Equipment
Ping introduces new face material with its G400 Fairways, Hybrids and Crossover
With its new G400 Fairway Woods, Hybrids and Crosscover, Ping has introduced an all-new face material that helps golfers ensure all the distance gaps are filled between their driver and longest iron. The new club faces are made from maraging steel, which is stronger and more flexible than the 455 carpenter steel that was used in the G line. The material change is said to make the clubs higher-launching, longer-flying and more forgiving across the board.
Ping is also offering more options than ever to help golfers get the right fit. The company is adding a 9-wood to the lineup, as well as 22-degree SFT fairway wood. In addition, Ping’s popular Stretch 3 and Crossover have undergone changes to enhance their strengths. The company has also found a way to reduce the common miss to the left with its lower-lofted hybrids. See how the changes have improved each of Ping’s new offerings below.
G400 Fairway Woods
With the new maraging steel face inserts in the G400 fairway woods, Ping is boasting some serious improvements over the G line. Let’s talk some numbers.
Since the new face material is lighter, Ping was able to save 6 grams from the face — that weight was distributed into the copper-colored, high-density weight on the back of the sole. According to Ping, the face is 28 percent thinner, 18 percent lighter and produces 30 percent more flex at impact. As such, Ping says these fairway woods have a 5 percent higher MOI (moment of inertia, a measure of forgiveness) and 2 mph more ball speed to create a higher maximum height. This all equals 7 yards more carry than the G fairway woods, according to Ping’s testing.
When purchasing fairway woods, however, golfers must think about the intended purpose of the club they’re buying. Do they want an alternative option off the tee, or a club to use from the turf to hold greens.
Ping’s G400 Stretch 3 fairway wood is like “a driver off the tee,” the company says. Compared to the pervious model, the club has been given an even deeper face and larger club head to produce the ultimate distance. Engineers have increased MOI by moving center of gravity (CG) deeper in the club head, which will also make it more forgiving.
Ping has also introduced a new 9 wood (25 degrees), as well as a new 7 wood (22 degrees) with Straight Flight Technology (SFT) to help golfers hit the ball higher, and through SFT, reduce the likelihood of a slice.
Ping’s G400 fairway woods will sell for $287.50 per club.
G400 Hybrids
The major concern with hybrids for a majority of better golfers is they can produce a hook. To offset this issue, Ping has made the lower-lofted hybrids in the G400 line more fade-biased by moving CG toward the toe. This will reduce the leftward miss, if not eliminate it, for many golfers who struggle with this problem. The higher-lofted hybrids, however, do not have this toe-ward CG, and therefore will remain easy to turn over. Ping reasoned that higher-lofted hybrids are most likely to be in the bags of higher-handicap golfers, who are likely to need help fixing a slice.
Like the G400 fairway woods, the G400 hybrids also have maraging steel face inserts. Specifically in the hybrids, Ping says the new material makes the face 11 percent thinner, 10 percent lighter and produces 35 percent more flex at impact. This leads to 2 mph more ball speed, a steeper trajectorym and therefore more stopping power, ultimately leading to 5 yards more carry in comparison to the G hybrids with the same lofts.
Compared to the G, the G400 hybrids also have a longer hosel that allows them to be lie-angle adjusted +/- 2 degrees, which improves fitting options. The G400’s new shafts are 0.370 inches in diameter instead of 0.355 inches in diameter.
Hybrid options include 2 (17 degrees), 3 (19 degrees), 4 (22 degrees), 5 (26 degrees) and 6 (30 degrees). They will sell for $247.50 per club.
G400 Crossover: “This is definitely not a driving iron”
While some golfers may have seen the original G Crossover as a driving iron, Ping is fighting that label with the new design of the G400 Crossover. Through structural changes and its more flexible maraging steel face inserts, the G400 Crossover is higher-launching and higher-spinning than the original to better hold greens from the turf. According to Ping’s testing, golfers will see 20 percent higher launch and 500 rpm more spin.
The tungsten weight that was in the toe-side of the sole in the G Crossover has also been moved farther toward toe, and it actually wraps around the contour of the toe. The placement of the high-density weight will help to center CG and ultimately produce a straighter flight than its G predecessor. The sole also has a bit more camber so that the club glides through the turf without digging; Ping says it’s comparable to the sole of a hybrid, rather than an iron. For an even more iron-like look, Ping has “slimmed down” the profile by an eighth-of-an-inch, and it has thinned out the top rail as well.
You may also notice a different finish compared to the original design. Unlike the Black PVD finish of the G Crossover, the G400 iron head is finished with Ping’s HydroPearl finish that helps repel water. This allows the face to better grip the golf ball in damp conditions, producing more consistency.
Available lofts for the Ping G400 Crossover include 3 (19 degrees), 4 (22 degrees) and 5 (25 degrees). They will sell for $247.50 per club.
Related
- Ping claims smaller is better with its new G400 drivers
- Ping aims to make golf “more fun” with its new G400 irons
Discussion: See what GolfWRX members are saying about Ping’s G400 fairways, hybrids and Crossover
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Whats in the Bag
Chesson Hadley WITB 2024 (March)
- Chesson Hadley what’s in the bag accurate as of the Texas Children’s Houston Open. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 70 TX
3-wood: Titleist TSR2+ (14.5 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
Irons: Titleist T200 (3), Titleist 620 CB (4, 5), Titleist 620 MB (6-PW)
Shafts: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 105 X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG 2-Ball
Grip: Odyssey
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Check out more in-hand photos Chesson Hadley’s clubs here.
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Whats in the Bag
Gary Woodland WITB 2024 (March)
Driver: Cobra Darkspeed X (8 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TZ5 70 M5
- The white circle that appears at the top of the face a removable sticker that’s used for launch monitor tracking, and Woodland removes it for competition!
3-wood: Cobra Darkspeed X (14 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TZ5 GW100 Prototype
7-wood: Cobra LTDx LS prototype (20 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TZ5 GW100 Prototype
Irons: Wilson Staff (18 degrees), Cobra King MB (4-PW)
Shafts: KBS Tour C-Taper Limited X
Wedges: Cobra SB (48), Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-08F, 56-14F), Cobra King (60)
Shafts: KBS Tour C-Taper Limited X (48 degrees), KBS Tour V-Ten 125
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy Tour 3.0P
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
See more in-hand photos of Gary Woodland’s WITB in the forums.
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Equipment
Q&A: Martin Trainer on his Bobby Grace “Greg Chalmers” putter, 6.5-degree driver, and “butter knife” 2-iron
As unbiasedly as I can put it, Martin Trainer has one of the coolest club setups in professional golf. (At some point soon, I’ll put together a top-10 list of “coolest club setups on Tour,” but I know that Trainer will be in the top-10)
What a lineup. He plays a 6.5-degree Wilson prototype driver, a 13-degree Wilson prototype 3-wood, a true blade Wilson Staff Model 2-iron, and a Bobby Grace “Greg Chalmers Commemorative” putter!
View this post on Instagram
I mean, look at this 2-iron from address…
To quote the great author R.L. Stine: “Goosebumps.”
On Wednesday at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open, I caught up with Trainer to learn more about his bag setup.
Here’s what he had to say:
You have the Internet going crazy over your bag setup, and your putter. Where’d you pick the Bobby Grace-Greg Chalmers putter up? How long have you had it?
MT: This was from when Bobby Grace came to my course in California: Cal Club. And for whatever reason, they just started having them in the shop. So then I took my buddy’s, started using it, and made, like, a million putts in a row, which is how every putter story begins, I guess.
And then, I bought a couple of my own, used it for years, got to the Tour with it, won on Tour with it (the 2019 Puerto Rico Open). Then, about a year later, started using another putter, did that for a couple years, but now it’s back in the bag.
When did it come back in the bag?
MT: December of this past year. So a few months ago.
What year would you say was the first time you threw that in the bag, or, like, when you bought it?
MT: God…Probably, 2016, maybe? 2018?
Do you remember how much you paid for it?
MT: I don’t know, actually. Maybe $100-150 bucks or something. I think that’s the only golf club I’ve bought between high school and now. Well, two, since I bought two of them.
The driver is interesting, too. What went into the prototyping process?
MT: That was a version of the current driver, but it was the prototype that they first came out with for Tour guys to try. And for whatever reason, I just never switched out to the new one.
It’s just 6.5 degrees, right?
MT: Yeah. Very low loft, yeah.
What kind of ball speed do you have with that these days?
MT: Like high 170’s.
Yeah, that’ll work. And then a 2-iron blade? We’re seeing fewer and fewer of those out here.
MT: Yeah. The butter knife.
Very cool thing to have in the bag. Have you done any testing with driving irons?
MT: Yeah, I used to have a thicker one, but it was a little offset, and I never hit it that well. And then finally, I started messing around with the butter knife. And I remember the first time I looked down at it, I was terrified. And then I ended up getting used to it, putting it in play, and it’s been in place since. It’s a pretty good club for me.
How far do you carry that?
MT: Like 235.
A good little wind club, I’m sure.
MTL Yeah, exactly. I can hit it very low. It’s great.
I love it. You have people shook looking at that. Thanks for the time, man.
MT: Absolutely.
To see more photos and discussion of Trainer’s bag, click here.
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Lou Cesarek
Jul 17, 2017 at 8:21 pm
Mizuno MX 700 Woods used the same technology
At least 10 years ago.
New. ?
MrPoopoo
Jul 15, 2017 at 5:00 am
Looks like the Orlimar Trip-Metals are going to get a little boost in value on flea-bay.
SKip
Jul 11, 2017 at 5:19 pm
I have Orlimar Trimetals from the 90’s that have Maraging Steel faces. Nothing new here. A lot of JDM clubs have been using maraging steel even way before that.
Dweebly
Jul 11, 2017 at 12:47 pm
Everyone knows that’s all the fantastic new materials are just big standard run of the mill stuff don’t they? My favourite is still the gss Scotty Cameron. How he got people to pay over the odds for bargain basement stainless is marketing genius!
Dave R
Jul 10, 2017 at 11:41 pm
Good looking clubs . Good for ping finally.
I
Jul 10, 2017 at 11:56 am
The photos shows the 9 wood with 23.5, not 25?????
Duke Nookem
Jul 10, 2017 at 9:29 am
Ping continues to make great improvements to its lineup. It lacks the over the top marketing like the other big companies but it’s not needed here. Product speaks for itself. Rumor has it there is an even lighter alloy in the works. 5-10% thinner….