Are Ping G Max Irons Still Good? Are They Forgiving for High Handicappers?

“While the Ping G Max irons are listed as game improvement irons, we would say that they are more akin to super game improvement irons.”

Take one good look at these irons and you’ll see what we mean. The Ping G Max irons are big, beefy and designed for players who don’t make consistent contact.

But does any of that amount to a set of irons that are still viable in 2023?

Keep in mind that the Ping G Max irons came out in 2015. They are nearly a decade old. Since the Ping G Max irons were released, newer Ping GI irons have been introduced.

So should you spend your money on a newer set? Or will an older set serve you just fine? Let’s talk about it.

Are the Ping G Max Irons Still Good?

“Getting right to the heart of the matter, yes, the Ping G Max irons are still good.”

For the right kind of player. If you are a beginner or 25+ handicapper, the Ping G Max irons will be perfect for you.

These are cavity back irons (we’re talking deep cavities) with progressive lofts, offset and lengths.

That last part is particularly important. The progressive offset and lofts means that each club in this set was designed to optimize launch and distance.

The progressive offset makes the longer irons in this set ridiculously easy to swing.

You get a bit more control in the short irons; but this is a feature that we would say is almost lost on the type of golfer these irons were designed for.

Almost everything about the Ping G Max irons is meant to make them easy to swing.

While you get no workability from them, they will help beginners stay on the fairway and get to the green in fewer strokes.

And if that doesn’t add up to a “good” set of irons, we don’t know what does.

Are the Ping G Max’s Forgiving for High Handicappers?

“If the Ping G Max irons are anything, they are forgiving.”

The blades on these irons seem to stretch out into eternity. You get plenty of room to work with from the heel to the toe.

The deep cavity undercut houses a Custom Tuning Port that lowers the CG and stabilizes the head on not-so-perfect strikes.

Our testers reported that they had a great time with these irons. They said that it was very easy to square the face at contact, and that the Ping G Max’s naturally want to fly straight.

Mis-hits were virtually eliminated. There is simply too much sweet spot. Only the most outrageous mis-hits were met with wide shot dispersion and loss of ball speed.

Launch was also effortlessly high. The Ping G Max irons sport moderately weak loft profiles so they already want to fly high.

But when you pair the loft with the deep cavity undercut and the Custom Tuning Port, high launch is a done deal.

But what makes the Ping G Max irons really good for high handicappers is that they play incredibly straight. The flight was almost boring.

It’s very hard to hit a fade or draw these irons excessively. And while that may be a deterrent to better players, it’s music to the ears of high handicappers.

Ping G Max Vs Ping G400 Irons

“The Ping G400 irons produce a lower launch that is better-suited to mid handicappers.”

The G400 irons also have a noticeably smaller profile. Overall, the G400’s are less forgiving than the Ping G Max irons.

They are also more workable. If you prefer lower spin rates and have a moderate to fast swing speed, you may like the launch and trajectory of the Ping G400 irons more.