Well said! I still play my Eye 2s from 1987. They still work. Love taking $$ from my friends who have over $2K of clubs in their bag. They have not yet learned that what makes it work is the Indian, not the arrow.
My wife bought me a set of ping eye 2 plus 1iron through to lob wedge in 1990 for me as a wedding present I still play with these today I love them just as munch as my wife never swap either cheers Jason
I just got a full set of BeCu Eye2 irons and woods from my wife as a gift and can't wait to try them out, had no idea there was so much history behind them and that they're still a competent set of clubs after all these years.
1-Lob BeCu Eye 2 may be the most iconic and perfect complete set of clubs ever created AND they still could win a championship. Maybe Ping should release the Eye 2 II’s.
I've just put my Ping BeCu clubs back in the bag after not using them for 20 years. Hit them at the range 2 days ago and can't figure out why I ever stopped using them. Playing tomorrow. Can't wait to get them out on the course.
Thank you for this informative video. 6 months ago i was driving in my neighborhood and saw a golf bag with clubs in them on the sidewalk. Hit the brakes hard, reversed, cause you know, when you see "FREE" and golf clubs, it just doesn't get any better. Well, my eyes got big, seeing that a whole set of ping eye 2 orange was in the bag. Didn't know much about them, but was excited that it was "ping". Did a u turn to the driving range to go try them out. Although the grips were shot, the clubs hit amazingly well. Next day I regripped them with Ping grips. I gamed them a few times and gave me confidence that I can hit a shot with them. Although they are a club short, I just go 1 up to get the same distance as my other clubs.
I am 68 and still play with Ping Eye 2 + red dots, 4 to SW. Used to sell clubs and tried everything, including most of the Japanese brands. Nice video.
Super video. I got a set in 1992 as a gift from my dad. 1-SW. I had the lengths and lie angle readjusted by ping when i was 17 and still play them today...for no other reason than that ive never found anything better.
ABSOLUTELY SUPERB!!! You even brought up how a 40 yr old Eye 2. still looks good and a forged looks like crap after 5 years of golf cart bag clatter/chatter
Great video! I'm a Ping nut and currently have 2 sets of Ping Eye2s, one black dot, the other red, A set of I3's, Ping ISI K's and G25's. The ping Eye 2's are the most reliable hands down... The black dot 2-SW set is actually in my Son's bag. He's a U.S. Marine and deserves nothing but the best!... Update: I've recently added Ping Zing 2's to my collection. 3-LW black dot... They never let me down! Love them!!!
I've been playing Ping Zing orange dot for a while now. Just this year decided to get serious though and got a pair a g425 black dot. I'll miss them, but I won't miss having to compensate left since it was the wrong lie angle for my body
Great video, My Father was playing in a Southern Senior Open in the early 80's and Karsten saw him hitting balls and told him to wait before he tee'ed off and brought him a set of Ping Eye's set up for him free of charge. My Dad won the tournament and Karsten gave him the clubs. I have 5 set's of Pings from my Dad he had thru the years including a set of BeCu Ping's. I play Callaway's but will never part with my old Ping's.
I got my Ping Eye 2s in 1987. Used them until a couple of years ago and bought Ping G400s (I'm 77) and dropped 4 strokes handicap within 2 months. I've loved Ping clubs forever. I also putt with a Ping Zing putter which is ~25 years old..
When I started playing in 1992 as an 18 year old I was using a set of womens Wilson forged clubs. I wanted a set of Eye 2’s very badly. By the time I saved up the money I had to buy the Zings. I absolutely could not stand the look of the Zing at address and I’m positive it affected my game. I sold the Zings and quit playing for a few years. Then I came across a 2-SW set of black dot original Eyes with ZZ Lite shafts. I bought the whole set for $60 and absolutely love them. I still play them to this day and just re-gripped with new 5L round grips. In the woods I have an i20 driver, i20 3-wood and i20 17H and 23H hybrids. Along with my trusty BeCu Ping Pal 6 putter. I won’t be buying any new clubs ever as far as I’m concerned.
I happen to love and admire old golf clubs. Most vintage irons are so difficult to hit given a total lack of forgiveness but the Eye2 is just the opposite. I own three complete sets including a BeCu collection. The woods are excellent as well :) thanks for a fun and relatable watch
The only wood from the Eye 2 series I’ve hit is a 5 wood I found used years back. It’s interesting, I still see irons for sale on the used market in my area pretty frequently, but I rarely see the woods.
Hear, hear! You are exactly correct! I just bought a refurbished set of Eye2s this summer and I was able to get back to shooting in the low 80s/high 70s, where I had left off at golf almost 20 years ago. Nothing I've ever played we better for accuracy. Sure I'm a club or two down for distance but who cares if you're on in regulation. They are the BEST clubs ever made.
I've watched this 2 or 3 times since I still game the Ping Eye2's. Thank you so much for the walk through history about these clubs. I also play Ping Zing2's as well. Both sets are so fitting for my game. I haven't found another set that can match the feel, accuracy and sound of these 2 sets. Let's just say I'd rather be 100 yards from the pin in the fairway, than 80 yards from the pin in the rough or trees. Thanks again.
Interesting video, thanks. I collect and play vintage irons, exclusively "blade" irons but made an exception to include a set of Eye 2's. I don't get along with them but they are without question iconic and hold a unique place in golf history.
I've got a set of Ping + no + becu irons 2-SW love them. I also play Spalding top flight blades and Gary Player Dark Knight 2 blades. What other older blades do you collect/like? Hogans or Titleist? Thank you.
Over the years I have had close to 2 dozen different sets of irons. All but 2 sets have been donated or traded in on new purchases. The 2 that I have kept are my first real set, Wilson Staff Dynapower blades, and my favorite set and one that I played for a decade, Ping Eye 2 plus. I also have two Ping Anser putters from back in the day that I haven't used in forever but can't bear to part with. Great irons, as accurate and consistent as anything ever made.
I have a set of Ping Eye 2+ black dot irons from early 1990, 1-iron through sand wedge. I shipped them to Ping for refurb last year. They look beautiful and play even better despite "weak" lofts. I've tried many sets of irons over the years and nothing comes close, with the latest being Cobra Radspeed. The best thing Ping could do is bring these back to the masses. You would think they would have already done it. I also have a 1992 Ping Anser 2 putter, refurbed with the iron set. The balance and feel on the putter is unmatched. It just feels like you're going to make everything.
Excellent review of the history of these amazing irons. Thank you for the valuable information. I have a set of 1985 U-Groove Eye 2's 1 thru PW. I am the original owner having bought them when my Ping Eye irons were stolen in 1985. They are still in excellent condition 37 years later. I just had them re-gripped and plan on hitting the range in the next day or two. I will be swinging these with much more appreciation thanks to your video.
The Ping Eye 2's made Mark Calcavica a STAR player back in the day!!! When he was able to rip a wedge out of the thick rough and put backspin on the ball many players switched to Ping clubs. Then the wonderful groove controversy and then the changing to the eye2+ clubs that had conforming grooves. I still play a set of Ping ISI Nickel irons ! My eye2+'s went to Iraq to our Military boys!
I really enjoyed this video. Thank you! I’ve never owned a set of Ping Eye 2 irons but I did purchase a brand new set of BeCu Ping ISI irons that I still play to this day.
What a great video bud. I recently bought 2 sets of Ping Eye 2 clubs (one BE set mfr'd in May 1988 w. 'square/radiused' grooves, and the other mfr'd in fall of 1984 and with the non-radiused square grooves) - did a lot of online research and weeding through the plethora of misinformation out there to find out as much as I could about them before I laid the $ down - and still couldn't find some of the info you've managed to find/post here on their production and evolutionary timeline. Great job! just a footnote - with the s/n's of the clubs, you can contact Ping Customer Service and they will dig through their records (which they maintain from day-1) to give you all the info they have on the clubs of interest (Mfr date, color of lie, all clubs included in set at time, finish/line of clubs, etc). First time I'd seen the old design drawings by and photos of Karsten.
Really interesting - thanks. During lockdown I got a set of K1s. Very much looking forward to getting them regripped and using them for fun to see what they are like.
I saw some of the copper Pings in my favorite golf shop. A full set and the price was heart stopping at $1,200. All things considered that was cheap. They looked great too! Nice history lesson.
I hd a set of the Ping Eye 2's. I just stopped using the sand wedge in 2018. I still have my Driver, 3 and 5 woods. I think I gave my son the rest of the irons. My step mom has a set of Orange Ping Eye 2's that are hardly used. They are in Mint Condition. Enjoyed the history lesson.
Nice little history, wish you would have touched on the rare beryllium copper version Eye 2s; had a set of those with the good grooves, unbelievable...and super expensive. Irony is, I had a barn find of sorts, running I to a set for cheap and they just didn't hit like I remembered, ended up selling them for a tidy profi. Glad you hit on the wedges, finding Eye 2 sand and lob wedges was akin to finding the Holy Grail!
I ordered a complete set of PingEye2 BeCu 3-LW Black Dot in 1986 (paid $50 per club) and waited over 3 months to get them delivered to the pro shop so I could pick them up. Drove 40 minutes both ways to pick them up when they came in and looked at them all day before getting off work and playing 9 holes on the way home and managed to hit each club at least once and finished in the dark. I played this last Sunday with the same clubs except I only have the 6-LW in the bag and have resorted to hybrids in play of the longer irons. Wouldn't replace them at any price. Also, never a a lick of buyers remorse over the purchase.
I’d say the investment at $50/club over 36 years was a sound one! And well done on having the self discipline to wait until after work to play and not sneaking off early.
Thanks for this video. You hit on a couple of things I hadn’t heard in the past. I just got a set of beryllium copper irons today when I saw them for sale locally.
Randomly still have an EYE2 1-iron in my bag. Don't play much now, but hit it twice yesterday in a Scramble with other good balls in play already, and both times flushed it 250 yards up the middle. It's a great club!
Last 5 years or so I was playing with Mizuno mx1000s. I saw a set of these Eye 2’s on marketplace recently and picked them up. Long story short, the mizunos are for sale now. It was a no brainer, couldnt believe how easy and accurate the Eye 2’s are. Keep in mind those are the only 2 sets I’ve ever felt
❤ I still have set of Eye 2+ irons in BeCu plus matching bag. I used to love the feel of these an take them out on the course every so often. I was able to take advantage of the rule change and sent my non conforming Eye 2’s back to the States from Australia for a straight swap!
@@icantgolf I also have a set of Jan Craig knitted headcovers for the woods and a JonJay buggy. It’s the total retro thing. Probably got some old balatas somewhere. I just need some really baggy chinos and an oversized polo with a geometric design 😉
Yes, I was so lucky to grab a set of Ping Eye-2 Orange code (2-LW, all serial no. matching) in the original Ping 350-Series, R graphite shaft. Tried them all on the driving range. Amazing, it very easy to swing. I found the missed hits still making a good distance, about 80% less than those good impact hits. However, due to the weak loft of Eye-2 set, I have to remember to add a club for the same distance, of my Mizuno MP-4. Lastly, I also found that my scores from some rounds, by using this good-old Eye-2 set, even beat the best round (I have ever played this game).
On the advice of a pro relative I bought a set of Ping Eye 2's in the early 90's. Loved them. Handicap came down to single figures. For some reason I changed them for Cleveland CG2's with graphite shafts. By the time I realised it was a big mistake it was too late. I had sold my Pings.
Thank you, very informative video, good job sir. Just bought my first set of used black dot / ping eye 2, 2-L at $150 Thx to you I understand the value of the line and will start collecting sets Just bought G10 driver w/G400 max in crosshairs
That was very good. In late 1990's I purchased a set of Ping Eye 2 + in BeCu, Blue Dot 3-SW. I still have to this day 3 BeCu putters in a Ping Anser 2, Pal 2 and GoWin. Ping was on to something special when they cast that BeCu irons. The only short coming I would say was the offset. The irons had a lot of offset.
My first set was Wilson x31. I split it with my BF, and got the PW, 8 and 6i. After a year, i got the Eye2s. What a set of irons! I won the club championship on these. I am so sad I dont have them anymore.
I played these in high school. Really wish I would have kept them. Red dot, fit almost perfectly. I remember my next set of sticks being the Cleveland TA2 tour iron...another great set.
The Eye2 will always be a great iron. Just know your yardages, pick the appropriate iron and play. With a modern ball, they are even better. I am a club junkie and always rotate new irons in and out of my bag, but always fall back to Eye2+ when playing for money or against a good player in my group. GOAT.
I played my best golf in the mid 70's using Ping K111 (Rail) irons which to me were a better club and I still have them , the 1 iron is a weapon for me as I wasn't the best driver user even tho I could play back then. Long irons and putter were my tools !🤗
Great vid - thankyou. I recently picked up a full set of great condition Eye 2's from a local thrift store here in Australia (black dot, 2 thru SW inclusive)... They were $50 (Aus, approx. $75 USD) in a nice bag and just looked too good not to take home with me. I love hitting them and this video helps explain why! So glad I saw them and grabbed them :)
@@icantgolf - Yes, your video helped to reinforce what a great & lucky find this was.... I also suspect that the 2 & 3 eye2 irons are somewhat unusual/non-standard??? Do you know anything about this? (I actually play modern mizunos w hybrids as longs & only 6+ irons - i.e. the modern way! - lol ...) The interesting thing is that I find I can surprisingly actually hit the Eye2 2&3 irons ok,,, I definitely love getting them out on the range just to freshen everything up and experiment with them... they make a great reference point when i just want to have fun, freshen everything up & feel the old school easy high loft....
I think it’s awesome that they are the sort of thing you can pass down through the generations. I guess you can do that with other clubs, but you couldn’t play them as enjoyably as you can a set of Eye 2s.
Saw a set of Orange Dot BeCu on sale in my local FB market for very reasonable price and thought about buying. Probably would have pulled the trigger if I had watched this before hand, thanks for sharing!
I bought my eye2’s when I was 18, I’ll be 53 this year and have been using cobra forged tec copper as couldn’t find beryllium copper eye2’s. Just let my 17 year old son ‘borrow’ them and he loves them. My cobras are over a club stronger but not as workable. As long as I keep a note of yardages I’ll play with both as I’m never getting rid of them👍🏼
I bought my ping eye 2s blue dot, 2-sand, from a cousin for $400 back in 9th grade... In 1990, y'all. I borrowed them to play with them on a visit. I had to have them when i hit a post 5 in two, sticking the 2 iron from about 240 or so. They're still in my bag right now.
Best are plus no plus (+no+), modern lofts, old grandfathered grooves. Only made for a few months in the spring of 1990, rarity means you'll likely need to piece together a set, as matching serial +no+ get stupid money. Great video. Now go get some nickel isi's.
Great video, but you forgot to include the "Plus No Plus" model - it was essentially the Eye 2 Plus but with the soon-to-be-banned grooves from the previous year. They were the best of both worlds - they had the newer (and better) sole grind and the spinnier grooves. They were only made for a few months (I think 5 or 6), and had no "+" in the cavity - this was added only after the grooves were updated.
Yes, I remember reading about these. Ping had some interesting periods where production of one model crossed over with production of another. The BeCu Eye 2’s have a great story like that, which I’m working on for my next video.
so i know very little about golf but just came across some NOS still wrapped in box ping eye 2s and started doing some research and watching videos. this video has been a great help and i was just trying to get a good idea as to what the value is of, lets just say a brand new full set of 10 clubs, ping eye 2 blackdot 2-9,SW,PW would bring?
Hi David, to me, those are sort of the Holy Grail. If they had really never been hit, they’d probably fetch a high price. I’m not an expert on current prices, but definitely don’t let them go for a couple hundred dollars.
I've got a set of the becu PingEye2's 1-SW that get brought out a few times a season along with the Ping sunday bag they came in. Sure they don't go as far as my TaylorMade r7 irons but they feel & play great.
This is a great video! I have a bit of an unhealthy obsession with these old Ping clubs (I was just gifted a full set of Zing 2 irons from a relative), and this was very informative. I'm considering "upgrading" to some Eye2 BeCu irons some day. You should do a video on old school Ping Persimmon woods!
I use a Ping Eye 2 Sand Wedge …I was talking with my son because I’m recently getting back to playing after years of not being able to walk…the only club I kept from the set I had was this club…I play Callaway Big Bertha but no matter what clubs I used I’ve always had this wedge…I’m 64 and can still get it to within 3-5 Ft from 75-80 yards ( that’s all I can hit my sand wedge ) to this day I can not hit any other sand wedge …only this one
I have a set of white dot Eye 2's that are so old it says Patent Pending on the backs. A lot of PGA pros had eye 2 wedges in their bags no matter what their bag said. Couples and Michelson are a couple to name a couple.
Very interesting overview. Just sold my Ping i3 set and they spun a whole lot too. I play in a seniors' league and there are a couple of Eye 2 sets in bags. People who own them don't want to part with what I think they see as old friends. I play G25 irons. Lofts are much stronger.
the thing i love about pings is they never get ugly wear marks on the faces or the soles whether they are better forming irons is debatable but they are certainly better at ageing than most clubs and there's something good about knowing your golf club will outlast urself
Yes! Those are the early V-Groove version! The Ping website does a good job of running through all the ways to tell the difference on the various groove models. ping.com/en-us/legal/groove-rule
@@robmoore2625 That's a good question. There seems to be a lot of conflicting info online, and often confusion between the U and Square grooves. I don't know of any markings that differentiate between the U grooves that were produced early on and the square grooves that came after. I did use this website as a reference when making my video, though, along with the one from Ping in the original comment: www.equip2golf.com/archives/history/ping_frameset.html?ping_eye2.html~archives
@@icantgolf Thank you. Your link solved it. I have the Eye2 Beryllium Copper irons, stamped with "US PAT. D276644 and 4512577". That means it's the "Square Groove", made in 1987.
I literally just bought the G710's (4-U), finally putting away my Eye2+ set (2-L) and I think I'm still going to keep the old SW in my bag and maybe that L wedge.
You really can’t go wrong with one wedge, at least. So reliable. The G710’s are really nice (I have been looking at a set), but I wonder if anyone will be playing them in 40 years?
The best set of golf clubs you’ll probably ever have in the Ping Eye 2 beryllium copper set. They’re super forgiving and feel like butter and they’ve got distance you can’t ask for more and right now they’re going for like $300 on eBay I got a set got $250
I have a number of sets of ping irons and putters the eye 2 I regret selling I want to replace them with ping eye 2 BeCu they look so beautiful back in the 90s no one wanted them how times have changed
You are wrong about the original Eye 2 grooves being legal under USGA rules (at about 5:16 in the video). As you later note, they are legal because of Ping's lawsuit against the USGA. They do not conform to the rules. On any club with 25 degrees or more of loft V grooves are NOT legal since 2010 - if they have sharp edges with no rounding, Almost all irons had sharp edges before then. The Eye 2's don't have rounded edges. They have a sharp angle at the groove edges. The same is true of U grooves. If they don't have rounding of the edges of the grooves they are illegal. If they do have rounding they are legal. Yes, U grooves are legal if they have the rounding which almost none did before the 2010 change of the rules.
I have a set of Ping Eye2 beryllium copper, 2-SW, mint, unused, never touched a golf ball, original grips! I also have a set of Eye2, steel, which I use. I don’t want to use the copper ones because they are mint and they’re probably only a few sets in this condition left in the world
As young I always wished I could afford the Ping Eye but settled with some quite OK Tommy Armour PGA Medallion Iron in mid 80.s. Now these were sold and a Callaway Big Bertha set ws my new set in mid 90s but around 5 years ago my eyes fell on a Ping Eye 2 set at a golf shop that someone had traded i and I bought it in the fly for basically nothing. just to have it...🤠
It isn’t right to leave nice clubs like that on the shelf. Whenever I see a single Eye 2 or an old Anser putter, I always scoop it up so it can sit in my basement with it’s kin.
This has been said before but, ever since the eye 2, everyone has basically copied that original cavity back since. Still playing 1988 Black Dots bent strong.
It’s fascinating that there were so many really clear knock-offs (with different company branding) of the Eye 2s through the 90s. You don’t see that with any new clubs. I wonder why that is? Maybe all the knock offs now are “true knock offs”, with copied logos and company names and everything.
Full set of Ping Eye2, BeCu (Black Dot): The top bar "Karsten Mfg. Corp. Phoenix, AZ 85068 USA" all run from the toe of the head to the heel. Serial numbers: 1i: 74754 (VC) 2i: 336028A (VD) 3i: 467106A (VD) 4i: 467106A VD) 5i: 467106A (VD) 6i: 467106A (VD) 7i: 467106A (VD) 8i: 467106A (VD) 9i: 467106A (VD) PW: 467106A (VD) SW: 467106A (VD) LW: B07796 (H) VC = Serial printed vertically, up the shaft towards handle, with whole numbers completely cut out. VD = Serial printed vertically, up the shaft towards handle, with numbers in small dots. H = Serial printed horizontally around hosel, facing same way up as PingEye2, with whole numbers stamped with a punch.
I just got a sets of ping 2 eye red dot from my father that played golf in the 1997.. now i don't know if em sets of irons were legal or not if i wanna play in a competition.. now i'm stuck at playing only on the driving range and i don't wanna play in em golf course cause i'm scared if someone gonna tell me my irons were not legal lol
Chances are your irons are confirming and legal. And it really doesn’t matter too much unless you were playing in a really serious tournament (national open qualifier). Take those clubs out to the course and enjoy them!
Well said! I still play my Eye 2s from 1987. They still work. Love taking $$ from my friends who have over $2K of clubs in their bag. They have not yet learned that what makes it work is the Indian, not the arrow.
My wife bought me a set of ping eye 2 plus 1iron through to lob wedge in 1990 for me as a wedding present I still play with these today I love them just as munch as my wife never swap either cheers Jason
Hey I have a set of Ping Eye 2. From 1 iron thru lob wedge. Best Irons in the world, to this day...
I just got a full set of BeCu Eye2 irons and woods from my wife as a gift and can't wait to try them out, had no idea there was so much history behind them and that they're still a competent set of clubs after all these years.
Those seem to worth a good amount of money these days! Don’t let someone tell you they are same price as the cast iron clubs!
I have a had a set of BeCu’s 1-LOB. Love them, ALWAYS get compliments
1-Lob BeCu Eye 2 may be the most iconic and perfect complete set of clubs ever created AND they still could win a championship. Maybe Ping should release the Eye 2 II’s.
@@NeilLB7you mean "Eye 2 II, too"? 😅
I've just put my Ping BeCu clubs back in the bag after not using them for 20 years. Hit them at the range 2 days ago and can't figure out why I ever stopped using them. Playing tomorrow. Can't wait to get them out on the course.
Thank you for this informative video. 6 months ago i was driving in my neighborhood and saw a golf bag with clubs in them on the sidewalk. Hit the brakes hard, reversed, cause you know, when you see "FREE" and golf clubs, it just doesn't get any better. Well, my eyes got big, seeing that a whole set of ping eye 2 orange was in the bag. Didn't know much about them, but was excited that it was "ping". Did a u turn to the driving range to go try them out. Although the grips were shot, the clubs hit amazingly well. Next day I regripped them with Ping grips. I gamed them a few times and gave me confidence that I can hit a shot with them. Although they are a club short, I just go 1 up to get the same distance as my other clubs.
This is, literally, the best story I’ve heard all day. This is why you always slow down when you see golf clubs all alone on a curb!
I am 68 and still play with Ping Eye 2 + red dots, 4 to SW. Used to sell clubs and tried everything, including most of the Japanese brands. Nice video.
Super video. I got a set in 1992 as a gift from my dad. 1-SW. I had the lengths and lie angle readjusted by ping when i was 17 and still play them today...for no other reason than that ive never found anything better.
Do you still play the 1 iron?
ABSOLUTELY SUPERB!!! You even brought up how a 40 yr old Eye 2. still looks good and a forged looks like crap after 5 years of golf cart bag clatter/chatter
I think its more due to the material
@@rhett7716 No Kidding,,,,,,,,Stainless vs much softer Carbon Steel
Great video! I'm a Ping nut and currently have 2 sets of Ping Eye2s, one black dot, the other red, A set of I3's, Ping ISI K's and G25's. The ping Eye 2's are the most reliable hands down... The black dot 2-SW set is actually in my Son's bag. He's a U.S. Marine and deserves nothing but the best!... Update: I've recently added Ping Zing 2's to my collection. 3-LW black dot... They never let me down! Love them!!!
I've been playing Ping Zing orange dot for a while now. Just this year decided to get serious though and got a pair a g425 black dot. I'll miss them, but I won't miss having to compensate left since it was the wrong lie angle for my body
Great video, My Father was playing in a Southern Senior Open in the early 80's and Karsten saw him hitting balls and told him to wait before he tee'ed off and brought him a set of Ping Eye's set up for him free of charge. My Dad won the tournament and Karsten gave him the clubs. I have 5 set's of Pings from my Dad he had thru the years including a set of BeCu Ping's. I play Callaway's but will never part with my old Ping's.
That’s so cool. Everything I’ve read about Karsten makes him seem like a pretty awesome guy.
You are blessed
I got my Ping Eye 2s in 1987. Used them until a couple of years ago and bought Ping G400s (I'm 77) and dropped 4 strokes handicap within 2 months. I've loved Ping clubs forever. I also putt with a Ping Zing putter which is ~25 years old..
Single owner Eye 2s are awesome!
When I started playing in 1992 as an 18 year old I was using a set of womens Wilson forged clubs. I wanted a set of Eye 2’s very badly. By the time I saved up the money I had to buy the Zings. I absolutely could not stand the look of the Zing at address and I’m positive it affected my game. I sold the Zings and quit playing for a few years. Then I came across a 2-SW set of black dot original Eyes with ZZ Lite shafts. I bought the whole set for $60 and absolutely love them. I still play them to this day and just re-gripped with new 5L round grips. In the woods I have an i20 driver, i20 3-wood and i20 17H and 23H hybrids. Along with my trusty BeCu Ping Pal 6 putter. I won’t be buying any new clubs ever as far as I’m concerned.
I'm still playing with the red dot eye 2s and have no plans on switching. Nice video!
Been playin green dot eye 2s since 9th grade. I Just turned 37.
I happen to love and admire old golf clubs. Most vintage irons are so difficult to hit given a total lack of forgiveness but the Eye2 is just the opposite. I own three complete sets including a BeCu collection. The woods are excellent as well :) thanks for a fun and relatable watch
The only wood from the Eye 2 series I’ve hit is a 5 wood I found used years back. It’s interesting, I still see irons for sale on the used market in my area pretty frequently, but I rarely see the woods.
Hear, hear! You are exactly correct! I just bought a refurbished set of Eye2s this summer and I was able to get back to shooting in the low 80s/high 70s, where I had left off at golf almost 20 years ago. Nothing I've ever played we better for accuracy. Sure I'm a club or two down for distance but who cares if you're on in regulation. They are the BEST clubs ever made.
I've watched this 2 or 3 times since I still game the Ping Eye2's. Thank you so much for the walk through history about these clubs. I also play Ping Zing2's as well. Both sets are so fitting for my game. I haven't found another set that can match the feel, accuracy and sound of these 2 sets. Let's just say I'd rather be 100 yards from the pin in the fairway, than 80 yards from the pin in the rough or trees. Thanks again.
Interesting video, thanks. I collect and play vintage irons, exclusively "blade" irons but made an exception to include a set of Eye 2's. I don't get along with them but they are without question iconic and hold a unique place in golf history.
I've got a set of Ping + no + becu irons 2-SW love them.
I also play Spalding top flight blades and Gary Player Dark Knight 2 blades.
What other older blades do you collect/like? Hogans or Titleist?
Thank you.
That was an excellent video and you are correct : Ping Eye two was and is the best iron ever made.
Thank you for the good work
Over the years I have had close to 2 dozen different sets of irons. All but 2 sets have been donated or traded in on new purchases. The 2 that I have kept are my first real set, Wilson Staff Dynapower blades, and my favorite set and one that I played for a decade, Ping Eye 2 plus. I also have two Ping Anser putters from back in the day that I haven't used in forever but can't bear to part with. Great irons, as accurate and consistent as anything ever made.
I have a set of Ping Eye 2+ black dot irons from early 1990, 1-iron through sand wedge. I shipped them to Ping for refurb last year. They look beautiful and play even better despite "weak" lofts. I've tried many sets of irons over the years and nothing comes close, with the latest being Cobra Radspeed. The best thing Ping could do is bring these back to the masses. You would think they would have already done it. I also have a 1992 Ping Anser 2 putter, refurbed with the iron set. The balance and feel on the putter is unmatched. It just feels like you're going to make everything.
You would think Ping could sell a bunch of sets on nostalgia alone!
Excellent review of the history of these amazing irons. Thank you for the valuable information. I have a set of 1985 U-Groove Eye 2's 1 thru PW. I am the original owner having bought them when my Ping Eye irons were stolen in 1985. They are still in excellent condition 37 years later. I just had them re-gripped and plan on hitting the range in the next day or two. I will be swinging these with much more appreciation thanks to your video.
Thanks! Make sure you show someone under 25 what a 1-iron looks like! Not something you see anymore.
@@icantgolf Will do. Showed it to my nephew and he had a puzzled look on his face, lol!
The Ping Eye 2's made Mark Calcavica a STAR player back in the day!!! When he was able to rip a wedge out of the thick rough and put backspin on the ball many players switched to Ping clubs.
Then the wonderful groove controversy and then the changing to the eye2+ clubs that had conforming grooves.
I still play a set of Ping ISI Nickel irons ! My eye2+'s went to Iraq to our Military boys!
Nice video. I knew most of this since I lived through these times but it was still good to get the overview. Well done!
I really enjoyed this video. Thank you! I’ve never owned a set of Ping Eye 2 irons but I did purchase a brand new set of BeCu Ping ISI irons that I still play to this day.
Wow brilliant video mate!
What a great video bud. I recently bought 2 sets of Ping Eye 2 clubs (one BE set mfr'd in May 1988 w. 'square/radiused' grooves, and the other mfr'd in fall of 1984 and with the non-radiused square grooves) - did a lot of online research and weeding through the plethora of misinformation out there to find out as much as I could about them before I laid the $ down - and still couldn't find some of the info you've managed to find/post here on their production and evolutionary timeline. Great job! just a footnote - with the s/n's of the clubs, you can contact Ping Customer Service and they will dig through their records (which they maintain from day-1) to give you all the info they have on the clubs of interest (Mfr date, color of lie, all clubs included in set at time, finish/line of clubs, etc). First time I'd seen the old design drawings by and photos of Karsten.
Really interesting - thanks. During lockdown I got a set of K1s. Very much looking forward to getting them regripped and using them for fun to see what they are like.
I saw some of the copper Pings in my favorite golf shop. A full set and the price was heart stopping at $1,200. All things considered that was cheap. They looked great too! Nice history lesson.
They are really the only irons that hold their value like that!
I hd a set of the Ping Eye 2's. I just stopped using the sand wedge in 2018. I still have my Driver, 3 and 5 woods. I think I gave my son the rest of the irons. My step mom has a set of Orange Ping Eye 2's that are hardly used. They are in Mint Condition. Enjoyed the history lesson.
It’s weird, I see so many orange dot sets out there. Probably even more than black dots these days.
Nice little history, wish you would have touched on the rare beryllium copper version Eye 2s; had a set of those with the good grooves, unbelievable...and super expensive. Irony is, I had a barn find of sorts, running I to a set for cheap and they just didn't hit like I remembered, ended up selling them for a tidy profi. Glad you hit on the wedges, finding Eye 2 sand and lob wedges was akin to finding the Holy Grail!
I ordered a complete set of PingEye2 BeCu 3-LW Black Dot in 1986 (paid $50 per club) and waited over 3 months to get them delivered to the pro shop so I could pick them up. Drove 40 minutes both ways to pick them up when they came in and looked at them all day before getting off work and playing 9 holes on the way home and managed to hit each club at least once and finished in the dark. I played this last Sunday with the same clubs except I only have the 6-LW in the bag and have resorted to hybrids in play of the longer irons. Wouldn't replace them at any price. Also, never a a lick of buyers remorse over the purchase.
I’d say the investment at $50/club over 36 years was a sound one! And well done on having the self discipline to wait until after work to play and not sneaking off early.
Well done on this
I have a set of BECUs + and a stainless set. Love them both.
Which set do you like better?
Thanks for this video. You hit on a couple of things I hadn’t heard in the past. I just got a set of beryllium copper irons today when I saw them for sale locally.
Those are the Grail Clubs, as far as I’m concerned. Enjoy them!
I bought a set of Ping Eye 2 Orange dot this year to replace my Ladies Cleveland Launcher. I love my new clubs!!!
Fantastic history thanks for reminding me
Randomly still have an EYE2 1-iron in my bag. Don't play much now, but hit it twice yesterday in a Scramble with other good balls in play already, and both times flushed it 250 yards up the middle. It's a great club!
My grandpa gave me a full set of eye 2's today. Pretty stoked
Last 5 years or so I was playing with Mizuno mx1000s. I saw a set of these Eye 2’s on marketplace recently and picked them up. Long story short, the mizunos are for sale now. It was a no brainer, couldnt believe how easy and accurate the Eye 2’s are. Keep in mind those are the only 2 sets I’ve ever felt
I have a set of Left Hand Ping Eye 2's Red dot matching serial numbers, 3 to pitching, lovely clubs.
Nicely done. Such an interesting iron. Its amazing how these things are still desireable.
Please make more golf equipment history videos. I feel these are important
Thank you! I’ve got one more in the works…
Fantastic informative video. I have been a ping guy since the early 90’s. Great video. Thank you for sharing.
Brad do you have an email? I wanted to tell you about a FB group for old school Ping fans & other Ping fan groups.
That would be great. It’s brad.langdale@gmail.com
great video with lot of info. I have 3-SW IIIA set, so last one made before Eye´s I think.
❤ I still have set of Eye 2+ irons in BeCu plus matching bag. I used to love the feel of these an take them out on the course every so often. I was able to take advantage of the rule change and sent my non conforming Eye 2’s back to the States from Australia for a straight swap!
The matching bag would really complete the whole look!
@@icantgolf I also have a set of Jan Craig knitted headcovers for the woods and a JonJay buggy. It’s the total retro thing. Probably got some old balatas somewhere. I just need some really baggy chinos and an oversized polo with a geometric design 😉
Great information much appreciated
Yes, I was so lucky to grab a set of Ping Eye-2 Orange code (2-LW, all serial no. matching) in the original Ping 350-Series, R graphite shaft. Tried them all on the driving range. Amazing, it very easy to swing. I found the missed hits still making a good distance, about 80% less than those good impact hits. However, due to the weak loft of Eye-2 set, I have to remember to add a club for the same distance, of my Mizuno MP-4. Lastly, I also found that my scores from some rounds, by using this good-old Eye-2 set, even beat the best round (I have ever played this game).
最近、格安でベリリウムカッパーEYE2 1987年 を手に入れました！ とても打ちやすくて気にいってます。また磨けば磨くほど光り出しメンテナンスも楽しいです😊
Agreed. Awesome video! Thanks so much!!!
On the advice of a pro relative I bought a set of Ping Eye 2's in the early 90's. Loved them. Handicap came down to single figures. For some reason I changed them for Cleveland CG2's with graphite shafts. By the time I realised it was a big mistake it was too late. I had sold my Pings.
Well, I suppose you helped out someone else’s handicap. It’s never too late to find a new used set!
I have 2 I-2 sets the 80's version and a treasured set of BE-CU's. I use the BE-CU lob wedge every round, nothing is better!
I agree with the final statement
Thank you, very informative video, good job sir.
Just bought my first set of used black dot / ping eye 2, 2-L at $150
Thx to you I understand the value of the line and will start collecting sets
Just bought G10 driver w/G400 max in crosshairs
$150 is an excellent deal for a full set of Eye 2s! Have fun with that 2-iron!
That was very good. In late 1990's I purchased a set of Ping Eye 2 + in BeCu, Blue Dot 3-SW. I still have to this day 3 BeCu putters in a Ping Anser 2, Pal 2 and GoWin. Ping was on to something special when they cast that BeCu irons. The only short coming I would say was the offset. The irons had a lot of offset.
My first set was Wilson x31. I split it with my BF, and got the PW, 8 and 6i. After a year, i got the Eye2s. What a set of irons! I won the club championship on these. I am so sad I dont have them anymore.
I played these in high school. Really wish I would have kept them. Red dot, fit almost perfectly. I remember my next set of sticks being the Cleveland TA2 tour iron...another great set.
Brilliant video. Thank you.
The Eye2 will always be a great iron. Just know your yardages, pick the appropriate iron and play. With a modern ball, they are even better. I am a club junkie and always rotate new irons in and out of my bag, but always fall back to Eye2+ when playing for money or against a good player in my group. GOAT.
I played my best golf in the mid 70's using Ping K111 (Rail) irons which to me were a better club and I still have them , the 1 iron is a weapon for me as I wasn't the best driver user even tho I could play back then. Long irons and putter were my tools !🤗
Great vid - thankyou. I recently picked up a full set of great condition Eye 2's from a local thrift store here in Australia (black dot, 2 thru SW inclusive)... They were $50 (Aus, approx. $75 USD) in a nice bag and just looked too good not to take home with me. I love hitting them and this video helps explain why! So glad I saw them and grabbed them :)
Finding that set for that price would be winning my own personal lottery.
@@icantgolf - Yes, your video helped to reinforce what a great & lucky find this was.... I also suspect that the 2 & 3 eye2 irons are somewhat unusual/non-standard??? Do you know anything about this? (I actually play modern mizunos w hybrids as longs & only 6+ irons - i.e. the modern way! - lol ...) The interesting thing is that I find I can surprisingly actually hit the Eye2 2&3 irons ok,,, I definitely love getting them out on the range just to freshen everything up and experiment with them... they make a great reference point when i just want to have fun, freshen everything up & feel the old school easy high loft....
thank you. i have my dads eye 2 and love them
I think it’s awesome that they are the sort of thing you can pass down through the generations. I guess you can do that with other clubs, but you couldn’t play them as enjoyably as you can a set of Eye 2s.
Saw a set of Orange Dot BeCu on sale in my local FB market for very reasonable price and thought about buying. Probably would have pulled the trigger if I had watched this before hand, thanks for sharing!
Oh no! If it is meant to be, you’ll find them again someday!
I bought my eye2’s when I was 18, I’ll be 53 this year and have been using cobra forged tec copper as couldn’t find beryllium copper eye2’s. Just let my 17 year old son ‘borrow’ them and he loves them. My cobras are over a club stronger but not as workable. As long as I keep a note of yardages I’ll play with both as I’m never getting rid of them👍🏼
I bought my ping eye 2s blue dot, 2-sand, from a cousin for $400 back in 9th grade... In 1990, y'all. I borrowed them to play with them on a visit. I had to have them when i hit a post 5 in two, sticking the 2 iron from about 240 or so. They're still in my bag right now.
Played a set of blue dots for several years. Man them square grooves.
Best are plus no plus (+no+), modern lofts, old grandfathered grooves. Only made for a few months in the spring of 1990, rarity means you'll likely need to piece together a set, as matching serial +no+ get stupid money. Great video. Now go get some nickel isi's.
Great irons . I have the full set and play with them
Great video, but you forgot to include the "Plus No Plus" model - it was essentially the Eye 2 Plus but with the soon-to-be-banned grooves from the previous year. They were the best of both worlds - they had the newer (and better) sole grind and the spinnier grooves. They were only made for a few months (I think 5 or 6), and had no "+" in the cavity - this was added only after the grooves were updated.
Yes, I remember reading about these. Ping had some interesting periods where production of one model crossed over with production of another. The BeCu Eye 2’s have a great story like that, which I’m working on for my next video.
How can I tell if my eye 2s are plus no plus? I just picked up a set 3-L for $75 👍 no plus symbol but im not sure if its plus no plus 🙃
Had a set of blue dot square grooves and they were stolen from me-To this day it sticks in my craw. Loved those irons
Blue dot…0.75 degrees upright. So we’re on the lookout for someone slightly taller than average with a great set of irons.
I had a set of green dots that I purchased used in 1992. In 2000 my home was broken into, and they were taken. I still miss them.
so i know very little about golf but just came across some NOS still wrapped in box ping eye 2s and started doing some research and watching videos. this video has been a great help and i was just trying to get a good idea as to what the value is of, lets just say a brand new full set of 10 clubs, ping eye 2 blackdot 2-9,SW,PW would bring?
Hi David, to me, those are sort of the Holy Grail. If they had really never been hit, they’d probably fetch a high price. I’m not an expert on current prices, but definitely don’t let them go for a couple hundred dollars.
I've got a set of the becu PingEye2's 1-SW that get brought out a few times a season along with the Ping sunday bag they came in. Sure they don't go as far as my TaylorMade r7 irons but they feel & play great.
This is a great video! I have a bit of an unhealthy obsession with these old Ping clubs (I was just gifted a full set of Zing 2 irons from a relative), and this was very informative. I'm considering "upgrading" to some Eye2 BeCu irons some day.
You should do a video on old school Ping Persimmon woods!
I use a Ping Eye 2 Sand Wedge …I was talking with my son because I’m recently getting back to playing after years of not being able to walk…the only club I kept from the set I had was this club…I play Callaway Big Bertha but no matter what clubs I used I’ve always had this wedge…I’m 64 and can still get it to within 3-5 Ft from 75-80 yards ( that’s all I can hit my sand wedge ) to this day I can not hit any other sand wedge …only this one
I have a set of the eye2 82-84 V grooves still legal to play in any tournament according to Ping and USGA. Love to hit them⛳️
I have a set of white dot Eye 2's that are so old it says Patent Pending on the backs. A lot of PGA pros had eye 2 wedges in their bags no matter what their bag said. Couples and Michelson are a couple to name a couple.
Very interesting overview. Just sold my Ping i3 set and they spun a whole lot too. I play in a seniors' league and there are a couple of Eye 2 sets in bags. People who own them don't want to part with what I think they see as old friends. I play G25 irons. Lofts are much stronger.
I know some people who are pretty sentimental about their clubs, but Eye 2 owners are especially so.
Theses are the clubs I use .sound and feel lovely
the thing i love about pings is they never get ugly wear marks on the faces or the soles whether they are better forming irons is debatable but they are certainly better at ageing than most clubs and there's something good about knowing your golf club will outlast urself
I have a set of G15s that have seen a lot of rounds and practice at crappy ranges, and their soles are in really good shape. Big pro of cast clubs.
My parents gave me a set for Christmas in 1980. I still have them
I have two sets of Ping EYE2's one are first gen and the other are first gen BECU which would be second gen and they both are great
2 days ago I seen a set on fb mp and got them .ping eye 2+ ⚫️ they were polished by the previous owner and its 3-L 10 clubs for £80
I just did the Pound to Canadian Dollar conversion and that is a steal of a deal.
Love mine. 1-L matching, green dot. Boiiii.
I still have my set from 1985. They don't pack the punch of today's technology....but they look and feel great.
The investment cast process is orders of magnitude better than other casting processes .
Any info on the eye 2’s with the upside down Karsten stamp?
Yes! Those are the early V-Groove version! The Ping website does a good job of running through all the ways to tell the difference on the various groove models.
ping.com/en-us/legal/groove-rule
@@icantgolf this website doesn't mention "square" grooves. How can you tell if it's "U" or "Square"?
@@robmoore2625 That's a good question. There seems to be a lot of conflicting info online, and often confusion between the U and Square grooves.
I don't know of any markings that differentiate between the U grooves that were produced early on and the square grooves that came after. I did use this website as a reference when making my video, though, along with the one from Ping in the original comment:
www.equip2golf.com/archives/history/ping_frameset.html?ping_eye2.html~archives
@@icantgolf Thank you. Your link solved it. I have the Eye2 Beryllium Copper irons, stamped with "US PAT. D276644 and 4512577". That means it's the "Square Groove", made in 1987.
@@robmoore2625 Awesome, I’m glad you were able to figure that out. Hold on to those, they are a rare set!
Just bought a set of Beryllium Copper irons in amazing condition. $300.00
I literally just bought the G710's (4-U), finally putting away my Eye2+ set (2-L) and I think I'm still going to keep the old SW in my bag and maybe that L wedge.
You really can’t go wrong with one wedge, at least. So reliable. The G710’s are really nice (I have been looking at a set), but I wonder if anyone will be playing them in 40 years?
The best set of golf clubs you’ll probably ever have in the Ping Eye 2 beryllium copper set. They’re super forgiving and feel like butter and they’ve got distance you can’t ask for more and right now they’re going for like $300 on eBay I got a set got $250
For me its the i3 Blades. ❤
I have a number of sets of ping irons and putters the eye 2 I regret selling I want to replace them with ping eye 2 BeCu they look so beautiful back in the 90s no one wanted them how times have changed
I want to play a round with you and hear the history and mechanics of every club you use.
That sounds like the perfect way to keep my mind off of all of my bad shots!
You are wrong about the original Eye 2 grooves being legal under USGA rules (at about 5:16 in the video). As you later note, they are legal because of Ping's lawsuit against the USGA. They do not conform to the rules. On any club with 25 degrees or more of loft V grooves are NOT legal since 2010 - if they have sharp edges with no rounding, Almost all irons had sharp edges before then. The Eye 2's don't have rounded edges. They have a sharp angle at the groove edges. The same is true of U grooves. If they don't have rounding of the edges of the grooves they are illegal. If they do have rounding they are legal. Yes, U grooves are legal if they have the rounding which almost none did before the 2010 change of the rules.
I have a set of Ping Eye2 beryllium copper, 2-SW, mint, unused, never touched a golf ball, original grips! I also have a set of Eye2, steel, which I use. I don’t want to use the copper ones because they are mint and they’re probably only a few sets in this condition left in the world
Those are the ultimate collectors item! I’ve never seen a set that is new old stock like that!
Saw an unused full set of BeCu on EBay a while back for $5000!!! I almost cried
As young I always wished I could afford the Ping Eye but settled with some quite OK Tommy Armour PGA Medallion Iron in mid 80.s. Now these were sold and a Callaway Big Bertha set ws my new set in mid 90s but around 5 years ago my eyes fell on a Ping Eye 2 set at a golf shop that someone had traded i and I bought it in the fly for basically nothing. just to have it...🤠
It isn’t right to leave nice clubs like that on the shelf. Whenever I see a single Eye 2 or an old Anser putter, I always scoop it up so it can sit in my basement with it’s kin.
This has been said before but, ever since the eye 2, everyone has basically copied that original cavity back since.
Still playing 1988 Black Dots bent strong.
It’s fascinating that there were so many really clear knock-offs (with different company branding) of the Eye 2s through the 90s. You don’t see that with any new clubs. I wonder why that is? Maybe all the knock offs now are “true knock offs”, with copied logos and company names and everything.
Just got set hand ping eye 1 1978 and woods putter and second hand gollway bag for 60 pounds.
Those are classics! They never go out of style.
The great , late Henry Cotton once replied to a pupil who thought backspin was the holy grail." Until you can break 80,its topspin you need"
I would even take topspin over all of the side spin I have going on!
How can you find out if it's "U" grooves or "Square" grooves?
Full set of Ping Eye2, BeCu (Black Dot):
The top bar "Karsten Mfg. Corp. Phoenix, AZ 85068 USA" all run from the toe of the head to the heel.
Serial numbers:
1i: 74754 (VC)
2i: 336028A (VD)
3i: 467106A (VD)
4i: 467106A VD)
5i: 467106A (VD)
6i: 467106A (VD)
7i: 467106A (VD)
8i: 467106A (VD)
9i: 467106A (VD)
PW: 467106A (VD)
SW: 467106A (VD)
LW: B07796 (H)
VC = Serial printed vertically, up the shaft towards handle, with whole numbers completely cut out.
VD = Serial printed vertically, up the shaft towards handle, with numbers in small dots.
H = Serial printed horizontally around hosel, facing same way up as PingEye2, with whole numbers stamped with a punch.
I just got a sets of ping 2 eye red dot from my father that played golf in the 1997.. now i don't know if em sets of irons were legal or not if i wanna play in a competition.. now i'm stuck at playing only on the driving range and i don't wanna play in em golf course cause i'm scared if someone gonna tell me my irons were not legal lol
Chances are your irons are confirming and legal. And it really doesn’t matter too much unless you were playing in a really serious tournament (national open qualifier). Take those clubs out to the course and enjoy them!
@@icantgolf thanks mate 👍