Everyone is excited about this unreleased driver from 2026

Heading into ClubTest 2026, I thought I had a pretty good idea of which 2026 driver I would like best.

But we started with Ping and their new G440 K driver threw a wrench into my and seemingly every other tester panelists’ ideas for their dream 2026 setups. And let’s be clear: it’s a great key.

We can’t go into details, but most of us are very excited about this driver.

On this week’s episode of GOLF’s Fully Equipped, co-hosts Johnny Wunder and Jake Morrow, who recorded live from the final day of our ClubTest 2026 fittings, talked about why – again, without sharing details – the G440 K could be the hottest driver of 2026.

PING G440 Max custom driver

The G440 driver family (MAX, LST, SFT) is optimized to deliver more ball speed through multiple improvements, including PING’s deepest center of gravity in a driver yet and a shallower, thinner face, while continuing to deliver the game-changing forgiveness expected from a PING driver. The G440 MAX is the most forgiving model and will suit most golfers; available in lofts of 9°, 10.5° and 12° with a three-position adjustable back weight. VERY FORGIVENESS A lighter head weight makes for a heavier back weight. FASTER FACE Shallow, thinner face increases ball speed for more distance and higher launch. SOUND DESIGN New shaping, carbon crown and internal ribs provide a dampened impact experience. FREE-HOSEL DESIGN Saves weight to lower the center of gravity and increase forgiveness. Provides more flex on the side of the face for consistent ball speed across the face.

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ALSO AVAILABLE AT: PGA Tour Superstore

“I think that driver will be some kind of cheat code,” Morrow said. “It’s the closest thing we have to a cheat code.”

What was most surprising is that many of us who tested the G440 K expected it to be a high-spin, high-forgiveness model like its predecessor, the G430 Max 10K. But that’s not exactly what it is.

“Anyone who’s afraid of that thing, over-turning or not, it doesn’t do anything,” Wunder said. “All he does is go into the middle of the fairway and it happens very quickly.”

The driver went on global tours in November and just bagged a season-ending victory from Lauren Coughlin at the Grant Thornton Invitational last weekend.

That’s two years in a row that Ping has won a late fall event with an unreleased driver.
Lauren Coughlin was the new thing in gaming @PingTour G440 K driver at Grant Thornton this week (photo of the sole was from last month’s The Annika)
Partner Andrew Novak also plays the G440 LST pic.twitter.com/JF0LJdXutF
— Jack Hirsh (@JR_HIRSHey) December 15, 2025

“I think you were there when I was hitting. I think I turned to someone and said, ‘This is not a Ping driver,'” Wunder said. “In terms of speed.”

“Anyone who’s going to do a driver fitting in 2026, if you don’t try the 440K, you’re an idiot. And take away what it looks like. It’s big and this and that and the other, but it sounds like an LST. It runs like an LST all over the face.”

TaylorMade Qi4D and Ping G440 K drivers. — How about new TaylorMade, Ping drivers on the USGA compliant list

By means of:

Jack Hirsch

Coughlin isn’t the only professional to get the new driver either. Charles Howell III also received the new 440 K and told Wunder about his experiences testing it.

“He calls me and says, ‘Pro, this thing is just spinning too much,’” Wunder recalls. “And I say, ‘Did you go down? What did you do?’

“It’s like, ‘No, I just got it in nine and flat.’

“And I say, ‘You’ve got to do some things about it.’ I said, ‘So you have to shift the weight to the toe, you know. You have to go down.’

“So he said, ‘I’ll just have Spencer send me a new one with some weight forward. So he got one with 10 grams of hot melt up front.'”

“And he called me last night when we were done. And he goes, ‘Holy s***, Pro, this thing is incredible!'”

For more information from Wunder and Morrow about the ClubTest 2026 experience, listen to the full episode of GOLF’s Fully Rested hereor watch it below.

Want to give your bag a makeover in 2025? Find a club fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

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