Shaft advice need on my new Ping g10 irons

[3Jack]

This spring I was fitted for some new irons, Ping G10s... the fitter, the Ping rep, recommended stiff AWT steel shafts, two up, 1/4 inch over... ok, sounds good. Now, I have a stiff shaft in my irons before, and maybe I'm just not used to it or something, but they don't feel as buttery as my old off the rack G2 shafts did.

Tend to play best when I swing 'smooth' and don't have to go after it hard as I feel I have to with these irons...

Does anyone know how big a deal it is cost wise and logistically to have Ping re-do these irons with an R-shaft in them?

[bobblehead]

Give Golftown a call and they can find out for you. When I looked into changing my Callaway iron shafts from steel to graphite...it would cost $200 for the set(8 irons) and Golftown would shipped them.

[3Jack]

Thanks Bobblehead... I had posted this before I went into GT late on Friday, and they told me the same thing... I played 18 yesterday and 27 today, and I definitely think I need to step back on the flex. I just feel that I have to go after it a bit too much with the stiff shafts.

[3Jack]

.... and they're off to Arizona...

[bobblehead]

Is Ping in AZ?

Did you find you got more distance with your stiffer shafts? Reason I ask is that I was playing with steel shafts on the stiff side and I noticed I was getting about 7 yards more distance than my reg flex steel shafts. Then I switch to reg flex graphite and notice the distance has dropped back to my normal reg flex steel shafts. Like you, I did notice I had to swing a bit more aggressive with the stiff shafts but I enjoyed the extra 3/4 club distance again. Debating whether I should go back to the stiffer steel shafts or just stick it out with the graphite shafts.

[3Jack]

Hi Bobble... Ping is headquartered in Arizona yea... I was surprised they were not going to the Markham facility, but that's what I was told.

I didn't find an appreciable distance gain with the stiffer shafts... then again, the lofts on the G10s are a degree or two weaker than my G2s were. I was finding that I was loosing accuracy by going after it a bit more with the stiff AWT steel shafts... That could be just psychosomatic, but regardless, I'd rather not have the thought in my head that I have to hit it hard to get it there. Hopefully this is the right move, because I don't want to keep spending cash swapping out shafts in my irons.

[3Jack]

Hi Bobble... Ping is headquartered in Arizona yea... I was surprised they were not going to the Markham facility, but that's what I was told.

I didn't find an appreciable distance gain with the stiffer shafts... then again, the lofts on the G10s are a degree or two weaker than my G2s were. I was finding that I was loosing accuracy by going after it a bit more with the stiff AWT steel shafts... That could be just psychosomatic, but regardless, I'd rather not have the thought in my head that I have to hit it hard to get it there. Hopefully this is the right move, because I don't want to keep spending cash swapping out shafts in my irons.

So apparently they did go to Markham after all - which makes a lot more sense. Problem is that the five to seven day wait I was told has now turned into 14-18 days. It's killing me that I don't have my clubs back yet. I understand that they're busier at this time of year with repairs, but it doesn't make much sense that my custom order arrived in only five days back in April, yet a shaft replacement takes nearly three weeks.

Ping says you void the warranty if you let anyone else touch your clubs (aside from regripping I'd assume), but they're really not making it easy on their customers who want to preserve their warranty by providing such slow turn around. Kinda disappointing. I'll be happy when my clubs are back, and still under warranty, but you'd think they could speed things up a bit.

[3Jack]

So I called Ping on Friday of last week. Told me they only started working on them the day before that, the Thursday (they had them for nine business days at that point).

Called Ping again this morning. The customer service guy told me that he couldn't give me an update as I sent them in through Golf Town. Ok, but why did they give me an update on Friday? So I call Golf Town. Golf Town calls Ping, then calls me back telling me they're ready (yah!) and they're boxed for shipping, and if they go out today they'll be here within 2 business days. If? Umm, if they're boxed, and ready for shipping, why wouldn't they go out today? So potentially, I'll be hung out to dry for another weekend if they don't go out today. That'll make three weeks, 15 business days. I appreciate that Ping is busy with repairs at this time of year, but does this seem reasonable? Had I got it done locally I'd likely have been without for maybe five days. But, I wanted to ensure the Ping warranty wasn't voided by having someone other than Ping do the work - but were is the incentive for customers to do that if the turn-around is so slow?

Also, I wonder what's happening to my 'old' shafts, that have been used for only five rounds? I paid for them, and am paying for the new shafts, so I expect to get them back. At 1/4 inch over standard they're still useful to someone.

Wondering if anyone else had had a similar experience? I'm not turned off by Ping, love the product, but would love for their customer service to a) be consistent and b) be quicker.

[3Jack]

More suckage to report. Got my G10s back, reshafted, which is nice. The old shafts, where were rightfully mind, were not returned however. Apparently if you don't explicitly ask for them back from Ping they won't return them. What is up with that? That's rightfully my property is it not?

I feel a strongly worded letter coming on...

[downhillslider]

Kind a makes ya wonder a little as to why, PING, who is supposed to have this "Custom Fitting" system that is second to none, why so many sets/clubs are in for repairs/re-shafting or whatever. Nice turn around time also Something else comes to mind. What would there be to worry about as far as the waranty goes for a set of irons ?

[Big Johnny69]

Kind a makes ya wonder a little as to why, PING, who is supposed to have this "Custom Fitting" system that is second to none, why so many sets/clubs are in for repairs/re-shafting or whatever. Nice turn around time also Something else comes to mind. What would there be to worry about as far as the waranty goes for a set of irons ?

Only thing I can think of is if the shaft breaks at the hosel or perhaps an iron head flys off during the swing and gets damaged/lost.

[3Jack]

Kind a makes ya wonder a little as to why, PING, who is supposed to have this "Custom Fitting" system that is second to none, why so many sets/clubs are in for repairs/re-shafting or whatever. Nice turn around time also Something else comes to mind. What would there be to worry about as far as the waranty goes for a set of irons ?

Thanks for the support, much appreciated.

This whole thing makes me wonder why I bothered to send them back to Ping, at least I'd have my previous shafts back in my hands, if in event that I a) found that the first fitting was the right fitting (wouldn't be the first time I changed my mind about clubs), and b) perhaps if I wanted to resell them to recoup a portion of the funds I spent to reshaft.

Regardless, Ping assumed possession of property for which I have paid and I own. The shafts being 1/4 over makes them reusable for any other installation that calls for 1/4 over or less does it not?

Seems like I've paid twice for one set of shafts.

[3Jack]

I'm going to send Ping an email, and I'll report back if I hear back.