Ping is a major name in golf products, and its success can be linked to its ability to recently rebuild its brand and market it successfully. Ping has a variety of options to suit your golfing needs. Their pricing varies to allow for those in different budget brackets to be able to purchase Ping products. Although you might see many Ping products out on your local course, many pro golfers also use Ping products including England's Lee Westwood, who is No. 3 in the World Golf rankings.
Origins
Ping is a family owned corporation that was first established in 1959. Karsten Solheim became frustrated with his putting and looked to his own means to create a solution. In his garage, Solheim began to manufacture his own putter, called the 1A, to help his putting game. This new putter made a "pinging" sound when striking a ball, hence the name of the company.
Market Share
According to TheSandTrap, in the mid-1990s, there were four major golf companies, Acushnet, Callaway, TaylorMade-adidas and Ping. However, over the past 15 years Ping has lost a considerable amount of market share.
TheSandTrap states that Ping refused to embrace new trends such as oversized metal woods and insert puttersuntil other companies had already taken over the market. But recently Ping has rebuilt its brand name and for now the company is headed back toward being a major golf manufacturer.
Products
Ping has a wide variety of golf equipment suited to fit your needs. Ping's G15 metal drivers are designed to give plenty of forgiveness while not detracting from distance and accuracy.
Ping also carries a variety of fairway woods, with the latest installment being the G15 series. It also have a plethora of options for irons in both steel and graphite.
According to TheWorldOfGolf, the Ping G5 irons are priced at $449 for a full set of steel irons as of 2010. The Ping Rapture V2 irons are priced at $1,119 for a full set of graphite irons. These irons rely on multi-metal technology to launch the ball longer and higher while improving accuracy as well. Ping's one downfall is that, unlike other major competitors, the company does not manufacture golf balls.
Tour Players
Many professional golfers use Ping products and support them while playing on the multiple pro tours around the world. As of June 13 2010, Lee Westwood, who is the third ranked golfer in the world, uses Ping products. With Ping clubs, Westwood came in second at the 2010 Masters at Augusta, Georgia. Others pros such as No. 19-ranked Hunter Mahan and No. 31 Angel Cabrera, a two-time major winner, also use Ping golf products.
Lee Westwood
Westwood, who on June 13, 2010, won his second PGA Tour event, the 2010 St. Jude Classic, uses Ping products. Westwood's driver for the tournament was the Ping i10 9-degree driver. Westwood utilized the Ping i10 irons for his 3-9 irons. He also used the Ping i15 3-wood, and Ping Rapture V2 5-wood. His wedges were the Ping Tour-W 54/14 and 58/8 wedges. Westwood's putter was the Ping Redwood Anser.
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