There are always certain “given” expectations when it comes to the newest PING driver release, and the G440 lineup is no different. With G430, the brand seemed to right the ship a bit in the eyes of consumers, making up for what may have been their most harsh sounding driver lineup ever in the G425. Fast forward to the present though, and it would appear they have found their lane again, and plan on sticking to it. That, is certainly a good thing specifically when it comes to the new G440 Max driver.
Quick Take
While it may not be a leap from the G430, there is enough which has changed to get those who enjoy PING drivers to pay closer attention. The G440 Max isn’t built for speed, but it is a head turner when it comes to downrange consistency and getting away with misses you otherwise might not. It also doesn’t hurt that it would appear PING has also finally gotten the acoustics right, coming much more to the centerline of audible feedback. The G440 Max is a well thought out all-around performer.
The Education Zone – Taking G440 to the Max
Before we dive into performance, there are a couple of important changes with the G440 Max driver from its predecessor that help differentiate the two, beyond of course the move from the bold yellow of the G430’s into this very “PING” blue accented palate.
Internally, the story is the “Free Hosel” concept. This isn’t a new idea to the industry, but it is a new application for PING. By removing material around the internal portion of the clubhead where the adapter inserts, they have managed to save 4g. That was then able to be relocated to get the CG even lower.
That adapter is still the PING “Trajectory Tuning 2.0” and offers 8 settings up to 1.5 degrees either way of loft alteration. Interestingly, it remains the most “flat” adapter out there. That is now paired with a 29g back weight which can be repositioned in the rear of the club for neutral, fade, or draw flight alteration.
Elsewhere, the face has been redefined to get thinner in an effort to up the speed, while in the entire G440 driver lineup PING has also made the heads shallower than before. That combined with all models also using the “Carbonfly Wrap” crown cap, have made it possible to get the CG lower than any PING driver before.
PING G440 Max Performance Rundown
We received the 10.5 degree version of the new G440 Max driver for this review, and while that base loft is traditionally not the most ideal fit for me, it is the same in which we tested the G430 Max 10K last year. That means there is an interesting comparison which can be drawn there, but we will get into that soon enough. The head was paired with a Diamana WB 63X for testing as it was a familiar and comfortable fit.
Visually, the G440 Max is certainly an improvement from the G440 Max and 10K versions. The shaping is not as elongated to the eye, though much of that could be because it is a bit more “full” with its curvature on the rear radius of the clubhead. Either way, it falls into the big, but not extreme category as they have managed to massage it to not appear so cumbersome at setup. You won’t mistake it for the LST, but it is much more massaged than in the past.
Obviously, the inclusion of the Carbonfly Wrap on all the drivers this year is a fun story, but it does make you also wonder what took so long. Visually, the contrast from the forward portion of the driver topline into the carbon is somehow both muted and noticeable. It also manages to make the Turbulators more palatable somehow, though they do almost feel as if they are strictly a visual differentiator now than the aero story they once were in the past.
In testing, we saw exactly what one would expect from a PING Max model driver. The ball just wants to stay in play, specifically on lateral misses, and honestly you would be hard pressed to find any company who’s driver handles that particular miss better. The flight was surprisingly neutral with minimal right to left tendency, though adjusting the adapter down to 9.0 and combining that with moving the rear weight to fade position showed that it can be possibly the most left to right oriented Max model out there, if you want it to be.
The mitigation of gear effect on misses for the G440 Max was evident, and downrange dispersion was excellent both in standard loft as well as turned down. The launch comes extremely easy and the feedback across the face was much less sharp than in the past. Much of that centers around this being the best sounding/feeling PING driver head maybe ever. To the point that with this one, people on the range won’t turn and ask if you are hitting a PING. It is a much more dense acoustic which also allows easier recognition of strike locations.
The data above was the average of 10 shots both in standard 10.5 as well as turned down to 9.0. For this, the rear weight was left in neutral for both loft settings. As you can see, the G440 Max was highly efficient. Compared to the 10K we reviewed last year in the G430, the spin here was down right around 130 RPM in both settings, while speed was relatively unchanged. The thing is, PING drivers are not known to be fast, but as you can see here, they are efficient, and there is much to be said for that.
The Details
To the point? No matter your personal feelings about the brand, PING knows how to make a very playable driver. It may not win the speed categories, but the G440 Max is impressively consistent when it comes to playability.
You can find the G440 Max as well as the rest of the 2025 PING driver lineup at retailers globally, right now. The Max is priced at $599 and comes standard at 46”, with a plethora of no upcharge shaft options available.
You can also find more information on their website at ping.com.
