Ping has long been associate with their namesake - the loud "pinging" noise their driver makes when it is hit. Our Ping G425 Driver review was constructed to give you all the information you've been hard pressed to find. Is the G425 a viable option? Are you getting a high performance driver or just some marketing scheme? We'll answer these questions and more!
Why Trust Us?
My name is Michael VanDerLaan. I'm the one on the left in the picture above. I have been playing and studying golf since I was a child over 20 years ago. I have a passion for helping people to enjoy the game I love, as well as an ambition to be among the stars of the game.
My brother, John, is in the middle, holding the NCAA National Championship Trophy. We won one together as teammates, and then he won one individually the year before I accomplished the same thing. He plays on Tour and frequently consults with us, providing the perspective of a player who has already established the beginning of a long career playing golf.
Our dad, also John, is the one on the right, and probably the proudest of the three of us in the picture. He taught us everything we used to create the foundation for our games, and continues to push us as well as his own knowledge and expertise to new frontiers.
Between the 3 of us there are over 70 years of golf experience, and lots of trophies. We have all broken 70 in our own golf careers, and we want to help more people improve their games and lower their scores. So let's get into the Ping G425 Driver review.
Ping G425 Driver Features
Ping is a little different than most other manufacturers in that they don't try to push a new driver model onto the market every six months or a year. They research and produce what they feel is a top of the line product and let it stand on its performance in order to survive.
The G425 contains some technology that makes it the most forgiving driver Ping has ever produced, and one that lots of golfers have come to love and trust.
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Innovative Design
So what separates the G425 from its competitors? There are a few things in the design that contribute:
- Weight redistribution from Internal Dragonfly Technology dramatically increase Moment of Inertia, making the G425 ultra-forgiving.
- A proprietary high-strength, precision-machined T9S+ forged face creates maximum flex to deliver faster ball speeds and longer drives.
- Aerodynamic design creates noticeably faster swing speeds for more distance.
All of this is a bunch of words for a faster, more forgiving driver. Sounds too good to be true, right? We found that, while we didn't hit it any farther than other comparable drivers, the G425 went the same distance, and we slightly more forgiving. So maybe there is something to it.
Premium Titanium Feel
Using high grade T9S+ titanium, Ping has created a face and club head that are designed with complete performance in mind.
Titanium is among the lightest and most flexible metals used to make golf clubs. This means it is prone to producing higher club head speed and more ball speed, all of which results in longer drives.
When you pair this with the G425's ultra high MOI and streamlined aerodynamics, it performs exceptionally well on both the center strikes and the misses.
Player Performance Characteristics
We've talked about the technology built into the G425 and how that impacts performance. You have learned about the material it is made from and why Ping chose it. The next - and last - characteristics to talk about revolve around appearance and utility.
Visual Characteristics
If you don't like the way your driver looks, you're setting yourself up for failure. It really is that simple. Beyond the aesthetic appeal, having a driver that fits your eye will help you to set up to each shot properly, and make a committed swing.
Shape
The Ping G425 is a slightly different shape than most of the other drivers that have come onto the market in the last few years. The head features a deeper "D" shape that brings more weight further back, away from the face.
The entire design is meant to promote higher ball flights. A center of gravity that is further back helps the ball get into the air faster, which is ideal for the majority of amateurs of have a hard time with maximizing carry distance.
At the back of the club head, Ping placed a 26 gram tungsten weight to further separate the center of gravity from the club face. All this equates to higher, longer drives.
Color and Design
The Ping G425 is a monotone driver. As you can see in the pictures spread throughout this article, the color scheme is black with grey and white accents. We don't love this simply because it's too much black and no contrast. The lines of the club are hard to see, making it a visually boring club from a color standpoint.
There are a couple of other interesting features on the G425 head. On the crown, there are six ridges called "turbulators". These are intended to help direct the flow of air as it passes over the club head, increasing aerodynamics. To us, they're just kind of ugly.
The tungsten weight on the rear side of the club stands out, and is a great feature that adds to the functionality of the club. Move it all the way to the heel of the club to help correct a slice!
Finally, the adjustable hosel is a welcome sight in an era of driver manufacturing when this feature seems to be going towards extinction. Let's talk more about this one.
Adjustability
In my eyes, the only thing an adjustable hosel does is make a driver more playable for a wider number of golfer. I'm always baffled when a brand releases a new club without one!
The Ping G425's adjustable hosel gives users 8 different settings, mostly relating to the loft of the golf club. Each of these settings will change the relationship between the club face and the swing path, so make sure to test them out before going to the course.
Remember - add loft, add left. Adding loft to a club gives it more of a draw bias.
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Price
Here's the best part about the G425: it's way below market average for a driver. At $399 for a stock club - depending on the retailer - you can walk out of the store with a solid driver for almost 40% less than other comparable drivers. That's a nice bonus.
Pros And Cons Of The Ping G425
What We Like
What We Don't Like
Wrapping Up The Ping G425 Driver Review
Finding the right driver is essential to your golf game. There is a lot to be said about the Ping G425. In terms of performance, it earns a spot near the top of our list. It's just a shame that Ping couldn't make it look a little better.
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If you are the kind of golfer that doesn't notice things like visual characteristics and only care about the way the ball flies, this is a great driver for you. However, if there is any part of you that thinks you might want a driver that looks as good as it feels, keep considering your options.
To put our experience into the simplest terms, we were really happy about the Ping G425 driver once we stopped looking at the club and got to watch the ball fly instead.
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