Ping G425 LST, MAX and SFT Drivers Review

New for 2021, Ping G425 drivers are a three-model family. There’s a model targeting ultimate forgiveness, one for stopping a slice, and another for reducing spin. 

Ping G golf drivers have a very long bloodline. 11 iterations of Ping G siblings can be traced all the way back to 2004, when Ping’s first mass-market titanium driver, the Ping G2 hit the market. As far as driver marquees go, the Ping G is the longest running family currently available, which says heaps about the tons of everyday golfers who’ve taken a Ping G driver to their hearts over the last two decades.

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Ping G425 drivers at a glance

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Ping G drivers have been bought by hundreds of thousands of golfers over the years, and for many they’ve always represented the benchmark for forgiveness, dependable performance, and honest design that’s lead by engineering principles, not flashy gimmicks.  

Ping have now revealed the 12^th G model, the Ping G425. Every time Ping release a new G driver, they make advancements in MOI (moment of inertia), aerodynamics and CG (centre of gravity) position. Here’s how they’ve achieved that in the Ping G425 and improved on the already fantastic Ping G410, while creating three drivers that are more diverse than ever before.   

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What you need to know about the Ping G425 LST driver

RRP: £450

Lofts: 9° / 10.5°

Ping’s lowest spinning driver, now with even less spin than before

Ping have insisted a three driver line-up is best for fitting golfers more accurately since the launch of the Ping G30 in 2014. It gives them a model to suit all types of golfer, each of which can then be tweaked to an even more exacting specification. 

The Ping G425 LST is the lowest spinning model of the three. It has a more pear-shaped 445cc head and features a 17g CG shifting weight. 

Ping say the new head reduces backspin by 200 RPM compared to its predecessor, the Ping G410 LST, and spins 500-700 RPM less than the new Ping G425 Max. It means golfers will see greater separation between the three models than before.

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How does the G425 compare to previous Ping G models in terms of aerodynamic performance?

What you need to know about the Ping G425 MAX driver

RRP: £450

Lofts: 9° / 10.5° / 12°

Plus becomes Max

Many golfers thought Ping were late to the movable weight party when they revealed their first driver with a movable CG, the G410 Plus in 2019. But Ping being Ping (essentially they’re a company built on engineering) refused to make a movable weight model until they could include a weight track that had zero compromise on MOI and forgiveness.

The Ping G410 Plus has been replaced by the Ping G425 Max. The G425 Max has a 460cc head that is rounder in shape than the LST model, and thanks to a 26g CG shifter (which is 10g more than the G410 Plus) you get 7% more MOI forgiveness than you did from the Ping G410 Plus.

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The Ping G425 Max also enables golfers to add 20% more draw bias or 16% more fade bias than the previous model, to help really dial in your preferred shot shape.        

Thanks to the updates, if like many golfers your favourite recent G driver is still the G400 Max, Ping say the G425 Max boasts more forgiveness than this MOI monster. Incredibly this great looking driver nudges the 10,000 (g-in²) MOI barrier, which was the level Nike needed a square head to tip (the SQ-Sasquatch) back in 2008. It simple terms, it makes it incredibly stable, which helps you keep the head square at impact. 

How does the G425 compare to previous G models in terms of CG position?

What you need to know about the Ping G425 SFT driver

RRP: £450

Lofts: 10.5°

Ping’s slice buster

Slicers have Ping to thank for making slice-busting drivers part of the conversation when it comes to driver fitting. Before the G30, anti-slice drivers were often an after-thought or outlying models that instantly branded you a hacker. Ping have changed all that though, and the new G425 SFT does more to correct a slice than any Ping driver before it.

The 460cc head has a 23g fixed heel weight, which means golfers get 10 yards more left bias than the previous G410 SFT and 25+ yards more than the G425 Max. Think of this model as a slice-busting machine, perfect if you can’t stop your drives carving off to the right no matter what you try.  

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How does the G425 compare to previous G models in terms of MOI?

Other Key Features in the Ping G425 range

Take your pick of shafts

Ping’s Tour and Alta CB shafts have a great reputation for offering just what club golfers need in a driver and both are stock options in the new G425.

If you feel an after-market model would fit you better, Ping are also offering the Aldila Rogue White 130 M.S.I 70 and Mitsubishi Tensei AV Raw Orange 65 as no upcharge upgrades.

Arccos equipped

Ever since Ping President John K. Solheim gave shot-tracking giants Arccos credit for helping him get down to scratch, the company have realised the benefits shot-tracking information brings to golfers and club developers.

Every club within the G425 line up comes with an Arccos shot tracking sensor in the grip, and a free 90-day Arccos subscription.   

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How do the Ping G425 driver shaft options compare?

Verdict: Ping G425 Max driver

Ping have carved themselves out an enviable position amongst tour and club golfers during the 14-year lifespan of their G Series drivers, as the brand who produce the most forgiving drivers in the game. The reason behind the reputation is their engineers put a premium on placing the centre of gravity lower and deeper than brands who use a slightly higher and more forward CG to chase ball speed and distance at all costs.

The result is that Ping users get more speed protection on off-center hits, which means less than perfect strikes go further and shots are more likely to end up on the short grass.

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Unlike most major brands, Ping haven’t yet succumbed to using carbon fibre crowns and sole sections, the majority of the G425 construction is still titanium. They make it super thin and light so it can compete with carbon fibre.

Carbon fibre acts as a dampener, which means you’ll notice Ping drivers are a little louder than their TaylorMade or Callaway counterparts. Many golfers love a powerful sound from their driver, while others prefer a more muted hit. It really comes down to personal preference, but most golfers will (quite rightly) pick their driver based on performance over acoustics anyway. 

We love how Ping nudge the bar a little higher with each G driver iteration. On average, golfers upgrade their driver every five years, so not too many golfers are likely to upgrade to the G425 from the most recent Ping G drivers (the G410 and G400, released in 2019 and 2017 respectively). Rather, it will be golfers who are using a Ping G from 2016 or an even older model who will be eyeing the G425, and those golfers will notice a big step fowards in performance. However, choosing any of the best Ping drivers are likely to give you an upgrade on what you’re currently using.

All three G425 drivers sit beautifully behind the ball, and the black, silver, and grey cosmetics create what we think is Ping’s cleanest looking driver for some time. 

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Which Ping G425 driver is right for you? 

Before you plump for a low spinning Ping G425 LST, bear in mind that Ping say only 10% of golfers actually need a low spin model.

We reckon the vast majority of club golfers will be much better suited to the slightly bigger, more forgiving Ping G425 MAX model, especially as there’s now more weight to shift into a draw position.

Everything G425 comes with Arccos shot tracking sensors in the grips and a 3-month trial of the Arccos shot tracking app.

Ping are taking a slightly different approach to shot-tracking other than just being a way to improve. Ping’s brilliant engineering team are right on the cusp of enabling fitters to use the data you create to better understand how you perform on the golf course, rather than just stood in a fitting bay.  

Don’t be surprised if the Ping G425 MAX is the biggest selling driver of 2021. It’s honest, powerful and forgiving, and it can of course be fitted to a ton of golfers, just like every G model before it.   

How do the Ping G425 drivers compare in data?

Verdict: Ping G425 Max vs G425 LST drivers

If you happen to be a fast speed or high spin player, and Ping say only about 10% of golfers are, then the G425 LST absolutely does what Ping promise, lowering spin by 619 RPM (Ping say to expect a 500-700 RPM spin reduction compared to the MAX) for our test pro.

It’s absolutely no secret that less spin adds distance, but after some serious research Ping took it upon themselves to warn golfers in 2020 not to just chase high launch and low spin on a launch monitor.

After taking the time to decipher the data produced from hundreds of thousands of driver fittings over the years, they created an optimal launch angle and spin rate chart for each swing speed and attack angle. If you can achieve the right numbers, you can unlock the maximum driver distance from your swing speed. It’s well worth bearing in mind if you’re planning to buy a new driver in 2021.    

Verdict: Ping G425 SFT driver

SFT has been an integral part of the Ping G family since the G30 in 2014 and thanks to the extra model separation that Ping have built into the new model this really is a slice-buster.

Thanks to the refinements, plenty of golfers who’ve played SFT in previous models will now slip comfortably into the MAX model with the CG shifting weight in the draw slot. Compared to the G400 SFT, the face sits visibly a little closed, but chronic slicers will appreciate the extra draw enhancing help that delivers.   

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Review written by: Simon Daddow   

Job title: Today’s Golfer – Equipment Editor

Ping G425 MAX Driver

RRP: £450

Headsize: 460cc

Lofts: 9°/ 10.5° / 12°

CG Shifter: 26g

Ping G425 LST Driver

RRP: £450

Headsize: 445cc

Lofts: 9° /10.5°

CG Shifter: 17g

Ping G425 SFT Driver

RRP: £450

Headsize: 460cc

Lofts: 10.5°

Fixed weight: 23g

Stock shafts: Ping Alta CB 55 Slate, Ping Tour 65/75

After market no upcharge shafts: Mitsubishi Tensei AV RAW Orange 65, Aldila Rogue White 130 M.S.I. 70

Stock grip: Arccos / Golf Pride Lite 360 Tour Velvet

Adjustable hosel: Yes (+/- 1.5°)