50 Words or Less
The PING G440 LST driver is smaller and lower spinning than the G440 MAX. Excellent forgiveness in comparison to anything other than the aforementioned G440 MAX. A godsend for high spin players who aren’t low handicaps.
Introduction
The low spin model is always the coolest one on the lineup. It’s the smallest, it’s got the best shape, it usually sounds the best. But like the coolest kid in school, it’s often unapproachable for regular golfers due to a lack of forgiveness. The PING G440 LST driver, however, is the cool kid who’s happy to be friends with everyone. Find out how PING blends low spin with forgiveness in this review.
Looks
PING drivers are a love it or hate it proposition. Some people can’t get over the turbulators on the leading edge. For me, it’s the comforting, consistent look of a family of drivers I’ve loved for years. I also like the matte black crown (no glare) and the lack of graphics on the crown. Like the other current drivers, the PING G440 LST driver has a cleaner address look than its predecessor, the PING G430 LST driver [review HERE], thanks to the removal of the angular indentations at the back of the crown.
The PING G440 LST driver is the smallest of the group – 450cc vs. 460cc in the MAX and SFT. Comparing it the G440 MAX, it’s also 1/8″ shorter from front to back, which makes the face look a bit taller. The G440 LST also has a slightly different shape – almost perfectly symmetrical compared to the MAX’s slight heel lean.
In the bag, the whole G440 driver family looks almost identical. The dominant feature is the silver “PING” on a gloss black sole. “G440” and “LST” sit on matte black patches just off the center. At the back of the head, there’s the same three-position adjustable weight that the G440 MAX has.
Sound & Feel
Just as with the look, the sound and feel of the PING G440 LST driver are similar to the MAX but different enough to merit some discussion. PING notes that it has a “more muted, pleasing sound” which I would agree with 100%. To me, the sound of the G440 LST driver is the best of the group.
The first thing I noted was how quiet this driver is. Even indoors with range balls, the sound is subtle. It’s a mid-bass “thwack” that’s powerful in spite of its lack of volume. The sound isn’t metallic or sprawling, just a solid gut-punch to your buddies’ chances of outdriving you.
Even better than the sound, in my opinion, is the feel. As with the G440 MAX, the sensation through the hands is both solid and explosive. The feedback is also excellent, communicating where the ball met the face with precision.
Performance
The namesake feature of the PING G440 LST driver is low spin, and it delivers on that count. In my testing, I saw a gap of just under 300 RPM when comparing similar shots. I’ve spoken with some fitters about this model, and they’re seeing spin reduction between 200 and 400 RPM with the occasional golfer getting more. While I’m not in need of lower spin, dropping 300 RPM or more will be a big deal for some players – they’ll add several yards of distance and have a stronger, more predictable ball flight.
Another number that stood out on the launch monitor was the peak ball speed. PING gave the G440 LST driver a shallower (shorter) face than its predecessor which let them make it thinner, too. This translates to more ball speed off a larger portion of the face, which I certainly saw in my testing.
Ball speed across the face leads us naturally to forgiveness, an area where most low spin drivers suffer. The PING G440 LST driver, however, is not like most others. From my testing, this club can stand shoulder to shoulder with most “standard” drivers when it comes to consistency, and it crushes most low spin drivers. It really shines in dispersion – my notes scream, “Straight!”
I will pause my enthusiasm here to note that, if you’re comparing the PING G440 LST driver to the G440 MAX [review HERE], the forgiveness is less impressive. Where it’s difficult to shed much ball speed with the MAX, the LST will drop speed on bad mishits. In this regard, the LST is like Ace Flagg – a 3X state champion who has the poor fortune of being the twin to the best NBA prospect in years.
In addition to low spin and strong forgiveness, the PING G440 LST driver is highly adjustable. Like the MAX, the G440 LST has a 29-gram tungsten weight that can be placed for Fade, Neutral, or Draw ball flight. This head is slightly more right (or less left) biased than the MAX, but you can still create a strong bias in either direction with such a heavy weight. You can also tune the adjustable hosel to ±1.5° of loft and 3° flatter lie angle.
Finally, PING is among the industry leaders in shaft options. There are four excellent PING-specific options plus the Denali Red and Mitsubishi TENSEI 1K Black [review HERE]. The stock length will vary depending on the shaft that you choose – 46″ with the PING Alta CB Blue, 45.5″ with the PING Tour, Denali, or TENSEI. PING also details the changes that the different shafts will make on swing weight on their website, but the G440 LST comes stock at D4.
*I tested all three PING G440 driver heads with the PING Tour 2.0 Chrome to make the launch monitor data an apples-to-apples comparison of the heads.
Conclusion
If you want lower spin but refuse to give up forgiveness, the PING G440 LST driver is the club you should hit first in your next fitting. This driver sounds and feels great, but most importantly it pairs consistency with a stronger ball flight like few others.
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PING G440 LST Driver Price & Specs
Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.