Going from Titleist to Ping

[hypergolf]

Tried out the whole range of G10 woods today and I really had much better launch numbers, consistancy and distance on the launch monitor. Tried the driver, fairwaywood and hybrid with Pro Launcher Red. I never even looked at Ping stuff until today and boy was I wrong to go for clubs following like a lamb of what most people recommended. All the woods were square faced like Titleist except that it was more forgiving and HOT faced which sounded like firecrakers exploding at the point of impact. Tried the Redwood Piper putter as well and it was solid... It might kick out my Scotty Cameron Studio Style 2, which I thought would last for a long time.

I switched from Taylormade to Titleist when my handicap was dropping and because most of my friends (and some people on the forum) said that I should hit a Titleist when my handicap is at certain level. Boy are they wrong... And I gotta admit that I blindly followed their advice... Anyway, lesson learned. We all could use some forgiveness and any other legal technological edge when playing on the course...

I checked the Ping website under WRX and saw a bunch of shafts there. I was wondering if anyone knew if there is an upcharge for ordering non stock shafts.

Will try out the irons and wedges at the fitting shop tomorrow but I think my Mizuno irons and Titleist wedges will stay in the bag... But then again who knows... Golf lesson learned today: "Never disregard certain products before trying them out!"

[limpalong]

And yet another begins his trek to the dark side of a Ping addiction...

Yes, there is an upcharge for many of the premium shaft options available through WRX. You will need to inquire through Pings website or a call direct to their customer service to find how much. Ping may direct you back to your local Ping retailer to get the pricing... but, I do believe you'll find it fair.

WRX clubs are easily recognizable by the hologram shaft band. As with the standard Ping offerings, the WRX clubs will be serial numbered. Ping's data base will now include the serial number or YOUR specific club and the specs can be retrieved at any time.

After a little "stagnation" through the I5 and G5 line, the I10 irons seem to be getting some excellent press. The G10's are being seen as an extension of the G2/G5 line of irons. The G10 woods, however, have caused a lot of excitement. And, the G2/G5/Rapture woods were great! Ping continues rumbling along... making solid clubs... and not receiving the hype of a Mizzy or Titty.

We'll see what your bag looks like in another year. If you receive the high level of customer service usually experience at Ping, I would almost bet the woods and putter will be only the beginning of a complete Ping bag!!! Start saving up your money, 'cause you're soon to enter a complete new... and enjoyable... chapter in your golf experience.

[chemboy2]

You could do a lot worse! Over the past 4 or 5 months my bag has gone from zero PING to almost nothing but PING.

My experience with them and one of their local dealers has been fantastic. I started with the i5 irons then picked up my 54* iWedge. Don't count these wedges out as it is phenomenal from the cabbage and sand. I still play a 58* Vokey SM but the only thing on my Christmas list this year is a 58/8 TourW wedge! (saw one in person for the first time this week at was beautiful!!)

Over the last year while I was driver shopping, I tried a ton of drivers (just didn't actually buy them like some people ) and I kept coming back to the Rapture but found them to be cost prohibitive. About two months ago I found a local guy selling his for a VERY reasonable price and I jumped on it! Finally got a chance to get it on the course yesterday for 9 holes before work and I hit 6 of 7 fairways with it. It has a somewhat muted sound, not unlike pre-907 Titleist drivers, and feels realy solid.

Now the putters, they absolutely have something for everyone!! The Redwood series is quite nice (although not enough to get the Studio Style out of my bag but I do have an original Anser in the garage too). The new Karsten line looks fantastic and, like others, I'm willing to bet that they will be HUGE hit for them. The putter that really has my interest though is the Udranium series. Everytime I'm in the local GS I have to try out the 33" Doc 15. I actually laughed out loud the first time I saw one but then I started putting with it; WOW!

Sorry for the long winded post. My point is simply that PING makes very high quality clubs and offers something for every type of player/budget. Oh, and did I mention that they insist on custom fitting all of their clubs?

[warbirdlover]

Didn't I tell you guys all this stuff when I bought my Rapture? And limpalong and others in here have been preaching it also. I'm back to a Ping G2 driver head which has a face as hot as the Rapture and much hotter then the G5. I hear the G10 face is very hot and very forgiving. And nothing is ever going to kick my Redwood Anser out of the bag. I don't switch irons and putters when I get something working.

(Shut up ualtim!!)

[LyleG]

Originally Posted by warbirdlover

I'm back to a Ping G2 driver head which has a face as hot as the Rapture and much hotter then the G5. I hear the G10 face is very hot and very forgiving.

But all are .830 COR and made from the same material

[PINGELI]

I just bought a new set of PING Rapture irons (formally playing the i3+) and love them. Some people call them shovels but if you look at club-head size specs, they are not much larger than other clubs out there (and smaller than many other game-improvement irons). PING clubs are the best. Anything purchased through the WRX program is going to hav ean upcharge but the upcharges by PINg are cheaper than through Golfsmith and others (I.e. I ordered DG s400 shafts an dthey were $10 per club instead of the $25 charged by Golfsmith. these were with the CUSHIN inserts).

[Adam Pettman]

Originally Posted by LyleG

But all are .830 COR and made from the same material

Took the words right out of my mouth

[warbirdlover]

Took the words right out of my mouth

Adam Pettman

You mean "beak"...

Okay, bash away. Unbelievers.

[hypergolf]

I am now curious about their custom wedge grind options... Vokeys are great but I wonder how the Ping wedges perform... Review anyone?

[warbirdlover]

But all are .830 COR and made from the same material

LyleG

I'm only repeating what I've read in numerous forums, especially those "comparing" the G2 to the G5, the G5 to the Rapture, the Rapture to the G10 etc. The Rapture was far better then the G5 for me. And when I hit zaphod's G2 it felt like my Rapture. There's internal weighting differences between them right? I don't pretend to be a club expert, only put down what I think I've experienced. If it's a bunch of BS, ignore me I guess.

[Pa Jayhawk]

Originally Posted by warbirdlover

I'm back to a Ping G2 driver head which has a face as hot as the Rapture and much hotter then the G5.

....

(Shut up ualtim!!)

I could have told you that, and you could have saved the price of 20 drivers. Now you know why as my bag used to be all Ping with exception to the putter, you never hear me talking about replacing my driver, and likely never will. Granted last year I was tossing around the idea of testing out the Cleveland Comp again, if the price got down around $100. I haven't even hit another driver in probably 2 1/2 years as I just decided no driver was cheap enough to make me think of changing. When I took an inch off the shaft, it just made it all the better. It and the wedges are the only Ping product that will likely remain in my bag over time. That driver is likely going to grow old and grey in my bag.

I figure my name isn't Tim, so I can say what needs to be said.

[hypergolf]

Just returned from the Ping fitting center and the results are as follows. As always, these are just my personal opinion so please refrain from writing argumentative thoughts as to which brands are better etc.

Driver, Fairwaywood and Hybrid: I felt that Ping G10 series has a hotter, more forgiving face compared to my current setup. Face of the driver felt softer and sounded like firecracker at impact which was good to my ears. The G10 series was noticeably forgiving compared to the Titleist yet it had a squre profile which better players prefer. The fairwaywood was slightly bigger than my 906F2 and smaller than Ping G5 which I thought was a nice comfortable size. No problems with the accuracy department for all 3 woods off the tee and on the grass. The G10 series will slowly kick out my Titleist woods off my bag BUT if you are looking for a solid persimmon feel and not looking for forgiveness you would prefer the Titleist IMO.

Irons: Although i10 irons were solid, it won't be replacing my MP 60s. i10 was a tad more forgiving but nothing that noticeable BUT the feel was nothing compared to the Mizuno. Distance and ball flight was about the same but didn't like the iron shafts that Ping had to offer.

Wedges: Ping wedges looked and felt great but won't be replacing the Vokeys. 'nuff said.

Putter: The Ping fitter (Handicap +3) said that although I have a straight back straight through putting stroke, it is NOT neccessary to get a face balanced putter. However, he did recommend that I increase my putter length from 33" to 34". He also said that players with good putting stroke should sink balls no matter what putters they use. So for the moment I will stick to my Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 but increase the shaft lenght to 34".

By the way Angel won Singapore Barclay's Open today and it was cool how they delivered the throphy off the helicopter.