The perfect Players’ iron? Ping Blueprint S Iron Review

The forged cavity-back Ping Blueprint S iron has been developed with the brand’s tour staff to target improved forgiveness from the long irons.

Forged Ping irons used to be rarer than hen’s teeth. For decades Ping have made some of the best golf irons available, but they have almost all been cast rather than forged heads.

Ping’s rare excursions into forged heads included the Anser irons in 2014 and the Ping Blueprint in 2019, both of which were decent irons but didn’t earn the brand a place among the elite when it comes to forged irons.

Ping has always insisted their cast irons can feel and sound every bit as good as their forged counterparts, which is why they have never focused too much on forging. But, through working closely with their elite band of tour stars, they’ve come to better understand the massive premium players at the highest level of the game place on forged irons. When you consider that 95% of PGA Tour events are won by golfers using forged irons, it’s clear to see that not many of the game’s best players will consider a cast head.

As a result, Ping have worked with their tour stars to better meet the players’ list of ‘must haves’ when it comes to irons. The result is the Blueprint S and Blueprint T irons, and here’s everything you need to know about them.

Everything you need to know about the Ping Blueprint S iron

Precision pocket

Ping has seeded the Blueprint S among staff and non-staff players since the Open Championship at Hoylake in July 2023. Unlike its predecessor, the Ping i59, the model has quickly become recognized as one of the best players’ irons out on tour.  Non-contract pro Matt Fitzpatrick jumped on board early with the model, winning the Dunhill Championship in October 2023 with a Blueprint S 5-iron in his bag, as did Louis Ousthuizen in South Africa at the back end of 2023.

Both players chose the S thanks to a new patented precision pocket in the cavity which delivered feel, feedback, and additional forgiveness in the long irons that they loved.

Ping say the forged pocket in the 3, 4, and 5 iron frees up 10g of weight, which can be better located to improve forgiveness. Once filled with elastomer, the pocket gives golfers the solid feel and sound expected in a forged players’ iron, along with some unexpected additional playability.     

Fully forged 8620 carbon steel

8620 carbon steel has been Ping’s chosen material for the original Blueprint iron and Forged Pro wedges. It delivers good durability whilst also managing to feel fantastic.

A Hydropearl 2.0 chrome finish over the top dissipates moisture upon impact, which increases shot-to-shot consistency and predictability no matter what the weather or turf conditions.  

Compact, with minimal offset

The Blueprint S is very much a players’ iron so expect a clean, compact profile. And, unusually for Ping irons, there’s very minimal hosel offset.

A thin topline is just what elite players crave, ensuring there’s zero distraction for the eye at address.

A tungsten toe screw and shaft tip weights allow for precise swing weighting to whichever shafts you choose and nudge up MOI thanks to being positioned on the extremities of the head.   

Personally, I also really like the new forged texture inside the cavity; these small details highlight how no stone has been left unturned in the development of this new model.     

Create your perfect combo set

The Blueprint S is bang on the modern trend of brands making several players’ iron options to allow the game’s best golfers to choose how to set up their bag.

The Blueprint S comes with the same lofts as the muscleback Ping Blueprint T and the Ping i230, meaning golfers can easily mix and match a combo of two or three sets to create their perfect setup across short, mid, and long irons.

Video: Does the Ping Blueprint S iron suit you?

Details: Ping Blueprint S iron

RRP: £200 (s) £210 (g)

Availability: 3 – PW

Stock shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold 120

7-iron loft: 33°

Category: Players’ Iron

Forgiveness rating: 2/5

What Ping say about the Blueprint S iron

“Our two Blueprint irons represent a new strategy for us in the forged-iron category,” said John K. Solheim, PING CEO & President. “With the forged and forgiving cavity-back design of the “S” and the traditional muscle-back shape of the “T”, we’re targeting a wider range of golfers who prefer tour-style forged irons. The Blueprint name is a signal to skilled golfers looking for control, precision and feel from their irons. As the name implies, no details have been overlooked in the development of the new irons. Both models are engineered and manufactured to exact standards and deliver the performance expected in a PING iron.”

“We’ve already seen multiple tour wins with the Blueprint S, including by PING Pro Sahith Theegala, who earned his first PGA Tour title last fall in his first tournament with the new irons,” said Solheim. “Louis Oosthuizen won back-to-back weeks with a combo set of the Blueprint S and T irons, an approach we planned for by matching the standard lofts of each set, allowing golfers to blend their preferred models within our precision-iron line. The tour adoption is growing almost daily as we begin the new tour season.”

“The Blueprint S is going to be a pleasant surprise for a lot of golfers who might not think they are good enough to play them,” Solheim said. “Its design speaks to the lower handicap, but its technology broadens its appeal to the player who is looking for a forged, blade-style iron that’s a little easier to hit but still delivers the look and feel expected in a blade.”

What players say about the Ping Blueprint S iron

Viktor Hovland: “I think the new Blueprint irons – particularly the Blueprint S, because that’s what I’ve been testing – they just look incredible when you grip them and look down to the ball. They’re such a good-looking iron. And then when you hit a good shot, dead out the center, the turf interaction is really pure and the ball flight is nice. It gives you all the good feels when you hit a good shot. It’s not a surprise how it’s already doing well out on tour.

“I’d say the Blueprint T is more for the elite player, just because the size of the blade is small. If you’re just a ‘good’ player who’s looking for a little bit of extra feel between the heel and the toe shots and maybe want to curve it a little bit more, I think it’s a good alternative for anyone who’s a good iron player and wants to have a bit more control.”

Sahith Theegala: “The Blueprint S, for me, still has the sleek design of a blade. It looks good to the eye. You’re staring at this club for thousands of hours a year, so you want it to look good to your eye. It looked great to me straight away. I don’t switch too easily, but this was the one thing in my whole golf career that made me switch instantly. I just felt so comfortable with it. It has a little less offset than the iBlade and it’s nice to see the iron a little more flush [to the ball]. I’ve always been that way with wedges, so now that my irons are like that through the bag, it’s a bonus.

Tyrrell Hatton: “I’d been using the i230 but as soon as I saw the Blueprint S I was amazed. They look very similar in size and it felt like I was still going to have that forgiveness. It felt like a pretty easy switch and it wasn’t something that I was concerned about at all.

Video: How does the Ping Blueprint S compare to other leading 2024 Players’ Irons?

Verdict: Ping Blueprint S iron

It’s taken the new Blueprint S no time to establish itself and get its feet under the table out on tour, appearing in both Ping staff and uncontracted player’s bags since first being revealed in July 2023. Forged Ping irons just aren’t all that common and when a very good one like the S comes along players literally fall over themselves to put the model in play. The i230 might still be Ping’s most-played tour iron but the Blueprint S will surely run it close for its crown once its first full year out on tour is complete.

I’ve been testing Ping irons for 15+ years and I can confidently say I’ve never been so excited by any of the brand’s previous player-focused models. The Blueprint S has a beautifully simple head shape, gone completely is the ‘boxy’ or longer blade length shape that critics used to put the brand’s better player models down for. In my mind, the S is right there alongside the Mizuno Pro 243 and Srixon ZX 7 MK II as one of the very best-shaped players’ irons of the year.

Our test pro loved the forged feel, and sound, preferring the impact sensation to his own set of cast i230’s, a model he’s played for nearly 18 months. Comparing the two sets the pair are almost identical in terms of data bar the four yards carry distance gain in favor of the S. Just remember choosing players’ irons should be more about shape, feel, ball flight, and consistency, so if ball speed and distance creep into your thinking, you really should be looking at players distance irons instead.

In terms of distance, the S carried shots comfortably above our test average (3 yards), with the carry distance drop-off and shot area being just below and above the test averages respectively. That sort of performance says to me the model is well decked out to perform across the board for consistent ball strikers.      

Any decision between the S and i230 is likely to come down to how much premium you put on playing forged irons. Out on tour, this is huge, hence why the Blueprint S is seeing such success in the hands of the best players in the world. For decent club golfers price is also likely to be a factor as a 7-piece steel shafted set will set you back £140 more by opting for the forged S. When making your decision don’t forget to factor in the new pocket cavity tech in the S long irons, which will offer up a little more forgiveness.

In my book, the Blueprint S is a stunning set of irons, thanks to being forged and deliciously well shaped they have all the hallmarks of being a timeless classic set, hence why they’re among my five best players’ irons of 2024.      

Data comparison: How does the Ping Blueprint S compare to leading competitor Players’ Irons?

Iron	7-Iron Loft	Ball Speed	Launch Angle	Backspin	Height	Descent Angle	Carry Distance	Carry Distance Drop Off	Shot Area
PXG 0317 T	32°	125 MPH (1)	15.6°	5343 RPM	32 YDS	45.1°	182 YDS (1)	6 YDS	118.2 SQ YDS
PXG 0317 CB	33°	122.8 MPH	16.6°	5568 RPM	32 YDS	45.7°	179 YDS (T2)	7 YDS	142.1 SQ YDS
Vega VDC	31°	124.4 MPH (2)	14.8°	5703 RPM	30 YDS	44.4°	179 YDS (T2)	8 YDS	236.8 SQ YDS
Srixon ZX7 MK II	32°	122.9 MPH (3)	16.7°	5757 RPM	32 YDS	46.1°	178 YDS	7 YDS	57.4 SQ YDS
Sub 70 659 CB	32°	122.8 MPH	15.3°	5683 RPM	30 YDS	44.2°	178 YDS	8 YDS	70.4 SQ YDS
More MOD 1	32°	121.5 MPH	15.9°	5370 RPM	30 YDS	44.1°	178 YDS	2 YDS (1)	48.4 SQ YDS (2)
Ping Blueprint S	33°	121.3 MPH	16.7°	5498 RPM	31 YDS	45.1°	177 YDS	9 YDS	188.1 SQ YDS
Titleist T150	32°	122.6 MPH	17.5°	5686 RPM	34 YDS	46.8°	177 YDS	4 YDS (2)	53.6 SQ YDS (3)
Takomo 201	32°	122.6 MPH	15.7°	6070 RPM	31 YDS	45°	176 YDS	9 YDS	119.7 SQ YDS
Cobra King Tour	32°	120.9 MPH	15.4°	5534 RPM	29 YDS	43.1°	176 YDS	9 YDS	253.8 SQ YDS
TaylorMade P770	33°	122.3 MPH	17.8°	6143 RPM	34 YDS	47.5°	175 YDS	9 YDS	200.7 SQ YDS
Mizuno JPX923 Tour	34°	121 MPH	16.2°	5704 RPM	30 YDS	44.6°	175 YDS	9 YDS	171 SQ YDS
Vega VSC	31°	121.7 MPH	15.2°	5943 RPM	29 YDS	43.8°	175 YDS	14 YDS	387.8 SQ YDS
Callaway Apex 24 Pro	33°	122.4 MPH	16.2°	6026 RPM	27 YDS	43.3°	174 YDS	7 YDS	128.1 SQ YDS
Callaway Apex TCB	34°	121.9 MPH	16.6°	5189 RPM	32 YDS	46.1°	174 YDS	5 YDS (3)	46 SQ YDS (1)
Mizuno Pro 243	32°	122.2 MPH	16.6°	6035 RPM	32 YDS	46.3°	174 YDS	18 YDS	387 SQ YDS
Ping i230	33°	121.3 MPH	16.4°	5821 RPM	31 YDS	45.7°	173 YDS	19 YDS	248.9 SQ YDS
Sub 70 639 CB	32°	122.3 MPH	15.4°	6584 RPM	30 YDS	45.4°	173 YDS	13 YDS	266.5 SQ YDS
Callaway Apex 24 CB	34°	120.6 MPH	16.7°	6235 RPM	31 YDS	46.2°	170 YDS	9 YDS	151.2 SQ YDS
Takomo 301 CB	34°	120 MPH	17.3°	6410 RPM	32 YDS	46.4°	170 YDS	7 YDS	152.6 SQ YDS
TaylorMade P7MC	34°	119.5 MPH	18°	6226 RPM	33 YDS	47.2°	169 YDS	11 YDS	135.3 SQ YDS
Wilson Staff Model CB	34°	118.6 MPH	16.3°	6221 RPM	29 YDS	44.8°	169 YDS	6 YDS	76.8 SQ YDS
Titleist T100	34°	118.1 MPH	17.3°	5677 RPM	31 YDS	45.4°	169 YDS	8 YDS	107.2 SQ YDS
Ben Hogan PTX Tour	33.5°	117.9 MPH	16°	5767 RPM	28 YDS	43.5°	169 YDS	11 YDS	335.5 SQ YDS
Titleist 620 CB	34°	117.9 MPH	17.9°	6127 RPM	32 YDS	46.5°	167 YDS	13 YDS	274.3 SQ YDS
Average		121.4 MPH	16.4°	5853 RPM	30.9 YDS	45.3°	174.2 YDS	9.1 YDS	174.3 SQ YDS

Check out the best players’ irons.

Read our review of the Ping Blueprint T irons.

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Ping Blueprint S iron

RRP: £200 (s) £210 (g)

Availability: 3 - PW

Stock shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 (S300, X100), PING Alta CB Black graphite (SR, R, S)

7-iron loft: 33°

Category: Players’ Iron

Construction: One piece forged 8620 carbon steel

Forgiveness rating: 2/5

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