Taylormade M2 Vs. Ping G400 Irons Comparison Overview

If you are a high handicap player looking to break into the mid handicap range and improve your iron game, it can be difficult to choose between a set of pure distance irons or game-improvement irons that mimic the look and control of player’s performance irons.

The lines between the different categories of clubs seems to be getting blurrier by the day but that’s why we composed today’s comparison overview. Today we will be looking at two very different iron sets that occupy the same game-improvement space.

Taylormade M2 Irons Overview

The Taylormade M2 irons are big, beefy and may be just what you need if you are struggling with distance.

The M2 irons are exactly what golfing neophytes need: irons with a large head profile, broad sweet spots and ones that provide plenty of distance. The M2’s have moderately wide soles and just enough offset to straighten out your shot.

Our testers also noted that the M2’s have a very low, comfortable and forgiving center of gravity. You don’t need to be very accurate with these irons to get good distance either. Our high handicap testers were able to get achieve an average distance of 172 yards with the 4 iron in this set.

These are great irons if you have a slow swing speed too.

Ping G400 Irons Overview

The Ping G400 irons are sort of barely game improvement irons.

We liked that they kept up with the M2 irons in terms of distance. In fact, our faster swing speed testers were able to use the Ping G400 4 iron to achieve an average distance of 177 yards. However, you will need to be more accurate with these irons.

That being said, the Ping G400 irons have a more compact head profile so they naturally lend themselves to workability. They are more viable from a variety of lies than the Taylormade M2 irons and in the right hands, they will be very versatile.

Apex height in the shorter irons was also better than the M2 irons which makes the Ping G400’s better for attacking fast greens.

The M2 irons certainly have their place – they are no-nonsense distance irons that are very easy to pick up and start playing effectively with. However, the Ping G400 irons offer more to high/mid handicap players. While not the right choice for every player, they provide better overall performance.

Ping G400 Irons

Category – Game Improvement Irons

Taylormade M2 Irons

Category – Game Improvement/ Distance 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.

Taylormade M2 – First Impressions

The M2 have been extremely popular since their release in 2017 and set the blueprint for the modern Sim 2 Irons that we see on the market today.

The heads on the M2 clubs are smaller and more compact than traditional Game Improvement Irons and they are built for distance more than forgiveness.

The incorporate technology like a face slot for forgiveness on off center hits and a speed pocket to maximize ball speed.

Tungsten weighting lowers the COG of the irons making it easy to get an effective launch angle.

These Irons are perfect for improving players to get maximum distance while also having tremendous feel for high to mid handicappers.

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

M2 Irons – Selling Points

Compact Heads
Tungsten Weighting
Defined Leading Edge For Workability
Face Slots For Forgiveness
Speed Pocket For Ball Speed
Competitive Price ($500 For The Set)

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.

Distance: 97/100

Accuracy: 96/100

Forgiveness: 95/100

Feel and Control: 96/100

Overall Score: 96/100

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Who Are The M2 Irons For?

The M2 are going to be perfect for Mid Handicappers that are looking to pick up a bargain.

The irons are primarily built for distance but they also have forgiveness and easy launching built in.

The well defined leading edge, ensures quality turf interaction given these irons the feel need for better players.

Overall, if you’re looking to improve your game and get straight distance, the M2’s are going to be a great option

The Family Of Irons

The M2 started the M series which is the backbone for the irons we see today. The M4 and M6 offered significant new features like the speed bridge and added more forgiveness but the M2’s still easily hold their own.