anyone still playin Ping i3 O-size irons?

[Minarets]

Played with a guy this week who had some and they felt nice. I thought about trying to find a decent set but I know nothing about them. Forgiving?

[geoangus]

not still playing them, but they were my first real set of irons. Very forgiving

[plus8]

Yes!!! I had a set, traded them for I15's wish I hadn't done that. I'm playing 800 Pro's now, but still have a soft spot for the I3 O-sizes.

Give Ebay a shot.

[Minarets]

I really want a set of i20s but my wife had put a kabosh on my golf spending right now as we are looking to move. I currently play MX200s and like them, but want something new. I figured maybe these would be a cheap new toy and buy me some time until I can get some i20s.

I know nothing about the JZ shafts. I assume that is a PING thing?

[plus8]

Yeah, the JZ's were a Ping 'proprietary' shaft - don't know who made 'em - there are some threads on those shafts around here somewhere. They came out before the CS Lites and in the opinion of most were much smoother with better kick points. I actually had a set of I5's for a little while, with reg CS lites, and I hated those shafts (but to be fair, they were the incorrect flex for me). I like the CFS as much as the JZ's (although I think the CFS or JZ stiffs aren't all that stiff).

I demo'ed the i20's last Feb, liked 'em alot, but also really liked the 800 Pro's - in the end, a buddy of mine who owns a golf shop took in a set of the MIzzies to my specs on trade - the set was (get this) only one day old, and I got 'em for a song.

Anyway, I still like those I3 O-size, though.....just for fun, I looked on the Bay and saw a set of blue dots for $61.00 yesterday......Give 'em a shot - for about the price of a movie and some popcorn with your wife, why not!

[Minarets]

Does the cushion inserts really help with the feel?

Also, are these lofts jacked up or are the irons very long in their own right?

[YMark]

I have a set of I3 O-size in my garage. 4 thru lob wedge, red dot. Nice irons, I just regripped them.

[bladestriker]

Took out my I3 blades yesterday, one of my top 3 all-time favorites

[Minarets]

Now they key is finding some in decent condition. They have obviously been around awhile.

[smitty72]

keep your eye out on ebay or 3balls.com

[Minarets]

3balls has nothing. I guess the get stuff in fairly regularly?

[dlygrisse]

Solid set of sticks, I played them for almost 10 years. They are fairly offset unless you go with the blades, which I think are fairly forgiving, Personally I didnt like the wedges because they looked a little shovel-ish and went with the blades there. The PW is 47 degrees loft, and the JZ shaft is a solid med trajectory mid weight shaft that was made by True Temper. All in all a fine set of clubs that if picked up for a nice price are as solid as most made today. One thing I will caution, for whatever reason they are very difficult to bend, my clubfitter has been able to bend most any Ping club for me over the years but he told me for whatever reason the I3 was exceptionally hard. These clubs do not wear out so if you find a set that has not been severely abused chances are there and many rounds left in them.

[Minarets]

Awesome. Thanks. The more I want some i20s the more I think it aint in the cards. If aint one thing its another. My rear axle dropped from my 2010 Dodge Ram today (should be covered by the powertrain warranty) but if I do anything it may be these i3s. I kind want to find a 3-W or 3-L and pick up some Tour S wedges. I haven't hit those yet either but they fit my eye so well in store and I love their feel in hand. Hope they feel great on grass.

[Dustdevil]

Try the i3+'s. I've got the blades and they have less bounce for a cleaner strike. Should be about the same price. Pings are tough and wear well. You should be able to find a set in pretty good shape.

[Minarets]

What are the i3+?

[kuslamb]

i3 Blade, Black Dot, high school graduation gift. I am just now looking to replace them, but I will never get rid of them.

[mufasis]

I'm playing a set of Ping i3 blades at the moment. My grandpa got them for me when I was younger. They're great clubs and I don't think I will ever sale. I'm looking to pickup a set of i20's or MP-59's though, I cant decide!

[acpar72]

[quote name='Minarets' timestamp='1344821710' post='5458238']
What are the i3+?
[/quote]

Ping made them two years after i3. Different badge, a little more offset if I remember right and less bounce. Very, very nice. It took a lot to take the i3 and i3+ out of the bags of players. A lot of non PING staffers played the +. Dimarco might still have em in his bag. He goes back and forth.

[MileHighClub]

I am amazed how often I see people on the course still playing these. Still one of the best looking irons ever made.

[Minarets]

[quote name='MileHighClub' timestamp='1344832064' post='5459274']
I am amazed how often I see people on the course still playing these. Still one of the best looking irons ever made.
[/quote]

Really? It may just be I never notice, but the guy I played with thisweekend was the first guy I had really seen with them.

So if I had to choose, i3 or i3+? I am a sweeper (real small divots) with a 83mph SS with 6i that hits a 7i 150yards.

Enough difference to get one over another? Or take whichever you can find in the best shape for best price? The lighter shafts in the i3+ have me somewhat concerned...not sure why? The JZ with cushion just seemed to have such good reviews.

[MattMo]

There's quite a few sets on ebay. I was just checking them out a few weeks ago. Should be able to get a good set for under $200.

If you're loooking for a set with a tad more forgiveness, the G2's can be had for a little more $$. They're the replacement for the i3 O-size. Otherwise, those i3's are realy nice sticks. I played some for a few years and really like the thinner topline. Like someone else, I "upgraded" to the i5's with mixed results. The i3's were one of the most popular sets of irons in 1999-2000. For what it's worth, the MPF factor on the i3's was surprisingly low.

Might I also add that the i3+ had a 15% larger custom tuning port, which I assume translates to better feel.

[jeffrey r]

OP, I did what you are pondering a year or so ago, and I ended up getting rid of them. As MattMo noted, fwiw, the MPF factor on the i3 O-size irons was quite low, and I did find them to be less forgiving compared to many more recent irons. That said, of course they are still good irons, but I personally looked at my other sets at the time, G15's, 710 AP1's and your MX-200's, and realized I would never play the i3's, so away they went.

Having gone the route you are considering, while I know the temptation to go different directions, I'd play the forged MX-200's any day over the i3's. The i3+ might be a better option though if you really want to pick up a set of i3's. Just my .02 cents. Good luck.

[MileHighClub]

[quote name='Minarets' timestamp='1344861176' post='5460252']
[quote name='MileHighClub' timestamp='1344832064' post='5459274']
I am amazed how often I see people on the course still playing these. Still one of the best looking irons ever made.
[/quote]

Really? It may just be I never notice, but the guy I played with thisweekend was the first guy I had really seen with them.

So if I had to choose, i3 or i3+? I am a sweeper (real small divots) with a 83mph SS with 6i that hits a 7i 150yards.

Enough difference to get one over another? Or take whichever you can find in the best shape for best price? The lighter shafts in the i3+ have me somewhat concerned...not sure why? The JZ with cushion just seemed to have such good reviews.
[/quote]

I don't know anything about the differences between those two models. I only made an observation about seeing I3's in several playing partners' bags this year.

[acpar72]

[quote name='Minarets' timestamp='1344861176' post='5460252']
[quote name='MileHighClub' timestamp='1344832064' post='5459274']
I am amazed how often I see people on the course still playing these. Still one of the best looking irons ever made.
[/quote]

Really? It may just be I never notice, but the guy I played with thisweekend was the first guy I had really seen with them.

So if I had to choose, i3 or i3+? I am a sweeper (real small divots) with a 83mph SS with 6i that hits a 7i 150yards.

Enough difference to get one over another? Or take whichever you can find in the best shape for best price? The lighter shafts in the i3+ have me somewhat concerned...not sure why? The JZ with cushion just seemed to have such good reviews.
[/quote]

Best shape, best price. Both are very good clubs. If you play stiff, make sure and try to get the JZ shaft.

[Minarets]

Yeah, I play stiff shafts. I have read some good things on the JZ with cushion. The CS lite kind of sound scary and I really don't want to put the money in reshafting that old of as set.

Thanks

[Nessism]

Ping.com has information and specs on these clubs. Even details out the difference between the + model and blades.

CS Lite shafts are fine. I don't know why they get bashed so much here. Mark Wilson still uses them and he's had a lot of success on tour the last couple years.

BTW, there are 122 sets of i3's on ebay right now...[url="http://www.ebay.com/sch/Clubs-/115280/i.html?Brand=Ping&_nkw=i3&_dmpt=Golf_Clubs&Club%2520Type=Iron%2520Set&rt=nc"]http://www.ebay.com/sch/Clubs-/115280/i.html?Brand=Ping&_nkw=i3&_dmpt=Golf_Clubs&Club%2520Type=Iron%2520Set&rt=nc[/url]

[Minarets]

Wilson uses them in his i20s?

[blakley916]

I have had a the i3's for 9 yrs now with rifle 6.0 shafts in them, I got rid of them once and gamed the i15's and wound up about giving the i15's away for free just so I can get the i3's back. Very soild club had the i15's and 710 ap2 and neither one can knock out the i3's IMO.

[Nessism]

[quote name='Minarets' timestamp='1344943265' post='5468036']
Wilson uses them in his i20s?
[/quote]

That's what it says in one of those WITB segments.

[Minarets]

[quote name='blakley916' timestamp='1344954918' post='5469048']
I have had a the i3's for 9 yrs now with rifle 6.0 shafts in them, I got rid of them once and gamed the i15's and wound up about giving the i15's away for free just so I can get the i3's back. Very soild club had the i15's and 710 ap2 and neither one can knock out the i3's IMO.
[/quote]

I did hit some i3s at Golfsmith yesterday. They had 4 sets, only 1 steel and no i3+

Felt good and from what I could tell indoors the JZ with cushion felt great, but I was a tad shorter than what I hit my MX200s with. I didn't get to hit the 200s side by side though to seee if the trackman was off.

Felt very solid though. I hit bothe the 3i and 4i.