Review: Ping Prodi G junior golf set 2024

Ping Prodi G kids clubs review

Kids golf clubs. Even the thought of it gives me the shivers. This is not an easy world to navigate. In a world of package sets – all of which are perfectly fine in the grand scheme of things – there usually comes a time when mums and dads want to get a ‘better’ set of clubs for their future world No.1, and that’s when it gets difficult.

The big issue

I have always felt the gap from kids clubs to full on adult clubs has been too wide. On the one hand you have kids clubs with huge heads and funny-shaped clubfaces with weird face patterns… and then adult clubs. There isn’t really much of an in-between.

For the record, I have nothing against the current crop of kids clubs. The problem is, youngsters grow out of them very quickly. My son has had two sets of kids clubs in two years: one a proper kids set, the other a set of cobbled up hand-me-downs.

Hands me downs are great to get you started – but they’re too heavy all round, especially the irons. And the issue here is not just the heads, it’s the shafts. Combine both shaft and head and it’s a difficult one to get right.

What’s different about Prodi G?

Well aware that these problems exist, Ping have introduced a new ‘complete’ range of clubs for kids, the Prodi G range. Typical of this forward-thinking brand, they’ve also included a special online custom fitting hub, allowing you to choose the right clubs for your child based off a few simple criteria. The WebFit tech is incredibly easy to navigate and recommends club spec and set make-up based on the answers you give. Your child’s skill level is taken into account, plus their age, height, wrist-to-floor measurement and average driver distance. The latter might be hard to work out at first, but it’s best to get a rough idea at your local driving range. The data simply helps with gapping, so you don’t need to worry.

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What you get

The range includes driver, fairways, hybrids, irons, wedges and two putter options. There’s also a Ping Hoofer Prodi G carry bag as an option.

The set you will customise will include ten clubs with “proven technologies”, according to Ping. So what does that mean exactly? The driver, for example, is a 15 degree titanium model with a thinner, more flexible face area that encourages an increase in ball speed for more distance. The irons – which are typically Ping-looking – boast a lower CG than normal so your child can get the ball up quicker, and a little further. One noticeable standout is that these look and feel like genuinely premium clubs, so you’ll be more confident of paying the price (we’ll come to cost later). All Ping irons have a certain look, and the Prodi G set are no different.

Getting enjoyment

My 12-year-old son has always gone for hybrids at any opportunity because they are easier for him to hit. Now his new favourite club is a 6-iron. Ping boss John K Solheim said he believes if “juniors are exposed to better equipment, they’ll enjoy golf more” and I absolutely believe him. My son now wants to play regularly on a Monday night, is asking for more lessons, and has stolen my Masters towel.

A nice touch is the matching headcovers that are clearly made of proper material and not the flimsy product you see on other kids sets. Ping have not cut corners on the new range, and the price might suggest that.

So, here’s the full rundown on spec, including prices:

The Tech

Prodi G Driver

Head size/material: 460cc, Ti 8-1-1 head. Machined variable-thickness Ti 6-4 face

Loft: 15⁰

Standard length: 39.5″

Graphite shaft: PING Prodi G (R, S)

Grip: Lamkin ST Junior

RRP: £275

Prodi G Fairway Wood

Material: Machined, variable-thickness 17-4 SS face, 17-4 SS body

Loft: 22⁰

Standard length: 37.75″

Graphite shaft: PING Prodi G (R, S)

Grip: Lamkin ST Junior

RRP: £150

Prodi G Hybrid

Material: Machined, variable-thickness 17-4 SS face, 17-4 SS body

Loft: 28⁰

Standard length: 36.25″

Graphite shaft: PING Prodi G (R, S)

Grip: Lamkin ST Junior

RRP: £125

Prodi G Irons

Head material: 17-4 stainless steel, elastomer insert

Available: 6-iron (31⁰ loft, 34.125″ standard length), 7 (36⁰, 33.50″), 8 (41⁰, 33.00″), 9 (46⁰, 32.50″), PW (50⁰, 32.25″)

Graphite shaft: PING Prodi G (R, S)

Grip: Lamkin ST Junior

RRP: £90 per iron

Prodi G Wedges

Head material: 17-4 stainless steel, elastomer insert

Available: 54⁰ S (32.25″) and 58⁰ H (32.00″)

Graphite shaft: PING Prodi G (R, S)

Grip: Lamkin ST Junior

RRP: £90 per wedge

Prodi G Putters (Anser & Tyne H)

Head material/weight: 17-4 stainless steel, 320g blade/340g mallet

Two models: Classic, perimeter-weighted Anser; easy-to-align mallet-style Tyne H

Standard length: 29.50″

Shaft: Junior Steel (made by Nippon)

Grip: PING PP58

RRP: £95

In conclusion

Not exactly cheap, then, but not overly expensive either.

This is an investment, in my mind, for a few years. Here’s the good part. Ping know that buying kids clubs is risky, because there’s a high chance they could outgrow that purchase within a relatively short space of time. With the brand’s new Get Golf Growing concept, anyone who purchases five or more clubs in one transaction is eligible for adjustments down the line, such as re-shafting, lengthening, re-weighting and re-gripping. Now the price doesn’t become such a decision maker, because you won’t need to worry about buying another set down the line. So, on that front, the price is one of the big factors in why you should buy these clubs for your child.

Best golf clubs for kids on the market? It’s not even close. A slam dunk for Ping.

Find out more about Prodi G here.

If you liked my Ping G430 Max 10K driver review, make sure you check out the bunkered YouTube channel!