Combining short game performance with industry-leading fitting software, PING has introduced the s159 wedge series (RRP £175 per club) and WebFit Wedge app.
“The new wedges represent our most extensive and versatile wedge line to-date, significantly advancing wedge performance and expanding fitting options,” said PING CEO & president John K Solheim. “They are already winning on tour and we’re seeing a lot of players converting to them around the world. They love the clean look, the soft feel and, most importantly, the ability to launch and spin their shots with precise control. With six grinds designed to perform in a variety of playing conditions, we have a wedge to fit every golfer.
“In conjunction with the new wedges, we’re excited to introduce the WebFit Wedge app. It’s a web-based app engineered to help golfers find the best grinds and gapping solutions for their games. It’s a quick and easy experience to help golfers cut through a lot of the confusion associated with buying wedges, ultimately making a recommendation on which s159 wedges will allow them to greatly improve their performance around the greens.”
Extensive testing with PING tour players helped create a wedge series that features 25 loft and grind combinations.
The 8620 carbon steel head is cast to an eye-pleasing shape with a straighter lead edge. An elastomer insert behind the face contributes to the soft and responsive feel. At address, the compact head features an improved hosel transition with constant offset that blends seamlessly into the new Blueprint S and T irons. The wedges are available in two finishes – Hydropearl 2.0 chrome or Midnight, a new darker anti-glare option.
Wheel-cut grooves are precision-milled to help ensure consistency while minimising the variations in spin in various conditions. The 54-62-degree options feature more tightly spaced MicroMax grooves while the 46-52-degree wedges are milled for greater control on full shots. This is combined with a friction-adding face blast to deliver greater launch and spin control.
“Our R&D team has gained a lot of notoriety for the wet to dry test, which has revealed remarkable performance results when applied to our last several wedge models,” added John. “A lot of fitters refer to it as the ‘spray-bottle test.’ The s159 consistently leads in the wet testing, out-performing other wedges. Considering it’s rare when a shot doesn’t encounter some level of moisture or loss of friction, this type of control provides a clear and convincing short game advantage.”
Meanwhile, the WebFit Wedge app provides golfers a quick and easy way to determine the wedge grind that best fits their game. Golfers answer a series of questions about their short game, including their typical playing conditions and technique, which results in two grind suggestions. They can then take those recommendations to a fitter who can help validate them and further fine-tune the specs of the wedge. The app process, which takes just a few minutes to complete, also provides gapping information to help the player build out their wedge set.
“It’s no secret shopping for wedges can be confusing as golfers try to understand all the nuances of a wedge’s design and what’s best for them,” said John. “With our new WebFit Wedge app, our goal is to simplify the process of finding a wedge that fits the golfer while also educating them why a particular grind is best for them. It was developed in-house by our data scientists and relies on our massive collection of wedge data, much of it mined from our relationship with Arccos, to make very precise recommendations. The app doesn’t require downloading, logging in or signing up for anything. It’s a very simple experience but very rewarding for users. It will be accessible via a QR code in golf shops and on ping.com.”
