Ping Eye 2 Irons

The Ping Eye 2 irons were introduced in 1982 and remained in production for over a decade, making them one of Ping's most successful and long-running iron models. They were played by Tour professionals including Mark Calcavecchia and John Daly, and became among the most popular irons in golf history.

The Eye 2's box-shaped U-grooves generated significantly more spin than older designs, prompting the USGA and Ping to enter a legal dispute in the late 1980s over groove specifications. The settlement allowed pre-1990 Ping Eye 2 irons to remain conforming under a grandfather clause, which later created controversy when Tour players used old Eye 2 wedges to exploit the loophole.

Yes, Ping Eye 2 irons manufactured before April 1, 1990 are legal for play under USGA rules due to the grandfather clause in the groove-rule settlement between Ping and the USGA. This loophole notably caused controversy on the PGA Tour when players discovered they could legally use the high-spinning Eye 2 wedges despite the 2010 groove restrictions.

The Ping Eye 2 popularized perimeter weighting through its cavity-back design, which placed more mass around the edges of the clubface to increase forgiveness on off-center hits. The irons also featured a distinctive offset hosel, a unique groove design, and an oversize profile that made them more playable than traditional blade irons of the era.