Ping S58 Irons Review – What Handicap Are They for? Are They Forgiving?

Ping S58 Irons Review – What Handicap Are They for? Are They Forgiving?

“The Ping S58 irons sport a compact head design that will appeal to better players.”

But there is also a dash of forgiveness that prevents them from being completely unviable for higher handicappers.

Ping S58 Irons Overview

“If you are familiar with the Ping S57 irons, then you will be very familiar with the look of the Ping S58 irons.”

In the back, the business is much the same. The Ping S58 irons have a fairly deep cavity in the back with the custom tuning port that starts out low in the long irons and shifts a bit higher in the mid and short irons.

The length from heel to toe isn’t substantial and the top lines are fairly thin. The soles have a moderately narrow width and there is only a bit of offset. Like any good set of irons though, the offset is progressive so you can notice it a bit in the long irons; but not at all in the short irons.

The Ping S58 irons also feature a vertical stabilizing bar which allows the CG to be placed closer to the center of the face. I found this feature to be most noticeable in the short and mid irons. I felt like the launch was getting lower and the spin was being muted.

The design of the sole is also interesting. The cavity depth gets shallower as you move from the toe to the heel. This gives the sole a “V” shape that not only makes it easier to cut through the grass; but makes it easier to square the face at impact.

Finally, the Ping S58 irons feature a brushed satin finish which I really liked. It gives them a premium look in the bag and reduces glare on sunny days.

Are the Ping S58 Irons Forgiving?

“The progressive offset, “V” shaped soles and progressive weighting all combine to make the Ping S58’s surprisingly forgiving.”

The most forgiving thing about these irons is that they make long iron play much easier. The fairly deep cavity back will keep MOI high on your mis-hits and the low/rear CG in the long irons will help you get the ball up and out on long approaches.

No matter what kind of player you are, you should have no trouble getting the ball up in the air with these irons. They are fairly weak-lofted irons with the 9-iron coming in at 42.5°.

But the weak loft is tempered by the narrow soles. There isn’t a bunch of heft at the bottom of the club so that your ball goes ballooning out of control. Instead, the Ping S58 irons tend to yield high, controlled launch that will help most players maximize carry distance.

Don’t get the wrong idea, the Ping S58 irons aren’t the most inherently forgiving irons Ping has ever made. But there is enough help in them for certain kinds of players.

Are the Ping S58 Irons Good for Beginners & High Handicappers?

“These aren’t the best irons for beginners and high handicappers but they aren’t terrible either.”

I found that when I mis-hits slightly, the high MOI of these clubs kept my ball on-line very well. But it’s severe mis-hits that are punished pretty brutally. I feel that high handicappers will have trouble hitting these clubs thin which results in a significant loss in both height and distance.

Still, it’s very easy to square up to the ball with these irons which should address some of those mis-hit issues.

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

“The Ping S57 irons have identical loft properties as the Ping S58’s.”

And, like the Ping S58 irons, the S57’s are player’s blade irons. However, the S57’s have additional tungsten weighting in the sole that allows for lower CG and even higher MOI than the Ping S58’s. Overall, I would say that the S57 irons are a bit more forgiving than the Ping S58 irons. But they don’t have the same solid feel that the Ping S58 irons have.

So in the end, it will depend on what you value most. If you want more forgiveness, I would try the Ping S57 irons. For better feel and workability, try the Ping S58’s.