I Just received a set of these and noticed the 9 iron is missing the oval "i3" badge in the cavity. Are these only available through Ping and are they even necessary at all? Do they serve a purpose or are they just for looks?

I don't know about the i3, but Ping does use the badges to finalize swingweights -- they normally have a few different weights of them to make the adjustments

    ptjn1201 I don't know about the i3, but Ping does use the badges to finalize swingweights -- they normally have a few different weights of them to make the adjustments

    I read a post on another forum about someone missing badges on some g 10's. Someone posted that the badges were only cosmetic and had no effect on swing weighting. Perhaps they use badges on some models for SW but not all. A call to Ping might be a good idea.

    I always thought the "O" Size meant over sized. I just read where it meant "Optimum."

        I found this on a Ping community forum:

        Question: I would like to change the swing weight of my i3/i3+/G2/G5/i5/S59 irons, can that be done at home or
        would they have to be sent in? Isn't it just a matter of changing the weight in the back of the club?

        Answer: The swing weights of the irons can be adjusted (within certain limitations), and the clubs would need to be sent to us for the adjustment. We do just change the backweight, but we cannot sell them or send them out loose to anyone (we do not have any direct sales to consumers, and we do not sell component parts to anyone). Most repairs are in house about 5-7 business days, plus the shipping time back and forth.
        Please use our repair form:

        http://www.pinggolf.com/global_repair.html

        Back then, they may have only been cosmetic, but I've seen a more recent video about Ping assembly and on some of the newer ones, they are weighted differently. At about 10:30 in this video:

          They are the cover to the swingweight portal. PING will repair it no charge, but you pay shipping. They will NOT sell you the weights.

            Rickochet I read a post on another forum about someone missing badges on some g 10's. Someone posted that the badges were only cosmetic and had no effect on swing weighting. Perhaps they use badges on some models for SW but not all. A call to Ping might be a good idea.

            Incorrect. From the i3 going forward, those are swingweight portals - that's how PING tunes the heads to achieve the customer's SW.

              ptjn1201 Back then, they may have only been cosmetic, but I've seen a more recent video about Ping assembly and on some of the newer ones, they are weighted differently. At about 10:30 in this video:

              Good video. I remember seeing an older video of the Ping factory with guys whacking the iron heads with big wooden mallets while adjusting loft and lie.

                VaughnRoss Bummer. I'd rather sell the set than get just one repaired....

                It will be back in your hands in no more than 2 weeks. Shipping cost from you to Phoenix and back.

                It ain't pretty, but I fixed a buddy's G5 iron by epoxying steel washers in that portal. 2 stacks did the trick, and got the SW to match the set. Ugly, but effective.......like some of my golf shots.

                  candukid

                  They won't adjust lie angle without shafts either. I know they can do it.....just insert any shaft to read the angle, but noooooooo.....