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Review: Ping G30 LS Tec Driver

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Pros: Big forgiveness, low spin. The ball speed, launch angle and spin rate are very consistent, even on mishits.

Cons: Not as low spinning as leading drivers with low, forward CG designs. Golfers looking for a compact head shape won’t find it here.

Who’s it for? Those who need less spin or more fade bias than the G30 offers, or any high-spin golfer seeking the ultimate in consistency.

The Review

Ping’s G30 LS Tec driver is only slightly different than the company’s widely acclaimed G30 driver, but for the new driver’s target market – high-speed, high-spin golfers – it’s the little things that make the difference.

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Ping’s G30 (left) and G30 LS Tec.

At address, the LS looks nearly identical to the G30. It’s the same size and shape, and has the same matte black crown and turbulators – six ridges on the front of the crown that help improve its aerodynamics.

“Under the hood,” so to speak, is where Ping made its changes.

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The sole of the LS was shortened slightly from front to back, which moved the driver’s center of gravity (CG) lower and more toward the face. That’s the main reason the LS launches with about 350-to-400 rpm less spin than the G30, according to Ping, with a marginally lower launch angle as well.

The lower, more forward CG, combined with the driver’s 1-degree more opened face angle, also gives the driver slightly more fade bias than the G30.

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Like the G30, the body of the LS is made of Ti 8-1-1 alloy. Its T9S face material is the same, but it has a bit rougher texture than the G30’s face.

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“IT SOUNDS COUNTERINTUITIVE,” SAYS MARTY JERTSON, PING’S DIRECTOR OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT. “BUT BELOW A CERTAIN SPIN LOFT ANGLE, YOU CAN ACTUALLY ROUGHEN THE SURFACE AND REDUCE THE SPIN SLIGHTLY.”

So how do you know if you’re better off with the G30 or the LS?

  1. Try the G30 if you want to maximize distance and accuracy on shots hit across the face.
  2. If the G30 spins too much for you, or you want more fade bias, try the LS.

I played the G30 for about 10 rounds this summer – very happily, I must say – and was interested to see if I could get a few more yards from the lower-spin design of the LS. I’m also a good candidate for the LS — a high-spin player who’s willing to trade some consistency for the possibility that I can hit my best drives a little farther.

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Three G30’s: Ping also makes a G30 SF Tec driver (right), which is designed for golfers who need help with their slice.

What stood out during my testing was how forgiving the LS was, even when I compared it to the freakishly forgiving G30. I hit both drivers on Trackman and saw only a slightly lower launch angle (less than 0.5 degrees) and about 350 rpm less spin with the LS.

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Like the G30, Ping’s G30 LS Tec has the company’s new adjustable hosel with a 2-degree loft range and five different settings. 

On mishits, my ball speed rarely fell below my average and peaked 2 mph faster than I’d ever seen with the G30. The lower spin was giving me a little more carry and roll, and for that reason I was able to hit the LS about 10 yards farther than I’d ever hit my G30 on a Trackman.

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What shaft? Most golfers who are a fit for the G30 LS Tec will prefer the company’s stiffer Tour 65 or Tour 80 shafts, which carry a $30 upcharge.

My results, however, are simply that – my results. If you’re a low-spin player or struggle to hit the sweetspot consistently, you’ll likely hit your longest drives with the G30. You probably won’t even want to consider the LS unless you’re looking for more fade bias.

The Takeaway

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If you read our reviews, you know that we think the G30 was the best performing driver of 2014 (and possibly 2015).

Think of the LS as more of a fitting option within the G30 driver family instead of a completely different driver. It’s a needed extension of the G30 line for golfers who need less spin than the G30 can provide.

There are lower-spinning drivers than the LS, but none that offer the same level of consistency.

Specs

Lofts: 9 and 10.5 degrees (RH or LH)
Head Size: 460 cc
Shafts: Ping TFC 419D (45.75 inches — SR, R, S and X flexes), Ping Tour 65 (45.25 inches — R, S and X Flexes), Ping Tour 80 (45.25 inches — R, S and X Flexes)
Swing Weight: D3 (head weighs 206 grams)

Click here to see what GolfWRX Members are saying about the G30 LS Tec driver in our forum.

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65 Comments

65 Comments

  1. Eric

    Jun 2, 2015 at 12:33 pm

    Had to find this thread to leave review. In the last four years since my return to golf (8year layoff) 34 yo 5.2 hdcp 107 SS play a fade, I’ve gamed: Taylormade 09 Tour Burner, SLDR, SLDR-S, RBZ, Callaway Razr Fit, Razr Fit Tour Authentic, Razr Fit Xtreme, X Hot, X Hot Pro, Nike Covert, Ping Anser, I25, and G25. The LS Tec is hands down the best driver I’ve ever played. I always roll my eyes when I read things like, ” it just wants to go straight”. This is true of the LS Tec compared to what I’ve played in the passed. So easy to hit. It goes as far as my SLDR which was my longest club to date. But so forgiving it’s ridiculous. Don’t get me wrong this club doesn’t make the game easy, but it sure helps.

  2. killerbgolfer

    Apr 12, 2015 at 8:10 pm

    Thanks for the great review. I just played my 9*LS Tec head to head against my 915 D3 this morning. I thought the PING was more forgiving and just as long, if not longer. Looks like my 915 will be up for sale. I was orgininally a little turned off by the turbulaters, but the sound and feel made up for it in my experience. Plus the results speak for themselves.

  3. Jeff

    Mar 25, 2015 at 4:58 pm

    There’s a fantastic new way to turn ANY 440cc or bigger driver into a high launch, low spin MONSTER. Hit the high center of the face with a positive angle of attack, BOOM baby. It’s gonna fly.

  4. THE SWEET THONG

    Mar 22, 2015 at 1:33 am

    I’ve had the LS for about a month. Amazingly long and even more so…. straight! With stock ping shaft offering it’s really not anything to talk about. The cheapest of them, like the blue shaft, it is very weak. I also hit the Tour 65 as well but just didn’t have the feel and pop I wanted. I went the distance buying several shafts from low, mid and high kick and from 57 to 72 grams. I settled on the lightest shaft, surprisingly, because I played a 74 gram shaft for many years. Also, very important is figuring out what setting to play this club at. I started with the 9*, then went up to 10 and the spin was way too much. I adjusted all the was to 8* with not much luck but the 8.5 setting, I never thought the lower setting would still launch the ball like this but with the shaft combo I found this is nothing but amazing. I hate to sound like a commercial but this is the longest straightest driver I have ever hit. I hit up on the ball just slightly so at the 8.5 setting the launch angle looks far more like the 9.5 setting I had on my ANSER with the Ahina shaft. The high launch low spin effect has made me a longer driver and straighter than ever after 30 years of golf at a low handicap. Almost impossible to hook but does have some workability too. I get noticeable yardage loss and more spin when I hit a fade but the high launch straight shot just towers, goes and runs out. Put the ball back a little and close the stance and a low powerful running draw can be achieved. Yes, it is a big ugly head but with the correct shaft it is a monster that puts out long drives and especially on mishits.

    G30 LS: 9* @ 8.5/FUBUKI Z 50 (57 GRAMS)/ 45.5

  5. Rick

    Mar 3, 2015 at 12:55 am

    Played the draw bias G30 last year and it hooked too much. The blue shaft sucked but I hit a few really long drives but only a few. I had to hold on to keep from hooking so I have the G30 now. If it hooks I’ll try the LS. Wish the head was 200 grams instead of 206. Still have my Rapture V2 diamana though. Awesome club

  6. Murray

    Feb 28, 2015 at 8:28 pm

    I sent an e mail to ping and they said the G30 LS is not fade bias.Dont know where wrx got this information but if you right ping they will correct this for you.Also the tour shafts are made buy ust for ping and I have not found anything that is as good with the G30 LS head.

    • Zak Kozuchowski

      Feb 28, 2015 at 8:54 pm

      It’s more fade biased than the G30, Murray. That’s what is said in the review.

      • theo

        Mar 3, 2015 at 10:14 pm

        That’s not correct. The G30LS is no more Fade bias than the G30. In fact both are very neutral. This is per PING engineering.

        • Patrick

          Mar 6, 2015 at 1:18 pm

          @theo. I mostly agree. 1* of face angle will have very little affect on directional bias. With that said, I don’t think any of us know the exact CG difference between the two heads. PING is most likely going to only describe the difference in layman’s terms. I suppose it’s possible to categorize both heads in the neutral category with the LS having a slightly more toe side CG. Depends on who you ask and what question you are asking.

          What we do know for sure is the CG is more forward. This creates more workability, less squaring effect, and less stability. It will be easier to hit fades with the LS because of this more forward CG, but it will also be easier to hit draws with it as well.

  7. Bar

    Feb 25, 2015 at 11:48 am

    Got fitted by a Ping rep at my club. Hitting real balls etc. According to the rep I was carrying the ball 20 yds further than I was with my old 909. No mention of different variations of the club etc. As far as I was aware I was getting a G30 with the 65gm tour silver shaft.
    The club duly arrived and it was a SF Tec 12 degree. I could only play a massive hook with this club. It feels like the balance is wrong and I keep flipping my hands or something. Also there is no sweet spot, when you hit this club anywhere on the face it feels the same. I’m back with the 909 and my pro is selling a cheap G30. I have also lost any faith in these company reps. I cannot understand the difference between the club I was demo-ing and the results I was getting compared to the piece of dog poo I bought and paid for.

  8. jj

    Feb 24, 2015 at 2:09 am

    Ok, the Ping stock shafts are such worthless junk, and as the goober kieth mentioned, that ping stock shafts are really good, I just wanted to say this. No, sorry, the ping shaft is scrap and the upgrade of 30.00 for the “SO CALLED TOUR SHAFT” is just another way to make money.

    I will say this, the LS driver is very nice with a super solid feel and very long. A pretty low penetrating flight with the 9* set at 9.5* or 10*. I Just put in a UST V2, tipped .5″, and I think I gained at least 30 yards over that crappy blue shaft thing that comes stock.

    I have several shafts that are very good and went through them all. I have always like the UST V2 in fairway woods. I figured for the price I would try it and think it might be a done deal. I used an Aldila Ripd NV, NV, Ahina, Fubuki and now the V2. The Fubuki is a close second but a little higher flight.

    Anyway, ping stock shafts do suck!

  9. jj

    Feb 15, 2015 at 12:33 am

    The Ahina shafts that came with the Anser were very good shafts. NO WAY do the stock shafts even compare to the junk that came after. If so why are the tour gnads not using them. I see a couple do but that’s likely just bs to promote those shafts. I have used Ping for years and always started out with the stock driver even irons and HAD TO RESHAFT because the stock shafts are absolute garbage!
    I see several ping staffers going back to older models, westworld g10, jason gore went back to the anser and some stayed or went back to g20. Hate to get screwed by these new spinney hacker clubs because some techie says they work better. And the new Ping shafts also stink with a lousy span of swing weights. The stock shaft is junk, upgrade for 30.00 and the swing weights are low 60 g’s and the next option is the high 70+ gram weights……. weird!

    • jj

      Feb 18, 2015 at 2:09 am

      First day on the range with the new G30 LS-
      Coming off over 3 years of playing the ANSER I was skeptical. Still am. Not as low spin, or as sweet a sound as the Anser, but they are close. I went to the range with my new 9* G30 LS set @ 9.5. I realized the lower priced blue whatever stock shaft was a comedy act and the ball went nowhere, and I figured so , that’s why I didn’t upgrade to the higher end stock shaft that’s sucks. I installed a fubuki S 50 W/ 1″tip and Kaboom! Hit a few more w/ close to the same result. Screwed in my Diamana Ahina that came w/ my Anser. Not the same result as it’s tendency is a low flight, and it was, but w/ epic amounts of roll. The Ahina weight was noticeable w/ the G30’s heavier 206g head. I have never used a shaft as light as the Fubuki and am EXTREAMLY surprised how well it felt and performed.

      Played 18 holes today. I discovered that on the course, this is noticeably longer than my Anser. The other remarkable thing was the ability to work this both directions. I’m not sure that this is not a “new club fantasy” and only works for a round or 2…. so I do not have a sustained boner at this point. I have only found 2 that went onto my hands and were keepers immediately. The Ping Anser driver and my G25 3 wood w/ a UST shaft in it. I hope this is my next weapon for the next few years…… otherwise I’m back to Viagra!

  10. simon

    Feb 7, 2015 at 10:06 pm

    lee westwood one of the best golfers on the planet is still using a g10.So the latest and greatest gizmo driver isn t always the best but of course the oems wouldn t want you to know that or they wouldn t sell as much.

  11. jj

    Jan 27, 2015 at 1:07 am

    I still play the anser/ahina combo and not changing until the head caves in or I find something better. I hit the g30 and it spun like a top and fell out of the sky! The mid/low roping flight of the anser is nice. Maybe the LS will have that flight but need the right shaft. Stay away from RD santa ana. Guaranteed the sales hack will not fit you correctly!

  12. Rob

    Jan 15, 2015 at 6:31 pm

    How fade biases is this head?

  13. Rob

    Jan 15, 2015 at 6:31 pm

    How fade biased is the head?

  14. Pingback: Ping G30 Low Spin - Sneak Preview

    • simon

      Jan 14, 2015 at 7:37 am

      yea yea yea i m hitting a i20 project x ..3 years old and today got to hit the g30 with tour ad shaft my i20 was longer each time.maybe could have been fitted better who knows .So those of you who are hitting their 2-3 year old drivers well dont worry too much of new snazzy drivers it really is hype.

      • Curt

        Jan 14, 2015 at 11:21 am

        The I series was made to spin less than the G series so its no surprise you were hitting it “longer” but I bet only by a few yards. Now the real story between the I and G series is forgiveness and accuracy (dispersion). I bet the dispersion was much better with the G series and off center hits were better. Thats the real difference, its not a matter of which does the best when we hit it on the screws, its a matter of forgiveness and dispersion. The same matters even to the pro’s.

  15. mo

    Jan 13, 2015 at 12:13 am

    G30 with less spin and more fade bias. Gotta try this one for sure. I loved the G30 albeit I had a few more left side misses with it more than I cared for. Kudos to Ping.

  16. Tim

    Jan 12, 2015 at 11:25 pm

    FYI.. video’s are up on YouTube for these already. Rick Shiels has one as well as Mark Crossfield.

  17. leftright

    Jan 12, 2015 at 4:01 pm

    I like it for the “fade bias.” No comparison between the G30 and I25, I hit the G30 further with less effort and also carry it further. I’m gonna use my 90 day and get the new Ping when it comes out.

    WRX story in the future”
    Low spin is not the way, we want more spin. We have found through countless trackman and flightscope test that more carry is better. You want more spin so you can carry the lake or the bunker or the creek for God’s sake. Low spin is fine if your fairways are hard as a rock but do you think the fairways give a rat’s butt if your ball is spinning 2700 or 2400. This spin stuff is all marketing and yes, you can have too high spin but that is because of too much loft or way to soft a shaft. You get low enough loft or stiff enough shaft and even Bill O”Reilly couldn’t spin it.

    • Curt

      Jan 12, 2015 at 4:21 pm

      Sorry, Bill O”Reilly can spin anything. He is the spin-master on all things the Dems try to accomplish. Back to Golf: Agreed we need spin, its finding that fine line for max carry with no ballooning.

      • Rick

        Mar 3, 2015 at 12:47 am

        Wrong, Bill O may be a arrogant dude with his opinion but he’s not a spinner. You want spin? Keep believing in the Dems. You’ll be lost forever. The truth is out there, you just can’t find it.

    • jonno

      Jan 12, 2015 at 6:45 pm

      quick you should tell the long drive guys who want to spin it 1500rpm and launch it high that they should actually be launching it lower with 2700rpm.
      you sir, are a muppet i’m afraid.

      • Scooter McGavin

        Jan 12, 2015 at 7:46 pm

        Not that I agree with leftright at all, because I too think he is being a muppet, but 1500rpm for the long drive guys is not really accurate. Even the long drive guys are getting anywhere from 2200-3k spin. http://www.longdrivers.com/remax-wldc/trackman

        For what it’s worth, I am someone who appreciates a lower spinning head, as I put a lot of spin on the ball myself.

    • danamc

      Feb 9, 2015 at 8:55 pm

      Check out Rick Shiels youtube video on this driver. Not only did his spin drop by 3-400 RPMs versus the G30, his carry was 6 yards longer with the G30 LS Tec. So your contention that you need MORE spin is incorrect.

    • Gerald T. Parker

      Oct 19, 2015 at 11:44 pm

      You want a driver that will not balloon on you and will take off at about a 45 degree angle and the less spin you have while doing this will give you the most distance. Just because you hit it high does not mean it will carry farther.

  18. NG

    Jan 12, 2015 at 3:47 pm

    Just brought the G30, if I knew this was coming out! Not happy Ping!!!

    • Curt

      Jan 12, 2015 at 6:29 pm

      How do you know it even fits you? You might want to reserve judgment until you’ve tried both heads and analyzed the numbers.

  19. Keith

    Jan 12, 2015 at 2:45 pm

    TURBULATORS…Mount up!

  20. Max

    Jan 12, 2015 at 2:31 pm

    Would love to see a head to head review of this and the i25. I would be interested in actual #’s like X number of rpms and X percentage of MOI differences. Even if minute, would be fun to know.

    • clay

      Jan 13, 2015 at 10:35 am

      rick shiels did one on you tube. The I-25 was slightly longer (for him). The g30 is a beast, with a shaft that fits your swing, I have a fujikura pro x in mine at 44.5″ it is stupid straight and forgiving.

      • danamc

        Feb 9, 2015 at 8:57 pm

        But he wasn’t comparing the I25 to the G30 LS Tec.

  21. Garbage

    Jan 12, 2015 at 2:04 pm

    45.75! that’s hilarious. So a guy walks in who’s 5′ 4″, buys it, comes back and says “I keep chunking it” and has no idea why. So Ping will say “lets fit him for his wrists to floor” and cuts the thing by an inch. Is it the same club? Heck no! Now the swing weight is at C7. He says he can’t hit it it feels too light, shaft a bit stiff? Spraying it everywhere. Not forgiving at all! Are there any adjustable weights?

    • Ted Webster

      Jan 12, 2015 at 2:23 pm

      Get properly fit a qualified fitter.
      Those weights are available in a large variety of values.
      If you order a properly fit club the proper weight to achieve the swing weight of choice the proper weight is installed at the factory.
      Stop buying off the rack and then complaining when the club does b not feel right because some hack salesman cuts an inch so it “fits you”.

      • Curt

        Jan 12, 2015 at 2:55 pm

        Agreed, guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

      • Nah

        Jan 13, 2015 at 3:38 am

        Ted,

        that is the most ridiculous thing anybody has ever said. Then why would any company, including PING, sell anything off the rack, already built, for people to purchase that day and walk out of the store?

        You muppet, Ted. You have not got a clue what the consumers are like. They’re not at all WRXers, so open your eyes, muppet

        • Nah

          Jan 13, 2015 at 3:39 am

          Oh, and those Ping weights are not available for purchase. So that design makes no sense whatsoever.

          • Ted

            Jan 16, 2015 at 1:47 pm

            Name calling, interesting way to make your point.
            Now I know what type of person I am dealing with no further comment is required.

  22. other paul

    Jan 12, 2015 at 12:21 pm

    I would love to see a side by side comparison to the the i25 and the ping anser (<- cause I own one). But I can't remember the last time I saw a side by side comparison because with wrx its all about every one being good.

    • clay

      Jan 13, 2015 at 10:45 am

      I have had the anser, the anser is better if you hit it in the middle 95% of the time. The ping g30 is so forgiving and i feel it is just as long. I hit up on the ball so i get good spin numbers especially high on the face 1800 to 2200 range. My ss is 105-110 so i feel the turbulators have helped a touch also. I would rather be in a fairway then 10 yards longer in the rough. The g30 is so straight, i have had it in the bag since it came out, and i love to tinker. Go try it with some shafts that work for you, i think you will like it.

  23. Curt

    Jan 12, 2015 at 11:51 am

    I guess the trade-off with the “low-spin” driver your giving up MOI / Forgiveness that the regular G30 has for decreased spin but worse shots when missed? No?

  24. Original G30 Owner

    Jan 12, 2015 at 11:40 am

    My G30 driver is only a month old. I always thought the G range fit every golfer from bubba to club golfers. I would have waited for this low spin version if I knew it was coming out. I am disapointed.

    • Ben

      Jan 12, 2015 at 11:47 am

      check with the place you bought it…. I have a buddy who bough nike irons. When the new ones came out the shop let him trade them in.

    • cNo

      Jan 12, 2015 at 1:27 pm

      I am a little disappointed also as I just got my G30 about a 2 months ago. But I do love my Driver and will just open the face and go from there. Can’t spend another $350!!! LOL!!!

      • Regis

        Jan 12, 2015 at 2:09 pm

        Could you imagine the outrage if this had been Taylor Made or Callaway. But its not because Ping only releases drivers every two years

        • Bob

          Jan 12, 2015 at 2:36 pm

          Exactly! Couldn’t imagine the posts on here if it were them releasing a driver. This is the 2nd driver in 5 months for PING! How dare they!

          • Curt

            Jan 12, 2015 at 2:59 pm

            Nice try but no cigar, guys. Cant compare Ping to TM.

          • cNo

            Jan 12, 2015 at 3:29 pm

            Switched from TM Superfast TP version 1 and can’t be happier!!! Not sure fairway golf could be so much fun!!! Might be moving the entire bag to Ping!!!!!

        • HackerDav31

          Jan 13, 2015 at 11:42 am

          Ping doesn’t sell golf products to make money. They sell them out of the benevolence of their souls to make the game a pure endeavor.

          This site cracks me up… Ping and Titleist can do no wrong, but TaylorMade and Callaway are literally the killers of the game all by themselves.

          Rapid product release cycles have REALLY killed Apple, Samsung, Amazon. Oh no wait, that’s right, they’ve fueled an innovation war that brings the best products to market and consumers get to choose! And those choices, gasp, could even include older models cascaded down the pricing pyramid! Lord, could you imagine making equipment affordable and accessible to the masses and maybe growing the game? God forbid…

    • danamc

      Feb 9, 2015 at 9:01 pm

      Get used to it. It’s the new normal.

  25. JEFF

    Jan 12, 2015 at 11:07 am

    Same crappy shaft options for that price too.

    • Keith

      Jan 12, 2015 at 8:01 pm

      PING has the best stock shaft offerings in the market. The same quality and R&D goes into their stock shafts as many 3rd party companies. All are specifically designed to very specific and high tolerances by either Aldila and UST. Also, no “made-for” shafts like other OEM products. Most people would be very surprised to see how much better a stock shaft is for their performance vs. some $300 shaft. But hey, at the end of the day, it’s your money and golf game.

      • WILSON

        Jan 14, 2015 at 4:48 pm

        that is LITERALLY the funniest joke I’ve read every day. Their shafts are the very definition of “made-for,” a shaft company makes them and prints PING on them. their stock shafts are no better than TM (horrible)

        • Ed

          Jan 15, 2015 at 11:53 am

          I think what he is trying to say is that the Ahina you got in your Anser driver is the same one you would buy directly from Mitsubushi whereas the one that comes in a 913 is not.

          I could be wrong though, that’s just how I read it.

      • jj

        Feb 18, 2015 at 1:21 am

        No, that is a lie dude,,,,,,, or your a complete golf clueless cubicle nerd reading off stats!

  26. JEFF

    Jan 12, 2015 at 11:06 am

    Will see!

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Driver Reviews

GolfWRX Spotlight: Tour Edge Exotics C721 driver

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Tour Edge’s Exotics line of high-end golf clubs has been known for excellent fairway wood and hybrid performance over the years. The Chicago-based company has been consistently putting out high-quality products, and golfers are really taking notice. The new line of C721 drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids take yet another big leap forward from last year’s EXS line. 

The new C721 driver takes a lot of technology from the 2020 EXS line and further refines and expands on it. I know it is a little cliche when companies say every model is their best ever, but Tour Edge is 100 percent right this time.

When unboxing the C721 the first thing I noticed was the much-improved looks and shape over the previous Tour Edge drivers. The biggest change to my eye is the added bulge, giving a more rounded and softened topline.

The overall shape of the C721 is slightly stretched from front to back, giving it just a hint of a triangular look. The Ridgeback is a titanium spine flanked by two carbon fiber wings that add stability and forgiveness to the head, but they can also work together and an additional aiming device to ensure you are lined up down the center of the fairway. 

Getting the C721 out on the course is where you really start to appreciate all the technology that went into this driver. Well-struck shots are very long, very boring, and will hang with anything out on the market today. Center contact is rewarded with a long and very low spin shot that is just fun to hit.

The sound and feel are very solid, you can really feel the ball compress on the face as it leaves at high speed. The sound is more of a muted crack and much quieter than I anticipated. If you practice on an enclosed range your ears will thank you for your choice in drivers. Shots hit away from the center of the face retain a lot of ball speed and stay online really well.

My miss is low on the heel and those misses stayed in the air fairly well and went a good ways. Shots hit down on the heel or higher on the toe side still stay online really well due to the Ridgeback spine and rear weight. The C721 is just slightly higher than mid-launch for me, but the low spinning head never allowed my shots to balloon or rise even into the wind. I do wish the face was just a touch deeper as I had to play with my tee height in order to find the optimal setup. The better players will enjoy the neutral weighting and there seems to be very minimal draw built into the driver.

Overall, the Tour Edge Exotics C721 driver is a great club that will probably be overlooked by too many golfers. If you are looking for added distance, a lot of forgiveness and want to keep some money in your pocket, then you should seriously take a look at Tour Edge.

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Driver Reviews

Review: Ping’s G400 and G400 LST Drivers

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I still remember the first time I hit Ping’s G30 driver. It was July 2014, and I was at Ping’s HQ in Phoenix. Super low-spin drivers were all the rage at the time. With their forward center of gravity, they were helping golfers optimize their launch conditions beyond their wildest dreams: crazy high launch, ridiculously low spin. Many in the business, including myself, had one of these drivers and spent many launch monitor sessions trying to figure out how to get more distance from these high knuckleballs. The bad news was that forward-CG drivers, by nature, were really unforgiving. Bad shots were really short and crooked.

Before I knew the G30 was a big deal, Marty Jertson, Ping’s Director of Product Development, explained to me his vision for the perfect driver inside a conference room at Ping Headquarters. In his eyes, the perfect driver didn’t have the low, forward center of gravity (CG) that was being touted at the time. Its CG was located as low and as rearward in the driver head as possible, which he said would offer the best of both worlds: optimized launch conditions on good shots, as well as the best possible forgiveness on bad shots.

Building the perfect driver was a long way off (and still is), but Jertson was excited where Ping had landed with the G30. When it was released, the driver was a powerful testament to his vision. Its rear-CG design created great distance on good and bad shots, and it was also a very straight driver. The G30 sold incredibly well and, as a result, the industry mostly shifted away from forward-CG drivers.

It’s been nearly three years since the release of the G30, and Ping has just made another counterintuitive driver release. The company shrunk the size of its new G400 drivers in a climate where full-size drivers have become the norm. Granted, it’s only 15 cubic centimeters smaller, but it’s noticeable at address. Compared to the Ping G drivers they replace (which replaced the G30), the G400’s look like they cut carbs.

Despite their slimmer frames, however, the G400 drivers are actually more forgiving than the G drivers (which were even more forgiving than the G30). That’s why Ping representatives say smaller is actually better in the G400’s case. The drivers have the lowest, most rearward CG of any Ping drivers ever, and their smaller size is said to improve their aerodynamics so golfers can swing them fractionally faster. The other big change is a new face material made of T9S+ titanium, which is thinner and more flexible to help golfers generate more ball speed.

Ping_G400_LST_2

For this review, I wanted to put the G400 and G400 LST to the test against the G and the G LST drivers that they replace, so I took them to the Launch Pad at Carl’s Golfland in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. I hit five shots with each driver on Trackman IV, and to ensure as much of an apples-to-apples comparison as possible, I tested each driver head with the same shaft. Each driver head was adjusted to the same loft, or as close as possible.

Note: The G, G LST, and G400 drivers I tested were 10.5-degree heads adjusted to 9.5 degrees. The G400 LST had a loft of 10 degrees, and it was adjusted to 9.4 degrees.

The Test

PingG400_2017

In my personal driver tests, I don’t usually see a huge uptick in distance or accuracy when comparing the latest drivers to the most recent models from the same manufacturer. Improvements generally come in the form of improved head shaping, a better feel, or enhanced adjustability. That’s why I was surprised to see such a big change in my launch conditions and dispersion with the G400 drivers.

G400 Test Results: With the G400, I launched my drives an average of 1.6-degrees higher than I did with the G while dropping spin an average of 416 rpm. That led to a significant improvement in distance. With my swing speed and ball speed staying about the same, I added an average of 7.2 yards more carry distance and 8.7 yards more total distance.

G400 LST Test Results: First, a note about the G400 LST. It has a CG that’s slightly lower and more forward than the standard G400 driver to help golfers reduce spin. Like the G30 LST and G LST, it’s still very much a rear-CG driver, but its design helps high-speed golfers who can consistently find the center of the club face maximize distance without highjacking forgiveness. When I test Ping drivers, the LST is generally the model that creates the best performance, and the G400 LST was no exception. I saw an average of a 1.2-degree higher launch angle with all other things staying about the same when I compared it to the G LST. The result was an average of 6.6 yards more carry distance and 3.1 yards more total distance. It was the longest and straightest driver I hit in the test.

Note: Ping also sells a G400 SFT (Straight Flight Technology) driver, which has added draw bias. To learn more about it, click through to tech story on the G400, G400 LST and G400 SFT drivers. 

Dispersion

G400_Dispertion

One way to explain the improved launch conditions is that I hit the G400 drivers more consistently. As you can see in the Trackman dispersion chart, I hit the G400 and G400 LST drivers straighter on average than the G and G LST. Is that its slightly enhanced forgiveness shining through? Maybe, maybe not.

To me, the changes Ping made to the look and feel of the driver were just as important as the performance difference I saw on Trackman. I’ve always preferred smaller driver heads, or at least 460-cubic-centimeter drivers that appear smaller than their size. For that reason, I felt more confident with the G400 drivers in my hands. I didn’t mind that I didn’t see any added swing speed or ball speed from the smaller driver head. I was sold on the looks alone.

I also preferred the sound of the G400 drivers to the G drivers. There was definitely much more of a “thwack” than a “ping” at impact, which made the G400’s feel more powerful. Looks and feel are subjective, of course, but to me the improvement was night and day. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that my fondness for the looks and feel of the G400 was at least a contributing factor to my improved performance in the test, if not the most important factor. When I like the way a club look at address, I tend to hit it better, and I know I’m not alone.

I do want readers to keep in mind that this was a one-person test and I hit a limited amount of balls. Yes, it’s a great indication that the G400 driver can be measurably better than a G driver, but it’s not a guarantee.

I also want to address the weaknesses of the G400 drivers. While they’re few, they could push golfers into another driver model in a fitting. Unlike Callaway’s GBB EpicTaylorMade’s M1 or Titleist’s 917 drivers, the G400’s don’t have CG adjustability. That means there’s no way to fine tune ball flight outside of a shaft or loft adjustment. A bigger deal for some golfers might be the G400 crowns. Despite their smaller size, there’s still a lot to look at address, as was the case with the G drivers.

Ping_G400_LST_4

Aerodynamic features on the front of the crowns, “Turbulators,” have been thickened for the G400 release. There’s also Ping’s “DragonFly Technology,” a geometry on the back of the driver crowns that helps push CG lower and more rearward in the driver heads. I personally think the G400 crowns give the drivers an old-school, muscle car-like look, but there’s no question they won’t fly with all golfers.

Whatever your thoughts about what’s on top of the G400 drivers, there’s no question that what’s under the hood can offer something the G and G30 drivers did not. Maybe you’ll like the smaller head. Maybe you’ll prefer the quieter sound. Maybe the improved forgiveness will show up on a launch monitor or on the course. Or maybe you’ll just flat out rip a G400 farther and straighter down the middle like I did.

If that last bit happens, try not to second-guess it.

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Driver Reviews

Members Choice: The Best Driver of 2017

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What determines the best driver on the market; is it the opinion of professional club fitters, professional golfers or testing results from a group of amateurs?

At GolfWRX, we believe all three sources can lead golfers to an answer. Being a website founded by passionate golfers with a mission to serve passionate golfers, though, we place a special emphasis on the opinions of our GolfWRX Members — the most knowledgeable group of golfers on the planet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively as GolfWRX Members. So who better to poll to get an initial indication of the best performing drivers so far in 2017?

So we asked them, “What’s the best driver of 2017?” They voted for the three drivers they felt most worthy of the title and provided feedback about their selections in our special forum thread. You can see the results below (as of the first three weeks of voting), as well as quotes we pulled from GolfWRX Members about the drivers from our forum.

Remember that our polls will remain open for voting throughout the year, and we’re going to keep an eye on the percentages as more and more golfers have an opportunity to test these drivers. We’re also working on another Best Driver list, which will evaluate clubs in another important way. Stay tuned!

Keep in mind that there’s no single driver on the market that is the absolute best option for every golfer: that’s why nearly every manufacturer makes at least two different models. As this list indicates, however, some drivers are working better than others this year. Happy Testing!

Note: Forum posts were minimally edited for grammar, style, spelling and clarity.

Cobra King LTD Black (3.00 percent of votes)

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  • The General: All-black LTD is really clean looking. I’m about to cover up the orange on my LTD with lead tape. Orange is played out
  • mh7vwLove my LTD, but wish the black finish (or even this gray) didn’t have that subtle checkering you see in some like. Prefer plain black.
  • dbleagI am a fan of the black/orange combo. The performance and sound of the LTD is very appealing to me. I also like that the standard length is 45 inches. For me, that helps it be super-accurate. With the low-spin design, I hit it longest of the current offerings and can’t remember the last time I missed a fairway. Straight, solid, low spin and nice.
Further Reading

Mizuno JPX-900 (3.20 percent)

Mizuno_JPX_900_Driver

  • johnnythundersJPX goes straight. Best real-deal shaft and is long and very adjustable.
  • KT35That blue head looks awesome sitting on the ground. I hit balls off the toe and heel and didn’t see the big drop off in distance like the previous models.
  • nmortonThe JPX-900 is definitely more forgiving compared to the JPX-850, and sounds much better. Though they did sacrifice a bit by going with a little larger profile, but it’s easy to get used to. The graphics are so so, but this driver performs. I’m really digging the Evo II (shaft).
  • jay65I can see that Mizuno is really making a decent effort with its drivers/fairways in terms of tech and aesthetics, and they compliment the new JPX-900 line of irons really well, but if they’re going to make any inroads they really have to address this issue of their custom shafts options. It’s rubbish.
  • bok006The JPX-900, after being properly adjusted by the fitter, gave me an extra 20 yards just like that. My swing speed suggested I was borderline S to X (flex), but the fitter said unless I was fighting a hook I should stick with the S.
  • bubbagump: …the JPX-900, when properly fit, is just as long on a consistent basis than all the new models I tried in real life situations. It looks great, sounds solid and just knows the way to keep the ball in play.  
  • ChazbI’m 69 years old, have a swing speed of 91 mph and played nine with the JPX-900 this morning. It was in the 40s with a brisk wind hit it around 220 to 230 yards. It was a fairway finder, has great feel and is one of the easiest to control drivers I have ever hit. I can’t wait ’til it is warmer and can dial it in more. So far I have the two weights all the way forward for a lower flight and the other set with a draw bias with 10.5 degrees of loft. This driver is the real deal; it may not be the longest or the shortest, but it is a fairway finder which IMO makes it a winner.
Further Reading

Ping G (3.80 percent)

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  • Wesquire: Ping G is the most forgiving so it wins.
  • bopper53: Ping G hands down. Great distance and the most forgiving.
  • Dannydubbbs: The Ping G series is just too forgiving. The distance is comparable between most models, but Ping always seems to win out with forgiveness.
  • Bruin BearThe Ping G is going to be overlooked because it’s looked at as “game improvement,” but this driver is a beast. I liked the LS, but it requires a faster swing to get results and in the cold outdoors I just don’t have that all the time. I think the G is the perfect blend of performance and forgiveness.
  • cmrl1986Only reason I switched from the Ping G25 was that the G felt less harsh off the face. Same distance just about.
Further Reading

Cobra King F7+ (3.90 percent)

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  • EntourageLife: Ball really flies off face. Driver head controls spin well. Not one drive “ballooned” and trajectory was high and best of all… very easy to work ball right to left for a confident draw.
  • GollieThe F7+ is another great offering from Cobra… I didn’t get the “MAN, this is gonna take my LTD out of the bag” feeling, but it has very good sound, feel and performance.
  • J13F7+ is a great offering from Cobra and IMO is in the top-3 drivers this year. Epic is the standout for me numbers wise, then M series and F7+ are right behind it. Love the Agera (shaft) in there!!! Such a great shaft; I can’t seem to get mine out of the bag.
  • Golfer from MOHit both Cobras lefty and as a lefty the LTD is the shizzle. Last year it was the LTD and Big Bertha down to the absolute wire… the F7+ is more workable than the LTD, but not longer and a little worse on mishits.
  • BoognishI took a few swings with the F7+ at Golf Galaxy yesterday. 9.5 degrees with heaviest weight forward. The stock shaft is actually the same model I play in my GBB (albeit in smoked black instead of yellow). Ball flight and distance were similar to my GBB with good consistent sub-3000 backspin. Sound was OK, feel was harder than the GBB.
  • thechief16Just from the range (no LM), I didn’t see a noticeable performance improvement with the F7+ over the original King LTD. And I like the look and sound/feel of the LTD better.
Further Reading

Ping G LS Tec (4.90 percent)

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  • drvrwdgeI played the G LS with the Ping Tour 65X (shaft) tipped an inch for about a year. Just put the HZRDUS Yellow 75 6.5 tipped an inch and never thought it was possible, but it’s longer and straighter. Best driver shaft combo I’ve ever hit. You can feel that HZRDUS throughout the entire swing. Really gives you a solid connected feel.
  • Mtngolfer1: I am not sure that I would consider this a 2017 Driver, but my vote went to the Ping G LS Tec. The fact that my G is still holding its own against the latest 2017 releases has me very excited to see what Ping will release later this year.
  • 3woodvt: Fairway finder and plenty long.
  • pitchinwedgeI’ve found the LS to be nearly as fade biased as the M family. I get pretty good results with the LS by making a conscious effort to make more of an in-to-out swing. Any lapse in concentration and everything goes right. The M’s require even more effort, which is the reason I stayed with the LS instead.
  • 3 Jack ParAfter an up and down year with the G LS, I’ve actually recently gone back to my G30 LS head. I only have a couple of rounds as a sample so far, so I can’t really draw a conclusion about whether one or the other is better, but with the same shaft it seems like my G30 head might be a little longer. Honestly, the performance differences are pretty minimal if you really compare the two generations.
Further Reading

Titleist 917D3 (5.30 percent)

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  • GavaThe 917D3 is in my bag now, and I’ve found it incredibly long with a recently purchased Graphite Design Tour AD MJ 7TX shaft. Feel and accuracy has been a real improvement as well.
  • Togatown22I find my 917D3 to be just as forgiving as my 915D2 was, and man do I prefer looking down at the head shape and color versus the 915. Very confidence inspiring.
  • NIxhex524I would definitely give the D3 a whirl. I feel like Titleist has made great strides at making the smaller head way more hittable for us ams.
  • KPH808So in conclusion, I was hitting the ball about 9 yards further on average and 3-4 mph faster ball speeds with the 917D3 vs. the 915 D4. The biggest thing for me was the forgiveness between the two; the 917D3 was more forgiving on mishits.
  • brushieThe 917D3 head feels soft like the 910 and sounds great. I never had an issue with the 915 sound; it wasn’t great, but it didn’t bother me too much. This is much better, though. The 917D3 head shape is perfect to my eye as well. The area where the 917 shines is forgiveness. 

Further Reading

TaylorMade M1 440 (5.35 percent)

TaylorMade_M1_440_Feat

  • Tigermatt31: The M1 440 is best driver I’ve had ever.
  • TollBros: The M1 440 is definitely lower spin than the M1 460 or M2 from last year. Launch angle isn’t really any lower, but spin is lower for sure.
  • specimania: This year’s 440 is more forgiving.
  • MCozYes, this 440 is more forgiving, and yet it also appears to be more workable than both of the previous M1 and M2s.
  • nitramTo save you a bunch of reading and crunching numbers, I quickly concluded there was a little more forgiveness and exactly +0.4 mph ball speed with the 440. By forgiveness I simply mean this: A 1.48 smash 440 will give you the same ball speed and distance as a 1.49/1.50 430. But if you get a 1.50 from both there is no measurable gain. Side-to-side dispersion was better by 4.7 feet with the 440. Workability was a wash between them, although the 430 seems a bit more fade biased whereas I’ll describe the 440 as a scosche more neutral.
  • tj24: I hit the M1 440 with my Aldila RIP at an 80-gram X-flex. For me, the spin numbers were around 1700 rpm which is probably to low for my swing. I did, however, like the shape of the head and I felt like I could easily work the ball both ways.
  • halfsumoI really think they nailed it with the shape of this 440 head. Nice pear shape, no weird bulges or ridges that you have to get used to.
Further Reading

Titleist 917D2 (6.65 percent)

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  • tsletten: Love the sound of the 917D2.
  • bladehunter: No doubt the 917D2 is an accurate, forgiving driver that doesn’t look as big as it is and sounds fantastic.
  • JStangMaybe it’s just me, but I find the face to be more shallow (top to bottom) with the 917D2 than other drivers that I’ve tried lately.
  • LuckyLowbrowI was actually spinning it too low with the D4. Going up to the D2 normalized my spin rate, but led to such an improvement in consistency across the face.

Further Reading

TaylorMade M1 460 2017 (11.81 percent)

TaylorMade_M1_460-Feat

  • Ereim: I ended up going with the M1 460. It gave me a slightly tighter dispersion, and I liked looking down at it slightly more.
  • jdenham15: The 2017 TaylorMade M1 is a great driver, but I tend to miss wide right and struggled to turn it over.
  • ZBigStick: The M1 460 gave me the best results. Was able to increase launch without much added spin with the (T-Track) weight. Feel is good and felt forgiving; dispersion results backing that up.
  • BillMurrayGolfingThe face is hot, receptive, thin and makes a nice sound. I like that.
  • JStangSound and feel were both fantastic. I couldn’t ask for much more in the sound and feel department than what this club offers. Plenty of feedback was provided based on impact as I would expect. I could easily tell where I missed based on feel.
  • tnordJust as another tester found, moving the weight back and forward absolutely does impact how the club sounds. I’m much more a fan of the weight back.
  • chickenpotpieMoving the slider to the draw position made the feel of the driver a little harsher. Feel was much much smoother with that weight in the middle. I didn’t see any such changes with the front/rear slider.
Further Reading

TaylorMade M2 2017 (11.86 percent)

M2_Speed_Pocket

  • ZBigStickI liked the feel of the new M2 but seemed to get better results and numbers with the new M1. Could be the extra 5 grams of head weight?
    It was dynamite with the GD TP-6 (shaft)!
  • erock9174On Trackman it didn’t put up the most ball speed, but counting all shots the M2 had the longest average distance.
  • gripandripThe M2 seems to have a little bit of a fade bias for me. And the head is HUGE. Maybe it’s a mental thing to be able to turnover a head that large.
  • Bomber_11M2 has very big shoes to fill, as the 2016 M2 was arguably one of the best drivers of the last 3-4 years.
  • LONG&STR8It’s hard to ignore the sound of the new M2. That may be TaylorMade’s biggest fail with that driver, as the sound and feel was one of the best things about the first version that I’ll have in the bag until something better comes along.
  • Z1ggy16The new M2 was terrible for me, not sure why. Unsure if it was the shaft I used but it spun up like a monster and ball speeds weren’t any better than previous M2.
  • Peanut191I don’t really think that the new M2 was much of a step backward, probably more that it doesn’t seem like a big step forward compared to last year’s model. I was hitting my 2016 M2 against a 2017 M2 indoors (which usually amplifies the louder, more obnoxious sound) and I didn’t notice that much of a difference in sound. It could have been that I might have just happened to get a hold of a head that was more muted than normal with the new one, but I just didn’t notice much difference. Performance wise, I could tell that the 2017 was slightly more forgiving than the 2016 model, but I was basically getting the same ball speed and spin numbers, so I didn’t see the need to upgrade.
  • gioguy21: Played 54 holes this weekend. The M2 was as reliable as it could get. I hit 11/12 fairways Friday, 10/12 Saturday and 5/9 or so yesterday (windy). Controllable, just wants to go straight. The sound no longer bothers me. I think it’s when hitting indoors or in range bays that it gets unbearably loud. Makes a different sound when hit on the screws I’ve found, similar to last years M2/M1 with less high-pitched ring. The forgiveness is very obvious, as I hit a couple that were close to center of the face but either high or little out toward the toe that flew similar trajectory and distance to how a well struck shot would react. I think where this driver really shines is the ability to either tee it high and hit it with higher trajectory or the ability to hit it lower with a low tee (3/4 of the ball under the crown) and hit laser beams that don’t move left or right.
  • G-BoneFrom what I’ve seen on Trackman, 2017 M1 was a big jump from 2016; however, 2016 M2 was so good, 2017 is a minor jump.
Further Reading

Callaway GBB Epic (14.91 percent)

GBB_Epic_Hero

  • HDTVMAN: I hit both the Callaway Big Bertha Fusion and Epic with a 44.5-inch UST Recoil F3 shaft and the results were very close. From customer testing, it appears the Epic is longer for those with higher (95+) swing speeds. I have also seen that 44.25-44.5-inch lengths promote tighter dispersion with customers, no loss of distance and better over-all drives.
  • mbbrewer: Tried them all and for me Epic was the one. Fastest ball speed, lowest spin and tightest dispersion.
  • Ereim: Epic felt great, looked great and the numbers were basically 99.9 percent optimized for my swing.
  • johnnylongballz72There is Epic and there is the M series… then there is everyone else. The votes here show it, the PGA Tour use shows it and launch monitors everywhere show it.
  • misplacedtexan83: GBB Epic/Sub Zero pushed the envelop in design and materials to produce increased ball speed and gains. For once a driver did what a company said it would do.
Further Reading

Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero (16.91 percent)

GBB_Epic_Sub_Zero_Hero

  • jdenham15: I tested the Epic Sub Zero and Epic against my 2016 TaylorMade M1 and the ball speed was 5 mph higher on average, which gave me about 10 yards more carry disstance. That was great, but the part that sold me was the forgiveness. I love my Epic Sub Zero. I feel like it’s easier to turn over and I can work it both ways.
  • Z1ggy16Sub Zero was hands down the best, including my gaming M1 (yeah, not even top-3) due to the combination of lower spin, good forgiveness and feel and looks.
  • jimhaire: I had a 2016 M2 and went with the Epic Sub Zero. The look at address suited my eye and the feel off the face was better for me. And the club went straight.
  • Sef: I have tested a lot of these drivers and for me the Epic Sub Zero was so much better than everything else. I wish I could just apply all three votes to it.
Further Reading

Members Choice 2017

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