Ping G430 SFT Driver Review

By James Hunt – Feb 2, 2024

(Reviewed by Coach Erik Schjolberg)

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I am a HUGE golf fan, and I keep my finger on the pulse of what is new and upcoming in the golf world. Especially golf equipment. The most fun part with equipment testing, without a doubt, is testing the newest drivers. Love the long ball!

I just got done testing the Ping G430 SFT Driver (Ping’s new draw driver). I had the chance to put the SFT through its paces for two weeks and had five range sessions and two rounds. At the range I used the Rapsodo PLM to see how it stacks up to similar offerings.

Summary of My Review

The Ping G430 SFT is Ping’s answer to a common beginner problem. The dreaded slice off the tee. SFT stands for “straight flight technology” and Ping certainly has technology packed into this bad boy to try and keep your drives from making that right turn OB.

To put the club in an even more draw setting or draw position, a rear weight can be moved from Draw to Draw+ which adds up to 20 yards of shot correction. An adjustable hosel gives you options to change trajectory through loft and lie.

A slightly closed face at address, and the most forgiving face Ping has ever made, generates loads of shot correction and forgiveness.

Ping G430 Lineup:

• G430 SFT – Draw bias driver with up to 20 yards of shot correction
• G430 Max – Most forgiving and adjustable weighting
• G430 LST – Ultra low spin and movable weight

My Full Ping G430 SFT Driver Review

• Adjustable Weight – New to this SFT model is a 22 gram tungsten weight that can be adjusted from Draw (13 yards of draw) to Draw+ (20 yards of draw)
• T9S+ Forged Face – Ping’s new face design has super consistent results across the face in ball speed and spin
• Improved Sound – Engineers at Ping did extensive research to improve the acoustics through an all new internal rib structure
• Adjustable Hosel – The Ping Trajectory Tuning 2.0 Hosel allows for 8 different loft and lie settings to help you find that desired ball flight

Testing the Ping G430 SFT

This Ping G430 SFT Driver review consisted of me testing for two weeks, including two rounds on the golf course and five range sessions. The G430 SFT is only available in 10.5° and only right hand (sorry lefties). I opted for the Ping Tour 2.0 Chrome 65 shaft in a stiff flex. I used my Rapsodo PLM to collect data while at the range.

My Experience with the G430 SFT

Testing the Max and LST before the SFT of the G430 lineup gave me mixed expectations. The LST was fast and wild like a bobcat, and the Max was forgiving but powerful. I was excited to see what would happen.

The draw bias was obvious before I even swung the club. The closed face at address, and the robust 22 gram weight on the back with “DRAW/DRAW+” printed above it and angled towards the heel made it clear what this bomber’s job is.

I am generally consistent off the tee, but my mishit is a fade/slice. I was curious how this club would work with my swing. Ping has made the best slice fighting drivers in recent years, and the Ping G430 SFT Driver has set them apart even further. I couldn’t NOT draw the ball. It took considerable effort to get the ball to go anywhere but left!

Now if you are a consistent slicer, this club seems to be perfect for you. With the weight set to Draw+ you will get 20 yards of shot correction! That is the difference between being out of play, lost ball, and lying 3, to being in the right rough or fairway! Even for the worst slicer, that is a significant difference.

All this focus on straight flight does have a slight downside though. The SFT did have shorter distances compared to the other G430 offerings. I averaged 235 yards carry and 248 total with the SFT. That is 30 yards shorter than the LST (see charts below).

A major plus is the trajectory of the SFT. It is very easy to get up in the air. The SFT is designed for players with struggles off the tee, and a slicer generally has issues with low ball flight. The chart below shows my trajectory of the LST (blue) and the SFT (white).

My Grading of the Ping G430 SFT Driver

Distance (C)

The straight flight technology decreases overall distance, but shorter in the fairway is always better than a lost ball or even shorter in the trees. Your slice will cut out more potential distance compared to these numbers.

Forgiveness (A+)

The Ping G430 SFT Driver has loads of forgiveness. Minimal losses across the face with ball speed. The impressive part is keeping the draw bias even on strikes near the heel or toe. Low on the face even performs well! Ping has probably made the best driver to correct a slice out there right now.

Playability (C+)

If a draw is the play you are looking to make, then the Ping G430 SFT Driver has plenty of it. Outside of a draw though, you aren’t going to see much in the shot shaping category. Shot shaping isn’t what this club is for though.

Looks (A+)

If you read my reviews on the LST and Max, then you know I absolutely love the G430 design. The color scheme is appealing and cool, the flat crown is focusing, and the turbulators help align shots off the tee. Overall one of my favorite head designs to date. Bravo Ping!

Sound and Feel (B+)

The new and improved Ping G430 SFT Driver sound is pretty nice. Muted but powerful. The feel is a bit lacking though. A lot of my on course corrections come from feel, and there is something left to be desired with the feel on the SFT.

Customer Reviews

The Ping G430 SFT Driver is falling right in line with the rest of the G430 family in the customer reviews. 5-4.8 stars on various sites. The common thread is reviews stating they tested a lot of drivers and got fit to the G430 SFT driver.

I would recommend the Global Golf UTry program. You can test clubs out on your own time, outside, and see for yourself!

Bottom Line – Why Consider the G430 SFT?

The Ping G430 SFT Driver is perfect for the slicer. Higher handicap players that have trouble getting the ball in the air, and miss right on most of their drives. The SFT will have you finding fairways in no time!

Who is the SFT for?

Low Handicap (No)

The lower handicap player tends to have a bit of a draw on their drives for optimum distance, and the extra draw bias will make for duck hooks. The LST is a much better option here.

Mid Handicap (Maybe)

This would depend on your overall game off the tee. If you are mid handicap because of losing strokes due to a right miss, then the SFT may just help you shoot lower scores.

High Handicap (Yes)

I would certainly recommend higher handicappers to take a look at the SFT. The ease of the high launch, and the help of the draw bias will get you hitting more fairways than ever before. 

Alternate Choices

I’ve tested all the draw biased drivers and these are somewhat comparable:

TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD – Forgiveness or FARgiveness across the face and a high draw bias make this club the closest comparable club.

Cobra Aerojet Max – Fixed heel weight, closed face at address, and offset help square the club face at impact and eliminate those pesky slices.

Callaway Paradym X – Very forgiving face technology, and favorable weighting for a draw bias. Set the hosel to “D” for the draw position and watch the slices disappear.

Ping G425 SFT Driver – ping’s slightly older version of their draw biased drivers. If you’re looking to snag a similar club a little bit cheaper, add this one to your short list.

My Final Verdict on the Ping G430 SFT Driver

I wish I had this bad boy in my slicing days. I really enjoyed my test for the Ping G430 SFT driver review. There was a point in time where everything went right. An overhaul to my swing changed that, but having this G430 SFT driver during those times would have been a joy. I dreaded the tee box with the wicked slice sure to be the outcome.

The technology put into this club can help straighten out even the worst of slices. If a golf slice is an issue for you, the Ping G430 SFT Driver is the club for you. I wager you will be hard pressed to find something that will help you more than this club.

The Global Golf UTry program would be your best bet to find your next gamer though. You get plenty of time to try out the club, and if you fall in love, just keep it! But for a slicer, make sure this is one on your list to check out. It backs up the claims more than I’ve ever seen before!

FAQ

Does the ping SFT really work?

Yes, the Ping SFT driver does really work – I was not able to hit a shot to the right at all with this club! It really straightens out a slice type shot (left to right off the tee).

What is the meaning of SFT in Ping G430?

SFT in the Ping G430 stands for Straight Flight Technology. It uses a draw based setup to mitigate the dreaded slice most beginning golfers struggle with off the tee.

What is the difference between Ping G430 Max and SFT?

The difference between the Ping G430 Max and G430 SFT driver is that the SFT has a built in shot correction bias (or draw bias) to help mitigate slices. Both are very forgiving on miss-hits (shots not quite struck in the center of the club face).

What’s the difference between ping LST and SFT?

The difference between the Ping LST and SFT driver is quite a lot – The LST is a low spin, low launch, low forgiveness option for advanced low handicap golfers who are strong drivers off the tee. The SFT is the exact opposite, geared towards high handicap and beginner golfers who struggle off the tee and fight the dreaded slice. The SFT driver has a higher launch, higher forgiveness, and a built in draw-bias.