COST: $995 (MAX & SFT); $1,050 (LST).

TESTED BY: Jimmy Emanuel, Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: PING drivers are known among the most forgiving options in the market and straight away looking at the three models – MAX, SFT, LST – there was an immediate confidence that G430 is no different.

At address the differences in the trio are slight, which is not true in terms of flight performance, a major positive on both counts.

Maintaining a similar look means the three heads are suitable for a wide spectrum of player in custom fitting, the adjustable hosel and weighting system furthering the individual head designs specific elements.

The look of the MAX is certainly busy on top, but not distracting, while the toe seemed to sit up a little and felt perfect to hit a slight draw. The SFT model, or draw model in layman’s terms, accented this further, while the LST, lower spin option, was very neutral in every regard and looks fractionally smaller.

The feel of the MAX and SFT is very similar and an improvement on the G425. Still on the louder side it is slightly more muted, the LST without question providing the best sound and feel, for mine.

In the standard setting, the three models had their differences in flight, adjusting the hosel and weighting having genuine effects.

HOW THEY PERFORMED: The most positive review of any golf club would be that it does as advertised. PING’s G430 drivers do exactly that.

As golfers have come to expect, PING’s latest drivers offer crazy amounts of forgiveness and a dead straight flight with the MAX model that is a perfect baseline to then judge the other ball flights.

Shots struck on different areas of the face wanted to fly just like ones from the middle with a slight drop in ball speed according to the launch monitor used during testing. In fact, the dispersion and distance drop off on mis-hits, or lack thereof, was the most impressive of any current model driver I have tested of late.

That was unsurprising when talking with a friend in the golf retail game who ahead of testing said of the G430 MAX “It’s probably the straightest driver in the shop”.

Forgiveness and consistent performance like that did come with maybe seeing the G430 sit very slightly behind other drivers for distance, but with fitting that difference was negated.

Moving to the LST, the distance question was ended, and the feel helped push it right up in my books.

The standard ball flight with the low spin model was a little fade that just fell left-to-right in flight, with a boring trajectory. The feel improvements no doubt coming from the ‘Carbonfly Wrap’.

Not fitting into the traditional golfer mould the G430 SFT is designed for, testing was still an interesting exercise to see just how good its slice reducing capabilities were.

If you are a slicer, this model will do you the world of good, especially once dialled in to deliver the amount of correction you need.

Personally, there has always been a soft spot for PING drivers having used many of the brand’s older models for long periods and I could easily see myself doing similar with a G430.

The sound took a little adjusting too, but as mentioned is better than the previous model, and I didn’t take much note of the crown design much beyond the initial look and note that there was a bit happening.

Forgiveness is the name of the game with driver for me these days, and the G430 is truly elite, and with the three models any golfer type can be the beneficiary of that impressive characteristic.

The feel of the LST kept me going back, but the straight flight and ease of use from the MAX means there would need to be even more testing before I could pick a clear favourite.

PING SAYS: In the new drivers, PING’s engineering team developed several new technologies common to all three models while applying specific advancements to each individual head, producing measurable ball-speed gains while improving sound throughout the series.

The added ball speed is attributed to a shallower and thinner VFT forged face design engineered with ‘Spinsistency’, a variable roll radius technology proven on the G425 fairway woods and hybrids. The improved and pleasing sound is the result of fine-tuning the frequencies of the head through a new internal rib structure.

The MAX remains the most forgiving and fits the widest range of golfers. A 25-gram, high-density tungsten moveable backweight influences shot shape ±8 yards between the Draw, Neutral and Fade settings.

Exclusive to the LST (Low Spin Technology) driver is ‘Carbonfly Wrap’, a lightweight composite that covers the crown and wraps into the heel/toe sections of the skirt to save weight and lower the CG for more ball speed, less spin and higher MOI.

New to the SFT (Straight Flight Technology) head is a two-setting, moveable tungsten backweight (22g) that positions the centre of gravity (CG) to deliver 13 yards of right-to-left shot bend in the Draw setting and another 7 yards in the Draw+ (20 yards total).

Visit www.ping.com or www.americangolf.com.au to find out more.