New Ping Line Up for Ping fans

[Easygoingal]

<LI>

Driver comparison

 

 

Just Curious, where did you get this data?

[jebb]

Bob- questions for you.

First one is Ping were supposedly previously known for only bringing out a new line when technically it was superior to the last. Was that ever justified and have they now become like most other companies just releasing product at regular intervals?

Second one. If you were a high handicap Average Joe, why would you buy the K15 over the G15?

I'm a fan of the i15 and G15 and the other stuff just seems much of a muchness.

[Bob57]

[quote name='jebb' timestamp='1281287619' post='2626056']
Bob- questions for you.

First one is Ping were supposedly previously known for only bringing out a new line when technically it was superior to the last. Was that ever justified and have they now become like most other companies just releasing product at regular intervals?

Second one. If you were a high handicap Average Joe, why would you buy the K15 over the G15?

I'm a fan of the i15 and G15 and the other stuff just seems much of a muchness.
[/quote]
In the days of Karsten and the early days of John they did have longer product cycles because the stuff still worked well. But I think a combination of ball technology, USGA rules, and need for a new product just to compete has moved them to a 2 year product cycle (which on the drivers is still a long time when compared to Taylor Made and Adams). Many of the products this year are for a specific market niche. I also don't see the need for the K15 line up other than to try and get some of the Adams hybrid/iron set business. The s56s are such a small update really the big selling point is the cosmetics. Of course it gives them the opportunity to sell a conforming groove product. I think they originally weren't going to bring any conforming wedges out until Jan 2011 but realized they were losing a lot of business as people were buying more conforming wedges than originally expected. The Anser irons were really just a reaction to a specific market (Japan) where a forging is required to compete. I still see no reason why they even are bothering to bring the Anser irons here other than to have a premium priced iron set to replace the Rapture irons. The Ansers don't feel or perform as good as the S56, i15, G15 irons so they really are a niche market in the U.S. that is a unusual product for ping. The K15s are a real puzzler to me when you could just combine the G15s and G or i hybrids to make the same type set up.... I also don't see where the K15 driver is more forgiving than the G!5 draw driver. The putters are another puzzler. I thought they were trying to reduce the number of offerings to get rid of some of the confusion between lines. Instead they bring another ho hum insert putter line that in some models looks like a cheap imitation of Odyssey designs. Overall the new wedges are the real deal however.

[deadeye ruck]

Now if they would only make a redwood B60.

[CrimsonTide Golfer]

I love some PING made in US

[eerogolf]

They still are on a 2 year product cycle with their irons. The K15 is the replacement for the Rapture V2 and the Anser is a new line.

[dplasters]

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Driver comparison

 

 

Just Curious, where did you get this data?

 

that was posted by Ping_Man on twitter.

[phil75070]

[quote name='Bob57' timestamp='1281318528' post='2626886']
The K15s are a real puzzler to me when you could just combine the G15s and G or i hybrids to make the same type set up....
[/quote]

I wonder how many people buy sets "off the rack" vs ordering them from Ping? I don't think retailers will break up sets, dropping 3/4/5 irons to let a person add hybrids in their place, and stores with a large inventory of Ping irons might not even bring up the fact that sets can be ordered to an unknowing customer, pushing current inventory instead. A lot of people visiting golf stores for new sets of irons are probably in the "I want them now" mindset as well.

[Bob57]

[quote name='eerogolf' timestamp='1281405902' post='2629173']
They still are on a 2 year product cycle with their irons. The K15 is the replacement for the Rapture V2 and the Anser is a new line.
[/quote]
They didn't used to change that often, that was the point of the question. Everyone knows they are on a 2 year cycle and have been for some time now. In Karstens' day they had a more long lasting product---the eye2 and eye2+(the best selling iron in golf) lasted from 1982 to 1990s when the ISIs were introduced. Not quite a 2 year product cycle.

[eerogolf]

I don't think, they would survive if they did it that way. All other companies are coming out with stuff a lot faster, so they have to keep up. They got a new software system a couple of years ago that help cutting a lot of time out of the design process. Even with the eye 2 Karsten made many changes in the club just under the same name. Now they change the name from G5 to G10 to G15.

[Bob57]

The only major changes he made in the eye2 irons were when he brought out the eye2+ where the molds changed significantly regarding the soles. Where the scoring clubs used to sit upright on the ground the eye2+ soles flopped open when set on the ground. He did produce conforming groove sets of all models but the basic design stayed the same. Even the BeCu versions did not vary from the original designs. A friend bought a set of eye2 and eye2+ irons every year they were produced and other than the various shafts he was trying there was no visible difference in the heads. He was buying them for that reason because earlier Ping had varied designs but had also changed the name as well, so he wanted to make sure they weren't varying (KI, KII, KIII, KIV were all basically the KI with varying characteristics==rails etc). The main one he changed and didn't change the name was the KI where he softened the leading edge and added numbers to the sole where the original had a knife edge leading edge and numbers on the toe only. In reality probably not much different than today when Mizuno beat the cut muscle design to death.
To this day I still have my BeCu eye2 cavity dot set and it is the only ping iron I have ever played.

[azgolfer64]

I will have to say that I am a little disappointed to see that the Rapture Driver line is gone. If you look at the top OEM's in the industry, most of them have some type of composite driver. I think PING is missing the boat here with dropping the Rapture Driver.

[Bob57]

Looks like the Tour players agree with you as well. Many still use the original and the V2. What they don't seem to be doing very well with is the "pro" intended design in the i15. Still lots of G10 and G15 out there as well..

[collingsom1a]

[quote name='ngkimmua' timestamp='1280811644' post='2614791']
[quote name='funkyfedora' timestamp='1279941387' post='2595749']
K 15 irons look like the G15s to be honest...
[/quote]

Exactly what I felt as well!! When I look K15 iron at the updated Ping website, I keep asking myself how they let K15 be the replacement of the RatptureV2?

K15 is more like a G15 with a Ti face insert. The K15 sole is missing the tungsten weight. That's one step behind the technology bits of RaptureV2.

Am I right? Or Ping has figured something that will make K15 iron better without the tungsten sole weight?
[/quote]
You are pretty much hitting the nail on the head.

Its clear the K15 are not an improvement over the v2's. A lower priced version of the V2 it is, and its aimed directly at the golfer who hits slices, a higher handicap player. I think initially the V2 had the same aim point, but many scratch players were playing the V2 woods. Not, here....I don't see many low hdcps that will want to play with a draw biased driver.

I don't know who the K15 irons were aimed at , other than a real higher handicapper

The K15's are a repacement of the v2's, not necessarily a step up.

[ajhop84]

Had a chance to meet with my Ping Rep yesterday and test out the new products. The S56 irons feel amazing, look is very similar at address to the s57. Similar weighting, but they were flying a little further on monitors with higher trajectory. Also, stock offering of KBS Tour shafts will be great. Also the new Tour-S wedges, especially in the bronze finish felt great, very soft. Should be exciting to see the new things.

The K15 line however, I wasn't a fan. The driver, will be sold for same price as G15, will only have 1 shaft offering (TFC-149), and the head looks severely closed at address. I couldn't get distance within 8-10 yards of the G15. The irons also sounded, and looked pretty bad. Similar look to rapture. I've never been a fan of titanium faced irons, so maybe that is why I am biased against them. He did not have a Anser Iron demo, explaining that they are more forgiving that the S56, aimed towards a middle handicapper wanting the highest quality iron.

I included some in hand pics I took with my phone.

Cheers

[attachment=640745:photo-2.JPG]


[attachment=640747:photo-1.JPG]


[attachment=640746:photo.JPG]

[B T JUSTICE]

Ive pulled the trigger on the eye2 xg wedges already, just waiting a month or so for them to arrive.

From memory the lob wedge has minimal offset and the sw some offset, but much less than the 3-pw used to have.

Wouldnt mind seeing some at address photos if anyone has them though, just to set my mind at rest! Cant seem to find any shots on the website or on the general interweb.

[seena_beena]

[attachment=640779:EYE2 XG.JPG]

[Bob57]

Just looked at a couple of old sets of eye2s I have and the L wedge does have less offset than the S wedge. They might even be the same offset numbers as those but it is hard to tell because the leading edge of the wedges isn't straight. As the leading edge goes toward the hosel it is severely radiused making the offset look much more than if you just measure the hosel to the most extended part of the leading edge. Hopefully they fix the leading edge so it doesn't look so extreme. Given that .14 is still quite a bit of offset for the S wedge. I think the rep. said these won't be available until November along with the Ansers. These new ones don't seem to have as square a toe as the originals as well.

[gvogel]

[quote name='buster' timestamp='1274320519' post='2454426']
this has likely been hacked up elsewhere.. but is the 1299 price of the new forged irons for real? street price? who do they think they are scratch? miura?... mizzy make them for them? wtf??
[/quote]

For the guy that has everything, and wants more of everything.

If a guy has beaucoup $$$ and wants a nice game improvement iron - like the Cleveland CG 7's or Titleist AP1's, these could be perfect - and potentially a collector's item?

Sounds like they'll be perfect for the Japanese market.

[Bob57]

With Atwal winning last week the Ping S56 irons now have been part of 5 victories including a major. Pretty good record since their introduction and they haven't even hit the market yet (September 16 release date)... Looks like good publicity that you couldn't buy for any price. Atwal said the first time he played with the irons was during his monday qualifying round.

[Asleep]

I need some clarity on this ...

Why am I seeing so many G15 irons in tour bags, but only one set of I15s???

Just eyeballing the G15s, those soles don't scream "tour" to me?

[MrNewport]

[quote name='Bob57' timestamp='1282668069' post='2658984']
With Atwal winning last week the Ping S56 irons now have been part of 5 victories including a major. Pretty good record since their introduction and they haven't even hit the market yet (September 16 release date)... Looks like good publicity that you couldn't buy for any price. Atwal said the first time he played with the irons was during his monday qualifying round.
[/quote]

there might be one exception.....but, tour players don't play what you see in the store.

[Bob57]

[quote name='MrNewport' timestamp='1294519717' post='2883047']
[quote name='Bob57' timestamp='1282668069' post='2658984']
With Atwal winning last week the Ping S56 irons now have been part of 5 victories including a major. Pretty good record since their introduction and they haven't even hit the market yet (September 16 release date)... Looks like good publicity that you couldn't buy for any price. Atwal said the first time he played with the irons was during his monday qualifying round.
[/quote]

there might be one exception.....but, tour players don't play what you see in the store.
[/quote]


[b]YAWN![/b]

[SOONERMAGIC]

I feel dumber now................

[Harry Longshanks]

there might be one exception.....but, tour players don't play what you see in the store.