With the winter now well and truly upon us, there is no better time to look at making sure you are correctly equipped to play your best golf during the colder months.
Ping recently released their new AW22 Apparel range to help you do just that, and I got my hands on the SensorDry Pro Half-Zip Jacket to see if it provides the waterproof protection you need on the golf course.
The Tech
Ping describe their new SensorDry Pro Half-Zip Jacket as being designed for full waterproof protection, as well as delivering additional features for more comfort.
The jacket features two seam sealed front zip pockets, complete with brushed lining, as well as an adjustable hem and collar for additional weather protection, and inner storm cuffs on the arms.
Other features include:
- PFC free, water-resistant finish
- Brushed tricot lining to back body for additional warmth and comfort
- High gloss half-zip
- Zip chest pocket
- Stamped Eye Mark badge to sleeve and Eye mark logo to back neck
- Waterproof to 10,000mm
- Breathability 10,000g/m2
- Windproof
- 3 year waterproof guarantee
It is available in two different colourways - Black/North Sea and Stormcloud/White, which is the one that I tested.
Ping SensorDry Pro Half-Zip Jacket Review
Looks
To be honest when I think of Ping clothing I don't automatically think of wearing it myself, as I am more used to seeing my Grandad wearing it than my mates. This does seem to have changed a little bit more recently, although I still don't think you're going to see many Tour Pros switching from their Nike/Adidas sponsorship any time soon.
Having said that I do think the new SensorDry Pro looks great. The style is simple but smart, and I think the colour choice gives it a wide appeal and will match up nicely with plenty of other items in your golf wardrobe too.
I'm not a huge fan of wearing golf gear off the course, in general I prefer to keep it separate, but I could definitely see golfers using a jacket like this casually too as it could easily pass as a normal piece of clothing.
The fact that there are no huge brand names or logos on the arms or chest - just one simple Ping logo on the right arm and a tiny detail on the back of the neck - adds to the off-course appeal for me.
Performance
I took the jacket out on to the golf course on a chilly Autumn morning with showers around, aka perfect weather for testing a waterproof jacket.
There is a thicker lining around the neck, at the top of the back and in the two pockets of the jacket, which is a nice touch to provide a little extra warmth and comfort rather than just using the same finish throughout.
Ping have a range of jackets on offer this year, from an all-singing, all-dancing SensorDry 2.5 Graphene Jacket to the entry-level SensorDry.
The SensorDry Pro is a middle of the road option which is nice and lightweight and this makes it perfect as a layering option. I'm not sure I would use it as my only winter jacket, I think you'd want something a little more heavy duty in really bad or cold weather, but for plenty of rounds it will more than suffice.
Ping provide a 3 year waterproof guarantee with the jacket and it definitely kept me dry through a couple of showers during my testing, whilst still remaining nice and breathable.
As a result I could also see it being useful in early spring or even on chilly days in the summer if you want an extra waterproof layer that still gives you a bit of protection.
The storm cuffs, extending out past the usual cuffs towards the top of the hand, won't be for everyone but I actually quite like the idea, as it stops extra water getting in when it rains as well as reducing the chance of material getting in the way. It also helps to keep your hands warmer too which is a bonus.
Like plenty of other modern day jackets, the SensorDry Pro features an adjustable neck cord although I have to admit that it doesn't really do much for me, I don't think it does that great of a job of stopping water getting in and I find that tightening it can feel a little restrictive.
The jacket's material felt nice and flexible so that there was no issues with freedom to swing. The Half-Zip option is good for golf as well in my opinion, you're less likely to get issues with the zip and I also find that the jacket fits better at the bottom than with a zip where you can get bulging that is a little annoying.
Ping SensorDry Pro Half-Zip Jacket Verdict
The jacket is priced at £160 which is about the going rate for a good quality jacket these days - similar to the FootJoy HydroKnit that I tested last year - and the fact that it has that off-course appeal also means that you should get a little more value for money as you won't just be wearing it on a Saturday morning.
It looks good, provides protection from the elements and allows you to swing the golf club without restriction, which is exactly what you'd want from a garment like this.
If you play in more extreme conditions, you may want to look at the SensorDry 2.5 Graphene Jacket which is the top of the range offering, but for the majority of rounds this jacket will do the job.
Would I Use It?
Absolutely. This role means that I am lucky enough to have access to plenty of golf clothing, but I can definitely see myself using this jacket during the upcoming winter and beyond.
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Ping SensorDry Pro Jacket Review
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