Ping G430 Hybrid Review

The loft range is the first thing worth noting. Six heads run from 17 degrees, which is a fairway wood substitute for a player who cannot hit one, down to 34 degrees, which replaces a 7 iron for anybody who has stopped enjoying long irons. That is a wider spread than most brands bother with, and it means the club can be fitted to a gap rather than sold as a single fix. The head itself is compact for a hybrid, with a carbon crown moving mass into internal tungsten low and back, and the face keeps enough speed on the low toe that a strike out of thick rough still gets airborne.

It sits square at address with a topline closer to an iron than a wood, which suits players who want to aim it rather than sweep it. Feel is the usual Ping muted thud. The hosel adjusts a degree and a half either way for launch and lie. At $325 it does more work than any other club at that price.