PING Glide 3.0 Wedges Review

Name: Ping
Item: Ping Glide 3.0
Author: Jack Seddon

GolfMagic tests and reviews the new Glide 3.0 wedges from PING.

Jack Seddon

26 Jul 2019

Brand

Ping

Price

£130.00

Pros

Beautifully designed, extremely high spin, lower more controllable launch, affordable price, forgiving

PING has always made incredible wedges and the new Glide 3.0 might be the very best they've ever produced. Available in four different sole designs, there's a wedge for everyone. Watch the video below as GolfMagic's Jack Seddon tests out the new Glide 3.0 wedges at Farleigh Golf Club.

TECH

In the Glide 3.0 wedges, PING’s engineers put a premium on the feel and forgiveness by leveraging the multi-material construction that combines a 431 stainless steel head with a larger and softer elastomer Custom Tuning Port (CTP) insert. Similar to the popular i210 irons, the additional volume of the CTP allows for a larger insert covering more of the back of the face, resulting in activation of the elastomer at impact to produce a soft yet solid feel. The new, patented cavity design and larger CTP expand the perimeter weighting to increase the MOI and position the centre of gravity higher to yield lower-launching, higher-spinning trajectories for more control.

Patented wheel-cut grooves developed by PING’s engineering and manufacturing teams enable grooves with a sharper edge radius, which increases interaction with the ball at impact, creating more friction for improved spin and trajectory control. The grooves in the lower-lofted wedges (46°, 50° & 52°) are milled with a 20° sidewall and a .005" edge radius for optimal full-shot performance. The higher-lofted versions (54°, 56°, 58° & 60°) feature an extra 1/2 groove at the bottom of the face for added spin and are milled to a .004" edge radius with a 28° sidewall to impart more spin, especially around the greens.

With an emphasis on expanding the wedge sole options to better custom-fit golfers, PING engineers crafted four differentiated sole grinds in the Glide 3.0 series. Each is designed to best match a player’s angle of attack and typical turf conditions while providing performance and versatility on full and partial shots around the green.

LOOKS

Faultless, 10/10. One of the best looking wedges GolfMagic has seen for a long time. Too often we see brands overcomplicating the look and design of wedges. Yes, sometimes it works and it makes the wedge stand out, but sometimes less is more, especially with a club you use so often like a wedge.

The Eye2 design may be very unique and different to what a 'standard' wedge looks like, but it's still an excellent looking wedge and the shap is actually very appealing on the eye when the club is at address.

The Glide 3.0 wedges are clean and modern, but still stand out amongst others. GolfMagic loves the look of these wedges and we feel like PING has hit the nail on the head here.

FEEL & PERFORMANCE

The performance levels of the Glide 3.0 wedges were second to none. You get a slightly lower ball flight, so if it's just height you're looking for in a wedge then these might not be for you, but the difference isn't that noticeable.

The forgiveness levels make these wedges even more attractive. PING say that there's a 5% higher MOI than the previous model, the Glide 2.0, and you can really notice that.

Extremely high spinning which makes control around the greens a lot more comfortable. Playing full shots, you get a really quick stop, which makes distance control a lot easier. Around the greens you can play a lot of different types of shots due to the amount of spin they produce.

Like Jack said in the video, it's the most control he's had in a wedge for a very long time.

VERDICT

The PING Glide 3.0 wedges are phenomenal and ticks off every box in the wedge checklist. To put it simply, they look incredible and they perform even better.

With four different sole designs available, you can tailor the Glide 3.0 wedges to suit your game, something that not all brands can offer without custom fitting.

If you're in the market for new wedges this year, make sure you give these a go.