With their next-gen Glide 4.0 wedges, Ping isn't trying to make an iterative improvement over the 3.0 offering. Rather, they're making it clear that they wanted to make something that is perceived by consumers to be among the best in the category.
The Glide 4.0 wedges look and feel different, and it starts with a new head material. Ping is using soft 8620 carbon steel with these wedges as part of a multi-material construction package. Behind the face is an activated elastomer insert together with our activated elastomer insert behind the face, which the company says produces 36 percent more face contact to deliver improved feel golfers will love.
The Glide 4.0 also has a new look in a slightly rounded, compact design. The leading edge and hosel transition is designed to create a captured look at address. The milled face and grooves feature a new Emery face blast to add more texture to the hitting area and increase friction to hike spike and lower the launch angle.
The 46-, 50- and 52-degree lofts feature wheel-cut grooves with a 20-degree sidewall, built to optimize performance on full shots. The 54- through 60-degree heads have grooves with a steeper 28-degree sidewall that are milled at a tighter radius for more spin and precision on finesse shots. The Hydropearl 2.0 chrome finish helps performance from wet and rough conditions.
The Glide 4.0 series features four different sole grinds -- S, T, W, E -- which also dictate the overall head size. The W and E grinds have bigger heads than the S and T grinds, which are desgined to match both a player's angle of attack and the typical turf conditions they experience. All told , there are 17 grind/loft combinations.
- The S grind has ample bounce, a rounded leading edge and relief in the trailing edge and heel to fit the most golfers.
- The W grind has a traditional full-sole design, with a rounded leading edge that's the most forgiving of the line through the turf while being optimized for square-face and bunker shots.
- The T grind has a high leading-edge bounce, with increased width in the center of the half-moon sole.
- The E grind has a high toe, as well as a dished sole and tapered hosel geared toward bunker performance inspired by the Ping Eye2 wedges face.
The Glide 4.0 wedges even have a longer, 11.5-inch grip for choking down to play touch shots.
The Ping Glide 4.0 wedges are available for $217.50 per club with stock steel shafts and $232.50 per club with stock graphite shafts, with a variety of options available at no upcharge.
