Reviewed by Liam Face
- 18 handicapper
- <100 MPH driver swing speed
- Liam upgraded from Nike Vapor Fly driver
Review in short
More accuracy and more forgiveness. That is the PING G425 SFT in a nutshell. The Straight Flight Technology offers faders and slicers enough offset in the head of the club to reduce a ball which goes to the right whilst not being distracting. Great looks, looks feel and sound make this club a must try for those who want a straighter ball flight.
Why I play this driver
I recently purchased the PING G425 SFT driver after testing it at Golf Galaxy. Like may golfers, my shot shape with the driver is a fade, with my miss being a slice. The Straight Flight Technology (SFT) of the G425 driver attracted me as it is designed to help with my slices. After playing the driver for a while now, I can say that the SFT technology has greatly improved my shot shape to mostly straight, with the miss now becoming a fade. Because of this, I able to keep the golf ball in play more often.
Looks and feel
After coming from the Nike Vapor Fly, I like the understated look of the Ping. The turbulators aren't for everyone, but I've never really been one to get distracted by the look of a club. The SFT tech causes the face to be slightly closed at address and it took a little getting used to seeing that visually,
but I feel way more confident knowing my miss has a much better chance of being in play with all of the technology at play in this driver.
Off the face, this driver feels really good. There's a very reassuring solid feel which is combined with the famous "PING" sound. Once you've heard it, you just know it's a Ping. Mishits also feel good, and I think this is down to the slightly heavier face. This extra weight (or the feeling of it) makes it easier to feel the club head in my back swing, and that has also helped me to make more consistent swings.
Performance
This driver has massively improved my fairway finding ability and my GIR. Since I'm now in more fairways, it sets up a much friendlier approach shot into the green, bringing down my scores.
PING does two big things with the G425 SFT to encourage a draw. Most importantly, they fix a 23 gram tungsten weight near the heel to shift the CG. According to PING, this can produce a 25 yard draw compared to the neutral G425 Max driver. The other tweak is the swing weight – PING sets the SFT at a lighter D1. If that doesn't stop your slice, you can adjust the hosel to close the face even more at address.
Pros
Cons
Tech specs
Loft
10.5 degrees
Length
45.75 inches
Shaft options
- PING Alta
- PING Tour
- Mitsubishi Tensei Orange
- Aldila Rogue White
Price
$499 (RRP)