First things first – don’t call Ping Golf’s new Crossover a driving iron. How to describe it? Ping says the Crossover (suggested retail price $247.50), which combines the precision, workability and control of an iron with the ball speed and forgiveness of a hybrid, is in a category all its own.
“People love the look and feel of the Crossover because they haven’t seen anything like it,” said Ping Golf Chairman John A. Solheim. “It shouldn’t be confused with a driving iron; it’s higher-launching and much more forgiving, and offers a lot of versatility. Our extensive player testing has revealed this to be a very attractive option.”
The high-strength Carpenter 455 steel face, Solheim said, is precision machined to an optimal thickness for greater face flexing, faster ball speeds and longer results. The flat face, narrow top rail and appropriate offset deliver iron-like accuracy and workability. Solheim said a cascading internal sole engages the entire face, sole and top rail in flexing to maximize distance, while extreme heel-toe weighting helps locate the center of gravity low-back and expands the perimeter weighting to create a high MOI (moment of inertia) for maximizing forgiveness.