PING 425 SFT - Distance Killer?

[rvs0002]

Switched to Ping 425 SFT last month thinking it would turn my fade into a draw and gain me a little more distance. I'm 57, 6HC and average about 255 with my Sim2. The SFT is truly a fairway finder for sure (I didn't have any issues with big left misses like some have talked about). My problem is that my distance has tanked with it. It's all I can do to push it out to 230-235, and that is catching it on the screws. I've tried 3 different shafts and no difference. I was playing yesterday and really striking it well so I asked one of my partners if I could hit his driver (Ping G model from several years ago) and flew it about 20 yards past where my original drive finished. Never saw this mentioned in any reviews I read or watched.

Just wondered if anyone else that switched to the SFT saw this issue? I hit about 10 fairways a round instead of 4 or 5 now, but coming into the greens from 20 to 30 yards farther out kind of sucks so I'm a bit torn on what to do, especially after just dropping the money on the Ping. My scores are consistently better being in the fairway rather than the trees, I'm just greedy and want distance and accuracy haha.

Thoughts or experiences?

Thanks,

John

[Nolan220]

@rvs0002 I play the older SFT G400 and its def shorter but I like the accuracy i get from it ... also in the Most Wanted testing this year the G425 SFt was 3rd from the bottom in Distance .. There's a chart that has all data and you can see SFT had good forgiveness but lower end numbers on everything else. 

 

https://mygolfspy.com/2022-most-wanted-driver/

[RickyBobby_PR]

24 minutes ago, rvs0002 said:

I've tried 3 different shafts and no difference.

No surprise because shafts done have the impact many thing they will.

More than likely you have something going on with launch that changed between your sim 2 and the g425 sft.

My guess is more spin as the sim2 is pretty low spin. Possibly more launch and that combined with the spin.

Also the sft isn’t going to magically make someone hit a draw. It’s going to not make a ball go as right (right handed golfer) as with another driver.

Without seeing launch monitor numbers for both drivers can’t say what’s going on.

What does your ball flight with the sim 2 look like? Line drive shots that run a long way? Something else?

What does it look like with the g425 sft?

[rvs0002]

7 minutes ago, Nolan220 said:

@rvs0002 I play the older SFT G400 and its def shorter but I like the accuracy i get from it ... also in the Most Wanted testing this year the G425 SFt was 3rd from the bottom in Distance .. There's a chart that has all data and you can see SFT had good forgiveness but lower end numbers on everything else. 

 

https://mygolfspy.com/2022-most-wanted-driver/

Thank you for that link. I will check it out.

[rvs0002]

6 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

What does your ball flight with the sim 2 look like? Line drive shots that run a long way? Something else?

What does it look like with the g425 sft?

Ball flight for both clubs is about the same, fairly high launch, not much roll. I'm guessing you are correct, 425 just has more spin (which is why I tried a couple low launch, low spin shafts to no avail).

I played draw with occasional big hooks most of my life. About 7 years ago, working with a coach I switched to a fade, but then ended up with two way miss...could be big push/block to the right and then overcorrecting to a big hook. SFT experiment was just to take the right side out of play for the most part, which it has done fantastically. I also love the feel and response of it. I just hate the fact that it just drops out of the sky when it gets to the 230 yard mark lol.

I will say that it is a CONSISTENT 230-235...not 210 one drive and 260 the next. It's too bad really...I love everything about the driver except the distance. On my local course it isn't really a big deal as it is relatively short, but I played in a member guest event with a buddy a few weeks ago and he even made the comment (without knowing I dropped a new driver in my bag) "Man, it seems like you are crushing your drives but they aren't going anywhere!"

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, rvs0002 said:

Ball flight for both clubs is about the same, fairly high launch, not much roll. I'm guessing you are correct, 425 just has more spin (which is why I tried a couple low launch, low spin shafts to no avail).

Shafts don’t spin or launch. Many a golfer goes down this rabbit hole with no success. 

 

1 hour ago, rvs0002 said:

I just hate the fact that it just drops out of the sky when it gets to the 230 yard mark lol.

Where is your contact on the face?

[Jonny_Crash]

I know you just bought a driver.... but you might try the G425 Max with the weight in the draw position.  I can't remember where I read it, but apparently moving the weight can have a 10-20 yard correction.  It really does seem to work and take half of the course out of play (unless it is just a bad swing...) 

 

[tony@CIC]

2 hours ago, rvs0002 said:

Switched to Ping 425 SFT last month thinking it would turn my fade into a draw and gain me a little more distance. I'm 57, 6HC and average about 255 with my Sim2. The SFT is truly a fairway finder for sure (I didn't have any issues with big left misses like some have talked about). My problem is that my distance has tanked with it. It's all I can do to push it out to 230-235, and that is catching it on the screws. I've tried 3 different shafts and no difference. I was playing yesterday and really striking it well so I asked one of my partners if I could hit his driver (Ping G model from several years ago) and flew it about 20 yards past where my original drive finished. Never saw this mentioned in any reviews I read or watched.

Just wondered if anyone else that switched to the SFT saw this issue? I hit about 10 fairways a round instead of 4 or 5 now, but coming into the greens from 20 to 30 yards farther out kind of sucks so I'm a bit torn on what to do, especially after just dropping the money on the Ping. My scores are consistently better being in the fairway rather than the trees, I'm just greedy and want distance and accuracy haha.

Thoughts or experiences?

Thanks,

John

I went the other way - from a 410 SFT to a SIM 2 MAX D. I picked up a ridiculous amount of yardage over the 410. I loved the sound of the 410 and the draw bias but it's now gathering dust in my garage. FYI, I had gone to Club Champion April 2021 and the SIM 2 beat out not only my 410 but every other head. I did end up buying it at Global Golf (didn't want to spend almost 900. for CC's version). 

Edit: While we tried different shafts at CC on the 410, I was coming from 2 different Alta shafts a 55 g and a 65g. I was thinking of getting a Tensi Orange but the SIM2 convinced me to go in that direction instead. 

[rvs0002]

36 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

Where is your contact on the face?

Mostly center. Trying to get it higher on the face to kill some spin but mostly center or slightly toe side of center.

[rvs0002]

18 minutes ago, tony@CIC said:

I went the other way - from a 410 SFT to a SIM 2 MAX D. I picked up a ridiculous amount of yardage over the 410. I loved the sound of the 410 and the draw bias but it's now gathering dust in my garage. FYI, I had gone to Club Champion April 2021 and the SIM 2 beat out not only my 410 but every other head. I did end up buying it at Global Golf (didn't want to spend almost 900. for CC's version). 

Edit: While we tried different shafts at CC on the 410, I was coming from 2 different Alta shafts a 55 g and a 65g. I was thinking of getting a Tensi Orange but the SIM2 convinced me to go in that direction instead. 

Appreciate the feedback. I don't know much about shaft vs. head, but I know when you get the correct version of both together it's magic for sure.

20 minutes ago, tony@CIC said:

I went the other way - from a 410 SFT to a SIM 2 MAX D. I picked up a ridiculous amount of yardage over the 410. I loved the sound of the 410 and the draw bias but it's now gathering dust in my garage. FYI, I had gone to Club Champion April 2021 and the SIM 2 beat out not only my 410 but every other head. I did end up buying it at Global Golf (didn't want to spend almost 900. for CC's version). 

Edit: While we tried different shafts at CC on the 410, I was coming from 2 different Alta shafts a 55 g and a 65g. I was thinking of getting a Tensi Orange but the SIM2 convinced me to go in that direction instead. 

Thanks!

[RickyBobby_PR]

2 hours ago, rvs0002 said:

thinking it would turn my fade into a draw and gain me a little more distance.

 

2 hours ago, rvs0002 said:

About 7 years ago, working with a coach I switched to a fade, but then ended up with two way miss...could be big push/block to the right and then overcorrecting to a big hook. SFT experiment was just to take the right side out of play for the most part, which it has done fantastically.

 

22 minutes ago, rvs0002 said:

Mostly center. Trying to get it higher on the face to kill some spin but mostly center or slightly toe side of center.

So based on these three comments it’s possibly your swing path and face to path could be causing the extra spin. These are just guesses based on your input and without seeing the swing or launch monitor data.

Not side trying to make contact higher on the face will help any. It will lower your spin but will increase launch and could possibly make things worse. Between center and about 5mm up and 5mm towards toe is the money spot on drivers

[Micah T]

For me, “forgiving” drivers are high spin drivers. As we age, trading distance for accuracy/consistency can be a devil’s bargain. In my experience, the right shaft can really help accuracy and consistency, the right head in the right loft for you  will help your launch characteristics, which will optimize distance.