Ping consistently earns a spot on our list for the best golf drivers. With excellent equipment such as the G2, released in the early 2000s, and the G driver more recently, Ping remains a popular choice for both professional and amateur golfers.
Most known for their consistency and market leading forgiveness, Ping have blessed us with the G430, a driver that specializes in forgiveness and impressive distance.
Of course, Ping delivers top-notch products across a diversity of categories including bags and irons, but after thorough testing we'll focus on their best driver models currently available. If Ping is not for you, we have also created guides for other brands—such as the best Cobra drivers, the best Titleist drivers, or the best Callaway drivers.
WATCH: We run through the performance of the best drivers in 2024
The Quick List
The Ping G430 Max 10K delivered in bucket loads. Stability and forgiveness is offer in abundance and combined with low spin levels and high ball speeds mean it's an exceptional driver to add to any bag.
The Ping G430 Max looks, feels and plays like a premium driver, with its’ high tech aesthetic and improved feel making it a superb all rounder.
The SFT is a high launch, forgiving driver that will surprise with how long it is. It's a driver that will appeal to a broad range of players as a result.
A hugely impressive driver that does a great job of balancing distance with consistency. This is a low spin driver but, like most Ping's, it still has a lot of forgiveness.
The G425 Max is a user-friendly driver with nice acoustics producing a booming sound at impact to compliment a very forgiving club.
The LST is the lowest spinning driver of the G425 range. It's also the longest, and thus is aimed at the lower handicappers and more confident ball-strikers seeking extra yards from the tee.
Load the next 3 models
The most forgiving G425 in the range, the SFT is perfect for those who slice the golf ball, with a fixed weight near the heel of the club allowing for maximum slice correction.
A great looking club made of the female player, the G Le3 is well weighted to make it easier to swing and create more clubhead speed as a result for more penetrating, accurate drives.
One model below the Le3 is the Le2, designed for players with more moderate to slow swing speeds. It's one of the most forgiving drivers money can buy and is very easy to hit.
Best Ping Drivers
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G430 Models
Ping has been releasing drivers on a consistent two year product cycle, we knew we were in for a surprise when this was interrupted...
We were blown away by the G430 Max 10K during our testing, mainly by the fantastic stability and forgiveness on offer combined with how little the ball spun off the club face. Ball speeds were right up there with the best drivers on the market, whilst spin rates compete even the best low-spin drivers out there.
According to Ping the Max 10K is the straightest and highest MOI (moment of inertia) driver it has made to date. This eclipses the 10,000g-cm2 combined MOI threshold first surpassed by the G400 Max five years ago.
The fixed back weight, Carbonfly wrap and overall bigger footprint are to thank for this, with the back weight serving to produce higher MOI by pushing mass down and away from the face. This leads to greater levels of forgiveness and increases the center of gravity position to equal lesser spinny drives and more ball speed preservation and driven flight.
- Read our full Ping G430 Max 10K Driver Review
Ping G430 Max Driver
We came across the standard G430 Max Driver in 2023 and there were a number of new technologies added. Naturally, we were eager to test and see whether or not it lived up to Ping's standards.
A number of new technologies have been added to the G430 Max driver since the standard driver was the released last year, so we were excited to try them out once we got our hands on the latest model for testing this year. The most notable is the addition of 'Spinsistency' - a driver faced forged which variable face thickness to allow for greater speed and forgiveness across the entire face which leads to more consistent spin rates and distance as a result.
When we compared it to the G425 model, we did notice a jump in both ball speed and distance off the tee, two big factors in driving the golf ball. The same reliable feel of control and confidence remains, too.
All in all, this driver provides you with the same easy-to-hit feel that was in the G425. The overall footprint of the driver also instills confidence behind the ball which is great for the higher handicaps.
- Read our full Ping G430 Max Driver Review
Ping G430 SFT Driver
The Ping G430 SFT is a great contender for the best drivers for slicers. A movable weight on the head can be set to either draw or draw+ and has been made specifically with the slicer off the tee in mind. Ping told us that with the draw+ setting you can get seven more yards draw bias when compared to the G430 Max model in neutral.
This was evident for us when we tested it, with the draw bias noticeable and the dispersion tight. The way this driver sits squarely behind the ball will inspire confidence in all players to swing hard and let one rip off the tee box.
- Read our full Ping G430 SFT Driver Review
Ping G430 LST Driver
The LST is one of three versions of the driver, alongside the G430 Max and G430 SFT. We were keen to our hands on one and see whether or not this was one of the best golf drivers.
The main difference is the eight-layered carbon wrap on the entire crown, which also spreads from head to toe, leading to weight saving across the entire head. This loss of weight has allowed Ping room to experiment with putting this weight elsewhere or simply taking it away to boost the performance already on offer in abundance.
The head on the LST is one of the smaller ones available across the range, something to be expected with a low spin driver. The 440cc head is still inviting to look at and does not not small behind the ball, but rather powerful and ready to be hit.
In testing, we saw an increase in ball speed with a reduction in spin. The ball speed we got which was 167mph, was right up there with some of the fastest drivers we've tested. Even though this is a low-spin driver it is still very user-friendly and easy to use.
- Read our full Ping G430 LST Driver Review
G425 Models
If you're on a little bit more of a budget, the G425 drivers are a great option for golfers of all abilities. Alternatively, you can check out our guide for the best used drivers if you're looking a cheaper, second-hand option for your setup.
Like most Ping drivers, the G425 Max is a very forgiving driver. It will help players with those shots that miss the center of the club face without taking away too much performance.
The 26-gram weight at the back of the head is movable and can be changed to suit the characteristics of your game. It also has three setting, draw, fade and neutral, so you can set it up how you would like to hit it. These help with both forgiveness and shot shaping and cater to all swing types given the adjustability.
It sits beautifully at address, sounds great at the point of contact and is all-in-all a fantastic option for golfers no matter their experience or handicap.
- Read our full Ping G425 Max Driver Review
Ping G425 LST Driver
Belonging to the G425 family, the LST is the low-spin version in the range and has a slightly more pear-shaped head than that of the Max.
With the head being 445cc in size, the LST gives reduced spin of up to 200rpm when compared to the G410 LST, the previous model in the Ping range. It also gives 500-700 less rpm than that of the G425 Max. Should you be on more of a budget and a mid-high handicapper looking for a low-spin driver this is a great option.
Like the Max, the adjustable weight at the back of the head can help fine-tune this driver to your liking. The 17g weight goes into the same draw, fade and neutral setting to suit every player. We enjoyed playing around with this in testing and were impressed by the spin levels in comparison to the Max - it let us carry the ball further whilst maintaining an excellent level of forgiveness even with that smaller head.
- Read our full Ping G425 LST Driver Review
Ping G425 SFT Driver
If you're a slicer and on a budget, the G425 SFT is a great option at a great price...
Before you ask, the SFT stands for Straight Flight Technology, with the tech focusing on a fixed weight near the heel to help correct the dreaded slicer off the tee. Ping told us that the weight will encourage up to 25 yards more draw movement on shots as a result, as way of cancelled out aggressive left to right shots. We couldn't reach the magic 25 yard mark during our testing, but it was hard to ignore the draw bias we did experience.
This driver performed similarly to the Max, but the draw bias was a welcome surprise. With the vast variety of Ping drivers available that cater to all play styles, we highly recommend booking in a personal fitting to make sure you're using the correct Ping driver heads that you can pair up with one of the best driver shafts on the market.
- Read our full Ping G425 SFT Driver Review
Women's Models
The G Le3 is designed for women with a swing speed of 80 mph or less, but this range is great for seniors too who swing slower. Put simply: it's designed to help generate more ball speed with higher launch and greater distances.
This driver is lightweight and has a fixed weight put in the back, this helps to create a low and heel bias center of gravity position. This makes the G Le3 one of the most forgiving drivers you can get. In testing it provided us with long and straight drives with a nice sound at impact.
Looks matter on golf clubs and we were big fans of how the G Le 3 looked both in the bag and at address. The navy, gold and silver colorway is striking and gives a premium feel to the driver. It also inspires confidence over the ball - a common feature from Ping drivers no matter what gender they cater for.
- Read our full Ping G Le3 Driver Review
Ping G Le2 Women's Driver
The G Le2 set the foundations for the newer G Le3, so it may be worth a look at it if you're looking to save a bit of money whilst filling out your golf bag. We loved the customization options available with this model, including an adjustable hosel with 8 different positions that alter both the loft and lie of the club.
The lightweight titanium driver head helps to promote faster swing speeds. There is also a fixed-weight heel side to give this a slight draw bias to aid those who tend to slice the ball.
It's a club that should be considered by all female players if they're looking to add a new driver to the bag - it's worth checking our our guide for the best golf drivers for women if you're looking to do so!
- Read our full Ping G Le2 Driver Review
How we test
Our product testing is done by golfers of all levels in our team so that we can give honest and important feedback to the consumer. With a variety ranging from PGA and ex-tour Pros to higher handicaps, we can cover a variety of angles when it comes to testing products. All our testers are highly efficient and can cover the big releases from manufacturers to give honest pros and cons for the different products.
For our driver testing, we first attend any product launches, this allows us to speak directly to manufacturers to get a real understanding of the product and the tech involved. We then move on to testing the drivers indoors using a launch monitor with premium balls to get the data we need to compare the drivers and see how they fare against others and their predecessors.
After this is outdoor testing on the course to get a real-world feel of performance and what it does in different weather conditions. We like to push the fact that no manufacturer can buy a good review, we will always give our honest opinion whether good or bad.
We pride ourselves in our testing because it's a process we've honed over decades of testing thousands of different golf products, from drivers and putter to golf bags and trolleys. Our reviews are compiled by passionate golfers who know the importance of putting together the right golf setup to suit your game, which will then help you shoot lower scores.
Our reviews are also totally impartial and based off nothing but knowledge of golf equipment and knowing what to look for from said products. No manufacturer gets preferential treatment, nor is it possible for a brand to 'buy' a good review - instead, our experts simply call it how they see it.
How to choose a golf driver
You've probably already asked yourself whether you need to buy a new driver, but there are a few key things to consider when investing in a new driver, especially as a beginner. Hopefully answering these questions will narrow your search down slightly and make comparing between various models much easier.
When purchasing a new big stick, it is crucial to ask yourself just what you need from it.
Size
The size of driver heads only feels like its getting bigger and bigger, this is mainly in the pursuit of forgiveness. This will lead to higher MOI and thus will deliver more forgiveness for those off-center strikes whilst inspiring confidence at address as well. Such a driver may not suit if you're an older player or haven't matched the heavier head up with a lighter shaft.
Lower spin options will tend to have smaller heads and look more compact, which may not suit the eye of all players. We recommend trying out a number of drivers in a fitting center of driving range to find out which one you like the look of.
Draw-biased?
If you are a prolific slicer of the ball then the draw bias option may be for you. This means that the driver is set up in such a way that the right-to-left ball shape is increased, either straightening out a shot or giving you that draw shape.
Weight
Manufacturers tend to throw the weight to the back of the driver head to inspire both forgiveness and higher launch, but it's worth acknowledging how much you want your driver to weigh if you are looking for forgiveness off the tee.
Adjustability
Often this weight is moveable too and adjustability has become a huge part of modern golf. Being able to tinker and change loft, lie, and many other factors, has become all the rage and if you like to try new things then plenty of new models will cater to that. However if that doesn't interest you one bit, there are also models which keep things more simple, like the Ping G425 Max.
Shaft
Some shafts have been designed to help players get as much distance as possible so it is worth thinking about which models will help you achieve those extra yards. Also check out our guide on the best driver shafts too.
Budget
Budget is obviously an important factor and thankfully there are lots of drivers coming in at different price points. This means you can go down the premium route if you want, but there is good value to be had too.
FAQs
What is the latest Ping driver?
The latest Ping driver is the G430 range for men and G Le3 range for women.
Are Ping drivers good?
In short, yes. Ping make some of the best drivers on the market and is one of the leading brands alongside the likes of TaylorMade, Callaway, Titleist, Cobra and Wilson. Many Tour professionals like Viktor Hovland, Lee Westwood and Tyrrell Hatton use Ping drivers.
Which Ping driver is most forgiving?
Out of the four models in the current G430 range, either the G430 Max 10K or the G430 SFT are the most forgiving. Check out our guide on the most forgiving drivers to see how it compares versus other brands.
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