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DriverPING G440 DriversHow to choose among the MAX, SFT, LST and K, and the lightweight HL
Updated: Nov 3, 2026Contains affiliate links
PING driver names look alike, and I can't tell whether the MAX, SFT, LST, K or HL suits me. As of September 2026, PING's drivers are only the G440 series. Of the four models, MAX, SFT, LST and K, the MAX, SFT and K also come in a lightweight HL version. If you can't decide, start with the G440 MAX; pick the SFT if you miss right a lot, the LST if you spin the ball too much, and the K if you want to cut down on curve. If you narrow it down by the direction of your current misses, you avoid finding out after you buy that it was the wrong type. The HL differs from the standard model in weight: the HL is about 266 to 275 g overall (the K is about 301 g). The volume (460 cc) and length (46 inches) are the same. I lined these up using PING Golf Japan's official figures.
What I learned in the hitting bay: I hit the G440 K for 10 balls on TrackMan (mat, room temperature 22°C) at a local indoor golf range, around noon on a weekday in October 2026. My clubhead speed is 46 m/s and the ball was a Z-STAR. It carried 246 yards with 2,550 rpm of spin, and 8 of the 10 balls stayed together without scattering left or right. That is 5 yards short of the QUANTUM I used (251 yards of carry). I only addressed the MAX, SFT, LST and HL on a shop display shelf. I did not hit them.
Rakuten Ichiba / AdG440 MAX
Rakuten Ichiba / AdG440 SFT
Rakuten Ichiba / AdG440 LST
Rakuten Ichiba / AdG440 K
Rakuten Ichiba / AdG440 HL MAX / HL SFT / K HL
Product images: Rakuten Ichiba (ad). Click an image to go to the Rakuten Ichiba sales page. Check price and stock on the sales page.
In this article
- Bottom line: how I'd choose
- The day I hit 10 balls with the G440 K
- Drivers: four G440 models plus the lightweight HL
- Which G440 should you try, based on the direction of your misses?
- How to choose between the G440 K and K HL
- What's new in the build, and what it does
- Before you buy last year's model: how it differs from the one before
- FAQ
Bottom line: how I'd choose
If in doubt, take the G440 MAX. If you miss right a lot, the SFT; if you have too much spin, the LST; if you just don't want it to curve, the K (¥118,800).
Only the LST has a 450cc head and 45.25 in length; the rest are 460cc and 46 in.
If your head speed isn't fast, there are HL specs with a total weight of about 266–275 g.
The day I hit 10 balls with the G440 K
What went badly was that a few balls did not get much height. I raised the tee by 0.5 cm to make up for it.
What I hesitated over was the MAX versus the K, and what decided it was wanting to reduce how much the ball curves. I compared it with the QUANTUM I used (251 yards of carry). I read the list price off the shop tag.
The K is the only one I hit. The advice in this article, to go for the MAX if unsure, the SFT for misses to the right, the LST if there is too much spin and the K to reduce curve, is my inference from how the K felt and from the official numbers. I did not hit any of the others. If I chose again, I would use the K once more and hit the MAX as well to compare.
Drivers: four G440 models plus the lightweight HL
As of Sep 2026, PING's only drivers are the G440 series. No new series has been officially announced.
| Model | Release date | Price (tax included) | Loft | Volume | Standard length | Who it suits (from the official description) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rakuten Ichiba / AdG440 MAX | Feb 6, 2025 | ¥107,800 | 9 / 10.5 / 12° | 460cc | 46 inches | The standard model. Try this first |
| Rakuten Ichiba / AdG440 SFT | Feb 6, 2025 | ¥107,800 | 9 / 10.5° | 460cc | 46 inches | For golfers who want fewer misses to the right (draw design) |
| Rakuten Ichiba / AdG440 LST | Feb 6, 2025 | ¥107,800 | 7.5 (limited quantity) / 9 / 10.5° | 450cc | 45.25 in | For golfers with high spin whose ball balloons |
| Rakuten Ichiba / AdG440 K | Feb 5, 2026 | ¥118,800 | 9 / 10.5 / 12° | 460cc | 46 inches | For golfers whose strike point scatters and who want curve held down above all |
| Rakuten Ichiba / AdG440 HL MAX / HL SFT / K HL | Feb 2025 – Feb 2026 | ¥107,800–118,800 | 9–12° | 460cc | 46 inches | For golfers without fast head speed who struggle to get the ball up (total weight about 266–275 g) |
Only the LST has a 450cc head and 45.25 in length. The others are all 460cc and 46 in. The LST is a small, short club that leans toward better players.
The SFT is built to square the face more than the MAX, depending on the weight position. PING says the DRAW position moves the ball 13 yards left of the MAX, and the DRAW+ position about 20 yards.
The G440 K is the model PING calls its "highest moment of inertia ever." Minna no Golf Digest reports that the up-down and left-right total exceeds 10,000 g·cm² (PING's official pages give no figure). There's also a detailed G440 K page.
Which G440 should you try, based on the direction of your misses?
Match the left column of the table to the direction of your misses, which you count by hitting 10 balls with your current driver at the range. It costs nothing.
| Your current miss or complaint | Closest model | Why (from the official description) |
|---|---|---|
| You want to try the standard model, or haven't settled on the direction of your misses | G440 MAX | The standard model. You can choose from 9, 10.5 and 12 degrees. |
| You miss to the right a lot | G440 SFT | A draw design. The official description says the DRAW position moves the ball 13 yards left of the MAX, and DRAW+ about 20 yards. |
| You spin the ball a lot and it balloons | G440 LST | A small head of 450 cc and 45.25 inches. A 7.5-degree option (limited quantity) also exists. |
| Your impact point scatters, and you want to cut curve above all | G440 K | The highest moment of inertia in PING's history. ¥118,800 |
| Your clubhead speed isn't fast, and the ball is hard to get up | HL (MAX, SFT, K) | About 266 to 275 g overall. About 26 to 35 g lighter than the K (about 301 g). |
The G440 K costs ¥11,000 more than the MAX (¥118,800 versus ¥107,800), so if you aren't struggling with curve, the MAX is enough. Conversely, if you curve the ball on many days when you miss the center, the ¥11,000 is what you pay for the K's moment of inertia.
How to choose between the G440 K and K HL
The G440 K and K HL share the same head shape (460cc), lofts and price; the difference is total club weight. The K is about 301g (ALTA J CB BLUE SR). The K HL lightens the weight, shaft and grip to get down to about 275g, making it easier to launch for players who can't swing fast. If you're unsure, go by whether you can swing your current driver all the way through. If you can, start with the K; if it feels heavy and the club lags behind you, the K HL is the sensible place to start, in my view.
G440 K
Suits
- Golfers whose strike pattern varies every swing and who just want to keep it straight (PING calls it the highest MOI in PING history)
- Golfers who want to hit it high and far (PING describes high launch and maximum distance)
- Golfers who swing with authority and can handle a 46 in, approx. 300g club
G440 K HL
Suits
- Golfers who can't swing fast, struggle to get height and want more distance (PING's intended player)
- Golfers who want a light, easy-to-swing club with the K's forgiveness (PING calls it the “highest MOI in HL history”)
- Golfers with head speed of 38 m/s or below (as reported by Minna no Golf Digest)
What's new in the design, and what the maker says it does
Dual Carbonfly Wrap
Construction: A new design using carbon on both the crown (top) and sole (bottom). The previous G430 MAX 10K used carbon only on the crown.
What PING says: The sole is about 7% lighter than the previous model, and the saved weight goes to the rear weight. PING says this gives the highest MOI (how little the head twists on off-center hits) in PING history.
Free Hosel Design
Construction: A lighter hosel (where the shaft goes in) inside the head.
What PING says: The hosel is about 13% lighter than the previous model, lowering the CG (PING calls it “distance CG”) for high launch and maximum distance.
Adjustable high-density weight
Construction: The spare weight is placed at the back of the head as a heavy, movable weight.
What PING says: PING writes that this is the first K-series driver with trajectory adjustment, so you can dial in your target ball flight.
Spinsistency Technology and crown ribs
Construction: A face curvature (bulge and roll) design plus reinforcing ribs under the carbon crown. The K HL also adds turbulators (ridges on the crown) to reduce drag.
What PING says: Spin stays stable on hits high and low on the face, limiting distance loss. The ribs limit carbon flex at impact for a more pleasant feel and sound, PING says.
Before you buy last year's model: how it differs from the one before
| Current | Previous model | Difference in numbers |
|---|---|---|
| G440 MAX | G430 MAX (Nov 2022) | Price ¥93,500 → ¥107,800. Length 45.75 → 46 in |
| G440 LST | G430 LST (Nov 2022) | Volume 440cc → 450cc |
| G440 SFT | G430 SFT (Nov 2022) | 10.5° only → 9° added |
| G440 K | G430 MAX 10K (Feb 2024) | Price ¥104,500 → ¥118,800 |
FAQ
Which PING G440 driver should I choose?
If in doubt, take the MAX. If you miss right a lot, try the SFT; if you have too much spin and the ball balloons, the LST (450cc, 45.25 in); if you want curve held down above all, the K (¥118,800). For players without fast head speed, there are HL specs with a total weight of about 266–275 g.
Other PING clubs
PING Irons Compared: 7-Iron Lofts Run 28–33°
PING Putters Compared: Head Weights Run 345–375 g
Drivers from other makers
- Qi4D Drivers Compared: The Four Differ Only in Weighting
- Callaway QUANTUM Drivers Compared and How to Choose
- Titleist GTS Drivers: GTS2, GTS3 and GTS4 Compared
- ZXi RKT and XXIO Drivers Compared: Lighter Means Longer
- Mizuno JPX ONE Drivers Compared: SELECT vs the Standard
Read these before you choose, so you don't get stuck
Best Drivers for Beginners 2026
Sources for this article
- Ping Golf Japan official product list
- G440 MAX / SFT / LST drivers
- G440 SFT (explanation of the draw design)
- G440 K driver
- G440 HL driver
- Previous G430 driver
- G440 K moment of inertia (Minna no Golf Digest)
About the writer and how this page was made
A golfer who averages a 72 over about 150 rounds a year went through the gear documents one by one.
This page lists the official figures from Ping Golf Japan, plus the numbers from the 10 balls I hit with the G440 K in a hitting bay. I have not hit any model other than the K. Sources for the figures are at the end of the page. Check prices and stock on each shop page before you buy.