The G425 LST offers you one of the best drivers in its class. The “LST” in the name is an abbreviation for “Low Spin technology,” helping you get more distance and control from your shots. The G425 is Pings Big Stick for banging out the biggest bombs on the range and the tee.
The PING G425 LST driver comes with a compact form factor compared to its sibling, the G425 Max. However, you get less ball spin, and all the adjustability of the Max, with less forgiveness. We would steer beginners towards the Max and beginner/intermediate looking to upgrade their equipment to the LST.
The LST offers you more distance, but that comes at a price, and you’ll lose the forgiveness across the clubface that you get with the Max version. However, if you’re willing to put in the time with the LST, it’s a rewarding club offering you optimal club speeds, fantastic distance, and minimal spin.
Some of the pros that rely on the Ping G425 LST for their game include Tony Finau, Cameron Champ, and Norwegian Viktor Hovland. All three play with a version of the 9º and 10.5º head, and they credit it to their success off the tee.
All three average 300+ yards per drive, with Champ being the PGA leader in driving distance in 2019, averaging an astounding 321.3-yards per drive, just 0.1-yards off the record. If it works for them, can it do the same for you?
Technical Review
Contents
The Ping G425 LST offers you the same innovation in design and technology as the other clubs in this series. However, you get a balanced design allowing you to locate the sweet spot in the launch, weight, and spin produced by your swing.
As a result, you’ll find you get a lengthy ball flight with an optimal roll-out. One of the most-quoted maxims in golf is a low CG paired with weight in the rear of the clubhead facilitates better spin and launch, providing the player with better control over their drive.
The Ping G425 LST features design and construction with premium materials. You get a proprietary high-tensile, precision-machined T9S+ titanium forged face maximizing flexion. As a result, you get blazing ball speeds and the most distance possible from every shot.
The G425 LST comes with a 445cc head featuring a pear-shaped design. The performance from the Ping is fantastic, with ball spins of between 200 to 400-rpm and a flatter launch trajectory for fast swing speed. The 17-gram CG shifter offers you the option of setting it at Neutral, draw, or fade, to match your swing style and preferred ball flight.
Players with swing speeds over 105-mph struggle with high launch angles and when the spin numbers start to reach above 300-rpm. This results in unwanted flight patterns and less distance in your shots. Ping announces that the G425 LST drops spin numbers from its predecessor, and we think they follow through on this claim with amazing distance in every shot from the tee.
Ping engineered internal rib structures in the Ti 8-1-1 body. They designed reinforcement for the key areas of the clubhead, improving acoustics while creating a great feel in your hands and the perfect balance.
The G425 LST comes with “Trajectory Tuning 2.0,” utilizing an aerodynamic, lightweight hosel providing eight position options for a customized trajectory, distance, and accuracy with your driver.
Shaft and Loft Options
Similar to the Max edition, the LST offers you a huge range of stock shafts, and it’s only second to the PXG range of shafts for your fitting. The LST comes with three models, Ping Tour, Alta CB 55 Slate, and Alta Distanza.
Players demanding aftermarket shafts for their LST will love the Aldila Rogue White 130 MSI or the Mitsubishi TENSEI AV, which is available in 65 and 55-gram weights.
The G425 LST driver comes with the same adjustability as the G425 Max edition. You have options to adjust the loft up or down 1.5 degrees between 9º and 10.5º. The club head also has an impressive “flat” position on the hosel, benefiting players who pull or hook tee shots.
Performance
The Ping G425 LST offers you incredible performance on the course and at the driving range. This model features a smaller head with a moveable weight, effectively dropping your launch angle and reducing the spin-off of the clubface while producing high ball speeds.
When you pull the big dog out at the range and take your first shots, a few noticeable points quickly become evident. The ball flight is much lower than you expect, with a penetrating rise that extends for what seems like forever.
The reduction in spin means that you get excellent rollout and a long carry for the best driving distances possible. While oversized drivers tend to be easier to hit, they can cause backspin numbers to start to jump up as you bring up your swing speed. As a result, you get fluctuations in your distances.
The G425 LST technology solves this issue by keeping the backspin down to under 3,000-rpm. You’ll find you get consistent results downrange with a steady rise. On average, players see the LST gives them anywhere up to 15-yards more rollout than their previous club.
Strangely, the front-to-rear dispersion is not as consistent in the G425 LST compared to the other models in the range. The smaller head means this thing is a real hammer off the tee, but that comes at the cost of deviations half a ball outside the center, causing significant drops in carrying distance when we compare it to the Max edition.
Players comfortable with driving the ball and have the skill to line up in the strike zone with their shots will love the LST. Beginners may find it less forgiving and may want to consider opting for the Max edition.
Suitable Handicaps for the Ping G425 LST Driver
We recommend the Ping G425 LST for handicaps ranging from pro to 25. It’s a versatile club offering excellent performance in the hands of the right player. The driver gives you everything you need in ball flight and low spin, penetrating drives down the fairway and amazing acoustics.
However, you need to dial in your swing on the sweet spot to unlock the real power and performance in the LST. Players that are comfortable driving the ball will have higher swing speeds than novices. The LST will make a huge difference in your game in the hands of an intermediate to advanced player.
Weight Distribution
The weight distribution across the clubhead in the G425 LST has a compact design with a balanced profile in your hands. The Max and SFT models include 26 and 23-grams of tungsten positioned low in the clubhead; the LST driver drops that number to 17-grams.
The Dragonfly technology incorporated in the design adds to the weight savings. The Ti 8-1-1 ultra-thin crown redistributes weight in the clubhead to enhance and optimize CG and MOI for forgiveness and distance.
Styling and Finish
When you pull the Ping G425 LST from the bag, you’ll find it’s noticeably smaller than the Max, featuring a 445cc head. It’s most noticeable across the back-to-front measurement. The LST isn’t intimidating for novices, but it isn’t exactly tiny either.
However, you get the impression of classic design styling and a traditional, compact look and form factor to the clubhead. All Ping drivers come with matte black crowns featuring turbulators in the design, positioned at the clubhead’s leading edge.
The sole features a clean, silver, and black theme with an aggressive geometric shape.
Acoustics and Feel
The Ping G425 LST driver gives you the feeling of being a quick club when you hold it in your hands. The ball simply jumps from the face when you hit a shot on the sweet spot.
It’s important to note that the feedback is more pronounced than Max and SFT models, and that benefits intermediate to advanced players that like to adjust their swing and grip to the feedback they receive through the club.
Ping G425 LST Driver Review – Pros and Cons
Pros
- Effective spin reduction.
- Low launch angles and excellent control over peak height in the drive.
- Plenty of stability for a small head design.
- A smaller 445cc head with classic design features.
- Plenty of roll-out in your shots, thanks to low backspin.
Cons
- Less forgiving than the G425 Max edition.
- Off-center strikes will not have the same recovery as the Max edition.
- Lack of low-spin or launch shaft fitment for players with high swing speeds.
Wrapping Up – The Verdict on the Ping G425 LST Driver
If you’re a Ping brand enthusiast, you’re going to find the G425 LST to be what you expect – a great upgrade to the predecessor. For players new to the Ping brand, you also have options in the Callaway Epic Speed and the PXG 0211.
