Ping G430 Vs Cobra LTDx Driver Comparison Overview

Before we begin, it should be noted that each driver comes in three varieties.

The Ping G430 comes in MAX, LST and SFT versions while the Cobra LTDx comes in a standard, LS and MAX version.

For this specific comparison we will be taking a look at the MAX offering from both driver lines. As you can imagine, the MAX drivers are supposed to offer a high degree of both distance and forgiveness. So do they? Let’s find out.

Ping G430 Driver Overview

“The Ping G430 Max features a 25 gram moveable tungsten rear weight that allows you to experiment with CG and shot-shaping.”

This feature alone makes the Ping G430 viable for a wide variety of players and will help a lot during your fitting session. Besides that though, the Ping G430 MAX is a 460cc head driver with a forged titanium face insert.

The face profile of the Ping G430 driver has been made shallower compared to previous drivers in the “G” series. This increases lateral forgiveness while the variable face thickness takes care of forgiveness above and below the strike zone.

Our testers were getting an average of 239.7 yards after three swings with the Ping G430 driver – and keep in mind that our entire testing party consisted of high handicappers.

Cobra LTDx Driver Overview

“The Cobra LTDx driver has a nice CNC milled face that fits seamlessly into the crown and sole to expand the flexing zones.”

The forgiveness off the face of the LTDx MAX driver was pretty much the same as in the Ping G430 driver. The LTDx also has adjustable weights that allow for neutral or draw bias. Then there is a fixed 10 gram weight in the front of the head to keep spin rates down.

The LTDx driver also has a carbon crown to keep the weight down and make way for all the fixed and movable weights. Cobra also has their own variable face thickness design to increase forgiveness.

Distance is where the LTDx pulls away though. Our testers were averaging 243.1 yards with the LTDx after three swings.

“We can only speculate that the slight distance gains we got with the Cobra LTDx came from lower side spin rates as evidenced by launch monitor readouts. The Ping G430 was incredibly forgiving; but ball speeds were kept down due to higher spin rates.”

Ping G430 Driver – First Impressions

“The Ping G430 drivers have a noticeably different design than previous Ping G drivers.”

The face has a more shallow profile yet the crown and sole have a more rounded design. Overall the Ping G430 drivers look really unique. They also have the signature “ping” sound at impact which is really satisfying and lets you know when you’ve struck the ball perfectly.

We were also impressed that all three drivers in the new line come with movable weights. This will help a wide array of players who are struggling against a draw or a fade. It’ll also help you put more power behind the area of the face that you tend to make contact with.

The adjustable loft sleeve will also help you dial these drivers in during fittings. Ping did a good job of upping the adjustability element of the new Ping G430 so that they appeal to a wider array of players. Unless you have a handicap in the 0-5 range, the new Ping G430 driver can benefit your long game in one way or another.

The Ping G430 Family

If you are a better player looking to squeeze more yards out of your drive with muted spin, the Ping G430 LST is definitely the driver for you. If you are a high handicapper, go with the Ping G430 Max. If you are struggling with accuracy off the tee, the Ping G430 SFT would benefit you most.

Cobra LTDx Driver – First Impressions

Needless to say, we were pretty excited to get our hands on this new Cobra driver.

And while it wasn’t quite what we were expecting, it still smacked of that same old Cobra innovation. We weren’t quite expecting the Cobra LTDx to be such a “game-improvement” driver. But the higher handicap testers in our group were pleasantly surprised. Plus, the Cobra LTDx isn’t the only release in this model…

The LTD Family

Included in this new line of LTD drivers is the LTDx LS and the LTDx Max. The LS has the most forward-positioned weight so as you can imagine, it has the lowest spin rates. Of course, that means detracting a bit from MOI so it is not quite as forgiving as the Cobra LTDx. But if max forgiveness is what you’re after then you should be looking at the LTDx Max. It produces the highest launch and has an extra rear-weight to increase forgiveness.

Ping G430 Selling Points

Adjustable CG weights
Forged faces
All three models play hot
Titanium face
Adjustable hosels

Cobra LTDx Driver Selling Points

New H.O.T. face design
Carbon fiber composite sole
Titanium chassis
Front-back weighting
Low long-game spin
Medium launch angles

Who is the Ping G430 Driver for?

“With three unique models, the Ping G430 drivers will appeal to a wide variety of players.”

It would seem that the overarching goal for these drivers was to make them viable for all skill levels. For the most part, Ping succeeded at this. The only type of player that we can imagine that wouldn’t benefit from these drivers are scratch players. The Ping G430 drivers launch high and don’t allow for a whole lot of workability.

So if you are a really good player, you’re better off looking elsewhere for a new driver. That being said, the Ping G430 drivers are ideal for both mid and high handicappers looking for a good mixture of forgiveness and accuracy.

We love the new forged face design because it will help virtually any kind of player achieve better ball speeds. The Ping G430 drivers will be especially beneficial to players who need more lateral forgiveness from their driver.

Distance: 96/100

Accuracy: 95/100

Forgiveness: 94/100

Feel & Control: 95/100

Overall Score: 95/100

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Who is the Cobra LTDx Driver for?

With the Cobra LTDx driver, Cobra went straight down the middle of the road – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

That phrase usually has a bad connotation attached to it for mediocrity but that is not what we mean here. The Cobra LTDx does a good job of straddling the line between forgiveness and fast ball speed. It features a new H.O.T. face which separates the face into 15 different sections. The 15 different sections represent different thicknesses to accommodate for common mis-hit areas.

It also features a titanium chassis that helps increase stability in the mid section without significantly increasing weight.

For beginners and high handicappers though, the real star of the show is the rear tungsten weighting. While we have to admit, this is a common and rather basic feature in game-improvement drivers, it still makes a low-spin driver more accessible to higher handicap players.