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Stage Two - The Review October 25th Ping i210 Irons – Official MGS Forum Review by Jamie Welcome to stage 2! Before I dive into it I wanted to let you know a few things about how/what I tested and some important information that was key to the results of this review. I used Srixon Z star golf balls for the duration of the testing. During testing I competed in one tournament and played a total of 15 rounds. These rounds consisted of irons only, regular and practice rounds with a few sets to get some good comparisons at a variety of courses. I also had 10 range sessions where I worked on shaping and the overall feel of the clubs. This included more comparisons against other clubs both cast and forged. I was also able to get some launch monitor time at Golf Central in Halifax, which was where I got my fitting. This was extremely beneficial as we did a gapping test and in the end made some tweaks to the i210’s in order to optimize them for me. A little bit more on that as it is critical to my review and testing of these irons. I was fit and ordered standard length blue dot with the Nippon Modus 105 stiff shafts. This was the same spec as my Ping i e1 series and truth be told I thought the transition would be simple. Unfortunately this wasn’t the case. Although the specs were the same I really struggled with consistent strikes and hit a lot off the toe. This also led to me over cooking a draw, which some of you may remember from my stage 1 is my big miss with my irons. This was a little disappointing as my expectations were really high going in and I honestly felt that the i210 would be a great step up from my ie1. After playing several rounds I went in to do the gap test and we noticed what I was seeing on the course. Most everything was going right on me. We then made some adjustments flattening out the lie angle 2 degrees. It was after this adjustment that I really started to get the proper feel for the i210. Honestly night and day from before to after the adjustments were made. I cannot stress enough how important it is to get fit and even after you get fit to look into going back in with the clubs to get a gapping test which will tell you a lot! Finally a quick recap on the 4 key factors I wanted them to accomplish from my stage one. 1. Consistency in distances 2. Improved feel on Ping i e1 3. Ability to hold greens 4. Earn my trust and confidence that they will do what I expect them to. Looks (9.5 out of 10 points) For me these clubs were love at first sight. The i210 looked stunning, sharp and modern. Released alongside the i500 I felt as though they kinda got lost. Everyone ogled over the i500 and how they were distance packed blade like iron which was a first for Ping and rightfully so. The i500 are a great looking iron, however my attention was directly draw to the i210. The general shape for the i210 is stupidly similar to other irons in the Ping i family. They have a pretty slim top line, nice wide sole in a compact yet not too small head that is very Ping. As with most newer Ping models, the i210 are not too fancy on the back side of the club. A simple i210 badging on the back with some milled lining, which can be found on Ping irons dating back to the Ping Anser forged irons. The biggest difference with the i210 compared to previous models is the CTP (Custom tuning port) and elastomer is significantly larger and more visible then previous iterations. Finally there is the hydropearl 2.0 finish that ties it all together. This two tone finish on the face really stands out in my eyes and helps give it a real premium look. The styling is symmetrical and there are many little added touches that help continue that theme, one of which being the chrome iron number on the bottom. Ping has been able to refine this iron over the years and I have to say this is the best looking version so far without question. Sound & Feel (9 out of 10 points) The sound of the Ping i210 is a solid, crisp but muted crack. I have some videos I will link here for you to hear some shots. Out of the middle it is a very pleasing sound and it’s very noticeable when you hit the middle compared to other parts of the face. Toe and high strikes on the face sound thinner and more clicky. Heal strikes on the other hand sound more solid but still have a click to them. Finally bottom or thin shots have a firmer solid crack. In the end what I found was wherever I ended up hitting on the face (which was just about everywhere over the course of testing). I always knew where I hit on the club face based off the sound. As many of you know feel is very subjective and extremely hard to describe at times. This was also without question the most difficult portion of the test for me. Ping claim these irons have a buttery soft feel. Therefore expectations were extremely high and at first I certainly did not find this to be the case. I really felt that the i210 were no different then my Ping i e1 irons. However with the lie angle adjusted that perspective all changed. I can now say without a doubt these are Pings softest irons to date and I will go as far as saying they have the similar soft feel of a Mizuno boron forging. I put the feel test of these up against the Cobra King Forged tec (2016), Mizuno JPX EZ Forged (2017), Ping Anser Forged and Ping i e1 irons. When all said and done the i210 came out on top as what I feel was the softest iron with the most responsive feel. The feel on miss hits correlated very well to the sound. Toe/high strikes felt weaker and thinner, where as bottom strikes and heal strikes felt firmer. At the same time I could feel the elastomer working hard to produce some addition spring in the face. In the end the feel of the i210 irons really won me over. It wasn’t right away and it took many rounds and many range sessions, but they truly feel great with a soft, responsive and powerful feel. A huge plus for me was that between the sound of the the strike and the feel of the club head I was able to tell exactly where I had hit good or bad. Range Performance (18 out of 20 points) Unfortunately we don’t have a grass range so a matted range it was and with the typical range golf balls I didn’t take distances to heart, but instead worked on feel of the club and comparing them to different irons, shot shaping and going for different targets. On the range I found the ball flight of the i210 to be higher, stronger and more stable throughout the set. The height difference was most noticeable with the gap and pitching wedges. If this is in part because of the closer grooves on those I’m not sure? Even with a higher ball flight I was also able flight them low if need be. Especially with the 5 and 4 iron I was able to hit low screaming bullets. Controlling the ball flight was much easier with the i210 compared to the e1. Again part of this could be with the fitting adjustments, however it was a very pleasing sight to see the ball go right to left instead of left to right all the time. After getting some shot shaping drills down and getting a better feel for how the golf ball was flying I was able to take notice of how miss hits were performing on the range. The biggest difference I noticed was height. Strikes low still got plenty airborne and out to target, however they were as expected much lower. Strikes from the toe, heal and higher on the face all lost the expected distances and simply didn’t get as high as of center strikes. However they still flew towards the target with stable flights. I was very pleased with the forgiveness of the i210 they not only felt, but visually were more forgiving them my e1. On-Course Performance (38 out of 40 points) Here comes the fun stuff! On course performance for these irons is where the i210 really started to shine. Thankfully with the weather turning I was able to get a few rounds out at the local course where there was nobody around and I could take my time playing a variety of shots, strategies and different situations. A lot of my findings on the range transitioned to the course, this included a higher ball flight then my e1 and the ability to play a variety of shots with a great deal of accuracy and more control. It has been extremely windy so I found flighting the ball low was a big help and had no issues whatsoever doing such. This included being able to work in a small fade or draw and hitting lower bullets with longer irons off the tee. Honestly there were times I couldn’t help but smile as the wind would be flying directly into me and I would take the 4 iron and play a low bullet draw that would cut through the wind and still go 195-205. The forgiveness was where I noticed the biggest difference compared to range. The srixon z star is a exceptional golf ball and had great feel paired with the i210. The ball flights continued to be strong and extremely stable and only bad swings (which there were many) resulted in bad shots. Smaller miss hits were still getting out to expected distances. The only oddity I found was there were a few shots that spun up a lot and fell well short of the intended distance. Despite their similarities, the i210 improved on nearly every category over my e1. The one exception being distance. The i210 was a few yards shorter, however I want to note that during my time testing the i210 it has been significantly colder and wet. Therefore most of the distances are pure carry. Given a full summer I really think they will average out to the same or a shade more. Stopping power was another area I paid close attention to. As soon as I took them out on the course and saw the flight into the greens that worry was put to rest. Even thin shots managed to stop with a bit of check. I will say I was a bit surprised, but after seeing the numbers from the gap test it became pretty clear. The i210 have plenty of spin and height to hold any green that I’ve played on and will not be something I am at all concerned with moving forward. The versatility of the irons was something unexpected and has really become a standout feature of these irons for me. I am confident hitting all sorts of shots with them from a variety of lies all around the course! When it comes to Ping I wasn’t always but certainly became a big Ping fan over the years and believe the i210 are another great addition to the already outstanding Ping lineup. I really like how they have evolved over the last few years and come out with very simple and sharp looking clubs. My only real criticism is the wear on the back on the hydropearl finish. Over time with bag chatter and such it rubs away to a shiny chrome finish that is more noticeable. I love the shape of the i series and how Ping hasn’t changed it much over the years, this without a doubt helps with comfort and feel. Their biggest change is developing the CTP elastomer port making it larger. For those wondering it really helps with cleaning the clubs as the undercut in the e1 was a dirt magnet! Back to the elastomer, Ping has found a formula with it that really works and it will be great to see how they progress that technology in the future! Play it or Trade it? (18 out of 20 points) Without a doubt these irons will be going into my bag and have checked all the boxes I was looking for them to. Consistency? Yup! Feel? Definitely! Hold the green? Without question. Confidence? Didn’t happen right away, but they certainly have it now! I have no doubt that next season my scores will continue to drop and these irons will have a large part in helping me achieve them. I believe the i210 suit a large range of golfers and have a great head shape that will appeal to many players. I started with my i e1 when I was a 18 handicap and am now down to 9. Where these irons will really shine is for the golfer that wants a solid powerful yet soft feeling iron that will give you some forgiveness on miss hits, but be very responsive and tell you where you hit the ball when you hit it. Finally there is solid distance with the i210, however if you want a 7 iron to go 200 yards it may be a good idea to look elsewhere! Conclusion Going into this review I figured the transition from my Ping i e1 to the new Ping i210 would be relatively easy. Same color code, shaft, slightly larger grip and length. However it wasn’t the case, early struggles with toe strikes and inconsistencies led to a refit and change in lie angle by 2 degrees on all irons. From there it all started to come together. That whole process really showed me how important it is to get properly fit. Thanks again to Golf Central Halifax for all the help and time you spent working with me. With the refit done I was able to get a proper feel for the i210 and I can say they deliver on all fronts! They are soft feeling, responsive irons that sound/feel great. The i210 are forgiving players irons that are built for workability and consistency which is exactly what they provide. I have never had so much fun trying to work the ball both side to side but also low and high. Whether it be 3/4 wedges into greens or low 4 iron bullets, I have that ability to make the required shots in practice and on the course. This has been one of the most fun and at times frustrating opportunities I’ve ever had and once again I want to thank MGS and Ping again and again for the incredible opportunity. I really enjoyed being able to put these irons through the paces and give them a thorough review. Final Score: 92.5/100

Before diving into it I would like to say a few thanks. First to MGS and Ping for this incredible opportunity. I have been a member of MGS for a couple years now and have gained so much from this community. I hope my review can be as helpful and informative as many of the reviews before me to help everyone with any purchasing decision they may make! Second to Patrick and staff at Golf Central Halifax for the fitting and continued support through this review. Now a little about me. My name is Jamie and I currently live in Halifax Nova Scotia, which has been home for the better part of 6 years. Along the way I have lived all over Canada, including growing up on the other side of the country in British Columbia. My wife and I have been married for just over 3 years now and although we don’t have any children we do have our dog Apollo. Although golf is now my main sport and passion, that wasn’t always the case. Curling held that spot for 20+ years of my life. For those of you who don’t know much about curling, golf and curling go hand in hand as their seasons offset perfectly and many golf clubs and curling rinks are joined together in Canada. Curling has giving me the opportunity to visit many different areas of the world and compete at a very high level for a number of years. Even though I no longer curl, it is still a huge part of my life as I work as an Ice Technician making ice for curling clubs and events. This is also the perfect career for any golfing enthusiast as the season is typically September to April then the remainder of the year is offseason! Therefore I now fill my offseason with golf, where I play as much as possible and even work at a local course part time. I have been around golf since I was a kid and played regularly throughout my childhood with my fondest memory being my dad and I going to the par 3 down the road for 9 holes and breakfast which cost all of $7 each. As I got a little older I played a bit more, but never to a serious level. Golf for me was a something I played when I got the chance to, but never went out of my way to play. It wasn’t until I moved Halifax that I really got into equipment and playing more to improve my game. With many of my friends here being good golfers it made me want to take strides to get better. This season was the first year I ever planned out a season with expectations and goals, with all of them being achieved for the season with time to spare! There are so many different aspects of golf that make me love the sport. I love new equipment and tweaking my bag. It is something I constantly look at doing and always have a few ideas of where I’d like to improve my bag. However it is the people and the challenge of playing the course to better my game that has pulled me in. I have met many amazing people from all over and always enjoy grouping up with new people to hear their stories over the course of a round. Even when having a rough round I still always find that I enjoy myself. We have so many beautiful courses here in Nova Scotia it’s often hard to get too upset. I take the game seriously and always go out and play with the expectation to go low, however realize being a amateur and inconsistent that poor games are going to happen. That being said we are here for the equipment aren’t we! My bag has seen many changes over the years and season for that matter. If you like check out WIMB here: Here is a quick summary. Driver- Ping G400 with Project x hzrdous yellow stiff Woods- Cobra F7 3 and 7 wood with stock stiff shafts Wedges- Ping Glide 54 and 58 SS with project x 6.0 shafts Putter- Ping Sigma G Tyne with PP60 grip Finally Irons- Ping i E1 Irons with Nippon Modus3 105 Stiff shafts 5-Gw and a Cobra Forged Tec 4 iron with a KBS C Taper Lite stiff shaft. My irons I have had for 2 full seasons now. They were purchases second hand, but had them sent to Ping to have them properly fit for me. That fitting and these irons are a large factor in bringing my game to where it is. I love the shape, feel and consistency they provide. The Cobra 4 iron was introduced last year as I wasn’t finding a great gap between my Ping 4 and 5 iron so with the Cobra 4 iron having a heavier shaft and stronger loft fit perfect into my set. They have been amazing irons for me and I am really looking forward to seeing how their newer version stacks up against them. As far as my game goes I’ll link a video below to my swing yes I’m a lefty and proud of it! As well as throw up a bunch of Arccos screen shots so you can all dive a little deeper if you so choose. I would say I am a solid golfer overall. I’ve been able to get my handicap down 9 and that is in a large part to my putting which by far is my strength on the course. I am very much a feel player and a lot of that comes from curling. I can have rounds where I’m feeling it and can’t seem to miss and will go low 70’s. Then other rounds where I will hack my way around the course and be high 80’s. Arccos has helped immensely focus and narrow down areas of my game where I need improvement and practice. I will be resetting all my iron tags to get better numbers for the Ping i210 irons to compare to my current set. As you can see Arccos has my approach play as being the weakest part of my game. I initially was going to say it was my driving, but with a little reflection it is most definitely my approach play and par 3’s where I seem to loose the most strokes. My typical miss for my irons are right and over cooking a draw or a straight pull. It’s not all too often that I miss straight left. I also have a tendency to catch my irons on the fatter side rather then skinny which is a huge reason I love my Ping irons and their larger soles. For my typical ball flight I would say it’s a pretty medium trajectory. It’s certainly not too high as I can flight them low in windy conditions and don’t have too much worry when having to carry water or hazards. With the courses I play it is definitely a benefit to be able to work the ball both ways and I have worked hard this year in adding a controlled cut into my arsenal. That has come in handy when trying to combat that big miss right I often struggle with. Now finally onto the Ping i210. Here is a quick bit of info about them from Ping and what they claim to have improved over previous years just cut down a bit. For the full details on them follow this link to Ping. https://ping.com/clubs/irons/i210 Ping claim to have made the i210 with a buttery soft feel by making a larger elastomer port then previous years. This helps do two things, softer feel as well as pushing more weight to the perimeter allowing for more forgiving irons. They use the same groove technology as the Ping Glide 2.0 wedges and in the PW and GW the grooves are closer together to provide greater swin and more control. lotsPing i210 are not meant to be distance irons, but rather more consistent controlled clubs that are able to be worked both up and down and side to side. During my fitting a tried several shafts and kept a open mind going into it. I knew I loved the Nippon Modus 105 shafts, but wanted to make sure they were the proper ones for me and that there wasn’t a better option out there. In the end a lot of them produced similar flights and distances with spin numbers all around the same. Therefore it was all based on my feel preference and knowing how great the Nippon shafts performed in my current set it was a no brainer. I also stayed with a Blue dot (.75 upright) and standard lofts and lengths. To finish off I want to let you know what I’m looking for in these irons and what will help take over a spot as my new set. I want them to give me consistent distances. Even if they are a bit shorter then my current set I’d be okay with that. I’m quick alright loosing a few yards in the name of consistency and being able to really trust that my irons are going to go the proper distance I’m expecting. I also want them to feel better then my current set. I have only owned one set of forged irons and still regret selling them, but they were too punishing for my game at the time and was the right call to move to the Ping i E1. As well I want to be able to hold greens on approach shots. I have seen many reviews where the spin rates seem to be on the low end. I want to put this to the test and see even if they are on the low side if it will make a difference in my ability to hit into a green and stop it where I want. Finally I need to feel confident with them. I’m sure I’ll go through a honeymoon faze with them and I will have good rounds and bad rounds, but it is something I gained with my current set of Ping irons and is critical to helping them stay in my bag. Well that just about wraps up my stage 1! I’d invite you all to check out the other 8! Stage 1’s and to follow all of us along while continue on with stage 2 and beyond. I look forward to any and all questions anyone has along the way and will do whatever I can to help anwser. As well if anyone wants to see specific data I will do what I can to get those results as well whether that be on a launch monitor or through Arccos. Also if anyone wants to see some more photos go up there will be some on my instagram (brand new just for this review) at apolloshowl. Thank you everyone for taken the time to read!

We have two stores locally that carry evnroll putters and both have a few lefty in stock. They are truly a thing of beauty, however my Ping still holes a lot of putts. Sent from my SM-G950W using MyGolfSpy mobile app

30 and I work as an ice technician for curling clubs and events!

It has changed my putting forever. Won't lie when I first tried it on the course I really didn't like the sound it made, but the putts started dropping and I got use to it. Putting is now easily the best part of my game and I can't say enough good things about the Ping Tyne. The grip is also really nice, big but not too big. Previous to getting into I would say I was a average putter with 2 putting most holes and a 3 putt or more each round. Now Arcoss has my putting a +1.4 averaging 32 putts per round. Had 9 one putts yesterday and a round earlier this season with only 25. I was really happy to see it (although a slightly different version) do well on the most wanted this season. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Finally got around to taking some photos and final revisions for my bag. Ended up finding a Cobra F7 7 wood to fill the gap between 4 Iron and 3 wood. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Thank you for your response. I have yet to try it as I just bought the G400 and it's working great. That being said I have read most all the thread and comments and a lot of ppl have said it got it right for them so I know and I think most of us know there is definitely something here else you would have never released it. I also believe some ppl may be disappointed because it may have not given them the driver they wanted? Anyway I can only seen positives with where this is going and appreciate you addressing all the comments as there was always bound to be doubters, but I know I will be recommending this friends and family a like as it will be a great way of narrowing the large mass of products out there down to a few gear candidates. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Congrats! Well done and hopefully many more rounds in the 70's to come. It's a great feeling and looking forward to stage 2! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Welcome to MGS! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

After a few decent rounds tomorrow is range day. I've noticed a few things recently where other then a few specific tee shots I rarely use my 7,6,5 irons. Arccos has also showed me that with usage on them and its way down from most of my other clubs. One of the down sides to playing the same course over and over is those clubs get stuck in the bag. Soon should be playing a few new courses so will be nice to get a feel for them again! Last note arccos has definitely pointed out some glaring weaknesses which have been addressed and really helped narrow down practice areas. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Played a round at Chester Golf Course Sunday and my home course Lost Creek Monday and during my warm up on Sunday something clicked and the driver swing came to life for the first time this year. Had two errant drives over the 36 holes and although a few silly shots here and there as happens with my game I was super happy for the first time this season with my long game off the tee. Ended with 76 both rounds and was a 7 over on the par 3's. Guess I know where I need to start putting some practice time in over the next little while! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

I know the feeling! When I get my wife out golfing she loves it and really has a lot of fun, but it's like pulling to get her to the course in the first place. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Congrats and well done! Great to hear and awesome that your wife golf's along with you. Hope whatever clicked keeps going for you and that the are more low scores in your future! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

3 wood for me is a go to club. Whether it be off the tee or from the fairway it gets regular use. Most the courses I play are not super long and I could get away with no driver. It took a long time to find a 3 wood I love, but now that I have one it's a great weapon in the bag and the only reason its use has settled the last little while is I've been giving the g400 a good spin even on holes where 3 wood would be my normal club to use. Much of it would be course dependent, but I couldn't imagine not having one in my bag now. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Little bit of wild life on the course (didn't manage to get the phone out in time for the fox who keeps stealing approach shots on 18) and a lovely view down 10 from last night. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

I may have said this before, but thankfully here in Canada it's not a huge issue. There are still some occasions and variety definitely land towards right handed players but during the demo clear out I'm always able to find good buys Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Hopefully international shipping comes soonish... Not sure what I'd get quite yet but would definitely pick up something. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Great early morning round at lost Creek today Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

First full round with the G400. Didn't loose a ball, worst shot was just left rough and manages 11/18 GIR. Ended with a solid 2 birdies and 74 over all ( 3 over) now had I only not bogeyed the last few par 3's. Game has really been coming around with the warmer weather and I can feel myself a lot closer to breaking par at some point this summer! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

The Ping invasion on my bag has continued with ping glide wedges 54*,58* making there way it. I love the cobra wedges, but the pings offer a better gap and more forgiving wedges which has helped my short game immensely As well as a new big stick. Ping g400 standard. Tested multiple times and the forgiveness is exactly what I need and more. Last round was a prime example where I shot 3 wood all round and made 20% more fairways and trotted along to a 75 (bogey on the last 3 holes) No matter what other big stick I had I never had the confidence in making fairways After 2 on course testing sessions and some time in the bay it was clear the the g400 was the proper fit for me. Once they have all be cleaned up there will be more pictures to come! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Had a fantastic round at a course I'd only played once before. 3 birdies in total (can't seem to get 4 in a round) Ended with a 3 over 75. Didn't even use driver the whole round 3 wood all day! Only sad part was I had bogeys on the last 3 holes ... But still a great round and finished in under 2.5 hours Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Long shot but anyone in Halifax area Canada looking for a twilight round tonight? Round this morning didn't work out because I had to work, but still want to get a round in this evening! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Thankfully got out with the first group today as we have heat warnings all over the province. Well above 30 here today and the humidity doesn't help... But onto golf. Decided to give the 3 wood a good workout off the tee today and had a shaky 10/11 with bogey and double, but ended up finishing with 8 straight pars and a final of 76 with one birdie. Not a bad round over all for me. Now time to find some shade. Hopefully I'll be able to do the same thing tomorrow! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Just got notification saying the g400 is at the post office ... Common work! Finish up so I can hit the range! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Anything around 32 I'm happy with. I got lucky and had two chip ins (one 4 Iron which I love around the greens and one putt from off the green which fell) couldn't help but laugh, really fun round and many entertaining shots. Thank goodness I can putt. Lipped lipped out on one and overread two others that were very makable but those are the breaks! What's the putter?! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk