face compared to other player's cb. 

[phizzy30]

Just now, MattM97 said:

I don't think divots are necessary in all golf swings. If the ball is coming off fine and going the distance tou want you're good. 

 

Also this...

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/oWZM5P08mvs?feature=share

I think that having steeper divots helps with launch and spin with irons.  I used to be a sweeper then changed my swing for irons and now take bigger divots.  The result is increased carry, more spin and higher launch.  It was well worth the time and effort. 

[ALIF]

I think you need a set of Miura Baby Blades!!!!!

[bladehunter]

55 minutes ago, phizzy30 said:

I remember reading that the VCOG for the i230 are pretty high up on the face compared to other player's cb. 

I’m not surprised. A lot of irons are creeping way up there.  It’s a terrible idea in my opinion 

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

1 hour ago, phizzy30 said:

I think that having steeper divots helps with launch and spin with irons.  I used to be a sweeper then changed my swing for irons and now take bigger divots.  The result is increased carry, more spin and higher launch.  It was well worth the time and effort. 

IME, which is limited, dynamic loft provides high launch and spin.  I used to deliver a ridiculous amount of loft to the ball, as an honorary ambassador to the Dolphin Nation.  I'd hit it fat often, (or top it, I'm not picky) but rarely took a divot, and would get things like launches around 70% of the static loft angle, and spins in excess of the 'club number x 1000.'  I guess I was steep but flipped with OK timing?

 

E.g., 32° 7-iron launching in the low 20s, with, at times, 7700 rpm.  They didn't go very far, but they got higher than Cypress Hill.  Little to no divot.

 

It's a little better now.  Still trying for that compression, half dollar bill sized divot, low flight thing though.

 

Anyway, yeah, again little experience, but both of my sets of Pings have gobs of bounce compared to say the Cally Apexs or DCBs I've tried.  

[TheGolfingRealtor]

I played last night and no difference but it wasn't terrible either. I launch it high with very low spin which must come from hitting it thin and not down and compressing it. 

 

I'm scrapping the Titleist idea and sticking with my PING's. 

[cardoustie]

Are your fairways rock hard ?

[Valtiel]

On 7/7/2023 at 9:46 PM, TheGolfingRealtor said:

I have PING i230 irons and Glide 4.0 wedges and cannot take a divot no matter what! It's always thin to win - I mean my scores are pretty good but the vibration takes its toll. 

 

It's a pretty small sample but with my 50, 54, 60 SM8 wedges I take a very nice shallow divot and obviously it feels 100x better. How much do the thinner soles affect things? 

 

5 minutes ago, TheGolfingRealtor said:

I played last night and no difference but it wasn't terrible either. I launch it high with very low spin which must come from hitting it thin and not down and compressing it. 

 

I'm scrapping the Titleist idea and sticking with my PING's. 

I would definitely recommend getting the relevant specs checked (length, swingweight, total weight, lie angle etc) to rule out anything there, because otherwise it's just a lump of metal on the end of a stick and assuming similar specs there is no inherent reason why you can hit the ground with one but not the other. Length and swingweight are the likely spec culprits, everything else is probably mental. 

Also as @bladehunter and @phizzy30 mentioned, PINGs are generally higher CG designs which require a healthy descending blow to not hit "thin" as the sweet spot is literally higher on the face. If you are a sweeper/picker or take very shallow divots generally then most PING irons are not going to be a good match. 

[TheGolfingRealtor]

7 minutes ago, cardoustie said:

Are your fairways rock hard ?

No

[TheGolfingRealtor]

5 minutes ago, Valtiel said:

 

I would definitely recommend getting the relevant specs checked (length, swingweight, total weight, lie angle etc) to rule out anything there, because otherwise it's just a lump of metal on the end of a stick and assuming similar specs there is no inherent reason why you can hit the ground with one but not the other. Length and swingweight are the likely spec culprits, everything else is probably mental. 

Also as @bladehunter and @phizzy30 mentioned, PINGs are generally higher CG designs which require a healthy descending blow to not hit "thin" as the sweet spot is literally higher on the face. If you are a sweeper/picker or take very shallow divots generally then most PING irons are not going to be a good match. 

I have my own repair shop in the garage so I check everything frequently. The PING's were built by a different department so the specs are tight. 

[cardoustie]

Hmm, I’ve only asked as I have had bouncing issues off very firm turf … and that’s not good with high cog irons 

[2Down]

So the vokeys have no bounce and that’s why you can take a divot with them?

 

I would try adding lead tape. Maybe the pings are a bit lite compared to them.  

[bladehunter]

18 hours ago, cardoustie said:

Hmm, I’ve only asked as I have had bouncing issues off very firm turf … and that’s not good with high cog irons 

Yep.  Agree. If playing off soft sand based turf ,especially when wet -  I can’t imagine why no divot. You should  get a divot with anything on that.  Similar to bent fairways.  You need bounce on that to not hurt yourself 🤣

[TheGolfingRealtor]

On 7/8/2023 at 3:47 PM, bladehunter said:

Irons like that are designed to be hit steep.  If you’re on harder turf , and a shallow swinger. Those are going to be tough to get along with.  
 

look no further than Victor hovland who had ping custom grind his i210 ( maybe 230 now ) to make them slice instead of bounce and glide. 

So no matter what, these won't work for me?

[bladehunter]

54 minutes ago, TheGolfingRealtor said:

So no matter what, these won't work for me?

I don’t have any way to say 100 % sure anything.    I can only tell you that I have a list of irons that don’t work for me , and I’ve played to a lowest handicap of +2.  
 

it’s a chicken or the egg argument around “ for swing to club.  Or fit club to swing “.  You can do either.  But it’s cheaper and less dangerous to fit the club to your swing.  My opinion.  

[TheGolfingRealtor]

5 hours ago, bladehunter said:

I don’t have any way to say 100 % sure anything.    I can only tell you that I have a list of irons that don’t work for me , and I’ve played to a lowest handicap of +2.  
 

it’s a chicken or the egg argument around “ for swing to club.  Or fit club to swing “.  You can do either.  But it’s cheaper and less dangerous to fit the club to your swing.  My opinion.  

The size of the i230 5 iron does not instill confidence. It's difficult for me to manipulate the face and hit the shot I want. They do bounce off the turf too. I can't overlook the results though -2 to +2 over ten 9-hole rounds. 

 

I don't know if i have the confidence to play the T100. Can an ego play a positive role? I know it gets people to play clubs they shouldn't BUT can it also have someone focus and hit a smaller club better?

[LowAndLeft32]

On 7/8/2023 at 7:09 PM, phizzy30 said:

I think that having steeper divots helps with launch and spin with irons.  I used to be a sweeper then changed my swing for irons and now take bigger divots.  The result is increased carry, more spin and higher launch.  It was well worth the time and effort. 

How did you go about making the change? I’m tired of being a sweeper. 

[LowAndLeft32]

6 hours ago, bladehunter said:

I don’t have any way to say 100 % sure anything.    I can only tell you that I have a list of irons that don’t work for me , and I’ve played to a lowest handicap of +2.  
 

it’s a chicken or the egg argument around “ for swing to club.  Or fit club to swing “.  You can do either.  But it’s cheaper and less dangerous to fit the club to your swing.  My opinion.  

Interesting comments. So if a sweeper that plays in hard links style turf what clubs would you say wold be ideal? 

[ThinkingPlus]

2 hours ago, LowAndLeft32 said:

Interesting comments. So if a sweeper that plays in hard links style turf what clubs would you say wold be ideal? 

Low CG and lower bounce.