Ping G25 vs G30

gypsy79

High handicapper (25). Learned a new swing over the winter and has added 20-30 yards already off the tee. Still only in the 170-200 yards with a fade. Now it is time to invest in a new driver. I have narrowed down to the 2 above.

Currrently playing with a 12 degree driver Forgan (http://www.thesportshq.com/forgan-series-1-460cc-driver.aspx)

I am looking at a 10.5 degree Ping G25 as the 12 degree was for forgiveness. Does anyone have any reason to justify going G30 instead of G25? Maybe it might eliminate the fade??

Montgolfier

gypsy79 wrote: »

High handicapper (25). Learned a new swing over the winter and has added 20-30 yards already off the tee. Still only in the 170-200 yards with a fade. Now it is time to invest in a new driver. I have narrowed down to the 2 above.

Currrently playing with a 12 degree driver Forgan (http://www.thesportshq.com/forgan-series-1-460cc-driver.aspx)

I am looking at a 10.5 degree Ping G25 as the 12 degree was for forgiveness. Does anyone have any reason to justify going G30 instead of G25? Maybe it might eliminate the fade??

No reason unless you like spending money.
No new driver can give you more distance due to USGA and R&A rules on driver face thickness and COR which refers to trampoline effect off the face.
Some claim more distance but their data comes from robot testing with 46 inch shafts. But for the average golfer it's 46 inch driver is impossible to hit the center of the face consistently, so save your money don't buy into the hype.
Brandt Snedeker plays a burner driver from the year 2000 so that says it all.

gypsy79

If find it hard to believe it will have no effect. I do get the over hyping tho.

Wear and tear means a replacement is required every now and then anyway. And as I said I am playing with very basic driver

Norfolk Enchants_

Buy the G30, you know you're going to anyway and you like so deserve it.

gypsy79

Norfolk Enchants_ wrote: »

Buy the G30, you know you're going to anyway and you like so deserve it.

Sorry I may have misread the previous post as in the G25 wouldnt be a huge improvement on what I have.

My point is I think the G25 for someone with like me, with a slow to medium swing might actually be a better suited club.

I think a fitting may be the only solution for me!!

death1234567

gypsy79 wrote: »

If find it hard to believe it will have no effect.

Believe. The thing that will make the difference is where on the club face you hit the ball not the club you hit it with.

Russman

Op, its a bit of a cliché, but get some sort of fitting done, even a basic one in a McGuirks / Halpenny etc.
Personally I found the G30 to be much better for me than the G25, much lower spin. That said, my G25 wasn't fitted, whereas my G30 is, so arguably that could be where the difference lies. Both are superb heads, and Ping's stock shafts are quality, chances are you won't go wrong with either, regardless.

alxmorgan

Montgolfier wrote: »

No reason unless you like spending money.
No new driver can give you more distance due to USGA and R&A rules on driver face thickness and COR which refers to trampoline effect off the face.
Some claim more distance but their data comes from robot testing with 46 inch shafts. But for the average golfer it's 46 inch driver is impossible to hit the center of the face consistently, so save your money don't buy into the hype.
Brandt Snedeker plays a burner driver from the year 2000 so that says it all.

Yes and no. The restrictions are as you say but one driver to another could change your impact parameters to an extent to give you more distance e.g. launch angle, spin etc

Montgolfier

alxmorgan wrote: »

Yes and no. The restrictions are as you say but one driver to another could change your impact parameters to an extent to give you more distance e.g. launch angle, spin etc

Changing the angle of attack will do the same thing. At the end of the day a driver head is a driver head, a face hitting a ball.
The only way to reduce spin is to match the angle of attack with the loft of the club. The more you swing on an upward path the more spin is reduced.

Norfolk Enchants_

alxmorgan wrote: »

Yes and no. The restrictions are as you say but one driver to another could change your impact parameters to an extent to give you more distance e.g. launch angle, spin etc

Yes alx, that doesn't sound like marketing spiel atall atall.

alxmorgan

Montgolfier wrote: »

Changing the angle of attack will do the same thing. At the end of the day a driver head is a driver head, a face hitting a ball.
The only way to reduce spin is to match the angle of attack with the loft of the club. The more you swing on an upward path the more spin is reduced.

We'll have to agree to disagree. Have tried a number of newish drivers with same loft and the spin rates differ widely. Now of course from one shot to the next impact parameters will change but over a number of shots the averages are consistent and consistently different.

d2ww

I think Russman has it spot on, get a basic fitting from the likes of McGuirk's, but ultimately, if you're off 25, it's not the arrows, it's the indian. The sensible thing to do would be to get a regripped G15 and spend the difference on a few lessons.

gypsy79

d2ww wrote: »

I think Russman has it spot on, get a basic fitting from the likes of McGuirk's, but ultimately, if you're off 25, it's not the arrows, it's the indian. The sensible thing to do would be to get a regripped G15 and spend the difference on a few lessons.

Without sounding like a c0ck, finances are not an issue and have been getting lessons all winter. Improvements are very visible in my long game and when weather gets better and my putting gets back anywhere near previous years I will fly back down to 21 (where i was 2 years ago) before a non commited attempt to change swing. In reality it was get a swing as what I was doing in rality was hoping to get within 100 on 2 hockey swings and then play very good P&P

My query is from some reading it appears the G25 may be a better club for someone as high as me. McGuirks for a basic fitting it is.

Anyone recommend the best shop to get such a fitting??

Russman

gypsy79 wrote: »

Without sounding like a c0ck, finances are not an issue and have been getting lessons all winter. Improvements are very visible in my long game and when weather gets better and my putting gets back anywhere near previous years I will fly back down to 21 (where i was 2 years ago) before a non commited attempt to change swing. In reality it was get a swing as what I was doing in rality was hoping to get within 100 on 2 hockey swings and then play very good P&P

My query is from some reading it appears the G25 may be a better club for someone as high as me. McGuirks for a basic fitting it is.

Anyone recommend the best shop to get such a fitting??

If finance isn't an issue, then go with the G30, its the newer, current club. Plus you have the options of the SF Tec and/or the LS heads to choose from. In fact the SF Tec version might well help with your fade.

Having owned and played both, I can't really think of any way that the G25 is better than the G30 - its not really any worse either, there's little or nothing in it. But, for me, the G30 worked better and feels and sounds a tiny bit better.

Re a shop for a fitting, I think they're all much of a muchness, but I'd try to go to one where I'm hitting into a range rather than a net. McGuirks have a new shop in Leopardstown driving range so that might be an option. Best option would be to try and go to a Ping demo or a Ping fitting night and get fit by Ping themselves.

Montgolfier

If you got the cash go to ForeGolf they will give you the best fit.

gypsy79

Montgolfier wrote: »

If you got the cash go to ForeGolf they will give you the best fit.

I think that may be the step too far as with a newish swing it is still changing. I am thinking fitting with one of the major shops and see the numbers. I was just wondering if at €300 ish do people go to so much bother

gypsy79

Also would people typically bring their current driver with them for a fitting (if even just to compare numbers)

SaveOurLyric

Even with money no object, you may as well go with whichever is cheaper, or if one's cosmetics pleases your eye more than another,then that one.

There is no difference between them as far as hitting a golf ball goes. Brands are obliged to bring out a new driver every year to convey the idea that they are improving them and get people to pay more money. Again. But there hasnt been an improvement in golf club performance for the last 15 years. Its a bit like ladies fashion - designers must come out with something new each season to earn cash - but last years dress was a dress, and this years one is still just a dress. Club makers R&D/Marketing departments struggle to comeup with tweaks they can spin as improvements. And even if something was the bees knees 'breakthrough' one year, they will drop it the next without a comment as the come up with some new spiel for their next excuse for an 'improvement.
On the fitting, I wouldnt bother. Again just pick which ever club you like the look of, and enjoy working on your game. Good luck on hitting the 21 again!

stockdam

How old is the G25? 2 years? If you get that one then you will have the dog's danglies of two years ago. Things have barely changed in those two years so you will be getting a very good club for a good price. You'll be paying a premium for the G30 because it is newer and as we all "know", new clubs are so much better than last year's model.

Buy the G30 if you feel that it gives you more confidence but don't buy it on the basis that it is "better" or will fix your swing flaws or worst of all that it will impress your mates cos you spent lots on the newest driver.

BTW the G30 will be pants next year when the new GXX whoops its ass.

ShivasIrons

Montgolfier wrote: »

The only way to reduce spin is to match the angle of attack with the loft of the club. The more you swing on an upward path the more spin is reduced.

There are numerous ways to reduce spin, first is spin loft which is approximately the difference between the attack angle and dynamic loft, second is ball, third is the head, fourth is the shaft and finally there's the impact point in the face.

Senna

stockdam wrote: »

BTW the G30 will be pants next year when the new GXX whoops its ass.

This is a long shot as Ping are so unpredictable, but maybe G35 :pac:

rollotomasi

Russman wrote: »

Re a shop for a fitting, I think they're all much of a muchness, but I'd try to go to one where I'm hitting into a range rather than a net. McGuirks have a new shop in Leopardstown driving range so that might be an option. Best option would be to try and go to a Ping demo or a Ping fitting night and get fit by Ping themselves.

+ 1 on this.
In McGuirks Leopardstown for example, they have loads of demo clubs (Ping included) that you can take out on the range at no cost. Getting fit at somewhere like McGuirks at one of the driving ranges is as good as any.

Much of the fitting readings (spin number, smash factor, distance) depends on where on the clubface you strike the ball. In the run-up to your fitting, have a session or two on the range with footspray on the club face to see where you are striking the ball (ideally high on the face and toe-ish of centre).
If you find that you're not yet consistent with the strike, you may not full value from the fitting.

gypsy79

Would you typically walk away with the club that day or would they need to put on order depending on shaft etc??

Russman

gypsy79 wrote: »

Would you typically walk away with the club that day or would they need to put on order depending on shaft etc??

Really depends on what they have in stock. I'd say if its, say, a Halpenny or McGuirks there's a fair chance they would have whatever you need. Especially in the G30 where the choice of heads, lofts and stock shafts from Ping is pretty comprehensive and its likely most people would be fit into a setup that doesn't require an expensive upgrade to be ordered in.