Published November 2nd, 2026.
If you want tour-level grind selection without ordering a custom grind, the PING S259 is the wedge to buy: six sole grinds across 25 loft and grind combinations from 46° to 62°, with groove geometry that changes as loft climbs. The decision that affects your scoring is which grind and bounce match your delivery, not whether you pick Chrome or Midnight.
This guide covers how to choose your grind, which lofts and bounce numbers to buy, how to gap them into your set, and what changed from the S159.
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How We Evaluated the PING S259 Line
Wedges are ranked here by fit, not by finish and not by what is in a tour bag. Every recommendation below starts from three things you can check about yourself in a single round: how deep your wedge divots run, how firm your course plays, and where your pitching wedge loft leaves a gap.
We do not rate all six grinds equally. Two of them are specialist tools that will cost you shots if you buy them for the wrong delivery, and this guide says so where it applies.
What Actually Changes Wedge Performance
Three variables decide whether a wedge helps you score. Everything else is secondary.
- Bounce relative to your delivery. Bounce is the angle that keeps the leading edge from digging. Steep, divot-taking players need more of it. Shallow players who sweep and open the face need less, or they will bounce the leading edge into the ball. In the S259 the spread runs from 6° in the T grind to 14° in the W grind, which is a large enough range to solve either problem.
- Loft gapping into your set. Modern iron sets carry strong pitching wedge lofts, which is why the line starts at 46°. Gaps of four to six degrees keep your distances honest. Three wedges spaced correctly will always beat four wedges bought at random.
- Face treatment at the loft you play most. S259 grooves are milled to different dimensions by loft. Lofts 46° to 52° use a 20° sidewall groove to maximize groove volume for full shots, while lofts 54° to 62° use more tightly spaced MicroMax grooves plus a friction-adding face blast for launch and spin control on finesse shots. That means your 50° and your 60° are engineered for different jobs, not scaled versions of the same club.
What does not change performance: the finish. Chrome and Midnight share the same head, grooves, lofts, grinds, shaft, and grip. Finish affects moisture shedding, glare, and wear, so choose it on playing conditions instead of expecting spin from it. Ignore grind names as status markers too. A T grind in the hands of a steep player is worse than an S grind, no matter who plays it on tour.
The Two S259 Finishes
PING S259 Chrome Wedges
The Chrome is the default pick for most golfers, and not for cosmetic reasons. The Hydropearl chrome finish is hydrophobic, so it sheds water and debris. That matters on dewy morning turf and out of damp sand, where a saturated face gives up spin before the grooves ever get a chance to work.
- Who it’s for: Golfers who play early tee times or wet climates, and anyone matching wedges to a chrome PING iron set.
- Strengths: Hydrophobic finish protects spin in wet conditions, full access to all six grinds and 25 loft and grind combinations, and a constant 0.02 inch offset with a refined hosel transition that blends into PING iron sets.
- Key specs: Lofts 46° to 62°, investment-cast 8620 carbon steel head, PING Z-Z115 steel shaft in wedge flex, PING Dylawedge grip, head cover included.
- Consider instead: The Midnight, if glare at address distracts you or you want a contrasting face to frame alignment.
Match it to your turf, not to the box it comes in. Shop the PING S259 Chrome Wedges.
PING S259 Midnight Wedges
Choose the Midnight when glare is the problem you are solving. The finish uses a QPQ, or quench-polish-quench, process that is significantly more wear resistant than PVD coatings, so it holds its dark appearance through heavy use. Because the face blast is applied after the finish, the face contrasts with the rest of the head, which sharpens alignment at address.
- Who it’s for: Players who face into low sun on approach shots, anyone bothered by reflection at address, and golfers who want a darker head that hides wear.
- Strengths: Anti-glare finish, better wear resistance than PVD, a contrasting face blast that adds friction and frames alignment, and the same six grinds and 25 loft and grind combinations as the Chrome.
- Key specs: Lofts 46° to 62°, investment-cast 8620 carbon steel head, QPQ Midnight finish, PING Z-Z115 steel shaft, PING Dylawedge grip.
- Consider instead: The Chrome, if you play wet turf often enough that moisture shedding outranks glare control.
Selected for how it performs in the light you play in. Shop the PING S259 Midnight Wedges.
Choosing Your S259 Grind
This is the section that decides whether the wedge works for you. Read the bounce number in each grind against your own divot depth and turf, then buy the match.
S Grind: 46° to 60°
The widest loft coverage in the line and the right starting point for most golfers. Bounce is 12° from 46° through 56°, then steps down to 10° at 58° and 60°. If your divots are moderate and your course plays neither soft nor baked, buy the S and stop overthinking it.
W Grind: 50° to 60°
The highest bounce in the line at 14° across every loft offered, and the choice for steep deliveries, soft turf, and fluffy sand. PING added 50° and 52° options in the S259 specifically for golfers with steeper angles of attack who need a lower-lofted wedge, which was the gap in the previous generation. If you take a deep divot with a wedge, this is your grind.
H Grind: 54° to 60°
A middle path: 10° of bounce at 54° and 56°, dropping to 8° at 58° and 60°. It suits a player who wants moderate turf protection in the mid lofts but a lower-bounce lob wedge for greenside creativity. Pair a 54° H with a 58° H and you get a consistent look with two different jobs.
B Grind: 58° and 60°
Offered only in the two high lofts at 8° of bounce. This is a specialist slot for shallower deliveries and firmer conditions, and it is the wrong choice for a steep player who needs help avoiding fat contact. Treat it as a lob wedge decision, not a set-wide one.
T Grind: 58°, 60°, and 62°
The lowest bounce in the line at 6°, with a steeper trail edge that lets the face sit very low on open-faced shots. That is real versatility for a skilled player on firm turf, and a real penalty for anyone else. The 62° T is the only 62° in the line, so if you want maximum loft, this is the grind you get.
Eye 2 Grind: 58° and 60°
Reshaped in the S259 for a more familiar look at address while keeping the sand performance the Eye 2 sole is known for, at 8° of bounce. If you play a sand-heavy course or hit a lot of slightly open-faced shots, put this next to the H and B on your shortlist.
Bounce alone will not separate every option. The 58° H and the 58° Eye 2 both carry 8°, so the difference between them is sole shape and the look at address, which you decide in your hands or with a fitter rather than off a spec sheet. Our golf wedge grind guide covers how sole shape changes turf interaction if you want the background first.
Dialing In Your Setup
The S259 specifications change in steps as loft climbs, and knowing where those steps fall makes gapping easier.
- 46° to 52°: 35 1/2 inches, 64.0° standard lie, D2 standard swingweight.
- 54° and 56°: 35 1/4 inches, 64.3° standard lie, D3 standard swingweight.
- 58° to 62°: 35 inches, 64.5° standard lie, D4 standard swingweight.
Offset is a constant 0.02 inch at every loft, which is why the line frames consistently as you move through the set. The heavier swingweight in the high lofts is deliberate, since that is where you make the most partial and finesse swings and need to feel the head.
Those lie angles are standard at the Black color code. If you already know your color code from an iron fitting, carry it into your wedge order instead of defaulting to standard, because a wedge that sits a degree off will point the face off line on every square strike. Our guide to reading the PING color code chart explains how to apply it.
Two details worth using rather than ignoring. The Dylawedge grip is three quarters of an inch longer than standard with less taper, and it carries visual indicators for grip-down position, face angle, and shaft lean, which is the fastest way to make your partial wedge distances repeatable. The Z-Z115 steel shaft uses a low balance point to increase clubhead feel through the swing, and graphite builds run two to three swingweight points lighter, so raise that with your fitter if you play graphite in your irons.
How the S259 Compares to the S159
The S259 is an iteration, not a reinvention, and the changes are narrow enough to make the upgrade decision clear.
- New 50° and 52° W grind options. The most useful change. Steep players who previously had to settle for a 12° bounce S grind in the gap wedge slot now get 14°.
- Reshaped Eye 2 grind. Redesigned for a more familiar look at address while maintaining performance from sand and on slightly open-faced shots.
- Larger, reshaped elastomer insert. Sits behind the face and is aimed at feel and sound rather than measurable ball flight.
- New grip and shaft. The Dylawedge grip and the low balance point Z-Z115 shaft both change how the head feels rather than what the head does.
The practical read: if you already play an S159 in an S grind setup and your grooves are still sharp, the case for switching is thin. If you are steep and have been forced into a 52° S, the 52° W is the reason to switch. Our PING S159 wedges review covers the previous generation if you are weighing one against the other.
Mistakes Golfers Make Buying Wedges
- Buying 60° or 62° by default. Maximum loft is a specialist tool. Most golfers score better with a 58° they can hit full than a 62° T grind that leaves the leading edge exposed on every firm lie.
- Matching bounce to an imagined swing. Buy for the divot you actually take. If your wedge divots are deep, 6° of bounce will punish you no matter how much you like the look of the sole.
- Ignoring pitching wedge loft. Strong-lofted iron sets create gaps that a stock 52° and 56° pairing will not cover. Check your pitching wedge loft first, then fill in four to six degree steps.
- Buying the same grind in every slot. Your gap wedge takes full swings and your lob wedge takes open-faced ones. Mixing a higher-bounce mid loft with a lower-bounce high loft is often the better set, and the S259 lineup is built to allow it.
- Expecting finish to add spin. Grooves and face blast generate spin. Chrome and Midnight differ in moisture handling, glare, and wear, and nothing else.
Quick Comparison: PING S259 Wedges at a Glance
| Model / Grind | Decision-Driving Specs | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| S259 Chrome | Hydropearl chrome, hydrophobic finish; all six grinds; 46° to 62°; head cover included | Wet turf, early tee times, chrome PING iron sets |
| S259 Midnight | QPQ anti-glare finish, more wear resistant than PVD; contrasting face blast applied after finishing | Bright conditions, glare sensitivity, alignment framing |
| S grind | 46° to 60°; 12° bounce (46° to 56°), 10° bounce (58°, 60°) | Neutral to moderately steep delivery, average turf |
| W grind | 50° to 60°; 14° bounce throughout; new 50° and 52° options | Steep angle of attack, soft turf, fluffy sand |
| H grind | 54° to 60°; 10° bounce (54°, 56°), 8° bounce (58°, 60°) | Moderate bounce with a lower-bounce high loft |
| B grind | 58° and 60° only; 8° bounce | Shallow delivery, firmer turf, players who rotate the face |
| T grind | 58°, 60°, and 62°; 6° bounce, steeper trail edge | Skilled players on firm turf who open the face |
| Eye 2 grind | 58° and 60°; 8° bounce; reshaped for a more familiar address look | Sand-heavy courses and slightly open-faced shots |
The Bottom Line
For most golfers, the S grind in the Chrome finish is the correct purchase, with 12° of bounce through the mid lofts and the widest loft coverage in the line. Steep players and anyone on soft turf should buy the W and take advantage of the new 50° and 52° options. Skilled players on firm ground who open the face belong in the T, and sand-heavy courses make a strong case for the Eye 2 or the B in the lob wedge slot. Choose Midnight over Chrome when glare, not moisture, is the condition you fight.
Ready to build your set? Start with the PING wedge lineup, compare it against the rest of the wedges at TGW, or browse everything in the PING clubs collection if you are matching wedges to new irons. Custom loft, lie, shaft, and grip options are available on the S259 line, so specify them at order rather than bending a wedge later.
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions below cover what golfers ask most before ordering an S259 wedge.
What is the difference between the PING S259 Chrome and Midnight wedges?
The head, lofts, grinds, bounce, shaft, and grip are the same. Chrome uses a Hydropearl finish that is hydrophobic, so it sheds water and debris, while Midnight uses a QPQ finish that is anti-glare and more wear resistant than PVD coatings. Pick Chrome if you play wet or dewy turf, and pick Midnight if sun glare at address bothers you or you want the contrasting face blast to frame alignment.
How many grinds and loft options does the PING S259 line offer?
The S259 line comes in six grinds: S, W, H, B, T, and Eye 2. Those combine into 25 loft and grind combinations spanning 46° to 62°. That is enough coverage that most golfers can build a full wedge set without ordering a custom grind, so start from your pitching wedge loft and work up.
Which PING S259 wedge is the most forgiving?
The W grind carries 14° of bounce at every loft it is offered in, which is the most bounce in the line and the most turf protection if you deliver the club steeply or play soft ground. The new 50° and 52° W options mean you can carry that same forgiveness into your gap wedge slot. If you take a deep divot and struggle with fat wedge shots, buy the W.
Which S259 grind is best for firm turf and tight lies?
The T grind is the lowest bounce option in the line at 6°, and its steeper trail edge lets the face sit very low on open-faced shots. It is offered at 58°, 60°, and 62°. Choose it only if your delivery is shallow and your home course plays firm, because 6° of bounce punishes a steep strike.
What loft should I buy first in the S259 line?
Start with the gap between your pitching wedge and your highest-lofted club, then fill it in four to six degree increments. The 46°, 48°, 50°, and 52° S grind options exist for exactly that job, and the 50° and 52° W grind covers the same slot for steeper players. Confirm your pitching wedge loft before ordering, because modern iron sets vary by several degrees.
Are the PING S259 wedges available in left hand?
The S259 line is offered in both right hand and left hand, and in men’s and women’s builds. Left-hand availability varies by loft and grind rather than covering all 25 combinations, so confirm the exact loft and grind you want before ordering. If your preferred combination is not offered in left hand, the S grind carries the widest loft coverage in the line and is the most likely fallback.
Do I need to get fit for wedges, or can I order standard?
Bounce and grind selection matter more in wedges than in any other club, because turf interaction is unforgiving of a mismatch. At minimum, know your typical divot depth and how firm your home course plays, then match those to bounce. S259 lie angles are standard at the Black color code, so if you already know your color code from an iron fitting, carry it over to your wedges rather than defaulting to standard.
