Ping G15 Hybrid

I have told you stories about Ping and technological advancement of hybrid golf clubs in my previous articles. What I do not need to tell you is the difference between better golfers and average hackers is the short game. Besides the short game, other key criteria are naturally a good golf swing and therefore, consistency.

Whenever you play with better players, have a keen observation how they go about the business. The way they make decisions, lay out or attack or reading of the putting line, etc. One key component of their play other than consistency is their reading of distance in relation to wind and ground condition.

Allow me to narrate a true story of real life drama on the golf course. I have always told you that lessons can be learned everywhere and everyday. We had a mini self-organised golf tournament where small prizes are to be given away for top golfers, nearest to the pin, longest drive, etc. Strange things do happen in life. I was having an unusually horrid day where all my timing, rhythm and tempo went haywire only improving in the second half. I will not tell you what other prizes I won like nearest to the pin or having a birdie or final placing, etc. but I felt compelled to share the story of the longest drive to inspire you.

The Longest Drive

At the longest drive par 5 hole, the first flight took off. When we arrived at the tee box,we could see the buggies and golfers scattered. Perhaps they either went OB, into the water, bunker or rough. They signalled to us and left the flag for longest drive near a bunker. Now, we all have a chance. One went OB, one into the water and one into the hazard. I wasn't thinking and I found this unacceptable being a guru advising people on golf with my blog.

Heck, I should have use a wedge to win it but being the unthinking gentleman I am, I gave a mighty whack with my driver despite the poor tempo and went against my own advice of never forcing a shot. To my horrors, I topped the shot and scraped past the the ball resulting in a shot that fortunately went past the ladies' red tee box (meaning I don't have to buy beer) and ran for more than 50 but not more than a 100m. I knew immediately, I would be harassed in the evening by "good friends" who would rub me till my skin break. Needless to say I won the longest drive. This could go into the Guinness Book of World Records for the shortest longest drive. There is no shame. I am showing you that we can win in another way.

What did I learn here? That victory does not always go to the strongest, fittest, fastest, swiftest or the best. What you need to do is to at least show up. When I told you I struggled to run 2.4km, it is true but I could do better only thing I need a ball as a target. I admired friends who are running frequently and those who are doing 42km marathons or the triathletes. Phew! What are they made of? When we are thrown into an African Safari, I do not need to outrun the hungry lions, I just need to outrun you. You get the point I am sure.

Loft & Distances

After this confession, I shall move on to distances of your clubs in particular the longer clubs especially those whose bags has evolved from long irons to hybrids. Remember that hybrids replace the long irons and not the woods. Do not look at the number on the hybrids as brands have their own numbering system so the trick is always to look out for the loft - how many degrees of loft that you need. Every two degrees is about a difference of 10m so if your 21-22 degrees hits 180m, your 19-20 degrees will go 190m and 17-18 degrees will be 200m.

Some folks just need two with a spread of 4 degrees like a 17 degrees and a 21 degrees as this is sufficient to give a range of 180-200m. The rest you will have to read the course contour (uphill or downhill would mean a difference of adding or subtracting 10-20m depending on steepness) and wind direction. Add or minus 10-20m from moderate to strong wind. Understand that a head wind (not the wind in your head) is stronger against the ball than a back wind meaning that you have to add 10m more distance playing into a head wind or 20m if against a very strong head wind. You do the same for a wind behind you by reducing proportionately the same way but a back wind would carry your ball forward with 10% less force than when the wind is against you. When you judge correctly each distance required, you can get your killer shots.

G15 Hybrid

Uniquely shaped like more like an iron than a wood and look a bit like a sore thumb. Some hybrids are shaped like wood but this one is clearly for iron lovers. Its unique feature is that the while the centre of gravity is positioned close to the face the offset created push it farther from the hosel and it is meant to produce a higher flight and less spin. An additional toe weight gives higher MOI (moment of inertia). The proprietary shaft has different torque, weight and stiffness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbmYY-9YiMU

Golf Digest Player's Comments): High Handicapper - Flies like a rocket with a high trajectory. Exactly what you want from a hybrid. Mid-Handicapper - If you can get over the looks, it is a very solid club. You'll pick up a lot of forgiveness, good distance and a nice iron-like ball flight. It gets up and goes. Low-Handicapper - I can't believe how easy this is to hit. It makes every ball looks like it is sitting on a tee.

 

Today's Golfer UK: Because of the quality of its predecessor the G10, we expected a lot from the Ping G15 and it did not disappoint. It was the joint-longest on test and we loved it because it looks more like an iron than others. Top marks for forgiveness and performance from the rough. It's a Ping product so you expect it to be top notch and it delivers.

 

From this pix, one can see the silver trim resembles an iron top line when you look down during set up. When you see this, it tends to be more iron-like as those without the trim are more wood-like hybrids. Let me give manufacturers an idea. Like spray-painting cars with flowers and leaves, they could always have the crown of these hybrids with picture of grass so that when you rest the club down on the fairways or rough, you see only an iron top line. When anyone actually does this, please make sure you pay me some royalties.

golftoimpress: Has a very interesting and pleasing vibration at impact. It was different but felt very good. Toe shots were a bit numb but the result was worth it. Felt more like a titanium hollow driving iron than a typical hybrid wood. Very forgiving on the toe, heel shots were user-friendly and sweet spot covered a large zone. This club excelled in its accuracy. An all round straight shooter with medium/high trajectory. Can work well for good players or average golfers. This clubs is longer than any hybrids tested. Ugly but provides results. Great club for average golfers and solve big problems of long irons. Soft parachute landing onto greens.

 

Golf Magazine: Those who slice will like the G15 as the offset give the face more time to close. Many testers commented that these are straight shooters. Repeatable high ball flight. Head heavy feel during swing foster a smooth tempo. Stable sensation through impact. Good shots from challenging lies. Gouges ball out of thick grass. Aesthetics are big drawback-extreme offset, thick top line.

 

Actually the G15 is shorter in length than most other hybrids from the face to the back. Hybrids can look more like a wood or an iron and this one looks like a driving iron. This way it will make you feel like you are using an iron. The previous model G10 looks more like a fairway wood. The sole is almost flat. Some of us do not like the look of an offset but the truth is that many of us also play with clubs more difficult than we really should. It is like ferrying 7 people in the family into a 2-door sports car when you really should pack them into an MPV. The sports car looks great but it does not serve that purpose. Ditto your golf clubs.

For me it still looks great due to Ping's quality built. We often find things that are different and we label them off beat. Things like love can grow on us slowly but surely. This could be a revolution. Do not judge a book by its cover. This could be an exceptional choice for mid and high handicappers but even single digit players could like it. Try it first then decide.

I give you an easy comparison. Like I have said many times, do not look at the number of a hybrid but the loft as every brand calls them by a different number. One with a 31 degree loft is equal to a 6-iron. A 27 degree is a 5-iron. 23 degree = 4-iron or 9-wood. a 20 degree is a 3-iron or 7-wood. 17 degree loft is equivalent to a 2-iron or 5-wood.

Firstly, determine if you are a better wood or iron player. Most of us are more used to the iron swing and technically all swing are the same, the wood flat out more on impact than an iron. A Hybrid provides the best of both worlds where you can swing like an iron with the extra weight of a wood. Throughout your 18 hole you are using mostly an iron swing and to suddenly pull out a longer fairway wood to hit off the deck can be a bit too much unless you are highly proficient, so do not kid ourselves as we have enough frustrations at work, we have no time to fight with our own golf clubs.

There are basically 2 types of hybrid one that leans toward a wood and the other more iron-like. The G15 gives a solid thud on impact and can launch the ball into the stratosphere. The stock grip is the same as the driver, irons and wedges. Reviews showed that this clubs is straight as an arrow, the longest hybrid hit, extremely forgiving and long with results that are phenomenal.

My View

This clubs is built solidly. The look at address is familiar, like an iron with a bit more muscles but still compact and not too large. It is clean and gives you confidence. It certainly does not feel like you are hitting a hybrid like I used to. I would not say that it look ugly as some reviews may have suggested since it was built to do a certain job and I like the black and red colour scheme and the flat sole.

Some hybrids are excellent off the tee but not so off the fairways or vice versa. I would like my hybrids to be like a beast off the tee and also from the deck. While I am still contemplating whether to eventually have a 3-wood to use as a second driver on tight fairways, this would be my "go to" club if it could serve that very purpose from the tee box as well as a wood. It also offers hope of putting it onto the green from the second shot on some par 5s if I could handle it well bearing in mind at 17 degrees it is not as easy.

This one is a monster off the tee - signed, sealed and delivered. Confirmed. 200m is achievable so it is great to use when on a tricky tee box facing a fairway which look anything but fair. I have experienced mixed fortunes off the deck hitting both very good and not so good shots. It needs an adjustment period.

Well it it time to put it into play and hopefully "do it" as intended. You shall be hearing more about it in the near future plus the other Ping G15 driver, irons and wedge. My bag is turning black and red going into 2011. At least that is the colour I think is good for 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAdjryTkxZg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HruTLBBl0as

Black for finance is good and red for prosperity, luck and good golf scores mean "under". I was given a pen that can switch colour. So hopefully it can be used to record pars and under in red.

Golf as in life. Play as it lies.