Ping Eye 2 wedges compared to today's clubs?

[EmptyWallet]

I keep hearing over and over and over about Ping Eye 2 wedges in wedge threads. I even hear praise for the iWedge since it seems to borrow the sole design?

 

 

 

Are they REALLY that much better than say....a set of SM Vokey's? Or my X-Forged wedges with Mac Daddy grooves?

[Hawkeye77]

Had to play with my old Eye2 for a couple of weeks about three summers ago when left MB at out of town course. The offset was too much, couldn't believe I used to use it. Now playing Vokeys, would never go back. Did finally make a good sale of the set a year ago, the person who owns them now is a better player than me (not a unique achievement), and he loves them.

[Slunkhead]

I sometimes play a PING EYE 2 SW, but I still play EYE 2+ SW and LW. Best wedges I ever hit, imo. I've played MP-T10s, Callaway X-Forged, Vokey's, etc... But nothing beats the EYE 2+ wedges for me. They have a better sole grind than the original EYE 2, and they are very easy to make solid contact with. They do lack feel, or responsiveness, when you first put them in play, but you get used to the feel. The offset never bothered me, I know some people are very concerned about how their club looks at address, but the EYE 2+ wedges have never looked odd to my eye. I feel the the original EYE 2 is better from the sand and deep rough, but I don't like the super huge sole while playing on burnt fairways in July/August. A lot of my friends make fun of my "antique" wedges, but meh, I don't care. Also, fwiw, I've only played the stainless models, never played or even hit a BeCu.

A great combo for me is the EYE 2+ SW (it's approx. 54*) and the EYE 2 SW (approx. 57 or 58*). Use the 2+ for pitches and greenside chipping, and the original EYE 2 for bunker play and from the deep rough.

[richard t]

Look how many of them are still around. Look how many guys still use them. Now there are to be remakes. Gotta be something there. I played them and still do on ocassion. Ugly? Maybe, but they get the job done. As stated above the grind, design, and playability were way ahead of their time. Funny I have the same combo- 54* Eye2+ and 59 (bent) Eye 2. I have Vokey TVD's now, but the Pings will never be far from the bag.

[nitram]

I don't know if they're that much better but they're still as good and in some cases superior to what's available today. Being that some are 25 years or older, that (to me) speaks volumes as to how revolutionary they were back in the day. As far as them still being used at the highest levels, there's something to be said for comfort factor, as in an old pair of jeans.

[EmptyWallet]

I think I'm going to pick up some of them and see how it goes.

Looks like everyone does some combo of the Sand Wedges from Eye2 and Eye2+.....does nobody use the Eye2 Lob (61)?

Seems like the Eye2+ Lob (58) would fit perfect with my 50/54/58 combo scheme.

Make sure I have this right.

Eye2 - SW(57), LW(61) - chunkier sole, square grooves, weaker lofts

Eye2+ - SW(54), LW(58) - more vers sole, newer grooves, stronger lofts.


Is there really a big difference between the grooves of the two irons?

[jeffrey r]

EW, you're gonna make yourself crazy with all of this pontificating. Yesterday, you sounded like you were going to get the iWedges to try out. My view is you'll never get a consensus on an internet forum (as among Ping wedges, or as between Ping wedges compared to Vokeys and such), so you've just gotta dive in sometimes. There are Eye 2 wedges floating around, iWedges floating around, G series and Rapture wedges floating around. They're not terribly expensive, and easy enough to trade-in or sell if necessary. All that said, there is clearly something special about the Eye 2 wedges that they still have the respect they do after all these years, and the fact that the Eye 2 inspired the iWedge speaks pretty well for it. [url="http://www.ping.com/classics/wedgesdetail.aspx?id=150"]http://www.ping.com/classics/wedgesdetail.aspx?id=150[/url]

Last night in my back yard, I was lightly chipping with a 54* Ping G2 SW, 54* iWedge (just purchased), and 54* Taylormade Rac Chrome wedge. I can't replicate that on a forum--the feel, the look, etc. The RAC was most blade-like, the G2 the biggest and most forgiving, and the iWedge somewhere in between the two of those. I'll be taking the 54* iWedge out for a round this weekend (together with 50* and 58* iWedges), so I'll try to report back how it goes.

Anyway, good luck with your search.

[rufus mangler]

[quote name='EmptyWallet' timestamp='1304473716' post='3206211']
I keep hearing over and over and over about Ping Eye 2 wedges in wedge threads. I even hear praise for the iWedge since it seems to borrow the sole design?

Are they REALLY that much better than say....a set of SM Vokey's? Or my X-Forged wedges with Mac Daddy grooves?
[/quote]

No. The Eye2 isn't better than a Vokey or Cally. It doesn't do anything different. And IMO, while nice out of soft sand, the wide sole is scary off a tight lie.

Now, the Eye2+ SW and LW's are a different animals. Easy to play anywhere.

[CosmosMpower]

I think the iwedge and eye 2 are better for full shots, more forgiving but the grooves aren't as aggressive as stuff like Cally MD or Nike VR.

[Langlands]

I love my Eye2+ BeCu lob wedge - it sits nicely between my Callaway X-Tour 64 and Vokey SM raw 54 degree.

[Jack Pearsall]

they are great for people who have clay hands - the ping's are an effective extension of clay....

[pingeye2player69]

I also use the eye 2+ S (53*) and then have the Eye 2 S (57.5*) and then also play the Eye 2 L (61*) and I have used this set up for a long time. I do agree that the Eye 2+ sand wedge at 53* is a bit difficult to to look at on address. I however prefer the lines on the Eye 2 wedges better and have not had problems hitting them off harder turf. The other thing to note with the ping eye 2 wedges is that they really do not have much offset at all... according to Ping's website the eye 2+ S has 0.18 inch offset, and the eye 2 SW and LW have 0.14 and 0.03 inch offsets respectively.

[quote name='richard t' timestamp='1304503293' post='3206901']
Look how many of them are still around. Look how many guys still use them. Now there are to be remakes. Gotta be something there. I played them and still do on ocassion. Ugly? Maybe, but they get the job done. As stated above the grind, design, and playability were way ahead of their time. Funny I have the same combo- 54* Eye2+ and 59 (bent) Eye 2. I have Vokey TVD's now, but the Pings will never be far from the bag.
[/quote]

[EmptyWallet]

[quote name='jeffrey r' timestamp='1304515573' post='3207127']
EW, you're gonna make yourself crazy with all of this pontificating. Yesterday, you sounded like you were going to get the iWedges to try out. My view is you'll never get a consensus on an internet forum (as among Ping wedges, or as between Ping wedges compared to Vokeys and such), so you've just gotta dive in sometimes. There are Eye 2 wedges floating around, iWedges floating around, G series and Rapture wedges floating around. They're not terribly expensive, and easy enough to trade-in or sell if necessary. All that said, there is clearly something special about the Eye 2 wedges that they still have the respect they do after all these years, and the fact that the Eye 2 inspired the iWedge speaks pretty well for it. [url="http://www.ping.com/classics/wedgesdetail.aspx?id=150"]http://www.ping.com/...ail.aspx?id=150[/url]

Last night in my back yard, I was lightly chipping with a 54* Ping G2 SW, 54* iWedge (just purchased), and 54* Taylormade Rac Chrome wedge. I can't replicate that on a forum--the feel, the look, etc. The RAC was most blade-like, the G2 the biggest and most forgiving, and the iWedge somewhere in between the two of those. I'll be taking the 54* iWedge out for a round this weekend (together with 50* and 58* iWedges), so I'll try to report back how it goes.

Anyway, good luck with your search.
[/quote]

You should see what my living room looks like right now. It's like a wedge store. LOL.

Yesterday I tried out in my yard:

56 iWedge
60 Callaway X-Forged C-Grind

Yes, two totally different animals, tried them out from various lie areas. Cally won hands down from everywhere.

So no more eye wedge.

I also don't like the Ping Tour-W wedges. So far Vokey SM and X-Forged are leading the charge.

[EmptyWallet]

Hmmmm, seems in the +no+ you get the eye2+ head design with eye 2 grooves.

I hadn't even thought about that....and OMG do those carry a premium on ebay. Good grief.

[CD17]

I've just put the eye 2 + S Wedge back in the bag, I love the rounded leading edge & the sole grind, I always found the eye 2 SW as others have said great out of sand or rough, but that's about it.

I'm thinking of putting a full set of eye 2+ which I've just got back into play.

Yes an eye 2+ no + would be great to find in good condition.

Did they ever make an eye 2+ no + BeCu SW

[9woodfan]

I bought an Eye2 BeCu LW thinking it would be the cats whiskers based on all the threads on them... while it was a cool wedge, looked awesome, and did put some bit on the ball... I found the new Glides to be WAY better feeling and performing. After some test runs I sold it and will just stick with the new wedges.

[animalgolfs]

[quote name='CD17' timestamp='1442141257' post='12306876']


Did they ever make an eye 2+ no + BeCu SW
[/quote]

No

[JCULL]

It's all I use! I've tried Vokey cleveland new callaway. Nothing compares for me. I have ping eye 2+ Becu set and a stainless eye 2 set. U use the sw from my stainless set as a LW

[metrybill]

MY take:

Eye2 Wedges - Offset promotes hands ahead at address and ball first contact, higher trajectory, more spin, etc. No need to lean shaft left at address; it's built into the club design.

High bounce, leading edge tends to protect against digging. The grooves were such an improvement, the USGA eventually banned them but through lawsuit and settlement, these

were permanently exempted from all later USGA spec requirements. Stainless steel improves wear. Cavity back, oversize-midsize - early, serious game improvement design.

The high toe with grooves to the very top lends to better performance when the club contact goes under the ideal, 3-4 groove sweetspot. .

This club cannot be legally remade or duplicated. AND, isn't there something intriguing about playing what would otherwise be an illegal club?

Modern wedges with sophisticated grinds and less offset might be more versatile in the hands of a better player but this is as close as you can get to a point-and-shoot wedge

with great compensation for less than perfect swing, technique, and contact. This club doesn't have a lot of range (distance) but so what? It is very solid for what it IS.

I am going to take out my 57.5:* and take it out for another try.