REVIEW: PING i25 Driver
The new PING i25 driver has been buzzing around the golf world over the last few weeks, so I need to get my hands on this sucker to test it out. While my testing conditions were less-than-ideal (about 30 degrees outside and into a snow-filled driving range), I still got a great first impression of what might be my new driver this season. Let's take a closer look.
Boring Specification Stuff
First things first, the PING i25 driver features some nifty club tech that should appease golf gear nerds like me. Compared to last year's i20 driver, this year's i25 features a lower MOI (about eight percent, according to the wizards at Golf Magazine) to make the club more forgiving on miss-hits. It features some adjustability options so you can increase or decrease loft to your liking (1-2 degrees either way). The clubface seems to sit open at address, which should help hookers. It will also help players who hit the ball left (#badjoke).
Appearance and Feel
From an appearance standpoint, the PING i25 driver is all meat-and-potatoes with the exception of two alignment lines on the club's crown. This is actually a big deal for PING, who normally get about as exciting as a prostate exam. I found these alignment lines to be extremely helpful with aiming my shot at address, so great job, PING!
In terms of feel, the PING i25 offers a soft impact sound that is much less annoying than past PING drivers. Truth be told, this company likes to produce loud equipment (hence the name?), so the i25's feel is a pleasant surprise. The ball feels like it is absorbed by the clubface, which is a quality I prefer.
Performance
Compared to my TaylorMade R1 from last year, the PING i25 was pretty similar in terms of distance. I didn't see anything in that realm that was mind-blowing, but at the very least this meant I could stick with my distance expectations should I make the switch to the i25. I like consistency in distance control, so that's a positive in my book.
The main difference, however, was in accuracy. The PING i25 was much more accurate than my old driver, which I will attribute to the i25's lower MOI. Muy, muy bueno.
Why You Should Buy This Club
If you struggle with hitting fairways and are looking for a forgiving club without the look of a game-improvement hubcap-on-a-stick, the PING i25 is a great option. Improved accuracy seemed to be the biggest takeaway from this club test, which is certainly nothing to shake a stick at. Seriously, stop shaking your stick. That's inappropriate.
Why You Shouldn't Buy This Club
If you're looking for a massive jump in distance, the PING i25 probably won't provide that for you. But that's ok; if you're hitting more fairways because of its autopilot-like aiming capabilities, who gives a damn how far you're hitting the golf ball? You probably play from the white tees anyway. Let your meathead friends look for their balls in the forest while you're lining up your approach from the short stuff.
