Rounding out PING’s iron offerings for 2024 are the longer, higher launching and more forgiving, G730 irons, and a players’ distance iron, the i530, which boasts classic muscleback blade looks and feel without sacrificing distance.

 

 

G730 IRONS

“The G730 irons are engineered for golfers who can benefit from more distance and a higher level of forgiveness and consistency to shoot lower scores,” PING CEO & President John K. Solheim said.

“The new G730 brings them all that in an easy-to-hit, confidence-inspiring design. It’s the longest and most forgiving iron in our current line-up and is a great solution to help maximise the performance of a lot of golfers. We’re excited to bring them an iron that’s engineered to make the game easier and more enjoyable.”

Maximising ball speed was the primary objective in the design of the G730 iron, helping ensure shots launch higher and fly farther for golfers who struggle with consistent face contact.

By unlocking the exceptional strength properties of hyper 17-4 stainless steel through an advanced heat treatment, our engineers thinned the larger face to increase flexing and help lower the centre of gravity, leading to significant ball-speed gains and several more yards of distance with every iron in the set.

The larger face expands the hitting surface, preserving ball speed and ensuring forgiveness on mishits. The PurFlex cavity badge, with multiple flex zones, helps control face bending while enhancing feel and producing a powerful sound.

“The added ball speed is the real difference maker in the G730 iron,” Solheim said. “It helps get the ball in the air easier and gives golfers the distance they need to hit shorter irons into the green with a higher max height, so their shots hit and hold, improving their chances of more makeable birdie putts.”

The larger head and wider sole in the investment-cast design increases the Moment of Inertia (MOI) in both axes, and a lower centre of gravity elevates forgiveness for improved accuracy and consistency.

Golfers will also notice more offset in the cavity-back design, a key contributor to getting the ball airborne easier and more consistently. The performance-enhancing hydropearl chrome 2.0 finish helps ensure consistent launch results from varying conditions.

“Since my grandfather, Karsten Solheim, pioneered forgiveness 65 years ago with the invention of perimeter weighting, golfers have come to expect the highest levels of performance from PING irons,” Solheim said. “The G730 iron furthers that reputation in a way that would make Karsten proud. Our engineers have applied modern design techniques to his proven theories, bringing golfers the forgiveness and consistency they need to improve their accuracy and lower their scores by hitting more greens.”

With an eye toward increasing distance but also optimizing gaps to best fit the golfer, the standard lofts are custom engineered to ensure set configurations that maximise performance throughout the bag. The four wedges in the set feature machined faces and grooves for added control. The option of power (stronger) and retro (weaker) spec lofts allows fitters to further optimise performance.

i530 IRONS

“The continued popularity of distance irons has been an interesting and fun challenge for our engineers, especially in the players category where there is such an emphasis on the look of the iron,” Solheim said.

“In the case of the i530 iron, we’ve developed a stunning design that delivers significant distance gains through its innovative face technology along with the added benefit of control. We refer to it as a ‘playable distance’ iron.

“It appeals to the golfer whose primary goal is more distance who also relies on the precision of a players-style iron. That means longer iron shots with the consistency and predictability to stop the ball closer to the hole.”

Distance gains come from multiple sources, including an internal weight pad that provides a deeper and thinner face-to-sole transition, ensuring more face flexing and pushing mass down to lower the centre of gravity for more ball speed. The forged, highly flexible maraging steel C300 face is precisely welded to a 17-4 stainless steel hollow body. A polymer applied inside the head on the back of the face improves feel and sound while maximising face bending.

The body design contributes to distance by accentuating face bending. The lower CG is more aligned with where impact occurs, and distance-optimised lofts help ensure more distance and higher max height for green-holding results. Three loft configurations (Standard, Power and Retro) are available to optimise a golfer’s launch conditions during the custom-fitting process.

Blade enthusiasts will appreciate the thin top line, narrow sole and shallow face height. The i530’s clean, premium look features a new machining technique that thins the back wall of the hollow-body design, saving weight to increase forgiveness and tighten dispersion for greater accuracy along with the added distance. Precision-milled MicroMax grooves combine with the hydropearl chrome 2.0 finish to ensure consistent launch and spin from all conditions.

“We’re seeing significant distance gains with the i530 iron mainly due to its higher face flexing and bending,” Solheim said. “It’s a great fit for the golfer whose top priority is more distance, including someone who may have lost yards with their current irons over time. It also has a level of forgiveness not typically found in distance irons. It’s packed with performance. It looks great, feels great and more importantly, will lead to lower scores and more enjoyment on the course.”

Availability: G730 irons – 5 to 9 iron, PW, UW, 50°, 56°. i530 irons – 4 to 9-iron, PW, UW.

RRP: G730 $350 (per iron stock steel shaft), $380 (stock graphite shaft). i530 $380 (per iron stock steel shaft), $410 (stock graphite shaft).

For more information, visit www.americangolf.com.au or www.ping.com