Ping Prodi G Versus US Kids

[MB19]

3 hours ago, SupaEnigneer said:

Hello,

My son is 11 and has outgrown his USKG 54. He is playing on a course 1-2 per week and working on his chipping and putting the rest. He hits his driver around 165. We are thinking about Prodi G, but should he get the stiff shafts? The Webfitter  says that kids his age hit their driver 200. 

Definitely time to move on from the USKG driver, but the 15* Prodi G will rob him of some length.

 

A 12* driver is what many clubfitters would tell you to get, but many on here would say 10.5 to milk the rollout.  15* is just too much loft IMO.

 

A jump to a normal full-sized/weighted adult head could be too heavy.  There are a few lightweight options to look at that will be under the 200g mark for headweight:

 

Titleist TS1, TSi1, TSR1 (best overall IMO)

Cobra AirX (the junior labeled drivers from Cobra are Adult-weight heads) (Super light and on sale many places even new!)

Ping GLe (first edition, blue/teal color scheme) (easy to hit)

Taylormade M4 (great for the price for slower swingers)

Callaway Epic Max Star (lots of tech, expensive new/best bargain used)

 

Your go-to vendors for these will vary, and the online merchants have various sales all the time.  Callaway Pre-Owned, Global Golf, 2nd Swing and Ebay have been my go-to online vendors for years.  Buying new won't make a lot of sense, as your son is going to hit puberty soon and gain considerable speed.  If you have a way to get his swing speed, it will help you pick out a shaft.  Ladies or Senior shaft for his age and size makes sense, but likely ladies coming from his USKG driver.  Below 82 mph swing speed, stick with ladies for now (you can always swap shafts when he starts to swing faster).  82-88 is Senior territory.  Don't overthink it, set a budget and go get a proper driver.

 

For irons, it's a little more tricky.  For now, stick with the USKG Tour Series or FLynn IMO.  You can find lightly-used TS3 57" sets for cheap on Ebay, and put together a functional new set from Flynn's Outlet for fairly cheap.

 

Hybrids and fw, grab a Prodi g for each.

Edited September 10, 2024 by MB19

[docl]

I first purchased a WT-15 partial set for my 56” 8 year old just starting out and recently found a used set of Prodi G clubs for a bargain price.  They both are for a 57” kids. I made some measurements in case anyone is interested. The Ping irons are 11g heavier than the USKG while the driver and hybrid are 11-12g lighter. The lengths are similar but the fulcrum points are about 1.5-2” closer to the heads on the Prodi G clubs. The Ping set looks like the player will feel the head weight quite a bit more than the USKG set. He hasn’t used the Pings yet but it should be a smooth transition. What do you guys think of the differences?  

 

	Weight	Length	Fulcrum grip side
PRODI G driver	280g	38.5	29.125
USKG 57 DV3 driver	291g	38	27.25
PRODI G hybrid	309g	35.25	27.625
DV3 WT-15s hybrid	321g	35.25	26.25
PRODI G  6	338g	33.5	27.25
USKG WT-15  6	327g	33.5	26.5
PRODU G PW	362g	32	26.5
USKG WT-15 PW	351g	31.75	26

Other observation is that the Ping driver head is much larger but yet 11g lighter. 

Edited October 13, 2024 by docl
Added photos

[MB19]

On 10/12/2024 at 12:42 PM, docl said:

I first purchased a WT-15 partial set for my 56” 8 year old just starting out and recently found a used set of Prodi G clubs for a bargain price.  They both are for a 57” kids. I made some measurements in case anyone is interested. The Ping irons are 11g heavier than the USKG while the driver and hybrid are 11-12g lighter. The lengths are similar but the fulcrum points are about 1.5-2” closer to the heads on the Prodi G clubs. The Ping set looks like the player will feel the head weight quite a bit more than the USKG set. He hasn’t used the Pings yet but it should be a smooth transition. What do you guys think of the differences?  

 

	Weight	Length	Fulcrum grip side
PRODI G driver	280g	38.5	29.125
USKG 57 DV3 driver	291g	38	27.25
PRODI G hybrid	309g	35.25	27.625
DV3 WT-15s hybrid	321g	35.25	26.25
PRODI G  6	338g	33.5	27.25
USKG WT-15  6	327g	33.5	26.5
PRODU G PW	362g	32	26.5
USKG WT-15 PW	351g	31.75	26

Other observation is that the Ping driver head is much larger but yet 11g lighter. 

Nice work on all this.

 

The fw and hybrid are just short of cheat codes in the Prodi g lineup, and a revelation over their USKG and Flynn counterparts.  Prodi G driver is a sollid upgrade.  Prodi g wedges are also an upgrade, mid-high irons are a push over TS IMO.

 

Love the Prodi g Voss putter.

 

 

[docl]

3 hours ago, MB19 said:

Nice work on all this.

 

The fw and hybrid are just short of cheat codes in the Prodi g lineup, and a revelation over their USKG and Flynn counterparts.  Prodi G driver is a sollid upgrade.  Prodi g wedges are also an upgrade, mid-high irons are a push over TS IMO.

 

Love the Prodi g Voss putter.

 

 

Sounds like the Prodi G clubs perform well from your experience. I didn’t know the fe and hybrid are that much better.  It’ll be interesting to see my son switch over to the new set. This set is the regular flex but the Ping site specified a stiff flex. I’m on the fence about which flex is best. 
 

I am looking for a Voss putter to complete his set. 

[AC168]

This is very interesting…. My son plays TSi driver, Prodi G FWY, Hybrid, 6-PW, Voss Putter, US Kids Tour Series wedges.  I’m thinking about having him go back to US Kids Tour Series irons as the Prodi G seem heavy.

[docl]

4 hours ago, AC168 said:

This is very interesting…. My son plays TSi driver, Prodi G FWY, Hybrid, 6-PW, Voss Putter, US Kids Tour Series wedges.  I’m thinking about having him go back to US Kids Tour Series irons as the Prodi G seem heavy.

Is he having issues with his Prodi G irons? Do you know the weight difference between the TS and UL irons?

[AC168]

TS weights quite a bit more than the UL.  Prodi G irons weight a notch more than TS.

[docl]

8 hours ago, AC168 said:

TS weights quite a bit more than the UL.  Prodi G irons weight a notch more than TS.

Is he struggling with the weight of the Prodi G irons? If the swing weight of the TS is close to the UL then the Prodi G irons will feel heavier. Can you measure the fulcrum point of your TS irons to compare swing weights with my measurements? 

[AC168]

3 hours ago, docl said:

Is he struggling with the weight of the Prodi G irons? If the swing weight of the TS is close to the UL then the Prodi G irons will feel heavier. Can you measure the fulcrum point of your TS irons to compare swing weights with my measurements? 

I don’t have his next set of TS yet.  Just Prodi G.  TS I only have in wedges.

[docl]

2 hours ago, AC168 said:

I don’t have his next set of TS yet.  Just Prodi G.  TS I only have in wedges.

I had to adjust the swing weight on my PW and found that 15g of removable weight was added. I removed half of it and now it is perfectly matches the other irons in SW. 

If you don’t mind tinkering a little. You can remove the some or all of the removable weights in your Ping irons, and you will be able to be at the USKG UL or TS range. 

[AC168]

If you do this, don’t they refuse the reshaft?

[docl]

1 hour ago, AC168 said:

If you do this, don’t they refuse the reshaft?

Just glue it back on after making your weight adjustment or whenever you need to. In addition, I just talked to Ping today and the rep told me if the weights ever become loose send the clubs back to them and they will replace them free of charge.  The silver weight is actually not what you see in the photo. It is just a faux vinyl cover on top of a weighted putty. I was fooled and thought it was a lead weight. I adjusted 2 irons and now the whole iron set has the same swing weight. I created a Junior swingweight chart. Let me know if you want to adjust the weights and need to use it. 

[MB19]

On 10/13/2024 at 9:03 PM, AC168 said:

This is very interesting…. My son plays TSi driver, Prodi G FWY, Hybrid, 6-PW, Voss Putter, US Kids Tour Series wedges.  I’m thinking about having him go back to US Kids Tour Series irons as the Prodi G seem heavy.

It's a subtle difference, but the Prodi g do play heavier than the TS irons.

[MB19]

On 10/13/2024 at 7:03 PM, docl said:

I am looking for a Voss putter to complete his set. 

With some looking, you can find those Prodi g Voss at a reasonable price on the used market.

 

Of note, my son liked his little Voss so much I figured he would like an upgrade to the Vault 2.0 Voss even better.  He certainly liked it, and it was a beauty for sure, but after about six months I switched him to a Spider GTx.  It was a classic case of Indian and not the arrow IMO, as we've sorted his mechanics out a little since then, but his putting stayed mostly the same with either Voss.

 

It's not to say the Vault 2.0 version wasn't a good putter, because it certainly is.  It's more of a tribute to how quality of a club that Prodi G Voss is (same holds true for the rest of the Prodi G line).

[docl]

1 hour ago, MB19 said:

It's a subtle difference, but the Prodi g do play heavier than the TS irons.

The Prodi G removable weight can be adjusted and lower by 15g. It would be even lighter than the UL irons by 4g overall and still have a swing weight with a better feel of the head. 

 

1 hour ago, MB19 said:

With some looking, you can find those Prodi g Voss at a reasonable price on the used market.

 

Of note, my son liked his little Voss so much I figured he would like an upgrade to the Vault 2.0 Voss even better.  He certainly liked it, and it was a beauty for sure, but after about six months I switched him to a Spider GTx.  It was a classic case of Indian and not the arrow IMO, as we've sorted his mechanics out a little since then, but his putting stayed mostly the same with either Voss.

 

It's not to say the Vault 2.0 version wasn't a good putter, because it certainly is.  It's more of a tribute to how quality of a club that Prodi G Voss is (same holds true for the rest of the Prodi G line).

The Vault 2.0 does look better with the removable weights. I’ll keep my eye out for a good deal. The Voss design looks very similar to the Anser. Can you tell a difference?

[MB19]

3 hours ago, docl said:

The Prodi G removable weight can be adjusted and lower by 15g. It would be even lighter than the UL irons by 4g overall and still have a swing weight with a better feel of the head. 

 

The Vault 2.0 does look better with the removable weights. I’ll keep my eye out for a good deal. The Voss design looks very similar to the Anser. Can you tell a difference?

I guess my best explanation between the Voss and the Anser... Voss has a more shallow face and slimmer topline.  It's the Anser on a diet.

[docl]

9 hours ago, MB19 said:

I guess my best explanation between the Voss and the Anser... Voss has a more shallow face and slimmer topline.  It's the Anser on a diet.

Sounds good. I have also been reading about you using TSi1 for juniors. I might have to get one of those in 10 degrees as my son progresses. 

Edited October 16, 2024 by docl

[MB19]

10 hours ago, docl said:

Sounds good. I have also been reading about you using TSi1 for juniors. I might have to get one of those in 10 degrees as my son progresses. 

The weight savings was a big deal for my kids.  

[docl]

8 hours ago, MB19 said:

The weight savings was a big deal for my kids.  

I read that you switch out the Titleist to a G425 Max. Would it be better to get the G425 instead? Is it just as light and what shaft would be ideal? I see that this is rabbit hole with no end. 

[MB19]

2 hours ago, docl said:

I read that you switch out the Titleist to a G425 Max. Would it be better to get the G425 instead? Is it just as light and what shaft would be ideal? I see that this is rabbit hole with no end. 

The only G425 I would recommend for any kid under 80 mph SS would be the SFT.  The Max is too heavy, and the LS needs a faster SS to be optimal given its low spin.

 

The G425 SFT (or even the G410, which is really good as well) with a TFC 80 Lite shaft would probably be a pretty nice combo if you go this route, although I don't know I would recommend it over the TSi1/TSR1.  The SFT will have a little more draw bias built in, and be ever so slightly heavier (inconsequential IMO).  Some people really hate the way the G425 line sounds, FYI.

 

There are some quality reviews on these club heads, with 2nd Swing doing a nice video on the particular heads we are discussing.

 

Back to the G425 Max--it was a really good head for my daughter through spring and summer tournament season.  When we went to a firmer shaft, and we tried three or four, the G425 Max spin came down to around 1600. Changing heads to the G430 Max, which is a little higher spinning, and switching shafts one more time (to a GD VR-4 R1) did the trick and she was back to hitting high bombs again.

 

My son still plays his G425 Max, although I believe we went to a lighter back weight (shave off 8 or 9g, I think).  I'm not sure when we'll switch, but his setup is really working for him right now.

[docl]

23 hours ago, MB19 said:

The only G425 I would recommend for any kid under 80 mph SS would be the SFT.  The Max is too heavy, and the LS needs a faster SS to be optimal given its low spin.

 

The G425 SFT (or even the G410, which is really good as well) with a TFC 80 Lite shaft would probably be a pretty nice combo if you go this route, although I don't know I would recommend it over the TSi1/TSR1.  The SFT will have a little more draw bias built in, and be ever so slightly heavier (inconsequential IMO).  Some people really hate the way the G425 line sounds, FYI.

 

There are some quality reviews on these club heads, with 2nd Swing doing a nice video on the particular heads we are discussing.

 

Back to the G425 Max--it was a really good head for my daughter through spring and summer tournament season.  When we went to a firmer shaft, and we tried three or four, the G425 Max spin came down to around 1600. Changing heads to the G430 Max, which is a little higher spinning, and switching shafts one more time (to a GD VR-4 R1) did the trick and she was back to hitting high bombs again.

 

My son still plays his G425 Max, although I believe we went to a lighter back weight (shave off 8 or 9g, I think).  I'm not sure when we'll switch, but his setup is really working for him right now.

So maybe the TSi1/TSR1 still might be the best to try after the Prodi G 15. I see some 10 degrees with senior flex shafts. I see ladies flex R3 shafts sold separately.  It's good to see your dedication to your children and their sport. I'll check out the 2nd swing videos you mentioned.  

[MB19]

36 minutes ago, docl said:

So maybe the TSi1/TSR1 still might be the best to try after the Prodi G 15. I see some 10 degrees with senior flex shafts. I see ladies flex R3 shafts sold separately.  It's good to see your dedication to your children and their sport. I'll check out the 2nd swing videos you mentioned.  

The Air Speeder 35 and 40 models are both pretty cheap and fairly easy to find, most always with a Titleist adapter or as a pull.

[Gumpstress]

Hello all - new member here...thank you for any guidance!  My son is about to turn 7, but has been playing competitively for 2 years in USK.  Finished Top 20 this summer at Pinehurst (Midland CC).

 

We're about to jump to the 7 yr old division, he's 49 inches tall...and i'm wondering if i can get more length off the tee without sacrificing his great accuracy.  He hits his current USK Driver UL-48 about 125 yards...but never misses a fairway.

 

The EpTour version is pretty steep!  Do you think it's worth that upgrade...a Prodi-G upgrade...or still a bit young to worry about it (and maybe just getting a new USK UL-51)?  

Edited November 15, 2024 by Gumpstress

[MB19]

10 hours ago, Gumpstress said:

Hello all - new member here...thank you for any guidance!  My son is about to turn 7, but has been playing competitively for 2 years in USK.  Finished Top 20 this summer at Pinehurst (Midland CC).

 

We're about to jump to the 7 yr old division, he's 49 inches tall...and i'm wondering if i can get more length off the tee without sacrificing his great accuracy.  He hits his current USK Driver UL-48 about 125 yards...but never misses a fairway.

 

The EpTour version is pretty steep!  Do you think it's worth that upgrade...a Prodi-G upgrade...or still a bit young to worry about it (and maybe just getting a new USK UL-51)?  

That's a tough call on what to do.  125 at 7 is very respectable, and it is hard to go wrong with that light and cheap UL-51.  It is cheap enough that you can stomach him growing out of it in 6-9 months, whether it be due to physical growth or his swing speed jumping.

 

I try to get there with the Prodi g driver, but I can't discount both my kids' and a fellow forum member's (who sold it to me before we knew one another) kid who all tried it out but didn't keep it in the bag for any real amount of time.  At 15*, it's not a bad loft for your son.  The head is a bit heavy IMO for most kids under 9.  It's also too expensive, and prices on the used market have jumped on the old model with the introduction of the new model.

 

A 12.5 or 12* TS1 or TSi1 with an Air Speeder 35 rii/riii was a great driver for my son after we weeded through the Cobra f9 junior and Prodi g--they were just too heavy--when he was finished with the UL-51.  Another option is less conspicuous, but I believe it to be a superior product for smaller juniors than the Prodi g--the Ping GLe with the ULT 230 shaft.  It says it plays at a C4 swing weight (40g ULT shaft), but it sure seems lighter than that.  The original GLe is 11.5* adjustable up to 13*/down to 10*.  It is also blue and not pink, so it's not glaringly obvious he's playing a ladies club.  The driver, woods and hybrids are real sleepers, and viable step-ups from USKG UL or TS.  Here is one example at $168, and another example for $15 more in great condition with a headcover. 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 16, 2024 by MB19

[Gumpstress]

Thanks @MB19 ! Appreciate the experience. That’s where I am leaning…UL51 and waiting a few years. Much cheaper and can then get some other things this holiday…new bag, etc.

[MB19]

On 11/16/2024 at 7:29 AM, Gumpstress said:

Thanks @MB19 ! Appreciate the experience. That’s where I am leaning…UL51 and waiting a few years. Much cheaper and can then get some other things this holiday…new bag, etc.

I do highly recommend moving into the Tour Series irons as your 54" solution.  It will happen fast!

[Aggies087]

My kid got from Santa a set of Prodi Gs (all clubs but driver). Wow has been my (and his) first impression. He previously used Flynn irons, which he played great with, but the Pings are a step ahead imo. I had the set built at +0.5 inches, target height of 58 inches. He had previously played the Ping hybrid/FW, and this new generation is even a step better. Heck I typically carry my 6 iron ~190, with a club that is 3/4 inch longer than standard, and it is not my most consistent club. I started hitting his ping 6i on the LM and was getting a consistent 175 carry right down the middle....may need to get a set for myself 😁 (no joke though I am rethinking buying irons longer than standard now).

[Gumpstress]

So I waited until last week (my son won his final 6 YO USK event in Dec...FL State Champ)...but bought the new USK UL7 51" set.

Any advice on transitioning from 1 size to another across all clubs?  @MB19  

He loving the driver and hybrid.  But irons are a mix with comfort level so far.  Short irons he's hitting farther and getting comfortable quickly. Long irons (7 and 6)...not comfortable with length/weight yet.  

I assume we need to commit one way or the other...but have a big tournament in Jekyll in 3 weeks. But will be hitting the range/course 3x a week.

[MB19]

3 hours ago, Gumpstress said:

So I waited until last week (my son won his final 6 YO USK event in Dec...FL State Champ)...but bought the new USK UL7 51" set.

Any advice on transitioning from 1 size to another across all clubs?  @MB19  

He loving the driver and hybrid.  But irons are a mix with comfort level so far.  Short irons he's hitting farther and getting comfortable quickly. Long irons (7 and 6)...not comfortable with length/weight yet.  

I assume we need to commit one way or the other...but have a big tournament in Jekyll in 3 weeks. But will be hitting the range/course 3x a week.

Congrats on that win!  That's going to be a great memory forever.

 

My advice is going to be simple--make sure his clubs are the right size, and you have done that.  Your next set should see him graduating to a Tour Series set of irons, but that is probably next year.

 

About that 6 and 7i, don't worry about that too much for now.  Playing from 1300-1400yd, he's not going to need those clubs much at all.  My son carried a D, Hy, 7i, PW, LW, putter when he started USKG local events when he turned 7, but to be sure, every kid is different.  My daughter replaced her 7i with a 7h until she was 10.

 

Good luck at JI, and have fun!

[AndrewUK]

Sorry to jump on the back of this post but it feels relevant. My son is 7 and 50 inches tall.

 

He is very keen to move on from his US Kids UL48 driver and, after reading on here and stalking ebay a lot, I managed to make him a Callaway XR16 playing at 15.5 degrees (UL48 is 18 or 19 degrees).

 

Despite the XR16 being built a little longer (to UL51 length), he swings it quite a bit slower. Here are some typical swings:

 

<table>	Club Speed	Ball Speed	Carry	Total	Launch	Spin	Smash
US Kids UL 48	60.3	80.9	96.4	115.6	17.7	3157	1.341625207
Callaway XR16 15.5	55.9	78.6	9.7	109.1	17.5	3591	1.40608229
</table>

 

Apologies for poor formatting.

 

We will definitely stay with the UL48 for now. My question is, shortly when we need to have longer clubs, do you think he would be better going to the UL51  - this is my instinct as I'd rather him learn to swing something fast at this stage, the only issue is it is still 19 degrees of loft and this seems a lot for him.

 

Any other options I could consider? He hasn't played that seriously and started to play small club tournaments this spring but nothing serious.

 

Thanks