Beginner: Ping G25 or G SF TEC?

[Lookout!]

Hi everyone,

 

I am thinking of upgrading my 15+ year old Golden Bear driver. I would like a Ping because of how forgiving it is (from what I've heard). Please keep in mind that I do not have an endless supply of money to spend on the G410 Max. Right now, i can barely hit the ball straight and I feel like I would not really notice much difference in drivers at this point.

 

I've heard that driver technology improves enough every 5 years to justify a new driver. Rick Shiels did a comparison video a few years ago of the Ping clubs from the G25 right to the G400 and ultimately there was not much in between all of them.

 

I am looking at a Pre-Owned website where the two drivers are listed:

G25: Very good condition, 12 degree, regular flex - about $125 US

G SF TEC: Good condition, 10 degree, regular flex - about $180 US

 

What do you think?

[Cwing]

G25 is a great driver. Sf Tec will have more correction against a slice. If you are right handed and miss right, I’d go with the sf tec. That stated, add ping k15 to your list. It’s the original sf tec. I still have my k15 3-wood. Fantastic clubs.

[54putts]

G25. Turbo charged while still having training wheels.

[sdandrea]

G SFT vote here. K15 is also a good unit.

[kiw1982]

Consider Cobra also.

 

They are also forgiving but usually cheaper.

[Nessism]

G25. If you can't hit it straight it's you. One issue: the shaft is too long for most high handicappers. It's easy enough to shorten though.

[dmeeksDC]

How is your ballspeed? If it is inconsistent and sometimes low, go with more loft. Makes a big difference. In general, if you are a beginner,, a 12 degree loft driver will only help.

 

However, If you stripe it but it goes right, the G SFT is also a great driver. I played the head you are looking at. The heel weight was good for me. It is not a closed face, but a heel weighting to aid a draw. Never hooked it. It wanted to go straight.

[Ghostwedge]

I don’t care what RS’s video said.... the G400 is in my bag, not the G25. It’s that much better.

Buy the G25, save some coin. It is a great driver.

[Fourrrr]

I would go with the G SF Tec and like one poster mentioned I would also look into getting it trimmed down to 44.50 in length and also look at finding one with 12 degrees of loft.

[Tommyj]

G25, still a great driver even though it is more than 5 years old. As others have mentioned make sure you get enough loft. Shortening the shaft is also a good idea and you can still get a heavier head weight for the G25 to make sure that your swing weight isn't too low.

[Bad9]

I would go for the G25. Its as forgiving and long as the G SFT and I have had both, in the lofts you have mentioned.

[596]

Though I play a Ping G Max driver, I also play the Ping K15s 3 wood, 5 wood and 7 wood. I also play the K15 5 and 6 hybrids. The K15s are excellent clubs. My walking bag has my Ping K15 12* driver in it.

 

If its worth anything I'm a single digit cap.

 

Don't overlook the K15s. They can be had much cheaper then the prices you listed.

[Davidv]

G25.

[Cwing]

Though I play a Ping G Max driver, I also play the Ping K15s 3 wood, 5 wood and 7 wood. I also play the K15 5 and 6 hybrids. The K15s are excellent clubs. My walking bag has my Ping K15 12* driver in it.

 

If its worth anything I'm a single digit cap.

 

Don't overlook the K15s. They can be had much cheaper then the prices you listed.

 

This ^^^^^^.

 

K15 is easier to hit than g25 especially if you slice.

[kylelutes]

I have a G series and think it rivals the newer ping alternatives. G gets my vote

[aaronpoling]

I owned the G25 and now have the G SF, both are great drivers.

Since the G25 is at 12 degrees loft and cheaper I would go with that, extra loft will help you launch it a little better. Plus being cheaper is always a good thing.

 

First thing I did with both drivers was cut the shaft down.

[LaymanM]

My cousin has a G25, hit bombs that thing

[Lookout!]

I've heard that if you don't hit it completely perfect that newer drivers are more forgiving than older ones.

[Lord Helmet]

G25. Thing has a sweetspot the size of Texas. While I dont play the driver, the 3w is still in my bag. Just plain stupid easy to hit.

[Tex1986]

I love the G25 hybrids. I’ve got 2 in the bag still.

 

G25 3wood is still the only 3wood I could hit consistently off the deck. It just was too close in distance to the 17* hybrid I have to justify a permanent spot in the bag.

 

I’m sure the G25 driver is phenomenal like the woods/hybrids, but I haven’t hit it other than a couple times in store.

[DaRiz]

G25 10000%

 

The SF-Tec is a corrective club (like the K15 or any Draw or D-Type model), which corrects for a specific miss (a slice). If you are a true beginner, then you may not have developed a consistent miss yet. Therefore, you would be using a corrective club to correct something that might not be there. It would be like learning to walk with one thick shoe and one normal shoe just in case it turns out later that one leg is longer. If you do have a consistent miss, and it is a slice, my advice would be to get that fixed while you are still a beginner.

 

SF-Tec, K15, etc (in my opinion) should only be used by those who have been playing for a long time and have a swing flaw that is so ingrained that it is easier to use the corrective club than to rebuild their entire swing.

[shredNECTAR]

G25. The higher loft if always your friend.

 

Most of the time. Sometimes haha. But can’t hurt a beginner

[TheLarch]

I use a 12* G SF tec with a stiff flex Alta shaft. For me it's just the right combination of distance and trajectory. They can be found for really good prices now as well.

[nuttinbutapeanut]

I bought a K15 driver last year due to a thread on this site where someone said they got fitted for a Gmax and his old K15 pretty much matched it. I used it in the winter when its possible to play along with my back up Ping G irons. If you get out to play after having been winterized for months this is a very playable combo.