50 Words or Less
The PING G430 hybrid is top shelf in both ball speed and forgiveness. Regardless of what you’re looking for in a hybrid, this club is worth a try.
Introduction
Once they’re set, changing our expectations can be tough. When I think of PING, I expect consistency and forgiveness, but I don’t think about distance. I know this isn’t true, but PING’s lack of overheated advertising makes it easy to forget that they can be elite when it comes to ball speed.
That’s exactly what happened with the PING G430 hybrid and why it was able to sneak up on me despite me learning the exact same lesson when I reviewed the G425 hybrid [review HERE].
Looks
At address, the PING G430 hybrid is very similar to PING hybrids of the past. The crown is matte black, though the G430 does add a subtle carbon fiber element at the rear. PING has simplified the alignment aid to a single white dot that is slightly skewed toward the heel. It’s midsized with a slight pear shape. The look of this club – not too player-ish, not too big – hints at the way it can perform for all player types.
In the bag, the G430 hybrid has a look that leans on geometric design more than branding. A modest sized “PING” sits in the middle of the sole, but my eye is more drawn to the different shapes and finishes. The “G430” on the heel is almost an afterthought.
Sound & Feel
The sound and feel of the PING G430 hybrid let you know that it’s fast. Through the hands, impact is snappy and solid. The face feels supported, not thin, but the ball still feels like it’s gone quickly. When I struck different parts of the face, I was able to locate impact easily, but the character of the feel didn’t change much.
Similarly, the sound of impact stays true whether you’re hitting it pure or working the heel. This club produces a whip crack “snap” that’s medium in volume and mid-low in pitch. It’s a great sound – one of my favorite hybrids in recent memory – that conveys speed and power without deafening you.
Performance
Across several testing sessions, I got to see the two sides of the PING G430 hybrid. Collectively, they make this one of the most widely playable hybrids of 2023.
I’ll start with the side that won’t surprise anyone: the forgiving side. There were stretches during my testing where – for reasons that can be summed up as “golf” – I did not get along with this club. I was hitting the toe, the heel, chunking it, and thinning it. Truly hitting it to all fields. But when I looked at the launch monitor, none of the results were terrible. They weren’t laser straight or miles long, but they were playable. The ball got airborne, it flew over 170 yards, and it stayed in front of me. Given the quality of the swings, they were results that would boost my spirits, not lead me to say, “I’ll see you guys next week.” When you’re having a bad day, the G430 hybrid can smooth those rough edges.
The side that I wasn’t expecting – in spite of my recent experiences with the G430 MAX fairway wood [review HERE] – was the bomber side. When I was swinging reasonably well, the ball speeds were elite. All I had to do was be close to the center of the face and the smash factor was in the high 1.4s. This gives the G430 hybrid loads of distance potential.
What really puts this club over the top for me is that it gets its distance with ball speed and slightly strong launch angles, not ridiculously low spin. This is a mid-spin hybrid. Even when you’re stretching its distance potential, you can keep the ball on the green with just a bit of runway. You can also use the spin to shape your shots a little, if that’s in your wheelhouse.
Hybrid shafts don’t get a lot of attention, but PING does offer a nice array of choices to dial in the performance you want. The Alta CB Black is high launching, and the Tour 2.0 Chrome is mid-low launching (I tested with the Tour 2.0 Chrome). PING is also offering the Mitsubishi Kai’li White and Project X HZRDUS Smoke Red RDX. Finally, PING is offering their new G430 High Launch (HL) build in the hybrid, too. This includes a lighter grip, lighter head weight, and ultra-light PING Alta Quick shaft.
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking for huge distance, big forgiveness for your worst swings, or the versatility to cover all those long game bases, the PING G430 hybrid is for you. Get this fit with the right shaft, and you’ll have a club that you’re pulling out with confidence, regardless of the situation.
Visit PING HERE
PING G430 Hybrid Price & Specs
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.
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12 Comments
So which is better? TSR2 or Ping G430
I have above average swing speed and I hit the ball high.
Thanks, Joe
Joe,
Better for what and for whom? Matt Meeker tested the TSR2 hybrid and was very impressed. The G430 is great. If you need a new hybrid, my best advice is to get fit.
-Matt
I love my “old” G400 3h (19*) and 4h (22*) clubs, both with the Alta CB black shafts. I have found the 3h to be a workhorse – low punches, nice slice/fades around the corner and draw/hooks the other way. The 4h is good for really tight spots. If I were in the market for a new hybrid these new hybrids would be first in line to try…
Hi
What’s the head size of the ping g430 hybrid ?
Thanks
Hi Matt. Love your reviews and your podcasts. I had the G425 hybrid last season, and like the yourself the club and I didn’t get along. But based on your review of the Callaway UW,I put it in the bag this season, and boy it’s a beast. It hasn’t let me down. Trying to find the shaft you had in your review didn’t happen but callaways upgrade list included the HRDZ black, and no regrets. Thanks for all you do. Keep up the great work.
Kevin
I just picked one up, new and I’m having a very difficult time trying to hit it with success. I try it for a while at the range, give up in frustration and then come back to it.
I’ve hit probably 300 balls at the range with my “off the shelf” G430 #4 hybrid and have tried everything possible to get it to do what the YouTube pros tell me it can do.
I play off 20 and don’t normally have problems with hybrids, my Wilson D9 6 hybrid is brilliant.
Been trying a friends Wilson Dynapower #4 and it is equally “useless”.
I’m getting a complex about these new over hyped ( and over priced) hybrids!!!!
Did you go for a fitting? I don’t buy any golf stuff “off the shelf” other than a pack of tees. You should have hit some of those 300 balls before you bought it. BTW, you actually believe everything knows YouTube pros say?
Maybe get a lesson instead of buying new clubs
I enjoyed the G425 4 Hybrid – point and shoot. But OMG, the G430 4H feels so much better and it takes off like a rocket. Even thin shots, when I first hit the club, sorry Ping, go urgently. Now that I’ve played it for two months and the swing has improved, I get a mid-flight, straight, with distance. Will post later when I have numbers, but swing changes have got in the way of playing consistently. Getting up in age, thinking about the 5H for longer distance from the 5i spot.
I’ve been shanking my Mizuno MP57 7 iron. I’m hoping that the Ping G430 with 34 degree loft will help with this as I’ve rarely ever shanked a hybrid. I hit a 7 iron about 160. Will I get similar distance ?
Curt,
All else equal, most people will hit hybrids further.
Best,
Matt