WHAT IT DOES: Ping is known for its ability to produce irons for the everyday golfer, but don’t overlook the irons it makes for elite players. The forged 1025-carbon-steel body, laser-cut 17-4-stainless-steel face and AlumiCore insert are joined using a forging process called swaging. That process applies pressure to the three parts, creating a single part that is plasma welded to seal the seams. The AlumiCore insert is key to consistency. It allows about 30 grams from the center of the club to be redistributed to the perimeter in the form of toe and shaft tip weights. The weight increases the clubhead’s moment of inertia to help minimize ball-speed loss on mis-hits. 

WHY WE LIKE IT: Many players—especially low-handicappers—will sacrifice a few yards for repeatability. If that sounds like you, these irons might be right for you. They are closely inspected on nine processes (including sole shaping, head polishing and face machining) to guarantee consistency. The blade-like design, offset and bounce are decidedly player-ish. The sole is modestly thinner, and the grooves are shorter heel to toe. They’re also spaced tighter together, allowing for four more grooves on the face for increased friction. Read more>>