Club Corner

PING G20 Review
Doug Rikkers
Director of Club Fitting & Merchandise Services

Between Bubba Watson’s PGA Tour leading distance average of 312 yards, and recent Tour wins by Hunter Mahan and Mark Wilson, PING has been getting plenty of well-deserved airtime. One reason is likely the G20 driver and irons.

The G20 driver is the latest in a long line of well-performing drivers featuring the kind of quality and innovation we’ve come to expect from PING. Club makers have known for some time now that creating a high launch angle without adding spin is one of the best ways to maximize distance, and PING’s new external-weight head design has proven to be very successful at doing just that. The weight (clearly visible on the sole of the club) positions the Center of Gravity (CG) in the precise location needed for optimal launch.

Another feature that makes the G20 work so well is the variable weighting they’ve created throughout the face and body of the clubhead. By making the walls thicker in some areas and thinner in others, they’ve designed a club that increases Moment of Inertia (MOI) and optimizes performance.

I also love what they’ve done with the new TFC 169D shaft. The center of gravity and balance point have been moved farther up the shaft which increases energy, momentum and inertia. It also weighs 7 grams less which allows engineers to increase the driver’s head mass without increasing the overall weight of the club. This redistribution of weight means golfers can swing a clubhead with more mass without losing swing speed, resulting in faster ball speeds and longer tee shots. There’s also a Tour edition of the shaft that has a slightly stiffer tip section and less torque. It’s designed to launch the ball lower with even less spin and play with a tighter feel for more stability and control.

Of course the G20 irons also come packed with tons of new technology designed to create high launch angles and maximum forgiveness. PING has developed a floating structure they call “CTP” that works to stabilize the clubs thin face to create consistent, precise distance control. The set is available in 3 – LW, but can also be ordered with hybrids all the way to the 6 iron. If you’re looking for a game improvement iron that maximizes your performance be sure to check out the G20 irons; and as always, don’t buy anything without getting custom fit by your Certified Personal Coach!