We Tried It: Ping G20 Series

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Without question, PING is considered a pioneering force in golf-equipment design. Known initially for putters, the company revolutionized the way the game was played with its introduction of the game\'s most playable Ping G20 Driver with TFC169 Tour Shaft
type: the cast cavity-back iron.

Today, the legacy of Karsten Solheim continues, with not only new putter and iron innovations, but also an equally dedicated approach to how the company develops new drivers, fairway woods and hybrid clubs.

PING G20 SERIES DRIVER
G20 Driver
9.5-degree loft
45.75-inch, PING TFC 169D Graphite Shaft
INITIAL RESPONSE:
Not only does the new Ping G20 Driver with TFC169 Tour Shaft
feel light (despite a head weight around 7 grams heavier than the G15), but the paint job is a few shades lighter with a silvery gray finish that does a great job at absorbing glare and reflections. We tested this driver with a 45.75-inch shaft, making this driver feel as though it was designed to swing fast. Couple that with the elongated clubface, and you couldn\'t have a more confidence-inspiring look at address.

PERFORMANCE:
Here at Golf Tips, we purposefully use \"real-world\" testing without robotic data and such, all in an effort to give you a real hands-on review of what we try. In the case of the G20 driver, we found that like Ping\'s earlier game-improvement driver, the G15, the G20 is primed for extreme distance and forgiveness. Using an external weight system (with much of it applied low and away from the clubface), the G20 produces a high ballflight—so high that even we were surprised with the height the ball soared. Nevertheless, that\'s not a bad thing, since the driver also produces a relatively low spin rate (which frankly, is contingent on how one swings the club). Shots hit on the toe and heel favored well, with minimal loss of distance and control. Despite the Ping G20 Driver with TFC169 Tour Shaft
being long and straight, we actually found the club to present itself as a viable anti-slice driver, since most of our drives produced a high, right-to-left trajectory. In other words, we couldn\'t slice it, which also meant we struggled to \"work\" the golf ball and hit fades or even lower tee shots. Instead, we had to accept hitting high, drawing bombs all the time…pity for us, eh?

EVALUATION:
A great driver, especially for moderate swing speeds and for golfers who want arguably, the most forgiving and longest driver PING has ever made. Better players however, may find the Ping G20 Driver with TFC169 Tour Shaft
to produce too much draw bias and too high a trajectory, but again, with such consistency and power, being unable to maneuver the ball is a moot detail considering how powerful this driver actually is. Maybe next time we\'ll try the Tour shaft.