Both powerful and forgiving, the Qi irons deliver plenty of distance even on off-center strikes. The feel is rather firm and produces a sound that might be an acquired taste, but all told this is a game improvement iron that provides confidence at address and impressive results once the ball has been hit.
Pros
- Exceptional distance
- Very forgiving
- Good launch considering the strong lofts
Cons
- Not a huge change from the Stealth iron visually
- Quite a firm feel at impact
Easy to launch, extremely forgiving and long, the Ping G440s impress in the competitive game improvement category. Compared to the previous model the aesthetics are more refined and should appeal to those who like the look of a distance player’s iron but still benefit from a larger footprint and plenty of offset.
Pros
- Very easy to get airborne
- High ball speeds
- Much more sophisticated behind-the-ball
Cons
- Some may feel there has been a regression in shelf appeal
Two of the giants of the industry, TaylorMade and Ping, both make some of the best golf irons around. These run the full gamut, from slick blades found in the bags of touring pros to sets designed for those who need a helping hand.
And it’s the best game improvement category we’re focusing on here. Both the Qi and G440 can be classed as ‘distance irons, aimed at mid-handicappers who are looking for a few more yards, while also aiming to deliver plenty of forgiveness on those less-than-perfect strikes. Let’s see how they fare going toe-to-toe (and heel-to-heel) over a few rounds; the result should help you decide which is better suited to your game.
Technology
If you’re familiar with the previous Stealth iron, then the Qi will look pretty familiar. However this model uses TaylorMade’s patented face technology. It’s called ‘straight distance’, which is exactly what it’s designed to deliver. Both the head and face have been created to control flex and reduce left-to-right spin, an issue for many mid to high-handicappers who tend to see many of their shots going to the right, with excessive amounts of cut spin.
(Image credit: Future)
The Center of Gravity location differs across the set. The Qi long irons have the CG located to deliver a higher launch angle. In the short irons it’s placed to provide a better, more controllable flight across the scoring clubs.
(Image credit: Future)
It’s a tech feature that we see repeated in Ping’s new G440 irons. The lower CG location is positioned to provide…
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