Ping · Wedge · 2026
s259
CaddyIndex™ breakdown: what our research found across each of the six performance dimensions, with cited sources.
You want the highest-spinning, most versatile premium wedge with a Tour-preferred shape and six grinds - a genuine alternative to Vokey, around £179.
You already game the s159 (the gains are subtle), or you need a larger, more forgiving game-improvement head.
Pros
- A worthy successor to the 2024 Best Overall wedge - and a legitimate Vokey challenger
- Exceptional spin from a new 17° groove angle and more aggressive face blast - consistent across rough and wet
- Surprisingly forgiving and responsive, even on imperfect strikes - the W grind adds turf forgiveness
- Six refined grinds across 25 combos, best-in-class bunker play, in Chrome or Raw
Cons
- Only a subtle evolution of the s159 - little reason to upgrade if yours isn't worn out
- Cast, not forged - the elastomer insert softens it, but it's not a milled-soft feel
- A tour-preferred compact shape - higher handicaps may want a larger head
By dimension
Forgiveness
Surprisingly forgiving for a tour wedge - incredibly responsive and surprisingly forgiving, even when you can tell you didn't clip it perfectly, with the W grind's wide sole giving maximum forgiveness and an easy transition from wide-soled irons. More miss-tolerant than its compact tour shape suggests, with grind options to extend it.
Distance
Elite, refined control - serious stopping power with the ball checking quickly on the greens, with consistently excellent spin and distance control from greenside, bunker, tight fairway and moderate rough. Maintains the s159's class-leading distance control and refines it.
Workability
Among the most versatile in golf - six grinds (W/H/B/S/T/E) across 25 loft-grind combos, the T grind the lowest-bounce option (6°) with steeper trailing-edge relief to make open-face shots easier, the refined T and reshaped E grinds adding playability over the s159. A grind and shape for every shot a skilled player wants to hit.
Feel
The headline upgrade - a concise yet resonant clock with a subtle vibration through the hands, soft in that it is very pleasant yet firm enough to detect strike location, with a slightly larger elastomer insert giving a feel benefit over the s159. Among the better cast-wedge feels in golf.
Sound
A clean, resonant note - a concise yet resonant clock at impact, the elastomer insert keeping the sound controlled and premium. A satisfying, tour-preferred acoustic.
Looks at address
Best-in-class - the tighter groove pattern and rounded toe look superb, with a clean, tour-preferred shape, a compact, minimally branded profile in Chrome or Raw. Among the best-looking wedges in golf.
Sources
Some of the reviews, lab tests and head-to-head comparisons we read while grading this club.
- Ping s259 Wedge Review: A Worthy Challenger To Vokey's Dominance - Golf Monthly
- PING s259 Wedge Review - Plugged In Golf
- Ping s259 wedges review: 50 rounds in the making - Today's Golfer
- Ping s259 - 2026 Hot List - Golf Digest
- Can The New PING S259 Wedges Really Be An Improvement Over A Modern Classic? - MyGolfSpy