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Today I’ll be reviewing the PING G410 irons.
The G410 can be considered a “players GI” iron in that it maintains high MOI and ball speeds across the face while sporting a slimmer, more compact look. The G410 has even more of a refined shape than the G400, and is designed to appeal to a wider range of players.
How do the G410 irons actually perform when put to the test? How do they compare to the previous G400 model? Who are they best suited for? Is it worth putting a set in the bag?
Read on to find out what you need to know to make an informed purchase.
Note: Unless otherwise stated, stock shafts and stock grips are used when evaluating this club. In most cases, the golf clubs reviewed on Golfstead are acquired temporarily for testing purposes and are not purchased. The review that follows is based on the personal experience and research of the author. Because everyone’s swing and body are different, results with a particular club may differ from person to person.
What are the reviews like?
The PING G410 irons earned a gold medal on the 2019 Golf Digest Hot List and have been received very positively by critics.
The irons currently have average customer scores of 4.9/5 on Global Golf and 4.7/5 (95% recommended) on the PING store.
What People Like
- effortless distance
- easy to hit
- excellent short iron control
- game-improvement level of forgiveness
- high and straight ball flight
What People Don’t Like
- face seems to be particularly vulnerable to wear and tear
- toe screw and stamp on the face are distracting to some
The Features
The G410 iron’s signature COR-Eye Technology is updated for the next generation. It works with:
- a cascading sole design, where the sole is thinner near the face and gets thicker as you move away from the face
- a deep top-rail undercut
All of these technologies help to distribute stress evenly so that the sole, face and top rail are activated and engaged in flexing at impact.
This results in a more flexible, free-moving face for increased ball speeds, leading to higher launch and greater distance.
Other features of the G410 irons are:
- Co-Molded Cavity Badge: a full-cavity aluminum and elastomer badge that dampens vibrations for enhanced sound and feel.
- Hydropearl 2.0 Finish: this resilient finish repels water and contributes to a smooth turf interaction in a variety of conditions.
- Toe & Hosel Weighting: weight savings from the face and cavity structure are redistributed in the toe and hosel, resulting in increased MOI and mis-hit forgiveness.
The G410 has a more compact, more refined profile compared to the previous model G400. The iron is compatible with Arccos Smart Sensors which attach to the end of the grip.
Stock Info
The G410 irons are available in 4-LW, for both RH and LH.
There are many stock shaft options offered at no upcharge including the PING AWT 2.0 (steel), PING Alta CB Red (graphite), True Temper Dynamic Gold (steel), and Project X LS (steel).
The stock grips are the Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 and Tour Velvet Cord, both of which are compatible with Arccos sensors.
If you’re interested, full information on shafts, grips and other customizations can be found here.
Below are the specs of the G410 irons. Click or zoom to enlarge.
The Performance
Distance
One of the most impressive aspects of the G410 iron is its smash factor, which is the ratio of ball speed to clubhead speed.
This thing has very efficient club-to-ball energy transfer and the speed is phenomenal. As a consequence, it produces a ton of distance, enabling you to hit less club into greens and benefit from the increased control.
While results will vary from golfer to golfer, the G410 irons are ultimately as least as long as the G400s with a slight edge in face speed.
Forgiveness
The G410 irons really are tremendously forgiving. When you consider all the technologies PING has packed into them (COR-Eye, toe/hosel weighting, etc.), it is no wonder that mis-hits are remarkably similar to sweet-spot strikes.
During my tests of the 6 iron, I was able to hit a series of five shots within a 3-yard radius. The strikes were not identical, so it speaks to the high level of consistency these irons offer.
I did notice tighter dispersions compared to the G400 despite the reduced offset. Having said that, you should still expect your worst strikes in the extreme heel and toe regions to miss the green.
Playability/Trajectory
Trajectories with the G410 irons are generally high, with good stopping power into greens. Launch angle appears to be 1-2 degrees higher than the G400, and apex height tends to be higher as well.
The lofts of the G410 are the same as the G400, but the G410’s unprecedented face flexibility naturally leads to a higher trajectory.
Spin is good, although the RPMs might not be sufficient to accommodate the level of precision that elite players demand. But if you’re a high single-digit or teen handicapper, you should be golden.
Workability is above average, largely owing to the shorter blade length and more compact shape. During my tests, I was able to flight draws, fades, high balls and low runners without too much effort; this is certainly a treat given how forgiving the irons are.
The Look
A good way to describe the look of the G410 iron is a cross between a game-improvement and a players shape.
The top line has some thickness to it but isn’t too thick, there’s some offset but not a huge amount, and there’s some length to the blade from heel to toe but it’s not too long like you would see with a max GI iron.
One of the controversial aspects of the look is the iron number imprinted right next to the face near the toe. I can understand why PING thought this would be a good idea, since it means players don’t have to flip the iron around and look on the sole if they want to know the number of the iron in their hands.
The issue is that it’s a visual distraction for many golfers when set up behind the ball. It certainly won’t be a problem for everyone, but anything that takes your focus off the ball and your swing can have a major impact on the quality of the shot.
That aside, I think the black/silver colour scheme with red accents is very sharp and looks great in the bag. But the rounded style of the trailing edge isn’t my cup of tea.
The Sound & Feel
Overall, I found the G410 iron to sound more solid and a little bit quieter than the G400, to my pleasant surprise. The feel is consistently solid even in mis-hit areas, with little to no “clickiness” that many distance irons suffer from.
At first glance, it looks like an iron that might give you problems with resonation at impact but this wasn’t the case at all. The Co-Molded Cavity Badge evidently makes a real difference.
The impact sound is crisp with an element of sharpness to it. Sound has proven to be a primary weak spot in PING clubs historically, but the G410 undoubtedly makes strides in this regard.
Similar to other PING irons with a hydropearl finish, the G410 provides very balanced turf interaction with good divot potential and good results out of tight lies and wet lies.
Where To Buy These Irons Online
The PING G410 model is a few seasons old now. One of the best places to pick these up right now (new or used) is eBay. You can typically find deals here that you can’t find anywhere else.
You can also check the stock at Global Golf, PGA TOUR Superstore, and Rock Bottom Golf. These merchants may offer club trade-ins, points programs, or other perks to enhance your shopping experience.
If you aren’t sure which dot colour is right for you, you can do the following: measure both your height and the distance from the ground to your wrist when standing naturally, and then match these two measurements to a PING colour code chart to find a lie setting that works for you.
Conclusion
With the G410 iron, PING has managed to craft a look that is more appealing to the eye while maintaining the superb speed and forgiveness you would come to expect in a modern game-improvement iron. This iron launches high, flies straight, and is easy to hit.
Not only is the G410 suitable for high single-digit and teen handicaps, but it can be a very viable option for high handicappers as well.
However, the number stamped on the face could be visually distracting to some golfers when set up behind the ball.
Are you interested in the G410 irons? Have you played them? What’s your experience? Tell us about it in the comments below.
I have played the G410’s since mid 2019 & have lost 5-6 strokes from a mid teen handicap. Definitely a game improvement iron that I enjoy playing.
love my g410 clubs..
Glad to hear it!