TaylorMade Stealth 2 vs Ping G430 Max Driver: Read Our Head-To-Head Verdict

TaylorMade Stealth 2 vs Ping G430 Max Driver: Read Our Head-To-Head Verdict

TaylorMade and Ping have been doing battle for years now. They are always facing off over distance and forgiveness and it was no different with this year's models. The Stealth 2 and the Ping G430 Max are two of the best drivers to come out in 2023 so it is only right that we pit them against each other to see which one comes out on top.

The Stealth 2 built-on the success of the original Stealth from last year and mainly looking to provide more forgiveness combined with distance, or 'Fargiveness' as the brand like to call it. The G430 Max is also designed to be ultra forgiving, prioritizing accuracy over distance off the tee. 

So we have put both through vigorous testing to let you know which is best and which of these two excellent drivers might suit your game better.

Technology

Regarding technology, TaylorMade is always up there with the new cutting-edge tech they bring to their drivers. Last year they introduced the CarbonWood era and they have continued to build upon that this year. For 2023 they have focused on refining the Stealth 2 to be more forgiving after listening to feedback from players who used the original Stealth last year.

To begin with, they have lightened the twist face by 2g and then increased the COR which allows for a larger sweet spot when striking all over the face. They have also boosted forgiveness with a change to ICT (Inverted Cone Technology) in the face which helps to boost ball speed and forgiveness on off-centre strikes. 

The final tech change for the Stealth 2 is the carbon-reinforced composite ring, which has allowed them to redistribute the weight and help optimize the centre of gravity for the driver. All of that helps to bring the driver's head into one singular force while freeing up more weight which leads to extra forgiveness being delivered.

Ping does not bring out a new driver every year so when they do it is usually full of upgrades and new tech to help make it better than previous models. This is no different with the G430 series that it has launched. The G430 Max is the continuation from the G425 Max, and is all about forgiveness. 

This driver has been used by numerous levels of golfers but for higher handicap players this driver has been a godsend, helping to keep them in play with its superior forgiveness.

One of the first tech updates is that they have shaved some meat off the face to make it thinner, giving it a shallower profile. With the variable face thickness you will get more flexing on impact, allowing for more speed and forgiveness on strikes. They have also introduced Spinsistency to the face which is a variable roll radius that helps with consistency in spin rate and carry distances. 

Ping have also put less loft lower down on the face, helping to increase ball speed and reduce distance loss when coming off lower in the face.

When it comes to technology it is clear to see that the Stealth 2 has had more work done, so in terms of tech and upgrades we think this round goes to the Stealth 2. However, another way to look at it is that Ping didn't need to make too many upgrades to the previous model so they were always going to introduce a little less tech than TaylorMade needed to. 

Looks

For these two drivers the main difference is in the looks. The G430 Max has a matte carbon-looking finish on the crown whereas the Stealth 2 has a shiny black gloss finish. We think the matte carbon look on the G430 looks better and also gives a more trusting feel at address. The Stealth 2 now looks less compact over the ball with a shinier red face and the gloss finish on top. 

The color scheme for the Stealth 2 has remained the same with the red and black, but the G430 color scheme has moved from the whiteish grey and black, to a white, green and black color scheme. It is nice to keep it fresh and change the color scheme but it isn't always necessary. 

We think the matte look at address for the original Stealth was a nicer aesthetic but it did make the driver look more compact and intimidating. The shiny gloss look on the Stealth 2 helps it to look more inviting but it does not look as aesthetically pleasing as the original Stealth.

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The bottom of each driver looks neater and less bulky than the previous models, making them more streamlined and faster. Overall the look of the G430 seems to be better here. That nice matte finish on top and the way it is more inviting at address just gives it the edge on the Stealth 2. The Carbonwood still looks slick with the red and black but the shiny finish just doesn't look great in our view.

Feel

The Stealth 2 has a powerful feel off the face with a nice muted sound at impact. The good thing is that this feeling is also shared when hitting it from all over the face, whereas in the previous model you sometimes didn't get that powerful feeling when not striking it clean out of the middle.

With the G425 model there were a few complaints on the sound that the driver made at impact, with some golfers feeling it was too high pitched and tinny. This is something Ping rectified in the new G430, giving it a solid feel but with control and a more muted sound. There is still a feel of power but not as much as you get with the Stealth or some of the best drivers for distance, however the Max is more about that forgiveness and control so this is to be expected.

Both of these drivers sound and feel great at impact anywhere on the face too, which is testament to the forgiveness both of these two drivers have.

Performance

For both of these drivers there were improvements in distance from their previous models and the spin increased slightly for both too. In distance the Stealth 2 beat the G430 Max by about 6 yards but the G430 Max has seen an increase of 5 yards itself from the G425. 

The Stealth 2 beat both the Stealth and Sim 2 in distance but it did have an increase of spin. This was not anything major in how it impacted the performance though. The main thing that could be noticed in testing was the ball flight. Even on off centre strikes we were getting consistent ball flights, showing how forgiving the Stealth 2 has become. The Stealth 2 only had fluctuations of spin at about 700rpm but in the original Stealth that was 1000rpm.

For the G430, Ping has managed to get more distance out of this driver while still maintaining a good level of forgiveness. The spin rate again has risen from the G425 but not drastically. We also saw the ball speed and club speed rise, which would help with the distance.

If you are looking for pure forgiveness of strike and if distance is not a priority then the G430 would win this. If you want to maximise distance while still getting some forgiveness, then the Stealth 2 tops the performance charts.

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose the Stealth 2 if..
- You want more distance
- You want more adjustability in loft
- You like a more compact head

Choose the G430 Max if...
- You favor more forgiveness
- You want more shot control
- You like a confidence instilling look at address