50 Word or Less
A perfect compromise for the mid to low handicapper who wants performance and forgiveness.
Introduction
Your heart says “I want the PING S55 irons” but your job and family say, “You don’t have 2 hours a day to perfect your ball striking.” So what do you do? You play the PING i25 irons. With minimal aesthetic sacrifices but substantial increases in forgiveness, the i25 is a set of irons that you’ll love to look at and still be able to play when your ball striking isn’t tour caliber.
Looks
The PING i25 does a great job of balancing the aesthetic features that good players want with the design elements that recreational golfers need. There is some offset to help get the ball in the air, but not so much that it’s unappealing or a hindrance to alignment. Similarly, the top line is just thick enough for the mid-handicapper to feel confident with, but thin enough that the accomplished player will like the look.
The i25 has PING’s trademark tumbled look which holds up brilliantly over time, as anyone who’s ever surveyed a used club rack knows. The branding and decoration of the cavity is extremely toned down, befitting a players club that is all business.
Sound & Feel
People who want to retain their snobbery about the superiority of forged clubs would do well to stay away from the PING i25 irons because there is nothing that this cast club lacks in the feel department. Centered shots feel amazing, and, more surprising, mishits offer ample feedback. They don’t have the hard sting of most cast clubs, but they do let the golfer know exactly where the ball was hit. This is critical to players who want to improve their ball striking.
Performance
When I went down to TPC Sawgrass for #BBBatTPC, I put the PING i25 irons in the bag without so much as a practice swing, and I didn’t miss a beat. My distances were about the same as my current irons, maybe just a touch longer. The shot control was there, the feel and aesthetics were there. This left me wondering, “What the heck am I going to write about these?”
Launch monitor testing revealed that I had been missing the forest for the trees: it’s the forgiveness, stupid! My ego had me convinced that after a 3 month layoff, going to Florida and hitting every shot go to my target was normal. I am the second coming of Ben Hogan, right? Wrong! Despite the fact that there’s no garish “visible technology,” the i25 irons pack an absolutely astounding amount of forgiveness. Miss it on the toe or heel? No problem, the i25 will still get you to your target. Hit it thin? The i25 will save the local geese from a beheading.
The difference between the i25 irons and other similar irons becomes even more apparent in the long irons. The i25 3I launched about 2 degrees higher than my current clubs and, more importantly, launched more consistently. I did not need to hit an absolutely perfect shot to get good distance and a playable trajectory.
Conclusion
If the PING i25 irons were made by another company, they would be twelve shades of neon with all kinds of fancy words to describe the technology that makes them so forgiving while maintaining performance. Since they’re made by PING, the i25 is about as low key as a golf club can be. If you want a bunch of flash and visible technology, look elsewhere. If you want an iron that gives you all the aesthetics and performance of a player’s iron with the forgiveness of a game improvement club, buy the PING i25.
Price and Specs
The PING i25 irons retail for $799 for a 3-PW set.
The stock shaft is PING’s CFS steel shaft.
Watch the Video
Matt Saternus
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Thank you so much for the terrific review. I have a couple thoughts that I’ll share, if you’ll allow me.
I play both Titleist and Callaway clubs, and have for years. I play to a 10 right now, but long work hours, and being a parent, keep me from the consistent game that I’d like to possess. I play RazrX Forged irons right now, and when playing well, I love them. However, I need something that helps me when not playing well, but that I’ll still enjoy playing when my game is on. I’ve hit nearly everything in the players type of irons, and have fallen in love with the Ping i25. I am actually going for a fitting next week.
If a pèrson has anything close to a consistent swing, and practices even just occasionally, golf becomes not about how good your good shots are, but how close are the results of your bad shots to your good shots. I’ve seen other reviews of the i25 irons, and they seem to miss the very point of the i25…a point that you express perfectly.
I’m currently hitting Ping G25 irons. I’m a 12 handicap and looking at the ping i25s. Is this a good move for me or am I to high of a handicap for this club? current ball flight is very high and most shots are straight.
Vinnie,
The primary question to ask is: Why am I changing irons? Is there something your current iron doesn’t do that you wish it did? If so, find an iron that will do that thing.
I don’t believe in changing clubs because your handicap goes up or down. If new clubs will improve your ball striking or your scoring, make the change. Simple as that.
Best,
Matt
Thanks for a great review!
I have been playing hogan apex clubs for a decade but have not been playing much for the past 7 years due to bringing up 2 small kids…
I find my ball striking is not so centered anymore, but I still want good response and feel in my irons.
The i25 looks very nice.
Do you think this can be an option for me to switch to now coming back to the gamle of golf?
Thanks in advance!
All the best,
Christian
Christian,
Yes, I think the i25 is exactly what you’re looking for. Just make sure to be fit before you buy.
-Matt
I have been playing these irons since they were released, and they are the best and most accurate forgiving/game-improvement irons I have ever had. I am a 9 hcp. and shot my first round under par last week with them. Many iron shots were dead on target and had perfect distance control. They look great and are very forgiving of mishits. I was fitted with KBS C-Taper lite stiff shafts 2 deg. up and +0.5″ longer. I highly recommend a good fitting with the correct shaft for your swing. I actually prefer the look of these over the new i Irons from Ping, although I am interested in the new 431 stainless steel material differences. Thanks for a great review!
I had a club fitting and the master fitter recommended the Ping G30 irons with a standard steel shaft based on my swing speed, etc. I currently use Taylor Made Rbladez with a graphite shafts that I purchased two years ago.
What’s the loft of ping i25 wedge
PW is 46*.
-Matt
What do you think of the i25 black dot with nippon.zelos 8 r. Just bought some and was wondering about the make up
Todd,
That’s a fine combination if it fits the player swinging them. Certainly quality products on both sides.
Best,
Matt
Hi Matt,
I bought the i25 irons with CFS S shafts, after hitting them I am not getting the distance I do with my 1999 Titleist 981 with DG s300. With the loft increase with these new Irons, I can’t understand why I’m losing distance? Can the DG s300 give me more distance due to the weight? Please help…
Carl,
Sounds like a poor shaft fit and/or the stronger lofts are hurting your distance because of inadequate launch/spin. I would suggest a session with a qualified club fitter to figure out the root of the problem.
Best,
Matt
I just bought a used set of these coming from the Srixon z765s. Its strange in that I went back a couple years and “downgraded” in a sense, but these are outstanding! Could not hit the 765’s to save my life. With these irons I feel like im tiger woods.
then again, I probably sucked with the 765’s because I didn’t get them fit. They went way too low for me; my 4 iron now goes higher than the Srixon’s 7 iron. Don’t do what I did.
I did the exact same thing and I couldn’t be happier.