Another Winner from Ping
Written: Sep 16 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Solid feel, and clean look
Cons: No loft lower than 9.0 degrees
The Bottom Line: A very solid driver for players of all skill levels.
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| lmh3's Full Review: Ping G-15 Driver |
Ping has been gaining steam in the driver category since the G2 driver made it's debut. The G15 carries forward on the same platform as the G2 with several improvements that have been developed through work with their tour staff and club professionals.
The G15 driver is the more forgiving, player friendly model of the two new drivers that Ping has released this year. Utilizing Ping's ultra thin crown technology, the discretionary weight that was saved has been moved to a weight pad in the sole of the driver which pulls the center of gravity lower and deeper in the head. This combined with the longer front to back dimension of the head combine to increase the moment of inertia (club's ability to resist twisting) on two axes for added stability and forgiveness on both heel and toe misses as well as high and low on the face misses. The face of the G15 is larger than the G10, this increases the effective hitting area for improved distance across the face of the club. The G15 club head is five grams heavier than the previous models which yields higher initial ball speeds as well as helping to increase the moment of inertia even further.
There are two shafts available stock in the G15 driver, the newly developed TFC 149D Ping shaft that has a higher balance point that has the weight distributed higher in the shaft than previous versions of the TFC shaft, this allows for the added head weight without increasing the swing weight of the club. The TFC 149D is a lighter weight shaft, a trend that has been going on for several years now, the lighter shaft weights are thought to enable the player to generate more club head speed as a result of being able to move a lighter object faster. The torque rates of the TFC shaft are rather high for the more aggressive swings, which could create higher dispersion rates. The Aldila Serrano shaft has a much lower torque rate, this will keep the head from feeling as loose through impact while maintaining the kick through the hitting area.
Initially, I was rather put off by the G15, the head seemed a little too big to my eye. After a few swings, the looks seemed to grow on me, as the shape of the head masks the size. The 45.75" length was also a little odd to me, I play my driver at 44.5", so the G15 plays more than an inch longer than I am accustomed to. The added length is intended to help the player generate more club head speed for increased distance. While longer lengths tend to make a club a bit more difficult to hit solidly, the increased moment of inertia of the head helps to offset the effects of slight misses by limiting the loss of ball speed. The feel of the club at impact was far more solid to me than any of the past Ping drivers that I have tried. The club produces a very traditional sound when hit which is also very appealing to me.
The longer front to back profile and deeper center of gravity do yield a higher launch angle. The lowest loft that is offered is a 9.0 degree head, so a player who tends to hit the ball higher may have to look at the I15 for lower lofts. However, the spin rates that the head generates are very low as well, so you do need to have a higher launch angle to ensure that the ball gets in the air for maximum carry. The lower spin rates make it a bit more difficult to shape shots off of the tee, yet you are able to make small changes in trajectory and ball flight. According to my Ping rep, he has seen as much as a 23 yard increase in total distance versus the G10 in his field testing. I didn't quite see that big of a distance increase, but I definitely noticed that the G15 was putting it out there past the G10 that I tested with a similar loft/shaft combination.
While many players and retailers believe that the G15 is the "higher handicap" version of the two drivers that Ping has released for the upcoming season, it should be said that many of the PGA Tour Ping staff members are using the G15 rather than the "low handicap" I15 head. The G15 is available in a draw biased version with a slight offset for the player who tends to slice the ball, so there is a G15 driver for any skill level out there.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
lmh3
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Location: North Carolina
Reviews written: 235
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About Me:
Adams Golf staff member.
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