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The PING G430 SFT driver adds more adjustability to one of the game’s best slice-busters. Extreme forgiveness. Improved sound.
Check out the new PING G440 SFT driver HERE
Introduction
For several generations, PING’s SFT drivers have been some of the most reliable slice-busters in golf. The only problem is that not every golfer needs the same amount of draw bias. The new PING G430 SFT driver addresses this issue by letting players dial in their preferred level of draw while giving everyone huge forgiveness.
Looks
At address, the PING G430 SFT driver has the major hallmarks of PING’s recent drivers. The crown is matte black and the front edge is lined with turbulators. The back of the crown is busier than the G425 SFT [review HERE], but, like its predecessor, it has a round, symmetrical shape that doesn’t lean strongly toward the heel.
The sole of the G430 SFT driver is dominated by geometric designs and a large, white “PING” across the center. Small slashes of yellow at the toe and heel and the adjustable weight are the primary differences between this and the G425.
Above you see the PING G430 SFT driver next to the G430 MAX (left). The picture – due to the camera angle – shows a greater difference than exists in reality. Outside of the G430 SFT sitting more closed at address, I’m not sure I could tell them apart.
Sound & Feel
The PING G430 SFT driver and the G430 MAX [review HERE] look nearly identical, and the story is the same when it comes to sound and feel. PING put a major emphasis on quieting this driver compared to the previous version, and they succeeded. Each strike produces a solid sound, closer to a “thud” than the hollow “pop” of the G425. The forgiving nature of this driver is reflected in the way that virtually all strikes sound the same.
Through the hands, impact is very light and quick. This ultra-stable head treats the ball like a bug on a windshield. Feedback on strike location is moderate, and only the worst mishits will cause any twisting at all.
Performance
The biggest change to the PING G430 SFT driver is the addition of the movable weight. In previous PING SFT drivers, the weight was fixed in one position. Now there are two options: Draw and Draw+. According to PING, the Draw position offers 13 yards of draw bias, and the Draw+ has 20. I think this is a major addition, and I was eager to test it out.
In the Draw position, the G430 SFT driver has a very healthy draw bias. Shots in the center of the face are almost guaranteed to turn over, and anything on the toe is definitely moving left. If you’re not sure how this magic happens, read THIS.
The Draw+ setting, as the name indicates, puts the draw bias on steroids. Any opportunity to sling the ball right-to-left is taken with enthusiasm. I even banged a few shots off the deepest part of the heel that wouldn’t cut; they just flew straight and long. If you can slice this club in the Draw+ configuration, you definitely have an issue that equipment can’t solve.
Check out the new PING G430 SFT fairway wood HERE
Moving beyond the draw bias, the G430 SFT driver is very similar to the G430 MAX. It’s on the very short list for the most stable, forgiving driver in golf. You can use the entire face and see only small changes in ball speed. Just as important, the launch and spin are robust, too. This means that whether you strike it pure or lousy, you’ll get excellent distance. You’ll see that the launch and spin in the graphic above are higher than the G430 MAX, but that’s because of the additional loft. The G430 SFT is only offered at 10.5 degrees; I tested the G430 MAX at 9 degrees.
Also like the G430 MAX, the G430 SFT has PING’s Trajectory Tuning 2.0 hosel. This has eight positions for dialing in the loft, face angle, and lie that you prefer. The hosel offers another way to dial up the draw bias or to soften it, if you prefer.
Conclusion
Whether you use it to dial the draw bias up or down, the new adjustability of the PING G430 SFT driver is a win. This club continues to be one of the best slice-busters in golf, but also has enough options to make it playable for those that just want a little help turning the ball over off the tee. If you want to hit it high, long, and right-to-left, get fit to dial in a G430 SFT driver.
Visit PING HERE
PING G430 SFT Driver Price & Specs
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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42 Comments
Matt, did you truly try to slice the everliving crap out of the ball, as in cutting way across and hanging the clubface open? I think I know a buddy that this would be perfect for. Thanks, Jason
Jason,
Yes, I always give draw-biased clubs some very exaggerated swings.
Best,
Matt
Bought one today. Had one bad swing that was a huge slice. Everything else was either straight or left but still in the fairway. I love it
This is the best driver ever. I moved up from a 425 SFT driver to the 430 SFT UL driver. My swing speed moved up from 75 to 85 and gained an average of 10 yds. Pretty amazing, at age 77 hitting drives 210 yds and in the fairway!
Neil,
Amazing gains!
Best,
Matt
Thank you…Matt for the information on Ping 430 SFT…I’m thinking about upgrading from my 425 Max to the 430 Max… but, with the great information on the 430SFT…I’m sold!!!!!
430 SFT UL.
Thank you
Just bought the G430 SFT with the Soft R Alta 55 shaft. I love it. My last driver was a TM Simm2 Max D. I have the Ping set to 9 degrees and get medium height drives with a bit of run out. The balance of the club is great and very easy to swing. A real fairway finder. The draw bias is real, and I just have to smile since the “rightees” left my game. It takes a little bit of practice to change your aim point, but confidence quickly comes with consecutive straight or draw shots.
How does the ping g430sft compare with the Sim 2 driver in distance
Peter,
That will depend on the individual and what they need in terms of launch, spin, and dispersion.
Best,
Matt
How was the distance for you?
Matt,
Would this Ping Driver suit the golfer who loses drives to the right a handful of times during a round? Are there any unintended consequences for the average golfer in using a draw biased driver like this or would you expect it to improve consistency as far as fairways hit?
Thanks!
Tom,
I can’t say for certain how it will work for any given player, but if you hit most drives straight and a few to the right, this should shift that whole dispersion left.
Best,
Matt
Can you use this with a swing speed over 100!?
Yes.
Of course you can, unless you are playing a senior or ladies flex, there isnt a club you cant swing with 100mph swing. There are many a 20-30 handicap with swings over 100.
Is that a legitimate question? 100mph is an average swing speed and in most cases a regular flex based on angles.
Tony,
100 MPH, while not elite, is well above average. The average male golfer hits their average drive 200 yards, which is only 80 MPH is we assume they’re near optimal. Also, while a regular flex isn’t unplayable at 100 MPH, the vast majority of those players will be in a stiff flex.
-Matt
I bought the G430 SFT about 6 months ago and it does not cure a slice categorically not. If you slice it is your swing that produces the slice and this club will not cure that I can confirm from my own experience do not waste £500 on this club to cure a slice. get professional help to cure the slice then buy a decent club for half that price that does the job without all the false hype of Spinsistency whatever the hell that is.
regards
Bob
While I do agree with Bob about getting professional help to fix a slice, I could not disagree more that this club does not help. I routinely hit the ball to the right of target and am now finding the middle of the fairway. Extremely happy with my purchase.
It’s always a marriage of swing and equipment, at every level of the game. I’m glad you’re hitting more fairways.
-Matt
after a long search for a good, bargain driver, my local store recommended a used g430sft with a alta distanza 40g senior shaft. on the store monitor i hit it more consistently and a little longer than the Paradym x i came with. the P hit some rockets, some hooks and some weak balloons somewhat right. have not yet hit it outdoors. ii am 73 with a ss of 75-80 and some right spin. honestly, i cant determine if the stores really tweak things to me or just push what they have in stock. the most recent person seemed very helpful and not in a hurry. any thoughts on this setup??
Larry,
Respectfully, if you hit both drivers head to head and the PING was better, I’m not sure what the question is.
Best,
Matt
Hello. I currently use the Cobra Air X and is the only club I found that has fixed my slice to the right. But the downside is I only hit it 187 to 210 yards. Do you think the ping g430 sft would be a better fit for me?
Reginald,
187 to 210 is a big range. Have you been fit? Do you know your club head speed?
-Matt
I average club head speed is around 81 but have hit as high 90 from time to time.
Reginald,
That’s also a very large range.
At 80 MPH, 200 yards of carry is fully optimized.
-Matt
81 is my average club head speed but I hit it as high as 91 from time to time. My spin is pretty high ( 4500 ). No I haven’t been properly fitted. I bought a set of G430 irons for Christmas and I ordered the ping g430 sft last week, but it hasn’t arrived yet.
I’m not very consistent with my swing. Some days I can hit it very well and some not so good.
hi ive ben hitting G-425 ping driver. recently purchased G-430 SFT i hit it very straight but ball flight is very high compaired to the 425 goth have regular shafts. your thoughts
Del,
What would you like my thoughts about?
-Matt
should i go with a stiff shaft to lower ball flight
Del,
Maybe. What I can say definitively is that you should get a fitting if you’re trying to optimize your distance off the tee.
Best,
Matt
Would you say that this is the most draw bias Ping driver ever? Or is there another one that stands out to you? Thanks for another great review that might end up costing me $$$!
Gunner,
I don’t recall or have data to say that the G430 SFT is more or less draw biased than the G425, but they’re all strongly draw biased.
-Matt
Also, the most draw bias driver that I have ever hit was the Wilson Launchpad 2 (2022). I know you reviewed that one a while back, how would you compare the two? Thanks!
Gunner,
I’d be hesitant to say anything definitive as both the Launch Pad and G430 SFT review are a couple years old. Overall, I lean toward PING drivers over almost anything else for the forgiveness and reliability.
-Matt
Matt,
I’m curious to know how the Ping G430 SFT ranks distant wise against other models you have tested. Ping is typically very forgiving but not known to be one of the longest drivers.
Larry,
The other PING models or other brands?
-Matt
Both. I know getting fitted is always best but I’m interested to get your feedback on how the G430 stacks up against other drivers for distance that are still in the game improvement, forgiving category.
Larry,
For me, the PING G440 drivers are as long as anything I’ve hit this year. With regard to the other G440 drivers vs the SFT, it’s just a question of what you want. There are links to all the G440 driver reviews above. The Max is obviously the best do-it-all choice, but for high spin or slice players, the LST and SFT have their role.
Best,
Matt
Matt:
I am pretty convinced to go with the Ping SFT. I can buy the G430 for quite a bit less than the G440 (about $118) (both new). Is the performance difference worth the extra cost?
Thanks
Don,
Objectively, there’s not a big difference, but my advice is always to get fit, try both, and see if one performs a lot better for you.
Best,
Matt