Equipment
Ping Glide Wedges
Different golfers need different wedges, but they’re all searching for the same thing.
“When you have a wedge that’s just right for you, it doesn’t dig and it doesn’t bounce,” says Marty Jertson, Ping’s director of product development. “It just glides through the turf.”
Ping has tweaked nearly every aspect of its new wedge line, aptly named “Glide.” Some changes, such as the improved grooves and sole grinds could be expected, while others take a more outside-the-box approach to help golfers improve their wedge games.
An example? Hydrophobicity, the physical property of repelling water. Hydrophobic surfaces make water bead – think of Teflon-coated pans or windshields treated with Rain-X. Hydrophilic objects, such as paper, absorb water.
Ping studies found that chrome-plated wedges are more hydrophobic than wedges without chrome finishes, which means that they move more water away from the wedge face at impact. That improves consistency, and is why the Glide wedges have satin, chrome-plated finishes. According to Ping, the finish is 220 percent more consistent in wet grass and 35 percent more consistent in dry grass than the “dark blast” finish Ping used on its previous wedge line, the Tour Gorge.
The Glide wedges are also cast from a 431 stainless steel that’s softer than the 17-4 stainless steel used on the Tour Gorge wedges. The softer metal, combined with Ping’s new elastomer Custom Tuning Port (CTP), creates a noticeably softer feel at impact.
The Glide wedges also have new grooves that are different in lower lofts than they are in higher lofts.
The lower-lofted wedges (47, 50 and 52) have deeper grooves with 16-degree sidewalls that offer more consistency on full shots. The soles of the wedges were also given more bounce and made slightly wider compared to the Tour Gorge wedges, a change that will make the clubs easier to hit for most golfers.
The higher lofted wedges (54, 56, 58 and 60) have shallower, wider grooves with 24-degree sidewalls. That gives them sharper edges to help golfers create more spin on open-face shots.
The Glide wedges come in three different sole grinds that are considerably different, but there are a few commonalities. Compared to the Tour Gorge wedges, the new models have more bounce and more rounded leading edges to help them better glide through the turf. For improved versatility, they also have more heel relief and a steeper trailing edge.
Choosing the Right Grind
Thin Sole (TS) wedges work best for golfers who have moderate-to-shallow angles of attack and/or those who play golf courses with firm conditions.
- Lofts available: 58TS (20 degrees of bounce), 60TS (19 degrees of bounce)
Wide Sole (WS) wedges are better for golfers who have moderate-to-steep angles of attack, and/or those who play golf courses with soft conditions.
- Lofts available: 54WS (14 degrees of bounce), 56WS (14 degrees of bounce), 58WS (13 degrees of bounce), 60WS (13 degrees of bounce)
Standard Sole (SS) wedges take the middle ground, and work for the widest range of golfers and course conditions.
- Lofts available: 47SS (12 degrees of bounce), 50SS (12 degrees of bounce), 52SS (12 degrees of bounce), 54SS (13 degrees of bounce), 56SS (13 degrees of bounce), 58SS (12 degrees of bounce), 60SS (12 degrees of bounce)
See more comparison photos of the grinds in the gallery below.
Shaft and Grip
The Glide wedges have Ping’s new CFS wedge shafts, which use a single flex and 118-gram weight to deliver a low trajectory and stable feel.
They also have Ping’s new Dylawedge grip, which is 0.75 inches longer than the company’s standard grip to encourage golfers to grip down on the club for more control. There are markings on the bottom of the grip at 1.375-inch intervals to create three reference points if golfers wish to use shaft length to alter trajectory and distance.
At Address: Ping’s Gorge wedge (left) and new Glide wedge.
The grips have a larger outside diameter on their bottom half, which creates a more consistent feel regardless of where golfers position their hands on the grip.
“The great pitchers and chippers of the world grip down on the club around the green,” says Jertson. “It lightens the club up and gets the heel up in the air. When you give someone a longer grip, without telling them around the greens they’ll almost automatically do it.”
The shaft and grip changes further “lighten” the clubs. While the wedges have a slightly increased total weight of 13 grams, they have a lighter swing weight in the higher lofts. The Gorge wedges had a swing weight of D6 in the 58- and 60-degree models, while the Glide wedges have a stock swing weight that is a much more manageable D4.
Ping Glide Specs
Bubba Watson, who won the WGC-HSBC Champions in November with three Ping Glide wedges, uses a lob wedge with a swing weight of D1 to give him more control over delicate shots (click here to see all the clubs in Watson’s bag).
The Glide wedges ($140 steel, $160 graphite) are available for pre-order and will be in stores in mid February.
Click here to see what GolfWRX Members are saying about the Glide wedges in our forum.
Cameron Young’s WITB from his win at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. Cameron is a Titleist staff player but his bag is definitely filled with some unique clubs. Here are the clubs he used to secure his first PGA Tour win!
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus HB Black VeloCore+ 10 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F @57), WedgeWorks (60-K* @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Prototype
- Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (10 degrees, C2 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
7-wood: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X
Irons: Titleist T150 (4, 5), Titleist T100 (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F, 56-08M @57, 60-04T @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Fastback 1.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Yellow
We’re proud to once again partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2025! 2nd Swing has more than 150,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
What is the best driver in 2025? At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. When it comes to the best driver of 2025, we want to know what our forum faithful think.
Since our founding in 2005, the bedrock of GolfWRX.com has been the community of passionate and knowledgeable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.
Below are the results of GolfWRX member voting for the 2025 best driver, along with the vote percentage for each club.
Best driver of 2025: The top 5
5. Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond: 6.02%
Callaway’s pitch: “For golfers looking for a fast, forgiving, yet workable driver, the Elyte Triple Diamond features a tour-inspired shape and is the preferred model by most Callaway tour players.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond here.
4. Ping G440 Max: 6.86%
Ping’s pitch: “The most forgiving G440 model, MAX has a hotter face to generate speed and distance, and a lighter overall system weight with a longer shaft (46″) for faster clubhead speed, higher launch and longer carries. The Free Hosel and Carbonfly Wrap crown save weight to create our lowest CG ever and increase forgiveness while contributing to a more muted, pleasing sound.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 Max here.
3. Ping G440 LST: 9.53%
Ping’s pitch: “LST is an especially good fit for faster swings, offering less spin and more control with a penetrating trajectory. A hotter face, lighter overall system weight and longer shaft (46″) deliver more speed and distance while maintaining tight dispersion.”
@phizzy30: “Not a fan of Ping drivers in general, but 440 LST takes the cake. It’s super forgiving across the face for a low spin head, looks and sounds good and the ability to make it play neutral or slightly fade biased through the hosel settings is very appealing.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 LST here.
2. Titleist GT3: 16.55%
Titleist’s pitch: “The GT3 Driver offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization through adjustable performance. Dial in the CG Track to your frequent contact location to make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping.”
@mrmikeac: “I’ve been Anti-Titleist for years and years and years (outside of Vokey, of course). With that being said, HOLY BEGEEZUS the GT3 driver is an absolute NUCLEAR MONSTER! This thing blew my G430 10K Max out of the water in every single category. Forgiveness is the biggest thing that stands out of me, the 3 model has always been one of the less forgiving models in the past but this GT3 can take bad shot after bad shot and still end up in the fairway, I think a ton of that has to do with the adjustability, it’s actually effective. Feel and sound is perfect, that solid crack is so addicting to hear and when you hit it out the screws this thing can absolutely bomb it. Titleist, I’m sorry for doubting you. You have converted me.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT3 here.
1. Titleist GT2: 22.91%
Titleist’s pitch: “Delivering impressive distance from any impact point, the Titleist GT2 Driver extracts maximum performance through a forgiving design. Get the stability and added confidence of a high-MOI driver without sacrificing speed.”
@DTorres: “The Titleist GT2 has proven to be the best driver of the year. Packaged in a classic profile, GT2 perfectly balances performance and forgiveness while consistently being a high performer across all categories.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT2 here.
Other drivers receiving >2% of the vote
| Driver | Vote percentage (%) |
|---|---|
| Cobra DS Adapt Max K | 4.85% |
| Ping G430 Max 10K | 3.85% |
| Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond | 3.68% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 | 3.51% |
| Callaway Elyte | 3.18% |
| Cobra DS Adapt X | 2.34% |
| Cobra DS Adapt LS | 2.17% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 LS | 2.17% |
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Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
shabby
Jun 3, 2015 at 12:58 am
The sound is terrible and so is the feel. Worst wedge I have ever played and the shaft options are a joke! All ping club heads may be ok but none of the shafts are worth a shot o p!
THONG
Mar 7, 2015 at 4:42 pm
I like them light but that’s me, I am thong!
jj
Mar 6, 2015 at 2:45 pm
Well, I’m starting to loose faith in Ping. Turning what was once real innovation to just sales gimmicks. This 60* TS glide looks ok but seriously lacks performance in spin and distance. What is worse is the stock shaft weight is so light it’s ridiculous as is with an upgraded shaft. I put a KBS TOUR in at 120 grams and it still feels like nothing. I will have to go back to DG S-300 to see what’s up but at this time I am ZERO impressed by this wedge. Stay tuned.
jj
Feb 24, 2015 at 1:38 am
I just bought a Ping 60 TS Glide wedge. First, my 60 is one of the most used in my bag and one of the most important in my scoring game. I have been through four 60* Gorge wedges and instead of a 5th I went for the Glide. I didn’t hit it in the practice bay, I can’t get a dam thing out of that with a wedge.
On the range I instantly found that the club was minimal on feel. I also found that on full shots, getting even 90 yards was impossible. I usually max out at around 107+ w/ my 60*.
For one, the club is WAY to light, at least for me. I never understand how Ping can offer only one shaft option and a 118 g at that. I guess high handicap’s may like it, but it’s just a dead feel with no feedback with the weak shaft.
I usually install a DG S-300 .25 over and 1* to 1.5* flat in my wedges and that extra weight is perfect. Iron shafts have gotten lighter and I went to a KBS Tour V in my irons from a previous S-300 because of left elbow problems, they feel very good with the cushion insert. They are still a little light at 110 grams, 115 with the cushion but very happy with the feel.
I returned the club at RD and ordered another direct from Ping with my preferred specs. I will know what’s really up when I get it back in a week or so.
Zedsded
Feb 17, 2015 at 11:59 am
How do you know what bounce you need? When every manufacturer makes a 10* bounce yet none of them are similar, how do you know what you really have (or need)? Seems like it’s pretty easy to figure out this system…
We look at bounce angles too much, cause bounce location has more to do with how a wedge feels/performs than the actual number. Numbers therefore are misleading. If you have a 10* bounce and the location is 3/4″ away from the lead edge vs. one that is 1/8″ away from the lead edge, those two wedges are going to play completely different, yet they are both 10* bounce? Archaic
Two things that don’t happen enough…fitting for wedges and putters.
B.Goodman
Jan 31, 2015 at 3:37 pm
How do they compare to the Ping Anser forged wedges?
B.
Jim
Jan 16, 2015 at 12:04 am
Any idea if Ping is going to offer customer stamping/engravings? Because that is a whole lot of blank surface on the back side of those wedges…
RocketShankz
Jan 14, 2015 at 11:00 pm
It may seem a petty complaint, but I just don’t understand why they insist on making the bottom groove a different color. Less is more.
nick
Jan 14, 2015 at 11:20 pm
they do this for the lie and loft machine it reads the white bottom line. so i was told by ping
JohnnyB
Jan 14, 2015 at 5:23 pm
Why is a D4 swingweight “more manageable” than D6? Why do most of the Ping staff pros carrying wedges with “less manageable” D6-D8 in the wedges?
Same thing with Ping’s irons. The I25 comes stock with a D0 swingweight while most other manufacturers comparable products come with D2.
Chip
Jan 13, 2015 at 10:30 pm
Some low bounce options would be nice….. PING seems to have never heard of them. Come on PING, I’ve been waiting for years!
Gary
Jan 13, 2015 at 11:12 am
Looks like a pretty good over all improvement over the Tour Gorge. The lighter swing weight sounds good. Nice looking Satin finish and I like the over all design better than the Tour Gorge. Hopefully the new groove design will increase the spin around the greens. I am pretty well settled into the Mack Daddy 2 wedges but this one would be worth looking at probably.
Shallowface
Jan 13, 2015 at 7:35 am
Karsten Solheim could have sold a lot more clubs in those early years if he had chrome plated them, but he didn’t believe it was necessary or beneficial. Of course, he was right.
But now, his “descendants” claim it adds playability.
Sheesh.
I am familiar with the term Hydrophobic. I’ve sat next to him on the bus.
Mike
Jan 12, 2015 at 4:27 pm
Does anyone on this site really believe they can tell the difference between 431 and 17-4 stainless steel when they hit a golf ball?
I believe this is pure B.S.
“The Glide wedges are also cast from a 431 stainless steel that’s softer than the 17-4 stainless steel used on the Tour Gorge wedges. The softer metal, combined with Ping’s new elastomer Custom Tuning Port (CTP), creates a noticeably softer feel at impact. “
Zak Kozuchowski
Jan 12, 2015 at 4:52 pm
Yes, they’re less clicky.
Patrick
Jan 12, 2015 at 11:01 pm
Zak, Mike may have a point that you’re missing. I would be surprised to hear that Marty Jertsen said there would be a big sound difference due to the metal. What are you hearing these metals do? Is 431 being deformed more than 17-4 on a chip shot? Is it deforming the golf ball differently? I would be shocked if 431 vs. 17-4, cast vs. forged, 1020 vs. 1025 has a noticeable effect on sound. The design of the tuning port, club structure, cg location, point of impact, golf ball choice, your surroundings, and the amount of wax in your ears would probably have more impact on sound.
Patrick
Jan 12, 2015 at 11:02 pm
*Jertson. Sorry Marty.
Shallowface
Jan 13, 2015 at 7:38 am
The ability to engage in “Suspension of Disbelief” is a major quality one needs in order to be able to enjoy golf equipment, especially today.
It’s the same quality that allows one to enjoy a movie. Or believe that Santa Claus or Professional Wrestling is real.
Mikec
Jan 12, 2015 at 5:46 pm
YOU CAN WHEN YOU PUT IT IN A LOFT LIE MACHINE — That accounts for a lot
Myron miller
Jan 12, 2015 at 4:26 pm
One major issue for me. I like my 60 degree to have very low bounce. I play a lot of tight lies from the fairway and like to use my 60 when I’m less than 75 yards. having the low bounce makes it very easy. With only 13 degree bounce that’s an issue (in fact that’s higher than my 56 SW at 12 degrees).
M
Jan 12, 2015 at 11:24 pm
Myron – Just try the TS – it will play very similar to other low bounce options from the other manufacturers.
Bounce numbers don’t tell the entire story as how the club will play.
Mnmlist Golfr
Jan 12, 2015 at 2:12 pm
“Water on the clubface, bro…”
Garbage
Jan 12, 2015 at 2:07 pm
Did they copy the grooves from Mizuno?
Gary
Jan 13, 2015 at 11:03 am
Seems like at least a couple companies (Callaway and Titleist for 2) liked the Mizuno idea of different groove designs for the higher lofts vs. the lower lofts to try to increase the spin on the higher lofts and not to have too much spin on the lower lofts.
Jim
Jan 12, 2015 at 12:26 pm
Great looking wedges. Much improved over the Gorge wedges. Intriguing design with multiple bounces and groove patterns too. Not sure they’ll get me away from my Vokeys but if they’re as good as other Ping clubs they might be worth a try.
Tom Noel
Jan 12, 2015 at 12:15 pm
Funny how much they look like a Gene Sarazen R-20?
Tom Noel
Jan 12, 2015 at 12:13 pm
Funny how much they look like a Gene Sarazen R-20 Wedge?
chuck stone
Jan 12, 2015 at 11:46 am
These pro line club prices are crazy. Its because the manufactures pay the pros too much to play them, may also be why golf is retracting..
JEFF
Jan 12, 2015 at 11:25 am
GLIDE??? SERIOUSLY???? How bout monkey nuts? GEEEEESH!!!
bradford
Jan 12, 2015 at 12:33 pm
Focus groups didn’t respond well to monkey nuts.
Jimmy s
Jan 12, 2015 at 4:17 pm
Well they could have painted them white put sldrs on them slots too oh dont forget lofting up and then called them SANDBURNER . No seriously ping never really uses hip names its always something different and understated it seems but the reason most people play thier stuff is that it just works function over form who cares what the name is as long as they go where you aim them right they look good cant wait to see what they feel like i own the tour gorges i like them about as much as i liked my cg15’s they replaced. Hopefully they are sandburner-ier or something like that lol