Are Ping Eye 2 Irons Still Good? Are They Forgiving for High Handicappers?

Are Ping Eye 2 Irons Still Good? Are They Forgiving for High Handicappers?

“There is a reason people are still talking about irons that have been around since the 80’s: the Ping Eye 2 irons have the essential forgiveness and game improvement appointments that are still featured in modern irons.”

When the Ping Eye 2 irons were first released, they were marketed as irons for the average golfer. And their design rings true to that mission statement. But golf club manufacturing and testing has evolved a lot since the 80’s.

In fact, we are even using AI-driven computers to develop optimal irons. So do the Ping Eye 2 have anything to offer the mid to high handicapper in 2023? Let’s take a detailed look to find out.

Are the Ping Eye 2 Irons Still Good?

“We had a golden opportunity to test these irons out for ourselves and we must say, they have comparable sound and feel to modern Ping irons.”

We were very surprised at how familiar these irons felt even though we had never tested them before. It’s clear that some of the design elements (the offset hosel for example) that went into the Ping Eye 2’s are present in modern Ping irons.

However, there were some things that were simply missing. For example, multi-material construction to mimic the effects of metal woods was not really a thing for irons back in the 80’s.

The main benefit of multi-material construction is better ball speed. So right off the bat, the Ping Eye 2’s were at a disadvantage. They are still forgiving and viable for players who are struggling with accuracy; but they may lack the ball speed that modern irons offer.

Are the Ping Eye 2’s Forgiving for High Handicappers?

“One thing that the Ping Eye 2’s still are is forgiving.”

The Ping Eye 2 irons feature perimeter weighting to stabilize the head on off-center shots and an offset hosel. The offset hosel will make it easier to square up at impact which will increase accuracy and promote straighter ball flight

Ping Eye 2 Vs. The Ping G425 Irons

“It’s old Vs. new in this iron comparison.”

Speaking of multi-material design, the Ping G425 irons produce considerably more ball speed than the Ping Eye 2’s because of the different materials used for the head and the face.

The G425’s sport modern features like variable face thickness and a cascading sole. The G425’s also have much stronger lofts. The G425’s flew an average of 9 yards longer than the Ping Eye 2’s but forgiveness was comparable.

Ping Eye 2 First Impressions

“The first thing we noticed about the Ping Eye 2 irons is the dot lie angle system.”

The dots on the backs of the club heads indicate the lie angle of each club. This is the degree of uprightness for each iron and should be adjusted based on the height of the player.

This is a unique system that you just don’t see anymore, except with Ping. We also noticed the ridiculously weak lofts of these irons that give them incredibly high launch angles.

Ping Eye 2 Irons Selling Points

• They produce effortless and very high apex height
• The dot lie system
• They are perimeter weighted
• Stainless steel construction
• Today, they can be outfitted with graphite shafts as well as the original steel shafts
• They have a soft feel
• Very durable construction

Ping Eye 2 Key Technology

“While iron manufacturing technology has come a long way in the 30+ years since the Ping Eye 2’s were introduced, they still have essential features for beginners and high handicappers.”

Dot Eye System: Different Ping Eye 2 models (not all of them are easy to find today) had different color dots in the back of the club head. The different colors indicated different lie angles.

Cavity Back Design: Like any good game improvement  iron, the Ping Eye 2’s feature cavity backs which help the face flex to produce more ball speed and forgiveness.

Expanded Toe Area: Ping was among the first manufacturers to anticipate the common misses of high and mid handicappers. So they expanded the hitting zone around the toe to promote more toe-side forgiveness.

Refined Sole: While not as meticulously designed as modern irons, the soles of the Ping Eye 2 were revolutionary in their time. In fact, when we tested them, we found that they still provide excellent turf interaction.

Ping Eye 2 Loft & Lie

Club	Loft	Lie
1 Iron	16	58
2 Iron	18.50	58.50
3 Iron	21.50	59.50
4 Iron	24.70	60
5 Iron	28.50	61
6 Iron	32	61.50
7 Iron	36	62.50
8 Iron	40.20	63
9 Iron	45	64

Who Should Buy the Ping Eye 2 Irons?

“The Ping Eye 2 irons would still be a good fit for any high handicapper struggling to get the ball up in the air.”

Yes, the Ping Eye 2’s are dated in terms of manufacturing and features. But they still have it where it counts for high handicappers. They provide a degree of forgiveness that rivals that of modern game improvement irons.

They also produce ridiculously high launch angles which isn’t for everyone; but will be a huge boon for players who struggle to get adequate apex height. The Ping Eye 2 irons are a blast from the past but their forgiveness and ease of use makes them viable after all these years.

Distance: 93/100
Forgiveness: 95/100
Workability: 92/100
Overall Performance: 93/100
Value: 93/100

Overall Score: 93/100

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Ping Eye 2 FAQs

Can you still play Ping Eye 2 irons? – Yes, they are only available second hand but are still in use by many golfers today. For USGA regulated gameplay, any Eye 2 irons that were produced before 1990 are still legal for tournament play.

When did they stop making Ping Eye 2? – While the exact date is disputed to this day, it would appear that manufacturing of all Ping Eye 2 irons (regardless of the grind version) stopped sometime in 1985.

Are Ping Eye 2 irons cast or forged? – The Ping Eye 2 irons are most definitely cast irons.

Should I replace 20 year old irons? – It will depend on your play style and the condition of your irons. If you have taken a long hiatus from the game and want to start playing again, you may find that your 20-year old irons still serve you well. But they should be replaced if they are rusted, dinged or otherwise damaged.

What do the colors mean on Ping Eye 2 irons? – The colors indicate the lie angle of the club and the shaft length.

What is the difference between Ping Eye 2 red dot and black dot? – Red indicated a 1 degree (flat) lie angle and a shaft length of 29-30 inches. A black dot indicated a neutral lie angle and a shaft length of 30 to 31 inches.

Does 2 degrees upright make a difference? – Yes. 2 degrees upright will indicate your wrist to floor shaft length and should correspond with your height.

Does 1 degree upright make a difference? – Yes, it will make a difference for fitting as it refers to a specific shaft length (wrist to floor).

What happens if your irons are too upright? – If your irons are too upright for your height the toe will sit above the turf and you’ll likely pull the ball.

Do shorter golfers need flatter clubs? – In general, shorter players do better with flatter lie angles.

How do I know if my irons are too upright? – If your toe sits above the turf behind the ball, your irons may be too upright.