How do you tell a Ping Eye 2 from a Plus no Plus?

[pound puppy]

"...CAUTION: Any club with a raised dimple or drill hole indention on the back of the iron below the Pat. Pending Numbers is an indication that the iron is a replacement club. And would have the conforming grooves on it...."

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nice-Ping-Eye2-Eye-2-L-lob-wedge-to-iron-set/133717486036

[augustgolf]

On 4/11/2021 at 2:04 PM, LarryTT said:

Well hello PE2, my LH+ 3 iron head is in need of a shaft. ( never walk ahead of a buddy no matter how much you trust his ability lol)  It’s been interesting to find all this info as I was studying the head markings. Used this set since being fit to me in 1999. Love them still today and will be on the outlook for additional backup clubs since retiring to Tucson. Keep swinging! 

Get in touch with me. I have an item I think you might like!

[NoCalHack]

Some of my all time favorites. I had a set of plus no plus that I bought from a local pro. Only problem with my set was that the 8 irons was a plus because he lost the original and ordered a replacement. But the molds were destroyed as part of their agreement with the usga so the replacement had to be a plus. 

 

As people mentioned they are rare and combine the best of the original which is the old groove design with the better sole and head design of the plus. 
 

[cardoustie]

The + also have stronger lofts

[FatCityChamp]

Necro thread won’t die. 
 

Can someone tell me what the “4” signifies that is stamped just to the left of the P on these irons?

 

Ping said that these were manufactured in 1995 based on the serial number. The patent numbers would suggest they are older based on the info in this thread. Just trying to figure out what I have here. Original shafts and grips on these. 

[Fellaheen51]

The "4" is a casting mold identifier.  Ping used various numbers/letters to identify which mold was used during the process.  Nothing of significance.  

 

Perhaps a Ping E2 "Dot" variant.  Appears to be a dot (drill mark) under the 2.  Although I'm not sure where they placed the mark.  The Pat. numbers (644 & 577) and build date would be consistent if it's the dot version.  Conforming groove E2 manufactured 1990 forward.    

Edited January 20, 2022 by Fellaheen51

[hbone66]

Sorry to resurrect an older thread, but I just found it while doing some research. I have a set of (supposedly) + no + heads that I bought a while back. I just noticed the 7 iron patent info is raised rather than inset/ stamped like the other irons. According to PING Nation when I registered these they are a + manufactured in 95, but there is no + in the cavity. Attached are pictures of the 7 iron and another to show the difference in the patent info I'm talking about. I emailed PING and am waiting on a reply, but figured since there are a lot of knowledgeable folks on here maybe someone would have some insight. Thanks in advance.

[hammergolf]

On 11/8/2008 at 3:49 PM, wedge1 said:

Since the Eye 2 plus has a "+" sign in the cavity, it is easy to recognize. If a set is advertised as a plus, but has no plus sign, how do you tell if it is a "plus no plus"? The seller says the irons have the KT-M shaft.

 

Thanks...

It won’t have the plus in the cavity.

[JCAG]

On 12/20/2018 at 8:18 PM, Masterplan said:

Huge THANK YOU. This was the clearest and most definitive way to tell the Plus No Plus from the regular Eye2. Even better: I have finally confirmed my LW is the Plus no Plus

 

Nice use of the 10-year bump!

 

Great job Master.

Edited May 15, 2022 by JCAG

[Masterplan]

The cavity oval remains the gold standard for easily identifying the +no+.  And still a badass LW...

[charliebrown]

On 11/9/2008 at 2:55 AM, Redsoxfan said:

First of all the eye2 sq grooves are being listed on ebay by some sellers as "eye 2 + no +'s which is not correct .The eye 2+ no + have a different pat number than the new eye 2+'s. Both models the older sq.grooved eye2's and the eye2+no+'s did not have the KT or the KT-M shaft avaiable at the time they were produced.If it has the KT shaft it was reshafted at one time.All of the eye2's are still great playing irons.

I've owned both the + and +-no+ irons. The heads are virtually identical. My Eye 2 +-no+ were refurbished by Ping (before I bought them) and had JZ shafts installed. My current set of Eye 2 + irons are original with KT shafts. I've toyed with the idea of reshafting them with a lighter less stiff shaft but have resisted messing with them. So far. 

BTW, the build date on my Eye 2 + irons is 04/01/1995. What shafts Ping chose to use during specific time frames seems to be somewhat of a mystery. If custom ordered with a specific shaft, or Ping decided for their own reason to more to another shaft? Would love to talk to someone who worked at Ping in the 90s just to find out definitively. 

Edited July 23, 2023 by charliebrown
more info

[noobb]

Sorry to resurrect this thread. I'm trying to identify this Eye2 1-PW set I recently purchased as I'm just getting into golf. My understanding from this thread is they are the Square Groove from 1985-1989. Can anyone confirm if these are the updated version that is post-1990?

 

 

 

Edited May 8, 2024 by noobb
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[sm_watts]

2 hours ago, noobb said:

Sorry to resurrect this thread. I'm trying to identify this Eye2 1-PW set I recently purchased as I'm just getting into golf. My understanding from this thread is they are the Square Groove from 1985-1989. Can anyone confirm if these are the updated version that is post-1990?

 

 

 

Post a picture of the sole of the pitching wedge (W) and it will be obvious.  If the sole is relatively flat, so that the "W" would actually contact the ground, it is a regular ol' Eye 2.  If the sole is more of a V shape and the "W" is on the slanted part closer to the back edge, you have the updated head that would eventually become the Eye 2+.  However, since there is no "+" in the cavity, it would be the +-no-+ model.

[Nessism]

2 hours ago, noobb said:

Sorry to resurrect this thread. I'm trying to identify this Eye2 1-PW set I recently purchased as I'm just getting into golf. My understanding from this thread is they are the Square Groove from 1985-1989. Can anyone confirm if these are the updated version that is post-1990?

 

 

 

 

 

These are Eye 2, with modified U grooves.  Not the + model.  You can tell by the numbers in the cavity.  This is the model that got the USGA's panties in a twist.  Contrary to popular belief, the grooves are NOT sharp, they are rounded at the top.  

[North Butte]

2 minutes ago, Nessism said:

 

These are Eye 2, with modified U grooves.  Not the + model.  You can tell by the numbers in the cavity.  This is the model that got the USGA's panties in a twist.  Contrary to popular belief, the grooves are NOT sharp, they are rounded at the top.  

If I recall correctly, it was the "rounded" part that caused the letter-of-the-law complaint by USGA. I think the story was, they were rounded off enough for the total width including the rounding to exceed the maximum groove width by a mil or so. 

 

But I may be recalling my ancient soap opera stories incorrectly, it was a long, long time ago...

[Nessism]

3 minutes ago, North Butte said:

If I recall correctly, it was the "rounded" part that caused the letter-of-the-law complaint by USGA. I think the story was, they were rounded off enough for the total width including the rounding to exceed the maximum groove width by a mil or so. 

 

 

This is correct.  The USGA said the grooves were "too wide".  

 

 

[noobb]

6 hours ago, sm_watts said:

Post a picture of the sole of the pitching wedge (W) and it will be obvious.  If the sole is relatively flat, so that the "W" would actually contact the ground, it is a regular ol' Eye 2.  If the sole is more of a V shape and the "W" is on the slanted part closer to the back edge, you have the updated head that would eventually become the Eye 2+.  However, since there is no "+" in the cavity, it would be the +-no-+ model.

 

All clubs have a matching serial number as well.

 

 

 

[sm_watts]

Like Nessism said, definitely original Eye 2 irons.

 

The Eye 2+, as well as the +-no+, would look like this on the bottom.

[Costacaddie]

Just picked up a set of Eye 2+ BeCu 3-SW with a seperate 1 iron for 100 bucks and a Taylormade R360ti thrown in for good measure!