DRIVER REVIEW – Ping i15 Driver (For The Better Golfer)

Ping i15 Driver Review

As you can see from the pics above the Ping i15 is a different animal then you are used to seeing come from Ping’s R&D team.  Black is back and has been popping up more and more on OEM models in the past couple seasons.  And from what Ping told us it was for more then just the looks in their case.  Have you ever heard that if you want to shed a few pounds and you don’t have time to go to the gym to wear the color black because it makes you look slimmer?  Well Ping was thinking on the same lines when they designed the i15 driver.  You might not be able to tell but the i15 is actually 460cc’s the maximum head size allowed just like the G15, although it appears much smaller at address.  I think it has to do with the shape more then the color if you ask me since almost every driver crown is black but nevertheless it is a sleeker looking profile.

And you won’t find any adjustable screws, weights or hosels on the new Ping i15 driver either, but that does not mean that it doesn’t perform.  Our testers all loved this driver.  That being said we did decide to only test this on single digit handicap golfers since that is who it was designed for.

So What Makes This Driver Better For Lower Handicappers?

Well this might not make much since to higher handicappers but better golfers often prefer not to have the most forgiving head.  I don’t always agree with this and think that the pros and better golfers try to get too cute with their preferences sometimes, I mean Tiger might hit a few more fairways if he had a more forgiving head if you ask me.

But here is their reasoning:  The i15 driver has a hotter sweet spot by a few yards although it is not as lively across the entire face as the G15 driver.  This way the better golfer gets more feedback in his hands when he does not strike the ball dead center, which tells him how and where he is striking the club face more easily.  Where with the G15 you could not be striking the ball as well but still feel as though you had struck pay dirt on the face.  With the i15 driver you know exactly where on the face it was struck by the feel and ball flight pattern.  And this is the main reason why every single digit handicapper we tested thought it was the better driver in their opinion.

Although when we tested the G15 the majority of higher handicappers preferred it over the i15.  Now did the lower handicappers hit it as far and as accurately as the G15 on average over a 20 shot test?  No, but when they did hit it perfect they did see a few extra yards.  So if you are a pure ball striker you could see the benefit of playing the i15.  Our testers preferred the ball flight of the i15 compared with the G15.  All 5 testers felt it had a more penetrating ball flight.  The Ping i15 also has a longer hosel which makes it easier for bending of the head to more precisely fit the better golfer.  So if you are looking for playability in a 460cc head, and you are looking for a lower, more penetrating ball flight this is a good option for you in our opinion. Here is 1 of our testers of the i15 driver’s personal review.

Testers Review:

At first glance, the Ping I15 seems like a reincarnation of the Taylormade Superquad due to its black finish, but it is far from it in both performance and design. The first thing I noticed was the traditional pear-shaped head. Even though the head is 460cc, it seemed a bit smaller than most 460cc drivers.  The driver was somewhat light compared to other “player” designed drivers but was extremely solid and long. The head also sat on the ground perfectly! It was absolutely square and did not have the face forward look of many other drivers currently on the market. The driver was also very easy to work right and left and the ball flight bored very nicely, even off mishits. Overall, this driver is one of the most solid  and consistent drivers I have hit in the last ten years. The feel reminded me of the old Titleist 975D, which in my mind is a classic!

Drivers used in the past 12 months: (Titleist 9.5* 907D1 with Misubishsi Diamana Blue Board X-Flex) (Cobra LD F-Speed 9.5* Misubishsi Diamana Blue Board X-Flex) (Callaway FT-I Tour 9.5* w/ Fujikura Speeder 686 X-Flex)

THE RESULTS (From 5 Single-Digit Handicap Golfers)

PROS

• Traditional head shape makes appearance much smaller
• Driver looks amazing when you whip it out of the bag (great black pvd finish)
• Super solid sound and feel
• Amazing ball-fight

CONS

• Not as forgiving as G15 on mis-hits
• Finish on face wears fairly easily
• Not a big fan of alignment device
• Not easily adjustable

To purchase the PING i15 Driver: CLICK HERE

RELATED ARTICLES:

– Ping G15 Driver Review

– Cobra Zero Limit Driver Review

– Nike Dymo STR8-Fit vs. Taylormade R9