Ping G20 Driver and Iron Review

G20 Driver

This past week Ping released their latest version of their successful G series with the G20 line of drivers, fairways, hybrids and irons. Harvest Head Professional Chad Scott gives his personal review on the G20 driver and irons.

The G20 Driver

What Ping Says: The G20 is for all ability levels, the external weighting of the large, forgiving G20 driver helps launch the ball high with low spin for maximum distance and accuracy. PING’s proprietary high-balance point shaft enables you to swing a club head at more mass with the same speed, generating fast ball speeds at a high MOI, for long straight drives. The G20 launches the ball .75 degrees higher and with 200 less rpm than the G15.

First Impression: The G20 feels lighter that the G15, but in fact the club head is 2 grams heavier than it’s predecessor. This is due to their high-balance point shaft; allowing more mass at the head, but keeping the overall swing-weight down. Gone is the black finish in favor of a metallic gray or graphite colour. The club sets up very well when grounded and I found it aesthetically pleasing, although I still prefer the matte finish of my R11 to the gloss of the G20.

First Swings: The G20 feels perfectly balanced. I knew were the club head was throughout the swing, but it never felt lagging or too heavy. The club seemed to cut through the air like a knife; a reference to the improved aerodynamics of the club. The performance was outstanding; I hit 5 consecutive drives like it was on a frozen rope and the distance was long. For me, I hit the standard TFC 169D shaft a little high for my liking and could probably benefit from the lower launch/spin TFC 169D Tour shaft.

Pros: Sets up well; looks great; easy to swing and $329 is not as harsh on the pocketbook.

Cons: Only 2 stock shaft options to choose from. Club is still a little plain and boring, but with the success of the G series why change?

Overall: The PING G20 driver is definitely an improvement over the G15 but is just an evolution rather than a revolution. Either way, a large variety of skill levels are going to improve their distance and accuracy with this driver.

The G20 Irons

Ping G20 Irons

What Ping Says: With the G20 irons, you’ll hit the ball long but with distance control. Perimeter weighting and a deep cavity design, the 17-4 stainless steel heads are highly forgiving. An elastomer cavity badge provides solid feel and sound while enhancing distance control.

First Impression: The club face has a darker finish than the G15 that helps reduce glare. The club head also had more of a satin finish and not as “rough” as previous versions. Additionally, PING has done a very good job of hiding the wide sole at address; providing a clean, thin look that resembles more of a Eye2 iron than G15.

First Swings: The sound is soft and pleasant, but very solid. You could hit this anywhere on the face and it would feel good. The new CFS steel shaft provided good feel and reaction. The ball flight is high; too high for myself, but that’s what the G20 is good at.

Pros: Great looks, CFS shaft, sound, custom fit options and at $749 in steel shafts for a set, many golfers will be adding these to their bag.

Cons: Not a lot of feedback on shots. Might be too high of a ball flight for some golfers. If that is the case, wait for the new i20 irons next spring.

Overall: Another solid product from a company that invented the cavity back iron.

The Harvest Golf Club has the entire G20 product line in stock, with demos in right and left handed and available for custom fitting. If you are interested in being fit or just want to try, contact the Golf Shop today.

iPing Putter App & Cradle Review

With the explosion of handheld devices such as ipods, iphones, blackberry and numerous other “smart” devices has come the addition of applications for these devices, also known as Apps. This multi-billion dollar market includes Apps that do about anything and everything, including bar code scanners, radio, banking, travel, games and many useless apps. But besides apps that record your golf swing, no one has really developed an application that actually improves your game. Until now.


PING golf has just released their iPING Putter App and cradle for the Apple iOS platform that can be used with certain model ipods and iphones. The app is a FREE download from the iTunes app store and works in conjunction with their exclusive putter cradle for the 4th generation iPod touch and iPhone 4.

Screenshot

To get started is very easy, purchase the cradle from an authorize PING dealer (Cradles are in stock at The Harvest GC for $29.95) and download the iPING app. Then slide either your ipod or iphone into the cradle and snap the cradle to the shaft of the putter. The app itself is very slick, just tap start and hit five consecutive putts from 10 feet. Using all the sensors built into the device, the app produces results for stroke type, impact angle, tempo and consistency.

In a matter of a couple minutes you can determine your swing path and face angle at impact; the two major factors in determining if you make or miss a putt. The app is simple to use that even a non-techie can figure it out. You also have the ability to compare your stats to previous sessions, other users or over a dozen PGA Tour players including Hunter Mahan, Bubba Watson and Lee Westwood.

One thing the iPING doesn’t do however is tell you how to correct your putting stroke flaws. Although some may be logical and easy to fix, others will require the attention of your local PGA Pro to determine the best course of action. Overall, the iPING app and cradle is an extremely useful tool to help golfers sink more putts and improve their game. The iPING cradle can be purchased at The Harvest Golf Club for $29.95.