Connect with us

Product Reviews

GolfWRX member testing: Reviewing Ping i530 irons

Published

on

Our forum faithful are well acquainted with the incredible giveaways and review opportunities in the realm of threads and comments, but we want to ensure front-page readers are involved as well.

Check out what GolfWRXers are saying about Ping’s new i530 irons.

Ping i530 irons

Ping on the new i530 irons: “If you desire a compact, blade-style head and your primary goal is more distance, the new i530 is engineered to launch the ball higher and farther with the consistency and predictability to hit shots closer to the hole. Distance gains come from multiple sources including a highly flexible forged face in a hollow-body design that will add yards with tighter dispersion.”

Check out the full testing thread here.

How we choose our testers

GolfWRX staff evaluates each entry against the criteria laid out in the testing thread to determine the best fit for each specific product — For example, if a game-improvement iron is being tested, game-improvement iron-playing golfers will be considered.

Member testers

  • @jrg75
  • @lazyjc4
  • @jwo
  • @bladehunter
  • @JL529

Ping i530 review themes

  • Clean look
  • Impressive feel
  • Consistent, impressive distance
  • Delivered on spec

Member review highlights

Jrg75

First Impressions of Ping i530:

My first impression when pulling these new Ping i530s out of the box was wow. It’s a very attractive looking iron head without much badging other than some very subtle Ping and i530 logos and a nearly indiscernible “Forged” laser engraved on the back of the clubhead. The numbering is also the standard engraving and paint fill, no more of the chrome numeral inset that were on previous generations of Ping irons. The finish is a very nice pearl chrome. I don’t know if it’s the same hydropearl finish that were on previous generations of Ping irons, it looks a little shinier and brighter to me. Overall, Ping nailed it with the appearance of these irons, very clean and understated.

Size wise, you can tell these are a little larger size with sole widths and blade lengths that are noticeably bigger than my current Titleist 718 APs. The irons have minimal offset, especially in the shorter irons and while larger than my AP2s, the size is not a drawback at all. In the address position, these have very nice and compact look (5, 7, 9 at address).

The Build:

As I mentioned in a previous post, the process for sending in my specs was super easy and everything I got was based on previous fittings/known specs. Here is what I ended up with:

Hand: Right
Set makeup: 5-UW
Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid 115
Shaft flex: S300
Shaft length: +1/2″
Color code (lie angle): Blue Dot
Loft: Standard Loft
Grip size: Midsize Tour Velvet
Swingweight: D3

This evening, I did some checks of length and swingweight, Ping was spot on with all specifications. Every club was perfectly set to D3 swingweight, so perfect, in fact, that I really didn’t even have to move the weight on my swingweight scale when I changed clubs. Ping’s build quality and tolerances (especially swingweight) have always been one of the best in the business in my opinion.

On length, I ordered everything 1/2” long and they all came in with perfect length progressions based on the standard length listed on the Ping website. I did notice that everything was basically 1/4” longer than my current set with the UW/PW measuring 36.25” on my ruler and everything moving up from there (the 5 and 6 irons have slightly longer length progressions). I think this is an artifact of a difference in measuring techniques (grip on, grip off, etc.), just something to keep in mind if ordering (PW measurement shown below).

I plan some additional measurements in the coming weeks and plan to take these in for loft/lie checks.

Review Methodology:

I have a lot of different things I would like to do to test these irons in the coming months. In addition to initial impressions, I plan to post some detailed comparisons to my APs in the coming days. I have an anniversary and birthday this week so my first range session will probably be Thursday followed by some on course review from this coming weekend. I will post updates every so often as I continue to play these over the summer. As an engineer, I hope to incorporate some science and data into this review that will include detailed measurements and launch monitor data. I think it will be fun to find a way to do some side-by-side comparisons to other clubs in the same category (P790, T200, etc.) so stay tuned for that. Finally, I have a fun trip planned to Streamsong at the end of the summer and will take clubs with me so that I can do some additional testing under different conditions. It’s going to be an epic summer.

Thanks again @GolfWRX_Official and @PING for this incredible opportunity. I hope I can provide a review that will be of significant value to this great community that has helped me so much in figuring out this crazy game that we all love.

Sound and Feel: I started with an 8 iron and made a somewhat tentative swing, almost a 3/4 shot. To my surprise, the ball rocketed off the face in a beautiful trajectory with a loud but pleasant sound. I worked my way through a bucket hitting every iron. The best way I can describe the sound is a heavy thud with just a faint metallic undertone that gets a little clanky if you miss the center of the club face.

Feel wise, the i530s have a very pleasing, powerful feel, like the ball is springing off the face. Definitely not a dense feeling like a Mizuno forged iron that gives you a sensation like the ball is stuck to the face for a split second longer than it actually is. If anything, it feels like the ball is gone and way down range faster than you would expect it would be. The combination of sound and feel is perfectly matched in these irons and gives you the sense that you can take on any green.

Performance: These things are long, I mean stupid long. I didn’t do detailed testing of distance/gapping so everything is anecdotal based on visual and a range finder but I feel like these are at least 2 clubs longer than my 718 AP2s (not withstanding the obvious and significant differences in loft). For reference, in my 718 AP2 I normally consider my 5 as my 190 yard club and today, I was hitting the Ping i530 7 iron to a practice green I measured at 191 yards. I will do a lot more testing to check distance, spin, height and descent angle.

Overall, trajectory was outstanding, nice medium high ball flight that was very penetrating. Individually, the 5, 6 and 7 were very easy to hit, launching quickly and piercing through the sky without much curve. The shorter irons were also very easy to hit with a nice mid trajectory. It seems like Ping did a great job in keeping the scoring irons such that they don’t launch too high.

Overall, super impressive set. Need more time to figure out distances but I’m really excited and looking forward to some on course time.

In comparing the two sets, each one has its own drawbacks and advantages. I prefer the sound/feel of my Titleist irons over the Ping i530s, but it’s not a huge difference, especially when you hit the center of the club face. Forgiveness definitely goes to the Pings. I hit a few balls on different points of the club face and got reasonable results. There’s also plenty of bounce and a pretty wide sole so it’s much tougher to hit a ball fat with the i530s.

One of my favorite features of the Titleist 718 AP2s was the pre-worn leading edge which makes for lovely turf interaction and I will miss that feature with the Pings.

Comparing the VCOG is also interesting (reference Maltby). The i530s have a VCOG of 0.845 whereas the AP2s have a VCOG of 0.803. From what I saw today, this seems pretty accurate. The Titleist seem to perform a little better on thin strikes whereas the Pings like a strike a little higher and have a more piercing trajectory.

MOI comparison (reference Maltby) is also interesting, Ping (16.0887) , Titleist (14.7683). Again. this seems accurate as the Pings produce repeatable, straight ball flight and the Titleist curve more.

Overall, I prefer the new Pings for their forgiveness and straight, piercing ball flight which seems to be worth the tradeoff of less feel and the preferred sole shape of the AP2s. Below are a few pictures of address photos comparing the Titleist and Pings (5, 7 and 9 iron, Ping on the right). Pretty comparable shape from address.

I hit my 5-wood to avoid the large fairway bunker on the right which left me 168 yards out into a slight headwind, I tried to hit a stock 8 iron. My strike was pretty heavy and toe side, so I did not make the green. What surprised me was that despite my very crappy strike, the ball traveled remarkably straight and ended up just short of the green (see photo). I chipped up to about 4 feet and made a decent par despite a shaky approach shot. 1st hole and I was already very impressed with the i530 forgiveness.

The PW and UW are $$$$$$, especially on full shots. Probably my favorite clubs in the set.

These clubs are forgiving! I made some pretty crappy swings and got very reasonable results. When I missed the center of the clubface, distance loss was not all the punishing. Even better, I didn’t see any wild hooks/slices, basically if your path is screwed up, you just see pushes and pulls.

I used ProV1s for today’s test and I was getting great stopping power from all the clubs. I also think the high-quality ball added some spin and knocked down some of the distances I was seeing while testing with range balls. Overall, I think I was seeing distances about 1 club longer than my current 718 AP2s. I ordered a Mevo unit today to see if I can get some more reliable/complete data.

Overall, these are great clubs, Ping knocked it out of the park with this model Unfortunately, I won’t have another chance to play before my normal cash game on Friday. Hopefully, I can get my ballstriking cleaned up or else I’m going to have to make a run to the ATM machine.

First, the i530 are fantastic out of the rough. I had several wayward drives that stayed in play but left me in thick grass. I hit a 5 iron, 7 iron, 8 iron and PW out of some pretty gnarly lies and was easily able to advance the ball to the green complex. I think the thickish sole and hot/forgiving face makes for a pretty easy club to escape from the rough.

Excited to keep testing but I think Ping has a winner with the i530s.

I will say, the i530s are probably one of the best feeling and straightest irons I’ve ever hit, just need to get distances dialed in.

First, the most impressive thing about the i530s is their left to right dispersion. These clubs are straight, straight and straight. I’ve got probably 400+ shots in with these clubs and I have yet to see a wild hook or big slice, even with the 5/6 iron. They basically just fly straight on whatever line the are struck. You can get pushes and pulls but they will rarely have any excessive curve. Very confidence inspiring.

Next, the feel of these irons are fantastic, best I’ve experienced in the same iron category. Sound is a little less pleasing, slightly metallic and can be clanky if struck poorly. Still, Ping has managed to disguise a very forgiving iron in a compact footprint that has great feel and decent sound. Impressive stuff.

lazyjc4

As sexy as the Blueprints are, I think Ping has hit one out of the park with the looks of the i530s. For a player like me who’s grown a bit accustomed to looking down at a bit larger footprint lately, they are the perfect blend of pleasing to the eye and confidence inspiring. They’re not too big, but there’s enough behind the ball to let you know that you don’t have to be perfect. The topline isn’t too chunky, and there appears to be very little offset. The finish looks like the same as my Glide 4.0 wedges, which I personally really like the looks of. I usually don’t care too much about what’s on the back of the club, but these irons are very simple and understated. They look like they’re all business, no frills here.

RANGE REVIEW: Two range sessions, actually. Got to hit these beauties at both my local shotlink compatible range, and again today at my club’s range, off both mats and grass. Here’s what I’ve found so far:

First off, I selected a set composition of 6-U wedge with PowerSpec lofts due to the similarities to the lofts of my previous gamers, PXG Gen2 0311P’s. Though each iron was a number off (the i530 six iron is the exact same loft of the PXG five iron, etc.), the lofts were nearly identical, with only one degree of difference in the case of the biggest differences. The Ping’s are, on average, a quarter of inch shorter than the PXG’s, again due to the standard lengths of the numbered irons. I suppose I could have ordered them to try to be identical, but I kind of wanted to see how they compared at standard. The PXG’s had MMT 80 S shafts in them, the i530’s have the Alta CB Black S shafts (slightly heavier, but the most similar shaft available).

LOOKS/FEEL: I mentioned in my initial impressions post that the i530’s look great. They aren’t too small, and they aren’t too big. They are a bit shorter than I thought they might be, but they frame the ball nicely. They topline isn’t thin, but it certainly isn’t thick, either. There’s enough meat on the mid irons to inspire some confidence.

What I noticed at first contact, I started with a few chips with the U wedge, is that the i530’s are a bit “clicky” compared to other forged irons. This feeling continued with full shots. I know that’s a sound descriptor, but I think most players know what I mean. There’s a solid “hit” feel to them, rather than a buttery soft thud. I personally don’t mind that at all, it translates to pretty good feedback. I have long been a toe-strike miss player, and I knew right away when I didn’t center the ball. The all black Alta shafts look really good and felt a little bit stouter than the MMT’s.

PERFORMANCE: I had to hit a lot of balls to test the forgiveness of these clubs, because I found myself making a lot of solid contact with them. My toe-miss was almost non-existent. My most common mishit was a bit towards the heel and a few thin shots, but I found the middle with these way more often than I’m used to.

Using the shot-link data provided at my first range session, and eye test results at my club’s range, I found that the i530’s are hot, but also very consistent..

Despite being shorter than my old irons, and in most cases a bit weaker lofted, the distances I was seeing was right in my accustomed window. Some might see this as nothing to get excited about, but I think the shorter shaft lengths are a big reason I was hitting these clubs so solid. In addition, the range of distances I saw with each club were very tight…

I’ll be honest, I was pretty blown away by these numbers, that a “players distance” iron would yield such consistent results. There were no crazy hot shots, and I could count pretty much every shot because there were so few “hack” strikes (I’ll be honest, I shanked one or two, and threw those out). But out of 85 balls that I hit and collected data on, I counted 83 towards those numbers. For me, that’s insane consistency.

Off the turf at my second range session, I only recorded my own feedback. I hope to be able to get to my local Dick’s soon and get on their launch monitor for dispersion, spin, and speed data, but as far as the eye test went hitting off of grass, albeit with less than premium range balls, I was again impressed with the i530’s. I found them very easy to hit solid, and I was seeing consistent results. I typically draw my irons, and found that I could hit everything from a sweeping hook to a tight draw with each and every club. I’m kinda like Tom Lehman when it comes to hitting a cut, it’s more like a straight push, but was able to pull that shot off, too. Some heel strikes resulted in a high push, but even those were flying similar distances as my right to left shots.

I can’t wait to get these on the golf course and collect some real shot feedback. I would conclude so far that these babies are a nice fit for my game and I have to think they can help me hit more greens and hopefully shoot some better scores. I’ll be sure to update once I have a round or two under my belt with them.

I’ll say this right off the bat, these irons are fun to hit. They aren’t magic wands that can cure all of my swing ills, but they feel really good are are very forgiving from heel to toe. Getting the PowerSpec lofts have forced me to take some time thinking through every shot. On top of the yardages I hit each club being very different, the i530’s are proving to go an even longer way out of the rough and/or downwind. I hit some unbelievable shots with clubs I’d never imaged possible from where the shot was played from.

On the flip side, shots into the wind tend to come up short even when I club up. I found in that case, I really need to try to flight it down to counter the headwind. Thin shots seem to be punished the most with these irons, not directionally, but they will lose significant distance, whereas toe or heel strikes fly almost as far as centered shots.

The clubs are easy to launch, even the 24 degree six iron gets up in the air. I regret not asking for a five iron, as the six goes only a few yards shorter than my 22 degree four iron.

There’s not a ton of rough on our courses right now, as Summer has set in and it’s been hot and dry here in the Mid-Atlantic. I didn’t have any lies where I couldn’t hit the club that I wanted. The soles dealt with the firm fairways pretty well. I did hit some thin shots off of some tight lies, and they were punished, but even slightly heavy shots yielded good results. Stopping power on the firm-ish greens wasn’t an issue. All clubs stopped as expected. I play the Titleist AVX on most occasions, and while I rarely spin shots back, I’ve never had a issue stopping iron shots and haven’t had any with the i530’s. We’re supposed to get rain in the next few days, hopefully I can test them in softer conditions in the near future.

Haven’t had the chance to check in for a while, July work schedule was crazy, as was the hotter than Hades weather in the mid Atlantic. Played what is a major for me last week and the i530s performed wonderfully. I drove it like a pig most of the day, but the Pings continually got me out of trouble. One of the things I hadn’t really been able to test up until now was how these irons fared out of significant rough, and they were great. With any decent lie, I had to assume a flier, and the results were good. I hit a few incredible recovery shots out of jail, too, leaving me with way better leaves than I thought possible.

Head to the forums for @jwo, @bladehunter, and @JL529’s reviews.

Bonus comment

Jrg75: Had my best round of the year today, 74 from the back tees. I530s and the new S159 wedges were the star of the show.

More about GolfWRX member testing

Member testing gives our forum members the opportunity to put the latest golf equipment through the paces. In exchange for getting a product to test (and keep), forum members are expected to provide in-depth product feedback in the forums, along with photos, and engage with the questions of other forum members.

For brands, the GolfWRX member feedback and direct engagement is a vital window into the perceptions of avid golfers.

You can find additional testing opportunities in the GolfWRX forums.

We share your golf passion. You can follow GolfWRX on Twitter @GolfWRX, Facebook and Instagram.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Product Reviews

GolfWRX member testing: Reviewing the SQAIRZ LT Series golf shoes

Published

on

Our forum faithful are well acquainted with the incredible giveaways and review opportunities in the realm of threads and comments, but we want to ensure front-page readers are involved as well.

Check out what GolfWRX members are saying about the SQAIRZ LT Series golf shoes.

SQAIRZ LT Series Golf Shoes

The LT series offers three lightweight performance shoes, each designed to match how you like to play. All three weigh in under 425 grams — SQAIRZ’s lightest shoes yet — and feature the same ground-force optimizing SQAIRZ tech that helps you stay stable, connected, and powerful through every swing.

Check out the full testing thread here.

How we choose our testers

GolfWRX staff evaluates each entry against the criteria laid out in the testing thread to determine the best fit for each specific product — For example, if a game-improvement iron is being tested, game-improvement iron-playing golfers will be considered

Member testers

Member review highlights

@N8dogg2669 (ProS2 LT)

“I was somewhat skeptical of the look of these shoes. I prefer a classic, not too busy shoe as you will see when I post the rest of the shoes. When I pulled them out of the box, I noticed that the squared toe is noticeable for sure. I will say that within a few minutes of wearing them and just having them, it was kind of an afterthought.”

“Overall super good fit. It feels like the shoe is sort of suctioned around your foot in a good way. I think an 11 would actually fit me a bit better but I wear 10.5 in everything else so we went with it. Maybe keep this in mind if you buy a pair, go a half size up.”

On the overall performance: “Solid feel. Foot stayed connected the whole day and I hit about 200 balls and did a full chip/putt session. I notice I’ll have a right foot slip here and there just in general, never had one today so that was good.”

Well.. what about the socks? N8dogg2669 on the SQAIRZ socks: “Fantastic, cannot recommend them more. I’ll be buying some more that’s for sure.”

@thaar (ProS2 LT)

Appearance (7.5/10): The ProS2 LT delivers a traditional look which I prefer but takes me back to the late 90s with that distinctive square toe lol. I was a bit skeptical initially, but it’s really not that bad at all. In fact, many may find the square toe helpful to align for both putting and full swings.

Fit (7.5/10): I have a fairly normal profile foot and am pretty much a 10 in everything (never have a need for wider shoes), but following Bob’s recommendation, I sized down half a size to 9.5. They’re a touch snug – a 10 would be too big, but the 9.5 is just slightly small. Surprisingly, this didn’t impact comfort during play. One nice tough are the laces – they have a coating on them to ensure they stay secure throughout the round. Others have noted it takes away from the aesthetics, but I don’t really agree and don’t think it’s all that noticeable.

Comfort (8.5/10): I typically walk, so comfort is a top priority when selecting golf shoes. These are quite comfortable overall, and really didn’t require any break-in which was nice. I’d prefer a bit more heel lockdown or an additional top eyelet for better lacing options, but that is going to change from person to person. Not a major issue, and I wouldn’t hesitate to play 36 holes in them. That said, my 360s and maybe my Jordans edge them out slightly in pure comfort.

Performance (9.5/10): This is where I hoped to see the biggest difference given my type of swing. The stability is solid – comparable to my 360s. No issues whatsoever with lateral movement or power transfer, and the grip is solid. I’m planning to test swing speeds between the 360s and Sqairz at my indoor range (hopefully today) to see if there are any significant differences.

Overall (8.5/10): Tough review since I’m comparing against what I consider the holy grail of shoes – the Adidas Tour 360s. While I’m not completely sold on the square toe aesthetics, these are genuinely high-performing, comfortable shoes that won’t disappoint. My main advice: take time to nail the fit, as sizing seems more critical than with other brands. I think those with wider feet will certainly appreciate these.

“I was able to get on a Trackman tonight. It was actually great to be able to test the shoes back to back. I will say, I could notice a touch more stability with the Sqairz over my 360’s. They’re super stable. And that’s in a controlled, indoor environment on a mat. I can see them having quite a bit of benefit on the course.

In order to try to be as fair as possible in the test and not let fatigue have too much impact, I hit the first half of my shots with my Tour 360’s, then a complete set with the Sqairz, and finished with the 360’s. I hit a total of 12 shots with each shoe. My average swing speed with the Adidas was 110.6mph topping out at 112.4mph, while my average swing speed with the Sqairz was 110.8mph topping out at 112.9mph.

So the Sqairz did edge out my 360’s on both average and highest swing speed, but marginally.”

Bottom Line: Solid performance shoe that delivers on stability claims, just don’t expect them to revolutionize your game if you’re already in premium footwear.

Cole_Williams11 (SPEED2 LT)

“I tried them on, and immediately noticed the square look of the toe. There is a sharp-looking foam on the top base of the sole of the shoe. Finally, the laces have small squares embedded into them. A fun play on the brand, but also helps the laces stay in place as you tighten your knot. Overall, a very modern look with the shape of the toe and the color pattern. I personally really like the aesthetics and have nothing negative to say about them. For me, it’s difficult to compare the look of these shoes to any other OEM. They stand out, but in a good way. Overall, a very high-quality looking product with a unique toe shape.”

“The first thing I noticed was how roomy they feel in the toe. By no means would I need a wide version of this shoe. It fit my foot snugly, yet comfortably, with plenty of space in the toe! I was pleased with the amount of  cushion that was visible on the inside of the shoe, but also tangible on your feet. The shoes feel extremely comfortable right away. I don’t foresee any break-in  period like you’d need with a traditional leather golf shoe. There will be much more to report on in this section following next week’s round, but the initial feel is a 10/10 for me!”

“All in all, I give these shoes a high A grade. 94/100 for me. If these shoes stay as dry as I hope they do, and nothing would otherwise suggest they wouldn’t, I can’t recommend these enough. I’ll also add, I wore the socks on two of the three experiences, and they are tremendous. Will be buying some very soon.”

medic170979 (SPEED2 LT)

“The shoes arrived nicely packaged complete with a pair of socks.  I chose the white/teal color way since it was mostly off-white/black with just an accent of color, and I am very happy with the look.  The square toe is a bit striking at first, but honestly it really isn’t that noticeable when looking at the shoes from a side profile.”

“Since they arrived so quickly, I was able to wear them Sunday for a round.  I wore them around the house for a while on Saturday night, and I noticed immediately that my feet did not feel any ‘squeezing’, which is something I usually experience with brand new Eccos until they are broken in.”

“First off, I got compliments from nearly everyone in my foursome on the shoes.  The definitely have ‘curb appeal,’ and surprisingly no one commented or asked about the square toe.  It is clearly more obvious to the wearer who is looking down at it.  I wanted to test the lace tech, so I only single knotted the shoes.  I was very impressed with the comfort of the shoes, as my feet felt relaxed and well-cushioned throughout the round.  There is definitely something to five points of contact theory, as I felt very connected to the ground with my toes not being scrunched up in the shoe.  Anecdotally, I would categorize the stability and traction of the shoe as better than my Eccos.”

“The shoe is very lightweight and I think it will lend itself well to walking a round.  I feel like I sacrificed walking comfort for stability when I swapped to spiked Eccos, but these seem to have both without compromise.  As for the laces, I only had to retie my left shoe once on the 12th tee, which is pretty darn good for single knots.  Oh, and the free socks are nice and comfy with plenty of arch support.  I could do with a more subdued branding on the socks, but thats minor given the comfort.”

“Overall, I am very impressed with the shoes.  While I’m not sure if I was experiencing significant speed gains, I did pipe one 295 down the fairway on 18, which is pretty darn far for me.  I can safely say I felt very stable throughout my swing, which combined with the comfort factor is enough for me to call these an early win for both my golf game and my feet.”

player922000 (VELO LT-X)

“First off, I do want to mention that the founder of SQAIRZ, Bob, called me to make sure I was set up with the correct size for this testing. I really appreciated that attention to detail and his desire to make sure I get the best and most comfortable testing experience.”

“They have a clean/minimalist look that says ‘I mean business.’ The only semi-negative thing I’ll say is that I think they would have looked a little cleaner without the horizontal white stripes. It doesn’t take anything away from the looks for me, but I think I might prefer them more without those stripes. The white is super crisp which I think looks very very nice and helps the blue really pop.”

“They have a very locked-in and grounded feeling right off the bat. I think the silicone lacing system takes away from the looks just a little bit, but is excellent for functionality, which is what matters most for me. I think they have very solid comfort right out of the box and they didn’t feel bulky or heavy, which was a nice surprise. I have flat fleet so arch support is important. I do think these have better support with just the basic insole they come with than most if not all other shoes I’ve tried. ”

“I put the VELO LT-X shoes to the test today. I played in a scramble but we’ve had a ton of rain the last few days so it was cart path only. So, I got plenty of walking in with these and I got to see how they perform in wet conditions. First off, the grip was incredible, I didn’t feel even the slightest bit of slip in these and that includes 2 holes while it was raining on us. Secondly, I had the best driving round of my life today, and I don’t believe in coincidences.”

NickieT55 (VELO LT-X)

“I have a very weird foot because I have a narrow heel, but a wide toe box, so that is truthfully one of the main reasons that I was interested in this shoe! I often times have to order a wide shoe, but it is not always conducive to the rest of my foot. I can often slide a little bit because of the wider heel section.”

“These are a very simple shoe in my opinion but I think that that is a great thing more than a knock on it! I wear mostly black, gray, and white shoes, so I just enjoyed the looks of these online the most! They have some great subtle designs and are just a good-looking shoe! I think that the toe box is not overly wide where it is gaudy or ugly, but it is nice to look down at it and know that there is plenty of room there!”

“They feel really comfortable, while also sturdy! I am normally the guy who wears more ‘athletic’ golf shoes, but I really love a shoe that just feels like it is supporting you when you have it on! Sometimes, especially with brand new shoes, my feet will be sore after wearing them. I did not have to worry about that, so that is a great feeling! The shoes were just comfortable and that extra room in the toe box certainly seems to help!”

“In regards to performance, I definitely think that they were adding some distance in certain situations. I was about where I normally am on most of the holes (but I wasn’t really striking the driver well honestly) so that is maybe due to a little bit of speed increase with a bad strike even. The big one was a 510 yard par 5 that was playing maybe a little downwind, but it was mostly off the left. I hit a really good drive and had 225 into the hole, so it was nice to be up that far!”

“Overall, I certainly think that these shoes are some of the most comfortable shoes that I have worn.”

Bonus Comment

Cole_Williams11: “Let me start with the most pressing issue facing walking golfers when it comes to buying new shoes…are they comfortable to walk in? Listen folks, I’m not just saying this because they sent me the shoes for free…these are absolutely the most comfortable out-of-the-box shoe I’ve ever worn while walking!”

More about GolfWRX member testing

Member testing gives our forum members the opportunity to put the latest golf equipment through the paces. In exchange for getting a product to test (and keep), forum members are expected to provide in-depth product feedback in the forums, along with photos, and engage with the questions of other forum members.

For brands, the GolfWRX member feedback and direct engagement is a vital window into the perceptions of avid golfers.

You can find additional testing opportunities in the GolfWRX forums.

 

Continue Reading

Product Reviews

Rokform G-Rok Pro bluetooth speaker review – Club Junkie Reviews

Published

on

You don’t see too many reviews from me that aren’t golf clubs, shafts, grips, or bags, as those are the things I love to test. But when something is really good, unexpectedly good, I have to share my thoughts on it. Rokform was not a brand I was very familiar with, but they were kind enough to send over the G-Rok Pro for me to try. I will be honest, I wasn’t that motivated to really try it since I thought it was just another speaker. Rokform proved me wrong, and it has been my go-to speaker ever since I first tried it.

You can listen to the full review on the Club Junkie podcast, streaming on YouTube or any podcast platform — and be sure to follow on Instagram.

The entire package is great, and Rokform did a nice job creating a body with a rugged, high-quality construction that feels ready for anything the golf course can throw at it. Dust, light rain, or the occasional bump from tossing your bag on the cart doesn’t faze the G-Rok Pro, and mine still looks brand new. Combining typical-looking black plastic with premium metal parts gives it a great feel and further gives you confidence that this speaker will last for many years. So long as you don’t leave it attached to the cart when you exit the course.

Every golf speaker has a way to attach it to your cart or golf bag in order to take your favorite music with you. Magnets are one of the more popular options, but the Rokform magnet is incredibly strong. This thing does not move. Even over bumpy cart paths or taking a corner a little fast, the G-Rok Pro doesn’t flinch. My brother tried to remove it when I told him about it, and was shocked at the force it took to remove it from the golf cart’s roof support. Rokform claims the magnet uses 49 pounds of pull force, and while I didn’t go Mythbusters with a scale, the speaker stays in place no matter the conditions. At one point on a bumpy course, my rangefinder had slid down and was resting on the G-Rok Pro; the speaker didn’t budge.

Battery life is also listed at a crazy 24 hours of play time! I haven’t run it for a full day and night, but have played multiple rounds with plenty of battery to spare. I started one round with 89 percent listed on the LCD screen and finished 18 holes with the screen showing 81 percent.

Rokform also nailed the usability of this speaker. The external buttons are large, tactile, and super easy to hit while you’re riding down the fairway or reaching back from the driver’s seat. Play, pause, skip, volume — it’s all at your fingertips without needing to dig for your phone. You also have the ability to connect more than one G-Rok Pro together so you can go full stereo in the cart or set the group vibe with the same playlist. If you phone needs a charge, you can use the speaker as a battery backup, but unfortunately you can’t charge your phone while listening to the speaker.

Since I started using the Rokform G-Rok Pro, it hasn’t left my bag. I have other speakers that are golf specific, but none of them seem to get any use from me anymore. I love the feeling that once I slap the G-Rok Pro on the cart, it isn’t going anywhere, and I don’t have to watch it as I drive down a rough section of the course or cart path. While it isn’t the cheapest option in the Bluetooth speaker world, it does everything so well that I can see where the price is justified.

Continue Reading

Product Reviews

GolfWRX member testing: Cobra DS-Adapt driver

Published

on

Our forum faithful are well acquainted with the incredible giveaways and review opportunities in the realm of threads and comments, but we want to ensure front-page readers are involved as well.

Check out what the most-trusted GolfWRX forum members have to say about the Cobra DS-Adapt driver (and fairway woods!) here.

Cobra DS-Adapt driver

Cobra Golf on the DS-Adapt driver:

Building off the original Darkspeed driver designs, Cobra again employs Progressive Aero shaping uniquely across the family.

    • The DS-Adapt LS’ dramatic shaping is employed in the form crown height, a raised rear aft, and heel aero shaping. Additionally, at 445cc, the profile is more compact.
    • In the 460cc DS-Adapt X, weight is balanced between the front and back of the driver head in a traditional profile for a blend of forgiveness and speed.
    • The DS-Adapt Max-K is Cobra’s foray into the ultra-forgiving 10K MOI space. Not surprisingly, the club’s stretched 460cc profile is the largest in the lineup.
    • Cobra’s draw-biased offering, the DS-Adapt Max-D, is designed with a low, heel-biased CG.

Read our full DS-Adapt launch piece here.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx)

How we choose our testers

GolfWRX staff evaluates each entry against the criteria laid out in the testing thread to determine the best fit for each specific product — For example, if a game-improvement iron is being tested, game-improvement iron-playing golfers will be considered.

Member testers

  • @jasman29
  • @adamwon84
  • @Bridges
  • @Cliffy2020
  • @BigBlue7

Member review highlights

@jasman29

“Two big things drawing me to the new DS-Adapt X over the LS was that I didn’t want to go down in size to a 440 driver and I loved not just the new FF33 adapter adjustability and the ability to adjust loft independent of lie but the new front and back weights that would/could reduce spin while still providing a high level of MOI and forgiveness.”

jasman29’s driver set up

Model: DS-ADAPT X Driver Playing 45” in length at D3 swingweight
Loft: 9 degrees of loft
Shaft Flex: X-Flex Shaft
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue TR 6 X-stiff
Grip Type: Golf Pride
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus 4 Standard
Grip Options: +1 extra wrap
Grip Orientation: Logo down

“I played the AeroJet LS with a great deal of success since 2023, I had moved to this driver from my TSR3 for spin and launch reduction. I’ll start with my misses with the AeroJet LS driver, they were very spinny cuts or hard push cuts that that would leave me in in some precarious positions. Late last year I started to think about moving to a more forgiving driver that would also provide the type of ideal launch characteristics that I was getting from the AeroJet which is what drove me to pick the DS-Adapt X.”

“The sounds and feel of this driver is so good, I can’t emphasize enough how great this driver feels on both center and off center hits, it has such a great punching feeling when you center strike it. I’m really loving this driver and she is a keeper in the bag for the long term. It has been a short time comparatively with this driver, but it is one of the best I have ever hit. It checks all the boxes in the forgiveness, performance/playability, looks, sound and feel. I already have one guy in my group that went down to Cool Clubs and got fit into the same head and he is impatiently waiting for his club to get to him before his trip to Bandon later this month.

“If you are looking for a lower spin driver, but with forgiveness, I can’t recommend this one enough. I would also offer that if this is a driver you are in the market for, look at having a weight setup that can give you the best of both worlds.

“All in all I love this driver and it is my gamer and has been for a while now, no looking back. I love everything about this driver and am excited for the rest of the golf season with my tee game.”

@adamwon84

“When I was chosen, I went through a few different build ideas and when I was told that I could pick any of the custom options from the Cobra site, I got very excited! I spoke to my local fitter that I have been going to for years now with my clubs and after we discussed a few ideas I ended up with the following:

Model: DS-APADT MAX-K Driver
Hand: Right
Loft: 10.5
Shaft Flex: Stiff
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF-7
Grip: Jumbo Max Ultralite Small Black

I went with the Max-K 10k because I am currently swinging the G430 10k and wanted to go all out on the 10k Cobra driver to see how it does against my Ping.”

“The Max-K driver is incredibly easy to hit and looks fantastic. When I set up with it at first, I was smiling because of how good it actually looked and how deep the face looks! Compared to my G430 10k, it looks like its twice the size but that is because of how flat the G430 10k is designed. I hit about 12-15 drivers with the Cobra and initial impression is that this thing is incredible in flight, feel and sound.

“The forgiveness of the Max-K is shocking. I picked this one to compare to my G430 10K and the Cobra is just impressing me more and more. The toe shots are so much better on the Max-K over the G430, its been really fun going back and forth with both drivers. I am glad to see others messing with the Max-K, the driver is already in the bag going forward.

” I haven’t had this level of confidence on the tee box in forever. I can really lean into this driver when I need to and get a few big swings out there. This last weekend I was able to play Sunday and I hit every single fairway that I used the driver on (7 times total), 5 of them were over 300 yards (we used 18 birdies and our scopes to double check) which I haven’t seen these distances with the driver in forever. The Ping G430 10K is still fantastic, but the Cobra is just out performing it. Max-K in the bag, it’s unreal! One friend has purchased a Max-K because of mine”

@Bridges

“It looks so good at address. The matte black top line blends with the carbon crown and face nicely. The bulge and roll of the face is not pronounced and the dark features mask it even further. I am not picky about shaping but this should appeal to the most discerning among us. Great job by Cobra on the aesthetics of the DS ADAPT line.

“The sound is just what I like. Nothing muted here. No carbon sound. It’s like the classic titanium sound but very powerful. No aluminum bat sound. It’s powerful yet pleasing to the ear.

“I have used the X driver for three rounds in ten days so I am getting to know it pretty well. I had one great driving round, one inconsistent round with several great drives and today’s round that was pretty bad. The good shots with the X are among the best I have ever hit but the forgiveness of the Max-K may be what I need. I think it’s time to see what the Max-K can do for me. If the well struck shots are close to the X but the misses are noticeably better it would be the obvious choice.

“The DS Adapt Max-K driver has been incredible. The Callaway Epic Max LS it replaced has been in my bag since it was released in 2020. The Max-K offers the same ease of launch, mid to low spin and neutral bias but the forgiveness across the face of the Max-K is ridiculous! The Epic Max LS was no slouch in that regard but the way the Max-K keeps the ball in play on bad swings is noticeably better. I see very little curvature with the Max-K, my pushed and pulled shots stay on line.”

@Cliffy2020

“LS Driver – Stunning has been mentioned – hard yes! Best I can add is cocky yet muted. The dull carbon fiber top with black Cobra alignment aid is exactly what I want in a driver finish. Paired with the flat black Velocore+ shaft it’s the perfect complement.”

“Not to be ignored. The quality headcovers are worth mentioning. Design, stitching, colorway, loops and handles are all quality, well thought out, and functional.

“I initially set the Cobra adapter in a fade biased position (habit) and the LS consistently stayed right on me. The more I tried to turn it over, the more often I got the ugly tumbler. Once I was brave enough to aim left and push the ball the driver really came alive which got me thinking about playing a fade off the tee again.

“This driver is crazy tunable! I know I can make it consistently go right (unusual for me). The fun part will be finding a consistent draw setting for my swing and of course the straight bomb! I have several courses where one particular shot shape favors another off the tee and this driver can be made to do both.”

@BigBlue7

“Looks are everything you want in a “player’s” driver – simple graphics, great shape and, for me, a matte crown. Cobra nailed the aesthetics across this entire line”

“Sound and feel are interesting to me. I would describe the feel as extremely solid – borderline too solid and the sound is very muted. I don’t know how else to say it other than it just doesn’t sound or feel explosive. However, that sound and feel does not mean the head isn’t explosive. In fact, it is the exact opposite. I was VERY impressed with the LS driver. My stock ball flight is relatively straight and I saw that consistently off the tee. I played with the weights in the “neutral” setting and ball flight was a nice tight fade with a mid trajectory.

“For the LS Driver, I felt like things were still launching a little bit lower than I would have liked, so moved the 10g weight from heel to the back and instantly got the ball up into a better window. It not like I was hitting line drives before the switch, but I just wanted to see things peak a little higher. Moving the CG back did make a bit of a difference and produced a ball flight closer to what I am used to seeing. When struck well, the Adapt LS is a launcher. It feels great off the center of the face and was seeing similar carry distances to my G430 LST. That being said, I am still finding the G430 LST more forgiving – especially off the toe.

“Ball slightly forward, stance set up for a fade, and woah did I unlock something in this driver. Now when I hit a fade off the tee, I line up a good bit left and hit more a slight push fade – this allows me to maintain my positive angle of attack and helps mitigate a potential double cross. Well – the Adapt LS Driver apparently loves this. Beautiful, high (but low spin) fades that held beautifully against the wind. I never felt that the ball was spinning up to the point where the wind would start moving it back left. The more I swung, the more confident I became and the more free I swung. I duplicated a similar high fade with the 430LST, but it actually felt easier to do with the Cobra – the ping tended to launch a little too high with that swing and thus the wind would catch it more. If the Cobra allows me to make that my stock shot with little to no fear of a double cross, that could really be beneficial to someone like me that is scarred from a couple of wasted years due to the hooks. The sound and feel of the Adapt LS Driver gets better every time I hit it. Moving the heavier weight to the back makes enough of a difference to get it into a realm where I enjoy hitting rather than having it feel and sound a bid dead.

“On well struck shots it sneaks past my G430 LST, but that is mainly due to the lower spin. When I try to hit a draw, results are mixed. When struck perfectly, the LS Adapt can go toe to toe with any driver in terms of total distance. However, if you are missing on the toe, that is where this spin drops off pretty drastically compared to my 430LST and I saw some dive bombers. However, when I set up to hit a fade, it really comes to life. I think this driver is a fantastic option for someone who plays a high fade and wants to drop a few RPMS. The misses are steel penal, but the club head delivery with the fade just mitigates that snapper left and I don’t see many of the high weak right misses with it.”

Bonus Comment

jasman29 on the DS Adapt 5-wood: “The DS ADAPT X 5 wood, for me, has been the biggest surprise and I just can’t emphasize enough how much I love this club! I never played a 5 wood, never thought I could, and this has totally changed my mind. I love this club, I can hit it from many different lies. As an example, we were playing yesterday and on the last hole which is a dog leg left par 5 and was in the light rough, second cut, bit of a side hill downhill lie where trouble is right and I had to hit it around a tree to get it to the green and was 241 to the flag as the crow flys. I hit a nice high slight draw with this club pin high in the green side bunker. I mean I just have so much confidence with this club and there is no chance this is going anywhere EVER! It out performs the hybrid I was playing hands down and flat out performs from all sorts of lies. If you are in the market, can’t recommend this one enough, you won’t be disappointed.”

Read the entire thread, become a member, and jump in on the conversation here.

More about GolfWRX member testing

Member testing gives our forum members the opportunity to put the latest golf equipment through the paces. In exchange for getting a product to test (and keep), forum members are expected to provide in-depth product feedback in the forums, along with photos, and engage with the questions of other forum members.

For brands, the GolfWRX member feedback and direct engagement is a vital window into the perceptions of avid golfers.

You can find additional testing opportunities in the GolfWRX forums.

Continue Reading

WITB

Facebook

Trending