Martin Hopley
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At first glance the changes between the Ping i25 driver and the previous Ping i20 driver seem to be quite small, but this masks some big differences.

The 460cc head has been tweaked a little to make the centre-back portion of the crown a little lower to move the weight lower and further back for a lower centre of gravity (CG) and lower spin, but you have to look quite closely to see this. To help with the low and back CG the high density tungsten weights on the sole are a little larger than before and the addition of a screw weight also helps.

Ping i25 Driver

This makes the i25 driver more forgiving than the i20 as well as reducing the spin you put on the ball. In our tests on a Flightscope with our friends at Leading Edge the spin was similar, but the launch angle was a degree lower and the ball speed increased by 5mph to give around 10 yards more carry than the previous model at a clubhead speed of 98mph.

What was also noticeable was that the flight was a little lower and more penetrating than the i20 so you can see the effect of the lower spin and better launch conditions.

There are 3 different head lofts of 8.5°, 9.5° and 10.5° and for the first time in the i-range, you can use Ping's adjustable hosel to fine tune the loft by half a degree up or down. This is a pretty small adjustment and the benefits are hardly noticeable to the naked eye, but in a proper Ping fitting session then these half degree increments will be useful for getting the launch conditions of your i25 driver as close as possible to the optimum.

Ping i25 Driver Hosel

At address the main change you will notice is the 'racing stripe' alignment lines on the matt black crown that reminds you of the classic paint job on a Ford GT40 or AC Cobra. The idea is that they help you line up the sweetspot on the head with the ball, a bit like you do with putters. This should then give you more centre hits and therefore the best launch conditions and accuracy.

Ping i20 i25 Driver Address Comparison

It obviously makes sense and when I was testing it I did find myself using the lines a lot to get the correct ball position, which is unusual as in the past I have not felt a great need to use alignment aids, preferring to use the markings on the face.

The best think about the lines is the fact that their understated looks are almost embedded in the finish of the head so they are there if you want to use them, or you can easily ignore them, or just admire them as a form of tribute motor art.

Ping i25 Driver At Address

The i25 driver felt a little lighter to swing than its predecessor and had a louder sound that was quite high pitched, but not as noisy as the G25 driver. If anything the looks and performance are probably closer to the Ping Anser driver, which is one of the best recent Ping models.

Ping tend to use their own stock shafts and taking over from the TFC range, we now have the PWR range that stands for Performance, Weighting and Responsiveness. I tried the PWR65 shaft and it did indeed perform well with good resposiveness. It felt a little lighter than the TFC707 in the i20, but there are 3 different weights available, so again some custom fitting will get the right balance of shaft weight and loft for you.

Ping i25 Driver At Address

Overall, the Ping i25 driver is a more forgiving version of the i20 and actually there is some crossover with the Ping G25 driver, as single figure to low teen handicaps could feasibly use either club depending on how much spin they put on the ball with their swing.

The i25 driver certainly looks a more classic shape than the G25 and the racing stripes on the crown give it a distinctive look and one which I am sure we will see on all Ping drivers soon. The performance and adjustability is up there with the Anser driver, but without the price tag, so all in all the Ping i25 is a worthy successor and should be on the list for better players.

Golfalot Rating: 5 stars
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Ping i25 Driver - Product Details

UK Launch02 January 2014
UK Launch RRP£345
USA Launch02 January 2014
Handicap Range
Low
High
GolferMens
Hand AvailabilityLeft, Right
Left Handed Lofts8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°
Right Handed Lofts8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°
MaterialComposite
Colour OptionsBlack
Lie58°
Head Volume460 cc
Club Length45.25 inches
Swing WeightD3
AdjustabilityLoft
Shaft NamePing PWR 55, 65 or 75
Shaft TypesGraphite
Shaft FlexRegular, Stiff, X Stiff
Shaft Weight51 to 78 grams
GripPing 360 ID8
Manufacturer's WebsitePing Website

User Reviews

December 2016

Picked a 9.5 degree model up off eBay a month ago. Centred strikes generate mid-launch, low spin bullets that cannon down the fairway. It's not the most forgiving driver I've used when mis-hit, but it's far from the worst, considering it's aimed at the mid-low handicapper. Generally all but the worst swings stay in play. I'm someone who has always had alignment issues and I find I'm hitting a lot more fairways with this than the R15 it succeeded. The racing stripes not only look sensational but really do work as an alignment aid. I feel like I start my drives on my intended line more often. I've hit my mates G30 and G drivers and the feel off the i25 clubface is much nicer in my opinion. Highly recommend this driver, especially now the price has dropped considerably.

October 2015

An understated driver that delivers. Long, with limited spin, and pretty straight. Love the simplicity of the design and the timeless matt black colour.

August 2015

I got fitted for this last December, radical improvement over the Callaway Diablo Edge I'd been using. This club hammers it farther on the miss hits than the Diablo did on the sweet ones.

June 2015

After playing with this i driver and the tec driver, went with i20 irons green dot and driver with x stiff shaft. And yes this is the money club. I had a slight fade, now it's straighter and at times it scares me that I can swing it that good that fast. Way to go Ping and the aide helps me greatly.

June 2015

I was looking for a driver to lower my ball spin, as i would carry 280yds and stop on a dime. This club not only lowered my trajectory, it also added 20-30 yards of roll to my drives. Like the user above, I compared this to the Callaway BB Alpha, and this was the clear choice after hitting it on the monitors. This driver won't disappoint!

May 2015

As a Callaway guy I compared the Big Bertha Alpha to the Ping i25 and I have found my new driver. Not only were my drives straighter but I was launching my drives 20 to 30 yards longer!!

April 2015

Just bought this driver as I switched from the TaylorMade RocketBallz Driver which I was not impressed with at all. So far I am very happy with this club and am hitting it much straighter and longer then the RBZ!

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