Ping G425 Vs. Taylormade Stealth Irons Comparison Overview

Both the Ping G425 and the Taylormade Stealth irons are unique in that they are game-improvement irons; but just barely. They straddle the line between game-improvement and player’s performance irons because their features borrow a little from each category.

If you are a high to mid handicapper in search of a new set of irons to kick off the new year, you should pay special attention to the following comparison overview as we profile two sets that may be perfect for you.

Ping G425 Irons Overview

The Ping G425 irons feature variable face thickness which does a great job of preserving swing energy on shots away from the face.

The variable face thickness in conjunction with the tungsten weight in the toe and hosel make for an impressively forgiving set of irons. This duo of features is also what places the Ping G425’s in the game-improvement iron category.

However, you will notice at point of address, that the Pong G425’s have a slightly smaller blade length than most game-improvement irons – including the Taylormade Stealth irons. And while the head profile is small for an iron in this class, it still has a cavity back to promote forgiveness.

The Ping G425’s represent an interesting combination of long-range workability and forgiveness but where these irons suffer the most is long-game distance.

Taylormade Stealth Irons Overview

The Taylormade Stealth irons were longer than the Ping G425 irons overall and they provided superior launch.

Shot shaping with the 4 and 5 irons in this set was a bit of an issue but the launch in the shorter irons was a bit better than the Ping G425 irons. The Taylormade Stealth irons have an almost muscle back look but make no mistake about it, they are cavity back irons.

They have a nice feel thanks to the layer of polymer that is concealed within the rear badge – in fact the feel is reminiscent of a premium set of irons. On longer approaches, the Ping G425’s were more accurate and provided more spin consistency.

For pure distance though, the Taylormade Stealth irons played a little longer than the Ping G425’s.

The short game performance of the Taylormade Stealth irons really impressed us. Just don’t rely on them too much when you are trying to nail the green from 150+ yards out. For those shots, the Ping G425’s would be more helpful.

Ping G425 Irons

Category – Game Improvement Irons

Taylormade Stealth Irons

Category: Game Improvement Irons

Ping G425 Irons First Impressions

After taking 2020 off, the G425 Irons are a much anticipated upgrade to the G410’s and the first thing you notice with these irons is that the heads are smaller and more compact.

The irons incorporate two weights, a visible screw at the front of the clubhead and a weight in the hosel. This, coupled with the wide and cascading sole allows a quality ball launch angle.

Ping have gone for the metal wood style material for the first time in a set of irons and the variable face thickness allows for a lot of forgiveness and ball speed on any strike, even when you hit the ball off center.

They also have a multi material badge filling in the cavity at the back to dampen any vibrations on mishits.

The irons have a slight bit of offset for forgiveness but you are going to get plenty of feel from these especially from Irons you would classify as game improvement.

Taylormade Stealth First Impressions

The Taylormade Stealth irons have a striking design that we didn’t really know what to make of at first.

These are some of the most uniquely designed game improvement irons we ever tested. The cap back system that wraps around the rear toe area looks striking but it didn’t make sense to us at first.

Then we started playing with this set. One of the first things we noticed was that even with the 4 iron, it was very easy to find the sweet spot. The offset helps yes, but more than anything, that extra mass in the sole beneath the sweet spot helps to square up.

It’s like a giant target for your alignment. And since the face was designed to flex to a ridiculous degree, you don’t need a fast swing speed to get decent distance out of these irons.

With the 5 iron in the Taylormade Stealth set, our testers were able to establish an average distance of 161 yards. Of course, as game improvement irons, they suffer from the typical short-game pitfalls.

With the shorter irons, spin is very hard to control. Roll distance was a problem on short approaches and if you are playing a particularly fast green, you will need to rely on your wedges for longer shots.

G425 Selling Points

  • Metal Wood Finish
  • Multi Badge Material
  • Small, More Compact Heads
  • Perimeter Weighting
  • Excellent Feel And Control
  • More Performance From A Smaller Head

Taylormade Stealth Selling Points

  • They have an innovative cap back design
  • They do work to soften harsh vibration to a moderate degree
  • Reduced toe mass
  • Increased sole mass under the center of the face
  • They feature Taylormade’s inverted Cone Technology (ICT)
  • 450 stainless steel face

Who Are The G425 Irons For?

The Ping Irons aren’t going to be for every beginner. These irons will be incredible popular for improving and better players who want to get more feel on the ball without sacrificing forgiveness and consistency.

If you are someone who wants to starting working the ball a bit more, the G425’s are a perfect choice.

Ping G425 Family Of Irons

The G425 Irons also come in a crossover version which are black in color and the steel face on the crossover maximizes the distance you can get with G425 Crossovers.

Distance: 95/100

Accuracy: 95/100

Forgiveness: 94/100

Feel And Control: 93/100

Overall Score: 94/100

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Who are the Taylormade Stealth Irons for?

The Taylormade Stealth irons would primarily benefit high handicap players who are struggling chiefly with distance.

While they offer a moderate degree of forgiveness, it’s clear after testing these irons that most of the R&D went into improving ball speed and distance for players with slower swing speeds.

Most of the testers in our party with swing speeds under 90MPH were keeping up remarkably well with testers with faster swing speeds. Just don’t expect impeccable feel from these irons.

While Taylormade claims that the polymer cap back material gives these irons a “forged feel” we would classify this as a dubious claim at best. At the end of the day, there is simply no mistaking a forged iron and these are not forged irons.

The Taylormade Iron Family

While the Stealth irons are a stand-alone class, Taylormade makes a ton of iron sets. One of the most notable for beginners and high handicappers is the SIM2 Max irons that sport an oversized face profile so that it’s much easier to nail the sweet spot.

The SIM2 Max irons also feature the predecessor to the cap back system, the Speed Bridge. The Speed Bridge is a rear brace that connects the crown and sole, allowing the face to be disconnected from the body just like the Taylormade Stealth irons.

The result is the same: higher degree of flex and ball speed. However, the SIM2 Max irons will do more for you if you are struggling with iron accuracy. They offer comparable distance to the Taylormade Stealth irons; but with a higher emphasis on forgiveness.

Distance: 94/100

Accuracy: 92/100

Forgiveness: 93/100

Feel & Control: 89/100

Overall Score: 92/100

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