PING G440 Driver at the 2025 PGA Show

PING has a reputation for creating the most forgiving drivers money can buy. That prowess is more true today than ever, but the history of PING drivers is flush with some of the most forgiving, and long, drivers of their era.

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The History of PING Drivers

The first PING driver, the Karsten I, hit golf shops in 1968. Iterations of the Karsten, Eye, and Zing models were the bread and butter of PING drivers for the first 30 years of PING’s driver releases.

PING Driver Early Days

However, in the late 1990s, drivers took on a whole new look, and PING drivers were no different. PING launched its TiSi titanium driver in 1998, and shortly after, in 2004, introduced the first in its still popular G line of drivers, the G2.

2004: The Beginning of PING’s Modern Driver Era

That original G2 delivered many of the technologies still used in drivers today. The G2 was PING’s first driver that maxed maxed out the USGA’s limit of 460 cc, which unlike today, was not a given in 2004. The G2 also maxed out the governing bodies’ COR allowance. Add in weight distrubited to the rear and perimeter of the club, and the G2 was long and forgiving. Perfectly on-brand for PING.

2014: De-Coding PING Drivers

PING has moved to a fairly consistent family of drivers with each release over the last 10 years. Starting in 2014 when PING dropped the G30, each release has included an SF model, which is a draw-biased version and stands for Straight Flight, as well as an LS edition, which is the better players’ Low Spin model. Most drivers have also had some form of Plus or Max, which is the maximum forgiveness head within the line.

2018-2024: PING 10K Drivers

The year 2024 brought an onslaught of 10K drivers, OEM’s way of boasting MOI of 10,000 or more in their drivers, but PING actually released a 10K driver in 2018 with the G400 Max. PING advertised that the G400 Max had an MOI "over 9,900" but other golf equipment experts have insistend it indeed broke the 10K milestone.

Despite that, PING dropped its first head marketed to its 10K MOI in 2024, with an extension of the G430 line, the G430 Max 10K.

Every PING Driver by Year

YearDriverShop
2025G440 Max
G440 LST
G440 SFT
G440 Max HL
G440 SFT HL Women's
G440 SFT HL
G440 Max HL Women's
PGA TOUR SUPERSTORE
2024G430 Max 10kCheck Golf Galaxy
2023G430 Max
G430 LST
G430 SFT
G430 HL
Check Golf Galaxy
2023G Le3Check Golf Galaxy
2021G425 Max
G425 LST
G425 SFT
Check Golf Galaxy
2019G410 Plus
G410 LST
G410 SFT
2nd Swing
2019G Le22nd Swing
2018G400 Max2nd Swing
2017G400
G400 LST
G400 SFT
2nd Swing
2017G Le2nd Swing
2016G
G SF Tec
G LS Tec
2nd Swing
2014G30
G30 SF Tec
G30 LS Tec
2nd Swing
2014I252nd Swing
2013G252nd Swing
2013Anser2nd Swing
2012I202nd Swing
2012Serene2nd Swing
2011G202nd Swing
2011K152nd Swing
2010G15
G15 Draw
2nd Swing
2010I152nd Swing
2010Faith2nd Swing
2008Rapture V22nd Swing
2007G10
G10 Draw
G5 L
2nd Swing
2007Rhapsody2nd Swing
2006Rapture2nd Swing
2005G5
G5 Offset
2nd Swing
2004G22nd Swing
2003Si32nd Swing
2000I3 
1998TiSi Titanium2nd Swing
1996IST Karsten Tour 
1994Zing 2 
1992Zing 
1984Karsten IV 
1984Eye 2 
1980Karsten III 
1980Eye 
1977Karsten II 
1968Karsten I