PING G20 Driver Review – Rock Solid Game Improvement

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PING G20 Driver - 4 Perspectives

Here I will be reviewing the PING G20 driver.

Considered a game-improvement driver, the PING G20 has some great attributes and is designed for golfers of all skill levels.

Are the claims of high ball flight, low spin and great distance true? Read on to find out what you need to know about this quality driver to make an informed purchase.

Note: Unless otherwise stated, stock shafts and stock grips are used when evaluating this club. In most cases, the golf clubs reviewed on Golfstead are acquired temporarily for testing purposes and are not purchased. The review that follows is based on the personal experience and research of the author. Because everyone’s swing and body are different, results with a particular club may differ from person to person.


What are the reviews like?

The PING G20 is generally very well received — it has a 4.8/5 on Global Golf and countless positive in-depth reviews.

What People Like

Experts and reviewers have confirmed that the G20 does indeed deliver high and straight trajectories with a piercing ball flight for great distance.

Customers have also praised the driver for its soft, springy feel at impact, cool appearance, and excellent forgiveness on mishits.

What People Don’t Like

  • rather limited workability (shot-shaping ability)
  • the large bulky 460cc clubhead may not appeal aesthetically to everyone

Overview & Features

External Weight

The PING G20 incorporates an external weight which serves to move the center of gravity (CG) into a position that promotes high-launch, low-spin shots: a recipe for maximum distance off of the tee.

High-Balance Shaft

The TFC 169D shaft has what PING calls a “high-balance point”. This supposedly allows you to swing more mass without sacrificing speed and therefore increase your ball speeds.

Variable Face Thickness

The G20 has a large clubhead and clubface, and PING states that the variable thickness of the face helps to increase both moment of inertia (MOI) as well as ball speeds.

Light & Strong Titanium

The 460cc clubhead is made out of a light, low-density titanium alloy known as Ti 8-1-1.

This material has a high strength-to-weight ratio which, according to PING, basically allows additional weight to be “strategically placed” and as a result increase the MOI of the vertical and horizontal axes (which translates to forgiveness), as well as increase the durability and performance of the club.

Stock Info

The standard lofts available depend on the shaft used.

The G20 comes in two shafts: the TFC 169D and TFC 169D TOUR. The TOUR shaft variant generally weighs more for each flex and has a lower launch angle than the standard.

See the specifications and more info in the table below:

LoftHandHead WeightLieVolume (Head Size)LengthSwing Weight
8.5°Right/Left204g58°460cc45.75"D3
9.5°Right/Left204g58°460cc45.75"D3
10.5°Right/Left204g58°460cc45.75"D3
12°Right/Left204g58°460cc45.75"D3

How does the driver perform?

Trajectory & Distance

Assuming that your loft and shaft flex are optimized or near-optimized for your particular golf swing, well-struck shots with the G20 will generally produce a mid-high, straight ball flight.

The low-spin attribute of the driver helps produce a piercing ball flight that carries a long way and helps to counteract wild slices or hooks. Such a ball flight does well on windy days, which is great.

Slight mishits retain a good trajectory and distance.

Workability is somewhat limited; there are other drivers available that are more conducive to shot-shaping.

Forgiveness

The forgiveness with the G20 is superb, with its elognated, large-faced 460cc clubhead — much better than drivers that you wouldn’t call “game-improvement” like the TaylorMade SLDR.

Shots that are hit closer to the toe or heel still go relatively straight, although they do typically suffer some distance loss. You should certainly expect terrible shots to yield terrible results, but slight to moderate mishits will still turn out quite good.

The G20 is a great friend to higher-handicap golfers looking for a lot of forgiveness off the tee; it can help golfers to swing with more confidence.

Even skilled golfers will reap plenty of benefit with this driver.


What about look, sound & feel?

The Look

Despite having a large, elongated clubhead, PING manages to pull off an elegant look with a sole design that is effective and to-the-point.

The club sports a sophisticated gray/black colour scheme with a tasteful addition of red on the G20 logo, and the alignment aid on the crown is slick and unobtrusive.

The clubhead is large without being clunky, and it looks great at address. Overall, an excellent job by PING.

The Sound & Feel

Although the clubface is not “hot” per se, solid strikes seem to spring or “explode” off the face and they feel fantastic.

Mishits, while well-forgiven, tend to feel a bit soft and feedback doesn’t seem to be all that distinct (in the sense that it can be difficult to feel where the ball made contact on the face). I suppose that, in a way, this is to be expected with a game-improvement driver.

I also enjoy the impact sound of the G20. Good hits produce a satisfying “thwack” sound — almost a mix between a “ping” and a “crack”.

You can count on mishits not sounding as nice; in fact, you should be able to immediately tell when you missed the sweet spot just by listening to the impact sound.

To summarize, good strikes on or near the sweet spot are rewarded with great feel, great sound and a great result.


Where should you buy this driver online?

Years later, it can be difficult to find golf clubs in new and even used condition. I’ve found, however, that old PING models have consistently good availability from two particular sources.

The first is eBay. You can find some fantastic deals for the G20 from trustworthy and reputable sellers on eBay, but just be aware of their policies.

What’s great about eBay is that you’re completely protected by their Money Back Guarantee.

Alternatively, Global Golf still has some G20 drivers in stock. You’d best grab one before they run out. Check and see what coupon codes they’re running here.

Before you buy, you should have a good idea of what loft and shaft flex are best for your particular swing speed; that way, you stand the best chance of getting the most in terms of distance and accuracy and not having to return or exchange the driver.


Conclusion

Pros

  • very forgiving on mishits
  • solid hits go long and straight
  • great look and feel
  • great value for money

Cons

  • lacks adjustability (no loft sleeve, etc.)
  • mishit feedback could be better
  • not ideal for extreme shot shaping
  • large 460cc clubhead can be unsightly for some

The PING G20 driver is a great driver and a worthy successor to the G15.

Golfers of all skill levels can find success with the G20; both low handicap and high handicap golfers will appreciate the nice blend of forgiveness, feel and power the G20 offers.

Golfers looking for maximum control off the tee may want to look elsewhere.


If you have any thoughts or questions about PING’s G20 driver, go ahead and leave a comment below!

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5 Comments

  1. John October 13, 2015
    • Paul October 14, 2015
  2. Nate November 3, 2015
    • Paul November 4, 2015
  3. zeek September 22, 2020

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