Updated February 18, 2025. This article was thoroughly audited by multiple golf experts and coaches for its accuracy. You can read more about our rigorous testing protocol here.
The Ping G440 Fairway Wood has arrived on the scene in a sleek, formidable design for mid-to-high handicappers.
Building on the success of the G430 series, this latest model promises enhanced forgiveness without sacrificing the workability that advanced players need for their game.
With a redesigned face and taller profile, the real question lies in how these technological advances translate to performance on the course.
Golfers also have to account for a price point hovering around $300, so does the G440 deliver enough to justify its position among the elite fairway woods of 2025?
In our Ping G440 Max Fairway Wood review, we’ll answer these pressing questions, plus give you a first-hand look at our reactions after playing a few rounds with the club.
Ping G440 Max Fairway Wood
Best Ping Fairway Wood for Mid Handicappers
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Specifications
- Loft: 15°, 17°, 19°, 21°
- Lie: 58°-61°
- Shaft Length: 42”-43”
- Swing Weight: D2
Pros
- Exceptional spin control across the face
- Adjustable hosel sleeve offers precise trajectory control
- Better ball speeds on off-center strikes
Cons
- Premium price tag may deter buyers
- Taller head isn’t for everyone
The Ping G440 Max Fairway Wood introduces several technological advancements focused on improving performance and consistency.
The redesigned face features a higher profile that helps maintain ball speeds on off-center hits while increasing launch at impact.
The adjustable Trajectory Tuning 2.0 hosel system offers eight distinct positions for loft and lie adjustments, accommodating various swing types and desired trajectories.
The CarbonFly Wrap Crown creates a deep center of gravity that promotes higher launch conditions and increased MOI. These features work together to generate more consistent ball speeds and tighter dispersion.
High handicappers will certainly benefit from the club’s enhanced forgiveness on miss-strikes and the face’s higher launch helps get the ball airborne from various lies.
Mid-handicappers can take advantage of the adjustable hosel to optimize their trajectory and shot shape.
Better players will appreciate the club’s workability despite its forgiving design, particularly the ability to fly shots lower when needed and manipulate trajectory through the hosel adjustments.
Ping G440 Max Fairway Wood Features
Taller, Optimized Face
The Ping G440 Max Fairway Wood features a taller, optimized face engineered for superior ball striking. This design increases the hitting zone, boosting forgiveness and enhancing launch consistency.
It delivers powerful, high-trajectory shots, ensuring confidence on every swing—even from challenging lies or long-distance approaches.
Carbonfly Wrap Crown
The innovative Carbonfly Wrap Crown reduces weight and redistributes mass for unmatched stability.
By lowering the center of gravity, the crown promotes higher launch angles and increased ball speed.
This lightweight yet durable material enhances control and improves overall performance, making your long-game performance more precise and effective.
Contoured Sole Design
The contoured sole design ensures seamless turf interaction and exceptional versatility.
This feature improves playability across various lies, allowing golfers to maintain control and precision in both fairway and through light rough.
By boosting glide through impact, the sole helps you execute clean, confident shots with improved consistency.
Our In-Depth Ping G440 Max Fairway Wood Review
Looks
We immediately noticed the G440 Max’s taller profile compared to last year’s model.
While the Ping G430 Max Fairway featured a broader footprint that some found clunky at address, this new model strikes a more balanced appearance.
The matte black crown retains Ping’s signature look but with a refined design.
We also appreciate how the slightly shortened front-to-back head shape creates a more confidence-inspiring setup position without sacrificing forgiveness.
The face depth appears marginally deeper than the G430 Max, which many players will welcome.
Premium touches like the subtle alignment aid and sophisticated carbon fiber checkerboard elevate the club’s overall look and appeal.
Feel
We found the G440 Max offers a more responsive sensation at impact than the G430 Max, which some players criticized for feeling slightly thin and hollow.
The new internal ribbing structure provides exceptional feedback, allowing us to distinguish center strikes from off-center ones immediately.
Despite being a “Max” model focused on forgiveness, there are none of the disconnected sensations often associated with high-MOI fairway wood designs.
The feel through the turf is notably improved, with less drag than its predecessor. We particularly appreciate how the club maintains its solid feel even on thin strikes.
For advanced players, the thinner back helps with workability as it plays similarly to a hybrid in terms of feel.
Sound
We were immediately struck by the G440 Max’s more muted acoustic profile.
Where the G430 Max produced a somewhat higher-pitched ‘ping’ at impact, this new model delivers a deeper, more satisfying ‘thwack.’
The design team clearly focused on sound optimization, as we detected none of the hollow noise that occasionally hurt last year’s G430 Fairway.
The sound remains remarkably consistent across the face, which helps instill confidence after just a few dozen swings.
We found the acoustic feedback particularly helpful for gauging strike quality without being overly harsh on off-center strikes.
Experienced players will feel there’s more of a flatter, unassuming sound at impact, something that works well with their overall game.
Performance
We put the G440 Max through extensive testing and discovered several improvements over last year’s model.
The most notable enhancement is spin reduction. In comparable course conditions, we found the G440 routinely generated about 300 RPM less spin than the G430 Max.
This translates to noticeably more roll-out, which is particularly helpful with firmer turf.
The forgiveness also impressed us, with heel and toe strikes maintaining better ball speed than the previous Ping fairway wood.
We found the adjustable hosel particularly useful for fine-tuning trajectory, offering effective loft customization for increased workability.
Launch conditions were consistent, even with slight variations in attack angle. The taller face we mentioned earlier boosts performance on thinner strikes coming lower off the face.
What truly sets this club apart is its versatility. While the G430 Max excelled primarily on perfect lies, it also shined on tight lies, rough surfaces, and even off-course surfaces such as hardpan dirt.
Ball speed across the face was an improvement over the G430 Max Fairway, which could help you finally reach that par 5 in two.
Other Models Available
Ping offers six alternate editions of its new 2025 fairway wood, the G440 Max.
Four additional fairway wood models of the G440 are available for men, with two more options from this line available for women golfers.
These alternate fairway woods help various players increase their slice correction and assist lower-handicap golfers with enhanced workability.
Ping G440 Max SFT Fairway Wood
Best Draw-Bias Ping G440 Fairway Wood
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Specifications
- Loft: 15°, 17°, 19°, 22°
- Lie: 58°-61°
- Shaft Length: 42”-43”
- Swing Weight: D0
Pros
- Effectively reduces slice on off-center strikes
- Promotes natural draw ball flight
- Extra forgiveness toward the heel
Cons
- Difficult to hit fades, best for high handicappers
Built for slice correction, the G440 SFT (Straight Flight Technology) Fairway features heel-biased weighting and a slightly closed face angle.
Additional draw bias comes from internal weighting to help with minimizing side spin.
Perfect for players fighting a slice or wanting to promote a draw, this model offers the same forgiveness as the standard Max with approximately 12 yards more right-to-left correction.
Ping G440 LST Fairway Wood
Best Ping G440 Fairway Wood for Low Handicappers
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Specifications
- Loft: 15°, 19°
- Lie: 58°-61°
- Shaft Length: 42.5”-43”
- Swing Weight: D3
Pros
- Penetrating flight in strong winds
- Excellent control for better players
- Reduced spin helps maximize roll out
Cons
- Much higher price point
The Low Spin Technology (LST) version delivers a penetrating flight with approximately 400 RPM less spin than the standard Max.
Its forward CG position and flatter launch suit experienced golfers seeking workability.
The LST version is ideal for high-speed swingers wanting to minimize spin or those fighting high spin in windy conditions.
Ping G440 Max HL Fairway Wood
Best Ping G440 Fairway Wood for High Handicappers
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Specifications
- Loft: 15°, 17°, 19°, 21°, 24°
- Lie: 58°-61°
- Shaft Length: 41.5”-43”
- Swing Weight: D2
Pros
- Easiest G440 Max Fairway to get airborne
- Maximum carry distance for average swings
- Very forgiving with a taller face to maximize contact
Cons
- Limited workability with added loft
The High Launch Fairway (HL) features a deeper CG and 1.5° more loft than the standard. Progressive face heights across the set help optimize launch conditions.
It is best suited for moderate swing speed players seeking maximum carry distance and steeper entry into greens for better stopping power on approach shots.
Ping G440 SFT HL Fairway Wood
Best Ping G440 Fairway Wood for Senior Golfers
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Specifications
- Loft: 17°, 19°, 22°
- Lie: 58°-61°
- Shaft Length: 42”-43”
- Swing Weight: D0
Pros
- Helps slower swingers eliminate their slice
- Higher flight than standard SFT
- Great from rough and poor lies
Cons
- Shot shaping is limited due to the design
The SFT HL Fairway combines slice correction with high launch features, offering heel weighting and additional loft.
The higher launch angle pairs with draw bias for maximum carry distance, making it perfect for slower-speed senior golfers fighting a slice who need help getting the ball airborne.
Ping G440 Max HL Women’s Fairway
Best Women’s Ping G440 Fairway Wood
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Specifications
- Loft: 15°, 17°, 19°, 21°
- Lie: 58°-61°
- Shaft Length: 42”-43”
- Swing Weight: D2
Pros
- Ultra lightweight promotes faster speeds
- Custom flex patterns maximize launch
- Optimized grip size improves control
Cons
- Less stability in windy conditions
Specifically engineered with lighter overall weight and softer flex profiles. Features the same high-launch characteristics as the standard HL but with lighter swing weights and modified grip sizes.
Optimized for players with swing speeds under 85 mph seeking maximum carry distance.
Ping G440 SFT HL Women’s Fairway Wood
Best Women’s Draw Bias Ping G440 Fairway Wood
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Specifications
- Loft: 17°, 19°, 22°
- Lie: 58°-61°
- Shaft Length: 41”-42”
- Swing Weight: D0
Pros
- Highest launching anti-slice fairway wood for women
- Lighter weight helps generate speed
- Superior performance from fairway lies
Cons
- Too much correction for some players
Ping’s most specialized fairway wood for women combines lighter overall weight with both slice correction and high launch features.
Its ultra-light design with draw bias helps produce right-to-left ball flight for golfers with slower swing speeds. This wood is ideal for players fighting
Our Verdict
The Ping G440 Max Fairway Wood impresses with its forgiving design and performance.
Its lightweight construction and adjustable features make it ideal for mid-handicappers but accessible for all golfers. It provides both distance and accuracy in equal measure.
The G440 Max’s expanded sweet spot enhances its stability, helping reduce miss-strikes and improving consistency.
Additionally, the aerodynamic shape increases clubhead speed for better ball flight and a lower, more penetrating flight that maximizes length.
The adjustable hosel is a valuable feature for customization, allowing golfers to fine-tune loft and lie angles to get that ideal shot shape that fits their game.
Overall, the Ping G440 Max Fairway Wood delivers exceptional first-rate performance, making it a top choice this year for those seeking reliability and distance from the tee box and off the short grass of the fairway.