Ping G430 Vs Taylormade M4 Irons Comparison Overview

Ping G430 Vs Taylormade M4 Irons

For a long time now, it seems that golf club manufacturers have really been trying to seamlessly fit strong-lofted irons with ridiculously low CG.

The goal is optimal launch, distance and control.

It works (or is supposed to work) like this: stronger lofts will give you lower launch angles which are normally associated with better distance.

The rub is that you lose the ability to stop the ball dead where you want it to drop. A low CG counteracts the strong loft by allowing players to get the ball up in the air when they need to.

Two good examples of this emphasis on launch control are the Taylormade M4 and Ping G430 irons.

Ping G430 Irons Overview

“The 9-iron of the Ping G430 set checks in at 37°.”

However, almost everything that could be done to lower the CG has been done in these irons. The hosel has been shortened and there is a considerable cavity undercut.

Our testers noted that it felt very easy to get the club under the ball without chunking when they wanted higher launch.

The faces of these irons are made from 17-4 stainless steel which is strong and will hold well for players with fast swing speeds.

The Ping G430’s are a bit more compact than the Taylormade M4 irons. As such, they are also a bit more workable.

The launch is certainly controlled and better players will be able to shape shots vertically as they see fit.

Taylormade M4 Irons Overview

“The 9-iron of the Taylormade M4 set checks in at 38°.”

So again, we get a fairly strong loft. And again, it’s tempered by a strong cavity undercut and a CG pushed as low as possible.

The only problem is that the M4’s are 5 years-old and in that time, manufacturers have developed clever and more effective ways to lower CG.

Overall, the launch of the Taylormade M4 irons was less controllable. You essentially get the choice between medium-high and high. However, the Speed Pocket feature makes them more forgiving.

“High handicappers won’t mind the loss of up and down workability of the Taylormade M4 irons. They will also appreciate the larger, more forgiving heads.

The Ping G430 irons do a better job of marrying strong lofts and low CG. They are also more workable and will appeal more to mid handicap players.”

Ping G430 Irons First Impressions

The first thing to notic about the G430’s is the size. These are large game improvement irons with thick soles, built for distance and forgivness.

The shorter hosel stands out too, with the offset of the club. It helps to lower CG and get the ball flying higher.

There’s a bit of color on the back too with the Purflex cavity badge. This dampens vibrations on mishits and it houses 7 striking zones which produce straight and high shots even when you don’t connect flush.

The visible screw in the toe stands out too. There is another weight in the hosel tip and this increases MOI across the face. These irons will fly high and straight even when you don’t connect flush.

The other thing that stands out is the lower lofts, the main reason for the distance. With that being said the CG is lower and there is an extra degree of bounce so you can still the ball in the air easily.

The 3% thinner face ensures a faster ball speed on impact and the Hydropearl 2.0 finish ensures you can game these irons effectively in any weather.

The G430’s are a serious contender overall in the game improvement market in 2023.

Taylormade M4 Irons First Impressions

The Taylormade M4 irons have a clean, cavity back design with an extended sole in the rear which looks very comforting for beginners.

This feature also made them play very well in the rough. It is very easy to launch the ball high (and far) even from the rough. We were very pleased with the feel when we struck the ball right in the sweet spot.

However, the feel gets a little thin and the sound gets a little hollow unless you are dead-center on the sweet spot.

Ping G430 Iron Selling Points

Lower COG and Increased Bounce
PurFlex Cavity Badge
3% Thinner Face
Stronger Lofts
2 MPH More Ball Speed & 7 – 10 Yards Longer
7 Hitting Zones Behind The Face
Hydropearl 2.0 Finish

Taylormade M4 Selling Points

Ribcor design
Speed Pocket
Thick sole
Plenty of offset
Premium shaft options
Strong loft

Who Are The Ping G430 Irons for?

The Ping G430 irons are certainly game improvement.

They are long, fast and forgiving but won’t be as good at shaping shots.

High handicappers are almost certainly going to need a game-improvement iron and the G430’s are right up there with the best.

Mid to Low Handicappers who struggle with consistency in their irons will also love the increased distance and forgiveness of the G430’s.

The Ping G430 Lofts

Ping G430 Club	Degree Of Loft
5i	22^o
6i	25.5^o
7i	29^o
8i	33^o
9i	37^o
PW	41^o
UW1	45.5^o
UW2	50^o
SW	54^o
LW	58^o

Distance: 97/100

Forgiveness: 95/100

Accuracy: 95/100

Feel & Control: 93/100

Overall Score: 96/100

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Who are the Taylormade M4 Irons for?

There’s no question that the Taylormade M4 irons would be great for anything struggling with distance on the fairway.

At the end of the day though, these irons do much more for beginners than play long. Beginners, who will often find themselves in the rough, will benefit from the beefy sole and strong lofts of these irons.

Even intermediate players who don’t quite have their swing speeds where they would like it to be would benefit from these irons. Even if you are mixing and matching and only using the longer Taylormade M4 irons, they could be great assets as purely distance irons.

The Taylormade M Family of Irons

The Taylormade M family of irons also includes the M2 irons. The first thing we noticed about the M2 irons compared to the Taylormade M4’s is that the M2’s don’t do as good a job at dampening harsh impact vibrations.

On full swings, the M2’s feedback gets muddied by unwanted vibration. The M2’s do have the same lofts as the M4 irons though so the flight trajectory is very similar with these two iron sets.

It should also be noted that the M2 irons don’t feature the same Ribcor design as the Taylormade M4 irons. The main difference this makes is lesser distance – or at least, harder distance.

In other words, you will have to have good accuracy and a fast swing speed to get the same kind of distance with the M2’s as you would with the Taylormade M4 irons. As such, the M2 irons are better in the bags of low handicappers.