Please Ping!

[Birdie Wooster]

Now that the Glides are out in the world and being received with love, perhaps the folks at Ping could be persuaded to cast the S55 out of the softer 431 stainless. Anyone else interested?

[hound25]

The 55's already feel forged to me.

[Birdie Wooster]

I agree they feel great as they are; but presumably the new steel feels even better, or they wouldn't have switched.

[BCULAW]

Would love this. The Glide 58 ts might be the sweetest wedge I have ever chipped. I like the feel of the 55s, but the glides take it to another level.

[GolfMonster09]

[quote name='hound25' timestamp='1428349338' post='11296295']
The 55's already feel forged to me.
[/quote]

+1 here. Although not quite the forged feel from my TW VR Blades I just came from, the s55 are a great feeling iron. I really don't see the need to make the same set of irons out of two types of steel to fulfill a small percentage of customer demand. Unless they get a huge amount of interest and/or pre-orders, we'll likely have to wait for the s54 to get a softer steel players club.

And I for one am ok with that.

[Mikey Town]

[quote name='Birdie Wooster' timestamp='1428353160' post='11296879']
I agree they feel great as they are; but presumably the new steel feels even better, or they wouldn't have switched.
[/quote]

Or it could just be cheaper, lower Ping's costs, and not have an adverse effect on performance and/or durability...

There could be many reasons they would switch, and a lot of them have nothing to do with performance.

[^m9]

Hopefully Ping evolves the i series irons by using 431 SS instead of their typical 17-4. We'll see.

Then again, many of their older and current irons feel great due to their heat treatment technique.

[Socrates]

Ping will never change to 431. That's pretty final but I think you would have to kill all the Solheim's and have someone else run the company before it would happen.

[Golfdoctor]

Taylormade used 431 in some of there iron's for years. It's not cheap.

[braincramp52]

It's easier to fabricate than 431 stainless is.Just guessing but that's probably one of the reasons they use 17-4.

[easylittle5wood]

Bubba had/has his wedges custom cast out of carbon steel so they rust.

Having this available to us mere mortals would be cool.

[patrick421]

[quote name='easylittle5wood' timestamp='1428413548' post='11301769']
Bubba had/has his wedges custom cast out of carbon steel so they rust.

Having this available to us mere mortals would be cool.
[/quote]

This is false, Ping does it the Ping way no matter what not even for Bubba would they stray from how they make their clubs. Also I have never seen a picture of Bubba's wedges with rust on them and there are a million pictures on this site that Greg takes so it's not a small sample size.

[Titlemade]

[Jon H]

Cool they painted the cavity on the S55's.

[duffer888]

Pretty sure that is a rustique wedge in that Bubba bag pic. So it is either pseudo-rust or the rustiques were made with a pseudo-rust finish that was meant to wear off and rust. I don't quite remember the specifics. Either way, it was an off-the-shelf finish available to mortals.

[bladehunter]

[quote name='duffer888' timestamp='1428424357' post='11303497']
Pretty sure that is a rustique wedge in that Bubba bag pic. So it is either pseudo-rust or the rustiques were made with a pseudo-rust finish that was meant to wear off and rust. I don't quite remember the specifics. Either way, it was an off-the-shelf finish available to mortals.
[/quote]


so your saying Ping is making Faux rust???? wth? why would you do that?

[NSCohen17]

[quote name='bladehunter' timestamp='1428425166' post='11303623']
[quote name='duffer888' timestamp='1428424357' post='11303497']
Pretty sure that is a rustique wedge in that Bubba bag pic. So it is either pseudo-rust or the rustiques were made with a pseudo-rust finish that was meant to wear off and rust. I don't quite remember the specifics. Either way, it was an off-the-shelf finish available to mortals.
[/quote]


so your saying Ping is making Faux rust???? wth? why would you do that?
[/quote]

Lol! I don't think he wrote what he meant (or maybe he didn't understand what he was saying and got it right by accident).

The Tour S wedges in Bubba's bag in the photo were available in 'rustique', which was basically ping's anser (pun intended) to the oil can vokeys, raw grind clevelands, etc. Raw 8620 instead of chromed 17-4, so the rust was real. And yes, you could buy them at your local golf store - no special bubba finish (unlike his torched milled anser putter finish, which is ONLY available to him and is NOT available to mortals like us).

[bladehunter]

[quote name='NSCohen17' timestamp='1428425803' post='11303729']
[quote name='bladehunter' timestamp='1428425166' post='11303623']
[quote name='duffer888' timestamp='1428424357' post='11303497']
Pretty sure that is a rustique wedge in that Bubba bag pic. So it is either pseudo-rust or the rustiques were made with a pseudo-rust finish that was meant to wear off and rust. I don't quite remember the specifics. Either way, it was an off-the-shelf finish available to mortals.
[/quote]


so your saying Ping is making Faux rust???? wth? why would you do that?
[/quote]

Lol! I don't think he wrote what he meant (or maybe he didn't understand what he was saying and got it right by accident).

The Tour S wedges in Bubba's bag in the photo were available in 'rustique', which was basically ping's anser (pun intended) to the oil can vokeys, raw grind clevelands, etc. Raw 8620 instead of chromed 17-4, so the rust was real. And yes, you could buy them at your local golf store - no special bubba finish (unlike his torched milled anser putter finish, which is ONLY available to him and is NOT available to mortals like us).
[/quote]


cool...so a carbon ping wedge does exist!...there problem solved OP...just go find some Tour S wedges in carbon....

[cliffhanger]

cast blades... sad

[NSCohen17]

[quote name='cliffhanger' timestamp='1428426035' post='11303763']
cast blades... sad
[/quote]

What would make you say something like this? I've spent a lot of time with both S56 and X-forged (with the same PXi shaft you've got in yours). Make no mistake, the S56 feels better, and is both more forgiving and more playable than the X forged. Doesn't matter if it's forged or cast - quality is quality. In fact, and you asked for this, I would say that the Cally X-forged is by far the [i]worst[/i] feeling forged club I've ever tried, although I believe that is down to the awful PXi shaft which no one seems to like. I didn't like them enough to bother reshafting. I traded them for a set of S56s, which have become my "Florida set." BTW, my bases for comparison are MP-32 and Hogan Apex '88 and '99 - my primary gamers for the past 25+ years, so don't presume to think I don't know what a blade feels like.

Flame out.

[cliffhanger]

[quote name='NSCohen17' timestamp='1428427744' post='11304037']
[quote name='cliffhanger' timestamp='1428426035' post='11303763']
cast blades... sad
[/quote]

What would make you say something like this? I've spent a lot of time with both S56 and X-forged (with the same PXi shaft you've got in yours). Make no mistake, the S56 feels better, and is both more forgiving and more playable than the X forged. Doesn't matter if it's forged or cast - quality is quality. In fact, and you asked for this, I would say that the Cally X-forged is by far the [i]worst[/i] feeling forged club I've ever tried, although I believe that is down to the awful PXi shaft which no one seems to like. I didn't like them enough to bother reshafting. I traded them for a set of S56s, which have become my "Florida set." BTW, my bases for comparison are MP-32 and Hogan Apex '88 and '99 - my primary gamers for the past 25+ years, so don't presume to think I don't know what a blade feels like.

Flame out.
[/quote]i played the S55's... blah is all i can say

[NSCohen17]

[quote name='cliffhanger' timestamp='1428427936' post='11304079']
[quote name='NSCohen17' timestamp='1428427744' post='11304037']
[quote name='cliffhanger' timestamp='1428426035' post='11303763']
cast blades... sad
[/quote]

What would make you say something like this? I've spent a lot of time with both S56 and X-forged (with the same PXi shaft you've got in yours). Make no mistake, the S56 feels better, and is both more forgiving and more playable than the X forged. Doesn't matter if it's forged or cast - quality is quality. In fact, and you asked for this, I would say that the Cally X-forged is by far the [i]worst[/i] feeling forged club I've ever tried, although I believe that is down to the awful PXi shaft which no one seems to like. I didn't like them enough to bother reshafting. I traded them for a set of S56s, which have become my "Florida set." BTW, my bases for comparison are MP-32 and Hogan Apex '88 and '99 - my primary gamers for the past 25+ years, so don't presume to think I don't know what a blade feels like.

Flame out.
[/quote]i played the S55's... blah is all i can say
[/quote]

That's fine - everyone is entitled to like or not like any particular club, and you are free to express that opinion at whatever level your intellect allows. But I do take issue with your comment that cast blades are "sad", just becasue you didn't like them. That is a high horse moral judgment, to which you are not entitled.

[cliffhanger]

[quote name='NSCohen17' timestamp='1428428738' post='11304185']
[quote name='cliffhanger' timestamp='1428427936' post='11304079']
[quote name='NSCohen17' timestamp='1428427744' post='11304037']
[quote name='cliffhanger' timestamp='1428426035' post='11303763']
cast blades... sad
[/quote]

What would make you say something like this? I've spent a lot of time with both S56 and X-forged (with the same PXi shaft you've got in yours). Make no mistake, the S56 feels better, and is both more forgiving and more playable than the X forged. Doesn't matter if it's forged or cast - quality is quality. In fact, and you asked for this, I would say that the Cally X-forged is by far the [i]worst[/i] feeling forged club I've ever tried, although I believe that is down to the awful PXi shaft which no one seems to like. I didn't like them enough to bother reshafting. I traded them for a set of S56s, which have become my "Florida set." BTW, my bases for comparison are MP-32 and Hogan Apex '88 and '99 - my primary gamers for the past 25+ years, so don't presume to think I don't know what a blade feels like.

Flame out.
[/quote]i played the S55's... blah is all i can say
[/quote]

That's fine - everyone is entitled to like or not like any particular club, and you are free to express that opinion at whatever level your intellect allows. But I do take issue with your comment that cast blades are "sad", just becasue you didn't like them. That is a high horse moral judgment, to which you are not entitled.
[/quote]sure i am... Your actually not entitled to tell me i am not there bud

its my opinion... if you don't like it... don't respond to it

[NSCohen17]

[quote name='cliffhanger' timestamp='1428429046' post='11304235'][quote name='NSCohen17' timestamp='1428428738' post='11304185']
[quote name='cliffhanger' timestamp='1428427936' post='11304079']
[quote name='NSCohen17' timestamp='1428427744' post='11304037']
[quote name='cliffhanger' timestamp='1428426035' post='11303763']
cast blades... sad
[/quote]

What would make you say something like this? I've spent a lot of time with both S56 and X-forged (with the same PXi shaft you've got in yours). Make no mistake, the S56 feels better, and is both more forgiving and more playable than the X forged. Doesn't matter if it's forged or cast - quality is quality. In fact, and you asked for this, I would say that the Cally X-forged is by far the [i]worst[/i] feeling forged club I've ever tried, although I believe that is down to the awful PXi shaft which no one seems to like. I didn't like them enough to bother reshafting. I traded them for a set of S56s, which have become my "Florida set." BTW, my bases for comparison are MP-32 and Hogan Apex '88 and '99 - my primary gamers for the past 25+ years, so don't presume to think I don't know what a blade feels like.

Flame out.
[/quote]i played the S55's... blah is all i can say
[/quote]

That's fine - everyone is entitled to like or not like any particular club, and you are free to express that opinion at whatever level your intellect allows. But I do take issue with your comment that cast blades are "sad", just becasue you didn't like them. That is a high horse moral judgment, to which you are not entitled.
[/quote]sure i am... Your actually not entitled to tell me i am not there budits my opinion... if you don't like it... don't respond to it[/quote]

Very well thought out argument - you're entitled to an opinion but I'm not. Everyone is lining up to read the C player's sophisticated opinions on forged versus cast clubs, so don't dare call him out when he sounds like a jerk.

Bravo, arrogant troll!

[cliffhanger]

no troll here... i almost had a full bag of ping gear a year ago incl S55's... Ping rep in Canada is a moron and so after a battle with a custom club order i decided to walk away... sold all my gear and started over... too bad actually... however my initial comment was just directed at the fact that they should make a forged version... i would buy it

[setter02]

All I can say is I hope Ping doesn't read anything from people on a golf forum on what they should make because they would buy it. Case in point is the last two price point flops in the Rapture fairway and forged irons. Oh the forged irons that Ping just has to make because they don't make them...

[Titlemade]

I've hit plenty of forged clubs that aren't worth anything in the feel department. Remember that forging and casting are just two different methods to develop a face or head. The metal they use is a much more important factor in the clubs that I prefer. A lot of people don't realize that about irons like Mizuno. It's not really the fact that they are forged, it is the fact that they are 1025E Carbon Steel with a grain flow forging. They use pressure and heat to magnetize the lattice structure of the metal to align all of the domains in the same relation so that each molecule fits with better consistency across the face. This eliminates all of the air pockets in the metal. Quite a few forged clubs are more than one piece and this requires welding to complete a single head. The amount of air pockets present in weld seams would seem to be just as high as in traditional castings. This is why I don't prefer the feel of an iron like the RSi TP or Apex Pro over my Rocketbladez Tour cast Stainless.

[Socrates]

[quote name='Golfdoctor' timestamp='1428401915' post='11301095']Taylormade used 431 in some of there iron's for years. It's not cheap.[/quote][quote name='lawsonman' timestamp='1428404934' post='11301189']It's easier to fabricate than 431 stainless is.Just guessing but that's probably one of the reasons they use 17-4.[/quote]

431 doesn't cost more. It isn't more difficult to make either. It's a matter of choice by Ping. That's the way Karsten wanted it and that's the way they will continue. Even though I truly would want them to use 431.

[bladehunter]

[quote name='setter02' timestamp='1428434549' post='11305145']
All I can say is I hope Ping doesn't read anything from people on a golf forum on what they should make because they would buy it. Case in point is the last two price point flops in the Rapture fairway and forged irons. Oh the forged irons that Ping just has to make because they don't make them...
[/quote]



not that again....Ping is its own worst enemy when it comes to forged irons... its almost like a self fulfilling doomsday prophecy... they say "a ping forged iron wont sell" then they decide to make one and its as ugly as possible (my opinion of course) and price point is a good bit higher than some better forged irons out there...and then say "see I told you a ping forged iron wont sell" really????? a forged S55...that's what they should have made... end of story... and at a price that compared to mizuno and titleist ...guess what it WOULD sell!! to Ping faithful and new converts....

[NSCohen17]

[quote name='bladehunter' timestamp='1428451154' post='11307089'][quote name='setter02' timestamp='1428434549' post='11305145']
All I can say is I hope Ping doesn't read anything from people on a golf forum on what they should make because they would buy it. Case in point is the last two price point flops in the Rapture fairway and forged irons. Oh the forged irons that Ping just has to make because they don't make them...
[/quote]



not that again....Ping is its own worst enemy when it comes to forged irons... its almost like a self fulfilling doomsday prophecy... they say "a ping forged iron wont sell" then they decide to make one and its as ugly as possible (my opinion of course) and price point is a good bit higher than some better forged irons out there...and then say "see I told you a ping forged iron wont sell" really????? a forged S55...that's what they should have made... end of story... and at a price that compared to mizuno and titleist ...guess what it WOULD sell!! to Ping faithful and new converts....[/quote]

Agreed - the Ping Ansers (both versions) were stunningly unappealing. Supposedly they fit a certain 'high end' niche in the Asian market that must not exist in the US. The S56 was really the first ping I enjoyed since I put my becu eye2+s away in favor of a set of Hogan Redlines.