Lighter Weight for G425 Max

[RSS 19]

I have a G425 max driver and want to get more distance ( MOI is great). I noticed on TXG, they used a 7 gram weight in the G425 LST and got much greater distance. Any thoughts on what a lighter weight will do in the Max?

[jlukes 16,208]

8 minutes ago, RSS said:

I have a G425 max driver and want to get more distance ( MOI is great). I noticed on TXG, they used a 7 gram weight in the G425 LST and got much greater distance. Any thoughts on what a lighter weight will do in the Max?

The didn't necessarily get more distance - they just made the swing weight more manageable because they were choosing not to use a high balance point shaft.

A lighter weight will lower the swing weight and change the Center of Gravity (move it forward slightly) and lower the MOI of the head.

Lowering swingweight is not an automatic way to increase speed - it is all about finding the right balance of swing weight, total weight, etc that allows the player to move the club in the most efficient way possible.

[RSS 19]

Thanks I have the Tensei Orange Raw 55 gram R shaft with a 26 gram weight. It's a bit heavy compared to the Callaway and TM i tried in the store, but had best consistency in play but shorter. 

[cbbuff 19]

Tensei Orange is a CB shaft.  TXG was using the Ventus Blue which is not CB.  All things equal, the CB shaft will lower SW, so the Ventus will need the weight in the head reduced to stay at the same SW.

[RSS 19]

Thanks appreciate it.

[WalterS 47]

20 hours ago, jlukes said:

The didn't necessarily get more distance - they just made the swing weight more manageable because they were choosing not to use a high balance point shaft.

A lighter weight will lower the swing weight and change the Center of Gravity (move it forward slightly) and lower the MOI of the head.

Lowering swingweight is not an automatic way to increase speed - it is all about finding the right balance of swing weight, total weight, etc that allows the player to move the club in the most efficient way possible.

well I doubt very much if lowering the back weight is going to do anything to the centre of gravity or lower the MOI of the head. Not going to happen, okay maybe a tenth of a percentage point.

Edited May 13, 2021 by WalterS

[HDTVMAN 155]

I have the G400MAX and cut my shaft to 44.5". Ping standard is 45.75". I added lead tape, angled on each side of the rear weight to each corner in a "V" shape. I cut the tape in 1" sections to remove sections until I found the right weight combination, which for me is C-9. I tried changing the weights but the weight didn't feel distributed correctly. By shortening the club, I hit the sweet spot much more often and get greater distance. Pro's use shorter clubs, in most instances, for the same reason. Go to a shop and hit a shorter shaft and see what happens.

[jlukes 16,208]

4 minutes ago, WalterS said:

well I doubt very much if lowering the back weight is going to do anything to the centre of gravity or lower the MOI of the head. Not going to happen, okay maybe a tenth of a percentage point.

Would it be noticeable?  Perhaps not to every golfer.  But it would happen and it is something to be aware of.  It would also raise the closure rate of the club, potentially leading to the player closing the face faster. 

[WalterS 47]

2 minutes ago, HDTVMAN said:

I have the G400MAX and cut my shaft to 44.5". Ping standard is 45.75". I added lead tape, angled on each side of the rear weight to each corner in a "V" shape. I cut the tape in 1" sections to remove sections until I found the right weight combination, which for me is C-9. I tried changing the weights but the weight didn't feel distributed correctly. By shortening the club, I hit the sweet spot much more often and get greater distance. Pro's use shorter clubs, in most instances, for the same reason. Go to a shop and hit a shorter shaft and see what happens.

Actually Cameron Champ who plays a 425LST has his driver at 44.25" (D4 SW). And I think Rickie's driver was at 43.5", unless he changed it again. Yes a shorter driver can help "most" people hit it better and more consistent.

[WalterS 47]

2 minutes ago, jlukes said:

Would it be noticeable?  Perhaps not to every golfer.  But it would happen and it is something to be aware of.  It would also raise the closure rate of the club, potentially leading to the player closing the face faster. 

Considering the mass of the head, a few extra or less grams of weight in the back won't do much to those parameters. But if you think it will then okay. 

[jlukes 16,208]

8 minutes ago, WalterS said:

Considering the mass of the head, a few extra or less grams of weight in the back won't do much to those parameters. But if you think it will then okay. 

Sorry for using basic science.  Also someone asked a similar question on Instagram yesterday to one of the top club builders in the world 

He added that it would also make the shaft play slightly stiffer

 

 

 

[yungkory 10,974]

[ChitownM2 714]

If you're consistently finding the sweet spot then decreasing swing weight is not going to add much distance.  Dropping a few grams isn't going to significantly increase swing speed which is what you're trying to do.  The only way to increase swing speed is training and building muscle.

 

Now if you don't consistently hit the ball near the center, then changing swing weight up or down may help with that as would decreasing the shaft length.  Shortening the shaft will decrease club head speed, but the better contact will hopefully increase the ball speed resulting in a net distance gain.

[ollieb 1]

Adding some additional data to this discussion I am sharing my experience with a a driver tuning exercise I recently conducted outdoors using my trackman. I was intrigued by a new shaft just released by VA Composites called “Nemesis”. The design concept incorporates counterbalanced characteristics to the shaft. Yes that will reduce overall SW and potentially increase club head speed but there’s another element that can be applied to dial in an optimal fit. The VA fitting notes suggest adding weight to the club head if it offers a removable weight feature. The idea based on physics is that KE= MxV2. If clubhead speed can be held constant with added weight to the head in the proper place there can be an increase in distance. I game a Titleist TS2 driver that offers the  ability to change the weight in the sole plate. I purchased 8g,12g and16g weights the standard is 4g. My data consisted of 10 swings with each weight in two sets of 5 each going from heavy to lighter in the first and lighter to heavy in the second. The VA shaft is the Nemesis 57g R. The results were positive I was able to increase ball speed 2.5 mph and  my launch angle went up to 13 degrees with the 8g weight while I was able to hold my clubhead speed between 88 and 91 mph. With the 12g and 16g weights launch angle went well beyond optimal spin up into the4K range, carry went down along with swing and ball speed. What a I getting at? Optimal fitting is personal and based on the physical limits of the player and the shafts ability to handle dynamic mass. As I added weight I was increasing MOI and the characteristics were predictable more spin higher launch angle swing speed and ball speed going down beyond 8g weight. I know this is a bit of long winded data overload, however don’t rule out the notion of adding weight in the search for increase ball speed. Low swing weight and lighter clubs are not for everyone.

Ollieb

 

[Golfgirl8350 16]

I have a Ping G400 SFT. Instead of the stock shaft I went with a 40gram shaft that is available for the Max version of the club. Gave me better feel and faster swing.

[funkyjudge 219]

On 5/12/2021 at 4:08 PM, RSS said:

I have a G425 max driver and want to get more distance ( MOI is great). I noticed on TXG, they used a 7 gram weight in the G425 LST and got much greater distance. Any thoughts on what a lighter weight will do in the Max?

I wasn’t aware that Ping has a 7 gram weight available for the G425 Series drivers.  However, I know that they have weights in several denominations from 15 to 32 grams, all of which I have for my G425 Max driver.  I happen to use a 29 gram weight in mine, because I play the driver at 44.75” long and with that weight installed, I get a D3 swing weight, which is what I prefer in a driver.