PING Fits You Just Right

Did you go through a fitting when you bought your last driver? If the answer in no, chances are you're not realizing your full distance—or accuracy—potential. Which is why PING is all about getting you the best driver for your unique swing characteristics.

Take the company's latest G400 driver, which is available in four versions that each cater to a different player type. In a nutshell, the 445cc standard model is designed for golfers who need to generate more clubhead speed without sacrificing forgiveness; the G400 SFT (Straight Flight) is for those fighting a miss to the right; the G400 LST (Low Spin) for those who could benefit from a lower spin rate; and the larger, very popular 460cc G400 Max for golfers looking for supreme forgiveness.

Go the PING Way— a.k.a. PING's Custom-Fitting Program—and your clubfitter will help you identify the model that's best for you before further customizing that model exactly to your swing, so that you get the most out of every tee shot.

You can find an authorized PING clubfitter near you through the company's website. Whoever you choose on the list, the fitting process will be both similar and accurate. After all, PING earned its reputation as golf's clubfitting leader through decades of research and experience. The fitter asks you about your ball-flight tendencies, current driver specs, your likes and dislikes about that driver, strengths and weaknesses in your driving game, and your needs and preferences—before determining your initial club specs. Then he or she communicates the general performance characteristics of the various PING clubheads, and how the available lofts and shafts can influence your tee shots. Next, you test PING drivers on a launch monitor that assesses several variables, including your ball speed, launch angle and spin rate. It's during this process that PING—unlike many competitors—encourages you to evaluate the results of all your shots and not just your best one. "You have to compare your best and worst shots with each potential driver you're considering to those of your current driver," says Erik Henrikson, Director of Innovation and Testing at PING. "It's easy to gush over the ones you hit further. But potentially all the other shots you hit with that driver are going to be typical, too. So we look closely at the total performance and the dispersion of the shots you hit—because we don't always make perfect swings on the course."

Finally, the fitter assesses this data to dial in the proper swing weight, shaft length and weight, clubhead loft and grip combination that produces your optimal ball flight, distance and accuracy.

Ultimately, your success during the fitting session has to translate seamlessly to the golf course. "Come back and tell us exactly what you experienced—we want it to be first-rate right from the start," says Henrikson. "A new driver is a significant investment in your game, so we encourage you to take the time to be properly fit and make sure that the driver you choose provides the technology you need to consistently drive the ball longer and straighter."