Ping i20 cool looking, hot playing

• By Global Golf Post
• Feb 28, 2012 9:44 AM ET

Golfers will find a lot to behold with the new Ping i20 Series driver. The non-glare, black matte finish is what attracts attention first, for it gives the 460cc clubhead made of a low-density titanium alloy a sort of smoky, cool look. 

Then there is the sleekness of the crown, which is designed to produce 30 percent less drag than Ping’s G20 Series driver, so players can maximize clubhead speed and ball velocity for greater distance.

The clubhead is intended to sit neutral, and when golfers turn it over, they will find another evident attribute: tungsten sole weights that increase Moment of Inertia (MOI) for greater forgiveness and position the Center of Gravity (CG) lower and farther from the face; together, those features are geared to produce low-spin, more penetrating trajectories.

Both of the stock shafts – Project X Black from True Temper, which is somewhat lightweight and offers mid-spin and a higher trajectory off of drives, or the slightly heavier and stiffer Ping TFC 707D for low-spin, more boring shots – are black and give the whole package a sort of Johnny Cash aura as well as the ability to fit a wide range of players.

“We’ve blended workability, distance and forgiveness with this series and create a club for golfers with somewhat faster ball speed that provides them with a little lower and a bit more penetrating trajectory,” says Brad Schweigert, director of engineering for the Scottsdale, Ariz., equipment maker. “The result is a driver that is incredibly long but also highly accurate, and one that has made it into the bags of many of our staff professionals, including Bubba Watson.”

The Ping i20 driver is available is three lofts – 8.5, 9.5 and 10.5 degrees – and comes in a standard length of 45.25 inches.