WHAT IT DOES: Ping’s three-model fairway-wood family includes the Max (the most forgiving in the line for the broadest set of golfers), the anti-slice SFT and the low-spinning LST 3-wood. All of the clubheads feature Ping’s first wraparound face design, which is made of high-strength maraging steel to produce faster ball speeds. The Max uses a rear tungsten weight to create high stability on off-center hits, but the smaller size on the LST means the tungsten weight results in spin reduction. The SFT is the largest, and the weight chip favors the heel side to make it easier to square the face at impact.

WHY WE LIKE IT: Sometimes it’s the barely seen enhancements that can produce visible change, like the microscopically forgettable curvature of the face from top to bottom, known as roll. Past fairway woods have featured a more symmetric roll in which the bottom of the face would have naturally less loft than the center to reduce spin, but these woods cut that decrease in loft in half. That allows shots to launch with more speed and loft yet with less spin. This produces more consistent results for center shots and mis-hits, which, of course, should be very easy to see.

WHICH ONE'S FOR ME?

G425 Max: With more loft options than the other two models in the line combined, the G425 Max offers forgiveness through a heavy tungsten back weight and its slightly larger size (including the 176 cubic-centimeter 3-wood). The face wraps around the crown and sole for more uniform face flexing.

G425 SFT: The tungsten weight in the back adds stability on off-center hits, and its low positioning helps to increase launch angle. The weight was also shifted slightly heelward in this oversize option compared to past models to boost slice correction.

G425 LST: The lowest-spinning fairway wood in the G425 family (about 250 rpm less than its immediate predescor), it's more compact than the other models for a relatively forward center of gravity. It only comes in a 3-wood loft that adjusts between 13 and 16 degrees. That yields a flatter, lower-spin launch, and the adjustable hosel helps dial in your exact specs. Read more >>