The Ping i540 is a worthy successor in the players distance category, offering high forgiveness on toe strikes and a solid, albeit firm, feel that low-to-mid handicappers will trust.
Their scorecard
Forgiveness: 5/5 — Remarkable stability on toe hits
Feel: 4/5 — Nice but quite hard; different from soft forged
Distance: 4/5 — Players distance category
What they rate
Significant forgiveness on off-center hits
Trusted brand with a reliable product lifecycle
Slim top line with enough 'meat' behind the ball for confidence
What they don’t
Subjective aesthetics regarding the hosel design
Firm feel may be jarring for players moving from purely forged blades
The Ping i540 is a worthy successor in the players distance category, offering high forgiveness on toe strikes and a solid, albeit firm, feel that low-to-mid handicappers will trust.