GROWING small. An interesting concept but one that has been embraced by Ping when it comes to the new G425 iron; it has grown in MOI, i.e. forgiveness, yet reduced in overall head size to be more visually appealing and suit a wider range of players.

Ping develops its irons trying to avoid the buzz term “loft jacking” where brands claim massive distance gains by effectively putting 4 iron lofts on 5 irons (simplistic view but we’re simple folk). No doubt this adds extra pressure to the engineers but can’t recall the last time they weren’t up to the task.

Technology

What Remains?

The G425 iron continues to feature the Hydropearl finish that allows water to run off the face and sole upon strike leading to more consistent spin and control.

AWT 2.0 shafts continue to be the default shaft. As logical as it sounds, the shafts get lighter as they get longer, making the longer irons easier to hit, and the short irons easier to control.

What’s  new

Ping has applied metal wood thinking to the G425 iron in the form of variable face thickness. This allows the face to flex in different amounts depending on the strike with a view to delivering consistency across the face. It also allows the face to hinge back and ‘trampoline’ the ball high and long.

To enhance the MOI, there are now tungsten plugs in the toe and hosel creating incredible stability and resistance to twisting.

The wedges now feature milled grooves, as per the Glide 3.0 wedges. Your spin and distance control around the greens will be better than ever.

Arccos Caddie Smart Grips come as standard, tracking your round and helping you play your best. These literally act like your personal caddie.

Feel

So what happens when you hit them? They feel familiarly solid. Sound has been managed to ensure when you strike these, you’ll be satisfied and focused solely on the result. No loud bangs, no dings, just solid shots.

This is no doubt enhanced by the larger multi-material badge and some engineering genius.

Performance

In short, the G425 irons are a fantastic compromise between forgiveness and playability. Off centre, the results are almost disturbingly consistent, and you can really feel the launch off the face.

The ball flight is on the high side which is great for the majority of players, and also gives you a chance to both land and stop a mid/long iron on the green, and who doesn’t want that.

What surprised was how easy it was to work these, in terms of both flight and shape, left to right and right to left. The shorter blade length definitely makes a difference, although if you’re planning on hitting a hard draw maybe take 1 less club. 

conclusion

Growing small. Getting more from a smaller package seems like the ultimate engineering goal, and Ping deliver this in spades with the G425 iron. Ping fanatics will love these, and if you’ve never considered Ping irons, now’s the time.