PHOENIX – With a focus on golfers in search of new technology engineered to deliver precise control and consistency, PING introduced the i230 irons and iCrossover today. The newest entries into PING’s popular “i” series are now available for custom fittings at authorized PING retailers around the world.
“The new i230 irons and iCrossovers are for avid players who want to get better,” said John K. Solheim, PING CEO & President. “In the i230 iron, we’ve engineered a lot of performance into one design. It has the precise control and consistency of a players iron with an amazing feel while offering the forgiveness of a game improvement iron. It reminds me a lot of the iconic PING EYE2 iron in that it will appeal to so many player types, from the tour pros to everyday golfers. It’s really packed with performance.
“We’ve re-branded our Crossover category into the ‘i’ family to target golfers who most likely play one of our blade-style irons. The tour-inspired head size and sole design along with higher ball speeds help it to transition more seamlessly as a long-iron alternative. We’ve also added hosel adjustability, a highly beneficial innovation allowing golfers to dial in their trajectories for the first time in an iron-style design. We believe this re-design will greatly improve its appeal and find its way into a lot more bags on tour and other competitive settings.”
i230: A Players Iron Everyone Can Play
Advancements to the activated elastomer technology in the i230 iron allowed PING engineers to save significant weight, which is re-allocated within the clubhead to position the center of gravity (CG) low for more distance and control while increasing the moment of inertia (MOI) for added forgiveness. The low CG combines with greater face bending to deliver higher ball speeds. The elastomer reinforces the face, providing more consistent bending and energy transfer across the entire face, resulting in approximately three more yards of distance in player testing. Its higher MOI is largely due to tungsten toe and tip weights, which help make it the most forgiving “i” iron to date.
“The i230 iron sits in the middle of our iron offerings, so it requires us to balance a variety of performance attributes,” Solheim said. “It needs the precision and solid feel of a players iron while offering the forgiveness a lot of golfers expect from a PING iron. We also want to provide more distance in a way that is predictable and repeatable to ensure it meets the precise gapping needs of the best players in the world. I’m excited to report our research and early tour feedback confirms we’ve achieved all that and more. It has a little bit of everything to deliver a lot of performance.”
Pleasing Impact Experience
Through extensive modal analysis, PING researchers isolated undesirable frequencies within the clubhead and precisely positioned a re-engineered cavity badge to damp their effect to ensure a pleasing feel and sound. The four-piece badge combines a thin 304 stainless steel cap with an injection-molded thermoplastic that is secured to the cavity with high-strength adhesive. The activated elastomer supports the face and sits in a toaster-style pocket, which is concealed behind the multi-material badge, creating a clean and appealing cavity design.
“Feel is one of the most important attributes in a players iron,” said Solheim. “Golfers who rely on precise iron play require exceptional feel to control their ball flight. The i230 iron is engineered to provide consistent feel from every club in the set. The soft elastomer and the cavity badge work in concert to ensure they not only feel great, but they sound even better.”
Tour Proven
The long irons (3-5) are slightly more compact than the tour-proven i210, producing more consistent clubface delivery and accuracy, while the rest of the set is designed with similar blade lengths. The sole design is also similar, with a rounded lead edge and ample bounce to promote smooth turf interaction for clean and solid strikes. The precision-milled MicroMax grooves deliver consistent launch and spin results for more accuracy in the long irons and greater control in the short irons and wedges, especially in wet or grassy conditions where the grooves and hydropearl 2.0 chrome finish help ensure lower launch angles with high spin rates.
“Meeting the needs of our tour pros, who have already won with it, is an important element of the i230 iron,” Solheim said. “Their validation of this design goes a long way in giving golfers the confidence that they can also benefit from its technology. The changes to the blade lengths and shaping are very subtle but are designed to improve the playability and the accuracy of the entire set, especially the long irons. They inspire a lot of confidence when you look at them in the address position.”
i230 Specifications
Multi-material construction: 431 stainless steel body; activated elastomer insert; 304 stainless steel/injection molded TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) cavity badge; tungsten toe/shaft tip weights; hydropearl 2.0 finish
AVAILABLE: 3-9, PW, UW in 10 color codes (lie angle). Black color code is standard.
LOFT OPTIONS: Standard, Power Spec and Retro Spec
STOCK SHAFTS: Dynamic Gold 105 (R300, S300) & PING Alta CB Black (SR, R, S)
OPTIONAL STOCK SHAFTS: PING AWT 2.0 (R, S, X), Dynamic Gold (S300, X100), Dynamic Gold 120 (S300, X100), KBS Tour (R, S, X), Nippon NS Pro Modus Tour 105 (R, S, X), Elevate MPH 95 (R, S), UST Recoil 760 ES SMAC (A), 780 (R, S)
STOCK GRIP: Lamkin Crossline Black
U.S. MSRP: $205 per club with stock steel shaft; $220 per club with stock graphite shaft
A Players Crossover
The iCrossover is engineered for high-swing-speed players looking for long-iron alternatives (2XR, 3XR, 4XR) that fit seamlessly into their set while delivering increased ball speeds for more distance with higher launch. The sources of the high ball speed are the thin, maraging steel face and lower CG position, which is closer to the impact location to produce more energy transfer. The face is robotically welded to the 17-4 stainless steel body with a lower-hinged bend point to provide higher launch for better stopping power. A smaller internal cavity with targeted EVA polymer on the back of the face ensures a pleasing feel and sound.
Tour-Inspired
With similar sole shaping, including the rounded lead edge and ample bounce, the iCrossover seamlessly fits into an i230 iron set in place of long irons. The blade lengths are slightly shorter with less offset than previous crossover generations, making it more compact while providing a tour-style appearance. The standard shaft length builds also are approximately one-quarter inch shorter than the previous models to transition into a set more easily, providing more control and tighter dispersion patterns with similar distance. The precision-milled MicroMax grooves and matte-black hydropearl 2.0 finish deliver consistent launch and spin results for more accuracy.
New Trajectory Tuning 2.0
A first in an iron-style design, the adjustable hosel provides eight settings for loft and lie to help dial in a golfer’s desired ball flight. The lightweight hosel is clearly marked to allow for quick and easy adjustments, with a range of ±1.5° loft and lie in various combinations. The standard setting is the stated loft of the club at 1.5° upright.
“We looked closely at our fitting and Arccos data and discovered the vast majority of our crossover users were better players who use one of our blade irons,” Solheim said. “So, we shifted our focus to engineering a crossover that better fit the needs of that type of player. The iCrossover performance results have been exceptional. Its shape looks great, the ball speeds are higher, and it sounds very powerful. The addition of the adjustable hosel is a huge benefit to help players at that level dial in their ball flight.”
iCrossover Specifications
Multi-material construction: 17-4 stainless steel body; forged, maraging steel face; tungsten toe/shaft tip weights; matte-black hydropearl 2.0 finish
AVAILABLE: 2XR (18° loft) 40 1/8” std. length, 3XR (20°) 39.50”, 4XR (22.5°), 39.00”
TRAJECTORY TUNING 2.0 HOSEL: 8 loft/lie settings
STOCK SHAFT: PING Tour 2.0 Chrome 85 (R, S, X)
OPTIONAL STOCK GRAPHITE SHAFTS: PING Alta CB Black (SR, R, S), Mitsubishi Kai’Li White 80 (S, X), Project X HZRDUS Smoke Red RDX 70HY (5.5), 80HY (6.0, 6.5)
STOCK GRIP: Golf Pride 360 Tour Velvet (six sizes)
U.S. MSRP: $275 per club with graphite or steel shafts
For more information, contact Pete Samuels (602) 687-5487.
PING, i230, iCrossover, MicroMax, Alta, Alta CB, AWT, Power Spec and Retro Spec are registered and unregistered trademarks of Karsten Manufacturing Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
