Ping G30 LS Tec Driver: First look review
18 Jan 2015
by Rusty Cage
see also: Equipment Reviews
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The Ping G30 LS Tec Driver
If you find yourself wondering where the new Ping
driver fits into their popular G30-branded product
line (that's three now if you're keeping track at
home) we're here to get you straightened out. And
before we do, let's clear some things up from the
get-go.
The G30 LS Tec is not a
newer, better version of the acclaimed model that
came out just a few months ago. Same stock shaft,
same titanium alloy face, same cutting-edge
aerodynamics. And even though Ping is not
promising additional yards, you can bet some golfers
can and will hit it farther. So now that I explained
what the G30 LS Tec isn't, lets talk about what it is
and why it exists.
The newest driver from Ping is a lower-spinning
model with a fade bias. It's designed for golfers,
especially those with higher swing speeds, who may
find the standard G30 model launches a little too
high and spins a little too much. It's also designed to
appease players who to prefer play drivers with a
fade bias. Compared to other companies capitalizing
on the low-spin driver phenomenon, the G30 LS Tec
is not nearly as low-spinning, but it is slightly more
forgiving.
Like the standard G30 and G30 SF Tec, the LS Tec is
a 460cc model that looks nearly identical at address
when compared to it's siblings. It has the same
matte black finish and raised ridges (turbulators on
the front of the crown that help improve
aerodynamics). But it's the stuff underneath the hood
that differentiates them. Ping engineers took the sole
of the LS Tec and shortened it slightly from front to
back, moving the center of gravity lower and more
toward the face. It's only an incremental change
compared to the other models, but the club spins
about 350 to 400 rpm less, according to Ping, with a
marginally lower launch angle. Between the
adjustment to CG location and the position of the
face (1-degree open), the new driver is said to
experience slightly less drag than the G30, and less
drag means more speed, which in turn means more
yards - even if they are just measured in fractions.
Here's a summary of all the features. Differences
between models are indicated in bold:
- Center of gravity is back and extremely low
(slightly forward compared to the standard G30) and
is able to generate approximately 400 rpm
less spin while maintaing high MOI.
- Turbulators on the crown of the Ti 8-1-1 head
reduce aerodynamic drag on the downswing,
increasing club head speed and ball velocity.
- The driver's 1-degree more opened face gives
the LS Tec more fade bias than
the standard G30.
- With Trajectory Tuning+ technology, launch
conditions can be programmed using five settings
and two full degrees of adjustability.
The Ping G30 LS Tec ($349) will be available in
February in lofts of 9 and 10.5 degrees in both right
and left-handed models. The stock shaft is the Ping
TFC 419D (soft R, R, S and X flex). The Tour 65 and
80 shafts (R, S and X flex) are available for a $30
upcharge.