IN THE BAG
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CALLAWAY
Rogue Pro Black Irons
PING 9
i210 Irons
PING 10
i500 Irons 11
PUETZ GOLF PRICE
PUETZ GOLF PRICE
PUETZ GOLF PRICE
$137.50 per club
$124.99 per club
$162.50 per club
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ince hitting the market back in February, Callaway’s new Rogue irons have been popular — like, really popular. Pros picked them up, as did millions of amateurs, each eager to take advantage of the clubs’ two-piece construction, with a wide sweet spot. There was just one consistent comment, though — we want black. So, Callaway this summer released all-black versions of the Rogue Pro, including black clubheads with limited-edition black True Temper XP 105 shafts and Lamkin Z5 grips. Beyond the color, the Rogue Pro Black features the same technologies that made the original Rogue and Rogue Pro irons so popular, including a thin face backed by a soft urethane material that flexes more at impact (for faster ball speeds and more distance), and a thickness that varies across the face to produce consistent ball flights no matter where on the face it is struck — all packed into a smaller clubhead with the look and feel preferred by better players.
cascadegolfer.com
t’s been nearly 18 months since PING last released an update to its “i” line of clubs, typically the ones aimed at lower-handicap golfers, and this summer, we get two — the more traditional i210s, and the muscleback i500s. We’ll start with the former here. The most noticeable difference between the i210s and their predecessor, the i200s, is a cavity back that varies in size and shape as you progress through the set, from a larger, more open cavity in the long irons, to a smaller one in the short irons. This helps maximize distance and forgiveness in the longer irons, while preserving the type of shot-shaping and playability that better players prefer in their shorter irons. Likewise, the elastomer insert has been made 30 percent larger overall, but 50 percent softer, producing a softer feel while simultaneously delivering more energy to the ball, while the Ascending Weight shaft (which was heavier in the short irons, for more control) has been replaced with a True Temper Dynamic Gold 105, for consistency throughout the set.
s Tony Finau calmly navigated the chaos that was the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills en route to a top-five finish (alongside his caddy, University Place’s Greg Bodine), the golf equipment message boards began buzzing as gearheads tried to figure out exactly what irons the big Utahan was playing. In fact, they were a prototype of PING’s new i500 iron, a brand-new muscleback targeted directly at the most skilled golfers. A fully forged head with a compact size, minimal offset and that traditional, muscleback look, the i500s definitely have the look of a players’ iron from the moment they come out of the bag. And, if you liked the look, you’ll love the performance — that muscleback geometry and a face that varies in thickness from the center to the edges produces metalwood-like flex, for significantly greater ball speed, trajectory and distance, while a small weight improves consistency on shots hit towards the toe.
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AUGUST AUGUST 2018 2018
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