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What’s new? How much does it cost? And how does it perform? Jack Backhouse brings you the low down on the Ping Blueprint T Irons
Ping are really well known for their game improvement irons, but when it comes to tour and better player models, they are not always the first on the radar. That could be about to change with the latest Blueprint line-up. So, how is their new blade? Find out in the Ping Blueprint T irons review.
These irons are beautiful. Ping is really refocusing themselves on the player’s iron market, and they have nailed it here.
These irons are impressively long out of the centre, and the strike feels so good. The Ping Blueprint T irons are going to be a major contender for best players iron in 2024
PROS
CONS
Wow. Just look at them! Ping hasn’t really been on my radar for gameable irons, but these irons bring them right to centre stage. With a thin top line, short heel-to-toe blade length, a now shorter heel face height to improve classic feel and straight in the bag of Ping’s tour players, it is tough to criticise these irons in any way.
I fell in love with these irons after my first shot. The Blueprint T irons are forged from 8620 carbon steel and just feel so good from the face. I could have continued to hit them long after the test had finished. They didn’t feel harsh and firm like some blades do; the ball felt controlled and spinny from the face, and I liked that.
Our irons testing starts with the 9 iron and I hit five shots that basically landed on top of each other. With a perfect 20-degree launch with 8500rpm of spin, I would be in danger of hitting shots that stop and spin back with these irons, which is something I rarely do. I was impressed at the ball speed and carry these irons produce, for a blade for me 137 yards is pretty solid.
Control is everything with these irons, and a 75-foot peak height might be a fraction low, but a 47-degree land angle is spot on.
Moving onto the 7 iron and this is where you start to see and get the real blade experience. The head looks more appealing than the original Blueprint iron but it is small and intimidating for the lesser skilled golfer.
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Again, my launch conditions are perfect with 17-degree launch and 7500 rpm spin, and the ball speed at 118mph is spot on. I’d have maybe liked to see more distance than 160 yards carry, but this average does include one toe strike with significant carry drop-off. We must remember that these irons are blades, and despite the help from the tungsten toe screw, the sweet spot is small, and you won’t get great performance from non-centred strikes.
I really like the narrow sole for turf interaction, and I think this helps when hitting shots from downhill or scruffy lies. Once again, my decent angle is spot on at 48 degrees, so you will have no issue landing and stopping the ball on firm greens with these irons.
Moving onto a long iron, Ping sent through a 5 iron to test in the half set, and this was a tough enough club to use. I had a number of miss-hit shots where I saw a reasonable drop-off in distance. All blades are like this however so I am not singling this club out for its unforgiveness, I actually think the low strike shots perform really well.
My 5 iron shots carried an average of 185, which is perfect gapping, and again, the Blueprint T irons gave me perfect launch conditions. I really like Ping’s precision milling on the face and grooves, as this really helps me keep the ball up in the air as a natural lowball player.
The new Blueprint T and S irons have matching lofts, so I can see a combo set is the perfect make-up for me, with the Blueprint S irons offering more forgiveness and more launch in the longer irons. This is likely how tour pros will also work them into their bags this year.
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Overall, I was really impressed with these irons. I knew they would be good in terms of control and workability, but I didn’t know they would feel so good and put out such impressive launch monitor data for a forged blade. These could go straight into my bag as gamers for 2024.
Available: Now
RRP: £200 per iron (steel) £210 per iron (graphite) / from $1274 set
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 (S300, X100), PING Alta CB Black graphite (SR, R, S)
Optional Stock Shafts: PING AWT (R, S, X), Dynamic Gold (S300, X100), Dynamic Gold 105 (R300, S300), KBS Tour (R, S, X), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 105 (R, S, X), Elevate MPH 95 (R, S), UST Recoil Dart 65 (A), 75 (R, S)
Grip: Golf Pride 360 Tour Velvet in six sizes (Blue -1/16”, Red -1/32”, Aqua -1/64”, White-Std, Gold +1/32”, Orange +1/16”)
Lofts: Standard, Power Spec and Retro Spec
More information: Ping Website
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