PING G400 Max Driver

The PING G400 Max driver is the most forgiving of the of the new PING G400 driver lineup.  The G400 Max features the highest MOI (Moment of Inertia) in a PING driver EVER, promoting a longer, straighter ball flight.  So if long and straight is what you’re looking for, the G400 Max from PING might be the new driver for you.

The Looks

The PING G400 Max boasts a larger-profile, 460cc clubhead with a sleek, matte black crown.  I’ll admit, the clubhead has a much larger footprint than I’m used to, but it didn’t take long to adjust.  The crown also features PING’s Dragonfly technology, designed to increase clubhead speed through aerodynamics, that has become prevalent in their latest drivers.  The Dragonfly technology also allows for a thinner crown and lower CG position to give the G400 Max maximum forgiveness.

The sole of the club features the same matte finish, with some copper accents.  The G400 Max also features a copper-colored back weight and rear tungsten weighting to give the G400 Max the deepest CG Ping has ever produced in a driver.  Overall, the G400 Max looks sleek with the matte black design with just the right amount of pop.

How Does it Feel?

When I first picked up the PING G400 Max, the head definitely felt light for how large it looks.  This is most likely by design, however, as it’s designed to help generate more club speed.  With that, I didn’t have any issues feeling exactly where my clubhead was throughout the swing.  I never had any issues with getting too quick with my tempo because of the weight or anything like that, it just feels lighter than it looks.  Not necessarily a bad thing at all.

In terms of impact, center-struck shots feel almost “soft,” and you’re not going to feel much in the hands.  In my mind, it makes the movement of the club through the ball feel effortless when hit squarely.  While the G400 Max is the most forgiving driver I have ever hit (more on that in a minute), you will still feel when you miss the center of the face.  It’s not going to be as noticeable as a “player’s driver,” but the club will still let you know you missed it without a “harsh” feeling in the hands.  For example, when hitting one off of the toe, you’re going to feel it in the hands. This is a far cry from most ultra-forgiving drivers, which tend to feel the exact same across the face.

How Does it Sound?

The PING G400 Max definitely falls on the louder end of the spectrum in regards to driver sound.  It lets off a nice “crack” sound when you make solid contact letting you know you hit it well.  I’m the first to admit that I hate a loud sounding driver, but I didn’t mind the sound of the G400 Max at all.  Even if you’re not a big fan of a louder sounding driver, I think the performance is going to make you forget all about it.  It’s not a loud “ting-y” tin can sound that other drivers on the market produce.  The sound is just a firm, solid “crack.”  The one interesting tidbit here is that the sound seems to remain the same, even on off-center strikes.

On-Course Performance

The strongest aspect of this entire review for the PING G400 Max is this section right here.  I’ll start by saying that this is flat out the most forgiving driver I have ever hit.  Misses off the center of the face lost minimal yardage, and misses to the right or left didn’t go nearly as far offline. For me, my big miss is a block-fade to the right that usually finds the adjacent fairway.  I found that with the G400 Max, that miss turns into a straight block to the right, and my ball often still found a playable position.

Off the rack, the G400 Max should be the higher launching, higher spinning option of the G400 lineup for most. With that, you can definitely optimize the performance of this driver by finding the right shaft for it.  As a high-ball hitter, I paired the G400 Max with a low/mid launch, low spinning shaft, to contain my launch and spin numbers.  I expected to give up some distance in exchange for forgiveness with the G400 Max, but I actually gained a bit of consistent carry yardage.  For me, that equated to more total distance, and more importantly, more fairways hit from the forgiveness.  Imagine that.

Final Thoughts

The PING G400 Max is a very solid all-around performing driver that’s extremely forgiving and easy to launch.  With the right shaft combo, this driver might be a real winner for you.  It features sleek looks, great feel, and incredible forgiveness.  There isn’t too much more you can ask for in a driver package.  With the right shaft combo, you might find the the G400 Max to give you the numbers and playability you’re looking for.  If you’re in the market for a new driver this year, and you could benefit from forgiveness and easier launch, make sure to give the PING G400 Max a whirl.

Stock PING G400 Max Specs

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