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Ping G30 Fairway Wood and Hybrid Player Staff Review
02 Mar 2015
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High launch and workability are the strengths for Ping's G30 woods and hybrids.
High launch and workability are the strengths for Ping's G30 woods and hybrids.

by Alan Alsheimer, Jr. - AmateurGolf.com Player Staff

To improve upon its wildly successful G25 line, Ping knew that adjustability had to make its way into the fairway woods and they delivered. Each of the loft offerings on the G30 fairway woods come with a +1/-1 adjustability to increase or decrease loft as needed.

With the growing demand for performance from the tee, Ping also listened. They delivered a faster, hotter face that improves ball speeds across impact zones allowing you to minimize distance loss and gain directional control through spin reduction. At address, you will notice those Turbulators, famous for the part they play in the G30 driver, have made their way into the fairway lineup. Although actual testing for increased club head speed has proven inconclusive in regards to fairway woods (unlike the G30 driver), Ping elected to keep the fins on the top of the beautiful matte black crown to help frame the ball at address. And it does this better than any wood I have used in the past.

I took my 14.5 fairway wood down a full degree to 13.5 and found the flight and down range trajectory I was looking for. Additionally, let me say how long and forgiving this club is. The majority of my fairway wood play comes from the tee box and there is nothing more comfortable than knowing you have a reliable fairway finder in your hands when the driver isn’t an option. On top of that, it flies off the deck like a champ. I hit countless balls off the grass in a fairway lie and found the carry to be very consistent across most of the impact zone.

The G30 fairway features a 
hotter, more forgiving Carpenter 475 face to 
generate even more distance.
The G30 fairway features a hotter, more forgiving Carpenter 475 face to generate even more distance.

The G30 fairway also provides directional relief on mishits as the reduction in spin creates what seems more like pushes or pulls, and not misses that spin too much offline. From the tee or the fairway, if you are considering a new fairway wood this season, the G30 should be on your short list of clubs you MUST try.

Ping G30 Hybrid

It’s well said that sometimes the greatest surprises in life come when you aren’t looking. That defines the G30 hybrid for me. Ping continues along its theme of a faster face down into its hybrids and unlike the G30 driver and fairway, the hybrid doesn’t feature the performance enhancing Turbulators on the crown. In fact, the smaller head size and beautiful matte black finish almost define perfection.

I wasn’t necessarily looking for a hybrid, but based upon my testing (you can see from my Profile what’s now in my bag), the G30 did something no other hybrid I have tried accomplished. I use a 17-degree hybrid as a 2- iron replacement. Let me start by saying I can do anything I want with this club. Flight it down, balloon it high with low spin, and shape shots in both directions. And while it is the longest hybrid I have hit to date, it does one thing no other hybrid has done - produced zero draw bias. In fact, this hybrid plays so neutral that if you were to watch ball flight alone you would think it was a 5-wood in your hands.

The compact head shape of 
the Ping G30 hybrid benefits from a high MOI 
design.
The compact head shape of the Ping G30 hybrid benefits from a high MOI design.

I have long said I would rather play a 41- inch, 17-degree hybrid over a 42.5 inch 18 or 19-degree 5-wood. The problem was finding one that didn’t automatically hook the ball. While the G30 line doesn’t offer adjustability in the hybrids, they do produce a 17, 19, 21 and 23-degree version allowing you to choose the iron replacement you wish and fill yardage gaps accordingly. The low profile head, neutral bias and forgiveness packed into a compact head makes for one of the most surprising finds a better player could search for. While the G30 line is traditionally targeted for mid to high handicappers, based on the spin characteristics, forgiveness, workability and shot creation, I can see this hybrid finding its way into consideration by any better player looking for a combination of neutral performance that no other hybrid has offered to date.

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