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Pros: Solid feeling, great sounding, longer and straighter in testing Cons: Color of the stock shaft is boring. Goes to straight and some find difficult to work Bottom Line: It was really tough for us to find negatives, the G10 has found a firm home in the testers bag. With solid performance, and feel, its biggest drawback may be the difficulty it presents to highly skilled players who love to work the ball. With a driver how much more could someone ask for?

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GolfWRX Editors' Review

Ping G10 Driver Review
By Site Administrator

Ping golf clubs have become immensely popular among all skill levels of golfers.

Perhaps no other brand has had as rich a history of combining forgiveness and performance. When Karsten Soleheim introduced his innovative perimeter weighted designs, the golfing world was rocked to its core and golf club technology reached a new level. With the introduction of the Ping G2 driver in 2003, Ping made a tremendous move to improve the performance of their drivers while still satisfying players who desired a more traditional shape and feel. Now in 2007, the latest version of Ping’s all titanium driver, the G10 has been introduced to the market to sit along side its composite brother, the Rapture. Just how well does the G10 rate compared to some of the other drivers on the market?

Technology

Cosmetically there is very little separating the G10 from its predecessors, the G2 and G5 drivers. However, some major tweaks in construction and design have gone into the new G10 compared to the G5. One major area where Ping has worked to improver performance is in the club’s weight distribution. Selective areas of the club’s crown have been made with thinner material to allow Ping engineers greater discretionary weight to move down low and further back in the club. The overall effect is increased launch, lower spin, and higher moment of inertia – the trinity of golf club performance.

Additionally, Ping has also tweaked the overall geometry of the club so the face is deeper. A deeper face allows for a larger hitting area and greater ball speed on miss hits. The face of the club features variable thickness technology to maximize ball speed. But the G10 takes it one step further by combining the design of the sole, crown, and face to provide minimal energy loss. Ping also has a draw version of the G10 which features heel biased internal weighting and a hosel moved forward in relation to the face to help promote a right to left ball flight.

To complement the G10, Ping has also released an updated shaft, the TFC 129 which was designed to fit a wide variety of players and features progressively increasing weight decreasing torque to fit players from R, S, to X flex.

Aesthetics

Ping has come a long way in driver design since the old TiSI. The G10 fits in nicely alongside any other driver in the market with its perfect looks. The dark, glossy black paint is very pleasing. The deep face combined with the dark paint gives the club head a much smaller appearance than some of the other 460cc drivers on the market. The club has a short hosel and it combines with a very square face angle that better players naturally gravitate toward. The sole is a polished chrome finish with orange accents that will definitely stand out, but none of which is visible at all from address.

One aspect of the club which has divided users in the past centers around the crescent moon alignment aid that began in the G2. Many traditional players disliked the crescent alignment aid, enough so that many Ping drivers on Tour were painted without it. This has been addressed in the G10 in a very impressive way that might satisfy all players. The crescent alignment aid is still there, but Ping has made it incredibly faint. So faint that users who have avoided the G2 and G5 in the past will easily be able to ignore it, while it is still visible for those who prefer it. The orange color theme extends into the shaft which is a light copper color and has some subtle Ping graphics near the grip.

Performance

If I could only use one word to sum up the G10’s performance solid would be it. The feel, sound, and performance is simply as solid as any driver on the market. The sound at impact is a low, muted "whack" which I find very pleasing compared to the trend of high pitched sounds most drivers seem to make these days which feel more like hitting a golf ball with an aluminum can than a golf club. Also, many players will appreciate the lively feel the ball has off the face. Ask anyone who’s used a G10 and they’ll describe feeling as though the face of the club rebounds as the ball rockets off at impact. Even the most ardent traditionalists will be able to appreciate the G10’s feel. If you have the opportunity to demo a G10, I’d encourage you to do so, it is a driver that feels incredibly solid.

Fitting will be a very important consideration for anyone interested in the G10. I am not a golfer who struggles with controlling high launch spin; but even I found that the G10 launches very high for its loft.  I would strongly suggest testing this club on a launch monitor before buying because it’s likely you may move into a degree less loft than other drivers on the market due to the club’s high launch. Although the club did seem to spin a bit more for me, it definitely did not balloon in the wind, the spin rate was more than acceptable. Some of this might be due to the softer tip shaft, but with Ping’s custom fitting program, it is very worthwhile to spend the time getting fit at a Ping retailer. Also, be aware that the club comes stock at 45.75" which is 3/4 of an inch longer than most other drivers on the market. Ping Golf’s WRX department has a fantastic selection of customizable shafts and grips so if there is a specific shaft or club spec that fits you, chances are very good you can get it through Ping’s WRX custom program.

The stock TFC-129 shaft is also worthy of mention. Stock shafts have received a reputation for being an overly soft and inconsistent. The TFC on the contrary is an excellent performing option, for people who fit into a soft tip bend profile. The shaft is smooth with a very perceptible kick, but it still retains quite a bit of control even on harder swings. It is a higher launching option and as a result should increase spin slightly as well. For those who desire a different bend profile, the stiff tip Grafalloy ProLaunch Red and UST Proforce V2 High Launch will also be available.

One of the most impressive features of the G10 is its forgiveness. Whether shots are struck towards the toe, or heel, they simply want to go straight. Even moderate miss hits do not lose much ball speed at all. However, this forgiveness means the G10 is not likely to be the best choice for players who love to shape their shots. I have found that the G10 just wants to go straight. Hit it on the heel and it’s more of a push than a cut, hit it towards the toe and it’s a slight pull rather than a draw. Common convention holds that a longer than normal club is typically much harder to control. However, due to the great ball speed and ample forgiveness, I don’t feel that the extra length hurt my game that much. Also, the increased ball speed could very well be due to the longer shaft. Either way, it all seems to combine together to work very well in the G10.

Conclusion

In the end, the question that seems to arise most often is whether the G10 is worth upgrading from their previous models. I can tell you for a fact that even though the G10 may seem to only have minor differences over previous models, the minor changes in weight distribution and construction have combined to form a driver that is a major improvement in ball speed and forgiveness. It was really tough for me to find negatives, the G10 has found a firm home in my bag. With solid performance, and feel, its biggest drawback may be the difficulty it presents to highly skilled players who love to work the ball. With a driver how much more could someone ask for?

Product Description

User Reviews

Average user rating:	Create your own review
(15 reviews)

Showing 3 of 15 user reviews

User Reviews (15)

  by geeza_1 on August 27, 2009

Pros:
Appearance at address Forgiveness Sound Distance

Cons:
None I can think of

Rating:
The G2 was my first Ping driver when it was launched. I got it from the WRX dept. fitted with a Speeder 757 stiff, which at that time (and still to a certain extent) was the best driver shaft I had ever played. I have since dabbled with many drivers, most notably the Bridgestone J33r 460 and the Geek DCT. However, neither of these offer the full package that the G10 offers. This driver is my best ever!

 

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.

  by dmeyer_06333 on August 27, 2009

Pros:
Good distance, large sweet spot, fairway finder, good shaft alternatives/no upcharge (PL Red, V2HL)

Cons:
Stock grip so-so

Rating:
I hit this deeper than others I've owned/tried; but it's forgiving too. Obviously you need the right shaft / loft.

 

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.

  by ProjectX on August 28, 2009

Pros:
This club is just as long as anything else out there and inspires confidence at address.

Cons:
Occasional lack of feel and funky alignment aid.

Rating:
Overall I would say this is a great driver. The results are what matters and that is where this driver thrives. The alignment aid does take time to get used to, but once you do you barely notice it. My only complaint is the occasional lack of feel. Sometimes there is no response from the head on impact, but the ball goes long and straight anyways. For the current price tag I don't think you can find anything better out there.

 

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.

  by Hifade on August 30, 2009

Pros:
Long, straight and forgiving

Cons:
Pick one that sets square to open for best results

Rating:
5 stars....gamed it since it came out until just recently

 

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.

  by superwhite on September 16, 2009

Pros:

clean look and very accurate

Cons:

none, i love this driver

Rating:

 

what else can i say, i am in love with this driver, re-shafted it to use a Fubuki and couldnt be happier

 

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.

  by dmeyer_06333 on September 27, 2009

Pros:

Good forgiveness especially off the toe;  good distance too

Cons:

Grip can get slick when wet; stock length 45.75" probably too long for many to control

Rating:

For my swing Ping drivers have always been the best for both consistency and distance.  Have had a G10 for a year.   Started with a 9* V2HL but eventually traded it for a 10.5* TFC shaft for a little better trajectory.  Considered several Callaway drivers when purchasing but found G10 better than all (FT-i, FT-5, Big Bertha, FT-9). 

Shortened length to 44" for better control, the standard 45.75" too long for me.  Though you can order it shorter with no upcharge, Ping is typically unwilling to do anything to maintain swingweight.  They will do it for their irons I wish Ping offered that for drivers.  

 

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.

  by jules77 on October 07, 2009

Pros:

If you are a fan of the deep face, pear shaped driver head this is your dream!  I have been seeking a replacement for my 400 for a couple years now and one try with the shaft and we have a winner!  Straight and LONG plus pretty workable.  Thanks for being the only company offering a 7.5 degree for me!  Nice looking moon too!

Cons:

It would be nice if it actually was lofted at the marked loft, mine is 7.5 but us actually a 8.3.  Stock shaft is awful weak  flex wise but thats pretty typical these days. 

Rating:

A+++ what else can you say?

 

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.

  by clevelandgolf00 on October 23, 2009

Pros:

looooonnnnnggggg,forgiving, accurate,straight, not much more i could ask for

Cons:

not really any major cons,not a fan of the stock tfc i guess.

Rating:

This is a very very nice driver. I got it as my first full size mens driver a year after I started playing golf and it is now the most consistent club in my bag. After a year with it i re-shafted it due to balloning issues. 15 yards longer and averaging two more fairways a round. Bottom line a great driver for a beginer or if your a long baller throw a low spin shaft in there and it's a cannon.

 

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.

  by ste1010 on November 17, 2009

Pros:

Very forgiving club especially on heel and toe hits. Lovely soft feel.

Cons:

I find the 45.75" shaft a bit too long for me. Cut to 45 its great.

Rating:

I find this a great forgiving club. Hit dead centre the club flies with a great buttery feeling. For me the standard shaft at 45.75 inches is slightly too long. Cut to 45" and the swing weight brought back up I find this perfect.

Looks great at address. Ball flight with the TFC129 shaft is perfect, doesn't balloon, even though its a 12 degree head.

Overall a great club for a mid handicapper

 

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.

  by mosesgolf on November 17, 2009

Pros:

Forgiving and long.  High launch low spin

Cons:

draw biased

Rating:

This is an extremely long driver but I found this driver to have a draw bias which doesn't work for me.  Tried w/ the 73x whiteboard and the x stiff stock TFC shaft.  Long but not straight for me.

 

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.

  by gandor on November 17, 2009

Pros:

its long, feels great and sound great. classic head shape

Cons:

none

Rating:

 i have nothing to say bad about this driver. its great even with the stock shaft. Its long and feels/sounds great.

 

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.

  by dlygrisse on November 17, 2009

Pros:

This driver performs as advertised, straight with a nice launch angle. 

Cons:

 this club resists fading but does go very straight. 

Rating:

These can be picked up at a good price right now and I dont think anything will out perform it for the price, highly reccommeded. 

 

 I consistently hit med high draws with this club, very forgiving as well.  The look is great love the shape and it sets pretty square which I like.  I dont have a problem with is snap hooking either, just a problem hitting a fade on demand. 

 

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.

  by SCFgolfs on November 17, 2009

Pros:

Set up nice, Pleasing traditional shape,  Solid feel, workable 

Cons:

Chinsy stock shaft, sorta ugly color, not that long 

Rating:

I've hit a 9*  G10 with several different shafts and it performed fairly well for me.  Was easy to hit- slightly draw biased, but not overly biased.  I like the look at address, it's confidence inspiring, and it has a nice solid feel/sound at impact.  Maybe not the hottest or lowest spinning head out, but I hit it plenty straight and long, and I'd rate it in the top 10% of new drivers overall.  

 

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.

  by meades on December 03, 2009

Pros:

Solid, Forgiving and Long

Cons:

Sound is slightly louder than I's like.

Rating:

Nice mix of power and forgivness. My Driver is a 9 degree loft, standard length with blueboard x-flex shaft. Replaced my Cally BB 415 this year after five years in the bag. I could not be happier.

 

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.

  by Guest on March 08, 2010

Pros:

Setup, appearance, performance, sound, predictability, distance, are all the best!

Cons:

Minor nit pick. I'm not in love with the orange color scheme.

Rating:

I'm using a Ping 10* draw with stock regular flex shaft. This club has eliminated the right side of the fairway for me. I've got a fade/slice whenever I "go after it" with most any driver I use. Out of the 15+/- drivers I own, this is the only one I can depend on with every drive. I have found my driver for this season and who knows, maybe next season too.

I will definitely use some of my other drivers cause that's why I bought them, but, I'll definitely be thinning out the herd and par them down to maybe 5 drivers. That will make the wife really happy.

I've never hit the G15 or I15 and almost afraid to, but who knows, if the time presents itself I just may do it.

This club has all the distance I've been missing since last season and maybe + 5 yds :)

 

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.