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Anyone Still Play Ping Eye 2's?

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ironman70

ironman70

Long Hitter The Lama...
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I tried borrowed Ping Eye 2's as a kid. I seem to remember they were very stiff. So was I. I went on to play many irons since then, most recently a forged combo set that I played for the last five years. A while back I tried Ping Eye 2's again. Wow, was I amazed at how well they played. It is astonishing to me that with all of the irons that have come and gone in the last 20 years, the Ping Eye 2's have held up so well. They are now in my bag to stay.
 
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They were very good irons. Quick question for you. Did you try any other game improvement irons since your forged combo set? Im wondering if the results are more about the forgiveness that was not available in the older irons you played, than the actual set?
 
Some one on my team last year was left handed and had a set. I hit his a couple times and they felt great. I was kind of amazed for how old they are.
 
I have a set Ping Eye 2 BECU that I played for about 5 years, I still use the sand wedge. I now have Ping G10 irons
 
slightly off topic - at the beginning of last season I was still playing the PING ZING 2's. Loved them - but felt it was time to move on. So until last year, I was in a similar place as you. I decided I needed more of a players iron as I felt like the ball was just getting up in the air and sailing. I needed to lower my ball flight. Ended up with the new s56's. Back to topic..... I was really impressed with how well they compared to the other game improvement irons of today.
 
ironman70 said:
No. I played MacGregor 1025CM's. They are excellent and I still have them. I have no issues with those clubs and I was never into trying game improvement irons. I don't know that the Eye 2's qualify as that in the way the term is used today. I know the Eye 2's have been used over the years at every level, to include on all the tours. Anyway, my scoring hasn't changed all that much, but I am hitting the ball better with the Eye 2's. It will take a while to see what they do for my game, but I just like hitting them.
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I would classify them as GI irons. In my opinion anyway. Just because it is a GI iron does not mean all skill levels cannot use it. There are quite a few tour pros that play GI irons.
 
ironman70 said:
From my experience, given the correct swing fundamentals, the ball flight is mostly a product of the shaft you use. I have always used a Dynamic Gold S300. I have that on my MacGregors and on the Eye 2's. I get a nice penetrating ball flight, which you need in Florida because of the winds.
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I would say you're mostly right, but the level of offset (probably my swing) and size of the face (not my swing) can change that as well IMO. I'd rather know if I miss hit rather than get similar ball flight and have it tail off 30 yards in one direction or the other.
 
ghsace said:
I would say you're mostly right, but the level of offset (probably my swing) and size of the face (not my swing) can change that as well IMO. I'd rather know if I miss hit rather than get similar ball flight and have it tail off 30 yards in one direction or the other.
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As can where weight is located in the head, how much of it, and the mass of the weighting in the area of impact.
 
I don't play them but I have a set in my garage. They were my moms first real nice set. I should take them out & hit them!
 
JB said:
As can where weight is located in the head, how much of it, and the mass of the weighting in the area of impact.
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Exactly - hence the GI name. And I would agree it was the predecessor of Game Improvement irons. Cavity back and very low center of gravity - create higher ball flight.
 
ironman70 said:
While I am getting off my own topic, I think that regardless of the clubs one plays the results of a good swing are clear, and the results of a bad one are equally as clear. Before I played blades, I thought they would be too hard to hit. Not true. With a good repeating swing anyone can play any club. But I don't think the clubs, game improvement or not, do much for a flawed swing. If they did, handicaps would be improving. The fact is that over the last few decades handicaps have not improved in spite of the so called game improvement club revolution. As for the Eye 2's, they are a wonder because since the 80's they have outlasted all the hype and they continue to be used and appreciated by amateurs and pros alike. I think very few clubs can say that.
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I could not disagree more, but just my opinion. If perimeter weighting was not beneficial to golfers, they would not be transitioned at every single skill level. Handicaps not improving is based on a lot of factors, not just technology advances. Heck people playing the wrong equipment when the right exists plays just as much a role in that. While nothing will change a flawed swing outside of instruction, the level of punishment that one receives at impact depending on the club used can be dramatically different. Its simple physics really. Take a ball and bounce it off a thick piece of steel and then bounce the ball off of steel that is thinner and see what perimeter weighting will do for forgiveness on shots not dead center.

Again, I will leave it at that, clearly just my opinion.
 
Just a Eye 2 wedge in the bag for me.
 
I have a set in the garage that feel pretty harsh compared to newer irons I have tried.I do play an Eye2 sand wedge
that I have holed out shots and hit closest to the pin with.Haven't been able to knock it out of my bag.
 
If I could find a nice set of Ping Eye 2 BECU for a steal, they would go in my bag in a heartbeat.
 
ironman70 said:
Check out Ebay. There are plenty of used of Eye 2's. Also, there are a few used club dealers just a Google away that have these sets. I've even seen them offered in new condition from time to time. BECU seems to draw the highest prices, but nothing outrageous. The trick with old PING sets is finding your dot, although the set can be bent (up to a point) and "re-dotted". Even Ping will do that for you. Also, while many rave about the ZZ Lite shaft that came stock with the Eye 2's, the newer steel shafts offer many options not available in the 80's. I like the DG S300 with the Eye 2's. Good luck.
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I play standard black dot pings. I have looked on ebay, but for the BECU, they want $400 or more.....
 
I think the prices will go up more and more as time goes by. The Eys 2's of any type seem to have a loyal following, and new users every day...which is incredible for an "outdated" set of irons. The set has been called the best Ping ever made, and the most popular iron in history. As a classic, and sometimes even collectible club set, these irons are bound to go up in price as their availability goes down through attrition. I know Ping did take special orders and sold them new until recently. I don't know if they still do that, but as you can imagine, the cost is high.

The good news is that the Black Dots are the most produced model so there are more out there. Good luck.
 
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I have played a set of Eye 2 Black Dots with ZZ Lite stiff for years. I have had 4 other sets of irons in the last 20 years but I always break out the Pings when I am serious. They are not as forgiving as a lot of the newer cavity back designs. The tradeoff is that I feel you can work the ball with them better than other any game improvement iron. The easiest club I ever played to hit knock-down shots with.

I have a set with the JZ Cushin shafts that I am getting ready to re-grip and try. I am starting to get some arthiritis in my hands and the Cushin shaft insert was always touted as a vibration dampener. (We all laughed at the old guys back 25 years ago ordering the Cushin shafts from Ping, not so funny now it seems). Cold weather or firm fairways are rough on old hands.
 
This thread popping back up just reminded me that one of my regular playing buddies still games the Eye 2s. I've tried many times, but I just can't get decent results with them. It's a mental thing, I've always thought they were fugly. Unusual to find an iron which still gets a lot of attention so long after release though.
 
Up until last week my dad was playing Ping ISIs BECU which are rather similar to the eye2s. A kid on my time uses really old pings to. They don't say anything other than karsten.
 
I have a buddy who plays with a full set of Ping Eye 2's (including 2 Iron). In addition to that he also plays a Burner Bubble (copper color) that is approx the same size as my 3-wood.

But, he nails them and still shoots low-mid 80's.

the_paulo said:
This thread popping back up just reminded me that one of my regular playing buddies still games the Eye 2s. I've tried many times, but I just can't get decent results with them. It's a mental thing, I've always thought they were fugly. Unusual to find an iron which still gets a lot of attention so long after release though.
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My FIL still games a Ping Eye2 2 iron he loves it.


Sent from someone else's iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I worked at an Edwin Watts back in the day and Ping was King. They held 60% of the market share. Guys would come in, buy a set of Ping eye 2s and Taylormade woods and that was it, literally. There was nothing that compared. I'm about to try out the i20 irons. I have a set of i2 +no+ 1-sw blue dot never hit. They are beautiful. chop
 
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Revolutionary irons no doubt. If I could find a decent set of these used I would try em out for fun.
 
My dad used his set the other day when we played. They are still one of my favorite iron sets ever.
 
Reviving an old thread here. I have tried Alot of irons and nothing compares to the Eye 2. I was on a serious iron search after I just didn't like my amp forged irons. I came across this set of eyes 2's at a yardsale. I've never had them but knew of the reputation for these irons. For 75$ I figured I couldn't go wrong. I tried them and loved them. Sure there are more forgiving and better feeling clubs. There is no club that has a headsize that's not huge but with still Alot of forgiveness like the eye 2. There certainty is no better quality club made than the eye 2's, mine are 30 years old and beat up but have Alot of life left. The only down fall is the lofts are weaker. But really that's just an ego thing. So what if I need a 7 iron from 150 out, really doesnt matter.

I recently put an eye 2 putter into play as well, really like that also. I challenge some of you to try these again and not fall in love with them.
 
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