Ping S57 Irons Review – What Handicap Are They for? Are They Forgiving?

Ping S57 Irons Review – What Handicap Are They for? Are They Forgiving?

“The Ping S57 Irons were one of the first player’s performance bladed irons designed by Ping.”

Ping S57 Irons Overview

“Once you look at these irons behind the ball, it becomes clear what category they fall into.”

These are compact bladed irons and they definitely fit into the player’s performance cavity despite the fact that they have sizable cavity backs. Within that cavity is a polymer badge that is there for damping unwanted vibrations.

Overall, I liked the looks of these irons. They sport a chrome finish; but it isn’t so shiny that you get glare in your eyes on sunny days. The top line looks thin, the soles are narrow and they even look good in the bag.

But it’s not all about looks with the Ping S57’s. There are some forgiveness features packed into the compact heads. First of all, you have a tungsten sole weight that helps lower the CG and prevents twisting on mis-hits. Then there is an additional tungsten weight in the sole to improve shot stability on high-toe mis-hits.

I found that when I needed to hit a straight shot down the gut of the fairway, I was able to do so even when I slightly missed the sweet spot. And thanks to the compact shape and clean contact, I was able to hit high draws and low fades almost at will.

I would say that the distance is average and that it really depends on your swing speed. I was able to get 151 yards out of the 7-iron in this set, which is pretty average for me.

Are the Ping S57 Irons Forgiving?

“You do actually get moderate forgiveness out of these player’s performance irons.”

The tungsten weighting in the sole and toe really helps stabilize most of your shots. The low CG will also help players get the ball airborne. But one of the more interesting features of the Ping S57 was the sole shape. It reminded me of the V-shaped Srixon soles.

The sole starts very narrow near the heel and widens a bit as it progresses to the toe. For me, this increased the forgiveness factor of the Ping S57 irons because it made it easier to square the face at impact.

Of course, the short blade length and compact head will be challenging for some players to get used to. But I think Ping did a good job of maintaining a good amount of  forgiveness in a player’s performance iron.

Are the Ping S57 Irons Good for Beginners & High Handicappers?

“Perhaps for 18-22 handicappers; but not for pure beginners.”

There just isn’t enough side-to-side leeway for pure beginners who are sure to produce some hosel rockets, thin shots and extreme toe mis-hits. But there is still enough forgiveness for players who have broken 100 and have their eye on 90.

Should you Buy the Ping S57’s or the Ping S58’s?

“The only major difference between these sets is that the S58’s have progressive weighting.”

It’s the sole significant difference but it does have a big impact. The Ping S58 irons have custom tuning ports which start out really low in the long irons and shift to a more neutral position as you work towards the scoring irons. This makes the long irons, well, longer and easier to hit.

In fact, if you are looking for compact player’s blades but still want easy to swing long irons, I would consider checking out the Ping S58 long irons. Maybe even as supplementary clubs as long as you get the lofts and gapping right.