Trevor Ng
Ping, Inc. (stylized as PING) is an American sports equipment manufacturing company based in Phoenix, Arizona. It was founded by Norwegian golf club designer and businessman Karsten Solheim in 1959 and is currently led by his son, John K. Solheim, who serves as the company's president and CEO. PING operates as a subsidiary of Karsten Manufacturing Corporation and is known for its innovative golf equipment, including drivers, putters, irons, and other gear. The company has established itself as one of the top-selling golf club manufacturers globally, and its success can be attributed to its commitment to innovation and engineering excellence, and keeping the business within the Solheim family.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Company Name | Ping, Inc. (stylized as PING) |
| Type of Company | Private |
| Industry | Golf equipment manufacturing |
| Founder | Karsten Solheim |
| Year Founded | 1959 |
| Headquarters | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Founder's Occupation | Engineer at General Electric |
| Founder's Reason for Starting the Company | Frustration with the available golf equipment |
| Founder's Initial Approach | Making putters in his garage |
| Company's Current Scope | Golf clubs, club bags, headwear, gloves, travel gear, and accessories |
| Current Leadership | John K. Solheim (President and CEO) |
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What You'll Learn
Karsten Solheim founded Ping, Inc. in 1959
Karsten Solheim founded Ping, Inc. (stylized as PING) in 1959. Solheim was a Norwegian golf club designer and businessman. He founded the company in Redwood City, California, following a career as an engineer at the General Electric company. Frustrated with the equipment available at the time, he began making putters in his garage. The name "Ping" came from the sound that Solheim's first design, the 1A putter, made when it struck a ball.
Solheim's innovative spirit and engineering excellence helped his garage business grow into a global golf equipment powerhouse. He applied scientific principles to golf club design, which had previously been based largely on trial and error. He heat-treated clubheads to resist corrosion and added strength, allowing them to be adjusted for loft and lie so that the clubs could be custom-fitted to each customer's stance and swing.
In 1961, Solheim moved from California to Phoenix, Arizona, where the company would establish its permanent headquarters. Despite increasing sales of the Ping putter, he continued to create his designs single-handedly in his garage after leaving General Electric. He invented his first set of irons, which he named "69", and continued to experiment with heel-toe weighting and cavity-backed irons for added forgiveness.
In 1966, Solheim designed the legendary Anser putter, which has become one of the most successful and imitated putter designs in golf history. The USGA, golf's governing body, outlawed all Ping putters other than the Anser for tournament and handicap play due to a special bend in the shaft that gave players an advantage. However, this decision also brought greater publicity and sales as Julius Boros won the 1967 PGA Tour's Phoenix Open using the Anser putter.
Solheim incorporated Karsten Manufacturing Corporation (KMC) in 1967 and bought a building in Phoenix to expand his operations. He continued to innovate, introducing perimeter weighting and investment casting, which reduced costs and allowed better quality control for high-tech features. Ping was the first manufacturer to offer factory fitting and high-quality cast clubs, setting industry standards that other equipment manufacturers soon followed.
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Ping's headquarters are in Phoenix, Arizona
Ping, Inc. (stylized as PING) is a private American sports equipment manufacturing company. It focuses on golf equipment, including golf clubs and bags. Ping's headquarters are in Phoenix, Arizona, where the company has been based since 1961.
Karsten Solheim, the founder of Ping, was born in Norway and moved to the United States as a toddler. He founded the company in 1959, starting out by making putters in his garage in Redwood City, California. However, in 1961, he moved his business to Phoenix, Arizona, where he set up a factory for the Karsten Manufacturing Corporation (KMC), the maker of the Ping brand of clubs.
The name "Ping" came from the distinctive "ping" sound that Solheim's first putter design, the 1A, made when it struck the ball. This putter was unique because Solheim attached the shaft in the centre of the blade rather than at the heel, transferring much of the weight of the club head to the perimeter.
Ping's headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, are located in a series of nondescript, sunbaked buildings off I-17. The company has remained true to its family-owned roots, with Solheim's son, John, taking over as president and CEO. John K. Solheim, the current president and CEO, has stated that the company's commitment to innovation and engineering excellence remains as strong today as it was when his grandfather started the company.
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Ping's products include golf clubs, bags, and accessories
Ping, Inc. (stylized as PING) is an American sports equipment manufacturing company that produces golf equipment, including golf clubs and bags. The company was founded by Karsten Solheim, an engineer at the General Electric company. Solheim started making putters in his garage in Redwood City, California, in 1959. The name "PING" came from the sound the clubhead made when striking the ball.
Solheim's putters gained popularity, and he continued to innovate with his designs, creating his first set of irons in 1961, which he named "69". In 1966, he sketched a design for a new putter on the dust cover of a 78 RPM record, which was named the "Anser". This putter brought major success to the company, as it was used by Julius Boros to win the PGA Tour's Phoenix Open in 1967.
Following this victory, Solheim resigned from General Electric and established the Karsten Manufacturing Corporation (KMC), makers of the Ping brand of clubs, in Phoenix, Arizona. Ping continued to innovate and was the first manufacturer to offer high-quality cast clubs using investment casting, reducing costs and improving quality control. They also introduced the practice of custom fitting, allowing clubs to be adjusted for loft and lie to match the customer's stance and swing.
Ping's product line includes golf clubs, bags, headwear, gloves, travel gear, and accessories. They have also branched out into other golf-related business activities, such as Solheim Engineering and Dolphin Inc. The company has faced challenges, such as USGA rulings that impacted the design of their clubs, but they have persevered and continued to be a top golf equipment manufacturer.
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Ping's success is due to its innovative engineering and marketing
Ping, Inc. (stylized as PING) is an American sports equipment manufacturing company that focuses on golf equipment. Its success can be attributed to its innovative engineering and marketing strategies.
Ping was founded by Karsten Solheim, a Norwegian golf club designer and businessman. Solheim was an engineer at General Electric and started making putters in his garage in 1959 out of frustration with the equipment available at the time. He applied scientific principles to golf club design, which was previously based on trial and error, and his innovative spirit led to the creation of the iconic PING 1A putter, named after the distinctive "ping" sound it made at impact.
Solheim's engineering skills and innovative approach to club design resulted in several breakthroughs. He heat-treated clubheads to resist corrosion and add strength, allowing them to be adjusted for loft and lie. This meant that the clubs could be custom-fitted to individual customers' stances and swings, a practice that became known as the Ping Color Code Fitting System. Solheim also introduced perimeter weighting and investment casting, which reduced costs, improved quality control, and allowed for manufactured fitting. These innovations became industry standards, and other manufacturers soon followed suit.
Ping's success was further propelled by effective marketing and strong relationships with professional golfers. They updated their marketing approach with bolder designs and added broadcast advertisements. They also sponsored LPGA tournaments and created the Solheim Cup, a biennial tournament between women professionals from Europe and the United States. Notable brand ambassadors include Tony Finau, Viktor Hovland, and LPGA stars Brooke Henderson and Leona Maguire.
Ping's commitment to innovation and engineering excellence has been a driving force in its success. The company continues to push the boundaries of golf equipment technology, maintaining the quality and attention to detail that have been associated with the PING brand for over 60 years.
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Ping remains a family-owned business
Ping, Inc. (stylized as PING) is an American sports equipment manufacturing company based in Phoenix, Arizona. It was founded in 1959 by Karsten Solheim, a Norwegian golf club designer and businessman. Solheim was an engineer at General Electric and started making putters in his garage in Redwood City, California. Frustrated with the equipment available at the time, he applied scientific principles to golf club design, which had previously been based on trial and error.
Solheim moved his business out of his garage and into a factory in 1967, establishing the Karsten Manufacturing Corporation (KMC), the maker of the Ping brand of clubs. Despite this expansion, the company has remained true to its family-owned roots. Solheim's youngest son, John, took over as president of the company in the late 1980s when his father developed Parkinson's disease. John K. Solheim, the current president and CEO of Ping, has stated that the company remains committed to innovation and engineering excellence, just as it was when his grandfather started the company.
Ping has since become one of the top-selling club manufacturers in golf, with a focus on drivers, putters, and irons. They were the first manufacturer to offer high-quality cast clubs using investment casting, which reduced costs and allowed for better quality control. They also introduced the practice of custom fitting, allowing customers to obtain exact replacements for their clubs.
The Solheim family's involvement in the company extends beyond ownership and management. They have also been involved in golf course development and tournament sponsorship. Karsten Solheim was the driving force behind the creation of the Solheim Cup, a biennial tournament between teams of women professionals from Europe and the United States, first played in 1990. The family has also donated millions of dollars to golf courses at Arizona State University and Oklahoma State University and sponsored LPGA tournaments in Oregon, Arizona, and Massachusetts.
Ping's success and longevity can be attributed to its commitment to innovation and engineering excellence, and its strong roots as a family-owned business. With each generation, the Solheim family has steered the company towards continued success and maintained its reputation as a leading golf equipment manufacturer.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Ping Golf is a private company. It is a family-owned business founded by Karsten Solheim and currently run by his son, John K. Solheim.
The name "Ping" came from the sound that Solheim's first putter design, the 1A putter, made due to its hollow midsection.
Ping Golf was founded in 1959 by Karsten Solheim, who started making putters in his garage in Redwood City, California.
Ping Golf manufactures and sells golf clubs, club bags, headwear, gloves, travel gear, and accessories.
Ping Golf is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
