G430 Max vs. Paradym 💎💎💎

[Kdgolf]

Who has experience with these two? Is there a drastic change in forgiveness? How about ball speed and distance? 
 

I own the G430 Max (w/ Ventus red Velocore) and forgiveness is solid but do feel as though some distance is being left on the table.

[third-times-a-charm]

Yes there is a drastic change in forgiveness (spin retention across the face), but that all depends on how much of the driver face you usually use. If you hit the center every time both drivers will be relatively the same except the G430 Max will spin more and launch higher due to CG location.

 

There are plenty of people who feel the diamond models are 'plenty forgiving for them' so it's up to you to make that determination. Balls struck off-center will 100% go more offline with the triple diamond vs the G430 Max.

 

Depending on your launch, spin, and etc you may or may not get more distance at the price of spin retention across the face with the diamond.

 

[Kdgolf]

18 minutes ago, third-times-a-charm said:

Yes there is a drastic change in forgiveness (spin retention across the face), but that all depends on how much of the driver face you usually use. If you hit the center every time both drivers will be relatively the same except the G430 Max will spin more and launch higher due to CG location.

 

There are plenty of people who feel the diamond models are 'plenty forgiving for them' so it's up to you to make that determination. Balls struck off-center will 100% go more offline with the triple diamond vs the G430 Max.

 

Depending on your launch, spin, and etc you may or may not get more distance at the price of spin retention across the face with the diamond.

 

I appreciate the feedback as the online reviews are a little misleading. I play off around a 5hdcp so I do use other parts of the club face off the tee. Ultimately I’m hoping to find more ball speed without sacrificing too much forgiveness. I know this is everyone’s mission but I don’t have a fitter nearby so putting these head to head is difficult.

 

any others that should be considered outside the paradym 💎💎💎?

[third-times-a-charm]

3 minutes ago, Kdgolf said:

I appreciate the feedback as the online reviews are a little misleading. I play off around a 5hdcp so I do use other parts of the club face off the tee. Ultimately I’m hoping to find more ball speed without sacrificing too much forgiveness. I know this is everyone’s mission but I don’t have a fitter nearby so putting these head to head is difficult.

 

any others that should be considered outside the paradym 💎💎💎?

The TSR2 is probably a good middle ground between a Max model and a players model. As is the standard Paradym from this year.

[Tree Levino]

I'd not worry about any "marketing" and do a fitting. For instance, I just got fit on grass by my Titleist rep and got much better (and more "forgiving" results from TSR3 vs TSR2. You might get better numbers out of the Max the triple D might blow it out of the water you'll have no idea until you do a proper fitting. 

[Kenny Lee Puckett]

you have a world class driver head in the PING G430 MAX and a $300 upgrade transmission in it. you want to hit it further and be sneaky long? head to your practice facility and learn to hit it consistently with a tight draw.

 

EDIT: and if you currently had a Callaway Paradym with a VeloCore shaft I'd tell you the same exact thing.

Edited September 13, 2023 by Kenny Lee Puckett

[Kdgolf]

20 minutes ago, Kenny Lee Puckett said:

you have a world class driver head in the PING G430 MAX and a $300 upgrade transmission in it. you want to hit it further and be sneaky long? head to your practice facility and learn to hit it consistently with a tight draw.

I can’t argue with the truth and it’s appreciated.

 

was simply seeing if others found other options that worked for them. This is golfwrx after all…

[Kenny Lee Puckett]

1 minute ago, Kdgolf said:

I can’t argue with the truth and it’s appreciated.

 

was simply seeing if others found other options that worked for them. This is golfwrx after all…

and it's the absolute worst thing about WRX. at some point 1 driver wins the starting job, and then it is over. and it should be that way for quite a long time (I've played a PING, "G LS Tec", straight thru since it's release. and I could literally play ANY driver set-up I want). a WRX carousel of new drivers is at some point counter productive, and leads to instability in the bag. in the end it is NOT the driver, it is you and I. 

 

keep ripping the PING, it's excellent. rant over. 👍

[Kdgolf]

7 minutes ago, Kenny Lee Puckett said:

and it's the absolute worst thing about WRX. at some point 1 driver wins the starting job, and then it is over. and it should be that way for quite a long time (I've played a PING, "G LS Tec", straight thru since it's release. and I could literally play ANY driver set-up I want). a WRX carousel of new drivers is at some point counter productive, and leads to instability in the bag. in the end it is NOT the driver, it is you and I. 

 

keep ripping the PING, it's excellent. rant over. 👍

Appreciate the response!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[PureStrikes54]

Played both. In my experience, for higher speed players (175mph+ ball speed) the Paradym Triple Diamond is 2-4 mph of ball speed faster and maybe 200-400 rpms lower spin in same lofts. As others have said if you center it up all the time you may find more heat with the Paradym but if you need consistency across the face or need a bit of extra spin for carry distance the G430 is way to go. 

[beandogg]

I'm a 6 handicap and I've gamed the TSR2 for a while. I thought it was the best driver I've ever used until I tried the standard paradym and then the paradym triple D. Both the TSR2 and Paradym standard are very "forgiving" on all parts of the face. I put it in quotes because they are forgiving front to back, meaning they retain a significant amount of distance on off center hits.

 

However I ended up switching to the paradym triple D because on center strikes it is ridiculously long and the driver is way more forgiving in terms of right to left dispersion. Maybe because of the lower spin I don't get those high spinny heel cuts that sale 30 yard right of the fairway. I've hit the most fairways with the paradym triple D and my dispersion right to left is way better. I do not lose a lot of distance with the TD either. Also, fyi, I felt the paradym triple D was a little easier to hit than the TSR3 in case you were interested.

[eric61]

This isn't the exact comparison the OP asked about, but yesterday I spent a little bit of time on Trackman testing the Paradym Triple Diamond vs. my G430 LST. 

 

Different shafts -- Ventus TR Blue 6X that I was fitted into by Fujikura during the GolfWRX members' trip in my G430 LST; Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 5X in the P3D. So this isn't a perfect comparison. 

 

But what I found was the distance was comparable -- Paradym Triple Diamond maybe had a tiny bit more juice -- but the G430 LST dispersion was quite a bit better for me. Maybe not surprising, since it's the driver I've been playing most of this year and there's a level of comfort with it. 

 

Here are some numbers. I deleted one smothered hook from each set. I was a little surprised by the spin out of the Triple Diamond. Maybe these were poor strikes? It feels pretty much the same across the face other than extreme misses. Or maybe it's a higher-spin set-up with the IZ. 

 

But the main thing to note is the dispersion. 

 

Paradym Triple Diamond: 

 

 

G430 LST:

 

 

 

[Kdgolf]

1 hour ago, eric61 said:

This isn't the exact comparison the OP asked about, but yesterday I spent a little bit of time on Trackman testing the Paradym Triple Diamond vs. my G430 LST. 

 

Different shafts -- Ventus TR Blue 6X that I was fitted into by Fujikura during the GolfWRX members' trip in my G430 LST; Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 5X in the P3D. So this isn't a perfect comparison. 

 

But what I found was the distance was comparable -- Paradym Triple Diamond maybe had a tiny bit more juice -- but the G430 LST dispersion was quite a bit better for me. Maybe not surprising, since it's the driver I've been playing most of this year and there's a level of comfort with it. 

 

Here are some numbers. I deleted one smothered hook from each set. I was a little surprised by the spin out of the Triple Diamond. Maybe these were poor strikes? It feels pretty much the same across the face other than extreme misses. Or maybe it's a higher-spin set-up with the IZ. 

 

But the main thing to note is the dispersion. 

 

Paradym Triple Diamond: 

 

 

G430 LST:

 

 

 

Wow, dispersion is extremely tight with the LST. Was this enough that this is your current gamer? What are your thoughts on the LST vs the Max or have you compared these?

[eric61]

27 minutes ago, Kdgolf said:

Wow, dispersion is extremely tight with the LST. Was this enough that this is your current gamer? What are your thoughts on the LST vs the Max or have you compared these?

Yep! I'm sticking with the G430 LST for the rest of this year, for sure, and while I'm always eager to try the new stuff (I'm a WRXer, after all), I have a hard time imagining it'll get beat out next year, too. 

 

I actually switched from the G430 Max to the G430 LST. I honestly couldn't tell you why -- it's baffled me myself -- but I hit the LST model more consistently. I also find that a high toe miss stays much more on line with the LST than with the Max, which often gives me a no-spin duck hook. But more than anything, while it doesn't really make sense on paper, there's something about the LST that just really suits my eye or my swing more than the Max, and my strikes over time are closer to the center of the face with it.

[Kdgolf]

21 minutes ago, eric61 said:

Yep! I'm sticking with the G430 LST for the rest of this year, for sure, and while I'm always eager to try the new stuff (I'm a WRXer, after all), I have a hard time imagining it'll get beat out next year, too. 

 

I actually switched from the G430 Max to the G430 LST. I honestly couldn't tell you why -- it's baffled me myself -- but I hit the LST model more consistently. I also find that a high toe miss stays much more on line with the LST than with the Max, which often gives me a no-spin duck hook. But more than anything, while it doesn't really make sense on paper, there's something about the LST that just really suits my eye or my swing more than the Max, and my strikes over time are closer to the center of the face with it.

I like the look of the LST crown and do battle the high toe duck hook so maybe this is worth a look for me also. Not saying it will work, just maybe a consideration.

[Phabs]

Standard Aerojet head is a monster 

[Strategery]

Straightest-ever driver, almost magically so (and shortest of the current leading edge drivers) vs a fugly would-not-ever-buy reasonable performer which is essentially lost in the mix.

[mantan]

11 hours ago, Kdgolf said:

Who has experience with these two? Is there a drastic change in forgiveness? How about ball speed and distance? 
 

I own the G430 Max (w/ Ventus red Velocore) and forgiveness is solid but do feel as though some distance is being left on the table.

 

I went to a custom fitter this spring. After baseline testing, he felt the Ventus Red was the perfect shaft for my swing and what we'd use to test every single new head out there.

 

The G430 and Titleist TSR2 separately themselves from the pack as the two best. I found the Paradym to be worse than the Ping from a dispersion standpoint and not as long as the TSR2.  It was right when the Paradym was on fire on tour and I was really eager to hit it.  But the results just weren't there for me.

 

I got the G430 and have been totally happy with it.  I played the Slay for months...but the Ventus Red kept calling me until I finally gave in and bought one.

[Kdgolf]

13 hours ago, Strategery said:

Straightest-ever driver, almost magically so (and shortest of the current leading edge drivers) vs a fugly would-not-ever-buy reasonable performer which is essentially lost in the mix.

Is this referring to the g430 max and g430lst?

[Judge440]

I am a recent TSR2 convert coming from TSR3.  TSR2 is just stupid easy and ticks all the boxes.

 

Taking a TD out later today for testing.  We'll see what happens...

[Kdgolf]

1 minute ago, Judge440 said:

I am a recent TSR2 convert coming from TSR3.  TSR2 is just stupid easy and ticks all the boxes.

 

Taking a TD out later today for testing.  We'll see what happens...

The tsr2 has a huge this year and referred by a lot of folks. I played the tsi3 for a while and was longer than my g430 but struggled a little when I’d miss towards the toe. This goes back to getting out to practice and find the center of the face more, but time for practice is becoming less and less available 😁. I may have to take a closer look at the tsr2.

[njmack]

I went from a G400 LST to a '23 model driver this season: I was also between the TD and the 430 max when I went to demo. I'll echo others here in saying that you have a crazy good driver in your bag right now, so the only way I'd consider changing it out in your position is if you took the time & effort to go out of your way to do a fitting since one isn't near you.

 

I ultimately went with the TD because I found that for me (with the heavy weight in the back) it mitigated misses better than the Max did, even though the Max was far more stable in a Trackman session. But I only learned that via a fitting: I have pretty decent path & face control w/ a driver, but my AoA is even, or even -1* sometimes, so the TD kept misses from spinning drastically in a way that the Ping couldn't. 

 

& I love it! It's a great club: I think the sound and feel off the face is superb, the shape suits my eye perfectly & I am even coming around to the blue marble look. On course conditions, it's much more stable than I would have thought: it mostly just wants to fly straight, not too much curve on it, and I'm incapable of hitting a balloon ball--which really helps my tee game.

[Kdgolf]

19 minutes ago, njmack said:

I went from a G400 LST to a '23 model driver this season: I was also between the TD and the 430 max when I went to demo. I'll echo others here in saying that you have a crazy good driver in your bag right now, so the only way I'd consider changing it out in your position is if you took the time & effort to go out of your way to do a fitting since one isn't near you.

 

I ultimately went with the TD because I found that for me (with the heavy weight in the back) it mitigated misses better than the Max did, even though the Max was far more stable in a Trackman session. But I only learned that via a fitting: I have pretty decent path & face control w/ a driver, but my AoA is even, or even -1* sometimes, so the TD kept misses from spinning drastically in a way that the Ping couldn't. 

 

& I love it! It's a great club: I think the sound and feel off the face is superb, the shape suits my eye perfectly & I am even coming around to the blue marble look. On course conditions, it's much more stable than I would have thought: it mostly just wants to fly straight, not too much curve on it, and I'm incapable of hitting a balloon ball--which really helps my tee game.

I think I will likely stay in the g430 max but like I’ve mentioned I fight a high toe ball from time to time which results in low spin hooks. The max seems to be a little draw biased if I’m not mistaken? I’m also thinking there are longer heads out there but maybe it’s not enough to give up the forgiveness. 

[ssf301]

I love the Ping G430 Max, but picked up 2-3mph of ball speed with the Stealth Plus 2 pretty much on every swing (same shaft on a GC Quad).  I find the Stealth Plus 2 slightly less forgiving, but it's slight. I'm 55 and am willing to give up a little accuracy to get the extra distance.  Not everyone would.

 

I'm sure someone else could hit the same exact clubs and get different results.  It's tough to know without back to back comparisons on a measuring device.

[chollier986]

1 hour ago, Kdgolf said:

Is this referring to the g430 max and g430lst?

The paradym is hard to look at.  I suspect that is his reference.

[Kdgolf]

22 minutes ago, chollier986 said:

The paradym is hard to look at.  I suspect that is his reference.

I can’t say it’s the most traditional looking crown but I imagine it’s not as noticeable when swinging.

[Judge440]

10 hours ago, Judge440 said:

I am a recent TSR2 convert coming from TSR3.  TSR2 is just stupid easy and ticks all the boxes.

 

Taking a TD out later today for testing.  We'll see what happens...

TSR2 staying in.  I know you asked about the Ping and the TD but it’s similar circumstances…supposedly more forgiving head vs a supposedly more demanding club.  I was more consistent with the TSR2.  Maybe with more time it would come out differently but it is what it is.  

[Kdgolf]

1 hour ago, Judge440 said:

TSR2 staying in.  I know you asked about the Ping and the TD but it’s similar circumstances…supposedly more forgiving head vs a supposedly more demanding club.  I was more consistent with the TSR2.  Maybe with more time it would come out differently but it is what it is.  

Thanks for the follow up after testing. I know the TSR2 has been extremely successful for many players. 

[Retrop1]

On 9/13/2023 at 10:46 AM, Kdgolf said:

Who has experience with these two? Is there a drastic change in forgiveness? How about ball speed and distance? 
 

I own the G430 Max (w/ Ventus red Velocore) and forgiveness is solid but do feel as though some distance is being left on the table.

I switched from Paradym TD into the G430 Max. For me, the Paradym is longer, but I just miss too many fairways with it. I play on a pretty demanding driving course and if you miss the fairway, you are probably coming out sideways. That being said, the Paradym isn't that much longer, but the Ping is much straighter. 

[Kdgolf]

3 hours ago, Retrop1 said:

I switched from Paradym TD into the G430 Max. For me, the Paradym is longer, but I just miss too many fairways with it. I play on a pretty demanding driving course and if you miss the fairway, you are probably coming out sideways. That being said, the Paradym isn't that much longer, but the Ping is much straighter. 

This is some solid feedback and it’s appreciated. If I’m looking at missing out on 3-4 yards I’m not concerned as much as being offline. I however don’t want to leave 15+ yards on the table if we are talking about only missing 10% more fairways. The ping is extremely reliable for keeping me online or near it but some of the online reviews make others like the Paradym TD are just as accurate but longer. I see more free agents on the pga with stealth drivers and paradym TD than I do g430 range, but maybe I’m not paying attention.