Is the Ping G10 Driver Still Good? Is it Forgiving for High Handicappers?

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“The Ping G10 was introduced back in 2007; but in many ways, it still holds its own against some drivers that have been released in the past five years.”

And we will actually tell you about what happened when we tested the Ping G10 driver against a more modern Ping driver. For now though, anyone reading this should know that the Ping G10 is indeed a viable driver for high handicappers.

The sound is one of the things that really endeared us to the Ping G10 at first. It actually has a better sound than some more recent Ping drivers. But will that be enough to make the Ping G10 a good investment for your game? Let’s take a look at the details.

Is the Ping G10 Driver Still Good?

“The Ping G10 driver still has a lot to offer beginners and high handicappers.”

At address, the Ping G10 doesn’t look too aesthetically pleasing. However, it does sport a deep face and 460cc head which, for high handicappers is a good look no matter how you slice it.

The metallic orange color scheme does make the Ping G10 look a bit dated especially when you compare it to more modern Ping drivers; but obviously that doesn’t affect performance at all unless you are distracted by the color.

One of the things that still makes the Ping G10 a good driver in 2023 is the titanium head construction. Titanium is incredibly strong and durable so even if you’re buying the Ping G10 secondhand, you shouldn’t have to worry too much about dents and dings.

Finally, in 2023, the Ping G10 is incredibly affordable. It is still a great option for high handicappers seeking a great deal on a quality driver.

Is the Ping G10 Forgiving for High Handicappers?

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“The Ping G10 driver produces very easy launch and moderate spin rates.”

While it is not the lowest-spinning Ping driver we’ve ever tested (see the following section), the Ping G10 spin rates were still impressive for a driver in this price range. The apex height was also phenomenal.

Most of our testers’ drives were coming down with snow on them. You get great apex height, great carry distance and a look at address that can’t be beat. So overall, it is a forgiving driver.

It sports a very deep face (especially when compared to the G5 driver) and a thinned out crown which allows more weight to go into the lower section of the club head. The result is a deeper CG and higher MOI.

Our testers were very impressed with the fact that anywhere you make contact on the face, you still get good ball speed with this driver.

Ping G10 Vs Ping G400

“The Ping G400 driver has more updated features and a smaller head.”

The G400 is a 445cc head driver that sports a nice, forged titanium face. This gives it a better feel but we actually preferred the deeper sound of the Ping G10 driver. On the range, the G400 flew slightly longer than the Ping G10.

According to our launch monitor, the added distance came from slightly lower spin rates. However, the hitting zone of the G400 driver is significantly smaller than that of the Ping G10. So for high handicappers, we would recommend the G10 over the G400.

Ping G10 First Impressions

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“The first thing that endeared us to the Ping G10 driver was the sound.”

And not just on dead-center strikes; the Ping G10 has a deep, satisfying sound pretty much anywhere you make contact. The easy loft of this driver was also evident very early on in our testing.

Ping G10 Driver Selling Points

Variable face thickness
Crown designed by the Cray Supercomputer
Low CG
High MOI
Deep face design
460cc head volume
Deep crown
Titanium head

Ping G10 Driver Key Features

“The features that went into the Ping G10 can also be found on more recent Ping drivers.”

Variable Face Thickness: By thinning out areas of the face where players tend to mis-hit, the Ping G10 generates more ball speed on errant strikes.

Deep Face Design: The deep face design gives you a lot of sweet spot to work with. Even low-face shots were generating good ball speed for us.

Titanium Head: Titanium is strong and is very resistant to twisting so even if you miss the sweet spot, the MOI stays very high.

What Handicap is it for?

“The Ping G10 driver would work best for handicaps between 20 and 25.”

The shape of the face, which is larger than the G5 driver, makes for a much more forgiving driver that high handicaps will appreciate. And if you are close to breaking into the teens, the Ping G10 will still serve you with it’s comparatively low spin rates.

For our high handicap testers, the Ping G10 driver went an average of 219 yards with a max recorded distance of 238 yards.

Ping G10 Driver Options

UST Proforce V2 Graphite shaft
Grafalloy ProLaunch red graphite shaft
Accra Tour Series graphite shaft
9 degree loft
12 degree loft

Who Should Buy the Ping G10 Driver?

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“The Ping G10 driver would be a solid choice for any player that struggles to get the ball up in the air and wants to add some instant distance to their drives.”

The Ping G10 driver would also be a great choice for anyone who needs more forgiveness from the tee (we’re looking at you 25 handicappers). That’s because nearly anywhere you make contact, you will still generate great ball speed.

While the spin rate could be lower and the feel could probably be better, we can’t fault a driver that usually goes for around $100 too much. In 2022, the Ping G10 driver is still a good choice for high handicappers.