PING Glide 2 Stealth Wedges

[inthecup]

I swapped out my wedges this year.  I went from Callaway MD3's to Ping Stealth 2.0's. I changed my wedges because I do play for spin around the green and over time they do not spin as well.  I also never got along with the 50 degree for full shots.  I was never comfortable with it.

I am playing Ping I200's for irons, Ping G400 driver and I figured I try the wedges.  I got 50 SS 12 degrees bounce, 54 ES 8 degrees of bounce and 58 SS 10 degrees of bounce.

I really have not hit them yet but pulling them out of the plastic I note two things.  1.  The numbers are back like the club.  That has to change, it is near impossible to see.  2. I like the dyla-wedge grips.  They are longer, and do not taper as much.  Since a wedge is a club I grip down on more than most I thought I would give it a try.  It also has a reminder rib which I like.

After I break them in I'll report back but I suspect they will be just fine.

[inthecup]

I was able to hit some balls on a launch monitor (on a mat).  So far so good.  I can control the distance well.  Impossible to judge the grind other than to say on standard partial and full shots they are fine.

I attached a photo of the number.  If I am carrying the number will be impossible to see.  I am going to paint fill them white so I have a chance.

[iacas]

The Stealths look good.

And, you know, I helped name the Glide wedges, so I like that, too.

[inthecup]

3 minutes ago, iacas said:

The Stealths look good.

And, you know, I helped name the Glide wedges, so I like that, too.

Truth be told that’s why I got them.  

[iacas]

18 minutes ago, inthecup said:

Truth be told that’s why I got them.  

Because they look good? I agree. How does the finish hold up? How many balls have you hit so far?

[inthecup]

1 minute ago, iacas said:

Because they look good? I agree. How does the finish hold up? How many balls have you hit so far?

No I got them since you named them....

I have not hit enough balls to say.  The good news is I hit a lot of balls.  The bad news is it will be a couple weeks before I get outside. 

[mvmac]

8 hours ago, inthecup said:

I swapped out my wedges this year.  I went from Callaway MD3's to Ping Stealth 2.0's. I changed my wedges because I do play for spin around the green and over time they do not spin as well.  I also never got along with the 50 degree for full shots.  I was never comfortable with it.

I have the 2.0 ones and really like them. Might go to the Stealth wedges because they look cool and want to try a lob wedge that isn't as heavy.

I had the previous Glides before that, super durable, good spin even after three years. I just lent the original Glides to a friend who wanted to try wedges with more bounce and around the greens he checks the 3-year old Glides more than his 6-month old Vokeys.

[inthecup]

I am starting to be a fan of Ping.  They sell what works and don't make unrealistic claims.  I have gone through a series of Ping drivers, I am looking for forgiving in a driver, and they deliver that.  I was and am impressed that they would not do a driver hosel that adjusted 300 different ways because it would take away from the forgiveness of the club.  Takes commitment to buck the market trend.  You may guess from these statements I am an engineer.

Technically these wedges have a cavity, sort of.  I guess I'll see over time what that does for me.

I am going to measure gapping for my 1/2, 3/4 and full shots to see where they fall by the end of the weekend.  Early tests show them to be consistent distance wise like the I200's I am playing.

They do look small in black.  I am not sure that is a good thing.

[inthecup]

I have had a chance to play several indoor simulated rounds of golf with the wedges.  I am getting consistent distances and I can slip the 58 under the ball on the mat for a flop type shot, that is a good sign.  I am continuing to record 1/2, 3/4 and full shot distances to see if (or how much) it varies day to day.

Wednesday it is supposed to be nice and I should get to play outside for the first time this year on my home course.  So I will be getting out with my i200's and glide 2.0's.  From everything I can tell so far the i200's fly a much more consistent distance than the Apex CF16's they replaced albeit a slightly shorter distance.  

Finally I started reading Every Shot Counts again it has been a while.  

[inthecup]

Digging the stealth wedges outside.  I have 8 rounds under my belt with them and they feel good.  The finish is holding up well.  I have changed my swing.  I am more connected and flip at the ball less or perhaps not at all.  It has caused something interesting that I have to dial in.  My 1/2 a wedge swing distance is way off.  I need to get on the launch monitor and do some work.  Last year for example a 9 o'clock swing with a 58 would go very high and go a predictable 60 yards.  Now I am not really sure how far it goes but it is much more than 60 somewhere in the 80's with a lower trajectory.

 

I was trying to dial in an 8 o'clock (hands) swing and a 9 o'clock arms swing and I think I got myself confused.  I lost the ability to have a known distance from less than 70.  I am going to hit the monitor and do a 9 o'clock swing and record the distances then after I am comfortable I will go for the lessor swing.

[Mr. Desmond]

Well, well, last month I won, sort of, a set of Vokey wedges and a Titleist Ball fitting over a weekend of golf, fun and comaraderie - it was an educational experience.

Then, when trading in a Rogue for a Ping G400 Max, I had extra funds I had to use - it's been forever since I used Ping Wedges - enter Glide 2.0 Stealth - picked up a 56 ES (Eye 2 Grind) to compare. Lighter than Vokey in balance and the ES grind is more versatile than a Vokey S or F grind.  I like D5 in a 56-60, and added 2g of lead tape to start to get it to D4. They have a lighter, quicker, or is that, sweeter feel off the ball than Vokey, which has more of a soft, but solid thud off the ball. The Vokey's perform, but I might try a 60 Stealth in a few months. I need to test out the Vokeys over an extended period.

But Stealth 2.0 on the range is doing an excellent job.

[inthecup]

On 4/23/2018 at 4:51 PM, Mr. Desmond said:

Well, well, last month I won, sort of, a set of Vokey wedges and a Titleist Ball fitting over a weekend of golf, fun and comaraderie - it was an educational experience.

Then, when trading in a Rogue for a Ping G400 Max, I had extra funds I had to use - it's been forever since I used Ping Wedges - enter Glide 2.0 Stealth - picked up a 56 ES (Eye 2 Grind) to compare. Lighter than Vokey in balance and the ES grind is more versatile than a Vokey S or F grind.  I like D5 in a 56-60, and added 2g of lead tape to start to get it to D4. They have a lighter, quicker, or is that, sweeter feel off the ball than Vokey, which has more of a soft, but solid thud off the ball. The Vokey's perform, but I might try a 60 Stealth in a few months. I need to test out the Vokeys over an extended period.

But Stealth 2.0 on the range is doing an excellent job.

I am particularly fond of the 54 es grind I picked up.  They call it the ultimate sand club and my early reaction would be to agree.  I have hit some of my best sand shots with that club.

[Mr. Desmond]

I've used the Stealth on the range about 5X, and some bunker time, and the finish wears better than Callaway, Vokey or Miura, and is beginning to show glimpses of wear... if you have experience with black wedges, you can see the beginning of lighter streaks ... having said that, someone somewhere made a comment that only the finish was new - I found this first sentence is what is more ...

What’s new for the Glide 2.0 Stealth is the 1/2 groove in the 56, 58, and 60 degree wedges.  This groove is positioned near the leading edge to improve spin and control, particularly when you strike the ball low on the face.  All the grooves and faces are milled to precise tolerances so that you can get maximum spin.

[Mr. Desmond]

I'll get to the Pings after this backstory.

After another day on the range, I'm wondering about the utility of the Vokey F Grind in 54-56. I'm not a tour player, it's a full grind except for a small skirt of trailing edge relief - Spieth plays it, Stricker plays it - but I'm not them and I don't play tour conditions. I like bounce but like relief for variety. I hit them fine on the course, but find limitations with 9 of bounce (bent to 55) and an almost full grind. I probably need an M Grind in a 56.

Enter Ping Glide 2.0 Stealth ES 56 - I have one - sole seems built for bunker and sand with some width but a moderate 8 of bounce and it has plenty of heel, toe, trailing edge relief to make a crescent shape (sort of like an M Grind but with the dimple in the middle).  I assume the dimple is for placing hands a little forward or back and offering versatility. Trying it out this weekend over 2 rounds - I added 4g of lead tape to head to get it to D5, and it came with a skinny Tour Velvet, which is changed to 2 wraps and Lamkin UTx. Going to the range at lunch. Hope this helps.

Edited April 27, 2018 by Mr. Desmond

[amished]

Any other reviews or thoughts on the wedges after more play?  I have an old 56* wedge that I'm hoping to swap out and this one is on my short list of wedges to pick up as a replacement.

[inthecup]

I am happy with them.  I have the black stealth finish and it is holding up well. I especially like the sand wedge I got with the ES grind.  Best sand wedge I ever had.  

I have the Black Stealth finish, it has held up well.  The numbers were black which I did not like.  I paint filled them in red-58 yellow-54 white-50 and I like that a lot.  Easy to pick the right club.

I don’t think you can go wrong.  I think they are about to launch a forged wedge.  If that lites you up you may want to wait.   

[mvmac]

For whatever reason I'm liking the stealth wedges more than the stain chrome ones, just probably fits my eye better or something.

2 hours ago, inthecup said:

I think they are about to launch a forged wedge.  If that lites you up you may want to wait.  

For most I think the Glide wedges will be better, forged ones will have smaller heads, grind is between a TS and SS. I'm not tempted to switch.

[inthecup]

5 minutes ago, mvmac said:

For whatever reason I'm liking the stealth wedges more than the stain chrome ones, just probably fits my eye better or something.

For most I think the Glide wedges will be better, forged ones will have smaller heads, grind is between a TS and SS. I'm not tempted to switch.

I agree.  I don’t see the forged draw.