Equipment
Ping G25 Driver, Fairways and Hybrids
G25 Driver
Ping’s new G25 driver will help golfers do what the pros do to get more distance – launch the ball higher and faster with less spin.
Marty Jertson, senior design engineer for Ping, said that engineers moved the center of gravity (CG) substantially lower and further back than the company’s previous model, the G20.
Moving the CG lower and further back helps a golfer in two ways: it increases perimeter weighting, which adds forgiveness to shots hit off-center, and it works to deliver the club at impact with more dynamic loft, creating a higher launch angle.
As a result, most testers went down in loft and saw a 1-mph increase in ball speed with the new model, Jertson said.
Ping’s decision to move the CG lower and further back on the G25 driver is different than the approach of TaylorMade, which has touted moving CG lower and more forward for faster ball speeds and reduced spin.
“The negative of [moving CG] forward is that now your movement of inertia, which is so important in a driver, starts to go down,” Jertson said. “Any time you can pull CG away from the face you’re getting a lot more perimeter weighting.”
Jertson said that the face of the G25 is 2 percent larger than the G20, and has a 10 percent higher heel-to-toe inertia and a 17 percent higher top-to-bottom inertia than its predecessor, making it more forgiving. The G25 will come stock with Ping’s 45.75-inch TFC 189D shaft, a high-balance point model that has allowed engineers to add 1 gram of weight to the head and still maintain the company’s desired swing weight of D3. Jertson used the example of two car crashes to explain why a driver with more head weight can be a good thing for distance.
Charcoal, non-glare matte finish helps with alignment and inspires confidence
“If you got hit by a big truck that’s going 60 mph, it’s going to do a lot more damage than a little car going 62 mph,” he said. “It’s basically the same thing with a driver. We’re trying to maximize momentum, even if it means sacrificing a minor amount of speed.”
Trajectory Tuning allows golfers to add or subtract ½ degree of loft beyond the standard setting
The slightly heavier driver head will be good for golfers who prefer aftermarket shafts as well. Most golfers prefer to have their aftermarket-installed shafts trimmed to a length between 45 and 45.25 inches, which means the increased head weight of the G25 will help them maintain a swing weight closer to D3 with shorter shafts.
Variable-thickness face design delivers a powerful energy transfer for faster ball speeds and greater distances
The G25 drivers will be available in 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 and 12-degree lofts, and are adjustable by 0.5 degrees up or down through the company’s adjustable hosel, which is the same weight and size as the company’s fixed hosels.
Above: Comparison photos of the 2013 Ping G25 Driver and the 2011 Ping G20 Driver.
Above: Comparison photos of the 2013 Ping G25 Driver and the 2011 Ping G20 Driver.
The TFC 189D stock shafts will be offered in Soft R, R, S, Tour Stiff and Tour X-Stiff flexes. The MSRP will be $385. The G25 Driver and the rest of the G25 lineup will hit shelves Feb. 14, with pre-ordering starting today.
Above: Comparison photos of the 2013 Ping G25 Driver and the 2011 Ping G20 Driver.
G25 Fairway Woods
For the Ping’s newest fairway wood, the G25, the company wanted to create a club with a higher launch, higher ball speed and more forgiveness than the G20.
To do this, engineers removed weight from the perimeter of the faces, creating a higher-rebound area that results in faster ball speeds on all hits. The trimmed weight was then moved low and deep in the head, increasing launch angle and providing more forgiveness, especially on shots hit low on the face where most mishits with fairway woods occur.
The new fairway woods will offer a similar amount of spin as the G20 fairway woods, keeping the clubs playable from a variety of surfaces. Jertson said golfers upgrading to the new model should expect to see between 0.5 and 1 mph of increased ball speed.
Comparison photos of the 2013 Ping G25 fw and the 2011 Ping G20 fw
Comparison photos of the 2013 Ping G25 fw and the 2011 Ping G20 fw
G25 fairway woods will be available in 3 (15 degrees), 4 (16.5 degrees), 5 (18 degrees) and 7 (21 degrees) with Ping’s TFC 189F stock shaft. Unlike the 189D shaft in the G25 driver, the 189F shaft has a standard balance point. It will come in Soft R, R, S, Tour-Stiff and Tour X-Stiff flexes). The MSRP is $255. Additional specs are available below:
G25 Hybrids
Above: The G25 hybrids have a traditional hybrid look that is much more on trend in the market place than the G20, which looked more like a driving iron.
Each of the new hybrids, which are available is 17, 20, 23, 27 and 31 degrees, was engineered to have a specific center of gravity that helps to create the ideal ball flight. In the low-lofted hybrids, the CG is positioned low and deep to help golfers launch the ball higher and with more spin than their iron equivalents, resulting in more playability and a greater carry distances.
But Ping’s higher-lofted hybrids (23 degrees or more) had a tendency to spin too much for most players in the past, leading to shorter carry distances and less control in windy conditions. That’s why the CG of the 23, 27 and 30-degree hybrids creep forward to help golfers reduce spin.
The G25 hybrids also feature a generous amount of camber and sole relief for playability from different surfaces. They’re available with Ping’s TFC 189H stock shaft in Soft R, R, S, Tour-Stiff and Tour X-Stiff flexes. The MSRP is $220.
Additional specs are available below:
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- Steve Stricker WITB accurate as of the Zurich Classic. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees, C4 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Motore Speeder VC 7.2 X
3-wood: Titleist 915F (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist 816 H1 (17 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Motore Speeder VC 9.2 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (3, 4), Titleist T100 (5-9)
Shafts: Project X 6.5
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 (46-10F @55), Titleist Vokey SM10 (54-10S @53), Titleist Vokey SM4 (60 @59)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 w/Sensicore
Putter: Odyssey White Hot No. 2
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Grip Rite
Check out more in-hand photos of Steve Stricker’s clubs here.
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- Alex Fitzpatrick what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X
Hybrid: Ping G430 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 10 TX
Irons: Ping iCrossover (2), Titleist T100 (4-PW)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 9 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 X (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (50-12F, 56-12D, 60-08M)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 X
Putter: Bettinardi SS16 Dass
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Alex Fitzpatrick’s clubs here.
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In our forums, our members have been discussing Mini-Drivers and accompanying shafts. WRXer ‘JamesFisher1990’ is about to purchase a BRNR Mini and is torn on what shaft weight to use, and our members have been sharing their thoughts and set ups in our forum.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- PARETO: “New BRNR at 13.5. Took it over to TXG (Club Champ but TXG will always rule) in Calgary for a fit. Took the head down to 12, stuck in a Graphite Design AD at 3 wood length and 60g. Presto- numbers that rivaled my G430Max but with waaaaay tighter dispersion. Win.”
- driveandputtmachine: “Still playing a MIni 300. The head was only 208, so I ordered a heavier weight and play it at 3 wood length. I am playing a Ventus Red 70. I play 70 grams in my fairways. I use it mainly to hit draws off the tee. When I combine me, a driver, and trying to hit a draw it does not work out well most of the time. So the MIni is for that. As an aside, I have not hit the newest BRNR, but the previous model wasn’t great off the deck. The 300 Mini is very good off the deck.”
- JAM01: “Ok, just put the BRNR in the bag along side a QI10 max and a QI10 3 wood. A load of top end redundancy. But, I have several holes at my two home courses where the flight and accuracy of the mini driver helps immensely. Mine is stock Proforce 65 at 13.5, I could see a heavier shaft, but to normal flex, as a nice alternative.”
Entire Thread: “What’s the perfect Mini-Driver/Shaft combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”
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Steve Stricker WITB accurate as of the Zurich Classic. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees, C4...
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Alex Fitzpatrick what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura...
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Ping Tool
Sep 23, 2016 at 1:31 am
It’s a ?ity you ?on’t have a donate ?utt?n! ?’d certainly donate to this fantastic bl?g!
I gguess f?r now i’ll settle foor book-marking and ade?ng your RS? feed to
my Google account. I look forward to fresh ?pdates and will
share ths site with mmy Facebook group. Talk soon!
gbyrd12
Jun 17, 2013 at 8:24 pm
I just recently completed a “driver fitting”. Going in I had no particular brand name as a preference. I tried all of the top brands and even some of the lesser known brands. During the process of elimination I kept coming back to the Ping G25. The G25 felt good, looked great, and performed amazingly! I almost had to try to hit a bad drive. The balance of the driver (stiff shaft option) was just perfect. I could “feel” the head of the club throughout the swing. The lower portion of the shaft and the club head felt like butter going through the ball. I increased my club head speed by 2-5mph because I was able to go at the ball without fear of missing (my normal miss is a hook, which is what brought me to the driver fitting).
To confirm my choice I asked my fitting instructor to let me borrow the driver for a round of golf I had planned for the next day. I took the driver out on the course and was more impressed. I was hitting the ball straight with a mid trajectory and plenty of carry. I reached one par 5 in two and had a putt for eagle, on a hole that I would previously never hit a driver because it is so narrow. I can’t wait until my driver comes in next week! BTW – I am replacing the Callaway XHOT.
My last experience with any of the PING products was many years ago when they had the various colored dots on their irons. I couldn’t hit any of the dots and as a result never looked at their products again. I am really glad I tried PING this time.
Garry…
Frank Garrett
Nov 4, 2013 at 8:43 pm
Yea playin those front tees really help to reach in two also what helps is when you don’t count the penalty strokes and play don’t count till you like it
metrybill
Jun 10, 2013 at 6:00 pm
Hybrids:
I play and love the earlier model Adams Idea Pro hybrids, Aldila blue ByYou Proto S shafts. Looking to upgrade but not “bound and determined.” Looking at the two new Adams hybrids (9031 and DHY(not sure of the model name)) and the Ping Anser and G25. I like the iron-hybrid, low to none-offset style. Any suggestions or comparisons?
Thanks, metrybill
karl
May 15, 2013 at 1:56 pm
The biggest change that I noticed for ping’s g25 series is a reduction in shaft choices.
In the g25 the standard shaft is a # 189 in a stiff flex it is 4.8* torque and 58 grams. The only optional “stock” shaft is a #80 for ladies and seniors.
In the g20 series the stock shaft was a #169 4.9* torque in stiff flex and 52 grams of weight. But, there was also the “stock” no extra cost # 169 tour shaft with only 3.9* of torque in a stiff flex and weight of 63 grams.
I have been quite happy with a g20 Driver, 4 wood and 7 wood in the 169 tour regular flex shaft. The 4.6* of torque in my regular flex driver is les than the torque of a stiff flex g25.
randyeagle
May 24, 2014 at 9:16 am
So I purchased the g25 driver, with a stock x-stiff shaft(I have a 112mph C.H. speed on my driver). I have about 10 games played and already broke 2 shafts, I have never broken a shaft before. I am a 4 hdc, and do not take a divot with my driver lol. Has anybody else had this problem. I ordered a Aldila shaft and can’t wait to see If I got a good match. Any suggestions on shaft specs for it?
qpaovpkabcve
Mar 28, 2013 at 7:19 pm
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rahrah
Jan 28, 2013 at 11:39 pm
I’m so tired of all these ” Adjustable lie” Adjustable face angle ” blah blah blah,,,Just practice , practice,practice, get a couple lessons and use a “normal ” driver!!!!! works for me>>>>>
Frank Garrett
Nov 4, 2013 at 8:46 pm
It’s funny that you’re sick of it but yet you still seek it out by looking at this stuff when YOU should be practicing practicing practicing
Larry testa
Aug 25, 2014 at 12:33 pm
Frank, why the negativity? You need a hug dude.
GolfDose
Jan 15, 2013 at 8:25 am
The G25s are going to be quite something in 2013. I really want to compare the driver to my RBZ Tour.
FCM
Jan 13, 2013 at 5:51 pm
It looks sweet! I have the Anser and I can’t wait to compare the two. Good observation on the face angle Joe G. I was wondering the same thing when I saw some online videos and nobody commented on it. I have to assume it will be same as the Anser.
Enno
Jan 9, 2013 at 8:03 am
Decreasing loft => opens face and vice versa. See the G25 driver video where that is stated by the presenter.
dj
Jan 4, 2013 at 11:45 am
I’ve been a TM guy for 10 years and for the first time, I’m more interested in another OEM driver setup. I buy into the technical explanations by the engineers at PING and can’t wait to have this compete for a spot in my golf bag. And let me add that this driver looks great.
Johnny D
Jan 3, 2013 at 3:11 pm
I’m looking forward to seeing and swinging this new G25 line. I liked the G20 but prefered the I20 over the G series. That said there might be enough change between the G20 and the G25 to make a real difference.
Joe Golfer
Jan 2, 2013 at 11:49 pm
I like the counterbalanced shaft, as I’ve used a Harmon Tour Design counterbalanced shaft in driver and liked it. Ping’s stock shafts are often better than some of those aftermarket shafts that say “designed exclusively for ‘fill in brandname here'”. Also, making the new hosel about the same weight as standard is a big plus, as earlier adjustable hosels on other brands are much heavier, causing problems.
The loft adjustability is minimal, as one can change it only 1/2 degree up or down. And no statement as to how this affects the face angle, closed or open when a change is made.
I’ve seen other photos than these, and the crown seems to slope downwards from front to back much more than the prior model, so I’m guessing you’re likely to get a higher ball flight than you’d expect.
Troy
Jan 2, 2013 at 10:13 am
Wow, the woods look awesome! Clean looks, not too deep a face. I wonder how hte ball flight is?