Review: Ping Glide 2.0 wedges

Our Ping Glide 2.0 wedges review took place at Reunion Resort in Orlando.

We made use of the fantastic short-game area at the Annika Sorenstam academy to give the new Ping Glide 2.0 wedges a good test.

Our anonymous big hitter’s American cousin, Randy, was on hand to show off his short-game skills.

Myself and our resident pro James Whitaker oversaw the test and monitored the results.

Ping Glide 2.0 wedges review – First impressions

On first look there isn’t a huge amount of noticeable difference between these and the original model.

We loved the Ping Glide wedges as found them to be a bit more user-friendly and less intimidating than many of the more bladed wedges on the market.

People often jump from fairly large cavity-back irons to skinny wedges in a set.

We feel the Glide wedges have a really wide appeal among tour players and club golfers.

If anything, the Glide 2.0 wedges look a bit more refined with a smarter finish.

Ping tour players such as Lee Westwood and Andy Sullivan have been very quick to put them in the bag.

Ping Glide 2.0 wedges review – The technology

Ping don’t do new for new’s sake – they are serious about their engineering and and always make improvements from one iteration to the next.

They asked tour players what they wanted and the answer was more spin.

So Ping re-engineered the grooves on the Glide 2.0 wedges to increase spin rates by 350rpm on full shots and 200rpm on shots around the green compared to the original Glides.

Steeper sidewalls increase groove volume to give improved performance on full shots and maximise spin on chips and pitches.

Ping say the hydropearl chrome finish repels water, which means more control and improved spin consistency from wet conditions and lies in the rough.

Lofts range from 46 to 60˚ and there are four grinds – standard, wide, thin and eye.

Ping Glide 2.0 wedges review – The results

We gave Randy a really tough shot. About 40 yards from an elevated position with no green to work with.

Using a 58˚ degree He had to hit it high and get it to stop quickly.

From the first shot we could see the ball had loads of spin and was checking up nicely at it hit the green.

Shot after shot, the results were very impressive. The ball flight wasn’t ridiculously high – these weren’t flop shot.

They were just being fired in at a nice trajectory and were stopping right next to the flag.

We would expect to see spin with brand new grooves but it’s very hard to argue that Ping have taken a great product and made it better.

I’m sure every tour player who used the original Glide wedges will move into the 2.0.

And if you’re a club golfer who is ready to upgrade yours, you won’t be disappointed.

The same goes for anyone giving the Ping Glide wedges a go for the first time.

Details

SRP: £130 steel; £140 graphite

For more information visit the Ping website HERE