Ping K15 Irons Review - What Handicap Are They For? Are They Forgiving?

Ping K15 Irons Review – What Handicap Are They For? Are They Forgiving?

“When the Ping K15 irons first came out, they were billed as game improvement irons, promising launch and straighter shots for slicers.”

Ping K15 Irons Overview

“The Ping K15’s are cavity back irons that look really nice behind the ball.”

If you’re a high handicapper that is. When we got our hands on the Ping K15, we were certain of one thing right away: that these were truly game improvement irons. In fact, we would go as far as to say that these are super game improvement irons.

The Ping K15’s have thick top lines, chunky soles and a significant face area. They look great at address if you’re a high handicapper because the head is expansive, giving you more of a hitting area.

These are fairly weak-lofted irons with the 9-iron checking in at 40°. The loft, low CG and the chunky sole work together to produce very high-arcing shots – another plus for high handicappers.

Are the Ping K15 Irons Forgiving?

“Absolutely. Almost everything about these irons was designed to be forgiving.”

In addition to the large head profile, the Ping K15 irons feature stainless steel bodies and titanium faces. The titanium faces are exceptionally thin and work with the stainless steel body to create a metal-wood type flexing effect.

Even if you have a swing speed in the low 80 MPH range, you should be able to increase your drive distance thanks to better ball speed. The Ping K15’s also have an anti-slice design which, obviously, is good for players struggling against a slice.

Now if you already have a tendency to draw the ball, you will likely notice your ball flying way too far left. But for a slice, these irons work very well. The Ping K15’s work well even in the rough. The chunky sole allows them to resist twisting even in hearty grasslike Bermuda. What you end up with is a straighter and more stable shot.

Are the Ping K15 Irons Good for Beginners & High Handicappers?

“They are excellent for both beginners and high handicappers.”

The reason for this is that Ping seems to have covered all the bases. For anyone trying to achieve a straighter shot with their long iron, the Ping K15’s anti-slice design will help. For anyone trying to get more distance from their irons, the high-flex, ultra-thin titanium face will help.

For players who often find themselves in the rough, the chunky soles of the Ping K15 irons will come to the rescue. The Ping K15’s irons are some of the best irons for beginners and high handicappers that the company has ever produced – and to think they came out almost 13 years ago.

Should you Buy the Ping K15’s or the Ping G15’s?

“The G15 irons mirror the Ping K15’s in a few key ways.”

For instance, they sport a similar head profile. The G15 irons also feature a generous cavity back to enhance MOI and by proxy, forgiveness. However, the G15 irons place more of an emphasis on perimeter weighting and lightweight design.

While we would say that the Ping G15 irons would be good to help you get your club speed up, overall they are not as forgiving as the Ping K15 irons. So it’s safe to say that the Ping G15 irons are game improvement irons; but they are not super game improvement irons like the Ping K15’s are.

Ping K15 Irons

Category – Game Improvement Irons

Ping K15 – First Impressions

“Looking at the Ping K15’s behind the ball, you can see exactly who they were designed for.”

The wide top line, chunky sole and long blade lengths leave no question that the Ping K15’s were designed with high handicappers in mind. When we started singing the Ping K15’s we noticed good carry distance almost immediately.

One thing to note about these irons is that 3-6 are actually hybrid irons. You don’t start seeing the traditional iron design until you get to the 5 iron. No matter what slub you use in this set though, you are sure to notice the offset.

The Ping K15’s have very generous offset which once again, look great if you are a high handicapper. These are slice-stopping irons and the CG is nice and low too. They will help straighten out your shots and help you stay on the fairway.

All that being said, don’t expect the Ping K15’s to be very workable – they’re not. But then again, that’s not what they were designed for.

Ping K15 Selling Points

Titanium face
Stainless steel body
Anti-slice design
Pronounced offset
Deep cavity backs

Who Are the Ping K15 Irons for?

So what handicap would the Ping K15 irons suit best?

Well, if you are playing in the 20-25+ range, you will surely benefit from these irons. They aren’t workable at all so they wouldn’t suit any low handicap player.

Instead, what you get is a decent boost in distance; but a significant boost in accuracy. The sweet spot is substantial and even on shots made away from the massive sweet spot, we noticed that flight trajectory and ball speed were comparable to on-target strikes.

Another thing that endeared the Ping K15 irons to our high handicap testers was the feedback on errant shots. The Ping K15’s provide subtle feedback when you miss the sweet spot; but not enough to be uncomfortable. So these are great irons for learning the game – yet another aspect that makes them great for beginners and high

The G Family of Irons

If you are looking for a more modern set of Ping irons but still want a good degree of forgiveness, you could also check out the Ping G425 irons.

The Ping G425 irons feature extreme perimeter weighting in a package that is more compact than the Ping K15. They are certainly more workable than the Ping K15 so they are a bit better if you are looking for all-around performance.

The only knock we have against the Ping G425’s as they compare to the Ping K15’s is that the G425’s have narrower soles which detracts a bit from smooth turf interaction. If performance from the rough is a major concern for you, then the Ping K15 irons may still be the best option.