Are Ping i10 Irons Still Good in 2023? Are They Forgiving for High Handicappers?

Are Ping i10 Irons Still Good in 2023? Are They Forgiving for High Handicappers?

“The Ping i10 irons came out in 2008. They were billed as game improvement irons but their design certainly belies that classification.”

The first thing that most golfers will notice about the Ping i10 irons is that they have a more compact head shape compared to the comparable Pig G10 irons. However, that doesn’t automatically make them unusable for beginners and high handicappers.

We wanted to see if the Ping i10 irons still have something to offer high handicappers in 2023. After all, they came out 15 years ago and a lot has changed since then in terms of iron technology and design. So we went out and tested the full set to see how the Ping i10 irons stack up to modern irons.

Are Ping i10 Irons Still Good?

“The Ping i10 irons feature a rear rib that runs across the back of the head. They also feature progressive offset.”

At a glance, you would think that the Ping i10 irons weren’t beneficial for high handicappers. You can see right away that they have a compact head, narrow topline and narrow sole. However, the Ping i10 irons have a thin face that is supported by the rib that runs along the back of the head.

The thin face in tandem with the rear bar drastically improves ball speed even if you are a high handicap player. The Ping i10’s also features progressive offset. As you move up the set to the long irons, you get a bit more offset to help players square the face at impact.

So are the Ping i10 irons still good in 2023? We would say yes in a general sense. The departments where the Ping i10’s fall short (compared to newer irons) are feel and softness. Because the Ping i10’s are cast irons, they lose a lot in terms of feel and softness when compared to newer, forged irons. Other than that though the Ping i10’s are a unique combo of forgiveness and compact design.

Are the Ping i10’s Forgiving for High Handicappers?

“The Ping i10 irons are probably better for mid to low handicappers.”

While Ping did their best to make these smaller irons forgiving with features like perimeter weighting, the size makes them a better play for mid and low handicappers. The long irons in this set would still be good for high handicappers though.

They have a decent amount of offset and have nice, low CG. So if you’re a high handicapper  and you want to upgrade your long irons, the Ping i10’s should definitely be on your radar.

Ping i10 Vs Ping G410 Irons

“The Ping G410 irons have a more classic cavity back design and feature short blades and perimeter weighting.”

Like the Ping i10 irons the G410’s are supremely workable. Better players will love both of these iron sets. However, the G410’s distinguish themselves by being a bit more forgiving than the Ping i10’s. The cascading sole and thin face of the G410’s allow for more forgiveness across the face.

The Ping G410 irons also have much stronger lofts so they produce the low, penetrating flight that better players love. In terms of distance, the Ping G410 irons play longer than the Ping i10. While you will still have to have at least a moderate swing speed, the G410’s will still play longer than the Ping i10’s nine times out of ten.

Ping i10 First Impressions

“The first thing we noticed about the Ping i10 irons was the compact head design.”

The Ping i10’s actually look quite intimidating at first. At the point of address, you don’t see a chunky sole and the topline is also quite narrow. However, they feel very balanced in the hands and especially on your downswing. The low CG and perimeter weighting make them very comfortable to swing and allows even higher handicap players to square the face up nicely.

The Ping i10 irons are also very stable and consistent. They produce very tight shot dispersion from the long irons all the way down to the wedges. The Ping i10’s also have very weak loft so they produce impressive apex height. This is a great performance element especially in the scoring irons as they land dead on fast greens.

Ping i10 Selling Points

• Perimeter weighting
• Thin topline
• Progressive offset
• Thin soles
• Tight shot dispersion
• Rear stabilizing rib

Ping i10 Key Technology

By today’s standards, the Ping i10 irons are pretty basic. The technology is overall simple; but that doesn’t mean these irons are ineffective. Let’s take a look at some of the key features and technology.

Rear Support Rib: The rib that runs along the back of the head (heel side to toe side) helps to stabilize the thin face. This allows the face to flex more while still providing consistent flight and tight shot dispersion.

Perimeter Weighting: The Ping i10 irons have weights in the toe and the hosel. This will help higher handicap players square the face. It also increases forgiveness on shots made away from the sweet spot.

Progressive Offset: More offset in the long irons means more forgiveness for mid and high handicap players. The shorter irons have less offset to enhance greenside control and accuracy.

Ping i10 Club Specs

Club	Loft	Lie
2 iron	18.5	58.50
3 iron	21	59.25
4 iron	24	60
5 iron	27	60.75
6 iron	30.5	61.50
7 iron	34	62.25
8 iron	38	63
9 iron	42	63.75

Who Should Buy the Ping i10 Irons?

“In 2023, the Ping i10 irons are still a solid play for golfers in the 12-21 handicap range.”

The compact heads and thin top lines will certainly give high handicappers and beginners a challenge to surmount right out of the gate. For that reason, we wouldn’t recommend the Ping i10 for straight up beginners. However, the Ping i10 irons are great if you are a bit more experienced and consistent with your swing.

The scoring irons are amazing and will certainly help better players score eagle more often. You do lose a certain degree of feel and softness compared to newer forged irons. The Ping i10 irons are cast so the feedback isn’t as acute as newer irons. They are also not the longest irons on the block. The high launch certainly takes away from the roll distance and overall distance.

Still, these are great irons for mid handicappers and low 20 handicappers because they allow for a high degree of control. If you don’t mind a sort of clunky feel at impact, the Ping i10 irons are great scoring irons.

Distance: 94/100

Forgiveness: 93/100

Workability: 96/100

Overall Performance: 95/100

Value: 95/100

Overall Score: 95/100