Developing knowledge and drawing inspiration from sources as diverse as dragonfly wings and 18-wheelers, PING today launched its new G series of drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and irons, again advancing speed, distance and forgiveness to unprecedented levels without sacrificing other performance attributes. This year PING went one step further, creating a new club category with the G Crossover, combining the best of hybrid and iron technology.
The new products, which are all custom fit and built to precise specifications, can be pre-ordered beginning today at PING-authorized golf shops around the world.
“It’s a credit to the imagination and the disciplined approach of our engineering, design and research teams that we’ve elevated performance across every category in new and exciting ways, innovation that will make the game easier for golfers of every ability level,” said John A. Solheim, PING Chairman & CEO. “Our design process is different, as we gather information from the world around us, study new materials, and test rigorously to make sure our products give golfers meaningful results. The process leads to breakthroughs like Dragonfly Technology and Vortec Technology, found in the G drivers. We’ve also created a specialized heat-treatment process and COR-Eye Technology to make the G irons longer, higher-launching and more forgiving, a combination that’s very difficult to achieve. And with the new Crossover product line, an entirely new category, there’s a lot to be excited about.”
G Drivers (Standard, LS Tec, SF Tec)
A close-up photograph of a dragonfly taken by Solheim was the inspiration for the primary innovation in the driver. Solheim was intrigued by the wing structure and shared the photo with a group of engineers. Inspired by biomimicry, an approach to innovation that emulates nature’s time-tested patterns, they created Dragonfly Technology. The complex exoskeleton design yields PING’s thinnest (0.43 mm) and lightest crown to date, saving eight grams while creating an intricate and stable structure. The weight savings helped drive the center of gravity lower and deeper than any PING driver, increasing dynamic loft and elevating MOI significantly for maximizing distance and forgiveness.
Researchers also studied the base flaps that minimize large-scale vortex shedding behind 18-wheel semi-trailers and integrated their learnings into the G drivers to improve aerodynamics and increase speed. Vortec Technology on the back of the club and turbulators on the crown contribute to reducing drag 37% in the impact zone, yielding greater clubhead speed and ball velocity for measurable distance gains from all swing speeds. The variable-thickness T9S face has a high strength-to-weight ratio, allowing for a thin face to increase ball speed.
Golfers can optimize launch conditions prior to a round by adjusting loft up to +/– 1º with five settings utilizing a lightweight, aerodynamically efficient and high-strength 7075 aluminum hosel sleeve.
The G SF Tec driver is custom-engineered with weight closer to the heel to produce a right-to-left shot bend (for right-handed golfers) and steer the ball back into the fairway. The G LS Tec driver features a CG that is extremely low (slightly forward of the standard G driver), for the player who desires low, stable spin with forgiveness.
– Lofts 9° & 10.5° in standard and LS Tec heads, 10° & 12° in SF Tec head. Lofts adjustable +/– 0.6° or 1°.
– Std. Length 45.75″, D3, 206g (standard), D4, 207.5g (LS Tec), D1, 203g (SF Tec), 460cc
– Stock graphite shaft: PING Alta 55 (SR, R, S, X); Optional PING shafts: Std. length 45.25″: Tour 65 & Tour 80 (R, S, X).
G Irons
The G iron utilizes revolutionary COR-Eye Technology (introduced in the GMax irons), which activates the sole, face and top rail in flexing for consistently faster ball speeds across the hotter face. The entire G set is heat treated using a specialized process that creates Hyper 17-4 alloy, which is 40% stronger than traditional 17-4 stainless steel. Metallurgical advancements combined with COR-Eye Technology provide four times the face flexing with improved stability. “The results are big distance gains and a higher peak trajectory for better stopping power so you can hit and hold the green,” Solheim said. “One benefit of that is a player might be able to club up and hit a 7-iron, for example, instead of a 6-iron.”
Weight saved from the face was allocated to the low toe and perimeter, creating a high MOI for extreme forgiveness. Connecting the Custom Tuning Port to the sole creates a deeper CG that helps elevate the launch angle while increasing MOI. At address, the iron’s refined look is created by a thin top rail, satin-blast finish and appropriate offset. An enlarged multi-material damping badge joined to the cavity works with COR-Eye Technology to provide exceptional sound and feel.
New AWT 2.0 shaft (Manufactured by Nippon)
Contributing to the improved performance of the G iron are PING’s proprietary Ascending Weight Technology shafts, an optimal combination of physics and feel. The shafts get lighter as they progress from the short irons and pitching wedge to the long irons. Lighter long-iron shafts help square the clubface to increase clubhead speed and optimize flight for distance and accuracy. Heavier short iron shafts improve trajectory control and feel.
– Available 4-9, PW, UW, SW, LW
– Stock steel shaft: PING AWT 2.0 (R, S, X)
– After-market stock shaft options (no upcharge): Dynamic Gold S300, X100; Project X 5.0, 6.0; XP 95 (R, S), N.S. Pro Modus3 105 (S, X)
– Stock graphite shaft: PING CFS Graphite (65 SR, 70 R, 80 S)
Crossover
PING created a new category – the Crossover – to combine the precision, workability and control of an iron with the ball speed and forgiveness of a hybrid. “People love the look and feel of the Crossover because they haven’t seen anything like it,” Solheim said. “It shouldn’t be confused with a driving iron; it’s higher-launching and much more forgiving, and offers a lot of versatility. Our extensive player testing has revealed this to be a very attractive option.” The high-strength Carpenter 455® steel face is precision machined to an optimal thickness for greater face flexing, faster ball speeds and longer results. The flat face, narrow top rail and appropriate offset deliver iron-like accuracy and workability. An innovative cascading internal sole engages the entire face, sole and top rail in flexing to maximize distance. Extreme heel-toe weighting helps locate the center of gravity low-back and expands the perimeter weighting to create a high MOI for maximizing forgiveness.
– Available 3 (18°), 4 (21°), 5 (24°)
– Stock graphite shaft: PING Alta 70 (SR, R, S, X); No upcharge optional PING shaft:
AWT 2.0 steel (R, S, X); Optional PING shaft: Tour 90 (R, S, X)
G Fairway Woods (Standard, SF Tec, Stretch)
Nearly all golfers struggle getting the ball in the air easily with fairway woods. To solve that, the G fairway woods have a lower lead edge that yields 12% higher face impact, relative to the G30 series. “The face sits lower so it’s much easier to hit the ball high in the air,” Solheim said. “Contact occurs higher on the face, which makes this club perform beautifully off the ground and tee.” High-strength Carpenter 455® steel allows for a thinner, precision-machined, variable-thickness face. The cascading sole design engages more of the structure in face flexing, resulting in faster ball speeds and higher launch. Our thinnest crown ever in a fairway wood means discretionary weight has been used to move the CG lower and farther back, making it easier to get the ball airborne. A unique process adds friction to the face for reduced spin. Crown turbulators provide a captured appearance and help with aim and alignment. Golfers can optimize launch conditions prior to a round by adjusting loft up to +/– 1º with five settings utilizing a lightweight, aerodynamically efficient and high-strength 7075 aluminum hosel sleeve.
The G SF Tec fairway woods have weight closer to the heel, a lighter swing weight, and higher lofts to produce right-to-left shot bend for players whose typical miss is to the right.
The G Stretch 3 is custom-engineered to stretch a player’s distance off the tee and on shots into the green with its larger head, slightly forward CG, 13º loft, and reduced spin.
– Lofts 3W (14.5°), 5W (17.5°) & 7W (20.5°) in standard head, 3W (16°) & 5W (19°) in SF Tec head and 3W (13°) in Stretch 3. Lofts adjustable +/– 0.6° or 1°.
– Stock graphite shaft: PING Alta 65 (SR, R, S, X); Optional PING shafts: Tour 65 & Tour 80 (R, S, X)
G Hybrids
An innovative tiered internal sole helps activate face flexing to power the ball off the face faster for greater distance. The ultra-thin crown allows for a low-back center of gravity to ensure high launch, reduced spin and a higher MOI for maximizing forgiveness. The high-strength Carpenter 455® steel face is precision-machined to variable thickness, which saves weight and maximizes flexing to generate faster ball speeds across the face for consistently longer results. Like the G fairways, a unique process adds friction to the face to reduce spin. Crown turbulators and contrasting grooves on the face help provide a captured look and assist in aim and alignment, creating a consistently centered impact position.
– Available 17°, 19°, 22°, 26°, 30°
– Stock graphite shaft: PING Alta 70 (SR, R, S, X); Optional PING shaft: Tour 90 (R, S, X)
