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Engineers are an interesting lot. My neighbor the engineer was out putting up his Christmas lights today using a measuring tape. The Ping S56 irons feel like an engineer put them painstakingly together. (An engineer with an eye for understated, gorgeous modern golf design, that is.) The very traditional looks pack in a lot of engineering features meant to make a precise player’s cavity back that is as easy a possible to live with on mis-hits. They took a little getting used to, but the S56’s have proven in a short amount of time to be a success for me in some bonus fall rounds of golf here in Minnesota. The ground is firm and conditions have been fast with drives, approaches, and even putting picking up speed each day as rain has avoided the Twin Cities area for most of this autumn.
I have had some good rounds this fall. Mid to high 70’s for the most part, with a few rounds in the lower 70’s. Nothing that would scream, “switch to harder to hit clubs,” to be certain. It was with a little apprehension I put the S56’s into the bag. At first glance, they are really an attractive set. I liked the soft, almost frosted satin finish. The top lines are quite thin, with a narrow to mid width sole. The offsets are very minimal, and the resulting center of gravity is very balanced. The grooves and faces are milled to what appear to be exacting tolerances (perhaps the grooves are just that much more precise now, thus the new groove rule’s minimal impact.) I went with my typical green dot lie angles, Dynamic Gold X100’s +1/2” and tour velvet .580 round grips. The build tag states D5 swingweight. Most clubs came in around D4.5, with the pitching wedge balancing out at D6.5.
The sharper lead edge was of some concern for me with the S56’s. In fact, the first couple of rounds, although pretty good score-wise, did rear an ugly old enemy’s head: the fat shot. I made a slight adjustment to sweep the ball a little more, and let the head with that sharper lead edge do the “picking” for me. That did the trick, and brought a very successful 74 score at a course I don’t always fare well at. In slight breezes and high 50’s temps, the feel of the S56’s has been crisp, but powerful feeling and the cavity insert provides a sound and feel that is meaty and solid. With the tungsten weight in the toe, the feeling is almost like one of a heel-toe weighted putter. The MOI is apparent, but the workability is still there. The very nice outcome is a straight-hitting blade that responds well to directional input. With the S56’s, Ping moved the COG nearer the heel of the club to allow more workability (I am assuming the S57’s were perhaps tough to turn over.) My go-to shot is a draw, and I initially had some issues with turning the S56’s over too much. My posture was just off though, and an adjustment there had me hitting the S56’s nice and straight and my draw behaved itself.
My shot trajectories have been strong and cut through the wind nicely. The lofts are modern, but not terribly strong. Approaches into the greens have stopped close to their pitch marks, so the spin seems ample without causing ballooning. The faces of the S56’s feel thin and hot, but the distances I saw on the course have been consistent with what I would expect of a set with these shafts and lofts, and I have gotten accustomed to the distances pretty quickly. The elongated heel to toe length makes this set a little more forgiving, and certainly friendlier looking at address than some players cavities. Overall, the head size is compact, and favors the better ball striker. There is about as much forgiveness as you can get into a head this size, however, so I would definitely recommend a demo if you get the urge for a more precise golfing implement than what you are presently playing. I highly recommend hitting off grass to see how your angle of attack jives with that sharper lead edge. It can grab a bit if you get too steep with your swing. (Believe me.) I haven’t experienced anything resembling a “stinger” in the cooler fall temps. Ping did a nice job muting vibrations with the S56’s, and tuning the sound to that of a softer forged-like sound. You won’t mistake them for forged, but the result is pleasing and covers for off-center contact nicely.
It took a little doing, but the Ping S56’s have proven to be solid performers for me during these bonus rounds of fall. You might be wrapping up the season like me, or just getting started in the Southern hemisphere. Either way, the newly released S56’s will be ready when you and your game are. These players cavities are a joy to play.
Michael White
Independent Equipment Reviews
GolfDiscussions.com
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