Updated CG location highlights new PING G410 fairway woods

By Drew Mahowald -- 2nd Swing staff writer

When PING’s development team set out to gather ideas for creating the PING G410 fairway woods, they dove into the needs of all golfers, from beginners to Tour professionals.

The result is a trio of models that, in one way or another, can satisfy the needs of any skill level and any swing type.

The PING G410 fairway woods include three models: the G410, the G410 SFT, and the G410 LST. The standard G410 serves as the balanced design to fit the widest array of golfers, while the G410 SFT and the G410 LST each offer unique features to provide relief for some of the most common issues golfers see out of their fairway woods, particularly high spin and the unwanted fade or block trajectories.

All three models, however, possess the same marquee advancement that takes these fairway woods to new heights over past PING models, both literally and figuratively.

“The face heights are just a little shallower, we reduced the crown thickness, and we have a more efficient back weight design,” said Marty Jertson, PING Vice President of Fitting and Performance. “The sum of all these things, along with saved weight from the face, is that we’ve lowered the center of gravity location across the board by 10 percent.”

The most noticeable difference with a lower center of gravity is that the launch angle will increase, helping players get the ball off the turf and into the air. Additionally, the center of gravity is located perfectly on a perpendicular line to the sweet spot on the clubface, which generates a more efficiency while keeping the spin low.

Long story short, the updated center of gravity position creates a super hot face, a high launch angle, and low spin -- the ultimate recipe for distance.

“By lowering the center of gravity we’re getting a more efficient energy transfer with low spin and an increased launch angle,” Jertson said. “You’re getting less of those shots with a fairway wood that feel like you hit it low on the face or thin.”

Not only does the G410 fairway wood series offer three unique models, but it also includes updated customization features that allows any golfer to find the perfect club for his or her swing. The new 8-lobe Trajectory Tuning system is an adjustable hosel sleeve that provides eight positions for golfers to adjust their trajectory through different lofts and lie angles.

Jertson has noticed a trend among golfers employing PING fairway woods in the past, and the updated hosel sleeve helps golfers easily tune their G410 fairway wood to the correct specifications.

“One of the things we’ve seen is that a lot of players are best suited with a 3-wood at around 16 degrees,” Jertson said. “Now, you can take our 3-wood at 14.5 degrees and, with the new sleeve hosel design, can put it in the big plus position to get it to 16 degrees.”

The standard G410 fairway wood serves as the most balanced design among the three models. It’s rear weight is placed in the center, essentially promoting a neutral flight trajectory, while its clubhead volume falls right in between the SFT and LST models. The standard G410 fairway wood is best suited for golfers who do not struggle with high spin and want a workable, high-launching fairway wood option.

The G410 SFT fairway wood, aimed at producing higher and straighter ball flights (hence the SFT acronym, which stands for Straight Flight Technology). In the SFT, the rear sole weight is placed closer to the heel, allowing the clubhead to turn over more easily on the downswing and prevent the unwanted fade or slice. Additionally, the G410 SFT fairway wood clubhead is much larger than the standard G410, increasing inertia and forgiveness, while the 3-wood loft starts at 16 degrees for higher natural launch.

“If you struggle getting the ball in the air or struggle with that weak fade, the SFT is the place to look,” Jertson said.

And finally, the G410 LST model was designed with Tour professionals and players who produce high spin in mind. It features a much smaller clubhead, for a much smaller address profile, while the center of gravity has been moved forward. Overall, the G410 LST spins about 500 revolutions per minute less than the standard G410, producing a flatter, piercing trajectory.

“If you’re somebody who produces a lot of spin or rises the fairway wood, the LST is a lot of fun because it has the traditional lofts but a lot lower spin,” Jertson said.

All of PING’s G410 products have been designed to produce superb ball speed. That aspect isn’t necessarily unique in the golf industry. What is unique, however, is how PING was able to design a trio of fairway wood models that offer an abundance of customization options so that every skill level and every swing type can take advantage of the impressive technology in the G410 series.

“The G410 fairway woods are hot, they get the ball in the air easier for a lot of people who have anxiety about that with fairway woods,” Jertson said. “And then we have great fitting options and fun changes to model offerings with this line for any golfer.” Jertson said.