Ping G400 LST Driver Review
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At a glance
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What we say...
Ping’s G400 LST Driver is a low spin model custom-engineered with a tungsten weight, a T9S+ forged face, a combined MOI over 9000 and a deep CG to increase speed and distance while promoting forgiveness and accuracy.
Ping G400 LST Driver:
You need to know
All the same aerodynamic and ball speed performance gains as the standard G400 driver but thanks to moving mass forward backspin is lowered by 300rpm. Ping say the tech promotes a slightly lower ball flight, with stable and controllable spin which is particularly well suited to high swing speed players.
Everything you need to know about driver shaft weight. And why it’s now more important than flex.
Ping G400 LST Driver: We say
We’ve said for a few years how Ping’s driver set up is very clever. They were the first to stick their marker in the sand and say different golfers need different set ups, not just a-one-size fits all sliding weight solution. Callaway have taken a similar approach for 2018 with Rogue (standard, Draw and a low spinning Sub Zero).
Think about it, having no weight tracks means no wasted weight where you don’t want it, and maximum mass to position to influence either cutting spin, improving MOI and stability or to create a draw bias. We’ve seen the LST work before in Ping’s previous G driver and it does the same in the G400. Our test pro (who’s suited to lower spin drivers) found the LST cut backspin by close to 500rpm, lowered launch by 0.5deg and added 5 yards of carry distance, over the standard G400.
Old vs New Driver Review: G400 Max vs G30 vs G20 vs G10
Ping G400 LST Driver: Verdict
Even though the G400 LST has been on sale for two years it’s still one of the best Ping drivers (the launch of Ping’s new G410 LST won’t happen until May or June). But to be honest our test pro saw excellent numbers comparing this two-year-old model to the very best drivers of 2019. And because it doesn’t tie up mass in creating weight tracks there’s minimum impact on this driver’s fairway-finding performance. Right now it looks like an excellent value option, too.
See our Best 2018 Driver Test here
Ping G400 LST Driver Review: 6 things you need to know about the Ping G400 LST driver
➤ The sound
Ping’s engineers reckon a bad-sounding driver shares some similar sound frequencies with a crying baby. They’ve specifically tuned the Ping G400 drivers to generate some of the same sound frequencies as a luxury car door closing. One of their tour players said it even sounds a bit like a persimmon driver.
Marty Jertson, director of product development at Ping, says “It has a beautiful impact sound, it’s very rewarding to the player. We’ve studied music theory in the development of how we improved our sound and we’ve really advanced our tools, our ability to simulate the sound on the computer which allowed us to make a more rigid architecture in the sole”
➤ Tungsten Weights
There is a higher-density back weight in the Ping G400 LST driver which creates extreme MOI to elevate forgiveness and accuracy while allowing you to customize your swing weight. You can fine-tune launch conditions by adjusting loft up to +-1º
➤ Dragonfly Technology
Dragonfly Technology creates an ultra-thin crown and skirt for weight savings to optimize the CG location and dramatically increase MOI for greater forgiveness and accuracy.
➤ Ping G400 LST driver review: Aerodynamics & Faster Shape
Ping says “everyone wins from aerodynamics,” so it’s no wonder they’ve committed some serious time to making the G400 LST’s aerodynamics and turbulators better. More pronounced turbulators increase air flow efficiency and head speed and there’s a new “infinity edge crown” to give a cleaner look at address.
This streamlined shaping harmonizes with bolder turbulators and Vortec Technology to reduce drag 40% mid-downswing and 15% overall to increase clubhead speed and ball velocity for added distance with stability.
Why we use a Foresight GC Quad launch monitor
➤ Ping G400 LST driver review: New Face Material
Ping’s metal boffins have as obviously done their homework as a new grain of titanium (T9S+) has been used to create the clubface. Not only is it thinner and lighter, which frees up more weight to locate to improve forgiveness, it’s also 20% more flexible than the previous Ping G driver.
Jertson says: “We’ve upgraded our manufacturing technique for the face. We’re taking T9S and turning it in to T9S+ through a forging process which upgrades the melargy to make it stronger and more flexible.”
“We also fully machined the outside of the face and we also engineered a surface texture which gives the face more friction so that the ball complies more with the face during the impact interval, which allows us to get spin reduction.”
➤ Ping G400 Driver LST Review: New Alta CB 55 Shaft
Counter-balancing means the Alta positions more weight closer to the head and under the hands with the Ping G400 LST driver. Ping say it gives more momentum at impact helping increase ball speed and carry distance. It also has a clever new paintjob; it’s copper-coloured when you hold it out in front of you, but turns black when you put the club down at address.
Marty Jertson says, “It has an amazing proprietary shaft design. We remove material in the design process from the tip section, placing more mass closer to your hands so that lightens the feel of the driver sensation so then we can add more mass to the club head to get more distance and accuracy combined.”
“It has colour shifting technology, so when you put the shaft in the playing position, the shaft turns dark so it almost disappears in the playing position and your mind’s eye can really focus on the club head and making perfect contact.”
