Equipment
Ping announces G440 irons
Ping G430 irons were a top performer in the Pure Enjoyment category of our Best Irons 2024 voting. Now, the Arizona-based company has announced the successor to its G430 model: Ping G440 irons.
Ping says G440 irons are designed to provide game-improvement technology in a sleek, players-style design. Ping engineers aimed at enhancing distance, control, and stopping power, making them suitable for a wide range of golfers.
More specifically, G440 irons feature a thinner face and a low, back center of gravity (CG), enabling higher-launching shots with longer carry and improved accuracy. John K. Solheim, Ping CEO, emphasized the balance between power and precision offered by the design.
“The G440 iron offers golfers everything they need to elevate their iron play,” said Solheim. “We know they want distance, but distance without control doesn’t lead to lower scores. The G440 represents the most versatile iron in our line and will fit the games of a lot of golfers.”

Key to the performance of the G440 is the updated PurFlex cavity badge, which is designed to support the thinner face. The new four-piece molded badge flexes more effectively in a bid to deliver increased ball speed while enhancing the feel and sound at impact.
Visually, Ping engineers sought to combine performance with aesthetics. A chrome finish and compact shape deliver a premium look that retains the forgiveness associated with cavity-back irons. “It has a players-style look and premium finish but all the performance benefits of a cavity back,” Solheim said. “It will appeal to golfers who want a blade-like look but rely on game-improvement technology.”

Given Ping’s emphasis on fitting, it’s not surprising the irons also feature reimagined gapping, with longer 4, 5, and 6-irons and a simplified wedge system that includes loft adjustments to improve consistency, according to the company. Additionally, new AWT 3.0 steel shafts incorporate ascending weight technology, promoting optimal performance across the set.

Ping G440 irons: Pricing, specs, availability
Available: 4-9, PW (42°), UW (47°), 52°, 56° in 10 color codes (lie angle). Black color code is standard.
Loft options: Standard, Power Spec and Retro Spec
Stock shafts: Ping AWT 3.0 steel (R, S, X), Ping Alta CB Blue graphite (SR, R, S), Ping Alta Quick 35/45 (HL build)
Optional stock shafts: Dynamic Gold (S300, X100), Dynamic Gold Mid 100 (R300, S100), Dynamic Gold 105 (R300, S300), Dynamic Gold Mid 115 (S300, X100), Dynamic Gold 120 (S300, X100), KBS Tour (R, S, X), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 105 (R, S, X), Elevate MPH 95 (R, S)
Stock 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?)
Price: $170 per club with stock steel shaft; $185 per club with stock graphite shaft

Equipment
Slab city on the Korn Ferry Tour — Lead Tape Report
This week, we have our Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, on the ground at the OccuNet Classic at Tascosa Golf Club in Amarillo, Texas, for the 14th event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season. With that, we see some great things in the Lead Tape Report as we roll into Amarillo.
Joel Thelen
Monday Qualifier, Joel Thelen is in the field this week. He has played on the Korn Ferry Tour for a full season in 2023, and he is back in action this week. A couple of clubs caught my eye this week in his bag.
First off: His trusted Titleist 816 H2 hybrid. This club came out in October of 2015, and it still remains strong in the bag. Also, take a look at this Odyssey White Hot OG 7, putting a capital S in the 7S model. This custom neck has some impressive lean for an arm-lock-style putter. The bottom of the putter is covered in tape for optimal weighting.





Mitchell Meissner
Taking a look at Mitchell Meissner’s bag this week, we have some great lead tape coverage. Top to bottom working from fairway metals, irons, and wedges. We can see on the short irons and wedges that there is tape at the base of the grip, adding a little counterbalance. Along with that, some tape on the short irons and wedges as well. Moving to his putter, he rolls the Odyssey 7 Bird putter. Meissner putts left-handed and strikes the ball right-handed.






Whats in the Bag
Bud Cauley WITB 2026 (June)
Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.
Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X

3-wood: Titleist GTS3 (15 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 70 TX

7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 80 TX

Irons: Titleist U505 (3), Titleist 620 MB (4-9)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 8 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putters: Scotty Cameron Tour Prototype, Scotty Cameron GOLO 6.3 Prototype


Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Equipment
Name every set of irons you’ve owned – GolfWRXers discuss
In our forums, one user has offered up a prompt for the true sickos, inviting fellow forum members to share every set of irons they’ve ever owned. As to be expected, this is a lengthy forum topic.
@Lamosteve began:
Can you name every set of irons you’ve owned? Here’s mine
Spalding Dots
Spalding Eclipse
Ram Lazer FX
Lynx Parallax
Mizuno EZ Comp
Ben Hogans
Cleveland CG Red
Taylor Made R9s
PING i20
PING iE1
Taylor Made M6
Our members in the forum have been offering up their own collections. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- macedan: “Started with a hand-me-down Golden Bear set from my brother when I was in high school, never really played more than once a year or got into the game until about summer of 2017. First purchased a set of Cleveland CG4’s (I actually really miss this set sometimes, soft & not terribly large for a GI iron), moved into Nike Vapor Fly’s by the end of the year. Those lasted until spring of 18 when I decided I wanted new, so I traded them in for TM Rbladez. Honestly, although I liked the Rbladez, poor decision on my part, I think this was really about the only time so far that after a week or two I was kicking myself for not staying with what I had. Rbladez stayed with me until late last summer when I switched to P790’s and (knock on wood) I am hoping this will be my longest lasting set.”
- JimmyC59: “MacGregor Jack Nicklaus Triple Crown. Palmer The Standard. Still play these.”
- jgrzask: “Tommy Armour 845u
Mizuno MP-32
Mizuno MP-33 (2 sets)
Bridgestone J33cb – still own
Srixon i-302 (2 sets) – still own
Tourstage X-Blades – still own
Mizuno Hot Metal – still own
Nike Forged Blades – still own
Titleist 714 AP1 – still own
Cobra Forged SS – still own”
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Jason
Jan 15, 2025 at 7:23 am
Companies need to stop jacking up lofts.
A 42 degree pitching wedge is ridiculous. Companies are giving players a sense of false distance.
Eric
Jan 14, 2025 at 12:28 pm
Not a fan of the polished portion on the back. Almost looks like a manufacturing mistake to me, since the rest of the club is a matte finish.
Benny
Jan 15, 2025 at 5:25 pm
Great point Eric. Im not a fan of that finish either.
Must say, looks thin at adress.