While it’s true that we’re past the official start of the equipment year, a few manufacturers wait until the grass clippings settle to make some introductions they hope will get some attention without getting lost in all of January’s new products.
Ping just announced the i540, the company’s latest iteration of its player’s distance iron. Starting with the i500 in 2018, Ping used a hollow body and a thin face — as it would in metalwoods — to produce higher ball speeds and extra distance. The tradeoff was a harsh sound at impact, which has been the knock on these irons.
However, with the i530, the sound issue was largely solved but the company believes the i540 is the best version yet. The reason is inR-Air technology, which is an air pocket placed behind the face for sound dampening at impact. First used in last year’s iDi driving iron, the air pocket proved to be successful and now the company hopes the better sound translates through an entire set of irons.
Distance remains a priority, as well, in the i540. The 4-through-7 irons feature tungsten weighting that the company says improves ball speeds. Like other Ping iron models, the i540 is available in three loft configurations — Standard, Power Spec (stronger lofts) and Retro Spec (weaker lofts).
The MSRP is $235 per iron with a stock steel shaft and $250 with stock graphite.
Also from Ping is the new G740, the company’s super game improvement iron. With a wide sole and a large clubface, the company says the G740 is the most forgiving iron in Ping’s line. Owing to the potential G740 player’s needs for fairway woods and hybrids, the longest club in the set is the 5-iron.
MSRP is $202.50 per club with a stock steel shaft and $217.50 with a stock graphite shaft.
Also, Ping is introducing a complete line of women’s clubs, the G Le4. From driver to putter, the G Le4 is designed for swing speeds of 80 mph or less. Fairway woods are available in 3, 5, 7 and 9, while hybrids are available in 5H, 6H, 7H and 8H — which is a new addition.
Three models of putters, crafted specifically for women, are in the line — the Anser 2D (blade), Louise (mid-mallet) and Oslo (mallet).
Miura, makers of Japan’s premier forged irons, is in the player’s distance sweepstakes with its PI-402, an update of the company’s previous player’s distance model, the PI-401. The irons have both a cavity-back and an internal cavity with a 3mm rolled Chromoly face and an 8620 mild carbon steel body.
The internals include a TPU vibration control plate and tungsten weighting. The PI-402 has a slightly smaller blade than its predecessor and a taller heel, which is attractive to better players.
As with all Miura products, the PI-402’s pricing is uber-premium — $350 per club.
Adjustability is the emphasis at PXG when it comes to the new 0311 Gen8 irons. The company’s Dual Perimeter weighting system features replaceable weights in the heel and toe of each iron — from 2 grams to 12 grams in one-degree increments. That, the company says, allows the clubfitter to fine tune each iron to the player’s individual needs.
The 0311T is the tour-inspired model, with a thinner top line and minimal offset. The 0311P is PXG’s version of a player’s distance iron, with a slightly larger blade than the T and moderate offset. The 0311XP is the game-improvement model with maximum forgiveness, strong lofts and significant offset.
All three models have internal cavities and feature PXG’s thinnest iron face along with the company’s Quantum COR polymer that fills the cavity, which are designed to maximize distance.
Each iron retails for $239.
Srixon is in the attention competition with the introduction of its Black Chrome ZXi5 and ZXi7 irons. The clubs are the same as the regular chrome models except for the color. Srixon completes the blackout theme with three completely black golf bags, including a staff model.
The irons retail for $1,599 for a seven-piece set.
