The first major championship to be won using a ping putter came in 1969 at the. The popularity of this putter led to a new company called ping golf and allowed solheim to develop several other revolutionary ideas in golf design that have become nearly universal in the industry. The blade design and medium head weight make this putter proficient from any distance. Ping anser experts question if this a rare ping answer. In 1959, he started making putters in his garage in redwood city, california. The scottsdale anser was produced from february 7, 1966 unbl shortly after the anser design patent 207,227 was granted on march 21, 1967. Ping was founded by karsten solheim, following a career as an engineer at the general electric company. In the recent past, one could argue that nonsexy functional is a nonflattering, but fair way to label ping. Ping is a familyowned manufacturer that produces clubs, bags and other gear for the sport of golf. Solheim named president of ping and the putter wentping is a new book chronicling the rich history of ping. Ping releases deepdive book about its company history golf digest. The ping karsten tr putter line consists of 5 different models. Brian hill is the author of four popular business and finance books.
New book on ping golf reveals inside look at company history and. With a deadline looming to get the design to the engravers shop, louise then said, leave out the w. He moved to phoenix, arizona, several years later and in 1966 his company produced the anser putter, which became one of the most popular putter designs in golf history. The putter has a label below the grip which says heeltoe balance,karsten mfg. Named after karsten solheim, pings founder who passed away in 2000, the putters bring a new finish and design to some. According to ping, based on the cavity stamp, the putter gore uses on a weekly basis is an original scottsdale anser that was likely made in karsten solheims garage in 1966 although ping can. Even though the company has been around barely 50 years. Ping history ping reached a major milestone in 1999 as it celebrated 50 years of innovation in golf. Unfollow ping anser putters to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. Ping consistently manufactures clubs, putters included, for all skill levels of golfers. Ping releases new book and the putter went ping golfweek. The popularity of this putter led to a new company called ping golf and allowed solheim to develop. Most of the models are identified by photograph and stamp wording, which will allow you to know whether yours is one of the valuable early models.
Later they started using stainless and becu in select models in volume. The history on ping s site isnt even as complete as many of the books and they arent complete. Golfers throughout history have had a lovehate relationship with their putters. Karsten liked the name, but felt it would be too long to fit on the putter. Karsten solheim started the company in the late 1960s by making putters for himself, gradually making more for production as they gained popularity. Aug 27, 2005 virtually every putter in the 60s was made of those three materials with 99.
Mar 31, 2014 whilst they may look like putters from their famed gold putter vault, the ping karsten tr putters are in fact for use on the course. Ping has continued that tradition of industryleading putter technology into the present day. Apr 04, 2008 it wasnt until 1967 that he resigned from ge to start karsten manufacturing, the parent company of the ping brand, so named for the ping sound of the putter upon contact. If you have karsten putter, and you love it, dont feel slighted. Slazengernickalus had distribution right in canada and europe in. The idea came to him, as inspiration often does, in a flash. I have a karsten 1959 anser x that is a joy to roll. The anser went on to become the winningest putter in golf history, with more than 500 tour wins, including 19 mens major championships. Ping zing, one of the greatest putters of all time in my book.
Nearly 1,000 pictures, many neverbefore published, provide a visual history of the. Last year ping celebrated the 50th anniversary of the anser putter. There is a wealth of knowledge contained in the book about the early ping models from the ping 1a to the early ansers. Honestly, it looks like a clear plastic insert with ping written on it was placed in the middle of a solid steel blade putter. Solheim moved the shaft off the heel, created a gooseneck style hosel, and introduced the putting world to toeheel weighting. I just think that its lack of sexy keeps it from getting more time in my bag. How the ping anser putter, one of the most iconic clubs in. However with the karsten tr anser 5 the face and clubhead felt very. A, the grip is black,golf pride, ping putter, made in u. Unlike the ping scottsdale tr putters that have a groovedface insert, or the. Definitely a putter from a different time, but i dont think it will command big bucks. Today, ping putters have several designs and features.
It is an older putter which sported the isopur insert. That is the canvas karsten solheim, a norwegianborn engineer who. The ping karsten anser 2i putter is pings prototypical blade putter. Ping anser 3 putter golf club for sale online ebay.
So when an mgs reader sent us this copy of a ping putter collectors manual from a popular putter forum called. Named after karsten solheim, ping s founder who passed away in 2000, the putters bring a new finish and design to some of one of their most successful and trusted putter models. Apr 24, 2017 and the putter went ping is packed with nearly 1,000 photographs, details the conception and execution of the iconic anser putter and eye2 irons, and covers the square groove debate from the. The anser putter began a long and proud history of truly innovative equipment design throughout pings entire product line ultimately resulting in over 400 patents that has. The 530page, 16chapter book captures karstens pioneering spirit and his amazing.
They are just not a flashy company, especially compared to some these days. Whilst they may look like putters from their famed gold putter vault, the ping karsten tr putters are in fact for use on the course. Today, the anser putter has claimed over 500 professonai tournament victories since and claimed the title as the first ping putter to win a major at the 1969 masters. Seven years after designing the original ping putter, its creator, karsten solheim, designed the ping anser putter.
In 1959, a man working in his california garage changed the face of the golf industry. It takes readers behind the scenes of a genuine american success story that began in the family garage of karsten solheim, a norwegian immigrant and mechanical engineer who invented the ping putter in 1959. Ping putters started with the most recognizable and used putter shapes in history, the anser. And the putter went ping is packed with nearly 1,000 photographs, details the conception and execution of the iconic anser putter and eye2 irons, and covers the square groove debate from the. A new book about ping takes an indepth look at the companys heritage. When karsten first moved to phoenix, he made putters that had the exact same design as the original scottsdales. He got a great buy on the putter, but i dont think that it is anything special. About 4,000 of these putters were produced during this time with the scottsdale moniker. If it was from the first run of that model back when ping started, maybe. Ellis, the author of numerous golf books, including the critically acclaimed the clubmakers art. The book chronicles pings heritage and its ongoing efforts to advance golf technology for. This putter had very distinctive design qualities, among them, a unique tone at impact, a sound that would echo throughout the game for generations to comeping.
Even the people at ping today dont know the complete history. New ping book details companys history, heritage pga tour. How the ping anser putter, one of the most iconic clubs in golf. Virtually every putter in the 60s was made of those three materials with 99. Karsten solheim, then an engineer with ge, designed and built a putter based on a new ideaheeltoe weighting. Find golf club tradein and resales values for over 4000 models of used golf clubs at the pga value guide, from leading manufacturers such as callaway. All daleheads from phoenix are stamped with the 85029 zip code. I have an anser 3 made of the magnesium bronze and it is nothing special.
May 22, 2009 he got a great buy on the putter, but i dont think that it is anything special. In my opinion, it is the best of the old ping and the new ping top flite materials with todays alignment and weighting technology. Jan 25, 2016 it was there, in 1966, that ping golf founder karsten solheim created the first anser putter. In 1967, he resigned from his job at general electric to develop the ping company. Mar 04, 2014 if you have karsten putter, and you love it, dont feel slighted. Mar 05, 2014 if you want the look of a traditional putter combined with strokesaving technology, look no further than the ping karsten tr putters. Pings book, and the putter wentping, is an inspiring and comprehensive look inside the family owned company that revolutionized the way golf equipment was designed and manufactured. How the ping anser putter, one of the most iconic clubs in golf history. The first ansers were manufactured in scottsdale, arizona for about a year and a half. Ping has released a 530page book, researched over more than.
Those three are the best of the noninsert ping b60s. The book chronicles pings heritage and its ongoing efforts to advance golf technology for the benefit of golfers of all skill levels. In january of 1966, karsten solheim designed the anser putter, a model so successful that ping celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2016 see story below. Karsten solheim september 15, 1911 february 16, 2000 was an american golf club designer and businessman. Karsten co anser jack nickalusslazenger karsten co anser jack nickalusslazenger. Karsten solheim filed a patent application for the ping anser putter on may 16, 1966, and patent number d207227 was issued on march 21, 1967. The ping company was founded on a putter, the ping 1a, and named after the sound it makes when striking a ball. The 530page, 16chapter book captures karstens pioneering spirit and his. Ping is an american manufacturer of golf equipment, based in phoenix, arizona. Karsten co anser jack nickalusslazenger used ping clubs. The putter was named for the slight pinging sound it makes when the ball was struck. Whether as a coffee table mainstay or gift to a fellow golf lover, and the putter went ping, written by jeffrey b.
The 85029 zip code is the zip code for the physical street address of ping headquarters, which it has been at since mid1966. Originally posted by kobester yep that putter is a dalehead anser. The anser 3 with some lead tape on it is my favorite putter of all time. The anser went on to become the most used putter for victories in the history of. Nice ping golf karsten anser 2i putter 36 right handed rh steel isopur. The scottsdale anser putter in 1966 the first ping anser putter came off the assembly line. Karsten solheim founded the company in 1959 when he wanted to design a golf putter that made a pinging sound when striking a golf ball hence the name ping. The bible of all things ping skip to main page content.
He founded karsten manufacturing, a golf club maker better known by the name of ping, and the solheim cup, the premier international team competition in womens golf. In 1959, mechanical engineer karsten solheim invented the ping putter in his. Original ping anser putter vs 2018 ping vault putter. The putter has a label below the grip which says heeltoe balance, karsten mfg. Unfollow ping anser putter to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. It was there, in 1966, that ping golf founder karsten solheim created the first anser putter. The book chronicles pings heritage and its ongoing efforts to advance golf. It wasnt until 1967 that he resigned from ge to start karsten manufacturing, the parent company of the ping brand, so named for the ping sound of the putter upon contact. The anser is the winningest model in pga tour history, and its newest iteration has the traditional heeltoe ballasts that boost moi, plus pleasing contours, a clean top rail and simple alignment line. These inventions include such groundbreaking concepts as investment casting, heeltoe balance, perimeter club weighting, custom fitting, cavity back design and the ping anser putter, to name a few. No other putter series offers this combination of technology and easy, precise fitting.
The ping story began humbly by karsten solheim, a mechanical engineer who. The anser 50th anniversary putter pays tribute to the iconic putters remarkable success. Since the patent expired in 1984, many others have co. It was put together by a ping putter aficionado who goes by the name of lumpy, and was posted on the putter discussion site. Ping has taken their entire line of putters and made a putter for golfers preferring the performance of a steel face with an insert feel. Founder karsten solheim crafted his first putter in his garage in 1959, igniting a revolution in putter design. The history on pings site isnt even as complete as many of the books and they arent complete. The unmatched success of the anser putter and its continued influence on.
Ping golf sigma g mens putter, right hand, anser platinum, 34 wpp60 grip 5. Ping karsten anser dalehead 85029 golf putter rare. That is the canvas karsten solheim, a norwegianborn engineer who worked on jet fighters and missile guidance systems after world war ii, used to sketch the ping anser putter in january 1966. Monday, on the eve of the 2016 pga merchandise show, ping released two new blade putters to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the anser, the tr 1966 anser and anser 2. In the 1980s 26 of the 40 major championships in golf were won by golfers using ping putters. The anser putter gained recognition with julius boros phoenix open. That was the same year that julius boros helped cement ping s credibility, winning the phoenix open with a ping anser model putter. He sketched the design on the dust jacket of a 78 rpm record. The karsten steel model is good if you prefer that material over the bronze, and the beryllium nickel b60 is good. New book on ping golf reveals inside look at company history and solheim family. The patent for the ping anser putter came on march 21, 1967.