PING G20 Driver Review

Doesn’t 2006 seem a long time ago? England were managed by Sven, Gnarls Barkley was topping the charts and there was a bloody great whale swimming down the Thames! It was also the year that PING last failed to win a GOLD Award in our annual TG Test. And following in the victorious footsteps of the G5, G10 and G15 is the G20 in all its muscular, forgiving glory.

We knew this golf driver would do well. Dave C and Jon had both hit it before, and knew just how playable it was but with the likes of TaylorMade and Callaway launching jaw-dropping product recently it was going to be interesting to see if the G20 could deliver another win. Better player James V gave it 5/5 in the subjective categories – he noted the large footprint and said it was very easy to hit. Scott, playing off 20, provided excellent analysis that all game-improvers will long to hear – the G20 looked huge and reassuring. Chris said it delivered solid performance without being overly flashy and stated it was defi nitely up there in terms of feel. We also had to check Ian’s bag before he left in case he snuck off with it because he hit it so well. He admitted he didn’t think he would award anything 5/5 on test but couldn’t fault the feel or forgiveness.

It’s worth pointing out that three of the testers awarded the G20 full marks in Looks, Feel and Forgiveness and the lowest mark anyone gave the club was 4/5. It also delivered when it came to distance and dispersion – not quite top of the tree, but certainly in the upper echelons and that, combined with the subjective ratings, made it a winner.

It’s difficult to criticise a driver that offers great distance, forgiveness and looks but we are going to point out the lack of adjustability. PING still refrain from going down that route and while the G20’s performance more than merits this decision, it would be lovely to think that an adjustable version could deliver even more. But across nine testers of diff ering abilities, the G20 has come out ahead of the rest and is rightfully the Best on Test for 2012. European Tour hotshot Tom Lewis has used one in competition, and we think you should consider one too . One fi nal thing to mention is the price – with an RRP of £255 this off ers superb value.

Looks: 4.4 Feel: 4.5 Forgiveness: 4.7 Distance: 4.5 Dispersion: 4.5

Old vs New Driver Review: G400 Max vs G30 vs G20 vs G10

The fabulous G20 may not feature adjustability, but it’s packed full of technology to help improve your game. An external weight pad optimizes the centre of gravity for a
powerful ball launch, but with low spin which ensures great distance. A high MOI on both
the vertical and horizontal axes on the face mean it’s hard to mishit, so if you’re struggling off the tee, this is the club for you.

Lofts: 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5° & 12°

Web: www.ping.com

Tel: 01427 619 224