PING i500 Irons Review - In Depth Review Hitting 5 - 7 - PW Irons

[@legend9018]

Excellent review Michael, would love to see these up against the P790s and maybe even the G700. This iron seems to have addressed some of the “issues” with the G700 mostly the sound/feel and it’s somewhat offensive size/looks.

[@roberttudor455]

20 year old technology .. maraging face which Orlimar put in their revolutionary tri-metal irons in 1998, and i still have a set... my pro can hit my 6 iron 220 yards !!!!..... but awesome looking club ... forged they are not .... you won't be distance consistent with these ... they look amazing ... excellent review ....

[@keithfinley2939]

We could start a drinking game around the two Ping videos: everyone does a shot when Mike says Stunning!

[@sirtogii5216]

Having watched a few reviews on this I reckon you need the 8i to gap wedge in power spec to gap things properly. Can't cover 50y with only 8 and 9 iron. The retro loft could work for 5-7 but they already go very high so seems counter productive.

[@simonlkcheung]

Why the different shafts never get mentioned? The shaft difference can alter the flights of the ball?

[@stuartgogay485]

Hi Micheal, what a head to head with the standard loft and the retro head lofts to see the difference.

[@MichaelNewtonGolf]

Unfortunately ping only send me the std lofts. The retro spec is a custom option but not something that would be available on their custom fit carts.

[@JoeAmaral427]

Poster boy for a smooth, fluid swing.

[@malcolmevans2663]

Loved the review and the irons really look fabulous. Ping seem to be ticking all the right boxes. I do query your comment regarding spin. I think the spin is spot on. The 7 iron is a 1/2 degree stronger than you V6 6 iron which you would expect to spin at around 6000 rpm. If you put the 35 degree lofted i500 8 iron against your V6 7 iron I suggest the spin results would be similar. Just curious, how far do you hit your 6 iron? Finally, I think that the maraging steel face insert is what manufacturers use in hybrids. If so that would explain the distance increase over a traditional forged or cast iron. Not a criticism, just trying to understand the tech behind the product.

[@MichaelNewtonGolf]

Yeh good point on the spin. The maraging face is what they use on the G400 Max driver & G400 fairways

[@georgejung5429]

Visited tour x last week, tested the P790s i500s mp20s, all beautiful clubs, but mp20 range just has something special that trumps all, the feel is incredible. I500s were long, P790s toooooooo long, 200 yard 7 iron, no thanks. Every number with the mp20 mb 7-pw were phenomenal, 3-6 HMB were forgiving enough to just fall in love with

[@stuartgogay485]

ok Micheal just an idea . keep the good work up.

[@stephprime]

I love the i500. Testes them in detail against the i210 and the Blueprint. Blueprint has the best feel to it - really unbelievable good if you hit it center. Misshits are getting punished but not that extreme as i would have expected. The i210 feels veeeery soft but has not enough feedback for me. The i500 imo combines both. The feeling is awesome and the forgiveness is really really good. A good set would be pw - 7 iron Blueprint and 6 5 4 the i500 - but however that is not really possible cause of the capping - that sucks a little bit :D in all I will go for the i500 ceause it gives me the litte more help that I need! Hcp 16

[@jessebowers819]

I’d really like to see a head to head with the P790, tough to compare numbers from the reviews because I think your 7i club head speed is around 5mph faster than it was back then

[@MichaelNewtonGolf]

coming soon!

[@johnr2632]

You missed an important aspect - gapping. You averaged 130yds wth the PW and 185 with the 7 iron. That's a 55yd gap for 3 clubs. Not very playable. At the common distances to the pin, you'd rarely be playing a standard swing, rather hitting hard or soft. This gapping issue was also seen by Rick Shields.

[@JDSFLA]

Like many iron sets today there is a huge gap between the PW and 7-iron - 55 yards carry difference in this review for the 8 and 9 irons to fill. That is a lot. How is this played on a course? How to properly gap your set does not seem to be an objective with manufacturers - which is traditionally 12-15 yards between clubs. I love the looks of the I500, but please show me how you hit a 142 or 172 yard shot, or other yardages, with the 9 and 8 irons.

[@TherymasterWidnes]

Hiya Micheal, what do you think, i500 or Cobra Copper forged Tec?

[@59102real]

I would love to see a comparison of the retro loft? Would the spin come up and where would the apex be?

[@tariqkamil7853]

If you could do a comparison with spin numbers between the standard i500 lofts (7 iron) and the Retro 7 iron, would be a great help in choosing between the i500 retro (more the lofts I play 7 iron 34° srixon 765 carry 150m) and the i210 -> in serious consideration.. thanks

[@smcwhinney69]

Thks for the great review Michael ...Went with the whole set 3-Uw in power spec..except for both wedges. Which I retro spec for proper gaping...may not need a 17° 3 iron but ..maybe some day 💪

[@2tcreative]

Does PING provide mixed sets (better distance gaping in short irons, distance and forgiveness on long)? How does this iron compare to Callaway's Rogue X? I love the looks and size of these, but, at 70 years old I need all the distance I can get.

[@gordon4761]

Hi Mike.. I had a set of g400's that marked up so badly on the faces after just 2 rounds, Took them back and the guys at AMG couldn't believe the condition of them. Really fancy these i500's. however I am afraid the will mess up like the 400's Just asking how is the finish lasting on your demo clubs. Are they marking up badly?

[@williamrussell9114]

Which do you think is better PXG 0311 Gen 1 or i500s?

[@edmc4315]

What type of player could play these Michael?

[@MichaelNewtonGolf]

any to be honest as pretty forgiving, depends on the players confidence with the look/size of the head.

[@SuperYoda7]

I would go Retro Spec! Then you get the best of both worlds, forgiveness, height and good gapping.

[@MichaelNewtonGolf]

could possibly flight too high considering the std lofts peak at 39 yards on the 7 iron? Obviously depends on the individuals angle of attack and dynamic loft they are delivering.

[@jnjfleming]

Also those of us with lower speeds won't get as much launch from the face flex.

[@chrisfrost6581]

@@MichaelNewtonGolf i was thinking retro, but have the same peak height concern - my main worry though is the low spin and 'occasional' bullet. im conflicted though as all the testing ive done on it has convinced me what a great fit this club is for me

[@willfieldiii7150]

@@chrisfrost6581 did you get a set Chris?

[@chrisfrost6581]

willfield III after a couple fitting sessions I went with Mizzy 919 forged - slightly weaker lofts but better feel (realise that’s hugely subjective). I’ve hit the i500 a few times since buying the 919s. Like everything about them with exception of the sound. Overall I am delighted with the 919’s, especially the mid/longer irons

[@mattdonovan4860]

I500 vs P790 vs 0311 in the future I hope.

[@Foregrlz]

So if PW is carrying 132-135.....and 7i is 190.....how are you going to handle the 55-60 yds in between? Sounds like alot 3 finger knockdowns to me

[@MichaelNewtonGolf]

7 Iron average around 185, working on from wedge at 135 then 15 yards to 9 iron then 8 iron takes you too 180 yards so not far off.

[@122017]

150 yards on the 9 iron to 180 yards on the 8 iron... is it not straightforward to see that no one other than the high handicapper should be using these ?

[@MichaelNewtonGolf]

Your not understanding what I’ve said......PW going 135, add 15y for the 9 iron = 150, add another 15y for the 8 iron = 165 then another 15 y to the 7 iron that I was hitting = 180. These are approx numbers which strike can slightly move

[@justinstephenson9360]

I think 15 yards gap between clubs is a little higher than I would like and in any event as your average with the wedge was 130 yards not 135 this means your gapping for wedge to 7i is about 18 yards per club (9i 148, 8i 166, 7i 184) not 15 yards which feels a bit too wide when your gapping for 7i to 5i is 12 yards a club. You would need to test a complete set to know where the gapping gets too wide but the logical answer could be a blended set with, for example, retro lofts in irons up to 7i then standard lofts in higher irons (or for those of us who need help with distance standard lofts for irons up to 7i then power lofts in 8-wedge). But those are really good looking irons

[@MichaelNewtonGolf]

Yes that’s an option with blending the lofts but it’s then having the chance to test the whole set......tricky. Otherwise the alter lofts to suit once purchased

[@ianrotheram6109]

What shaft was in these,are they the reason for such a high ball flight

[@MichaelNewtonGolf]

Got fitted for this shaft at Ping so spec'd to me..........AWT2.0 in X Flex

[@aaronrothwell9026]

I tested this club yesterday along with p790 and mizunno mp 18. There was very little in it. For me ping just about had it on looks at address and feel, I thought it felt soft, I absolutely knew where I had struck the ball on the face. I am fed up of seeing all this bullshit about , its not a 7 iron its really a 6 cause of loft, who cares! you get user to your clubs and the distances you hit. If you hit a 7 where you used to hit a 6, surely you will get better ball control because of the height produced, which is what you discovered in this bid. Would I rather hit a 7 than a 6? A 6 rather than a 5, yes I would as they are an easier shot to hit!

[@garychalmers3208]

Aaron Rothwell my thoughts exactly and exactly why I'm waiting on a call from my local store to tell me that my custom fit irons are ready for collection

[@stevenc9207]

Aaron Rothwell I generally agree with you, however, there is an issue for SOME players who play courses that are rock hard and fast. The lower spin model irons have a hard time holding greens in those conditions. For most players, that’s not an issue because they are playing what you’d call reasonable or normal conditions that are somewhat receptive. If you are playing those other courses though, these lower spin model clubs are a complete nightmare, you can’t stay on any green, you can’t go near the tier you want, it becomes an impossibly difficult game. Again, most people don’t have that issue because they aren’t playing those conditions, but if you do, you can’t use these type of clubs.

[@garychalmers3208]

What is limit here for handicappers would you say? Playing off 15 and just got fitted for these. Felt like I hit them really well but worried I've bought them prematurely

[@MichaelNewtonGolf]

These are really forgiving irons. There’s no limit on handicap, really depends on your strike pattern which sounds like it’s good.

[@garychalmers3208]

@@MichaelNewtonGolf thanks for the reply Michael. First round with them on Monday was horrendous, felt they were a lot less forgiving on the course than they were in my fitting. However following day I shot my lowest ever score so swings and roundabouts! Definitely feel with a few months of playing with them through the winter I'll be in a much better place for the beginning of next season than I would have been with my proper game improvement irons I was playing with previously

[@georgesmith4639]

Calling these irons "forged" is taking marketing to an extreme (yes I know they all do it). True "forged" feel comes from the softness of 1025 low carbon steel and that kind of steel simply can not be used in the thin faces of hollow irons.

[@philshirl2661]

In your opinion what handicap range are these clubs typically designed for?

[@MichaelNewtonGolf]

Low single figure to 18 ish......really depends on individual and their ball striking ability / consistency

[@georgejung5429]

8-15

[@gregcarpenter32]

better numbers than your gamers? would trade numbers for reduced "forged" feel?

[@MichaelNewtonGolf]

No

[@per_growth]

Got my i500s today and I noticed that the i500 7, 8 and 9i carries about 10 yards more than my normal clubs (Epon A350), but the PW and the UW carry the same distance. Do you have this experience as well? I now have this gap between the 9i (which carries around 145-150) and my PW (which carries around 125-130).

[@pc15494]

The same goes for my experience with p790s. Only thing you can do is adjust the lofts. Either make the PW stronger, or weaken the other irons. A reason they could be going further is less spin.

[@armeniabonito]

How would u explain the gap between pw130 7i 185 🤔

[@michaelkaczmar8825]

130 yards for a PW is not far at all. 145 would be a better strike if you ask me. Hard to judge when you're not the one hitting the iron.

[@georgejung5429]

Michael Kaczmar FACTS

[@MegaStreet11]

Hey Mike I love the reviews, but I kind of have to join the mob on this one about distance. PW -130ish and 7 iron 180ish leaves 50 yards for two clubs. In fact, I’ve watched two other KZbin reviews that showed the exact same thing. Why is it that the increase with the long irons is so large but your PW stays the same? Anyway, they are gorgeous looking clubs, good for Ping.

[@legend9018]

Street11 Good Point, I’ve also noticed in some reviews that there is a fair amount of distance inconsistencies from “hot” shots to ones that drop off quite a bit when struck low on the face.

[@michaelkaczmar8825]

130 yards for a PW is maybe a bit short for most hitters. 140 - 145 would be a better number. Everyone swings differently so cant judge these irons unless you play them yourself. Jmo

[@ted501]

to be honest, iron doesn't have to buy 7 or 8 full sets these days... finish fitting by 4~5 irons for 15 yards of difference. I use total of 10 clubs~ but I have no problem achieving single handicap scores. I really like i500... but if I buy it, I won't put more than four in my bag. anyway~ my favorite part is minimal offset.

[@garychalmers3208]

안지환 I went 5 - pw, finished off with Cleveland rtx 3's 50, 54 and 60 degrees. Amazing clubs, forgiveness and distance is great. The issues I thought I may have with stopping power were unfounded and the great Cleveland wedges supplement the set perfectly. Couldn't recommend these irons enough

[@williamrussell9114]

Would you put these in the bag?

[@MichaelNewtonGolf]

quiet possibly as like the looks but maybe too strong and not a soft enough feel for me

[@simmi352]

i reckon just go with the normal loft and treat 3 iron as 2 iron and so on.

[@tgfinn3358]

Won't the retro go too high --doesn't it defeat the basic club design? I'm asking because I want to buy these, but I can't decide which way to go (combo set with 210's?). retro to power... I would appreciate your thoughts.

[@MichaelNewtonGolf]

I think it difficult to Combe these with i210’s as gapping would be difficult to get correct as you transition. Going retro lofts for me would start to hit the ball a little too high (depending on your club delivery ie angle of attack, dynamic loft etc). Deffo test!

[@Dicey151]

They look amazing, but way too hot.. not good gapping by the looks of it and low spin.. would be awful with any wind

[@freddy8345]

I don't like Ping pushing marketing to the edge by calling these "forged". The "forging" process really just means "stamped" using a big press. It's the type of material being stamped that defines the hardness/softness. The i500 face is hard maraging steel. It's no wonder it doesn't feel forged.

[@SuperYoda7]

I play of 1 and use blades... why am I watching this? I kind of like the idea of getting a power spec set of these and flush it 200y with a 6 iron! Lol then having a big gaps between short irons and wedges...

[@MrAnuragindia]

This set is a waste of money.