Ping G25 Driver Review

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Golf Drivers Test 2013

All the team loved the matt black finish. Chris, our highest handicapper, could barely miss with this club and quickly declared the G25 his favourite on test. He hit his longest drive of the day by more than 25 yards and his dispersion, though left of target, was extremely consistent. Low-launching Kit had no problem getting his ball in the air and keeping it there with a dispersion of just eight yards.

Both Joel and James struggled to achieve the expected distance, perhaps due to increased spin numbers on the launch monitor, while Graeme’s dispersion of just six yards also exceeded his expectations. All the testers praised the club’s forgiveness, saying that curvature was lower than expected on off-centre strikes and distance barely affected. They all noted how good Ping are at custom fitting, too.

First Hit – Jonathan Greathead 10 hcap

Pros: The G25 clubhead is enormous – which builds confidence. Though the G20 hasn’t been out of my bag much in the last 18 months, the G25’s forgiveness gives it an edge. That matt charcoal finish oozes class, too.
Cons: There’s a bit of a price jump from the G20 to the G25 (£255-£299), but this can be attributed to the cost of materials as well as the adjustability that has been incorporated.

Ping's G-series has been among the most successful gear franchises in recent years. Forgiveness, distance and ease-of-use were all key watchwords, and that’s all evident in the latest incarnation – G25.

The family is headed by Ping’s first adjustable 'G' driver that has already been put in play by Bubba Watson and Hunter Mahan. It features the same three-way adjustability as the Anser driver, but is a higher-launching, higher-spinning driver with greater forgiveness.

The G25, somewhat unbelievably, features a larger profile (more elongated from the front to back) than the G20, so there really are very few excuses for not getting the ball off the tee given this forgiving nature of the head.

The familiar Ping alignment aid remains, but it’s subtle enough that it won’t irritate better players. And at a time when many manufacturers are making their drivers in many different colours, Ping has gone for a lovely, matt charcoal finish which adds a touch of class to the look.

Like its G20 predecessor, the 460cc head is cast from a strong, light titanium alloy. The G25 has a larger face than the G20, a lower and deeper centre of gravity, and the more elongated head we have already mentioned. These design features result in higher-launching shots that spin less, a higher MOI and more forgiveness.

Ping first entered the world of driver adjustability with the Anser last summer. That system has been incorporated into the G25. It comes in four lofts (8.5˚, 9.5˚, 10.5˚ and 12˚) and each loft can be adjusted by plus or minus 0.5˚. Ping made an effort to keep the adjustable hosel from being a distraction by keeping it the same diameter and mass as hosels on Ping’s non-adjustable drivers.

The high-balance-point shaft has been developed specifically for the G25. Ping say the shaft creates more clubhead momentum at impact, leading to greater ball velocity and forgiveness.

According to the company, the G25 positions the centre of gravity lower and further back than any Ping driver in the company’s history, and boasts a moment of inertia measurement which is 10 per cent higher than the G20.

The G25 benefits from an ultra-thin crown and body made of 8-1-1 titanium and a variable-thickness 6-4 titanium face insert – these result in improved ball speeds on off-centre hits. There have also been structural reinforcements in the crown, sole and skirt, providing a more solid feel and sound.

Contact: www.ping.com