Ping brings i240, iDi driving irons to PGA Tour

Yahoo

3 days ago

Ping released its new G440 line of drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and irons in January, along with the new version of its Scottsdale putter family. Now the Phoenix-based equipment maker has brought two new offerings – the i240 irons and the iDi driving irons – to Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, ahead of the PGA Tour's 2025 Memorial Tournament.
While the company has not made any information about either the i240 or the iDi driving irons available for preview, based on images and previously released Ping products, there are some things we can infer.
Ping's irons clubs are typically divided into one of two families, "G" or "i" clubs. The G clubs, such as the G440 and G730, tend to be game-improvement offerings that focus on forgiveness, shot height and adding distance. The i clubs, such as the i230 and i530, are usually more feel- and control-oriented. Also, as the numbers in the names increase, Ping irons tend to grow. Fo example, the G440 has a shorter blade length than the G730, and the i230 is slightly smaller than the i530.
Seeing the name i240 tells us this latest offering is likely a club to take the place of the i230 and was designed with more-accomplished golfers in mind. Ping has not shared the materials used in the i240 irons, but the i230 irons were cast using 431 stainless steel and featured tungsten tip and toe weights. We can see a weight screw in the toe of the i240, so it's likely this feature will remain the same. Adding weight in the heel and toe areas enhances stability without make irons larger.
We can also see a rectangular slot in the back of the new i240 that appears to have been filled in with something, and the i230 has an internal elastomer insert in that area to soak up excessive vibrations and enhance feel.
That leaves the checked area behind the topline. In recent Ping irons, designers used different blends of materials and uniquely shaped back badges to enhance feel, and it appears Ping has designed a back plate that covers the upper half on the back of the i240, so this could be a new back badge made with a blend of metal and other materials.
When Ping released its first Crossover club, the G Crossover in 2016, the brand did not promote it as a driving iron. By giving it a G in the name, it signaled to fitters and Ping loyalists that the club was about forgiveness, ball-speed protection and versatility. It was designed for golfers who sought an alternative to a long iron that was similar to a hybrid but not quite as large. That club was followed by the G400 Crossover, G410 Crossover and the G425 Crossover.
The most recent version, released in 2022, is the iCrossover. Offered in three lofts – 2-iron (18 degrees), 3-iron (21 degrees) and 4-iron (24 degrees) – it features a more traditional iron-style design than earlier models.
Ping often works in two-year product cycles, but the iCrossover is now three years old. The new iDi (which features a new naming convention) could be a replacement for the Crossover and signal that with the growing popularity of high-lofted fairway woods, Ping has designed a club specifically for faster-swinging players who still prefer irons.
Ping is showing three different iDi driving irons – a 2-iron, 3-iron and 4-iron – and the clubs appear to have a hollow-body design or a large back cap that covers the entire back portion of the head. We can clearly see a toe screw, so it is safe to assume there is also an internal tungsten weight in the heel.
There are large notches in the heel of each iDi iron. By removing some material in that area, club fitters can bend the hosel more easily and change the lie angle to help golfers make consistent, solid contact more easily.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Ping i240 irons iDi driving irons PGA Tour Memorial Tournament