What The Company Says…
The G15 driver is engineered for golfers seeking a maximum forgiveness driver that delivers distance and accuracy. Its 460cc titanium head is longer front to back and features PING’s patented ultra thin crown technology. Weight savings from the thin crown are positioned as an external sole weight to optimize the center of gravity for higher trajectories and reduced spin.
The Word From The Golf Shop…
"The G15 driver is very similar to the previous G10 driver. It features a mid to high launch tendency due to the weight distribution in the head. Word from the course has it that loft/shaft combinations need to be watched carefully because of the higher flight tendancies. The 460 head still provides a good measure of forgiveness, and with the correct shaft match for swing dynamics, distance is excellent. Toe and heel mishits gear back well, sound is pleasing, not harsh like some Clevelands and Cobras, but solid sounding. Compares very well with Titleist 909 D2 series, Callaway FT-9, and Taylor Made R9 460. The only negative is it does produce higher spin rates which have a negative impact on overall distance. That's where shafting helps out. Pricing is not over the top, and the G15 is a good driver for any player."
Rating From The Shop – 78%
What We Say…
You almost always know what you're getting when you buy a Ping driver. The company delivers solid driver after solid driver and the G15 is no exception.
Performance – We don't have too many complaints in this category. The G15 scores well in the distance and forgiveness categories. We found distance to be above average compared to other drivers although we saw a considerable loss of distance on heel shots (especially low on the heel). Forgiveness is consistent across most of the face and most mid-high handicappers shouldn't any problems getting this driver to work for them. It's easy to get the ball airborne with this driver. Performance is rarely an issue with Ping drivers.
Feel and Sound – The knock on so many new drivers relates to sound. A lot of the drivers on the market produce a loud, piercing noise when struck. Good news… this driver isn't like the majority. The G15's sound is more muffled and less "I just hit the golf ball with an aluminum can"-like. The club feels really nice across most of the face although (as mentioned in the previous category) the heel is a bit dead. This is another strong category for the G15.
Value – The G15 falls in the middle of the pricing pack. Ping offers the Rapture V2 in a higher price point although many people we talk to question if the the Rapture is worth the extra money. If the G15's price tag is still too steep, you might want to consider the Ping G10.
Looks – Ping typically keeps their clubs fairly "traditional" looking and the G15 falls in line here. The G15 is a bit underwhelming to look at but it's tough to argue with it's performance. If you are stuck on looks and want something that will "wow" your buddies, go and get a TaylorMade Burner Super Fast. The G15's large footprint should help inspire confidence in some but it's not overwhelming enough to scare away those concerned with looks.
Innovation – Golf club fitting has really changed over the past few years. Companies are jumping on the adjustability bandwagon and we're seeing all sorts of "snap, screw and swap" technologies. Ping is a bit late to the party on this one although they still offer one of the finest (if not the finest) club fitting programs around. The G15 is offered in a Draw head but if you're longing for weights and wrenches… look elsewhere. Ping offers a boatload of custom shaft options in this club and a certified Ping fitter will help you find the right one. The stock shafts offered in the G15 are ok but still fall a bit behind those offered in similar drivers. You need to get the G15 driver fitted so you're only hurting yourself if you buy from off the rack. Ignore the loft on the bottom of the club and trust the launch monitor numbers.
Overall – Long? Check. Forgiving? Check. Decent sound and feel? Check. Ping keeps cranking out quality drivers and the G15 is no different. This brings up an interesting question though… is the G15 that much better than the G10? We'll leave that investigation up to you. It's important to get this club fit… fit by a professional. You're not going to find any adjustable weights or wrenches here. Try the stock shaft but don't be afraid to experiment with a few others during the fitting process.
Overall… a great driver that won't let you down.
Overall Editor Rating – 80%
Overall Combined Rating – 79%
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