The Ping i525s are very popular player distance irons that launch high with relatively low spin. The i525’s also have a very compact face profile and beautiful design, which will capture the attention of low and mid-handicap golfers.
The Ping G425’s are highly rated game improvement irons. They are long, forgiving, accurate, and attractive. Unlike so many game improvement irons, they aren’t particularly chunky, which is usually the biggest weakness of irons that fall into this product category.
Now that you have a basic introduction to these clubs, let’s dive in to the heart of this comparison between the Ping i525 vs G425 irons.
Loft Comparison - i525 vs G425 Irons
| CLUB | i525 IRONS | G425 IRONS |
|---|---|---|
| 3-iron | 18.0°degrees | N/A |
| 4-iron | 21.0°degrees | 20.5°degrees |
| 5-iron | 24.0°degrees | 23.5°degrees |
| 6-iron | 27.0°degrees | 26.5°degrees |
| 7-iron | 30.5°degrees | 30.0°degrees |
| 8-iron | 35.0°degrees | 34.5°degrees |
| 9-iron | 40.0°degrees | 39.5°degrees |
| PW | 45.0°degrees | 44.5°degrees |
| UW | 50.0°degrees | 49.5°degrees |
| SW | N/A | 54.0°degrees |
| LW | N/A | 58.0°degrees |
It should be pretty clear that the Ping G425 irons are half a degree stronger than the Ping i525 irons, across the set. In theory, this means that the G425’s should travel a few yards further in most scenarios.
In addition, it’s worth clarifying that the i525 iron set starts at 3 iron and ends at gap wedge (uw), whereas the G425 irons start at 4 iron, and go all the way to lob wedge.
Importantly, you don’t have to invest in the full set. Provided you are covered from 4 iron to pitching wedge, you can make a call on your wedge setup.
Lie Angle Comparison
| CLUB | i525 IRONS | G425 IRONS |
|---|---|---|
| 3-iron | 60.0°degrees | N/A |
| 4-iron | 60.5°degrees | 60.5°degrees |
| 5-iron | 61.0°degrees | 61.0°degrees |
| 6-iron | 61.5°degrees | 61.5°degrees |
| 7-iron | 62.0°degrees | 62.0°degrees |
| 8-iron | 62.8°degrees | 62.8°degrees |
| 9-iron | 63.5°degrees | 63.5°degrees |
| PW | 64.1°degrees | 64.1°degrees |
| UW | 64.1°degrees | 64.1°degrees |
| SW | N/A | 64.4°degrees |
| LW | N/A | 64.6°degrees |
A quick look at the lie angle stats will confirm that the i525’s and the G425’s are exactly the same in this regard.
It is worth noting that you can alter the default lie angle of these iron sets by selecting a different ‘dot color’.
- The black dot is the default lie angle.
- The blue dot version is 1 degree more upright (encouraging a draw).
- The red dot version is 1 degree flatter (encouraging a fade).
Offset Comparison
| CLUB | i525 IRONS | G425 IRONS |
|---|---|---|
| 3-iron | 0.19" | N/A |
| 4-iron | 0.16" | 0.27" |
| 5-iron | 0.13" | 0.24" |
| 6-iron | 0.11" | 0.21" |
| 7-iron | 0.08" | 0.18" |
| 8-iron | 0.06" | 0.15" |
| 9-iron | 0.04" | 0.13" |
| PW | 0.02" | 0.11" |
| UW | 0.02" | 0.11" |
| SW | N/A | 0.09" |
| LW | N/A | 0.08" |
The amount of offset in each set of irons is one of the most substantial differences beteween the Ping i525’s and the Ping G425’s.
Simply put, the G425 irons have considerably more offset than the i525’s.
Game improvement irons tend to have more offset than player distance irons, mainly because extra offset can help reduce a golfer’s tendency to slice the ball.
Based on these numbers, you could say that the G425’s have a slight draw bias, whereas the i525’s will promote a more neutral ball flight.
Key Differences
1. Handicap Range
i525 Handicap Range: 0 – 15
The Ping i525 are built for lower handicap players. Players ranging from a 3 to 15 handicap could easily game the i525’s, especially if they prefer a compact iron face.
The Ping i525’s fall into the ‘player distance’ iron category. That basically means they look a bit like blades (elite player irons), while still offering impressive distance and a reasonably high dosage of forgiveness.
When you set the i525’s down at address, you will immediately notice that they have a significantly more compact iron face than the G425s, and most other player distance irons (like the Taylormade P790’s for instance).
The reduced offset, compact face and clean styling is a very attractive proposition for low and mid handicap golfers with solid ball-striking abilities.
In addition to offering massive distance, the i525’s are quite easy to shape. You should be able to work the ball left to right and right to left, depending on what the hole demands or what you prefer.On the other hand, the G425’s have a slight draw bias, which makes them better suited to players who have a tendency to slice the ball.
G425 Handicap Range: 5 – 25
The G425 irons are outright game improvement irons, catering for handicaps ranging from 5 all the way to 25. They are extremely easy to hit and they travel a country mile.
They also manage to offer this game improvement technology in a relatively compact package. Unlike so many game improvement irons which basically look like space ships attached to the end of a shaft, the G425’s actually look like really nice golf clubs. It’s a very good combination of looks, performance and forgiveness.
2. Forgiveness
If you can’t make up your mind about which irons to choose, forgiveness could be a deciding factor. In almost all scenarios, the Ping G425’s will offer more forgiveness than the Ping i525 irons.
When describing the G425 irons Ping states ‘a tungsten toe screw and hosel weight expands the perimeter weighting to create a new standard in forgiveness for an iron its size.’
This speaks to one of the key selling points of the G425 irons. They are very forgiving, very accurate and very long, but without the appearance of being ‘chunky’.
3. Loft Specs
- The default lofts of the G425 irons are half a degree stronger than the i525s.
- The i525 set offers a 3 iron with 18 degrees of loft, which literally puts it into ‘driving iron’ status.
- The i525 set also concludes at gap wedge (50 degrees)
- The G425 set goes all the way up to lob wedge (58 degrees).
Ping i525 Product Technology
Forged, Maraging Steel Face
Extreme Weighting
Pleasing Sound, Feel
Micromax Grooves
Preferred Styling
Ping G425 Product Technology
Perimeter Weighting
A tungsten toe screw and hosel weight expand the perimeter weighting to create a new standard in forgiveness for an iron its size. The resilient hydropearl chrome finish repels moisture to improve performance from wet conditions.
Speed-Generating Face
A variable-thickness, Hyper 17-4 stainless steel face in the metal-wood-style design delivers our fastest ball speed ever in the G-Series for generating higher, longer results with stopping power.
Stopping Power
A patented cascading sole and top-rail undercut combine to perform like a hinge, flexing to launch the ball faster and higher with green-holding precision consistently and predictably.
Streamlined Look
Its blade length is shorter than the G410 iron but the head has a higher MOI, and the clean, compact design presents an eye-pleasing address view that inspires confidence.
Multi-Material Badge
Extensive finite element analysis was used to develop a three-piece, multi-material cavity badge that covers more of the face to damp undesirable frequencies for superb feel and sound.
Info source from Ping G425 Product Page
Final Thoughts
If you are a mid-to-high handicap golfer, you should definitely consider the Ping G425 Irons. They are some of the best game improvement irons currently available.
If you are a low-to-mid handicap golfer, you should definitely try out the Ping i525 irons. While they don’t have the buttery feel of a blade or the sweet sound of a solid forged iron, they deliver where it really counts. That is to say they offer impressive distance in a compact package, that is very pleasing to the eye.
