PING built the s259 for players who chip and pitch for a living. Feel and workability score near the top of the class, and spin holds up when the grass is wet. Forgiveness is modest, and so is value.
What's new
Grooves now change with loft. From 46 to 52 degrees they run wider for full swings, while the 54 to 62 degree heads get tighter MicroMax grooves cut for spin, and every face carries a new blast finish that adds friction.
Underneath sits a cast 8620 carbon steel body with an elastomer insert. Six grinds (S, H, B, T, W and E, with E and T reworked and new W options at 50 and 52) spread across 25 loft combinations. Finishes are Hydropearl 2.0 Chrome or Midnight, and stock shafts are Z-Z115 steel or Alta CB Blue graphite.
How it plays
Workability scores 9.4 and feel 9.3, which tells you who PING had in mind. In a launch monitor test against Titleist's SM11, a 50-yard pitch spun at 7,289 rpm and launched at 28.1 degrees, flying slightly flatter than the Vokey while holding spin well.
That flatter, more penetrating flight means less ballooning into wind, and the ball checks soon after landing. Accuracy scores 8.9, so a well-struck pitch finishes close to where you aimed it.
Where it lacks
Forgiveness sits at 7.4. The head stays close to a blade in shape, so a pitch caught low or toward the toe comes up short more often than it would with a cavity-back wedge.
Value also scores 7.4. Each club is priced at the premium end, a four-wedge setup adds up quickly, and graphite costs a fair bit more than steel.
“Spin and flight are excellent around the green. Just be honest about how often you miss the center.”- The Club Stand gear team
Reasons to buy
- Wheel-cut grooves and a blasted face hold spin on wet mornings and short-sided pins
- Six grinds across 25 loft options give a fitter room to match any delivery and turf
- Flies low and flat, then sits down quickly once it lands near the green
Reasons to think twice
- A compact, blade-like head gives back distance on mishits that a cavity design would keep
- Premium per-club pricing stings once you build out a four-wedge set
- Graphite costs noticeably more than steel, so shaft choice turns into a budget call
Specs
| Body | Cast 8620 carbon steel with elastomer insert |
|---|---|
| Grooves | Wheel-cut, loft-dependent; MicroMax 54-62 degrees |
| Face | Advanced face-blast for surface texture and friction |
| Lofts | 46-62 degrees, 25 loft/grind combinations |
| Grinds | S, H, B, T, W, E (six, with refinements to E and T) |
| Finishes | Hydropearl 2.0 Chrome, Midnight |
| Stock shaft | PING Z-Z115 (steel) or PING Alta CB Blue (graphite) |
| Best for | Tour look and feel with the most versatile wedge grid PING has offered |
More wedges we've scored
- TaylorMade Milled Grind 5 2025 - 8.4/10. TaylorMade finally forges a Milled Grind, pairing real feedback with spin that holds up in the rain.
- MacGregor Tour Grind 2025 - 8.4/10. A milled, tour-shaped carbon steel wedge priced at a fraction of what the big brands charge.
- Titleist Vokey SM10 2024 - 8.4/10. Titleist's flagship wedge led the 2024 wedge test in strokes gained, with six grinds to fit most swings.
- Tour Edge Exotics Milled 2026 - 8.3/10. A milled stainless wedge with three bounce options that keeps its spin on wet turf, at value money.
- TaylorMade Hi-Toe 5 2026 - 8.3/10. TaylorMade's high-toe wedge is now fully forged, with heel-to-toe grooves that keep spin alive from awkward lies.
- Callaway Opus SP 2025 - 8.3/10. A hollow pocket behind the face moves weight up, so wedge shots come out lower and spin harder.