Is the Ping G15 Driver Still Good? – Is it Forgiving for High Handicappers?

Is the Ping G15 Driver Still Good? – Is it Forgiving for High Handicappers?

“The Ping G15 driver was introduced to the golf-playing populace in 2009. So does it belong in anyone’s bag in 2023?”

To answer that question we dusted off the old Ping G15 and took it to the range for a test session.

When the Ping G15 first came out, it was heralded as one of the best game improvement drivers the company had ever produced.

And just one look at it will tell you why. The Ping G15 is a pretty big driver with a rear-head section that seems to stretch on into eternity.

But as anyone reading this probably knows, a big head alone doesn’t make a good driver. So is the Ping G15 the driver you need to lower your handicap? Let’s talk about it.

Is the Ping G15 Driver Still Good?

“The formula for the Ping G15 driver is simple; but it’s also effective.”

The formula is essentially this: a driver with a large footprint, large hitting zone with low CG and hindered spin.

All of this adds up to a driver that is both forgiving and plays long. The Ping G15 is a burly driver. While it doesn’t look pretty by any stretch, it gets the job done from the tee.

There is an external weight pad on the sole that helps draw the CG low. Our testers found that it was really hard to get anything but high-arcing shots out of this driver.

So for players with moderate swing speeds and deliberate tempos, the Ping G15 is definitely still a good driver.

The wide and deep face profile makes it nearly impossible to miss the sweet spot. The only gripe we had against the Ping G15 was that it was a bit cumbersome.

This is a pretty big driver that can feel unwieldy if you don’t take a good amount of practice swings. We can understand how it could take some golfers some time to get used to swinging this driver.

But if you do, you will likely be able to add 8 to 12 yards of distance to your drive.

Is the Ping G15 Forgiving for High Handicappers?

“Again, as long as you take the time to fall into a groove with this driver, it will reward you with easy playability.”

Once our testers found the sweet spot on this driver, they were launching missiles down the fairway consistently.

There is another caveat here though. Mis-hits aren’t covered up very well. When you miss near the heel, toe or if you hit the ball thin, you will see some erratic flight.

During our testing session the Ping G15 produced an off-line divergence of 15 yards. It was an ugly shot; but it was an intentional one.

You really have to mis-hit to see that kind of divergence though. The sweet spot is massive and it’s almost difficult to make contact outside of it once you get the hang of this driver.

So even high handicappers shouldn’t have to worry about hooking or slicing too much. When you do make contact with the sweet spot, you get a nice baby draw and pretty steep launch.

Ping G15 Vs Ping G25

“The Ping G25 is a much better looking driver than the Ping G15.”

Going beyond the looks though, the Ping G25 driver has an adjustable hosel so you can get a more precise fit. The Ping G25 driver also has a large footprint and looks rather chunky behind the ball.

However, we noticed that it produced higher spin rates than the Ping G15 driver. In terms of forgiveness though, these two drivers are almost identical.

You get straight flight when you hit face-center, and you have to miss really wide right or left to get any kind of divergence.

Ping G15 First Impressions

“It’s almost a challenge not to notice the size of this driver.”

The Ping G15 makes an impression with its size and unrefined looks. Behind the ball though, the first thing we took note of was the fact that there is no offset – strange for a game improvement driver of this size.

Ping G15 Selling Points

• External weight pad
• Low spin rates
• Large footprint
• High launch
• Very forgiving

Ping G15 Key Features

“Again, the design formula for the Ping G15 is pretty basic – even by 2009 standards.”

External Weight Pad: Additional weight has been added to the sole to help draw the club head under the ball on your downswing.

7% Larger Face: Compared to the Ping G10 driver, the Ping G15 has a 7% larger hitting area to maximize forgiveness.

460cc Head: A 460cc volume head won’t make headlines anywhere but it is a very essential feature that makes the Ping G15 inherently forgiving.

What Handicap is it for?

“The Ping G15 would be good for 18-25 handicappers.”

We’re looking at beginners and high handicappers for this driver. You get virtually no workability and rain-bringer launch so it’s better for slower swing speeds too.

Ping G15 Options

• Ping TFC 149D shaft
• Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue 65 shaft
• Cobra Bassara M Speed Tuned shaft
• Aldila Serrano 60 shaft
• Mitsubishi Diamana ‘Ahina 70 shaft
• Aldila NV 65 shaft
• Alta CB 65 shaft
• Fujikura Tour Platform 26.3

Who Should Buy the Ping G15?

“At the end of the day, the Ping G15 driver would really only benefit beginners and high handicappers.”

There is not enough shot-shaping variance here for mid handicappers and low handicappers should steer clear of this driver altogether.

But we are in no way disparaging this driver. It was meant for high handicappers. So when all is said and done, it does its job very well.

Beginners will get the confidence they need to take full swings with this driver. High handicappers will get the straight flight and launch to maximize their carry distance.

Be advised that you don’t get much rollout with  this driver. But that shouldn’t matter too much because it plays naturally long.

Distance: 96/100

Forgiveness: 97/100

Workability: 93/100

Value: 95/100

Overall Score: 95/100

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