Ping G400 Irons Review – Are They Forgiving & Good for High Handicappers?

Getting into the game of golf can be very intimidating – especially when it comes time to pull an iron from the bag. However, there are irons that were made to be more congenial for beginners and high handicappers? Are the Ping G400’s one such set? Let’s find out.

Ping G400 Irons Overview

Ping is probably better known for their premium player’s performance irons; but don’t overlook their entry level irons.

The Ping G400 irons impressed us almost immediately. While we weren’t sure what was producing it, we knew that they produced higher launch than most Ping irons we have ever played. Later we would realize that the higher launch has to do with the 17-4 grade stainless steel used to construct the face of these irons.

These are cavity back irons so right away, they looked good to our high handicap testers and inspired confidence at po int of address.

The Ping G400 irons have slightly more compact heads than other iron sets in the game-improvement category. However, we think this will be a boon to most high handicap players as it will provide more value as their game improves.

Are Ping G400 Irons Forgiving?

As long as you can get over the minor hurdle of a slightly compact head profile, you will get a ton of use out of these irons if you are looking for forgiveness.

Forgiveness can mean different things to different people. The Ping G400 irons in particular are forgiving because they provide very easy, natural launch and distance – so long as you are moderately accurate.

If you are pretty decent at making consistent contact, you will find that the clubs pretty much do the rest. When you pure the ball, the face flexes like a trampoline and the long irons make it surprisingly easy to get the ball airborne.

Are Ping G400 Irons Beginners & High Handicappers?

The short answer is yes. The long answer is that these irons are not only good for beginners; but intermediate players as well.

The short game control in these irons is unlike any you are likely to experience from other game-improvement irons. There’s a top rail undercut cavity that allows for even more flex and easy distance while the relatively compact heads allow for lateral workability.

Another thing we noticed about these irons is tight shot dispersion. They are very predictable and if you have a complete set, you will know exactly which iron to use in any situation. This is also a great boon for beginners and high handicappers who are still getting the hang of their irons and gapping.

Should you Buy the Ping G400 or G410 Irons?

It depends on what is most important for your game.

The G410 irons sport an even more compact head that the Ping G400’s and noticeably less offset at address. While the scoring irons in the G410 set are more effective, the Ping G400 are significantly more forgiving. The G410 irons work best for players firmly-seated in mid handicap territory.

It may not seem like there is a lot separating these two iron sets at first glance but we have tested them both and there is a stark difference. The G410’s feel great – don’t get us wrong. It’s just that they are significantly less forgiving than the G400 irons.

Ping G400 Irons

Category – Game Improvement Irons

Ping G400 First Impressions

We were a bit wary of the Ping G400’s at first because they didn’t have the size of traditional game-improvement irons.

While you are looking at a shorter distance from heel to toe with the Ping G400 irons, the COR-Eye technology ensures that if you make contact with the sweet spot, your ball is gonna go far. Almost immediately, our testers were nailing shots in the 160 yard range with the 5 iron in this set.

We also really liked the way these irons sounded – particularly the long irons. The cavity badge really works to enhance sound when you hit the sweet spots of these irons. It didn’t take us very long to get the hang of these irons and start sending missiles down the fairway.

Ping G400 – Selling Points

Hydropearl finish
Co-molded, 3-piece cavity badge
Good stock shaft choices
Very easy to achieve adequate launch
They produce easy distance

Who Are The Ping G400 Irons for?

The Ping G400 irons are certainly for players still in the high handicap range. However, after our testing we felt that the kind of player who would get the best use out of these irons is the player who is primed to make the leap into the mid handicap range as they offer better short game performance than you might expect from a game-improvement set of irons.

These are great irons for anyone who is just learning how to work the ball from side-to-side. They allow for such workability but flatten the learning curve at the same time with their mid-size heads.

The G Family of Irons

The G series of irons from Ping also includes the G425 which features variable face thickness architecture which makes it forgiving enough for mid handicappers. The G425 has more of a players performance iron profile though.

Like the G400 irons, the G425 irons have a 14-4 grade stainless steel face design. This material also helps to launch the ball high in the air and produces adequate distance for high to mid handicap players.

Then there are the Ping G710 which are exceptionally forgiving with a longer blade length than the G400’s. The G710’s also feature variable face thickness and a nice maraging steel face. The maraging steel is an incredibly thin yet strong type of steel that allows the faces of these irons to flex and rebound.

The Ping G710 irons would also be a great fit for anyone with slow to moderate swings speeds. Plus, the black finish looks really cool.