Ping G5 - mini review

[oz]

Ok, I got my G5 from the US this morning, an hour before my tee time (I am on a week's holiday! )

I hit a few balls on the range to warm up, and then put the G5 up against the 540XD in a mini-shootout. Initial impressions were good enough for it to go straight into the bag for today's comp round.

The setup is G5, 10.5* with a ProLaunch 65 in stiff.

The summary of results was promising. 10 of 13 fairways with the G5 today, with 2 very bad swings being punished, but otherwise it was very playable, all day.

As you might expect from this combo, it really launches the ball high. Very high. I may need to experiment a bit with tee heights to find the right flight.

This clubhead is more forgiving than anything I have ever hit. It should be, too, at 460cc's. You really are not overly punished on off-centre hits, and only poor swing path leads to errant drives.

Feel / sound is very lively, and not as mushy as the 540XD. Very nice.

Distance-wise it is very good. My poor swings were still getting good yardage, and my good swings were out there, even despite being launched into the stratosphere.

I like the feel of the ProLaunch. It is a shaft you don't have to hit hard to get great results. My best shots came from good tempo swings.

The G5 makes it straight into the starting line-up for now, pending more tee-height trials to try and bring the launch down just a touch. I fear that it would be eaten up badly in the wind.

[jaster]

I am not surprised to read these results oz, great to here they have taken everything the G2 was and added to it.