Latest news with #G440
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ping brings i240, iDi driving irons to PGA Tour
Ping released its new G440 line of drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and irons in January, along with the new version of its Scottsdale putter family. Now the Phoenix-based equipment maker has brought two new offerings – the i240 irons and the iDi driving irons – to Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, ahead of the PGA Tour's 2025 Memorial Tournament. While the company has not made any information about either the i240 or the iDi driving irons available for preview, based on images and previously released Ping products, there are some things we can infer. Ping's irons clubs are typically divided into one of two families, "G" or "i" clubs. The G clubs, such as the G440 and G730, tend to be game-improvement offerings that focus on forgiveness, shot height and adding distance. The i clubs, such as the i230 and i530, are usually more feel- and control-oriented. Also, as the numbers in the names increase, Ping irons tend to grow. Fo example, the G440 has a shorter blade length than the G730, and the i230 is slightly smaller than the i530. Seeing the name i240 tells us this latest offering is likely a club to take the place of the i230 and was designed with more-accomplished golfers in mind. Ping has not shared the materials used in the i240 irons, but the i230 irons were cast using 431 stainless steel and featured tungsten tip and toe weights. We can see a weight screw in the toe of the i240, so it's likely this feature will remain the same. Adding weight in the heel and toe areas enhances stability without make irons larger. We can also see a rectangular slot in the back of the new i240 that appears to have been filled in with something, and the i230 has an internal elastomer insert in that area to soak up excessive vibrations and enhance feel. That leaves the checked area behind the topline. In recent Ping irons, designers used different blends of materials and uniquely shaped back badges to enhance feel, and it appears Ping has designed a back plate that covers the upper half on the back of the i240, so this could be a new back badge made with a blend of metal and other materials. When Ping released its first Crossover club, the G Crossover in 2016, the brand did not promote it as a driving iron. By giving it a G in the name, it signaled to fitters and Ping loyalists that the club was about forgiveness, ball-speed protection and versatility. It was designed for golfers who sought an alternative to a long iron that was similar to a hybrid but not quite as large. That club was followed by the G400 Crossover, G410 Crossover and the G425 Crossover. The most recent version, released in 2022, is the iCrossover. Offered in three lofts – 2-iron (18 degrees), 3-iron (21 degrees) and 4-iron (24 degrees) – it features a more traditional iron-style design than earlier models. Ping often works in two-year product cycles, but the iCrossover is now three years old. The new iDi (which features a new naming convention) could be a replacement for the Crossover and signal that with the growing popularity of high-lofted fairway woods, Ping has designed a club specifically for faster-swinging players who still prefer irons. Ping is showing three different iDi driving irons – a 2-iron, 3-iron and 4-iron – and the clubs appear to have a hollow-body design or a large back cap that covers the entire back portion of the head. We can clearly see a toe screw, so it is safe to assume there is also an internal tungsten weight in the heel. There are large notches in the heel of each iDi iron. By removing some material in that area, club fitters can bend the hosel more easily and change the lie angle to help golfers make consistent, solid contact more easily. This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Ping i240 irons iDi driving irons PGA Tour Memorial Tournament
USA Today
4 days ago
- Automotive
- USA Today
Ping brings i240, iDi driving irons to PGA Tour
Ping brings i240, iDi driving irons to PGA Tour Ping brought its yet-to-be-released i240 and iDi irons to The Memorial this week. Here's what we know. Ping released its new G440 line of drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and irons in January, along with the new version of its Scottsdale putter family. Now the Phoenix-based equipment maker has brought two new offerings – the i240 irons and the iDi driving irons – to Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, ahead of the PGA Tour's 2025 Memorial Tournament. While the company has not made any information about either the i240 or the iDi driving irons available for preview, based on images and previously released Ping products, there are some things we can infer. Ping i240 irons Ping's irons clubs are typically divided into one of two families, "G" or "i" clubs. The G clubs, such as the G440 and G730, tend to be game-improvement offerings that focus on forgiveness, shot height and adding distance. The i clubs, such as the i230 and i530, are usually more feel- and control-oriented. Also, as the numbers in the names increase, Ping irons tend to grow. Fo example, the G440 has a shorter blade length than the G730, and the i230 is slightly smaller than the i530. Seeing the name i240 tells us this latest offering is likely a club to take the place of the i230 and was designed with more-accomplished golfers in mind. Ping has not shared the materials used in the i240 irons, but the i230 irons were cast using 431 stainless steel and featured tungsten tip and toe weights. We can see a weight screw in the toe of the i240, so it's likely this feature will remain the same. Adding weight in the heel and toe areas enhances stability without make irons larger. We can also see a rectangular slot in the back of the new i240 that appears to have been filled in with something, and the i230 has an internal elastomer insert in that area to soak up excessive vibrations and enhance feel. That leaves the checked area behind the topline. In recent Ping irons, designers used different blends of materials and uniquely shaped back badges to enhance feel, and it appears Ping has designed a back plate that covers the upper half on the back of the i240, so this could be a new back badge made with a blend of metal and other materials. Ping iDi driving irons When Ping released its first Crossover club, the G Crossover in 2016, the brand did not promote it as a driving iron. By giving it a G in the name, it signaled to fitters and Ping loyalists that the club was about forgiveness, ball-speed protection and versatility. It was designed for golfers who sought an alternative to a long iron that was similar to a hybrid but not quite as large. That club was followed by the G400 Crossover, G410 Crossover and the G425 Crossover. The most recent version, released in 2022, is the iCrossover. Offered in three lofts – 2-iron (18 degrees), 3-iron (21 degrees) and 4-iron (24 degrees) – it features a more traditional iron-style design than earlier models. Ping often works in two-year product cycles, but the iCrossover is now three years old. The new iDi (which features a new naming convention) could be a replacement for the Crossover and signal that with the growing popularity of high-lofted fairway woods, Ping has designed a club specifically for faster-swinging players who still prefer irons. Ping is showing three different iDi driving irons – a 2-iron, 3-iron and 4-iron – and the clubs appear to have a hollow-body design or a large back cap that covers the entire back portion of the head. We can clearly see a toe screw, so it is safe to assume there is also an internal tungsten weight in the heel. There are large notches in the heel of each iDi iron. By removing some material in that area, club fitters can bend the hosel more easily and change the lie angle to help golfers make consistent, solid contact more easily.
NBC Sports
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC Sports
How Eminem and UFOs factor into Viktor Hovland's quest to rediscover greatness
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Wrist flexion. Eminem's '8 Mile.' UFOs. This wasn't your great-grandfather's Masters press conference. Horton Smith certainly wasn't appearing on podcasts in the lead-up to the inaugural tournament at Augusta National back in 1934, let alone an audio medium dedicated to unidentified flying objects and aerial phenomena. But that's exactly what Viktor Hovland did last week, discussing not only UFOs but whistleblowers, government secrecy, debunkers and a bit of golf. Hovland saved the speculative details on Tuesday morning inside Augusta National's interview room, but his inquisitions off the golf course show his willingness to keep an open mind, which he believes will eventually help unlock his full potential on the golf course. 'Even in the golf swing you can get very dogmatic, and you look at things as, Oh, this has to be a truth, this has to be correct, and sometimes the beliefs that you hold the most deeply can obfuscate yourself,' Hovland explained. 'When you question things and look at things from different angles, you might get to a deeper truth. 'I think that's just a fascinating endeavor to engage in, and hopefully it leads you closer to the right direction, but that's kind of the fun of it.' For about a year and a half, Hovland has searched far and wide to rediscover the movements and feels that got him to third in the world rankings and perennially in the major-championship conversation. He had slipped to 98th in strokes gained tee to green, missing three of four major cuts last year, including the Masters, where he ejected with a second-round 81, the worst score of his major career by three shots. More recently, he stacked three straight missed cuts before winning the Valspar Championship last month, but even then, he revealed his action, particularly his transition into the downswing, was nowhere near a finished product. And so, Hovland kept digging, eschewing scouting trips to Augusta National in favor of spending recent weeks in Orlando, Florida, with his latest instructor, Grant Waite, doing things such as reverse-engineering a lead wrist flexion that had gotten way too radial. Hovland's improvements on the range with his full swing have allowed him more time on the course, where he's practiced those tricky short-game shots that Augusta National demands, from the low bump-and-run to the soft flopper. He also asked Ping to send him some new drivers that he had tested in the past when he wasn't swinging it well; he's changed into the new G440 for this week. Though he hasn't seen Augusta National since last year's Masters, he is confident, for the first time in a long time, that he feels like he can execute on a major layout that demands proper technique. 'Last week I felt like, man, I can just step on the range and not having to think too much and see the ball come off the face in a good direction, powerful ball flight, and didn't have to manipulate the face to make it go where I wanted to,' Hovland said. 'I could kind of just swing freely. Then every single day has been more or less the same feel, just kind of continuing in the right direction, versus last year it was extremely challenging because I was standing on the range, I was on the course, had no idea where the ball was going, if it was going left or right. And on top of that, it was not very solid, either.' Hovland's honesty is refreshing – and not just to those who are tasked with writing about the one-of-a-kind Norwegian. Sure, Hovland sometimes wishes he wasn't so transparent, but as he once again proved Tuesday, he doesn't mind being an open book. 'I think if you hold it in, the fear almost becomes bigger instead of when you speak the truth out there, you kind of desensitize it in a way,' Hovland said before offering this analogy from '8 Mile,' the 2002 biopic starring Eminem: 'It's like before his final rap battle, he kind of disses himself,' Hovland explains. 'It's like: Here I am, what else you got on me?' 'I have beat myself up,' Hovland later added. 'I think it's just like when you know it's not good enough, I don't see a problem by saying that it's bad. It's just being honest because I know how good it can truly be. 'I mean, it sucks when you're there and you're not seeing progress. It can feel a little bit futile. But as long as you're getting up every day and reevaluating what you're doing and trying to get better, I think that's kind of the most important thing. You're always trying to problem-solve instead of, yeah, it's frustrating when you're not getting the results, but there is always a solution. There is always an answer.' And the truth, one could say, is always out there.
USA Today
13-02-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
New Drivers 2025: More distance, forgiveness and accuracy
New Drivers 2025: More distance, forgiveness and accuracy Manufacturers are using aerodynamic shapes, exotic materials and adjustability to make drivers that can provide golfers with more distance, straighter ball flights and better spin control. As more and more golfers are working with custom fitters to find the club that best fits their swing and game, equipment manufacturers are making a wider selection of drivers so they can offer clubs that appeal to a broad range of players. In most cases, brands offer a standard version of their latest driver and design it to be a club that offers a blend of distance, forgiveness and accuracy, but other versions often put a greater emphasis on one particular aspect or quality. For example, for 2025, Ping is offering the new G440 driver and feels it will be a good option for a wide range of players, but it also offers the G440 LST for golfers who need a low-spin club and the G440 SFT for golfers who need a driver that reduces the effects of a slice. Similarly, TaylorMade has the standard Qi35, which boasts a blend of stability, ball speed enhancement and forgiveness, but it also released the low-spin Qi35 LS, the ultra-forgiving Qi35 Max and an ultra-lightweight version for moderate and slower-swinging players called the Qi35 Max Lite. Cobra has taken this concept to the extreme for 2025 by not only offering four versions of its DS-Adapt driver (the X, the LS, the Max and the Max D), but it has also developed a new 33-position adjustable hosel mechanism that players and fitters can use to fine-tune the drivers and produce a better fit. So that's the good news, the fact there are more drivers and more versions of drivers on the market than ever before. The bad news is all those choices can create a lot of confusion when it comes time to buy one. But as much as drivers have changed over the years, one thing has stayed the same: The best way to find your perfect driver is to work with a custom fitter and hit different clubs while collecting data with a launch monitor. Below is a list of many of the newest drivers from leading manufacturers that you will see in pro shops and golf specialty stores throughout 2025. It is not designed to tell you what to buy, but it can give you a starting point in your purchasing decision and help you learn what clubs could be worth trying. Callaway Elyte Price: $599.99 (Elyte, Elyte X, Elyte Max Fast) with Project X Denali shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips; $649 (Triple Diamond) with Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Black shaft Specs: 460-cubic-centimeter titanium head and face with carbon fiber crown, moveable weights and adjustable hoselAvailable: NOW Who they're for: Golfers looking for a balance of distance and forgiveness. The standard Elyte likely will fit most golfers, while the Triple Diamond is a spin-killer for heavy hitters, the Elyte X offers more stability and the Max Fast is ideal for moderate-speed and slower-swinging players. What you should know: The four Elyte drivers feature updated faces that generate more ball speed and protect it on mishits, enhancing forgiveness across the lineup. Read the full review. Shop Callaway Elyte drivers Cleveland HiBore XL, HiBore XL Lite Price: $399.99 with Aldila Ascent shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 gripSpecs: Titanium face and chassis with adjustable hosel Who it's for: Mid- and higher-handicap golfers who want a blend of distance and forgiveness off the tee. What you should know: Cleveland used artificial intelligence to develop a triangular head shape that optimizes forgiveness, ball speed and sound. Read the full review. Shop Cleveland HiBore XL drivers Cobra DS-Adapt X, DS-Adapt LS, DS-Adapt Max-K, DS-Adapt Max-D Price: $549 with Project X Denali, Fujikura Pro Black, Mitsubishi Tensei AV Blue shaft and Lamkin Crossline grip Specs: Titanium frame and face with carbon fiber crown and sole panels, moveable weights (X and LS), and updated 33-position adjustable hosel. Who it's for: Golfers who want a blend of distance and forgiveness (X), low spin (LS), ultra-high stability (Max-K) or help with straightening a slice (Max-D). What you should know: Cobra made the DS-Adapt drivers more aerodynamic and added different internal weight systems based on each head's loft to blend speed with ideal spin and launch conditions for a wide range of golfers. Read the full review. Shop Cobra DS-Adapt drivers Mizuno ST-Max 230 driver Price: $500 with Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green RDX, Mitsubishi Lai' Li Blue or UST Mamiya Helium NanoCore 4F1 shaft and Lamkin ST Hybrid gripSpecs: 460-cc head with a forged titanium face and chassis, carbon fiber crown and sole panels and adjustable hosel. 9.5, 10.5 and 12-degree head options. Who It's For: Golfers who prioritize forgiveness and who want to hit straighter drives. What you should know: The new ST-Max 230 takes the weight saved by using a large carbon fiber crown and sole panel and redistributes it to the back of the head to boost the forgiveness and make the club Mizuno's most stable driver. Read the full review. Shop Mizuno ST drivers Ping G440 Max, G440 LST, G440 SFT drivers Price: $650 with Alta CG Blue, Ping Tour 2.0, Project X Denali Red or Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Black shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips. Specs: Titanium face and chassis with carbon fiber crown, tungsten weights and adjustable hosel. Who They're For: Golfers seeking more stability and better performance on mishit drives without sacrificing ball speed or distance. What You Should Know: Ping designed all three G440 drivers with carbon fiber crowns and new weight-saving adjustable hosels, then used the saved weight to enhance stability and increase ball speed. Read the full review. Shop Ping G440 drivers PXG Black Ops, Black Ops Tour-1 drivers Price: $599.99 (Black Ops), $649.99 (Black Ops Tour-1)Specs: Carbon fiber crown and sole panel with titanium alloy face, moveable weights and adjustable hosel. Who They're For: Golfers who seek more distance and forgiveness (Black Ops), along with players who want a low-spin driver that allows players to shape shots (Black Ops Tour-1) What you should know: PXG is using a new titanium alloy that allows designers to make the variable-thickness faces hotter, while the combination of moveable weights boosts forgiveness and lets players tweak the launch angle and spin rate. Read the full review. Shop PXG Black Ops drivers TaylorMade Qi35, Qi35 LS, Qi35 Max, Qi35 Max Lite drivers Price: $629 with Mitsubishi Kai'Li, Mitsubishi Diamana T+, Fujikura Ventus Blue or Fujikura AirSpeeder shaft and Golf Pride Z GripSpecs: Carbon fiber face, crown and sole panels with adjustable weights and adjustable hosel Who they're for: Golfers seeking high stability with more ball speed (Qi35, Qi35 Max, Qi35 Max Lite), and players looking for enhanced ball speed, low spin and shot-shaping adjustability (Qi35 LS). What you should know: TaylorMade has modified the center of gravity in its drivers to produce more ball speed while maintaining high levels of stability and forgiveness. Read the full review. Shop TM Qi35 drivers Titleist GT2, GT3, GT4 drivers Price: $649 with Project X Denali Red, HZRDUS Black 5th Generation, or Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Blue shaft and Titleist Universal 360 Forged titanium face and chassis with thermoform polymer crown, adjustable hosel and moveable weight (GT3). Who it's for: The GT2 is made specifically for players who want to maximize stability and forgiveness. The GT3 was made for players who want left-right adjustability, and the GT4 is for golfers who need a low-spin driver. What you should know: To improve the aerodynamics of the GT drivers, Titleist engineers elevated the back portion of the sole to reduce drag and improve the way air flows over the club. However, using the new shape in an all-titanium club elevated the center of gravity (CG) location, resulting in more spin, a lower launch angle and less distance. To use the aerodynamic head shape but lower the CG location, engineers decided to use a thermoform polymer to design a crown piece that wraps over the heel and toe and into the sole. Read the full review. Shop Titleist GT drivers Wilson Dynapwr Max, Carbon, LS drivers Price: $499.99 (Max) with UST Mamiya LIN-Q shaft and Lamkin Crossline 360 grips, $549.99 (Carbon, LS) with Project X Denali Black or Fujikura Ventus TR Blue shaftsSpecs: Titanium chassis and face with adjustable hosel (Max), carbon fiber crown (LS) and carbon fiber crown and sole panel (Carbon). Who it's for: Golfers who want more distance and forgiveness off the tee (Max), a blend of workability and distance (Carbon) and fast-swinging players who generate excessive spin (LS). What you should know: Wilson's first three-driver family is made up of clubs designed to meet the needs of three different types of players, thanks to the use of different materials, the location of movable weights and slightly different design features. Read the full review. Shop Wilson Dynapwr golf clubs
USA Today
27-01-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
This former LIV Golf player is trading in his clubs for a microphone in 2025
This former LIV Golf player is trading in his clubs for a microphone in 2025 Show Caption Hide Caption Ping G440 Max, G440 LST, G440 SFT drivers Ping designed all three G440 drivers with carbon fiber crowns and new weight-saving adjustable hosels, then used the saved weight to enhance stability Pat Perez is comfortable in front of a camera and holding a microphone, and now it's going to be his full-time gig for LIV Golf. The league announced Monday that Perez, 48, will be one of its on-course analysts for the 2025 season. He will also be involved in pre- and post-round coverage, as LIV Golf enters the first year of its multi-year partnership with Fox Sports. "I'm full-steam on this thing," Perez said in a release. "I'm really excited to do it. It's a perfect mid-life restart for me. 'Thought about doing TV for years now. I feel like I'm at Q-School again, starting a new career. It's certainly going to be a learning process. I'm excited to bring my personality to it. We're going to have fun.' A member of Dustin Johnson's 4 Aces GC since 2022, Perez wasn't re-signed following the 2024 campaign. Now, he's transitioning to his next passion as an announcer. Perez was part of the commentary crew for "The Match: Tiger vs. Phil" at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas in 2018 and he has long anticipated making this move once his playing career was completed. 'Pat is one of the great characters of the game,' said James Watson, LIV Golf's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Production. 'When it looked like he was going to be available, chasing him as an addition to our broadcast team was a no-brainer.' Added Perez: 'I thought I'd still be playing but now I'm focused on the TV thing. This could be the start of a whole new career, and I'm thankful it's worked out this way.'
