Ping Rapture Driver Review
The Ping Rapture driver is probably the most technologically advanced driver that the company has ever produced. Ping has pulled out all the stops here… a composite/titanium head, a  design, robotic plasma
welds all in an effort to make the best driver on the market.
What The Company Says;
The entire Ping Rapture line is a display in what Ping can do when they crack open the technology vault. These clubs are loaded with technology and their price tags reflect it. The biggest technology in the Rapture has to be the composite. Essentially this design removes some of the titanium from the crown of the club so additional weight can be moved within the head. The
company has inserted lightweight composite material into this web and it has allowed for an additional 20 grams of discretionary weight. Engineers moved this weight towards the sides and back… helping create both additional MOI and a higher launch angle. The addition of this composite material also helps create a more solid sound something that a lot of newer drivers lack.
Ping has also utilized a variable thickness face in the Rapture. This technology makes the face hotter throughout. The 460CC head is fairly traditional in shape and the club is very appealing to the eye.
Ping has never really been known for their stock shafts and the addition of the Aldila VS Proto (among others) gives golfers a few more options.
What Our Readers Say;
Reaction has been pretty good but one glaring comparison seems to rear it’s head. See if you can spot it. The Rapture was very easy to hit. I enjoyed it’s more traditional look but I think It’ll hang on to my G5 for
now.
Love at first sight and at first hit. Still traditional looking as far as 460′s go and out performed all the rest easily. I’m looking forward to your Ping Rapture review, only because I have so much confidence in my G5 driver that
it’s hard to imagine an improvement.
A good club but it’s not worth the extra bucks. I’ll take a G5 driver and fairway wood for the same price!
Overall Reader Rating – 70%
What Our Customers Say;
There are a lot of things to like about Ping. Their equipment is of good quality, they offer well thought out designs and their fitting system is second to none. They also don’t bring out new clubs for the sake of bringing out new clubs.
Over the past few years most of their drivers have been noticeably better than the previous; the G2 was a lot better than it’s predecessors and the G5 was a noticeable improvement over the G2. The extra technology packed into the Rapture should make it a lot better than the G5; but it’s not.
We hear the G5/Rapture comparisons a lot. People want to hit the Rapture but usually leave with the G5; noting that there isn’t enough of a difference to warrant the extra money. Is the Rapture driver a bad club? No. Is it
taking a back seat to arguably the best driver Ping has ever made? Yep.
The Rapture’s construction makes it a bit more forgiving than the G5 and robotic tests that we’ve seen peg it as 7 yards longer than the G5; although we haven’t noticed a real difference in distance at our shop. The

stock shaft selection in the Rapture is slightly better as the company has elected to only offer the popular Aldila VS Proto in this driver and not in the G5.

The Rapture stacks up well against other drivers on the market although it is priced slightly higher than most. This higher price is one of the biggest knocks that we see… aside from the fact that it’s overall performance mirrors that of the less expensive G5.
We have tagged the 60% rating as; Not My First Choice; and this club seems to fall right in there. The Rapture is a great club but it doesn’t provide enough extra performance for Ping fans to abandon their G5′s. This club would do great if the company cut it’s price by about $100 but we don’t see that
happening anytime soon. The addition of the Aldila VS Proto is a good move but it’s not enough to warrant the extra cash. A great driver if you have the money but don’t be surprised if you walk out with a G5 instead!
Overall Customer Rating – 60%
Overall Combined Rating – 65%

Tags: ping driver, rapture

I now have a Ping G5 Driver in my golf bag after thinking about it for a while before buying. I finally decided to get my own after testing those belonging to my golf buddies who were forever telling me how good it was. I suppose having the opportunity to hit golf balls from the tee with the G5 under real golf course conditions helped me to make my decision. Just looking at a club in the golf store or even hitting on the range with some protection on the clubface, is not quite the same as hitting the ball down fairways you know well.

I like the look of the Ping driver when I set up to the ball and that is important as any keen golfer will tell you. A club just has to look right to your eye. Another benefit of testing the club first helped to work out the type of shaft I needed. Like most amateur golfers, I need a regular shaft and probably most recreational golfers do too. The shaft is actually the key element to hitting any golf club well. If the shaft is too stiff, you probably hit worm burners.

The Ping G5 with its 460cc clubhead is the one we all play in our regular foursome. The only problem we have is that we keep picking up each other’s Ping head covers. The fact that our fourball are all playing the same driver probably says something. We all find it a great golf club to play and the fact that it is a Ping golf club means we can swing with confidence! They have a very respectable reputation in the world of golf equipment. If you are thinking about a new driver, I would certainly recommend the Ping G10.

Tags: ping g10

The right mix

The latest gear to help you play better

Photo: Jim Herity

Hybrid golf clubs don’t grow on trees, but if a designer can mix just the right amount of fairway wood and iron, the result can bear much fruit. Above are a few examples of golf’s current efforts in cross-pollination (clockwise from top left).

INNOVEX SYSTEM RLS. Features three lofts and smallish heads (100 cubic centimeters) made of stainless steel, shorter shafts comparable to irons ($80, innovexgolf.com).

ADAMS GOLF a2/a2OS iWoods. Tour-inspired a2 has slimmer head design, less offset; a2OS has wider sole and face with more offset ($200, adamsgolf.com).

BOBBY JONES Players Series. Thin, forged maraging-steel section in crown saves weight. Wider profile designed for stability ($180, bobbyjonesgolf.net).

WILSON STAFF Dh6. Lightweight laser-weld face designed to improve energy transfer. Extra internal weighting placed in rear sole ($200, wilsonstaff.com).

NAKASHIMA NX.1. Sole designed to rest flat at address. Clubhead weight is similar to iron-head weights ($200, nakashimagolf.com).

NIKE Slingshot. Versions include compact tour model and wider model with carbon-composite crown, Carpenter 455 steel face and thicker section in rear ($170, nikegolf.com).

Tags: hybrid

Equipment

The new r7 quad 425 has 28 grams of movable weight screws, and Odyssey’s new putters seek to offer increased stability with a ring that connects the heel, toe and back. Photos: Jim Herity Extreme makeovers TaylorMade’s r7 quad driver and Odyssey’s 2-ball putter line receive dramatic face-lift The r7 quad driver from TAYLORMADE and the 2-Ball putter from OODYSSEY changed just about everything in their equipment categories. Now, they’re getting ready to change themselves. The new TaylorMade r7 quad 425 becomes the largest all-titanium driver with four movable weights, which are now spaced wider than on its predecessor in an effort to enhance slice or draw correction. The driver has the highest moment of inertia of any driver its size, according to its designers. TaylorMade officials say they were able to increase the head size of the original r7 by reducing the thickness of the titanium walls to 0.6 millimeters, about the thickness of six sheets of paper. That allowed the amount of movable weight to go from 24 grams on the original r7 to 28 grams on the new model. buzz The gotta-have-it equipment golfers are talking about (or soon will be) PUTTERS Although PING‘s new Ug-Le (right> features the same insert as other G5i putters (softer perimeter with firmer middle), its shape is straight out of Star Trek. The theory is that by hollowing out the midsection, the extra heel-and-toe weighting increases the moment of inertia, making it the highest in the G5i series, including the Craz-E ($145, pinggolf.com). BALLS The return of colored golf balls is no longer a curiosity. No less than five companies are in the colored-ball game, following the cult success of the VOLVIK Crystal balls. There’s the colored “Karma” ball in each dozen box of NIKE‘s Mojo ball. Others to go all in on color include the TOP-FLITE Quartz (in pink, blue, yellow and clear), the PRECEPT Lady SIII (in yellow, pink, blue and clear), and the MAXFLI Noodle Ice (lime, lemon, tangerine and raspberry). IRONS Thin is in, as in thin-face irons. As expected (New Looks, July 2005), there is a rush on irons that feature special thin metals in the face to save weight and possibly increase an iron’s springlike effect. NIKE‘s Slingshot iron had a large unsupported face area when it first came out, and now its latest version, the Slingshot OSS, will have an even thinner face (about two millimeters) made of a cold-rolled Cryo Steel that designers say saves 29 grams (over typical 17-4 steel) for redistribution around the perimeter ($700, nikegolf.com). NICKLAUS GOLF‘s High-CT irons employ a Carpenter 455 steel sheet face insert that is 2.4 millimeters thick. The CT refers to the U.S. Golf Association’s springlike effect pendulum test for “characteristic time” ($800, nicklaus-golf.com). WEDGES The wedge might be the simplest looking piece of equipment in a golfer’s bag, but don’t be fooled. Groove technology and sole shaping are perennial challenges being tackled by technology. For instance, ADAMS GOLF‘s Puglielli wedge features a face that has been fly-cut milled and grooves that are machined to the maximum USGA depth and width. The series, named for Adams’ director of tour operations and wedge designer Max Puglielli, comes in two sole configurations. The Sweep version features standard bounce angles (12 degrees on the 56-degree wedge), and the Steep version provides extra bounce (15 degrees on the 54-degree) for players with a more aggressive angle of attack. It was used by the winner of three Champions Tour events in 2005 ($125, adamsgolf.com). TaylorMade also focused on improving the shaft, partnering with FUJIKURA to design a shaft that improves stability and consistency. The 65-gram RE-AX shaft uses a woven sheet of graphite fibers near the tip to reduce the tendency of the shaft’s circular structure to flatten out in the bottom part of the downswing (available in late 2005, $400 for r7 quad 425, $800 for r7 quad 425 TP, taylormadegolf.com). Meanwhile, Odyssey’s 2-Ball gets the most dramatic alterations in its history in 2006. First, the traditional 2-Ball look incorporates material and shape changes in the new White Steel 2-Ball SRT. A zinc-alloy ring extending from the heel and toe to the back “ball” is designed to push more weight to the perimeter. According to Odyssey, this increases the putter’s moment of inertia by 33 percent over the previous 2-Ball White Steel. The Tri-Ball SRT adds a third white circle aimed at enhancing alignment and includes a similarly placed, larger zinc-alloy ring (available in February, $190 for 2-Ball SRT, $200 for Tri-Ball SRT, odysseygolf.com). Turf war As hybrid lofts go lower, where should fairway woods take over? When Jerry Pate shelved his 4-wood for a 17-degree hybrid, Tim Reed, ADAMS GOLF‘s vice president of research and development, wasn’t surprised. “It got him the shot shape he was after,” Reed says . “The 4-wood was floating, and if you’re trying to reduce spin, you move the center of gravity closer to the face. In a hybrid the CG is relatively closer to the face than it is in a fairway wood.” Of course, just to confuse us all, Charles Howell III went the other way, shelving a couple of hybrids in favor of CALLAWAY‘s prototype fairway wood. The debate is fueled by hybrid lofts stretching to the 3-wood level. For example, NICKENT‘s retooled 3DX DC Ironwood line comes in two head shapes and 14 lofts (as low as 14 degrees). The 3DX features a thinned-out 17-4 steel face and positions two 20-gram tungsten-polymer weights in the back ($150, nickentgolf.com). Callaway’s 1H Heavenwood checks in at 14 degrees, and Adams’ A2 hybrids start at 16 degrees, as do hybrids from TAYLORMADE (Rescue dual), PING (G5) and COBRA (Baffler). Generally, more swing speed allows you to use more lower-lofted hybrids. For average players, a fairway wood has stability, an even lower center of gravity (more spin) and a longer shaft (more speed), crucial for launching the ball. Says Scott Rice, principal design engineer at Cobra, whose new Speed line of fairway woods starts at 13 degrees: “The number of people who can benefit from a utility club over a long iron is enormous, but that’s not true when you start backing down to a 3-wood loft.” Bottom line: Hybrids are better at precision; fairway woods are better at distance. Sneak Peek A first look at what the insiders are showing off TITLEIST has never had a driver this big–literally. The 455-cubic -centimeter Pro Titanium 905R, 55 cubic centimeters bigger than the 905S, ended up in the bags of tour players at the end of 2005. The one pictured here belongs to Davis Love III. It has the same aluminum-hosel tube as its predecessors but offers slightly more spin. Expect it in shops by late spring.

Tags: Ping Ug-Le, Putters

Why do golfers who hit the ball on the upswing drive the ball farther than those who have a sharp downward angle of attack?
J.T. Gibson, Charlotte

There are two reasons golfers who hit the ball on the upswing achieve the optimum combination of launch and spin. First, the ball is being launched higher on the upswing. In most cases this is the preferred condition because the majority of us launch the ball at too low of an angle. Second, because of the upward path of the driver, the ball will be exposed to less of an oblique face angle (see below). This means less spin will be imparted on the ball at impact. This is also a preferred condition because most of us spin the ball too much to achieve maximum distance with the driver. A downward attack angle of the clubhead, as opposed to a horizontal path, will present a more oblique face angle to the ball (like an iron) and in most cases create more spin. At the same time, the downward motion produces a lower launch angle. Combined with the high spin this produces less than ideal launch conditions. Therefore, assuming club properties remain the same in all cases, launching the ball at a higher angle is the primary cause for longer drives of those who hit it on the upswing.

I use clubs with a D-1 swingweight, but I like the feel of D-3 better. How do I increase the swingweight without having to buy new clubs?
Adam Slansky, New York

Adding weight by placing lead tape on the back of an iron clubhead is the only appropriate way to change swingweight. A change in swingweight of three points or less is rarely detectable by most swingweight-sensitive golfers. If you can feel this change and the adjustment has made a difference to your game, then go for it.

Is it important to have the same swingweight in your iron set and woods?
William W.S. Lei, Australia

In recent times, golfers have been asking for slightly lighter clubs, but the swingweights are generally the same for woods and irons. Start your search with the same swingweights, and change only if you have a problem. The standard swingweight is D-2, but it’s important to feel comfortable.

Shouldn’t most amateurs choose a club with forgiveness rather than workability?
Scott Young, Atlanta

Some of the best players in the world choose to use blades, but you first need to be able to hit the sweet spot on a regular basis. It’s the difference between being an artist and an amateur; Picasso needed to manipulate a fine brush easily to exhibit his skills, but you should choose the big brush.

Do certain clubs offer a higher grade of titanium than others, resulting in hotter faces?
Nick Iordanis, Toronto

Yes, but although materials and construction of clubheads vary, a driver’s maximum “hotness” is limited by the rules. Some titanium alloys (SP700, for instance) offer certain design freedoms, but don’t think materials will change your performance as much as increasing your swing speed and producing more consistent contact with the sweet spot.

Tags: Q&A

Hollow irons from Mizuno and Nike look to move center of gravity lower, deeper so shots fly higher

Chop blocks and game-improvement irons share a similar component. If you want to do either well, you’ve got to get that center of gravity (CG) low.

We’ve all seen the idea in action with cavity-back iron designs, but it’s what we don’t see in the latest irons that’s taking the idea a step further. By completely hollowing out the area behind the face, designers are able to save weight and lower the CG by widening the sole or adding heavier inserts or even enclosing the back of the face, much like in a hybrid design. It has been done by Adams Golf with its Idea set (look for the next generation soon) and by MacGregor (the M565 and M455).

Two new examples are the upgraded Nike Slingshot OSS and the forged Mizuno MX-900. Both offer hollow designs that attempt to push the CG lower and farther back from the face. Doing that in an iron design can help the face close and the ball fly higher. The revamped Slingshot incorporates some impressive metallurgy, including a new face insert made of a thinner “cryosteel” (which undergoes a cooling process that makes the steel harder and stronger), a laser-welded face, a wider slingback and a 16-percent wider sole than on the original. Nike designer Tom Stites says the moment of inertia (resistance to twisting) has improved 10 percent over the original Slingshot ($700, nikegolf.com).

Mizuno’s MX-900 expands on some of the things learned from its successful Fli-Hi iron-like hybrids. It utilizes a hollow construction and a high-strength steel forged face and neck in the 3- through 7-irons, and a one-piece mild carbon steel in the short irons, but it’s the long and middle irons that are a club design cornucopia, including a 12-gram tungsten plug in the wide sole to lower the center of gravity, internal heel-and-toe weighting and a multithickness face ($800, mizunousa.com).

Tags: hollow clubs, mizuno, nike

PING offers a variety of shaft flexes

and grip sizes to meet every golfer’s preferences. Both are important fitting variables which can effect your ball flight. Not sure which shaft flex or grip size is right for you? Get Web-Fit to find out now.

Iron Shaft Specifications

Shaft	Material	Flex	Torque	Weight
PING CS Lite	steel	Regular	1.8°	94g
PING CS Lite	steel	Stiff	1.7°	107g
True Temper DGS	steel	Stiff	1.5°	125g
True Temper DGX	steel	X-Stiff	1.4°	123g
PING Z-Z65	steel	Stiff	1.6°	109g
PING TFC100i	graphite	Soft R	3.4°	65g
PING TFC100i	graphite	Regular	2.4°	75g
PING TFC100i	graphite	Stiff	2.3°	84g

An option in steel-shafted clubs,

the Cushin Selective Filtering Insert dissipates shaft vibrations caused by ball impact, lessening the stress on bone, muscle and connective tissue. This produces better feel and reduces fatigue through the course of a round. Weighing just 10 grams, the Cushin Insert has a minimal effect on the total weight of the club, and because it is located inside the shaft at the swingweight fulcrum, it does not affect the swingweight.

Grip size is an important fitting variable

since it affects the release of a golfers hands through the impact area. Thinner grips tend to encourage the release, which can cause a draw or a hook or help a golfer compensate for a fade or slice. Thicker grips tend to inhibit the release, which can cause a fade or a slice, or help a golfer compensate for a draw or hook.

PING color-coded grips are

manufacturered in different thicknesses for different hand sizes. Your hand length and the length of your longest finger are used to determine the nuetral grip size, which neither encourages nor inhibits your release. To find your nuetral grip size, get Web-Fit now.

Color-coded Grip Sizes

Color Code		Size
Orange		+1/16″
Gold		+1/32″
White		standard
Aqua		-1/64″
Red		-1/32″
Blue		-3/64″

Pictured: PING TFC100i, PING CS Lite, PING CS Lite w/ Cushin Insert.

The Cushin Insert dissapates shaft vibrations for improved feel and reduced fatigue.

Grip Options

Grip	Sizes
703
703 Full Cord
i3
i3 Half Cord
i3 Full Cord
Textured Spiral

Tags: ping g5, ping shafts, specifications

The latest gear to help you play better

The U.S. Golf Association is considering relaxing the rules on adjustable clubs. That could lead to more clubs that allow you to tweak center-of-gravity locations to combat a right or left miss. For now, try these legal models (clockwise from top):

MALTBY KE4 Irons. The 431 stainless-steel head construction has two heel-and-toe ports to accommodate two-, four-, six- and eight-gram screws ($14 per head, golfworks.com).

VULCAN V14. The design allows for the mixing and matching of 14 nylon balls and ball bearings in a back channel, yielding 16,385 possible setups (430cc, $500, vulcangolf.com).

TOMMY ARMOUR AyrTime. The head has three ports in the heel, toe and center that house three screws, including one that’s 25 grams (430cc, $300, tommyarmourgolf.com).

TAYLORMADE r7 Steel fairway. A steel head features two movable weights of two and 14 grams in the heel and toe. TaylorMade ReAx shaft is standard ($230, taylormadegolf.com).

Tags: adjustable clubs

Ping G5 Irons

The large head and wide sole

of the G5 Iron provides forgiveness and consistency across the club face.
By designing a deeper, parallel cavity, the sole is widened to allow the center of gravity (CG)
to be positioned lower and further from the face for higher launching, more accurate results.
The large Custom Tuning Port (CTP) stabilizes the face and dampens vibration to ensure a solid, pleasing feel.

G5 Specifications

Tags: g5, golf, irons, ping, ping g5 irons

Ping G5 Irons

PING G5 Men’s Iron Set-Steel Shafts

Ping sort of seems to be the forgotten man among the major manufacturers these days. I don’t see their advertisements on televison. I can’t tell you who’s on their pro staff. They aren’t making the golf news sites and blogs with their equipment. I don’t know anyone who has their newer clubs (although plenty are still playing with 10-year-old models). And they certainly are not being pushed in any of the local pro shops.

It could be just a local thing—maybe they get more traction in other areas—but I get the feeling that they’re kind of sliding backwards.

Still, they continue to focus on producing very player-friendly clubs, such as the new G5 irons, which made Golf Digest’s 2006 Hot List.

The G5s are a refinement of last year’s G2 series, with a wider sole and more perimeter weighting. The weight port on the back of the clubs is larger, too, reducing vibrations and stabilizing the face.

The wider sole was created through Ping’s redesign of the undercut cavity. The pull direction is parallel to the ground, rather than perpendicular to the face. This lets Ping move more mass to the the back of the clubhead.

They’re still not particularly attractive, with their tumbled finish and blunt lines. But with Ping, its all about playability.

Tags: g5 irons, ping irons