Pro’s sticking with i210 over i230

[Tegan88]

I just saw a witb of Rocco Mediate on his Instagram where he’s gone from i230’s back to i210. He didn’t actually mention why. 
 

Viktor is still in i210. Leona Maguire is still i210. Linn Grant went i230 and back to i210. Tyrell went i230 and then swapped 7-p for the blueprint S. 

 

Is there a reason why the pro’s aren’t as inclined to use the i230? Personally I prefer the cavity on display to the hollow look so I prefer the i210 look. 

[chip75]

The i210s have a slightly different CoG, so I'd imagine that there's some difference in spin. Some players have tried i210 grooves on the newer i230 heads, but have reverted back.

 

Spin and distance control are paramount for top players, they basically just want the exact same club when changing models. 

 

Anecdotally it seems that the i230s have had mixed success on tour. The i210 will go down as classics. The new Blueprint irons will be interesting to track.

[JAMH03]

Is there a reason?

Usually pro's like clubs that enhance what they're already doing. Some of the game improvement features don't help them as much. They may prefer a smaller profile, a more consistent spin, workability is sometimes a factor so it could be any of a myriad of reasons. Specifically what I don't know and don't have a good guess. I feel like I noticed similar with Ping irons maybe 10 years ago some of the pros were more inclined to stay with the older smaller more blade like heads. Bubba Watson years etc

What works at the highest levels is important to know and understand at the same time it's beneficial to know where you're game is at and the trajectory you're on.

There are plenty of clubs that work for me that the pros would not benefit from and vice versa.

I'm personally shocked the Iblades are not more popular?

[SetTheBarrHigh]

Similar experience for me. I had i210 in the bag for 4 years and picked up i230. (Same shaft, same specs). I agree that the main difference was the CoG and spin. My i210 spin more and launch higher - that ball flight fits my eye and I’m more comfortable with it. I sold my i230 last week. 

[wfrogge1]

41 minutes ago, SetTheBarrHigh said:

Similar experience for me. I had i210 in the bag for 4 years and picked up i230. (Same shaft, same specs). I agree that the main difference was the CoG and spin. My i210 spin more and launch higher - that ball flight fits my eye and I’m more comfortable with it. I sold my i230 last week. 

Where I need less spin and tend to hit my irons a tad too high........ the 230s have been a really good fit for me

[SwooshLT]

Funny as I need launch and spin ....i230s deliver in spades ....especially in the 4 and 5i longer, higher and straighter ..... even though they're close , they aren't the same 

To each their own

[Teebs]

Guess some pro's will require more testing than others. If you're someone like Hovland and the i210s have been stellar, what's the point of rushing a switch?

 

I'd imagine Ping are quite ambivalent about what sponsored players are using, they seem the type of company who'll back the player and not push them.

[animalgolfs]

s55 stuck around in pro's WITB

iBlade stuck around in pro's WITB

i210 stuck around in pro's WITB 

 

If you make a product that fits a certain type of swing......it's tuff to replace

[prouse25]

10 hours ago, SwooshLT said:

Funny as I need launch and spin ....i230s deliver in spades ....especially in the 4 and 5i longer, higher and straighter ..... even though they're close , they aren't the same 

To each their own

I couldn’t agree more. Just got a blended set wit i230’s in the scoring irons.  I struggle with launching being too low and not enough spin.  The i230’s have really helped. 

[SwooshLT]

8 minutes ago, prouse25 said:

I couldn’t agree more. Just got a blended set wit i230’s in the scoring irons.  I struggle with launching being too low and not enough spin.  The i230’s have really helped. 

 

Did you go i525 or G430 in longer stuff? 

[prouse25]

2 minutes ago, SwooshLT said:

 

Did you go i525 or G430 in longer stuff? 

G430 and couldn’t be happier.  Still need to do some trackman work to fully understand the transition clubs.   Aesthetically, I don’t have any issue between the two models. 

[SwooshLT]

11 minutes ago, prouse25 said:

G430 and couldn’t be happier.  Still need to do some trackman work to fully understand the transition clubs.   Aesthetically, I don’t have any issue between the two models. 

 

Good on ya for going with needs over appearance!!! I'm truly shocked at how good I'm hitting the i230 LONG irons.....I'm hitting 4 iron off the deck higher ,straighter and LONGER than I have in 15yrs..... adding that it has been a great recovery club when needed for punchouts or low Stingers 

[Brokensticks]

Well, video starts with him still using G400 driver. G400, released 2017. 

 

Personally I have had some issues where I dont really hold greens as well as I "should" and I wonder if they simply lose too much spin in the air. No idea how it happens, just my observations. 

[NoCalHack]

I switched from i210 to i230.

 

For me, it's not a night and day difference.  The head is a bit smaller in the long irons.  Perhaps plays a little more compact.  I think the data on YouTube tests show that the i230 spins less and is a tiny bit faster off the face.  For me, I don't really miss my i210 and I'm very happy with the i230.  I don't think I'm much better or worse off with the new clubs.  

 

I'm only speculating on why the pros are back to i210.  They probably like the higher spin, which was what was implied by the Hovland article posted here. Also, it seems as if the i230 has more perimeter weighting with the tungsten plugs and a slightly faster face.  Perhaps the pros don't like/need that.  Finally, they are all used to the i210 which many of them have been playing for years.  Most pros wouldn't change if they didn't need to, and it seems Ping doesn't really push them to change if they don't want to.  

[JermWRX]

On 9/23/2023 at 10:03 PM, SetTheBarrHigh said:

Similar experience for me. I had i210 in the bag for 4 years and picked up i230. (Same shaft, same specs). I agree that the main difference was the CoG and spin. My i210 spin more and launch higher - that ball flight fits my eye and I’m more comfortable with it. I sold my i230 last week. 

Did you see any differences in distance? I've been tempted by 230. Buddy has 210 and he loves them. I'm just not sure if the distances would be dramatically different than my JPX 923 Forged. 

[ae1985]

Bryson still using i230

[animalgolfs]

6 minutes ago, ae1985 said:

Bryson still using i230

Because Ping customized the 230 heads - helping Bryson achieve his desired headweights was much easier using the hosel/toe weighting on 230 

 

 

[Teebs]

I230 long irons are superb. I've never been a great long to mid iron player, but these things are next level. We've got quite a few par 3's that can be 5/6/7 iron from the tips and never phases me.