PING s159 Wedges: 2024 Forum Member Review

[GolfSpy_APH]

Testers Announced!

It has been a few years, but we are very happy to have PING golf clubs back as part of our Forum Member Testing! The PING s159 are the newest wedges from PING; however, it is not just new wedges that PING is excited about for this testing opportunity. They have also released their new WebFit App that aims to simplify the often confusing wedge grind dilemma.

PING s159 Wedge Features:

The s159 wedges are now offered in six different grind options, with two brand new grinds introduced for this series (the B and H grinds). As PING worked closely with their tour professionals on an updated design and look which would appeal to more golfers.

PING has included their Friction Face that combines face blast and their optimized precision-milled grooves for what they claim is "the launch and spin control to play score-lowering shots from every distance." Add in appropriately spaced MicroMax grooves depending on the loft; these wedges are packed full of technology.

All of their loft and grind combinations have been made available in two different finishes: The Hydropearl 2.0 Chrome and Midnight.

The WebFit Wedge App:

A simple step-by-step questionnaire based on what their wedge experts use to identify the best grinds and options for their tour pros, the WebFit app aims to simplify and find the best grinds and lofts for your game.
The entire process takes only a few minutes and provides several options that best suit your answers, making the choice of knowing what grind should work for you a whole lot simpler!

Please welcome and congratulate our 4 testers!

@bens197

@johngschulz 

@aguybadatgolf 

@Leonvdwesthuizen

[bens197]

I am thrilled to share my next six weeks and beyond as I work with an awesome group of guys to test the PING S159 wedges.

 

A little about me.  Steve, I’m 42, a husband to an amazing wife, father to an incredible daughter and dog dad to a 12 year old American pit bull terrier.  My daughter fell in love with golf last year and both my wife and I couldn’t be happier watching her hit balls with utter joy.

 

 

Golf has played a significant role in my life since I was 7.  A native Rochester, NY resident who spent 9 years living and working in golf in Southeast Florida after graduating college.  I’ve worked pretty much every job you can name in the golf services.  It all began as a 14 year old caddy at Oak Hill CC in Rochester, home of the recent 2023 PGA.  I also worked the bag room there for 3 years which included the 1998 Amateur won by Hank Kuehne…who famously hit massive bombs using none other than the PING TiSi.

Many of you are familiar with my background but it’s worth sharing now that we have so many new members involved in the forum!

I left the golf business after working as a 1st Assistant Professional in 2006.  I loved the job but it was not for me.  Since then I have been in public safety as a Firefighter / EMT.  I currently work as a Captain and as our fire district covers a portion of Oak Hill, was able to spend time working emergency services during the event.

I get to play often and while my competitive days are behind me, you will find me playing around 2-3 times a week. Last year was my best ball striking and scoring year since my club pro days and I was able to lower my index to a 3.5.

 

PING has always been a favorite of mine and was cemented for me in 2005. I traveled to Phoenix to visit the PING plant and was certified as a PING fitter.  This experience was truly phenomenal, the entire tour of the facility left no stone unturned.  From the gold putter vault to the foundry, a complete fitting process, a round at the now defunct ASU Karsten and at the end, a sit down with the Solheim family for some Q&A.  I was so impressed with the company that when I returned home I ordered a set of PING i5’s, G5 driver and PING Tour wedges.

 

So let’s talk about WHY I chose to apply for this test…

 

When I thought about this year and eligibility for testing I was dead set on one item…wedges.  Earlier in the year in the “what equipment are you thinking about” I shared my thoughts on why these were what had my eye.  I certainly consider myself fortunate to be able to test these and put them through an entire season of play.  I also am someone who loves to hit wedge shots.  It’s a strong part of my game and I love being able to be creative around the greens.

 

 

Why these wedges?  I like my Vokey’s, I want to see if there is something better.  PING is THE engineering company.  They are the early adapters and the innovators…I’ve seen it first hand in Phoenix and I am looking forward to comparing them to my current setup.

 

I loved the early release photos of the S159, notably the higher lofted wedges.  What I loved more was the emphasis on better grind options.  I stopped by the local shop last week to finally put my eyes on them and ming…they look even better in person.  The shape of the top line off the hosel is exactly what I would dream and I am really believing that PING took a lot of TOUR feedback to design a winner…I mean, look at that 50…

My Webfit results were about what I had expected.  I’m using it as a baseline and made one change.  I really wanted to push my comfort level and dig into something that would prevent digging…I’ll get into that when the wedges arrive and I do the unboxing.

Among all three clubs, the 50* will continue to be the workhorse.  This club for me will be my go-to as it’s been for years.  It’s the inside 100 yards club almost exclusively.  I’m playing a similar grind to my recommendation so I expect it to perform similarly.  I’m going to be hardest on this club because I hit it for almost every full and half shot inside 100 yards.

 

Around the greens I am excited to get into the turf interaction and really put to test how these grinds work for a variety of shots and conditions.  My current setup doesn’t give me the most confidence with the 54 and 60 so I have high hopes that opting for a more versatile bounce will give me a better sense of confidence for creativity. We get the weather and the conditions in Rochester.

I have high expectations and a very open mind.  At work, I like to say often to my crew that the best ideas have to win.  Similarly, the best clubs have to win and if these perform anywhere close to as good as they look, it’ll be a pleasant experience.

 

That’s it for now…Stay tuned

 

Edited March 19 by bens197

[johngschulz]

Ping S159 Wedge - Official MGS Forum Review

First and foremost thank you to the forum staff and Ping for giving me the opportunity to test out this latest iteration of wedges! I'm looking forward to sharing my honest thoughts and feedback on the products in the next few months of testing the Ping S159 Wedges.

Allow myself to introduce... myself...

My name is John, I'm your average 35 year old Midwestern guy born and raised in Saint Louis, Missouri. I'm married to my lovely wife of 4 years, and we take care of our two rescue pups Mac and Sasha (we literally saved Mac off the side of a river - a story for another day). I spend my time outside of work spending time with my spouse traveling, hiking, playing pickle ball and watching bad reality TV dating shows (Love is Blind, 90 day Fiance, etc.) as well playing whatever other sports I can including soccer and bowling. The rest of the time I'm watching sports, grabbing a beer with friends, and watching or playing golf whenever I can!

Myself, Katie, Sasha and Mac at "Barktober Fest"

The golf part of my background

I have been golfing since I was a freshman in high school, I’d always played soccer and baseball before. My school was small enough there was only a “Varsity” golf team, so I learned the rules of golf and how to play while *competing* against other varsity high school teams - I'll be honest... it wasn’t pretty. Ultimately I stuck with it and shot par the final home match my senior year of high school and was medalist, one of my crowning achievements to date!

I do like to compete, but I am a very easy going person and always enjoy playing golf socially among friends and family. It’s often the time I have my best conversations with the people I care about and want to be around. I am taking *my* game more seriously this year and I am hoping to play in several of my GHIN E-club amateur events this year and I am signed up to play weekly in a 9 hole league. As I am sure most of you agree with on this forum, it’s hard to get out to golf as much as I’d prefer, so I built a small practice area in my garage with a net and hitting/chipping/putting mats with a Rapsodo MLM to work on my game when I can. My goal is to get down to a 10 handicap from my current 19.1, my short game will be key!

Not an awe inspiring golf team but we had fun, circa 2006

Why did I sign up?

Wedges are one of the clubs that you should replace most often they say… but often don’t and we opt for new drivers or putter instead. In my case I will really get to see how the new grooves compare to my current wedges of 3 years as well as my backup Vokey SM6 with even more wear on the grooves. The most important thing to me is performance around the greens from all sorts of lies. While the short game is one of my strengths, my approach shots especially with long irons, tends to leave me in less than ideal places not on the green. I’m hoping with the grind options and wedges with a little more technology built in could take my scrambling a step further and we will see if these should replace my current wedges to help meet my handicap goals.

The Ping Webfit App

See the following video to see my selections and results from the Ping WebFit to find my grind on the Ping S159 Wedges. The process was straight forward, and the explanation for my results were spot on for what I am looking for in a wedge the matches my game. The S/12 grind and bounce will help with fuller shots while the T/6 combo should allow for me to be creative around the greens!

 

How I'm testing

I researched the club a bit after doing my Webfit questionnaire for the appropriate grinds, and watched the community call with Ping about the wedges. My wedges have always been forged, and these are cast with a foam injection for the sound and feel. The multiple finish options are interesting and I’m particularly curious to see what performance we *really* get out of the Hydropearl 2.0 finish out of wet conditions. I am expecting significant increases in spin compared to my current wedges. Wedges are such a *feel* club for me and the weight of the heads seem much lighter than my current forged gamers so I’m expecting it may take some getting used to playing with them. Despite being promoted for *all* players they do appear to be geared more towards mid to better players (ya boi being the former), and I think I may see some of the classic Ping forgiveness I always hear about. Added forgiveness would be very welcomed!

I will do some testing on the gapping against my current setup to see how they compare in my garage setup with my hitting mat and the Rapsodo MLM, and will take some time getting used to the feel of the new wedges, shafts, and grinds on with my chipping net and mats as well.  The real party will begin when I start to get them out to test on real greens, play rounds and take them to a local Trackman sim to get the real numbers. Most important to me is the feel and performance around the green, and will be spending a lot of my time 30 yards and in seeing if I can get my different shots dialed in.

Thanks again for the opportunity.
I'm really looking forward to sharing my experiences with everyone, please do not hesitate to ask any questions!

See below for my garage setup, and to get a better sense of my style on the course from a recent golf trip with some of the old high school crew!

The garage setup

Golf trip to Ozark National at Big Cedar Lodge in Branson, MO

 

Edited March 19 by johngschulz

[aguybadatgolf]

Ping S159 Wedge - Official MGS Forum Review

Intro - Who is this guy?

My name is Chris and I am thrilled to be testing Ping’s new S159 wedges! Last summer I had the pleasure of being a tester for the Zebra AIT3 putter (link to my review). It was a great experience and I am very grateful to Ping and MGS to be able to participate in another test! 

I live in Colorado, just outside of Denver. I am 27 years old. In June of 2023 I married my beautiful and very goofy wife. We met while attending the University of Colorado (Go Buffs!). I work for the State of Colorado as a Program Specialist for IT. We have 2 dogs and spend a lot of time in the mountains when. I am a skier, mountain biker, and rock climber/mountaineer when I am not golfing.

Golf Background

Unlike a couple of the other testers I don't have a long standing history with golf. I started playing in 2021 but didn't really get into it until a Mountain Bike crash. I tore my PCL and the only thing I could do during PT was golf. I got hooked hard and fast. I am a bogey golfer so my handicap sits between 14-16. I am finally investing in some coaching rather than new clubs and will begin at the end of March.

I always considered my short game to be one of my strongest areas if not the strongest. As a bogey golfer I miss a lot of greens so I practice it a good bit. I like to think of myself as a creative short game player so I like to play a wide variety of shots. It’s the part of the game I enjoy the most as there are so many ways to play the same shot. My current wedges are a bit of a hodge podge. Callaway MD5 Jaws for my 50-10S and 54-10S, Vokey SM5 58-7S. 

How will I test?

I plan to get lots of data and numbers. I recently got a Shotscope V3. So far I have only been able to log one round but plan to get a couple more rounds in with my current wedges so I can compare strokes gained. I also live very close to a few indoor simulators which I will use to get spin numbers and really compare distance and ball flight. When I think of Ping I think of forgiveness. As a mediocre golfer I’ll be testing that throughout the review and looking at the numbers to back it up. 

I will also do some subjective tests. Such as durability of the groves, how prone it is to dings and scratches, and performance out of different lies (bunkers, rought, tight lies, etc.). I am also very curious about the PING 360 Dyla-wedge Lite grip. It’s longer than a normal grip by about ¾ of an inch and should help with playing different shots. 

I am looking at the Ping WebFit for accuracy. I play my current wedges +1” and 3 degrees upright. WebFit suggested the same specs I currently am using so I stuck with that. It recommended the 50 S-12, 54 S-12, and 58 H-8. I will admit I don’t like a lot of bounce so I am curious about the 12 degrees of bounce on the 50 and 54. I am also not an amazing golfer so maybe that’s exactly what I need, I’m trusting the app here. I did decide to get the 58 T-6 over the H-8 grind as I generally play in firmer conditions and don’t take much of a divot. My thinking is that I can trade a little forgiveness for more shot options around the green. 

What am I looking for out of the S159s?

1. Does it spin more? (Current wedges spin less than I would expect)
2. Does it provide consistent ball flight and spin in different conditions? (Damp rough, tight lies, hardpan, etc.)
3. Are they durable? (Most of us aren’t buying new wedges every year)
4. Do I like the look, feel, sound, etc? (Does it set up square and have a nice buttery feel?)
5. Ping WebFit (Did the suggested wedges meet my needs/expectations of forgiveness on the high bounce wedges and workability on the low bounce wedge?)
6. The X factor (Do they make me feel better than everyone else? Can Ping start to guarantee a hole in one in their marketing? Will these make me a short game wizard like Phil Mickelson? The big questions that need to be answered.)

Thank you all for following along! I look forward to working with all the testers and providing useful feedback. Please feel free to ask for any specific feedback or tests and I will make sure to get that for you.

 

 

Edited March 19 by aguybadatgolf

[Leonvdwesthuizen]

Introduction

Firstly, thank you MyGolfSpy and Ping for this amazing opportunity to test these wedges and use their Webfit Wedge app, to get the correct fit to suit our game.

 

Hi Spies, my name is Leon vd Westhuizen and I play off an 18 handicap in and around Durbanville, Western Cape, South Africa, a small country at the bottom of Africa with about 60 million people but with a huge golf following. Our country has gifted the world the likes of Gary Player, Ernie Els, Charl Schwartzel, Louis Oosthuizen to name a few, so we have a rich history of producing great golfers, but I am not one of them!

 (these are not Gary, Arnold or Jack)

As a youngster, I grew up watching Gary, Arnold, and Jack battle it out at the Masters and I wanted to be like them. So, I started playing golf occasionally, while still at school, but I loved rugby more, so I never focused on it.

 

Forward many years later, and I have a wife & son, but I still love golf, cycling and rugby (Our national team, The Springboks, are the 4x World Rugby Champions you know!)

 

But enough about me, this is about the opportunity to test these beauties from Ping, the brand-new Ping S159 wedges in Midnight Black for me.

Just a disclaimer, I’m a virgin Ping player... I have never owned and played any club from Ping. Yes, I have taken their driver at the golf shop for a few hits on the trackman, but that is it, not a single club on the course, so this will be my first time in the world of Ping

 

My Rationale

We get so exhilarated when we watch DJ, Rory or Rahmbo hit their wedge just inches from the hole, but what about us mere mortals who hit our wedges, on the green, sometimes missing the green, and sometimes fat or thin.

I am one of those guys who normally hit my wedge and be happy to get the ball to stay on the green, very lucky when it is anything closer to the hole for a decent chance at birdie, par, or bogey.

I am one of those guys, who used to hit my wedges thin or fat.

I am one of the guys who had to get creative with my hybrid, 9 & 7 iron, cause my wedges would scare the heck out of me!

But I am not that guy anymore!

I have more confidence with my wedges, I don’t use my hybrid around the green anymore, I can play a shot onto the green and the ball would check and stop rolling... I have gained a lot of confidence with my wedge game, so I will use my new found skill and confidence and apply it to my testing.

 

Pings’s Webfit Wedge App

With the launch of the S159 wedges, Ping also launched their Webfit Wedge app (btw, you can also do a Webfit for all your clubs). This app makes the daunting task of choosing a wedge really easy, as they take the fundamentals of your game, through an easy questionnaire, into consideration and give you the best suggestion to have as little gaps in your game as possible, because that’s how we will improve our short game!

Check my results out:

Ping suggested I take the S grind on all the wedges, which will help me with enhancing versatility around the green, or just calming my nerves!

 

My Gameplan

My game plan is to compare the Ping S159 to my current gamers, the Cleveland RTX Zipcore, which has been instrumental to calm my nerves and my hands.

I will play my local, 18-hole par 3 course, Hazendal, twice a week for a month, so I can get used to the Pings and thoroughly test these wedges and see if I can make small incremental improvements or hoping they will be big strides of improvements.

Then I want to apply those short game improvements, to the longer courses every weekend, and see how they translate to the everyday golfer and the mid to high handicapper.

I have also booked a session at the The Pro Shop (our big national golf retailer offering fittings using track data), to see what my details are, like spin rate, launch angles, bounce control, all while playing my trusty Taylormade Soft response or Callaway Supersoft ball.

 

Thank you for coming on this journey with me!

Edited March 19 by Leonvdwesthuizen
Introduction post

[GolfSpy_BEN]

Congratulations Testers! As a recent ping wedge convert, I look forward to your findings.

[GolfSpy_APH]

Woohoo! Let the testing begin... this is one of the tests I am looking forward to more than any other for this season. 

[sirchunksalot]

Congratulations testers! This is should be a good one, it's great to see Ping products back being tested on the forum. 

[Josh Parker]

Congrats guys!  Can't wait to follow along on this one. Haven't ever played Ping wedges but the changes they have made recently have me interested. 

[ejgaudette]

Congrats testers. Looking forward to hearing about these and how they work for you.

[josmi15]

Good Luck testers!  Looking forward to reading these reviews

[Nunfa0]

Congrats testers!! Knock em close and spin em hard!!

[Digiburdie]

Congrats testers!! hope someone compares these to the Vokeys cause I’m in the market !!!

Edited March 19 by Digiburdie

[Triple_Putt]

Congrats and good luck testers! Looking forward to reading all of your thoughts 

[Josh Ross]

Congrats testers! Happy to see PING back on MGS!

[Willie T]

Congrats to all the testers - looking forward to seeing how the Pings spin their way into your bags or maybe not…

[Mike10487]

11 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Testers Announced!

It has been a few years, but we are very happy to have PING golf clubs back as part of our Forum Member Testing! The PING s159 are the newest wedges from PING; however, it is not just new wedges that PING is excited about for this testing opportunity. They have also released their new WebFit App that aims to simplify the often confusing wedge grind dilemma.

PING s159 Wedge Features:

The s159 wedges are now offered in six different grind options, with two brand new grinds introduced for this series (the B and H grinds). As PING worked closely with their tour professionals on an updated design and look which would appeal to more golfers.

PING has included their Friction Face that combines face blast and their optimized precision-milled grooves for what they claim is "the launch and spin control to play score-lowering shots from every distance." Add in appropriately spaced MicroMax grooves depending on the loft; these wedges are packed full of technology.

All of their loft and grind combinations have been made available in two different finishes: The Hydropearl 2.0 Chrome and Midnight.

The WebFit Wedge App:

A simple step-by-step questionnaire based on what their wedge experts use to identify the best grinds and options for their tour pros, the WebFit app aims to simplify and find the best grinds and lofts for your game.
The entire process takes only a few minutes and provides several options that best suit your answers, making the choice of knowing what grind should work for you a whole lot simpler!

Please welcome and congratulate our 4 testers!

@bens197

@johngschulz 

@aguybadatgolf 

@Leonvdwesthuizen

Congratulations guys!! Really looking forward to seeing the reviews on these.

[funkyjudge]

Congratulations, testers!

[tdroma98]

Congrats Testers! Looking forward to reading all your reviews! Thank you MGS & Ping!! 

[Erin B]

Congrats on the opportunity testers! Happy Birdie Hunting!

[Northern Monkey]

Congratulations testers, I’m really looking forward to this test as my MD5 Jaws wedges are about due to be replaced so it will be interesting to see how the Pings do

[Rob Person]

How awesome to be selected for this test! I hope that these work out for everyone and I am looking forward to the results of your testing.

[TJ Hall]

Congratulations testers!  Looking forward to seeing the feedback on these wedges…enjoy the time with them!

[Cfhandyman]

Congratulations to the well chosen testers. Looking forward to the results of the testing and how the new Ping wedges stack up. Not going to lie, also looking forward to @Leonvdwesthuizen pictures from South Africa. 

[MattWillGolf]

Congratulations testers. Looking forward to seeing this one. 

[ole gray]

Thanks to MGS and Ping these testers are going to bring home the bacon! Congrats folks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BreakfastBall15]

Congrats testers! Looking forward to your reviews!

[Bohnson]

Congrats testers! I bought some to the TMade wedges to try out this year. 

[dlm]

Happy testing group, I'm a bit jealous!

[rkj427]

Great diverse group of testers for these Ping wedges!

Looking forward to seeing their comments and reviews on these.