50 Words or Less
The PING G430 LST fairway wood is a consistent, forgiving, low-spinning, fairway-finding machine. Tour-inspired but suitable for more than just elite players.
Introduction
Fairway woods: can’t live with them, can’t live without them. Or at least that’s how it has felt for me at various points in recent years. For whatever reason, I haven’t been able to find the consistency I’m looking for with a fairway wood the way I have with a driver or irons. Enter the PING G430 LST fairway wood. With a low spinning, compact head and some seriously forgiving tech, can this be the club that finally takes up long-term residence in my bag?
Looks
The head size and shape of the PING G430 LST fairway wood is very similar to the previous model, the G425 LST [review HERE]. It’s noticeably more compact and slightly less rounded than PING’s other offerings, the MAX [review HERE] and SFT [review HERE]. But don’t get the wrong idea: it’s not like looking down at a persimmon. There’s plenty of real estate to work with. As a mid handicapper, I immediately felt quite confident when addressing a shot, even with an uneven lie in the fairway.
Visually, there has been a noticeable change. It still appears very minimal, but where the G425 LST was a flat matte black with no markings besides the three-dot alignment aid, the G430 features a subtle carbon fiber pattern which fades to black as it gets closer to the face. There are also some small markings drawing attention to the club’s “Carbonfly Wrap” technology framing the edges of the back of the club. There is a single dot alignment aid. Where the G425 was too minimal for some, the G430 LST hits the balance just right.
Sound & Feel
The trademark PING sound certainly hasn’t changed. It’s a flat, muted ‘thunk’ that, ironically, sounds just about polar opposite from a high-pitched metallic ‘ping’. It’s not my favorite sound but there’s still something satisfying about the percussive thud of a well-struck ball.
Feel-wise, there’s something interesting going on. It’s easy to tell if you hit one out of the heel or toe but the results are incongruous in terms of what happens to the shot, as I’ll discuss in detail below.
Performance
For the G430 LST, PING has added carbon fiber to the crown in the form of Carbonfly Wrap. This allows them to save weight and redistribute it in areas that increase ball speed and forgiveness. PING says that this composite material also contributes to the club’s sound.
“Spinsistency” is back again, the idea being that “a variable roll radius creates less loft low on the face to improve performance on thin shots by reducing spin and increasing ball speed for consistently longer results.”
I found these claims were backed up on the golf course. I noticed remarkable forgiveness on imperfect strikes. In situations where I probably didn’t deserve it, I ended up getting the exact result I was after. Both setting up a short third into a par five and hitting a demanding tee shot on a par four, the PING G430 LST fairway wood exceeded expectations.
I have yet to find a fairway wood that feels so “point and shoot” in its simplicity. It’s worth stating that I’ve gone through some minor swing changes this year that have me making good contact a bit more consistently, but I have a sense of confidence with this club that I haven’t with others I’ve tried this year.
The PING G430 LST fairway wood is only available in a 15 degree 3 wood. It is adjustable +/- 1 or 1.5 degrees and has settings to change the lie angle +/- 1 degree. It is available with several PING-engineered shafts, the ALTA CB Black, Tour 2.0 Black, and Tour 2.0 Chrome, as well as two aftermarket shafts. I tested it with the ALTA CB, and I think it played a big role in how well we got along. It’s a little bit lighter than other shafts and is a great fit for players with smooth tempo.
Conclusion
The PING G430 LST fairway wood is a beast. It boasts plenty of distance but isn’t trying to compete with your driver. Its compact head shape is visually attractive, especially since the head boasts ample forgiveness on less-than-perfect strikes. It is among the most expensive fairway woods on the market right now, but the performance backs it up.
Visit PING HERE
PING G430 LST Fairway Wood Price & Specs
- 2024 Procore Championship Recap - September 15, 2024
- 2024 FedEx St. Jude Championship - August 18, 2024
- 2024 The Open Championship Recap - July 21, 2024
9 Comments
Great review Dylan! I actually had the G430 Max 3 wood and just upgraded to the LST. Curious as to how it played off the tee vs off the deck? Appreciate the info as always!
Cheers,
Kevin
Kevin,
I obviously get a bit higher launch off a tee but other than that, performance off the deck is exceptional, for me. All of the data collected for the review was done off the deck.
Best,
Dylan
Great review!
Do you think it is worth an upgrade from the 425LST? I love my 425, and curious if I should consider a change.
Thanks!
Stephen,
Depends on the value of a dollar to you, I suppose. But when I hear you say you love the club you have, that makes me think it’s very unlikely to be worth an upgrade for you.
Best,
Dylan
Interesting review… I have both Max and the LST… My swing speed is similar to yours,right around 100 to 101 with a Three-wood… The max out performed the LST dramatically. Same ball speed, much tighter dispersion, greater carry with moderate spin.
$549 for a 3 wood!! Maybe I will just get another lesson and hit my current 3 wood.
I think ping should give people a refund equal to the amount of money they spent to upgrade to the lst 3wood . The max is the better 3wood at $200 + dollars cheaper. I feel ping deceived all of its loyal customers
That price is rediculois especially for a cheap shaft
Wow how can Ping Justify that price!
No question it is a great club but so are all the Ping Fairways
Is extra 5 yards worth the money?
Buyer Beware and I am a Ping Guy all the way