Ping iBlade Vs. Ping i59 Irons Comparison Overview
Ping makes some impressive premium irons but it can be hard to choose the right one for your game. Which features are superfluous and which ones actually serve a practical purpose?
This was the question we had in mind when we tested the Ping i59 and the iBlade irons from Ping.
In the following comparison article, we will be telling you about the features of both of these irons and which ones actually offer practical value to the mid to low handicapper.
Ping iBlade Irons Overview
The Ping iBlade irons feature an activated elastomer insert and tungsten weighting fused into the toe of each blade.
The face is also made 421 stainless steel which does in fact work to give these irons a softer overall feel on full swings.
The elastomer insert behind the face does probably increase ball speed; but not by much. In fact, if you are looking for distance, you are looking in the wrong place with these irons.
What made the most practical sense of all these features was the infused tungsten weight exclusive to the toes of these irons. This toe-bias weighting was really noticeable on full swings.
We could feel the face opening up effortlessly on the longer irons.
The iBlades also feature machined soles with their hydropearl finish. This made a moderate improvement to turf interaction and improved the overall feel of these irons by a bit.
Ping i59 Irons Overview
The Ping i59 irons have an aluminum face insert and extreme perimeter weighting in the toe and the tip of the shaft.
These features alone are enough to to make a significant impact on your swing. While the heads of the Ping i59 irons are very compact, the surface area you have to work with on the face is effectively enhanced with this aluminum insert which shifts weight to the perimeter of the face.
This means more distance and ball speed on shots near the toe, heel, sole and crown. Then, the toe and shaft tip weighting increase MOI to a very high degree and help keep the head nice and balanced on the downswing.
Overall, we think the features of the Ping i59 irons made more of a positive impact on performance. They increase forgiveness, help with distance and enhance the feel of these irons. The iBlades feel nice too; but offer less in terms of performance improvement.
Ping i59 Irons
Category: Player’s Performance
Ping iBlade Irons
Category: Player’s Performance
Ping i59 Irons First Impressions
The Ping i59 irons felt good off the deck thanks to a strong aluminum insert that enhances feel while pushing the ball for better speeds.
What we were most surprised at though was the forgiveness of these player’s performance irons. Even though the i59’s are smaller, they are comparably forgiving on off-center shots.
A lot of weight is saved at the center of the heads of these clubs thanks to the super thin aluminum. That weight is displaced around the perimeter so you get more distance on strikes away from the sweet spot.
While you still need to be able to make consistent contact with the ball, you get a lot of help at that point even if you aren’t square up to it.
The Ping i59 irons are a good mixture of forgiveness, distance and short-game control. They don’t feel too bad either.
Ping iBlade Irons First Impressions
We could notice the impact of the tungsten toe weight right away. The club face opens up almost effortlessly and the twist is dramatically reduced.
This was an interesting choice for Ping but then again, they have made very interesting irons that appeal to seemingly small niches of players in the past.
The toe-bias weighting will be a nice touch for the low or mid handicap player who is having a bit of trouble squaring up – especially with the short irons.
Other than that, we could tell that there was a lot more surface space to work with in the Ping iBlade irons. This is due in part to the elastomer insert that effectively creates more contact space on the face.
Like the Blueprint irons however, the Ping iBlade’s have milled face grooves that help control greenside spin and ball flight.
Added forgiveness is the name of the game with these irons. Forgiveness seems to have been a main point of emphasis for the R&D boys in charge of the Ping iBlade project.
Ping i59 Irons Selling Points
- These irons have a superior feel with a forged carbon steel body
- They feel soft on full swings
- Incredibly tight spacing
- The machined grooves provide for excellent control
- Insane MOI for a player’s iron
- Clean muscle back design
Ping iBlade Irons Selling Points
- More forgiving than the Blueprint irons
- Toe-biased weighting
- They do a good job of gliding through the turf thanks to a contoured sole
- Elastomer insert helps increase ball speeds
- They play a bit longer than the Ping Blueprint irons
- Hydropearl finish
Who are the Ping i59 Irons for?
The Ping i59 irons would be a good fit for anyone looking for a solid combination of forgiveness and greenside control.
This is a very unique set – and for this reason, we feel like the market for them might be rather small. You have to be able to strike the ball consistently with a smaller head but the MOI is ridiculous in these irons.
So they will be great for a smaller niche of players who are probably hovering around the 7, 8 9 handicap range.
The i Family
Of course, the counterpart to the Ping i59 irons are the Ping i210 irons. The bottom line is that the i59 irons have the superior feel and more compact heads.
Ping i59 Irons Final Assessment
Distance: 93/100
Accuracy: 95/100
Forgiveness: 92/100
Feel & Control: 94/100
Overall Score: 94/100
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Who are the Ping iBlade Irons for?
The Ping iBlade irons are a bit more forgiving so unlike the Ping Blueprints, you can expect to get some performance from them if you are a mid handicapper.
Also, if you have a problem with closing up the face on impact, these would be a good premium set to check out.
We feel like these would be a good set of clubs for mid handicap players looking to break into low handicap territory as well.
They will carry you through the threshold and provide some lasting value as you really fine-tune your game – especially since these clubs also have milled face grooves.
Ping iBlade Irons Final Assessment
Distance: 93/100
Accuracy: 94/100
Forgiveness: 91/100
Control & Feel: 94/100
Overall Score: 93/100
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