@@herealittlewhile7448 That is totally inaccurate. The USGA lawsuit and subsequent agreement grandfathered in pre 1990 Ping Eye irons. That means amateur players will still be able to use Ping Eye 2 clubs made before April 1990 at all amateur events played under the USGA Rules of Golf. Next time get your facts straight.
@@newmanfertig886 yes some are legal some are illegal, only a lawsuit made some legal if you can determine if yours were made before a certain date so dickhead is right on some of them.
I played the Eye-2s in 2 iron to SW in 1989 and only changed the 2 iron for a hybrid last year. Same model played for 32 years and I'm a scratch golfer. Nuff said brah.
Agree. I shit you not I was bought a set of ping eye 2 for my 18th birthday Iv still got them and I play off 3handicap at 48 next jan. Will I change them Doubt it very much
I have a set of cooper ping eye 2 black dots that were hand-me-downs from my dad. I plan of getting them reshafted and using them forever. Badass legendary set of irons
Better is a tighter shot grouping. You just explained to me why my son won't let go of his inherited Ping Eye 2 set. He's not the data junky that you would like to see in us amateur golfers. He just knows what he likes to play, and wins , with. Thanks Mark. Great video and a really reasonable comparison of old versus new. I hope you don't take a hit from the manufacturers, who have basically run out of ideas to improve my enjoyment of the game.
I play with an older chap sometimes and he came out with a very good point. He said the good thing about the new equipment is it lets old farts like me keep up with my old game. 60+ yrs played off 4 still plays off 7 so very decent player but I still love his analysis that it helps him to still play his same numbers as he’s getting older and not as strong as he was... that’s why the RandA and USGA should leave equipment alone in the pursuit of length restrictions
I have ping zing 2 clones been hitting them for 20 years best irons ive ever hjt actually looking for new set of irons now and now matter how cool the new irons look i still landed on almost new ping zing 2 irons
Mark, what a great comparison! I still play Ping Eye 2 since 1987! I use a 1 iron to SW set. 1 iron off the tee as in 1980’s I was very inaccurate with old woods. I was once told by an old pro to be scared of a player who doesn’t use woods! As a result I don’t miss many fairways. Keep up the great programs, I’d love to speak to you one day! I play off 10.
I still use my ping eye 2 9, PW and sand wedge. Tried many other short irons with no luck. I think using the same clubs for 40 years becomes a part of your game. Thanks for the honest video.
Liked this comparison and the data presented. Would like to see this test with a mid to high handicapper whose striking wouldn't be as consistent as a pro. This would be a better gauge of the forgiveness and accuarcy of the new iron.
I agree, but so would matching lofts to compare each club. Mark mentions this briefly as a 1-club difference but in fact, the 7-irons are 6 degrees apart G425 is 30, Eye 2 is 36) and the 9 irons 5.5 degrees. That's nearer two clubs than one. Compare them loft to loft - it doesn't matter what the number on the bottom says.
Think that's correct. Older clubs aren't equivalent market as g425 which is beginner to mid handicapper mainly. G425 7 irons a 30 degree my i5s which i bought 2nd hand to start out are 34 you can feel any off centre mishit for sure. Looking around market older irons are built more like modern day players irons such as the ping i210s which has very similar lofts, bit of forgiveness and more feel. Tests on irons designed for mid handicapper to new starters where like me they do multiple off centre hits are going to be skewed by pros who have good strike pattern. High handicapper probably looking for good distance and forgiveness while they're gradually improving striking to get up fairway a decent way while keeping ball in play and not having to force distance. Taylormade sim 2 has even stronger lofts at 27.5 i think on 7 iron, tbh think that ping 30s about as low as should be or pw distance to aw sw and lw is going to be crazy
I remember using my Dad's Eye2s when I was a kid. Instantly hooked to the brand. I now use a set of i15s which still uses traditional iron lofts.Nevwr been a fan of stronger loft irons. It's not how far you hit the ball, but how you place the ball on each hole as you plan your way around the course. Old school rules.
Videos like this, and the knowledge Mark is bringing to all our games, are exceptional. My irons are 15 years old now, but I'm striking them well, and can now happily accept that my 7 goes the same distance as a modern 8 primarily because of the loft and save myself a lot of money on a new set.
Great timing for this informative video, thanks Mark! I’m a 58 yr old 12 hcap carrying an old Eye2 Black Dot LW for decades…more out of nostalgia than anything else and just love the look of it. It’s a real conversation starter when paired with strangers, especially being LH’d and always fun to hear people comment fondly on this iconic brand and model from yesteryear. I just took the plunge snd bought the 3-SW set for $270. and seriously considering making them my primary irons over my Callaway RogueX set. This video validates it shouldn’t set me back once I adjust to distance due to loft differentials. I’m more excited than ever!
Great review and perfectly timed. I played quite a bit in my youth. I bought a new Eye2 set (3-SW) in 1987 and played a lot for a couple of years, then only played once a year until I retired late last year at 57. I've been deciding whether to keep playing the Eye2s or buy a full set of G425s. You started to compare the clubs as I would like late in your review. It seems it would make sense to do the same comparison with equally lofted clubs, at least as closely as possible instead of using different distances for the same number club. From what I can find, the differences are about a club and a half in the long irons and only one club at about the 8 and 9 irons. From this review, I'm not sure I would bother getting new ones. It's amazing that Ping got it so right almost 40 years ago. I don't care if I have to hit a club or so more than those I play with - the young guys anyway. I've always been a long hitter and didn't even realize my clubs were so high lofted until recently. I hit the Eye2s as long as most of the guys I play with even giving them the extra club head-start. Thanks for helping with my decision.
Eye 2's were money back in the day! Phenomenal set. I would think the 425 would blow it away. 10 yards longer or so. I would say, match the lofts with the tests instead of the numbers.
Absolutely! You have to match the specs, not the number on the bottom. 7 irons these days have similar specs to my 33 year old 5 iron. The very existence of gap wedges is absolutely ridiculous. All manufacturers have done is shuffle the numbers forward to make people think they're hitting it further. Soon we'll have a few numbered irons and a bag full of gap wedges.
Would be cool to see you compare them at close or equivalent lofts. What this test has affirmed for me is that "tech" for many irons (and clubs in general) is majority marketing, but we all pretty much knew that.
Exactly. I'm using a 25+ year old 44* 9-iron and get laughed at when others in the group are hitting a wedge...that is usually about 44-46*. They really don't understand the marketing behind the "new" lofts vs the old.
This is one of the best comparisons I've seen in ages. Never played the Eye 2s but did play Titleist DCIs for years and this demo explains perfectly what I've struggled to explain to others.
What a great video, solid points! Hard to beat the Eye 2. I got a cheap set of Eye 2 for 75 bucks a couple years ago to learn the game on. I just "upgraded" to a set of G irons from 2016. They definitely go farther, feel lighter, are more forgiving, and seem to spin similarly, so it's a win win upgrade but for tech from nearly 40 years ago, it's staggering how relevant the Eye 2 remain today.
Awesome analysis Mark. I love the distance from the mean comparison. That makes so much sense. Your club reviews and comparisons are the best on RUclips. Thank you
Ping I was hoping to BUILD a new set of the eye2 in the 3.0 version of their wedges , I would have bought a set the minute they came out!!! I am going back to my old Ping ISI Nickels this season!!! They still hold their own alright as they feel as comfortable as an old pair of shoes 👍
@Paulonbass OnBass 53, is that old? Why do they look ridiculous? Other than rounded edges and bigger head the 425's are fundamentally no different to the Eye2's really. My scores would be no different with them versus my current gamers I'm sure of it
@Paulonbass OnBass I get you, they look like nothing else. Back in '82 though when these came out they must have been revolutionary for poorer ball strikers. Nothing looks like blades but not much help there....
Really interesting video. I'm playing Ping Zing 2s, have done since 2004. My logic has always been that if they were good enough for Lee Westwood for a decade, they're good enough for me. They've seen me down from a 54hcp to 16hcp. Now I'm turning 30 and consistently hitting/breaking 90, I'm debating whether to refurbish or change. I love them dearly, but they're in need of a refurb regardless. For the money across a 3-SW set, though, I wonder if I may as well take the dream plunge and get fitted for Mizunos.
Mark, great comparison, love to see the Eye2 getting the love, it keeps the resale value up! The thing to remember is you are effectively treating every full iron shot as a par 3 - you are a fixed distance from the hole, whether it’s an actual 165 yard par 3 or a 165 yard approach on a par 4 or 5. Which club is going to give you the best chance to hit your target consistently? That HAS to be the test. Moving the pin 10 yards to try to match lofts is not an accurate test in my opinion. Also the skill of the golfer comes into play. My results would vary greatly compared to yours. Play a couple of rounds with each at the same course when you can and report back to us in ‘Karsten was a genius, part 2.’
I still have and use my eye 2 - 3 , 5, and 7 wood, unfortunately I gave away my driver they were about £90 each around 1985/6 just wish I had the irons at that time instead I had the Wilson 1200 TR and still use them, loved the video Mark
Mark does a great job with these comparisons. Myself being a “Ping guy”…the Eye2s are light years ahead of their time. When interpreting the data, there are 2 main things to consider. One, the standard length of Eye 2s and most clubs of that era are 1/2 inch shorter than modern clubs. For example a Eye 2 5-iron has a 37.75 length to a 38.25 for the G425. In addition, loft for an Eye 2 5-iron is 27.7 degrees compared to 23.5 degrees for the 425s. (Btw I have this on an excel spreadsheet, yes..I’m that crazy). The 425s can even be ordered with “power spec” lofts to bring it down to 22 degrees! I think for the average golfer, the only place the Eye 2s would be inferior to modern clubs are distance lost on miss hits? Other than that, I would put a set of #Ping Eye 2s or ISI irons against any modern club today. I felt Marks real world analysis of getting the ball on the green as opposed to going for distance on the range was excellent. Another thing to consider is your average set of Eye 2s can be had for 100 bucks, sometimes less! The $1000 you’ll save on buying a new set can go aa longway towards lessons! Just my two cents👍
Yes, you can't compare club launch and distance without discussing the loft and shaft length. This is the 'marketing' magic of the new clubs. what they have effectively done is taken a 4iron and stamped a '5' on the bottom, then claimed they hit further. It's an ego thing. Other than off the tee with a driver, maximum distance is not an issue. I'm trying to hit the ball a specific distance to a target. I don't care what the number on the bottom of the club is, if I hit it the distance I want and on line.
Still carrying my eye2 + s I bought a set karsten 3s for kicks though the lofts are weaker than the eye 2s they are buttery to swing I don’t think you can go wrong with anything Ping from ISI back to the beginning!!! Of his irons
@@weldonwenturine3395 100% agree. Ping ISI to Eye 2s loft for loft is just as good if not better than anything today. One of the technically advanced clubs ever made.
Really interesting and informative article,I purchased my eye2 in 1984 40 years ago played off 4 ,0nly just returned back to golf after 30 year break I’m now in my mid 60’s and was considering a new set of ping irons possibly the i530,but after watching this I’m going to stick with my old faithfuls !! Thanks
I keep trying to upgrade from my Ping Zing 2’s and have a similar finding. The Zing 2’s may be shorter but their max distance is super consistent. If I mishit it, I expect to lose distance. They still do surprisingly well when I toe the crap out of them. If I mishit my i525, I can sometimes gain a ton of distance on a pull. And if I hit it perfectly, it has a wider range of results than if I hit my Zing 2 perfectly.
So.. keep the old clubs, re-grip regularly...blend hybrids and GI irons into the top end of your set...(only game SW and LW because your PW is going to be around 48 degrees)?
I remember the first swing I had with the BeCu Eye 2 in '87. On the range and pulled the 5 iron out of the bag and just middled it. Such a solid feeling! Only hole-in-one I ever got came with that club, 186 yds at Stevens Park in Dallas. Have the Ping certificate hanging on the wall, but wish I still had the clubs.
One of your most interesting videos. My old set of Ping Eye 2's is at this moment sitting in my garage, and the only reason that I don't play them is the shafts have rusted. It was about 25 years before I felt there was something better, but from your video maybe not. I do feel that the higher spin rate with the Eye 2 helps their excellent dispersion. Finally, yes, please do test 5 vs. 6.
I just bought a new set of ping eye 2 black dot irons, 3-P ordered set, Grips are beautiful but a hard from the years sitting. I have better dispersion with these than my newer irons, I just play one club longer and a Callaway ERC ball. Works out perfectly.
Great video mark. Playing with old Macgregor v foils which I absolutely love. Often wondered whether new clubs would be a worthwhile investment. Custom fit would help I'm sure, but on the whole the whole probably not that much better. Other than the falsehood of hitting maybe 10-20 yds further because of the relative lofts. Interesting to see the eye 2s stand up to the new clubs. Condition of the clubs/grooves must eventually make a difference.
Love the old irons. I had been playing blades off low single figures. Getting round ok but then got my call away x14s out for a knock. Absolutely unreal. Possibly my favourite ever irons to play. Been in the bag all year and I can’t really see why I’d need to go ‘modern’ again.
So after watching the video my newest set of irons I have are Mizuno JPX 900 Hot Metals and the funny thing is I love playing persimmon woods and older irons. I rarely play my Hot Metals but switch between Hogan Edge forged, Mizuno T-Zoid Pro and Callaway S2H2 irons all with what used to be standard lofts. Funny how that worked out. I just enjoy playing the older stuff I guess. Great video as per usual Mark!
I played the eye2 from 1986-89 and bought a set of Callaway S2H2’s which I played for 30 years until I replaced them with a set of Callaway epic forged . Stupid money for the epics. They go further but without the feel but they are lofted basically 2 clubs stronger. The trajectory of the S2H2’s is much better. I put the S2H2’s back in the bag a few weeks ago and wonder why I ever replaced them.
Same here. I'm 6' 4" and back in the day before custom fit was really a thing, I borrowed a set of beryllium coppers, something like 4 degrees upright and 1" longer, from a member at my club. Gold grips, zz-lite shafts, since read these were x stiff. Incredible. I was a 4 hcp and it felt like cheating. Combined with my old warbird driver regularly scored under par in friendly four balls. Gutted when I gave them back. Back then they were way more expensive than anything else on the market and the beryllium felt so soft. I could have never have afforded them.
Great story! I bought mine at a store in SoCal and took a trip to the Ping factory in Scottsdale and they completely fitted me. Like you said, this was before the general public was custom fit. They spent about an hour tweaking, adjusting and they put on new grips. I walked out of there feeling like I was treated like a tour pro and they didn't charge a dime for the fitting. I'm playing Ping i210 irons now. It's still a great company!
@@doifeellucky all Pings were more expensive, but the BeCu models were ‘win the lottery’ expensive. They were definitely the best looking irons of the day.
Great test Mark. The biggest difference I see in the two irons was how tight the yard of travel was in the eye 2. I play older irons for this factor. New game improvement irons have too many "jumpers" where I can get 10 yard difference in my shots and saw this in the g425's.
As someone who just bought their first “big boy” set of irons, anxiously awaiting my G425’s upgrading from the Eye2’s I bought 10 years ago for $60... this feels pretty bad.
I have PXG 0211 irons and I just bought t an old set of Ping Eye 2 Coppers as a collectible........trust me my new clubs feel WAY better, there is a difference for sure. You will be very happy with your new irons.
I've had the g400s for about 4 months now (the g400, g410 and g425 are basically the same). And I upgraded from an older set of macgregor's. They hit the ball MUCH higher. Expect your ball to stop on a dime on the greens with minimally roll out. Takes a bit of getting used to. But my 5 iron goes 210. Huge gap from my 6 which goes about 180
@Ozzy Blades are for professionals. Looking at the data the only real advantage is little more distance. But alot of that is from less spin. Sand down the groves to reduce spin on the Ping 2 and they be almost the same
I just let go of my taylormade burner 2.0 for a set of copper ping eye 2 with clubs 2 - W. I have them fully restored. I think the sound and how they play is fantastic. I find the 5 iron very consistent. I'm going to continue playing them.
Still have a set of 3 - lw ping eye 2. Still feel great. The biggest problem with them was having to explain why I was hitting a 6 iron compared to people's 8 irons.
I used to play with a guy who was 2 clubs longer than I was. He thought it was funny with him hitting a 9 iron and I’m hitting a 7. I loved asking him what his score was walking off the green. Fir some reason I always scored better. LOL As a matter of fact out of 100 rounds played together he beat beat me one time. Oh and that was just on the front nine and not for 18. Distance is not the almighty king so many think it is.
I've got a full set of Ping Zing 2, Red Dot irons I've been using forever and love them. Cleaned up the grooves once and they still play like new, Absolutely Love them.
Still playing my Ping Eye 2 red dots 5-pw/sw and black dot 3 and 4 iron. Ebay purchase back in 2001. Have a Tsi driver and ping zing 2 putter. Feel no need to change. Regripped a few times. I'm a casual player and shoot high 80s to low 90s. Such a great feeling when you hit it clean.
I’m my eyes irons specifically turf interaction, feel/shape, are the more important factors followed by forgiveness. There is a nice balance of great turf interaction and forgiveness that you find in some small cavity backs. Distance is irrelevant you just need to know how far you hit them.
Going through some of your older videos and really enjoyed this. My local course is a short 6k yarder, and I'm using Fat Shaft 2 Wilsons from 2006 as opposed to my D9s. I am getting the same results as you, those D9s are just so jacked that it's difficult to control distance from the 7 iron upwards. My older clubs are 12 yards less but a much better dispersion, and surprisingly just as forgiving.
Great test between the 2. This is something I’ve recently been asking myself. I have a set of strong lofted G’s, which I hit really far, but the consistency of the exact distance has always been off at times. A particular par 3 at 165 has always been an 8-iron in the Ping G, but there were times the 8-iron would go over the green at 188. I switched back to more of a blade, traditional lofted set of irons, and while they don’t fly as far, I can usually trust the consistency of the distances
I have a set of green dot eye 2+ also.... I am thinking about sticking some true temper xp 85 stiff shafts in them. How far do you hit the 7 iron with them?
Funny how this video just popped up as a suggested watch. I received my Ping Eye 2 set the other day and immediately went to the range. Grips were terrible and the "stiff" ZZ Lite shaft is too whippy but boy did I have a great time. I have since removed the old shafts and replaced them with a soft stepped DG X100. Can't wait to hit them now!
After being out of golf for many years, I am about to pick it up again. My son is taking lessons this summer so I hope we can play together. I always loved the look of the Eye 2s and after watching many videos comparing the Eye 2s to more modern irons it just seems the Eye 2s can more than hold their own. Being I don’t want to spend a fortune (and can’t really afford to) the Eye 2s may very well be the irons I look for to get me back into golf. I enjoy your videos. Thank you!
Excellent comparison. I am 53 and just getting into the game seriously. I bought Ping G5 irons and this comparison confirms that my clubs will be good for me. As I become a better striker, these clubs should group closer and closer. There is no need for me to get new clubs any time soon.
More people should pay attention to these types of videos. So much more to learn here than a “hit this position to play better” video. Keep em coming Mark!
I recently upgraded from my 10 year old MP 53’s to JPX921 HM pros and I completely agree with your testing apart from shaft weight which was 130 grams to 100 grams which has made a difference over the course of 18 holes on wear and tear of your body.
Aside from the weaker lofts, the Eye 2s are still awesome irons. They were truly the clubs that both high handicappers and tour pros could play. The other clubs that were like that were the original Big Berthas and X-12 and X-14s.
The Ping Rail K3 iron was a better club I changed to the eye 2 and just hit them sky high ! Hence Karsten with his K1 K2 couldn't keep the ball down, so he developed the the Rail K3 success it worked ! Then we get eye 2 no rail and oila balloons again. I now have found a set of K3's and sold my eye2's. Mind you I own a lot of clubs, old blade man from the 70's, but could play, just my experience as a ball striker Cheers
Just started looking for a new set of irons before lockdown, I need to move down from stiff to reg as I'm now well into my 60s. Took my old mizuno mx100 irons out for 3 rounds, I bought them new when I started playing when I was in my 50s. Because of the lofts I have 4 to P rather than 5 to P in my forged irons. The mx100 don't go anywhere near as far because of the lofts but are so much more accurate, the 4 is only 8 to 10 yards shorter than my forged 5 iron and with an extra club in the set I can dial into distances more easily. I was considering gaming them. This has confirmed my thoughts. Thanks Mark.
I bought a set of used Ping Eye2's in 2008 - blue dot - they were not fit to me - they were just what was there - they were 'better' than what they replaced but I still struggled with them as far as accuracy was concerned - I recently got fit for a set of Ping i210's - discovered the Eye2's were 3 degrees too upright for me - I expect to receive them about Feb 17th - am excited - can't wait to play them
You’ve totally missed the point. You’ve taken the point Mark is trying to make too literally. The distance from the hole it totally irrelevant because he’s hitting different lengths. We know from strokes gained that the closer you are, the closer you can hit it. So putting the modern club 10 yards further back is clearly more difficult.
@@jk_0047 Jake, you have a good point. So I reckon that if my ball is 10 yards farther back I will need to hit an iron which is (for example) an old style 4 instead of a modern 5. The lofts should be similar and give similar performances.
I have Ping I2s in a full set with Sand, Pitch and 9 through 3 irons. I still play with them. My son uses them weekly. These clubs with a pair of Calloway Warbirds in Driver and 3 wood is the classic vintage set.
I used to chase distance and have a set of Titleist 718 T-MB irons, but there’s nothing like the feel of my beryllium Ping Eye 2 irons. They are like playing golf with an old and trusted friend.
My older son plays what were my Eye2s. I have i210s. In 1973, I received my first clubs selected for me, as opposed to passed down. The head pro showed my dad and me the new "Ping things," but he recommended Hogan Apex. I preferred the Pings, kids. It would be interesting to compare those Hogans to today's (equivalent) forged irons, maybe Mizunos? Ping emphasizing inprovement, maybe forging emphasizing feel.
I bought my first set of Ping Eye 2 clubs in 1984. The Eye 2 had just replaced the original Eye (1). I Bought my second set of Eye 2 irons in BeCu (Beryllium Copper) in 1986. I actually liked the Eye better than the Eye 2. The Eye 2's were weak in lofts. I had my BeCu set measured for lofts because I couldn't get any distance from them. Had to hit the 7 iron at 100 yards! YUK! I don't remember all the lofts, but what stood out to me was the Lob wedge was 64 degrees! The primary reason I ditched the Ping Eye 2's was because of the weak lofts/short distances. Another factor about the Eye 2's was that it was impossible to order anything but stiff steel shafts! Karsten believed that every golfer should use the same shaft. Ladies' clubs carried the same stiff steel shaft as the men's clubs. I ended up having my Eye 2's re-shafted with True Temper men's "regular" flex shafts. Huge improvement! Of course at that time there was no such thing as graphite shafts, so that was absolutely no option. It took Karsten a long time to change his company's offerings to consider that not all golfers are alike and have different needs. The biggest -- and most game-changing feature -- that Ping offered was the customization for lie angles, length and grip sizes. Ping was the first to develop the color coded lie for plus and minus angles. Very revolutionary at the time. I think the reason for this was the fact that the club heads were cast stainless steel which was difficult to bend at the hosel without breaking. Forged carbon steel heads are soft, so they are easy to bend for different lie angles and lofts.
Many years ago, I bought a clone set of Eye 2 copies. Played them for a long time, they were pretty good. My son has the new Chipp r, I love it! So decided this old 9 iron needed a new life. Rebuilding in the works! Bent it 6 degrees up to 70 and put on an ultralight Jumbomax on it. Swing weight is C 4 now to take it to E6. To copy the Chipp R.
This is the problem with golf reviewers. You don’t care what they say if they aren’t good, but if the are good and have credibility they can’t really associate with what “most” golfers need. At best they have to purposely create poor shots, and it’s just not the same.
Completely agree with the OP. Mark strikes the ball way more consistently than most golfers looking at the vids, especially me, though seems to report as if all people strike the ball like him. This isn’t anything against Mark, most golf channels do this.
I had my clubs nicked from my car 40 yrs ago, beautiful maxfli Australian blades, gutted. Bought some eye2’s with the insurance money and oh boy what a revelation. Took a while to get used to the looks but the performance was outstanding and I had the 1 iron in the bag for heads were outstanding but they also pioneered light shafts which also worked really well and don’t forget the box grooves. Ping have long been the engineering performance driven manufacturer. 40 yrs on I’ve gone back to ping with i blades and they are great. Love these comparative vids 👍
Cameron, I've still got mine and they're keepers. Slightly weaker lofts (7 iron is 34.5 degrees) than some newer ones. I also have a set of Ping G25 that are stronger lofts and maybe half a club longer, but i3 is better out of the rough. Just need to know your yardages.
I just got a set of copper ping eye 2 clubs from my late grandfathers garage. Pretty fun learning about them and I’ll probably start putting them to work one day. I’ve never played before so it should be a fun adventure!
So I paused the video 1:17 and my opinion is that other than lofts being jacked the differences will be that off center hits will be better with the new PING irons. Distances would be similar if the EYE2 was a 5 iron. I still have my PING EYE 2''s since the mid 1980's and love them. I used them for like 15 years until I got my Mizuno MP 14's. Now I have a hard time playing any irons with an offset. It just looks so weird to my eye now. The PING 425 are almost 40 years younger!
I agree. I think it holds true in all newer clubs. As you deloft the club, they seem to help the shape of the head and weight placement to help the average golfer unless you play blades
What I am learning to play golf with are my dad’s old ISI-K 3 through wedge. I know this video was about the eye 2 but I love them and so far they are getting the job done. Would love to see a comparison with this set and a modern version
I have a set of Ping Karsten 1 irons from 1971 which makes them 50 this year. They are not my daily set, but I do take them out every once in a while. I like the old Pings, but it is hard for them to compete with the forgiveness of modern day cavity back irons.
I really enjoyed your review on the Pings. I purchased a set of eye 2s in the 80s. Best set of irons I ever had and I've had plenty. If I could find a good set now I would purchase them.
Was perfect when it was made the eye2’s, a lot of folks buy a new set an go back to old kings cause not much difference maybe little distance. Played eye2’s forever , an you can still shot par with them that shows you how well they was engineered. Great video
Grew up playing with some used Ping Eye 2's and were one of my favorites. Since then I've Had Titleist DCI's, King Cobra's, Titleist AP2's and now back to Pings with the Blueprints Love the Blueprints I got now.
Good stuff Mr Crossfield, your compliments on the feel of the Eye 2's says alot about Ping's castings. To each their own but I feel a golfer should only seek distance in the woods and driving irons portion of their bag. Irons and wedges should be the precision pieces of the bag. I'd rather have a modern driver but, give me a set of old forged CB irons with graphite shafts any day.
A buddy of mine still games the Eye 2's. He replaced the long irons with hybrids but still carries 5 - SW. He's hit lots of other clubs at demo days but never found a reason to change.
I own 3 sets of eye 2+ Irons. Have recently installed a set of AWT 2.0 shafts in one set. Sent another set of heads away for a cerakote refurb and cut with conforming grooves (for PGA tournament use). Love them, especially the wedges. Great video. 👍🏼
I put some ping eye 2 up for sale today on eBay. 3-SW in great condition. My eye 2s are dated 1997 even though Ping Eye 2+ were released in 1990. Mine have a raised dot in the cavity which is quite rare.
Just traded my Ping G irons for a set of Ping Eye 2 + Beryllium irons and love them, just play 1 club more to compensate for the loft change. The only concession to current stock was to swap out the original shafts for the new 40 gram graphite shafts to allow for my slow swing speed speed. When started golf I lusted after the Ping clubs but couldn't afford them now I can and am delighted
You made an excellent point that I didn’t even think of. If a club is hitting its distance and doing it more consistently but doesn’t drive as far, is it really worse? No, not unless the extra distance means you get to the green in one less shot otherwise consistency is way more important. With that in mind, the one other factor that would be important to me would be how do the clubs feel compared to each other? Has 20+ years improved club feel?
Great video. I've golfed the worst rated blade irons to the callaway x18 (which I still hit and think rank with the best ever made). But my take on clubs is there isn't a great deal of difference in them. You can adapt to almost anything. I also hit a set of hickories and once tuned in I sometimes score better with them than the cals. The loft angles change so club up. If your dispersion is off that's on you, not the club.
Ping should re-release an OG Eye 2 iron set. Same look with some modern tweaks.
If Ping did that it would be like printing money!! eye 2s are awesome still
Why re-introduce? The original PE2 were virtually indestructible. You can buy them 2nd hand for a fraction of new.
@@newmanfertig886 they are illegal in tournament play
@@herealittlewhile7448 That is totally inaccurate. The USGA lawsuit and subsequent agreement grandfathered in pre 1990 Ping Eye irons. That means amateur players will still be able to use Ping Eye 2 clubs made before April 1990 at all amateur events played under the USGA Rules of Golf. Next time get your facts straight.
@@newmanfertig886 yes some are legal some are illegal, only a lawsuit made some legal if you can determine if yours were made before a certain date so dickhead is right on some of them.
I played the Eye-2s in 2 iron to SW in 1989 and only changed the 2 iron for a hybrid last year. Same model played for 32 years and I'm a scratch golfer. Nuff said brah.
Agree. I shit you not
I was bought a set of ping eye 2 for my 18th birthday
Iv still got them and I play off 3handicap at 48 next jan. Will I change them
Doubt it very much
Nice. It's the aboriginal, not the protein procurement projectile.
Brah????
Excellent Video
Agreed. 98 Miura irons. Can’t find anything to change my mind so far.
I have a set of cooper ping eye 2 black dots that were hand-me-downs from my dad. I plan of getting them reshafted and using them forever. Badass legendary set of irons
Better is a tighter shot grouping. You just explained to me why my son won't let go of his inherited Ping Eye 2 set. He's not the data junky that you would like to see in us amateur golfers. He just knows what he likes to play, and wins , with. Thanks Mark. Great video and a really reasonable comparison of old versus new. I hope you don't take a hit from the manufacturers, who have basically run out of ideas to improve my enjoyment of the game.
1983 Ping Eye 2 7 Iron 36 degrees of loft. 2021 Ping G425 7 Iron 30 degrees of loft.
Reading some of the comments... some people still don't get it 😂😂
Yup, huge difference!
I play with an older chap sometimes and he came out with a very good point. He said the good thing about the new equipment is it lets old farts like me keep up with my old game. 60+ yrs played off 4 still plays off 7 so very decent player but I still love his analysis that it helps him to still play his same numbers as he’s getting older and not as strong as he was... that’s why the RandA and USGA should leave equipment alone in the pursuit of length restrictions
@@steboy2142 yeah...lucky old man. We won’t get to keep hitting same club when we’re older now. Unless future 7 irons go to 25*.
Exactly
Ping eye 2 the most iconic golf club out there and that’s just facts
I actually have a clone set by Tour Series. They look so close it's hard to see the difference. Great set of classic clones
I still hit my ping eye 2 black dot irons today and they're probably 30-35 years old maybe 40 but they still hit great
I have ping zing 2 clones been hitting them for 20 years best irons ive ever hjt actually looking for new set of irons now and now matter how cool the new irons look i still landed on almost new ping zing 2 irons
Mark, what a great comparison! I still play Ping Eye 2 since 1987! I use a 1 iron to SW set. 1 iron off the tee as in 1980’s I was very inaccurate with old woods. I was once told by an old pro to be scared of a player who doesn’t use woods! As a result I don’t miss many fairways. Keep up the great programs, I’d love to speak to you one day! I play off 10.
I still use my ping eye 2 9, PW and sand wedge. Tried many other short irons with no luck. I think using the same clubs for 40 years becomes a part of your game.
Thanks for the honest video.
Liked this comparison and the data presented. Would like to see this test with a mid to high handicapper whose striking wouldn't be as consistent as a pro. This would be a better gauge of the forgiveness and accuarcy of the new iron.
I agree, but so would matching lofts to compare each club. Mark mentions this briefly as a 1-club difference but in fact, the 7-irons are 6 degrees apart G425 is 30, Eye 2 is 36) and the 9 irons 5.5 degrees. That's nearer two clubs than one. Compare them loft to loft - it doesn't matter what the number on the bottom says.
Think that's correct. Older clubs aren't equivalent market as g425 which is beginner to mid handicapper mainly. G425 7 irons a 30 degree my i5s which i bought 2nd hand to start out are 34 you can feel any off centre mishit for sure. Looking around market older irons are built more like modern day players irons such as the ping i210s which has very similar lofts, bit of forgiveness and more feel. Tests on irons designed for mid handicapper to new starters where like me they do multiple off centre hits are going to be skewed by pros who have good strike pattern. High handicapper probably looking for good distance and forgiveness while they're gradually improving striking to get up fairway a decent way while keeping ball in play and not having to force distance. Taylormade sim 2 has even stronger lofts at 27.5 i think on 7 iron, tbh think that ping 30s about as low as should be or pw distance to aw sw and lw is going to be crazy
That is a very good point
Just buy 2006-2015 oversize irons-20% of new club prices and do the same function of forgiveness and accuracy.
@@tonythaiger93 looks like my ping I3s and driver G5 is still ok. just came back to the game after 13 year break
I remember using my Dad's Eye2s when I was a kid. Instantly hooked to the brand. I now use a set of i15s which still uses traditional iron lofts.Nevwr been a fan of stronger loft irons. It's not how far you hit the ball, but how you place the ball on each hole as you plan your way around the course. Old school rules.
Videos like this, and the knowledge Mark is bringing to all our games, are exceptional. My irons are 15 years old now, but I'm striking them well, and can now happily accept that my 7 goes the same distance as a modern 8 primarily because of the loft and save myself a lot of money on a new set.
modern irons 8 has same loft of old 7, for this old 7 work an moder iron 8
Great timing for this informative video, thanks Mark! I’m a 58 yr old 12 hcap carrying an old Eye2 Black Dot LW for decades…more out of nostalgia than anything else and just love the look of it. It’s a real conversation starter when paired with strangers, especially being LH’d and always fun to hear people comment fondly on this iconic brand and model from yesteryear. I just took the plunge snd bought the 3-SW set for $270. and seriously considering making them my primary irons over my Callaway RogueX set. This video validates it shouldn’t set me back once I adjust to distance due to loft differentials. I’m more excited than ever!
Great review and perfectly timed. I played quite a bit in my youth. I bought a new Eye2 set (3-SW) in 1987 and played a lot for a couple of years, then only played once a year until I retired late last year at 57. I've been deciding whether to keep playing the Eye2s or buy a full set of G425s. You started to compare the clubs as I would like late in your review. It seems it would make sense to do the same comparison with equally lofted clubs, at least as closely as possible instead of using different distances for the same number club. From what I can find, the differences are about a club and a half in the long irons and only one club at about the 8 and 9 irons.
From this review, I'm not sure I would bother getting new ones. It's amazing that Ping got it so right almost 40 years ago. I don't care if I have to hit a club or so more than those I play with - the young guys anyway. I've always been a long hitter and didn't even realize my clubs were so high lofted until recently. I hit the Eye2s as long as most of the guys I play with even giving them the extra club head-start. Thanks for helping with my decision.
Ping Eye 2s came out in 1982.... 39 years difference
that makes me feel old I had a beryllium copper set and loved them
I still game Karsten 2s from 1975 :)
Finally getting fitted for new irons in a couple weeks!
@@crispyduck1706 Beryllium copper was the shizzle. Had a 58 degree Ram wedge and a 55 Wilson wedge in beryllium and both were great clubs.
@@tyrantrex734those Karstens are great too!!! The KARSTEN 3 I bought for kicks very good club
I played both the Eye 2 and the Zing 2, I think the Zing 2 were easier to hit but a little uglier.
Eye 2's were money back in the day! Phenomenal set. I would think the 425 would blow it away. 10 yards longer or so.
I would say, match the lofts with the tests instead of the numbers.
Absolutely! You have to match the specs, not the number on the bottom. 7 irons these days have similar specs to my 33 year old 5 iron. The very existence of gap wedges is absolutely ridiculous. All manufacturers have done is shuffle the numbers forward to make people think they're hitting it further. Soon we'll have a few numbered irons and a bag full of gap wedges.
Would be cool to see you compare them at close or equivalent lofts. What this test has affirmed for me is that "tech" for many irons (and clubs in general) is majority marketing, but we all pretty much knew that.
Exactly. I'm using a 25+ year old 44* 9-iron and get laughed at when others in the group are hitting a wedge...that is usually about 44-46*. They really don't understand the marketing behind the "new" lofts vs the old.
Ping Eye 2 = Fender Stratocaster. Perfect from the very beginning.
Ha ha yes I have often thought that myself. And Taylor = Taylor Made...
Wilson = Yamaha
no way, those clubs look really chunky and weird shaped
Titleist = Gibson
Goes to 11
This is one of the best comparisons I've seen in ages. Never played the Eye 2s but did play Titleist DCIs for years and this demo explains perfectly what I've struggled to explain to others.
What a great video, solid points! Hard to beat the Eye 2. I got a cheap set of Eye 2 for 75 bucks a couple years ago to learn the game on. I just "upgraded" to a set of G irons from 2016. They definitely go farther, feel lighter, are more forgiving, and seem to spin similarly, so it's a win win upgrade but for tech from nearly 40 years ago, it's staggering how relevant the Eye 2 remain today.
Awesome analysis Mark. I love the distance from the mean comparison. That makes so much sense. Your club reviews and comparisons are the best on RUclips. Thank you
I'd buy Ping again if they brought out an Eye2 shape iron, absolute classic
Ping I was hoping to BUILD a new set of the eye2 in the 3.0 version of their wedges , I would have bought a set the minute they came out!!! I am going back to my old Ping ISI Nickels this season!!! They still hold their own alright as they feel as comfortable as an old pair of shoes 👍
@@darrell3118 I had a copper set back in the day, great irons.
@Paulonbass OnBass 53, is that old? Why do they look ridiculous? Other than rounded edges and bigger head the 425's are fundamentally no different to the Eye2's really. My scores would be no different with them versus my current gamers I'm sure of it
@Paulonbass OnBass I get you, they look like nothing else. Back in '82 though when these came out they must have been revolutionary for poorer ball strikers. Nothing looks like blades but not much help there....
Never owned ping iron. In fact don't think I have ever hit a ping iron. Mark what is the chances on a mevo launch monitor review?
I'll be picking up a set of ping eye 2 copper berylliums to play with in the near future.
Really interesting video. I'm playing Ping Zing 2s, have done since 2004. My logic has always been that if they were good enough for Lee Westwood for a decade, they're good enough for me. They've seen me down from a 54hcp to 16hcp. Now I'm turning 30 and consistently hitting/breaking 90, I'm debating whether to refurbish or change.
I love them dearly, but they're in need of a refurb regardless. For the money across a 3-SW set, though, I wonder if I may as well take the dream plunge and get fitted for Mizunos.
Got mine from my parents for Christmas in 1980, been thru dozens of drivers and woods over the decades but I still have my eye 2’s
Mark, great comparison, love to see the Eye2 getting the love, it keeps the resale value up! The thing to remember is you are effectively treating every full iron shot as a par 3 - you are a fixed distance from the hole, whether it’s an actual 165 yard par 3 or a 165 yard approach on a par 4 or 5. Which club is going to give you the best chance to hit your target consistently? That HAS to be the test. Moving the pin 10 yards to try to match lofts is not an accurate test in my opinion. Also the skill of the golfer comes into play. My results would vary greatly compared to yours. Play a couple of rounds with each at the same course when you can and report back to us in ‘Karsten was a genius, part 2.’
I still have and use my eye 2 - 3 , 5, and 7 wood, unfortunately I gave away my driver they were about £90 each around 1985/6 just wish I had the irons at that time instead I had the Wilson 1200 TR and still use them, loved the video Mark
Mark does a great job with these comparisons. Myself being a “Ping guy”…the Eye2s are light years ahead of their time. When interpreting the data, there are 2 main things to consider. One, the standard length of Eye 2s and most clubs of that era are 1/2 inch shorter than modern clubs. For example a Eye 2 5-iron has a 37.75 length to a 38.25 for the G425. In addition, loft for an Eye 2 5-iron is 27.7 degrees compared to 23.5 degrees for the 425s. (Btw I have this on an excel spreadsheet, yes..I’m that crazy). The 425s can even be ordered with “power spec” lofts to bring it down to 22 degrees!
I think for the average golfer, the only place the Eye 2s would be inferior to modern clubs are distance lost on miss hits? Other than that, I would put a set of #Ping Eye 2s or ISI irons against any modern club today. I felt Marks real world analysis of getting the ball on the green as opposed to going for distance on the range was excellent.
Another thing to consider is your average set of Eye 2s can be had for 100 bucks, sometimes less! The $1000 you’ll save on buying a new set can go aa longway towards lessons!
Just my two cents👍
Yes, you can't compare club launch and distance without discussing the loft and shaft length. This is the 'marketing' magic of the new clubs. what they have effectively done is taken a 4iron and stamped a '5' on the bottom, then claimed they hit further. It's an ego thing. Other than off the tee with a driver, maximum distance is not an issue. I'm trying to hit the ball a specific distance to a target. I don't care what the number on the bottom of the club is, if I hit it the distance I want and on line.
Still carrying my eye2 + s I bought a set karsten 3s for kicks though the lofts are weaker than the eye 2s they are buttery to swing I don’t think you can go wrong with anything Ping from ISI back to the beginning!!! Of his irons
@@weldonwenturine3395 100% agree. Ping ISI to Eye 2s loft for loft is just as good if not better than anything today. One of the technically advanced clubs ever made.
Really interesting and informative article,I purchased my eye2 in 1984 40 years ago played off 4 ,0nly just returned back to golf after 30 year break I’m now in my mid 60’s and was considering a new set of ping irons possibly the i530,but after watching this I’m going to stick with my old faithfuls !! Thanks
The Eye 2 is the greatest club ever made. I still rock the 1 iron
I keep trying to upgrade from my Ping Zing 2’s and have a similar finding. The Zing 2’s may be shorter but their max distance is super consistent. If I mishit it, I expect to lose distance. They still do surprisingly well when I toe the crap out of them.
If I mishit my i525, I can sometimes gain a ton of distance on a pull. And if I hit it perfectly, it has a wider range of results than if I hit my Zing 2 perfectly.
So.. keep the old clubs, re-grip regularly...blend hybrids and GI irons into the top end of your set...(only game SW and LW because your PW is going to be around 48 degrees)?
PW is 50.7 degrees.
ABSOLUTELY SUPERB!!!!!! About time somebody took the time the do this correctly,,,,,,,,instead of distance,, distance,, dietance.!
Consistent , length means nothing to me but being accurate and keeping it in play
How far do you hit the 7 iron
Kind of depends on hc.
Consistent length with irons is nirvana, accuracy comes from aim and control of the clubface - thats down to us.✌
@@Mj-CWO4 165
@@dougiekara thought so, I hit mine 135 so I need more distance so don’t understand why people want to deprive me of the distance club I need
I remember the first swing I had with the BeCu Eye 2 in '87. On the range and pulled the 5 iron out of the bag and just middled it. Such a solid feeling! Only hole-in-one I ever got came with that club, 186 yds at Stevens Park in Dallas. Have the Ping certificate hanging on the wall, but wish I still had the clubs.
Yep me too. Of all of my numerous sets of irons that have come and gone, those I wish I would have held on to
One of your most interesting videos. My old set of Ping Eye 2's is at this moment sitting in my garage, and the only reason that I don't play them is the shafts have rusted. It was about 25 years before I felt there was something better, but from your video maybe not. I do feel that the higher spin rate with the Eye 2 helps their excellent dispersion. Finally, yes, please do test 5 vs. 6.
I just bought a new set of ping eye 2 black dot irons, 3-P ordered set, Grips are beautiful but a hard from the years sitting.
I have better dispersion with these than my newer irons, I just play one club longer and a Callaway ERC ball.
Works out perfectly.
Great video mark. Playing with old Macgregor v foils which I absolutely love. Often wondered whether new clubs would be a worthwhile investment. Custom fit would help I'm sure, but on the whole the whole probably not that much better. Other than the falsehood of hitting maybe 10-20 yds further because of the relative lofts. Interesting to see the eye 2s stand up to the new clubs. Condition of the clubs/grooves must eventually make a difference.
Ive got v foils and a pro reckoned there a top club and theres not much better. Great in good conditions.
Love the old irons. I had been playing blades off low single figures. Getting round ok but then got my call away x14s out for a knock. Absolutely unreal. Possibly my favourite ever irons to play. Been in the bag all year and I can’t really see why I’d need to go ‘modern’ again.
The content lately has been really great. I wasn't always a fan, but the last like 2 months have really won me over. Keep up the great work!
agree Mark has upped his game
So after watching the video my newest set of irons I have are Mizuno JPX 900 Hot Metals and the funny thing is I love playing persimmon woods and older irons. I rarely play my Hot Metals but switch between Hogan Edge forged, Mizuno T-Zoid Pro and Callaway S2H2 irons all with what used to be standard lofts. Funny how that worked out. I just enjoy playing the older stuff I guess. Great video as per usual Mark!
I played the eye2 from 1986-89 and bought a set of Callaway S2H2’s which I played for 30 years until I replaced them with a set of Callaway epic forged . Stupid money for the epics. They go further but without the feel but they are lofted basically 2 clubs stronger. The trajectory of the S2H2’s is much better. I put the S2H2’s back in the bag a few weeks ago and wonder why I ever replaced them.
I shot the best scores of my life with my old Ping Eye 2s back in the day when I was much younger.
Same here. I'm 6' 4" and back in the day before custom fit was really a thing, I borrowed a set of beryllium coppers, something like 4 degrees upright and 1" longer, from a member at my club. Gold grips, zz-lite shafts, since read these were x stiff. Incredible. I was a 4 hcp and it felt like cheating. Combined with my old warbird driver regularly scored under par in friendly four balls. Gutted when I gave them back. Back then they were way more expensive than anything else on the market and the beryllium felt so soft. I could have never have afforded them.
Great story! I bought mine at a store in SoCal and took a trip to the Ping factory in Scottsdale and they completely fitted me. Like you said, this was before the general public was custom fit. They spent about an hour tweaking, adjusting and they put on new grips. I walked out of there feeling like I was treated like a tour pro and they didn't charge a dime for the fitting. I'm playing Ping i210 irons now. It's still a great company!
I shot the best scores of my life just last year after buying Ping Eye 2s specifically to start using them as my every day clubs.
@@doifeellucky all Pings were more expensive, but the BeCu models were ‘win the lottery’ expensive. They were definitely the best looking irons of the day.
Great test Mark. The biggest difference I see in the two irons was how tight the yard of travel was in the eye 2. I play older irons for this factor. New game improvement irons have too many "jumpers" where I can get 10 yard difference in my shots and saw this in the g425's.
As someone who just bought their first “big boy” set of irons, anxiously awaiting my G425’s upgrading from the Eye2’s I bought 10 years ago for $60... this feels pretty bad.
I have PXG 0211 irons and I just bought t an old set of Ping Eye 2 Coppers as a collectible........trust me my new clubs feel WAY better, there is a difference for sure. You will be very happy with your new irons.
@Ozzy he just spent hundreds on irons that arent really any better
I've had the g400s for about 4 months now (the g400, g410 and g425 are basically the same). And I upgraded from an older set of macgregor's. They hit the ball MUCH higher. Expect your ball to stop on a dime on the greens with minimally roll out. Takes a bit of getting used to. But my 5 iron goes 210. Huge gap from my 6 which goes about 180
@@rayspooner1982 thanks for the boost!
@Ozzy Blades are for professionals. Looking at the data the only real advantage is little more distance. But alot of that is from less spin. Sand down the groves to reduce spin on the Ping 2 and they be almost the same
I just let go of my taylormade burner 2.0 for a set of copper ping eye 2 with clubs 2 - W. I have them fully restored. I think the sound and how they play is fantastic. I find the 5 iron very consistent. I'm going to continue playing them.
Still have a set of 3 - lw ping eye 2. Still feel great. The biggest problem with them was having to explain why I was hitting a 6 iron compared to people's 8 irons.
It makes me laugh when I'm hitting 7i and they're chuffing because they hit their jacked up piece of shit taylorcrappymade 9i
the eye2 have much weaker lofts that current lofts.
I game titleist dci 990’s from 1999, it’s the same story for me.
I used to play with a guy who was 2 clubs longer than I was. He thought it was funny with him hitting a 9 iron and I’m hitting a 7. I loved asking him what his score was walking off the green. Fir some reason I always scored better. LOL As a matter of fact out of 100 rounds played together he beat beat me one time. Oh and that was just on the front nine and not for 18. Distance is not the almighty king so many think it is.
Steve Gerrard Gerrard! He can hit a ball 40 yards, he’s big and he’s f*****g hard! Steve Gerrard Gerrard!
I've got a full set of Ping Zing 2, Red Dot irons I've been using forever and love them. Cleaned up the grooves once and they still play like new, Absolutely Love them.
I never liked the Ping eye2 when it came out. (1982?)
Now I think it looks great.
Like us, we've gotten better looking with age.
Still playing my Ping Eye 2 red dots 5-pw/sw and black dot 3 and 4 iron. Ebay purchase back in 2001. Have a Tsi driver and ping zing 2 putter. Feel no need to change. Regripped a few times. I'm a casual player and shoot high 80s to low 90s. Such a great feeling when you hit it clean.
I’m my eyes irons specifically turf interaction, feel/shape, are the more important factors followed by forgiveness. There is a nice balance of great turf interaction and forgiveness that you find in some small cavity backs. Distance is irrelevant you just need to know how far you hit them.
Going through some of your older videos and really enjoyed this. My local course is a short 6k yarder, and I'm using Fat Shaft 2 Wilsons from 2006 as opposed to my D9s. I am getting the same results as you, those D9s are just so jacked that it's difficult to control distance from the 7 iron upwards. My older clubs are 12 yards less but a much better dispersion, and surprisingly just as forgiving.
Great test between the 2. This is something I’ve recently been asking myself. I have a set of strong lofted G’s, which I hit really far, but the consistency of the exact distance has always been off at times. A particular par 3 at 165 has always been an 8-iron in the Ping G, but there were times the 8-iron would go over the green at 188. I switched back to more of a blade, traditional lofted set of irons, and while they don’t fly as far, I can usually trust the consistency of the distances
I just bought the 425s. Have played the Eye 2 Coppers for 20 years. Looking forward to these clubs
I use Ping Eye 2+, still love the feel and the look.
I have a set of green dot eye 2+ also.... I am thinking about sticking some true temper xp 85 stiff shafts in them. How far do you hit the 7 iron with them?
@@donnie830017 Just a smooth swing probably 150.
Funny how this video just popped up as a suggested watch. I received my Ping Eye 2 set the other day and immediately went to the range. Grips were terrible and the "stiff" ZZ Lite shaft is too whippy but boy did I have a great time. I have since removed the old shafts and replaced them with a soft stepped DG X100. Can't wait to hit them now!
Feel, sound, forgiveness and lie options nearly 40 years ago, are the new clubs really any better, good question Mark...
After being out of golf for many years, I am about to pick it up again. My son is taking lessons this summer so I hope we can play together. I always loved the look of the Eye 2s and after watching many videos comparing the Eye 2s to more modern irons it just seems the Eye 2s can more than hold their own. Being I don’t want to spend a fortune (and can’t really afford to) the Eye 2s may very well be the irons I look for to get me back into golf. I enjoy your videos. Thank you!
20 years, Mark?!
Closer to 40 years, mate.
The Ping Eye 2 irons were originally released in 1982! I can't believe it myself.
I got my first set of ping eye 2 (black dot) & a Dodge 500 convertible in 1988 when I got my 1st real job . I was in heaven.
I played with a fellow who used Ping Eye 1 clubs, they must have been pretty old.
Excellent comparison. I am 53 and just getting into the game seriously. I bought Ping G5 irons and this comparison confirms that my clubs will be good for me. As I become a better striker, these clubs should group closer and closer. There is no need for me to get new clubs any time soon.
Tha is also check this one out it’s super interesting ruclips.net/video/XNWVg13alhM/видео.html
More people should pay attention to these types of videos. So much more to learn here than a “hit this position to play better” video. Keep em coming Mark!
I recently upgraded from my 10 year old MP 53’s to JPX921 HM pros and I completely agree with your testing apart from shaft weight which was 130 grams to 100 grams which has made a difference over the course of 18 holes on wear and tear of your body.
Aside from the weaker lofts, the Eye 2s are still awesome irons. They were truly the clubs that both high handicappers and tour pros could play. The other clubs that were like that were the original Big Berthas and X-12 and X-14s.
The Ping Rail K3 iron was a better club I changed to the eye 2 and just hit them sky high ! Hence Karsten with his K1 K2 couldn't keep the ball down, so he developed the the Rail K3 success it worked ! Then we get eye 2 no rail and oila balloons again. I now have found a set of K3's and sold my eye2's. Mind you I own a lot of clubs, old blade man from the 70's, but could play, just my experience as a ball striker Cheers
Just started looking for a new set of irons before lockdown, I need to move down from stiff to reg as I'm now well into my 60s. Took my old mizuno mx100 irons out for 3 rounds, I bought them new when I started playing when I was in my 50s. Because of the lofts I have 4 to P rather than 5 to P in my forged irons. The mx100 don't go anywhere near as far because of the lofts but are so much more accurate, the 4 is only 8 to 10 yards shorter than my forged 5 iron and with an extra club in the set I can dial into distances more easily. I was considering gaming them. This has confirmed my thoughts. Thanks Mark.
Awesome Mark! I hope more and more reviewers focus on dispersion and standard deviations :)
I bought a set of used Ping Eye2's in 2008 - blue dot - they were not fit to me - they were just what was there - they were 'better' than what they replaced but I still struggled with them as far as accuracy was concerned - I recently got fit for a set of Ping i210's - discovered the Eye2's were 3 degrees too upright for me - I expect to receive them about Feb 17th - am excited - can't wait to play them
Mr. Crossfield- Looks like I won't be trading in the old Eye 2 clubs.
You’ve totally missed the point. You’ve taken the point Mark is trying to make too literally.
The distance from the hole it totally irrelevant because he’s hitting different lengths.
We know from strokes gained that the closer you are, the closer you can hit it. So putting the modern club 10 yards further back is clearly more difficult.
@@jk_0047 Jake, you have a good point. So I reckon that if my ball is 10 yards farther back I will need to hit an iron which is (for example) an old style 4 instead of a modern 5. The lofts should be similar and give similar performances.
I have Ping I2s in a full set with Sand, Pitch and 9 through 3 irons. I still play with them. My son uses them weekly. These clubs with a pair of Calloway Warbirds in Driver and 3 wood is the classic vintage set.
thoughts on rolling back the equipment? cant believe they want to make golf harder than it already is.......
I used to chase distance and have a set of Titleist 718 T-MB irons, but there’s nothing like the feel of my beryllium Ping Eye 2 irons. They are like playing golf with an old and trusted friend.
I would love to play eye 2 irons again. Let's get 1 million people to contact Ping and get them to make them again.
My older son plays what were my Eye2s. I have i210s.
In 1973, I received my first clubs selected for me, as opposed to passed down. The head pro showed my dad and me the new "Ping things," but he recommended Hogan Apex. I preferred the Pings, kids.
It would be interesting to compare those Hogans to today's (equivalent) forged irons, maybe Mizunos? Ping emphasizing inprovement, maybe forging emphasizing feel.
I bought my first set of Ping Eye 2 clubs in 1984. The Eye 2 had just replaced the original Eye (1). I Bought my second set of Eye 2 irons in BeCu (Beryllium Copper) in 1986. I actually liked the Eye better than the Eye 2. The Eye 2's were weak in lofts. I had my BeCu set measured for lofts because I couldn't get any distance from them. Had to hit the 7 iron at 100 yards! YUK! I don't remember all the lofts, but what stood out to me was the Lob wedge was 64 degrees! The primary reason I ditched the Ping Eye 2's was because of the weak lofts/short distances. Another factor about the Eye 2's was that it was impossible to order anything but stiff steel shafts! Karsten believed that every golfer should use the same shaft. Ladies' clubs carried the same stiff steel shaft as the men's clubs. I ended up having my Eye 2's re-shafted with True Temper men's "regular" flex shafts. Huge improvement! Of course at that time there was no such thing as graphite shafts, so that was absolutely no option. It took Karsten a long time to change his company's offerings to consider that not all golfers are alike and have different needs. The biggest -- and most game-changing feature -- that Ping offered was the customization for lie angles, length and grip sizes. Ping was the first to develop the color coded lie for plus and minus angles. Very revolutionary at the time. I think the reason for this was the fact that the club heads were cast stainless steel which was difficult to bend at the hosel without breaking. Forged carbon steel heads are soft, so they are easy to bend for different lie angles and lofts.
Many years ago, I bought a clone set of Eye 2 copies. Played them for a long time, they were pretty good.
My son has the new Chipp r, I love it!
So decided this old 9 iron needed a new life. Rebuilding in the works! Bent it 6 degrees up to 70 and put on an ultralight Jumbomax on it. Swing weight is C 4 now to take it to E6. To copy the Chipp R.
Maybe bring in a less talented golfer. Would like to see what happens if strike isn’t as consistent.
Good idea, I would hope the new clubs would be a lot more forgiving.
This is the problem with golf reviewers.
You don’t care what they say if they aren’t good, but if the are good and have credibility they can’t really associate with what “most” golfers need. At best they have to purposely create poor shots, and it’s just not the same.
The argument can be made that a less talented golfer would see an even greater deviation with modern irons.
Completely agree with the OP. Mark strikes the ball way more consistently than most golfers looking at the vids, especially me, though seems to report as if all people strike the ball like him. This isn’t anything against Mark, most golf channels do this.
Fake ass spam accounts
I had my clubs nicked from my car 40 yrs ago, beautiful maxfli Australian blades, gutted. Bought some eye2’s with the insurance money and oh boy what a revelation. Took a while to get used to the looks but the performance was outstanding and I had the 1 iron in the bag for heads were outstanding but they also pioneered light shafts which also worked really well and don’t forget the box grooves. Ping have long been the engineering performance driven manufacturer. 40 yrs on I’ve gone back to ping with i blades and they are great. Love these comparative vids 👍
Ping ought to create a new Ping Zing club, Ping Zing 3 !!!
I would buy those
I just “upgraded” to some ping I3’s. I love them and don’t see myself ever changing. Been golfing 4 years.
Cameron, I've still got mine and they're keepers. Slightly weaker lofts (7 iron is 34.5 degrees) than some newer ones. I also have a set of Ping G25 that are stronger lofts and maybe half a club longer, but i3 is better out of the rough. Just need to know your yardages.
Just reducing loft on a club is not the same as “improvement” of said club.
stumbled on this and just had a convo today about hitting distances over hitting for distance with the irons/wedges
The eye2 9 iron has a modern “high toe” design, that’s interesting
Brings to mind the saying: what goes around, comes around.
I just got a set of copper ping eye 2 clubs from my late grandfathers garage. Pretty fun learning about them and I’ll probably start putting them to work one day. I’ve never played before so it should be a fun adventure!
Back in the day my eye 2 was 10 yards longer than my Hogans because of the low lofts. ha ha ha
So I paused the video 1:17 and my opinion is that other than lofts being jacked the differences will be that off center hits will be better with the new PING irons. Distances would be similar if the EYE2 was a 5 iron. I still have my PING EYE 2''s since the mid 1980's and love them. I used them for like 15 years until I got my Mizuno MP 14's. Now I have a hard time playing any irons with an offset. It just looks so weird to my eye now. The PING 425 are almost 40 years younger!
What about testing them against an "i" series irons instead of "g", would you agree they would be more apples for apples...
Played Ping Eye 2 30 years ago with Powerbilt Citation woods. Loved them!!
I'd like to see you, in a blonde wig if you like, attack Tiger when he's in his car. See which 7 iron you prefer.
@Peter Donovan too lazy!
@Peter Donovan thanks though.
It was a 9 iron!!!
@@miragejeff1 damn, I thought it was a 7!
@@tonyclark6297 7 iron for the average golfer, a 9 for Tiger ;)
I agree. I think it holds true in all newer clubs. As you deloft the club, they seem to help the shape of the head and weight placement to help the average golfer unless you play blades
What I am learning to play golf with are my dad’s old ISI-K 3 through wedge. I know this video was about the eye 2 but I love them and so far they are getting the job done. Would love to see a comparison with this set and a modern version
I have a set of Ping Karsten 1 irons from 1971 which makes them 50 this year. They are not my daily set, but I do take them out every once in a while. I like the old Pings, but it is hard for them to compete with the forgiveness of modern day cavity back irons.
I really enjoyed your review on the Pings. I purchased a set of eye 2s in the 80s. Best set of irons I ever had and I've had plenty. If I could find a good set now I would purchase them.
Was perfect when it was made the eye2’s, a lot of folks buy a new set an go back to old kings cause not much difference maybe little distance. Played eye2’s forever , an you can still shot par with them that shows you how well they was engineered. Great video
Grew up playing with some used Ping Eye 2's and were one of my favorites. Since then I've Had Titleist DCI's, King Cobra's, Titleist AP2's and now back to Pings with the Blueprints
Love the Blueprints I got now.
Its great to hear you referring to standard deviation more and more. Such an important number.
Good stuff Mr Crossfield, your compliments on the feel of the Eye 2's says alot about Ping's castings. To each their own but I feel a golfer should only seek distance in the woods and driving irons portion of their bag. Irons and wedges should be the precision pieces of the bag. I'd rather have a modern driver but, give me a set of old forged CB irons with graphite shafts any day.
A buddy of mine still games the Eye 2's. He replaced the long irons with hybrids but still carries 5 - SW. He's hit lots of other clubs at demo days but never found a reason to change.
I own 3 sets of eye 2+ Irons. Have recently installed a set of AWT 2.0 shafts in one set. Sent another set of heads away for a cerakote refurb and cut with conforming grooves (for PGA tournament use). Love them, especially the wedges. Great video. 👍🏼
I put some ping eye 2 up for sale today on eBay. 3-SW in great condition. My eye 2s are dated 1997 even though Ping Eye 2+ were released in 1990. Mine have a raised dot in the cavity which is quite rare.
Just traded my Ping G irons for a set of Ping Eye 2 + Beryllium irons and love them, just play 1 club more to compensate for the loft change.
The only concession to current stock was to swap out the original shafts for the new 40 gram graphite shafts to allow for my slow swing speed speed.
When started golf I lusted after the Ping clubs but couldn't afford them now I can and am delighted
You made an excellent point that I didn’t even think of. If a club is hitting its distance and doing it more consistently but doesn’t drive as far, is it really worse? No, not unless the extra distance means you get to the green in one less shot otherwise consistency is way more important.
With that in mind, the one other factor that would be important to me would be how do the clubs feel compared to each other? Has 20+ years improved club feel?
Great video. I've golfed the worst rated blade irons to the callaway x18 (which I still hit and think rank with the best ever made). But my take on clubs is there isn't a great deal of difference in them. You can adapt to almost anything. I also hit a set of hickories and once tuned in I sometimes score better with them than the cals. The loft angles change so club up. If your dispersion is off that's on you, not the club.
I love PING for what they did and for what they continue to do. I have Eye 2's, G Irons, and will have a set of I's before next season.