Strong PGA Tour Debut for PING G30 Driver

[Tony Covey MGS]

While I'm sure it's happened before, it's certainly not common for a new driver to capture its first win in its first week of USGA conformity, but that's exactly what the PING G30 did.

 

According to PGATour.com's Jonathan Wall, 8 players including Angel Cabrera, Charles Howell III, and of course, Bubba Watson had the driver in the bag for the first time in competition play.

 

Wall reports that Tournament Winner, Cabrera (who also played a G30 Fairway Wood), picked up 2 miles/hour ball speed and 4-6 yards of carry. 

 

Also noteworthy, Howell and Watson finished 1-2 in driving distance for the week.

 

All of this highlights what I find most interesting about the G30 series. While the products themselves are basically what you'd expect from PING, intentional or otherwise, there appears to be a bit of a shift in the target market demographics.

 

If you consider length and lofts...even with that stuff about ratios being inline with the Eye2, my read is that the G25 has moved a notch or two further to the game-improvement side. The woods however, in my estimation, have moved that same notch or two in the opposite direction, and have done so without sacrificing any of the performance that makes the G-series, the G-series.. 

 

Just a guess, but I believe the G30 will eventually prove to be the most played G-series driver ever on tour, and I also think that those of us who have previously not viewed the G-series as a series option, have reason to rethink the decision. 

 

Absolutely...it looks HUGE at address, but it's insanely forgiving, and unless you give it the open face swipe, or the toe down blast, it does an amazing job of staying between the white lines. 

 

In our G30 launch article I had a great line from PING's Marty Jertson about PING not wanting to create the most aerodynamic driver ever...just the best driver ever, and while it's way to early to declare them successful, the numbers suggest they've made solid improvement over the G25, the intangibles I've experienced suggest a more significant improvement.

 

Add it to your demo list...no rush, you've probably got 2 years before the G35.

 

WITB Angel Cabrera (Greenbrier Classic)

 

Driver: G30 (9 degree),45.25", Aldila Rogue 80-X tip 1",D4

Fairway Wood: G30([email protected]), 43", Aldila RIP Alpha80-X tip 1.5",D4

Irons: i25 2-iron,  S55 3-9,PW , +1/4", Red, X100/cushin, D3

Wedges: Anser (54-D6),Tour Gorge(60/TS),+1/4", S400

Putter: Scottsdale TR Anser 2B, 37",21lie,3loft, PP58 Mid

Grip: TV 58R BCT +2 logo dwn

[Jondagcl]

Its definitely fair to say that for those keeping track, this driver in particular had an exceptional maiden voyage.

[jpcgolf]

Let's see if it can beat my SLDR.  I wish my course had ping clubs.

[markb]

A shocking debut, to say the least. Watching Cabrera hit those massive shots coming down the home stretch was eye-opening. Was he always such a bomber? I never thought so. I will be watching his and all the other Ping staffers' stats very closely to see if there is a detectable bump or not.

 

 Of course, we also must ask ourselves how much of his bump is due to the impossible-to-find Aldila Rogue shaft, which won't even be offered as an upgrade when the club is released.