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PING G730 Irons: The Longest PING Iron Ever
There is a taboo subject in golf. We all know it, yet few are willing to talk about it, especially those most affected by it. Today, I’m going to address it and you will probably agree that what I am saying is the truth.
Some people should be playing game-improvement irons.
I’m not trying to be mean. Far from it. In fact, I am hoping to serve as the harbinger of change when it comes to golfers choosing to play GI irons.
If you believe most online golf site wisdom, the majority of golfers are at least scratch handicappers. All drives fly more than 300 yards and every approach shot leads to a kick-in birdie.
No self-respecting golfer with any kind of internet persona would ever need, let alone even consider, playing with GI irons.
I’ll say it again: Some people should be playing with game-improvement irons—and I am one of them.
At risk of sounding arrogant, I am comfortable saying that I am a good putter. My putting stroke is solid. Once the ball hits the green, I feel confident I can get it in the hole in two or fewer strokes from any location.
Getting the ball to the green is another story.
There are two somewhat important things that prevent my handicap from dipping into single digits: distance and accuracy. While my putting is above average, my tee-to-green game is decidedly average.
That is why I was so intrigued with the PING G730 iron line. These irons have a higher MOI than the PING G430 line so they should be more forgiving of my mishits. PING also says they are longer than the G430s and the G710s they are replacing.
This seems like a simple solution to my foibles and frustrations. Why would a golfer like myself, or any amateur golfer for that matter, not be interested in a club that could change short and erratic shots into long and precise ones?
PING G730 Irons: Same Target Audience, Overhauled Design
The PING G730 irons target the golfer looking for some help from their equipment. Game-improvement irons are there to improve the game, after all.
The previous PING G710 irons were considered super game-improvement irons rather than just game-improvement. With the G730 irons, the “super” moniker may not be as appropriate since these irons are not as significant a deviation from PING’s flagship G430 game-improvement irons.
Let me explain. The new PING G730 irons have shorter blades than the G710 irons, bringing them closer to the G430. The G730 irons do have wider soles and more offset than the G430 though. Maybe they should be categorized as slightly super game-improvement irons.
G730 Irons: The New Finish
Those of you who owned the G710 irons have already keyed in on one of the main differences between the G710s and the new G730s.
The black finish did not return.
Simply put, the black finish on the G710 series was not very durable. I saw a used set in the local shop recently and they were essentially two-tone. The cavities were black but the soles were spotless silver steel.
Durability issues with black iron finishes is not a uniquely PING problem. Many other companies have faced similar issues. What is very PING, though, is the collection of data and the drive to make the next generation of a product better.
The G730 irons feature a dynamic Hydropearl 2.0 silver finish. Not only does the finish help with reducing the influence of water during play but it should hold up way better than the black finish.
I love the way the two textures on the face frame the ball. I could do without the chrome on the back but I have to admit the chrome gives it a snazzy look.
G730 Irons: Altered Materials and Geometries
Knowing what we know about PING, there is no way this new G730 iron is just the G710 with new paint. Changing the finish is one aspect PING improved but it is by no means the most important. Remember, this type of iron is all about helping people play better golf.
With that thought in mind, let’s see what else has PING changed.
PING has tweaked the metal and the non-metal elements with the new G730 irons. The face now is made of investment-cast Hyper 17-4 stainless steel. To understand what that actually means, you’ll probably need a degree in metallurgy.
For the layman, this new face material allows the face to be even thinner and thus hotter. However, since having a thin metal face with no support is not a great design for something that hits other somethings. PING developed a new molded polymer cavity insert to support the face as well.
This new multi-material PurFlex insert supports the face, provides differential flexion in different parts of the face and dramatically improves the feel and tone at impact.
The G710 irons produced good ball-striking numbers but they didn’t really feel great when doing so. Expecting a GI iron to feel good is borderline unreasonable but somehow PING has done it with the G730. If I was to describe impact feel in a word, that word would be satisfying.
G730 Irons: Loft Options
The lofts of the new PING G730 irons are strong. The lofts are between 1.5 and four degrees stronger than the old G710 line. As we all know, delofting irons is every golf company’s opening gambit when trying to increase distance.
It’s a funny thing to do since the other goal of GI irons is to launch the ball higher.
So why do GI irons like the PING G730s usually have strong lofts? It’s a numbers game, but not in the way you think.
It’s great to be able to say you have the longest iron in golf, but if the launch and landing angles are garbage, distance doesn’t matter. The ball needs to hold the green. It’s all of the output metrics combined that tell you if the ball is flying in a good-for-golf pattern.
Many of the elements of the G730 irons are designed to launch the ball higher since getting the ball up in the air can be a real challenge for a lot of amateurs. It all becomes a balanced approach to generate ideal launch.The center of gravity position launches the ball up and the decreased loft brings the ball down, ideally resulting in sweet-spot launch and landing values.
You are not stuck with just the stock loft options, however. The great thing about the G730 and other PING irons is that they are available in Power Spec and Retro Spec builds should the standard loft values not produce ideal results. PING’s new fitting system allows you to see right away what changing the loft will do to ball flight.
If you are someone like me who adds loft at impact, going Power Spec can help bring down the launch angle. If your swing naturally delofts the club, then going with Retro Spec lofts may allow you to finally get that 5-iron up in the air.
Bending irons to different lie and loft angles is not a new thing, PING and others have been doing that for decades. PING’s new system just makes it easier for the non-gearhead to understand.
G730 Irons: Shaft Options
The 12 available shaft options for the G730 irons show that PING is still committed to custom fitting, even for a game-improvement player. One can choose from three graphite and nine steel shaft options. Hopefully, one of those options will produce your best numbers.
You’ll see some of the usual suspects on the shaft list, like PING’s AWT 2.0 steel shaft, but there are a couple of interesting new additions.
A new stock steel shaft for the G730 irons is True Temper’s new Dynamic Gold Mid steel shaft. This mid-launch and mid-spin shaft is available in two weights (110g/115g) and three flexes. The shaft characteristics pair well with the launch and stability plan for the G730s.
If you are looking for extra distance and height, you can try the PING Alta Quick graphite shaft. This is a high-launching and very lightweight shaft, weighing about 40 grams. PING says that some players should “Lighten up, and enjoy more distance.”
G730 Irons: The Wedge Plan
For a set where the overall lofts are very strong, PING has done something very interesting with the wedge lofts. While the gaps between the 5- through 9-irons are about three to four degrees between clubs, the four wedges from W-56 are all gapped at five. OK, so the 50- to 56-degree wedge gap is actually six degrees but, all in all, the wedge gapping is way more consistent than between the other irons.
Why did PING do this?
I think there are a couple of reasons. First, if you continued a three-degree loft progression through the wedges, then your most lofted club could end up under 50 degrees. That’s not a good plan for short-game wizardry.
The other reason is that while a golfer may want the assistance of the G730 irons in the longer clubs, they may want to swap in other wedges as their scoring clubs. The loft system makes adding other wedges easier.
This is exactly what I think I will do. I know these irons allow me to gain strokes on the approach shots but I have lost strokes around the green. Maybe I just need more time with the 56-degree wedge but I’m thinking I want to go back to my more traditional PING Glide Forged Pro wedges or maybe explore the new s159 custom wedge options.
Regardless, the new gapping system makes swapping in other wedges easier.
But wait! There’s more! While many players scoff at set wedges, the reality is that PING has made excellent set wedges for decades. The G730 wedges are not just afterthoughts to complete the line. All four wedges have machined faces and grooves to improve performance. They are legit wedge options.
G730 Irons: Club Progression
As expected, the PING G730 are larger sized irons. Players who need the help will appreciate the large striking surface and the consistency of ball flight from various face locations.
Remember, the target audience for these is not the golfer who wears out a dime-sized circle in the middle of the iron face. We game-improvement folks like to be equal-opportunity impact deliverers.
The progression through the set is as one would expect. Iron offset increases as the loft decreases. Like the G430, the bounce and sole width increases with loft. The G730 soles are wider than the G430 irons, likely allowing them to have a bit less bounce in the short irons than the G430 irons and still not dig into the turf.
At address, the topline is big but not crazy so. I’ve played many other GI irons that appear much larger when looking down at them behind the ball.
Bonus Battle: PING G730 Versus TaylorMade Qi
I was very excited to review the PING G730 irons since I had just gone through an iron fitting a few weeks prior. As I mentioned, my iron play was costing me strokes so I met with a fitter to see the available options. We came up with a set of TaylorMade Qi irons that produced solid launch monitor numbers. For once, I didn’t really pay attention to the club in my hand and just focused on the numbers on the computer.
We got the best numbers from a set built two-degrees strong with Recoil graphite shafts. Those of you who memorize spec sheets may be alarmed that I would need an already strong-lofted club to be bent even stronger.
Well, that’s my swing for you. As I said, I’m an excellent putter.
With that fitting in mind, I had the PING G730 irons built with the Alta CB graphite shaft and Power Spec lofts. This made the PING G730 build match the Qi specs quite closely, allowing me to compare the two side by side.
As expected, the results were close but the PING G730 irons bested the TaylorMade Qi irons in nearly every category. Our local driving range has launch monitors so I could hit them side by side and collect data. The G730 irons were longer, had better angles of descent and were way less likely to miss wide left (my usual miss).
The one thing I didn’t expect was how much better the G730s felt than the Qi irons. I figured the G730s would feel like the G710s, “thunky” and not really satisfying. That’s how the Qi irons and other GI irons tend to feel.
The G730s feel amazing. Impact feels powerful and there is enough feedback to let you know where you hit the ball. On a good strike, there is a satisfying click.
After hitting the two sets side by side, it was obvious the G730 was much better for me. The Qi set was promptly returned.
Final Thoughts on the PING G730 Irons
If game-improvement irons will help you play better and enjoy golf more, play game-improvement irons. Irons like the PING G730s are built to help you hit better shots with the swing you have now.
If your plan is to only play blades, take a bunch of lessons and slowly improve over the next 10 years. Personally, I just want to play golf with the gear that helps my 55-year-old body make some better shots and have a good time.
If you are bothered by the loft numbers, you have that right but I don’t understand your ire. The ball doesn’t know anything about what you are hitting it with. Hit it with what gets you what you want. It was liberating to go through the club fitting not caring what number was on the iron, only what numbers were on the launch monitor.
At the end of the day, you need to hit a green with a club that goes 150 yards. If that club is a wedge or a wood, who cares? You hit the green and you are putting for a birdie.
Anyway, the PING G730 irons are a great example of PING being PING-like. They took the previous G710 model, upgraded the finish and tweaked the head design to make them wear better, and be even longer and more forgiving. Are they as handsome as PING’s Blueprint irons? No, but my swing is not handsome enough to play those, anyhow.
If 2024 is the year you join us at Camp Game Improvement, be sure to give the PING G730 irons a couple of whacks during your fitting.
Find out more about the new G730 and PING’s other iron options at PING.com.
FAQ: PING G730 Irons
Why are the loft changes not the same through the set?
When building the G730 irons PING’s engineers looked at the distance gaps between the clubs as well as the lofts. The wanted the gaps to mesh well with people looking to add hybrids to the top of the bad, or wedges to the bottom.
Should everyone go Power Spec to gain distance?
No way. If you deloft the face during your swing, a Power Spec 5i may never leave the turf. Let the fitter guide the way and embrace your weaker or stronger build specs as needed.
How can someone know if they should play a game-improvement iron?
Come on. You know if you need the help. I’ve played more than one season with “vanity irons” that I knew were negatively impacting my scores. I really liked them so I told myself I would be happy playing what I liked. Turns out that what I really like is hitting greens and lower scores.
What are your thoughts on the PING online fitting program?
I really like the PING WEBFIT interface. It is a great starting place for getting fitted. Don’t buy what it says, though, without hitting the clubs as the interface doesn’t have all your data. Use the interface as a starting point with your fitter.
Based upon my handicap, WEBFIT says I should bag the i230 irons. It doesn’t realize that these irons may not pack the help I need. It does say I should play the G430 Max 10K driver which has me curious.
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