From 2020 to 2024, Hovland was a top-25 pilot every season courtesy of his Ping G425 LST. His comfort was the main reason it was so difficult for him to leave the now five-year club.
But in 2025, Hovland fell out of the top 80 and then out of the top 100 after the first four months of this season. This was despite previous attempts to switch to Ping’s new G440 line both last year and in his first tour start this season in Phoenix.
“I tried the new 440 last year because it’s faster,” Hovland said at the WM Phoenix Open, before putting the K in play for the first time. “The spin consistency from the face is a joke. If I heel or toe it with a 425, the spin discrepancy is too big. Like if I toe it, I can spin it under 2000. If I heel it, I can get up to 3000. Against the other 40 maybe a lot. 2600, so a big gap.
“However, the problem is that it launches a little higher for me. And for some reason, just with the setup I’ve been testing with, it tends to go a little more to the right. Right now, with my golf swing, when I get stuck, my miss is already a high right miss. If I hit this driver, it just accentuates.”
Starting at the Truist Championship and then continuing the following week at the PGA, Hovland began testing both G440 K AND G440 LST again. Ping Tour representative Kenton Oates initially thought the more forgiving K would get the nod, but as they continued, the LST had a clear advantage at the start line, just a touch fairer than the K.
Hovland also grew to like the LST better when they tested it with one Fujikura Ventus TR Black+ 6-X shaft, which has a stiffer midsection, more like the Speeder 661 TR shaft he sports on his 425. Ping has a very limited number of Speeders left for Hovland, so they only use them on 425 spare heads at this point.
“As he tightened up his upswing a little bit, it seemed to me like he was coming off the right starting line every time,” Oates told GOLF. “The TR Black Plus was a straight home run on paper because it should have taken the spin out of it and should have given it a better feel.”
After getting comfortable with the new build at home while taking three weeks off after the PGA, the new 440 LST was the only driver Hovland brought to Canada.
“That’s one way to go,” Oates joked. “Leave your security blanket in Oklahoma and call it a day.”
This week in River Highlands TPCHovland was first in SG:OTT and only lost 13 routes for the event. On both of his tee shots on the 18th hole — Sunday, then Monday morning in the playoff — he split the fairway, setting up for the clutch approach and the winning birdie putt in the playoff.
PING G440 LST Custom Driver
The G440 driver family (MAX, LST, SFT) is optimized to deliver more ball speed through numerous advancements, including PING’s deepest CG in a driver to date and a shallower, thinner face, while still providing the game-changing forgiveness expected of a PING driver. The G440 LST (Low Spin) design appeals to players with faster swing speeds, providing lower spin and more control at 9° and 10.5° loft with the three-position back weight. VERY FORGIVING Lighter head weight allows for more back weight. FASTER FACE Shallow, thinner face increases ball speed for more distance, higher release. SOUND DESIGN New moulding, carbon crown and internal ribs produce impactful silent experience. FREE-HOSEL DESIGN Saves weight to lower CG, increase forgiveness. Allows more heel-side face flex for consistent ball speed across the face.
