Is the Ping Driver K 15 Stiff a good replacement for my Callaway Warbird-Set-Driver? (Beginner)

Camarillo_Brillo · April 26, 2023

Hello Guys!

I’m new to the sport and started out with a used Callaway Warbird set. I think it's good enough for me, but the driver is already quite wrecked. It has some dents and stuff.

Now I found a Ping Driver K 15 Stiff quite cheap nearby me @ebay. (Standard length, like my set)

What do you think? Would it be a good replacement for my first competitions at my golf club? Or should I wait and save for something more modern?

Thank you for your help!

Edited April 26, 2023 by Camarillo_Brillo

Poor Mans Ty Webb · May 9, 2023

K15 is a great driver, if you're looking to play on a major budget, and would be an upgrade over your Warbird. Newer drivers are likely to be a bit more forgiving on mishits, but the K15 still plays if you hit the middle of the club face. I had one 5-6 years ago as I was starting the game, and it treated me fairly well.

Important to bear in mind, however, that the K-15 is a draw-biased driver, so there's a touch more weight in the heel than a "standard" driver. This is designed to help turn the club over and promote a more right-to-left ball flight for the right handed golfer. This could really help someone who has a tendency to slice and hurt someone who has a tendency to hook.

For some, the extra heel-weighting works really well with their natural swing. For others, it becomes a bit of a band-aid/crutch that keeps them from learning swing fundamentals that can make a big difference in the long run. You could be better off in the long run playing with a non-biased driver (this would be the Ping G15 in your budget-friendly universe) to learn how to hit a tee shot with neutral weighting.

If you want a happy middle-ground between super budget friendly and more contemporary, I'd strongly recommend looking at the G400 Max, also by Ping. It's an all-time popular driver, much more forgiving than drivers from 20 years ago, and lets you enter the world of replaceable shafts. It will cost more, but there's a greater likelihood that you'll hang onto it longer than the G or K15, if you intend to stick with the game. I only played my K15 for 1-1.5 seasons before I moved on to a more modern driver.

Hope this helps!

Camarillo_Brillo · May 30, 2023

On 5/9/2023 at 4:46 PM, Poor Mans Ty Webb said:

K15 is a great driver, if you're looking to play on a major budget, and would be an upgrade over your Warbird. Newer drivers are likely to be a bit more forgiving on mishits, but the K15 still plays if you hit the middle of the club face. I had one 5-6 years ago as I was starting the game, and it treated me fairly well.

Important to bear in mind, however, that the K-15 is a draw-biased driver, so there's a touch more weight in the heel than a "standard" driver. This is designed to help turn the club over and promote a more right-to-left ball flight for the right handed golfer. This could really help someone who has a tendency to slice and hurt someone who has a tendency to hook.

For some, the extra heel-weighting works really well with their natural swing. For others, it becomes a bit of a band-aid/crutch that keeps them from learning swing fundamentals that can make a big difference in the long run. You could be better off in the long run playing with a non-biased driver (this would be the Ping G15 in your budget-friendly universe) to learn how to hit a tee shot with neutral weighting.

If you want a happy middle-ground between super budget friendly and more contemporary, I'd strongly recommend looking at the G400 Max, also by Ping. It's an all-time popular driver, much more forgiving than drivers from 20 years ago, and lets you enter the world of replaceable shafts. It will cost more, but there's a greater likelihood that you'll hang onto it longer than the G or K15, if you intend to stick with the game. I only played my K15 for 1-1.5 seasons before I moved on to a more modern driver.

Hope this helps!

Sorry for the late Reply. Somehow, the notification mail was in the Spam. (fixed that.) I really appreciate your help!

So, I got the K15 because my Warbird-Driver-Shaft broke, it was cheap and located close to me. For now, I have quite good results with it. If I manage to hit it, it will go about 180 Yards and dead straight. But I still have mishits that will leave an ugly mark on the driver. (idiot-mark?!)

But I think I really want to get into this game. Got some Cleveland Wedges and a used 2-Ball-Putter. But the next invest will be some pro-lessons. Then I think, then next winter I will get a Driver like a G400 Max and some new Irons (like T300 or G425) and will play the heck out of that set.

Maybe if I can, I try a G15 against the K15. But maybe the pro will help with that desicion.

5.2k · May 30, 2023

2 hours ago, Camarillo_Brillo said:

Sorry for the late Reply. Somehow, the notification mail was in the Spam. (fixed that.) I really appreciate your help!

So, I got the K15 because my Warbird-Driver-Shaft broke, it was cheap and located close to me. For now, I have quite good results with it. If I manage to hit it, it will go about 180 Yards and dead straight. But I still have mishits that will leave an ugly mark on the driver. (idiot-mark?!)

But I think I really want to get into this game. Got some Cleveland Wedges and a used 2-Ball-Putter. But the next invest will be some pro-lessons. Then I think, then next winter I will get a Driver like a G400 Max and some new Irons (like T300 or G425) and will play the heck out of that set.

Maybe if I can, I try a G15 against the K15. But maybe the pro will help with that desicion.

I played the k15 SFT driver when it first came out in 2010. I was fitted at Ping for it. Testing showed it would only affect ball flight with the heal weight by about 5 yards. It's not a huge amount. I played that driver down to a 2 handicap. It was only replaced by the Ping G400 Max when that one came out .I still play the K15 SFT 3, 5 and 7 woods. I have not found anything easier to hit to this day.