If you have a barstool conversation with a golf equipment junkie and pose the question, “Which company has historically made the most forgiving driver?” There’s a pretty good chance the reply will be “Ping.” Today, that becomes all the more true as the company announced the G430 Max 10K driver, which we originally spotted on tour last year, is available at retail.

Dubbed the company’s “highest MOI, most forgiving, and straightest driver to date,” the 10K driver gets its name from the total MOI measurement of 10,000 g-cm².

Ping touts the effects of a 28-gram fixed tungsten backweight working in combination with its 460cc multi-material head in achieving the MOI measurement. Five grams of weight is saved from a lighter Carbonfly Wrap crown allowing for weight to be pushed to the perimeter of the club for increased forgiveness.

The head profile is the largest in Ping history, pushed to the limits of heel-toe and front-back USGA restrictions. According to Ping, the sound of the club is louder than the G430 Max, to convey the perception of “more powerful” tee shots.

For additional tech details on the G430 Max 10K, check out our Ping G430 launch story. 

Ping is also debuting the lightweight G430 Max 10K HL driver for slower-swing-speed golfers. The design features a 46-inch Ping Alta Quick shaft and a lightweight Lamkin UTx Lite grip, as well as a lighter (19-gram) backweight.

“Our new G430 Max 10K joins the G430 driver family and earns the distinction of being the most forgiving driver we’ve ever engineered,” said John K. Solheim, Ping CEO & President. “The ‘10K’ in the name refers to its record-setting combined MOI that exceeds 10,000 g-cm². It’s a great addition to our G430 driver line, giving golfers another custom-fitting option loaded with innovations. It has a lot of the proven performance of the G430 Max driver, but differs in several ways from a design standpoint, including a fixed backweight, larger head profile, and a Carbonfly Wrap crown – each contributing to the new level of forgiveness.”

“It’s been a lot of fun to watch people hit the G430 Max 10K. Everyone comments how straight it is, which ultimately leads to more distance for the golfer,” Solheim said. “It fits a wide range of golfers, from players who rely heavily on forgiveness for more distance and accuracy off the tee all the way to tour pros, who are seeing lower spin and increased ball speed as the result of swinging more aggressively, knowing the forgiveness will help them find more fairways. We’re excited to add the Max 10K to our driver mix.”

Pricing, specs, availability

• Head volume: 460cc
• Head weight: 206g
• Lofts: 9.0°, 10.5°, 12.0° (adjustable +- 1.5°)
• Swingweight: D3
• Std. length: 45 3/4″ (Alta CB Black 55); 45 1/4″ (PING Tour 2.0 Chrome/Black and optional stock); 46″ (Alta Quick 35/45 for HL build)
• Stock shafts: PING Alta CB (counter-balanced) Black 55 (SR, R, S), PING Alta Quick 35/45 (HL build only)
• Optional stock shafts: PING Tour 2.0 Chrome 65 (R, S, X), PING Tour 2.0 Black 65 (S, X), Mitsubishi Kai’Li White 60 (S, X), PRJX HZRDUS Smoke Red RDX 50 (5.5, 6.0), PRJX HZRDUS Smoke Red RDX 60 (5.5, 6.0, 6.5)
• Stock grip: Golf Pride 360 Tour Velvet in six sizes (Blue -1/16″, Red -1/32″, Aqua -1/64″, White-Std, Gold +1/32″, Orange +1/16″)
• Stock grip HL: Lamkin UTx Lite (Aqua -1/64″, White-Std, Gold +1/32″)
• Price: $650