Ping’s new forged-blade Blueprint iron is aimed a low handicap players looking for a combination of workability and precise distance trajectory control.
On sale from May 30, the carbon steel iron was inspired by requests from Ping’s tour staff and features shorter blade lengths, less offset and narrow sole widths that will allow elite players to attack the pin with confidence.
A machined tungsten toe screw increases MOI for additional forgiveness and combines with an internal heel weight to provide precise swing-weight tuning. A four-step, multi-stage process for the one-piece forging provides very tight dimensional tolerance control within the compact design. The high-strength, carbon steel increases the iron’s durability, ensuring long-lasting performance and quality. More than 50 steps in the manufacturing process, including machining the face and grooves, are 100% inspected.
“As the name suggests, we’ve applied a Blueprint approach to the new irons,” said John K. Solheim, Ping President. “Every detail is extremely precise and carefully calculated. The resulting design is spectacular in every way for the elite player — performance, feel and looks. It’s a true shot-maker’s iron crafted with precision, and for precision.”
Solheim added: “We know the Blueprint iron isn’t for everyone. We encourage golfers interested in the Blueprint to get fit and compare it to other Ping irons to find the best model for their game. To paraphrase the warning sign next to the first tee at Bethpage Black that we saw so often last week during the PGA Championship, ‘The Blueprint is an extremely difficult iron to play, which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers’.”
The Blueprint’s small blade appeals to the player who put a premium on workability and trajectory control, including Ping staff player Tony Finau, who is currently 15thin the world rankings. “I put them in play immediately once they arrived,” said Finau. “They’re workable, incredibly versatile, and feel great. There isn’t a single shot I can’t hit with them, which gives me a lot of confidence in pressure situations. The look at address is also perfect; the size and shape really fit my eye.”
The choice of carbon steel combined with a head design that concentrates mass through the impact zone delivers a pleasing sound and feel.
“The feel is amazing,” said Ping staff player Louis Oosthuizen, who was the first player to put the new irons in his bag last autumn, and the first to win with them at the South African Open in December. “I love the feedback I get and how smoothly they go through the turf from any lie. They’re like no other iron I’ve ever hit. The Blueprint’s workability gives me the control to hit all the shots with the precision I need to win tournaments.”
Solheim added: “When we launched the Blueprint irons on tour, a few players put it in play immediately and it wasn’t long before we had our first win. Based on a lot of their input, we were able to deliver exactly what they were looking for while expanding our iron offerings into a new category. We’re very pleased with the development process we went through, and are looking forward to applying our learnings to future Ping products.”
The Ping Blueprint irons have an RRP of £219 per iron and are available 2-PW, with True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 shafts, plus a wide range of after-market shaft at no upcharge.