Our Ping G410 driver vs. G400 Max took place at Moor Allerton in Leeds. We hit both drivers on the course and using the Flightscope launch monitor in their indoor studio.
I decided to put the G410 driver up against the G400 Max as that is the model I used out on the course in 2018.
It’s a driver I love and know works well for me – in my opinion it’s the best driver Ping have made to date.
Ping G410 driver vs. G400 Max: First impressions
What a tough act to follow the G400 range is going to be. It has been winning driver counts on tours all over the world and has found it’s way into the hands of dozens of free agents.
Patrick Reed was not contracted to use the G400 LST with which he won the Masters. There has also been recent success for Eddie Pepperell and Russell Knox.
Contracted players such as Bubba Watson, Tony Finau, Cameron Champ, Louis Oosthuizen, Tyrrell Hatton and Lee Westwood have all won with the G400.
So what can we expect from the G410 models?
We now have a G410 plus and a draw-biased G410 SFT. There is no Ping G410 LST model but we suspect their will be at a later date.
Same goes for the G410 Max. We have to remember that the G400 Max was released after the original G400 models so has not been on the shelves for two years yet.
So the G410 plus is effectively a replacement for the regular G400.
One thing to notice is that the size of the G410 plus is 455cc so it’s a bit bigger than the 445cc G400 but slightly smaller than the 460cc G400 Max.
But the biggest talking point is the fact Ping have added adjustability at the rear of the G410 plus driver.
They told me this has been added as they felt for the first time it could be included without sacrificing on MOI, forgiveness or ball speed.
Ping G410 driver vs. G400 Max: The technology
Ping say the G410 driver will be better than its predecessors through four ‘Fs’.
It’s faster, more forgiving, has a better feel and can be fitted better.
It’s faster through the air due to improved aerodynamics and more efficient turbalators.
They’ve been able to drag the weight right to the perimeter to keep the MOI (resistance to twisting) as high, if not higher, than anything else on the market.
The forged face offers fantastic feel but the overall design of this driver has paid close attention to acoustics to get the right sound.
So the adjustability comes in the form of a 16-gram tungsten weight – 8% of the total head weight.
Rather than being on the sole, this weight is on the outer perimeter to keep the CG low and back for forgiveness and optimal launch.
And it’s a fixed weight which can be put in three positions – draw, fade neutral – rather than a sliding weight.
Ping say moving the weight offers 10 yards of draw or fade.
The G410 SFT has a fixed weight in the heel to help players who struggle with a slice.
Better fitting is also possible through the loft sleeve which has eight positions with +/- 1.5˚.
The G410 is available in 9˚, 10.5˚ and 12˚ heads.
Oh, and let’s not forget the headcover which is 20% heavier to make sure it doesn’t blow away in the wind.
Ping really do think of everything when it comes to improving their products.
That’s how the technology stacks up, but how does the G410 compare to the G400 Max? Find out on the next page…
