Miles Bennett
Ping, Inc. (stylized as PING) is an American sports equipment manufacturing company based in Phoenix, Arizona. It was founded by Karsten Solheim, an engineer at the General Electric company, in 1959. Solheim started making putters in his garage in Redwood City, California, out of frustration with the difficulties of putting with the equipment available at the time. The name PING came from the sound the clubhead makes when striking the ball. By the end of 1960, Solheim had six designs and had made over 2,000 putters in his garage. The company would go on to become a pioneer in the golf equipment industry, with its innovations becoming industry standards.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Company Name | Ping, Inc. (stylized as PING) |
| Founder | Karsten Solheim |
| Year Founded | 1959 |
| Headquarters | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Industry | Golf equipment manufacturing |
| Products | Golf clubs, golf bags |
| Initial Years | Operated from Solheim's garage |
| First Product | "PING 1A" putter |
| Product Innovation | Applied scientific principles to golf club design, focusing on perimeter weighting |
| Product Popularity | Used by PGA Tour winners and top players in the 1960s |
| Product Names | "Anser", "69", "Bergen" |
| Industry Impact | Set industry standards with its innovations |
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What You'll Learn
PING's origins in Karsten Solheim's garage
Karsten Solheim, born in Bergen, Norway, founded Ping, Inc. (stylized as PING) in 1959. Solheim was a mechanical engineer and inventor with a passion for golf. He founded the company, better known by the name of PING, following a career as an engineer at the General Electric company.
Solheim's journey with golf began humbly. In his first-ever game, he missed putt after putt. Unlike other golfers, he blamed the club instead of his technique. This sparked his journey with club design. He started experimenting with different designs, and in 1959, he designed the 1A model in his garage in Redwood City, California. This putter looked nothing like the golf world had ever seen. The head was made from a material never used before in club-making, with the face floating, attached only at the heel and toe.
Solheim's innovative spirit led to the development of the PING Anser, a design that remains iconic in golf equipment. The name "PING" came from the sound the putter made when striking the ball. By the end of 1960, Solheim had six designs, intentionally muffled the "ping", and had made over 2,000 putters in his garage. In 1961, the Solheims moved from Redwood City, California, to Phoenix, Arizona, where the company is still based today.
In 1967, Solheim resigned from General Electric to develop the PING company. He applied scientific principles to golf club design, which had previously been based on trial and error. He transferred much of the weight of the clubhead to the perimeter, revolutionizing the modern golf club. Solheim set high standards for design and quality, laying the foundation for a global company that would forever change the ways golf clubs are designed, manufactured, and assembled.
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The science behind PING's club design
Ping, Inc. (stylized as PING) is an American sports equipment manufacturing company that was founded by Karsten Solheim, an engineer at the General Electric company. Solheim started making putters in his garage in California in 1959. He applied scientific principles to golf club design, which was previously based on trial and error.
Solheim's engineering background helped him transfer much of the weight of the club head to the perimeter. This innovation in heel-toe weighting improved the clubs' forgiveness, allowing for more accurate shots even when the ball wasn't struck perfectly in the centre of the clubface. The name "PING" came from the distinctive sound that Solheim's clubs made when striking the ball. This unique sound was a 440-pitch ring, similar to the pitch used in tuning pianos.
Solheim's early designs, such as the "PING 1A", featured a unique attachment of the shaft in the centre of the blade rather than at the heel, which contributed to the distinct sound and feel of the clubs. The company's first major innovation was the "Anser" putter, designed in 1966 and named by Solheim's wife, Louise. This putter gained widespread popularity and helped establish PING as a leading golf equipment manufacturer.
PING continued to build on its success with further innovations, such as the introduction of irons based on the principle of perimeter weighting in 1969. This design philosophy, pioneered by Solheim, became an industry standard, with other manufacturers following suit. PING was also the first company to offer factory fitting, providing a variety of clubheads in different lies and offsets to cater to golfers' unique needs and preferences. The K1 stainless cast steel iron set, introduced in the 1960s, was another significant innovation, combining reduced costs with better quality control for high-tech features.
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PING's rise in popularity
Ping, Inc. (stylized as PING) is an American sports equipment manufacturing company that was founded by Karsten Solheim, an engineer at the General Electric company. Frustrated with the equipment available at the time, Solheim began working on his own putters in 1959, and in the same year, he invented his first set of irons, which he named "69".
Solheim's innovative approach to golf club design, applying scientific principles to the process, soon paid off. In 1962, John Barnum won the Cajun Classic Open Invitational on the PGA Tour using a PING club, marking the company's first victory. PING putters gained further exposure and popularity in 1965 when many top players used them during the televised Golf World Cup in Japan.
PING's breakthrough came with the "Anser" putter, named by Solheim's wife, Louise. In 1967, the Anser putter received its patent, and that same year, Julius Boros won the PGA Tour's Phoenix Open using this putter. This victory brought acceptance and propelled PING into the mainstream. Solheim resigned from General Electric and established the Karsten Manufacturing Corporation (KMC), makers of the Ping brand, in Phoenix, Arizona.
PING continued to innovate and introduce new products, such as irons based on perimeter weighting in 1969, which quickly became successful. Other manufacturers followed PING's lead, turning their innovations into industry standards. PING has maintained its prominence in the golf equipment market, with endorsement deals with top professional golfers and a strong reputation for custom fitting and quality.
In recent years, Ping has experienced a surge in demand for its products, particularly with the launch of the G425 line. The increased demand during the pandemic and the success of the G425 products in tournaments led to a significant increase in orders. To meet this demand, Ping executives and employees, including President John K. Solheim, volunteered to work overtime on production lines, ensuring the company could deliver its sought-after golf clubs to the market.
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PING's acceptance by the golfing community
Karsten Solheim, an engineer at General Electric, founded Ping, Inc. (stylized as PING) in 1959. The name "Ping" came from the sound Solheim heard when the metal struck the ball. The company's first product, the "PING 1A" putter, was invented out of Solheim's frustration with the equipment available at the time. He applied scientific principles to golf club design, which had previously been based on trial and error, transferring much of the weight of the club head to the perimeter.
The first PGA Tour victory using a PING club came in 1962 at the Cajun Classic Open Invitational, won by John Barnum. PING putters gained further popularity at the 1965 Golf World Cup, where many top players used them during the televised event in Japan. In 1967, Julius Boros won the PGA Tour's Phoenix Open using Solheim's "Anser" putter, further increasing the brand's acceptance within the golfing community. That same year, Solheim resigned from General Electric, moved his business from his garage to a factory, and established the Karsten Manufacturing Corporation (KMC), maker of the Ping brand of clubs in Phoenix, Arizona.
The patent for the PING Anser putter was granted on March 21, 1967, and the first major championship victory using a PING putter came in 1969 at the Masters. That same year, Ping introduced irons based on the same principle of perimeter weighting, which quickly became successful. Other golf equipment manufacturers soon followed Ping's innovations, which became industry standards. Today, Ping has maintained endorsement deals with many professional golfers playing on leading tours, including Tony Finau, Viktor Hovland, Louis Oosthuizen, and Bubba Watson, among others.
Over the years, Ping has established itself as a trusted name among golfers worldwide, known for its commitment to innovation, quality, and performance. The brand has evolved beyond just a product offering, becoming a community of golf enthusiasts united by shared values and a love for the game. Ping's engineering and design principles have set the standard for golfing hardware, clothing, and accessories, with a focus on respecting the timeless traditions of the game while also incorporating the latest technologies to enhance performance and style.
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PING's influence on the golf equipment industry
Ping, Inc. (stylised as PING) is an American sports equipment manufacturing company based in Phoenix, Arizona. It was founded by Karsten Solheim, an engineer at the General Electric company, in 1959. Solheim began making putters in his garage in Redwood City, California, out of frustration with the equipment available at the time. He invented a new putter, the "
Solheim's engineering background led him to apply scientific principles to golf club design, which had previously been largely based on trial and error. This approach resulted in innovations such as transferring the weight of the club head to the perimeter and offering factory fitting, with a variety of clubheads in different lies and offsets. Ping was the first manufacturer to offer high-quality cast clubs using investment casting, which reduced costs, improved quality control, and enabled better weight distribution in club heads.
Ping's innovations became industry standards, with other golf equipment manufacturers quickly following suit. The company continued to introduce new products, such as the K1 stainless cast steel iron set in the 1960s and irons based on perimeter weighting in 1969. The popularity of Ping clubs grew as they were used by top players in tournaments, with the first PGA Tour victory using a PING club occurring in 1962, and the first major championship win in 1969.
Today, Ping remains a family-owned business, with Karsten's descendants continuing his legacy of innovation and engineering excellence. The company has established itself as one of the top-selling club manufacturers in golf, with a range of equipment including drivers and putters. Ping's influence on the golf equipment industry is undeniable, with its pioneering spirit and commitment to improving golfers' performance leaving a lasting impact on the sport.
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Frequently asked questions
Ping Golf, or PING, is an American sports equipment manufacturing company that focuses on golf equipment, producing golf clubs and golf bags.
The name "Ping" came from the sound that founder Karsten Solheim heard when the metal struck the ball.
The first Ping golf club was the "PING 1A", which was invented by Solheim in his garage in Redwood City, California.
Ping Golf was founded in 1959 by Karsten Solheim, who started making putters in his garage.
