Taylormade P770 vs Ping i500 Irons Review & Specs 2023
Are you ready to step up to a muscle-backed iron? Is your game on the cusp of a significant handicap drop? Then you have probably been shopping for new irons as of late.
The options can be dizzying and it can be hard to tell which irons will actually advance your game and which ones are all hype?
But today we are going to make your decision a bit easier for you by comparing a couple of the most popular game-improvement iron sets currently available.
A Brief History
If you were a fan of the Taylormade P790 irons because of their distance then you should definitely be considering the P770’s.
They pack all the same distance features into a smaller head with more precise short-game tuning for advanced/advancing players.
The Ping i500 irons made a splash when they debuted back in 2018. They were among the first iron types that married distance with a muscle-back design and a slimmer profile.
Taylormade P770 Key Features
Right off the bat you will notice that the Taylormade P770 irons have a compact head shape and understated offset.
The Taylormade P770’s also feature a hollow body design and Taylormade’s Speedfoam technology which incorporates a urethane filling into the head.
Ping i500 Key Features
The Ping i500 irons, like the Taylormade P770’s, feature a muscle-back design which acts as a kind of hinge so that the face can flex more.
The i500’s also have a compact head design that sacrifices offset for ball speed.
Loft Comparison
Taylormade P770 Loft |
Ping i500 |
|
3 Iron |
19.5 |
18 |
4 Iron |
22.5 |
21 |
5 Iron |
25.5 |
24 |
6 Iron |
29 |
27 |
7 Iron |
33 |
30.5 |
8 Iron |
37 |
35 |
9 Iron |
41.5 |
40 |
Taylormade P770 Options
- KBS Tour Steel shaft
- Z Grip 360 Grey/Black grip
- Stiff, extra stiff
Overall Score: 96/100
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Ping i500 Options
- PING Alta CB shaft
- PING AWT 2.0 shaft
- True Temper Dynamic Gold shaft
- True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 shaft
- True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 shaft
- KBS Tour shaft
- Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 105 shaft
- Project X LZ shaft
- UST Recoil ES SmacWrap shaft
- True Temper Elevate 95 shaft
- Regular, stiff, extra stiff and soft regular flexes shaft
Overall Score: 94/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
Length & Lie Comparison
Ping i500 Length/Lie |
Titleist P770 Length/Lie |
|
3 Iron |
39 ½”/60 |
39”/60.5 |
4 Iron |
38 7/8”/60.5 |
38.50”/61 |
5 Iron |
38 ¼”/61 |
38”/61.5 |
6 Iron |
37 5/8”/ 61.5 |
37.50”/62 |
7 Iron |
37”/62 |
37”/62.5 |
8 Iron |
36 ½”/ 62.8 |
36.50”/63 |
9 Iron |
36”/63.5 |
36”/63.5 |
Who Is Each Set Better For?
This is a bit of a tough comparison because these two iron sets are the same in many ways. Both feature compact heads with little offset so right off the bet, they simply aren’t for beginners. Overall we would say the Taylormade P770’s offer more in terms of forgiveness though.
So if you are a mid-handicapper we would say that the 770’s would have more to offer you. They would be especially congenial to any player who has become accustomed to Taylormade’s Speedfoam and the feel they provide. Or, anyone who prefers a hollow-body design.
On the other hand, if forgiveness is not a deal-breaker for you, the Ping i500’s give great distance in the long irons and spin control in the short irons. In fact their main selling point is that they’re distance irons so they would be better for anyone looking to get down the fairway faster.
Composition Comparison
The Ping i500 feature a dual steel head design. The face is made of C300 forged steel while the body is made of 17-4 grade stainless steel. This gives the longer irons an almost fairway wood type of feel. They are available in steel and graphite shafts.
Meanwhile, Taylormade utilized a soft carbon steel body for their 770’s along with a forged 4140 grade steel face that actually wraps over the edges of the perimeter. There are also tungsten weights in the heels and toes of the longer irons.
Distance & Feel Comparison
The 770’s felt great. The Speedfoam effectively dampens excess vibration while at the same time providing more flex at the face for higher ball speeds.
But that doesn’t mean they played longer. While the all steel design of the i500 heads didn’t feel as congenial as the 770’s, they played consistently longer by about 9 yards.
Performance & Forgiveness Comparison
There’s no doubt that the Taylormade P770 irons were more forgiving.
The inverted cone technology (ICT) essentially broadens the sweet spot outward towards the toe of the clubs. But these irons suffered a bit when it came to carry distance.
The Ping i500 certainly weren’t as forgiving but the milled grooves in the smaller irons did provide more feel which led to better spin control.
Price Comparison
The Ping i500’s will cost you about $1,130 for a complete set while the Taylormade P770’s retail for around $1,400 new.
Other Irons To Consider
Titleist T200
Featuring the same tungsten perimeter weighting as the Taylormade P770’s but with the polymer Max Impact insert for more ball speed.
Overall Score: 94/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
Callaway Mavrik
The Mavrik’s feature Callaway’s 360 Face Cup which enhances the rebound of the face for higher flex at impact.
Overall Score: 96/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
Taylormade Sim Max Irons
The SIM Max irons feature the speed bridge which connects the top line and the sole for better stability across the face.
Overall Score: 98/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
The Final Assessment
So which of these sets is the better game-improvement muscle-back option? That will depend on exactly where you’re at with your game. If you are still struggling to break 90, we would go with the Taylormade P770’s. They have more features designed for forgiveness.
But if you think distance and greenside spin control could really help you take that next leap, we would recommend picking up a set of the Ping i500’s. As always it’ll pay to be self-aware in terms of your game. So know thyself and check out these iron sets!