PING G400 Series: Part 1 – Drivers and Irons
The latest generation of PING clubs is here. The G400 series (consisting of Drivers, Fairways, Hybrids, Crossover Irons, and Irons) is in the hands of Tour players and will begin shipping to the public later in July (Drivers and Irons) and mid-August (Fairways, Hybrids, Crossovers). Given the staggered release schedule we are going to talk about the Drivers and Irons in this post and the Fairways, Hybrids, and Crossovers in our next one (Click here to read about the Fairways, Hybrids, and Crossover Irons).
The first thing that will stand out about the G400 Driver is the size. Traditionally, the larger the head of the driver is the more forgiving the club will be on mishits. As such, virtually every company builds their drivers right to 460 cubic centimeters, which is the limit imposed by the USGA. The G400, however, comes in at only 445 cc’s yet is nonetheless more forgiving than PING’s previous models. This is possible because PING has saved significant weight from the head of the club by extending its Dragonfly technology (the structural design of the crown that allows material to be removed without sacrificing strength, based on the wing of a dragonfly, see photo below) first used in the G series all the way to the back edge of the club. The saved weight is then redistributed in the form of precisely located Tungsten weights to improve the MOI (moment of inertia, a measure of forgiveness) and lower the CG, resulting in a higher launching and more forgiving club. PING also focused on the aerodynamics of the G400 Driver in order to maximize the speed at which the club can travel, especially when the club head is open during the downswing, resulting in 15% less drag than the G Driver.
The G400 Driver comes in 3 different models: Standard, LST (Low-Spin), and SFT (Straight-Flight). Most players will end up in the standard model but for those who need help eliminating a left to right (for right handed players) shot shape could opt for the SFT model and players looking for a bit less spin might choose the LST. The stock shaft is the Alta CB 55 (which includes a new “living finish” where the shaft appears black at address but takes on a copper colour the rest of the time) but PING Tour Shafts are available for a $50 upcharge as well as other aftermarket shafts at various costs.
Read more at PING.com and check out the spec charts, videos, and photos below.
G400/LST/SFT Driver – $590/$640 (Tour Shaft)