50 Words or Less
The PING iCrossover is a dynamite long iron replacement. Higher launch, more ball speed, and more forgiveness than a normal long iron. The best sounding Crossover yet.
Introduction
Much as equipment nerds bemoan it, the march toward stronger iron lofts continues [find my extended thoughts on this HERE]. And as more irons end up with lofts that the average golfer can’t handle, the need for long iron replacements grows. Thankfully, PING continues to improve on their excellent Crossover design. The new iCrossover adds an adjustable hosel to a club that launches higher and produces more ball speed than your average long iron.
Looks
In the bag, the PING iCrossover is a mix of elements from the G425 Crossover [review HERE] and the G410 Crossover [review HERE]. From the G425, it gets the slimming black finish. The G410 lends its cleaner back design. That adds up to the best looking Crossover yet.
At address, the iCrossover is almost identical to the new i230 irons [review HERE]. There is slightly more offset, but the blade length and top line are a near-perfect match. This allows the iCrossover to blend into a set very comfortably. I’m also happy to see that PING has stayed with the taller face on the Crossover. Early iterations had short, long faces, but I strongly prefer this more conventional look.
Sound & Feel
For players seeking an iron replacement, the sound of the PING Crossovers has been a weakness. That is no longer the case with the new iCrossover. For me, this is easily the best sounding Crossover yet. It’s medium in volume, producing concise “snap” at impact. The sound is medium in pitch without any ringing or hollowness.
This more iron-like sound is paired with a matching feel. The strike feels solid in the hands, and the ball feels quick off the face. There is also above average feedback on strike location through the hands.
Performance
The headline feature for the new PING iCrossover is adjustability. This is the first Crossover that has an adjustable hosel, using PING’s Trajectory Tuning 2.0. There are eight settings that allow you to add or subtract up to 1.5 degrees of loft and alter the lie angle. For players trying to hit a specific distance or shot shape, this can be very impactful. In my testing, I found the adjustments made a noticeable difference in the ball flight.
Zooming out, PING has designed the iCrossover to be a true iron replacement. With the goal of fitting “seamlessly into a set,” they shortened the stock shaft lengths 1/4″ and shaped the sole like the i230 irons. This fits precisely with the performance I saw in my testing.
Comparing the iCrossover to the i230 at the same loft, the key differences were more forgiveness, higher peak ball speed, and higher launch. It simply does everything you’d want a long iron replacement to do. For me, the biggest key was the higher, consistent launch angle. When I’m playing a traditional long iron, my biggest issue is hitting a thin shot that lands short because of the low launch angle. With the iCrossover, the launch was so predictable that I could carry the ball 200+ yards very reliably. Also, with the additional ball speed, my peak distance was about 10 yards longer.
If you’re an elite ball striker with speed, the i230 may be all the forgiveness you need in a long iron. For almost everyone else, subbing in an iCrossover just makes sense. This club still gives you a ton of shot control, plenty of spin and soft landings, but it forgives your misses in a way that a traditional long iron can’t.
Conclusion
Whether you’re putting together a new iron set or trying to improve the top end of an existing one, you need to check out the PING iCrossover. This club has the forgiveness and speed you’re not getting from your current long irons, along with an adjustable hosel for dialing in shot shape and yardage.
Visit PING HERE
PING iCrossover Price & Specs
Matt Saternus
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How would you rate this compared to the new stealth UDI as a long iron replacement? Just looking at the tech I imagine the UDI plays longer/ more forgiving like a hybrid, but could be wrong. Thanks for the great article !
Dennis,
To me, the Stealth UDI is a driving iron, the iCrossover is a long iron replacement. While you can certainly use the UDI in place of a 3I or 4I for approaches, it really excels off the tee because it’s a bit lower spin. I think most people won’t be as long with the iCrossover, but it’s going to launch higher, land softer, and be a bit more consistent.
Best,
Matt
Does it perform better than an i525 at the same loft?
Keith,
I didn’t test them head to head, so I can’t give you any definitive data. My sense is that they’re going to be pretty close, but I’d give a small edge to the iCrossover.
Best,
Matt
Matt, which shaft did you test with? It looks like the Tour 2.0 is the standard shaft, how did it feel to you?
Mark,
Yes, I tested with the Tour 2.0. To me, it feels like just about every PING Tour shaft I’ve ever hit: it’s not active, not overly harsh, very consistent. There’s no real calling card feature, it’s just there doing the same thing over and over.
Best,
Matt
Would joy recommend using your playing iron shafts for icrossover instead of the stock shafts ? I play DGx100 in my 5- pw and I’m thinking it would make sense to play that in a long iron replacement . I appreciate your input
Casey,
Yes, I like the approach of putting your normal iron shaft into a utility iron.
Best,
Matt
You show a photo of a “4” but I just looked at a “3” in a golf shop. I realize that they are adjustable, but do you have any thoughts on which might be the best choice? Does it just depend on what the individual needs? Honestly kind of surprised that you didn’t mention the two different numbers. Also, you show three different lofts. Are those due to the adjustments? If so, wouldn’t there be more than three possible lofts? If there’s only three, why do offer clubs with two different numbers? Seems like something is missing.
John,
There are three different stock lofts, marked “2” “3” and “4”. From the stock loft, you can adjust up and down. The best choice will depend on the individual and what they need in their bag.
-Matt
Anyone know the swing weight for this club?