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PING G440 Irons vs i540 Irons

Max Forgiveness or a Sleeker Look?

PING G440 Irons

PING

G440 Irons

2025 model

Release date
Jan 14, 2025
MSRP at launch
—
G440 Irons details →
PING i540 Irons

PING

i540 Irons

2026 model

Release date
Mar 26, 2026
MSRP at launch
—
i540 Irons details →

Which to choose

The biggest difference is who each iron is built for. The PING G440 is a game-improvement iron for mid to high handicappers and beginners who want as much forgiveness as possible. The i540 is a players-distance iron with a hollow body and a maraging steel face, aimed at golfers of roughly 5 to 15 handicap. It also has less offset: 0.10 inches in the 7-iron, against 0.18 inches on the G440.

Both have a 29° 7-iron loft, 62° lie, 9° bounce and 37-inch length, and testers found both long and easy to launch. At address, the i540 looks clean and sleek, with a fairly thin topline. The G440's short and mid irons look compact, but its long irons look bulkier.

Choose the G440 Irons if…

you're a mid to high handicapper or a beginner who wants maximum forgiveness and distance, and you don't mind bulkier long irons with more offset.

Choose the i540 Irons if…

you're a mid-handicapper of roughly 5 to 15 who wants height, distance and forgiveness from a head that looks clean and sleek at address, with modest offset.

Common questions

Which is more forgiving?
The G440 is built for maximum forgiveness, and testers found it very forgiving even on toe and heel strikes. The i540 also handles mishits well, but it is designed as a players-distance iron for stronger golfers.
Do they have different lofts?
No. Both 7-irons have a strong 29° loft and a 62° lie, so check your yardage gaps in a fitting whichever one you pick.
Which looks cleaner at address?
The i540 has less offset (0.10 inches against 0.18 inches in the 7-iron) and looks clean and sleek at address. The G440's short and mid irons look compact, but its long irons look bulkier.

Written by golfclubase with AI from our summaries of published reviews and test videos and the makers' published specs (Oct 25, 2026).

Side by Side, Aspect by Aspect

Launch and Spin: The i540 Raises More Spin Doubts

Most reviewers found the G440 high and easy to get airborne. One described it as mid launch with a penetrating flight in the long and mid irons, and another felt the standard spec launched a little low for a 6-iron. Spin was called modest or mid to low, and one reviewer felt the 4- and 5-irons ran out a bit, though others said the short irons still stop well. Every reviewer rated the i540 high launching. Its low spin divided opinion: two reviewers wanted more and worried about holding greens, while two others found it acceptable thanks to a steep descent angle. Both irons launch easily, but low spin was raised as a concern more often with the i540.

Feel and Sound: Opinions Split on Both

G440 feel drew mixed descriptions. Reviewers called it firm and fast, solid and pleasant, or soft and pure. One reviewer found short-iron knockdowns harsh, and another felt mishits were firmer than pure strikes. On sound, one called it not loud, while others heard it as slightly loud, a little tinny at times, or clicky. The i540 split opinion too. Some reviewers found it hot but not hard, or soft and muted, and one called it the best-sounding Ping they had hit. Others heard a clear click or a loud dull knock on misses and missed a forged-style feel. Neither iron won reviewers over completely, but the i540's critics said its sound and feel don't match its looks or its forged face.

Shot Shape: Draw Bias Noted Only on the G440

Reviewers disagreed about the G440's shot shape. One reviewer found a strong draw bias and struggled to hit a fade, and in one testing video the ball moved slightly right to left. In another video, shots flew very straight and were hard to turn over. One reviewer felt the smaller head was easy to shape. Most i540 reviews did not discuss bias. One testing video found it capable of shaping everything from chips to feathered full shots, though its narrow offset meant working a little. One reviewer found it harder to shape shots. Only the G440 drew comments about a leftward tendency, which matters for golfers who already fight a hook.

Forgiveness: The G440 Is Built for Maximum Help

Reviewers rated the G440 very forgiving. They said off-center and thin strikes, including toe and heel hits, kept their speed and often their carry, and dispersion stayed tight. In one testing video, a mishit about 20 yards off line still stayed within dispersion. The i540 was also rated forgiving. Reviewers said ball speed and distance stayed consistent, a less solid 8-iron strike lost few yards, and the long irons helped on mishits. One testing video noted that pure strikes still carried noticeably further than slight mishits. Both irons forgive mistakes, but the G440 is described as offering maximum help, while the i540 keeps some forgiveness within a compact players-distance head.

Written by golfclubase with AI from what review articles and test videos said about each model, aspect by aspect (Oct 25, 2026).

Key differences

  • Offset: the i540 Irons is 2 mm smaller than the G440 Irons
  • Swing weight: the i540 Irons is 1 pt heavier than the G440 Irons

Specs side by side

G440 Irons: 7I; i540 Irons: 7I (US models).

G440 Ironsi540 Irons
Loft29°29°
Lie angle62°62°
Offset4.6 mm2.5 mm−2 mm
Construction—Multi-material
Iron type—Hollow body
Face material—Maraging steel
Club length37″37″
Swing weightD0D1+1 pt

Values are as published by the makers. Sources are listed on each model's page.

The Numbers, Visualized

Where They Sit Among Irons

Compared with the reference club of every model in Irons on golfclubase (US specs; 7I / 7I). The line is the full range, the band the middle half, the tick the median.

LoftG440 Irons 29°/i540 Irons 29°
27°35°

Both rank #27 lowest of 107.

Lie angleG440 Irons 62°/i540 Irons 62°
61.5°63.5°

Both rank #2 lowest of 107.

OffsetG440 Irons 4.6 mm/i540 Irons 2.5 mm
1.5 mm6.9 mm

G440 Irons ranks #9 largest of 70. i540 Irons ranks #19 smallest of 70.

Club lengthG440 Irons 37″/i540 Irons 37″
36.25″37.5″

Both rank #9 shortest of 106.

Swing weightG440 Irons D0/i540 Irons D1
B8D3

G440 Irons ranks #19 lightest of 68. i540 Irons ranks #26 heaviest of 68.

Loft by ClubG440 Ironsi540 Irons
19°37.5°56°4I5I6I7I8I9IPWUW5256
Length by ClubG440 Ironsi540 Irons
35.50″37.38″39.25″4I5I6I7I8I9IPWUW5256

What reviewers say

G440 Irons

What reviewers like

  • High forgiveness, with off-centre strikes losing little distance
  • Long carry for a game-improvement iron, helped by strong lofts
  • Easy to launch and get the ball airborne
  • Compact profile and thinner topline than earlier G series irons
  • Solid, lively feel that suits a game-improvement iron

Watch out for

  • Long irons look bulkier, with noticeable offset in the 4-iron
  • Set shape changes noticeably from the short irons to the long irons
  • Only a small step on from the G430
Full overview of the G440 Irons →

i540 Irons

What reviewers like

  • High, easy launch with a steep landing angle
  • Strong distance, especially through the long irons
  • Consistent ball speed and good forgiveness on mishits
  • Compact, sleek players-style look at address
  • Lively, pleasant feel off the face

Watch out for

  • Strong lofts as standard may need yardage-gap adjustments
  • Premium price
  • Finish marks easily and the cavity cap dulls the forged look
Full overview of the i540 Irons →

Lofts and clubs offered

G440 Irons
4I / 5I / 6I / 7I / 8I / 9I / PW / UW / 52 / 56
i540 Irons
4I / 5I / 6I / 7I / 8I / 9I / PW / UW

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