At this week’s Memorial and U.S. Women’s Open, some new Ping equipment might just find its way into the bags of some players. That’s because the company is bringing to tour its i240 irons and iDi utility irons, and although the company is keeping the lid on technical details, photos provide some clues on the new sticks.
The i240 appears to have some traits similar to its i230 predecessor in that it has an elastomer insert (in the i230 it saved 21 grams that was redistributed low and to the perimeter to boost launch and foster forgiveness while enhancing feel) and has toe weights (likely tungsten) that provide stability on off-center strikes.
There are differences, however, as there appears to be carbon-fiber material on the top area of the back cavity, ostensibly to save weight and further lower the center of gravity. Cosmetically, a little splash of color was added with the i in i240 now in red.
Who is likely to put the new irons in play? Hard to tell but the most likely suspects are Nate Lashley and Matthieu Pavon, both i230 users, as well as Viktor Hovland and Mackenzie Hughes, who play the older i210.
The iDi utility irons come in a 2-, 3- and 4-iron and appear to be hollow body in construction while ditching the Crossover name of previous Ping utility irons.
Notable is the removal of the adjustable hosel. Which has been replaced by Ping’s venerable hosel notch that allows for easy bending for loft and lie adjustments. The word “forged” is on the hosel but it is unclear what part of the club is forged. Given that it is a utility iron, expect a high-strength stainless steel for the face.
Regardless, as with most tour launches, expect to see the clubs at retail sometime in the future at which time all the details will be known. Stay tuned.
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
