FIRST HIT: Ping’s adjustable Anser driver

Ping have become the latest company to offer an adjustable driver in the form of their new super-premium Anser.

You can move the loft up or down half a degree while simultaneously closing or opening the face.

The driver, with a suggested retail price of £355, is available with a choice of four premium shafts – and there is no upcharge for any of them.

All three non-Ping shafts are the real thing – as opposed to a version that is manufactured especially and exclusively for a certain club.

As well as Ping’s own TFC 800D (created specifically to work with the Anser driver), you can choose from the Aldila Phenom, which has the softest feel, the Fujikura Blur Red and the Diamana ‘ahina, which has the harshest feel.

You can dial the Anser in for exactly the performance and feel you want
Visually similar to the i20, Ping have done a fantastic job of concealing the adjustable hosel, both in terms of bulk and weight.

The feel off the face is noticeably livelier than the deeper thud you get from the i20.

Apart from fine-tuning your trajectory in the fitting process, moving the loft up or down has a significant effect in terms of how the club sits.

Move up half a degree and it will sit closed, move down half a degree and it will sit open.

So a fader might choose to go with, say, the 9.5˚ version and switch it to 10˚ and benefit from the closed face, while a drawer of the ball could go with 10.5˚and move it down to 10˚, giving him an open face at address.

The choice of shafts is also welcome, even if it inevitably comes at a cost. Better players especially will benefit from these additional options and allow them to dial their Anser in for exactly the performance and feel they will rightly demand at this price point.

DETAILS

LOFTS: 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 & 12˚

SRP: £355