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Weather At A Glance -
the Bushnell Golf FXi

I’m the first to admit the “whiz-
bang” of technology, specially
as it applies to golf,
fascinates me. Laser range
finders, GPS yardage
devices, club head CAD, 4-
piece multi-layer balls, etc.,
each has an attraction
and as long we’re on the
topic, the new Bushnell Golf
FXi is technology neatly
applied. Continue reading...

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News Commentary Opinion

Recently the new G15 and i15 lines have appeared in retail locations and golfers have had the chance to try out
the latest from Ping Golf.

The G15 is a game improvement line for higher handicap players while the i15 line is designed to cater to better
players. Both lines share the 50-year Ping legacy and reputation of quality and innovation though this sometime
means the company delays introduction of clubs, timing which may be significantly behind competitors.

Having said that though, the reception of the i15 and particularly the G15 has been good, extending even to
anecdotal items such as Mark Calcavecchia using the G15 driver in his record setting run of nine birdies in a
row at the Canadian Open last month; thus proving if nothing else pros benefit from ‘game improvement’
technology.

Ping is touting a very thin crown in the G15 driver which allowed redistribution of weight and moving the center of
gravity and combined with a longer front-to-back shape gives higher launch characteristics needed to help most
golfers hit their best tee shots. As far as the G15 irons are concerned the newest feature is a Custom Tuning
Port for an increase in MOI and to move weight outwards to the edge of the head which added to a thinner face
and more weight in the toe serves to make for better results on off-center blows.

Also of note in addition to the standard G15 driver, Ping also announced a more closed-face or draw-bias
version.

In the i15 driver Ping took the approach of making a more traditional pear-shaped deep faced head with an
open toe to give good players the opportunity to more easily work the ball off the tee. At 460 cc (as is the G15
driver) the i15 features a deep face and a bulge crown to enhance workability and to help produce a lower, more
penetrating ball flight desired by skilled players, Ping adjusted the internal weighting of the i15 and moved the
hosel slightly away from the leading edge.

The i15 irons are designed as a progressive set, i.e., larger heads in the long irons to compensated somewhat
for mis-hits and smaller head in the mid- and short irons for Ping says,” to ensure workability and control on
approach shots.” The design also shows a Custom Tuning Port and a stabilizer bar.

Street prices for the G15 series: driver $299, fairways $199, hybrids $159 and irons (4-PW) $611 with steel
shafts and $786 with graphite shafts. The i15 models are: driver $349, fairways $229, hybrids $189 with iron
sets (4-PW) having steel shafts $699 and graphite shafts $874.