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Gear: Ping G425 hybrids
Price: $292.50 each with Ping Alta CB, Aldila Rogue or Mitsubishi Tensei Orange shaft and Arccos-enabled Golf Pride Lite 360 Tour Velvet grip
Specs: 17-, 19-, 22-, 26-, 30- and 34-degree versions
For years Ping has been known for its focus on fitting and playability, making woods and hybrids that are easy to hit and forgiving. This year, with the release of the G425 hybrids, Ping has used some new features and technologies to give players more distance without sacrificing such forgiveness.
To do that, Ping designed the G425 hybrids with a new maraging steel cup face. Instead of making the hitting surface a flat piece of stainless steel and then welding it to the chassis – as is common with hybrids – the face extends into the crown, around the toe and under the leading edge into the sole. That allows more of the hitting area to flex at impact for ball-speed protection on mis-hits, and it also reduces weight.
Ping also redesigned the curvature that is designed into the face. Every driver, fairway wood and hybrid face curves from top to bottom, which is referred to as roll. To make the G425 hybrids produce a more consistent spin and therefore a more consistent flight, engineers added curvature high in the face because shots hit in that area tend to have less spin. To compensate for shots hit low in the face, which typically creates more spin, Ping made the bottom of the hitting area with less loft. The company said that should normalize spin rates across a larger area, and when combined with the added speed of the cup face, help golfers get more distance on all their shots.
Compared to last season’s G410 hybrids, Ping said the G425 hybrids have a moment of inertia that is almost 4 percent higher, yet they produce about 3.5 more yards of carry distance. However, on low-struck shots, the G425 hybrids can be about 10 yards longer.
To help golfers and fitters bridge distance gaps more efficiently, the G425 hybrids come standard with an eight-position adjustable hosel that allows the stated loft to be increased or decreased by as many as 1.5 degrees. Three settings enable the lie angle to be flattened, too.
At address the G425 features a matte-black finish with three alignment dots behind the topline to provide a clean look that helps golfers position the center of the face directly behind the ball.
Finally, all G425 hybrids come standard with a Golf Pride Lite 360 Tour Velvet grip fitted with an Arccos sensor. Golfers who purchase one or more of the G425 driver, fairway wood, hybrid, iron (up to five) or Crossover are eligible for 14 free Arccos screw-in sensors and a 90-day app free trial for a $19.99 shipping and handling fee.