PING i20 vs Callaway FT Tour

[chrisgilly09]

Need help making choice on backup driver

Hi guys,

I'm currently gaming a Callaway FT Tour and it is without a doubt the greatest driver ever known to man. That being said lol, I keep cracking the heads and it is getting quite costly to replace them (no longer in stock/production so searching the internet and the used bin at the golf shops). I've always had an affinity with PING products and want to have a go at the i20 driver as I've heard lots of good feedback on it. My primary concern is with spin and my favorite shot is a mid-height bullet with the FT Tour, and want to work it both ways. Does anyone know if it can kill spin as well as the FT Tour does?

If not, what other heads out there do you think would suit me?

Specs:
FT Tour 8.5 Project X 6B7 (6.5 tipped to around 6.9)
SS: 115
Fast tempo

Thanks very much for all your help

[ahbot]

Yes i20 is a spin killer especially with the WB. I got the i20 10.5 w/WB 73s and it's a great set up. By far the best I have and I had the FT Tour in 3 different shafts. To me, the i20 was better with more forgiveness.

[radiman]

I find the Razr Fit to be just as hot as the FT Tour. Plus it is loads more forgiving. Personally I prefer the feel/sound of it more too. And I absolutely loved my FT Tour. I think the Fit is my new favorite though. With the AD DI 7 it is a beast. I haven't tried the stock shaft though.

[SuaSponteMn]

[quote name='chrisgilly09' timestamp='1332481545' post='4561412']
Hi guys,

I'm currently gaming a Callaway FT Tour and it is without a doubt the greatest driver ever known to man. That being said lol, I keep cracking the heads and it is getting quite costly to replace them (no longer in stock/production so searching the internet and the used bin at the golf shops). I've always had an affinity with PING products and want to have a go at the i20 driver as I've heard lots of good feedback on it. My primary concern is with spin and my favorite shot is a mid-height bullet with the FT Tour, and want to work it both ways. Does anyone know if it can kill spin as well as the FT Tour does?

If not, what other heads out there do you think would suit me?

Specs:
FT Tour 8.5 Project X 6B7 (6.5 tipped to around 6.9)
SS: 115
Fast tempo

Thanks very much for all your help
[/quote]

Don't want to be a party-pooper, because new and different clubs are by far the most fun, but wouldn't it make sense to find another FT Tour?

My experience with the i20? Looks incredible, but I spray it. Probably the length, weight, and shaft type, but the confidence is gone. I will be playing my older driver while I continue my search. Next up for me, 910D2...

[chrisgilly09]

[quote name='SuaSponteMn' timestamp='1332526742' post='4564104']

Don't want to be a party-pooper, because new and different clubs are by far the most fun, but wouldn't it make sense to find another FT Tour?

My experience with the i20? Looks incredible, but I spray it. Probably the length, weight, and shaft type, but the confidence is gone. I will be playing my older driver while I continue my search. Next up for me, 910D2...
[/quote]

No worries Sua, I'm looking for a few FT Tour heads as we speak. But like I said, they keep cracking on me, so if there was something that was as good but didn't have the same propensity to break, then I would be interested in it.

My club fitter said you give up a bit of distance for adjustability in the new drivers like the RAZR Fit because the hosel isn't 100% secure, also shaft spining/flowing problems. Is there any truth to this, because its essentially the reason I'm not looking at that driver right now. It looked very good to me

[FlopShotFred]

if you've cracked your ft tours through normal playing use, and they still have the stock shaft, they will replace it

[radiman]

[quote name='chrisgilly09' timestamp='1332528561' post='4564310']
[quote name='SuaSponteMn' timestamp='1332526742' post='4564104']
Don't want to be a party-pooper, because new and different clubs are by far the most fun, but wouldn't it make sense to find another FT Tour?

My experience with the i20? Looks incredible, but I spray it. Probably the length, weight, and shaft type, but the confidence is gone. I will be playing my older driver while I continue my search. Next up for me, 910D2...
[/quote]

No worries Sua, I'm looking for a few FT Tour heads as we speak. But like I said, they keep cracking on me, so if there was something that was as good but didn't have the same propensity to break, then I would be interested in it.

My club fitter said you give up a bit of distance for adjustability in the new drivers like the RAZR Fit because the hosel isn't 100% secure, also shaft spining/flowing problems. Is there any truth to this, because its essentially the reason I'm not looking at that driver right now. It looked very good to me
[/quote]


The shaft in the FIT does not rotate when you make an adjustment. I have been toying around with picking up an FT Tour on ebay just to have It is a great driver. hard to beat.

[FlopShotFred]

[quote name='FlopShotFred' timestamp='1332530048' post='4564458']
if you've cracked your ft tours through normal playing use, and they still have the stock shaft, they will replace it
[/quote]


ah, i see now in your original post that you've replaced the shafts...no such luck then

[cmusic]

[quote name='chrisgilly09' timestamp='1332528561' post='4564310']
.....

My club fitter said you give up a bit of distance for adjustability in the new drivers like the RAZR Fit because the hosel isn't 100% secure, also shaft spining/flowing problems. Is there any truth to this, because its essentially the reason I'm not looking at that driver right now. It looked very good to me
[/quote]

Your club fitter is totally wrong about adjustable clubs. I've had Callaway I-mix and currently have TM R11 and Titleist 910D3, 910F, and 910H. Out of six I-mix shafts I've owned, one had the shaft tip twist maybe 1/64" in the head, not the adapter on the shaft, making the shaft a little snug when unscrewing and removing it. I-mix shafts screwed in from the top of the adapter tip where as the RAZR Fit's adapter screws in from the bottom like the TM and Titleist clubs. I've [b][i][u]NEVER[/u][/i][/b] had one of my TM or Titleist shafts have a loose hosel if I properly screwed it in with the supplied torque wrench.

Adjustable clubs are more easily changed to fit your swing than glued clubs. Changing loft, head angle, head lie, swing weight, overall club weight, and shafts to match your swing is so much easier and quicker to do with adjustable drivers. A proper fitting with an adjustable club takes just a few minutes with a trained club fitter rather than a few hours (or longer) than trying to be fit to a glued club. Once you find your perfect settings you will be as long or maybe longer with an adjustable club over a glued club. Yes, with the wrong settings, I've lost distance. But when I went back to my fitted settings, I actually hit the ball farther and with more accuracy than with most glued drivers I've owned in the past.

And with adjustable clubs you can adjust the club to match playing conditions. Playing a hilly course or one with soft fairways? Just raise the loft a few degrees to maximize the carry distance. Playing a wide open course with hard fairways and some wind? Lower the loft to get a more penetrating trajectory and more roll. You can't do that with a glued club unless you adjust your swing (which might be outside of your skill level).

OTOH, Although Ping has not yet made an adjustable driver if the i20 is [u]properly fitted to your swing[/u], it will be an incredible club.

Edit: BTW I own an FT Tour and love it, but I hit my Titleist 910D just as far and with better accuracy.

[lukesmurf59]

the i20 is really solid but it didn't beat out the FT Tour for me. I just kill the thing. My two friends (one plays the i15) was blown away, we were hitting it on the range and they were both hitting every ball over the net and couldn't believe how good it was. I love it like a child.

[herkyjerk]

Can't compare it to the I20 but the G20 wasn't even close. FT Tour is such an underrated monster. You must have a gorilla swing to keep cracking them. I've had mine for over a year no issues. Not a gorilla though.

[chrisgilly09]

Lol Herkyjerk, I can move it a bit but I'm no gorilla. I honestly think it has more to do with how good the epoxy is on each club, quality control may have been a bit lacking with this particular series...regardless, the club is just so good that I can't use anything else

And thanks for allaying my fears about adjustable heads; the ones I hit before didn't do it for me, but maybe I need to look at them again for the future

[tomg1969]

It's pretty ugly but you should consider the Fast 12ls. Great ballspeed and very low spin

[radiman]

[quote name='tomg1969' timestamp='1332558728' post='4567648']
It's pretty ugly but you should consider the Fast 12ls. Great ballspeed and very low spin
[/quote]


From the pics I saw, I would have agreed, but I wagled one at the shop the other day, and it actually looks pretty good. i like the silver more than white. The head shape is very pleasing to the eye also.

[chrisgilly09]

Ok so I have the Fast12 to look at now, whaddya think about the Cleveland Classics? Seems to me like it is the real deal with regards to low spin/launch. Anyone else hit them?

[MtlJeff]

i've been using Callaway's for years and have never cracked one. I feel like i'm due....i got 3 fusion ones.

cmon 2012, this year i can do it!

Consider the Octane tour if you like Callaways and want to get something cheap. It's as good as almost anything i've hit

[onafriday]

I try all the ones I like the look of - the Fit, the 910, etc. .

Haven't found anything better than the FT Tour in terms of feel and performance.

Until now -

I went to a demo day and put my FT up against the i20. Found the FT to be superior on perfect strikes, but 99% of the time the i20 was better- it's just so much more forgiving. A real bomber. Misses are only negligibly affected by the i20, whereas the FT can be punishing when you're off a bit.